To all,
One of the best scenes in the Wizard of Oz, is when Toto pulls back the curtain to reveal that the great and most powerful Oz, is neither great nor powerful. Oz turns out to be just a normal guy who in real life happens to be a fortune teller/snake oil sales man who runs an entire city as if he was a Wizard.
So who really runs the Village of Palmetto Bay? Is there a Wizard, Fortune Teller, Snake Oil Salesman or just an individual playing Village Manager?
Our Wizard’s name is Ron Williams and he controls the Village. I’ve had the opportunity this week to review his personnel file and this is what I’ve found.
First, I’m obligated to disclose that I’m not exactly Ron William’s biggest fan. I find him to be arrogant, condescending, elusive and never forthcoming or cooperative in regards to providing me with answers related Village finances.
Prior to becoming the Village Manager, Mr. Williams was employed to be the Director of Public Works for the Village of Palmetto Bay in May of 2003. Previously to being hired by the Village he was a math teacher, worked for the State of Florida in a management position and City of Miami in various administrative positions. Apparently, Mr. Williams left both the State of Florida and City of Miami for what he states as “political changes” in his employment application. Nowhere in his previous employment did he serve as a City Manager of a Municipality according to his employment application.
Mr. Williams initial salary at the Village as Director of Public Works was $75,000, after approximately four years in that position he was hired as the Village Manager for $137,000 plus benefits. Not a bad jump in salary for four years worth of service and no prior experience as a City Manager. Mr. Williams’s current salary is $150,316 plus numerous benefits. Nine years at Palmetto Bay has resulted in a doubling of his salary. These increases occurred during the worst recession the United States has ever experienced.
While in the position of Village Manager, Mr. Williams has had one ethics complaint filed against him for an alleged oral meeting with a vendor prior to contracts being awarded. That ethics complaint was dismissed on January 24, 2012.
One of the most interesting items I found missing from Mr. Williams personnel file was the lack of annual reviews. Per his employment agreement dated May 10th 2007, states the Village Manager shall be given a written evaluation by the Council and Mayor. Has Mr. Williams really been employed in the most important position in the Village without a yearly evaluation? Were the evaluations pulled from his personnel file before his information was given to me or was it just a dereliction of duty by the Mayor and Council in forgoing his yearly assessment? That question needs to be answered.
So, David, where is the smoking gun? There isn’t one. I can tell you that Mr. William’s has been at the helm with large salary and benefit increases while the Village loses millions of dollars every year from its reserves. After five years of on-the job training, Mr. Williams has so far been a wizard of cloudy and questionable financial decisions. Our travel down the yellow brick road will prove to be a long and prosperous one as long as there is sound Village financial management. For that to happen, Mr. Williams and his Village Staff must be financially prudent and transparent with our tax dollars.
David Singer
