Item B
O~~Y~~~~E
(305) 294-4641
Mayor Murray E. Nelson
Damaron Building, Suite 2
99198 Overseas Highway
Key Largo, FL 33037
PHONE (305) 852-7175
FAX (305) 852-7162
EMAIL: boccdis5@monroecounty-fl.gov
(~.~ ----
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Mayor Murray E. Nelson, District 5
Mayor Pro Tern David P. Rice, District 4
Dixie M. Spehar, District 1
George Neugent, District 2
Charles "Sonny" McCoy, District 3
* CONFIDENTIAL *
INTEROFFICE MEMO
June 21/ 2004
TO: Mayor Pro Tem Rice and Commissioners Spehar, McCoy & Neugent
FR: Mayor Murray E. Nelson
RE: UPDATE ON NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR SELECTION
After two weeks of negotiating with our First choice for County
Administrator, David Bullock, I have received his notice of withdrawal
from the position. Although many approaches to meet his salary and
housing needs were explored, none were satisfactory to Mr. Bullock.
If it pleases the other commissioners, I will instruct Mr. Colin
Baenziger to present five additional candidates to the/Commission.
I also think it would be in the best interests of the county and the
negotiator to advertise the salary range as $125/000-$150/000 and
leave the housing allowance to be negotiated after selection.
It may also be advantageous to avoid housing allowances, as this
could set up a precedent for hiring of future division and department
heads.
C: County Attorney Richard Collins
B.
O. O~~rY ~2~~E
(305) 294-4641
Mayor Murray E. Nelson
Damaron Building, Suite 2
99198 Overseas Highway
Key Largo, FL 33037
PHONE (305) 852-7175
FAX (305) 852-7162
EMAIL: boccdis5@monroecounty-fl.gov
To: David Bullock
Dear David,
,... ..... ...-.....-..
,
June 21,2004
BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
Mayor Murray E. Nelson, District 5
Mayor Pro Tern David P. Rice, District 4
Dixie M. Spehar, District 1
George Neugent, District 2
Charles "Sonny" McCoy, District 3
It is with great regret that I received your email this morning at 9 a.m..
Although we tried many approaches to meeting your needs for salary and housing
allowances, the combined package for base pay, section 457, and housing
allowance exceeded $200,000. As all the other county benefits were in addition to
this figure, the cost was too high for a starting figure.
I am enclosing an alternate proposal that might meet your needs
$155,000 Base salary
Housing allowance
457 Contribution
$155,000 -
5.000 -
$155,000
24,000
5.000
$184,000 per year
Future raises would be negotiated with the BaCC after the first year of
employment.
Sincerely,
Murray E. Nelson
Mayor
Hanson-Donna
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Isabel Desantis[SMTP: idesantis@monroe-c1erk.com]
Friday, June 18, 2004 1: 17 PM
Donna Hanson
Mayor's request
Hi Donna,
The Mayor just called our office for the FRS contribution that will be paid for the new Administrator _ David Bullock,
with a $150,000 salary:
FICA
Retirement
Total
7,785
14,215
172,000
J told him I would fax this info. to his office, but your fax # is busy.
Pis. pass this along.
Thanks!
Page 1
Hanson-Donna
----------- -..-.-----..----
From:
Sent:
To:
DAVID BULLOCK[SMTP:dbullock16@msn.com]
Sunday, June 20, 2004 12: 16 PM
Murray Nelson; boccdis1@monroecounty-fJ.gov; boccdis2@monroecounty-ff.gov; boccdis3
@monroecounty-fl.gov; boccdis4@monroecounty-fl.gov
John Collins
Monroe County Administrator Position
Cc:
Subject:
Commissioners: It is with sincere regret that I withdraw from consideration for the position of
Administrator. After extensive discussion with Mayor Nelson he has made it clear to me that
the County Commission is unwilling to consider a base salary of more than $145,000 per year
with a housing allowance and other considerations common to County Administrators'
contracts in the nation. My wife and I have researched the housing costs extensively.
Unfortunately the proposed package offered by the Mayor is not sufficient to allow us to
relocate to Monroe County given the cost of housing. I tried to make it clear during my
discussions with each of you and Mr. Baenziger that I would need to be in the high end of the
advertised salary range and would need housing assistance (I also provided a draft contract to
the Mayor and County Attorney). Now I have come to understand that is not possible.
I believe I could have done an excellent job for you and the citizens of Monroe County.
Thank you for allowing me to get to know each of you. I will continue to follow the progress the
County makes in transforming its government into a customer focused, continuously improving
organization.
Dave Bullock
From: Hanson-Donna
rdsent: Monday, June 21, 2004 12:43 PM .
. To: I:> 'Jamie Hyman'; 'US#1 Radio'; 'Steve Gibbs'; Alyson Matley-Keynoter; Ann Henson; Dave Whitney;
7h/~6 VJ(j...O ~f2.{) +0 /,ndependent; Jennifer Babson-Herald; KEYNOTER; News-Barometer; Rebekah Mills; Travis
Tritten
Cc: 'Danny Kolhage'; 'Isabel Desantis'; 'Colin Baenziger'; Collins-John; Shillinger-Bob; zz-County
Administrator
G;J-//o,/ ~ ~ ~
a - Ir~
~8J::~
Page 1
( ,
Hanson-Donna
From:
Sent:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Dave Bullock[SMTP:DBULLOCK@scgov.net]
Tuesday, June 15, 20044:40 PM
Hanson-Donna@MonroeCounty-FL.Gov
dbullock16@msn.com
Re: COUNTER-OFFER - JUNE 15
ItJ
Mayor Nelson.doc
Mayor: thank you for your most recent email. I understand the postion you have
set forth and the concerns expresses in your email. I understand your caution
about a compensation package meeting "stiff resistance." I believe what I have
proposed falls within the County advertised ranges.
However I also understand what I heard from the County Commission and
community members during interviews and other discussions. The work to bring
sustainable improvements to Monroe County will require focus, experience with
organizational change, development of strategic objectives, and hard work. I
believe I can bring those things to Monroe County while working with the
commission to make improvements in the lives of County residents and visitors.
Please feel free to share my previous email with the rest of the Commission. I
have attached it as a Word file so it is a bit easier to read.
>>> <Hanson-Donna@MonroeCounty-FL.Gov> 6/15/2004 3:26:34 PM >>>
David,
Attached is Mayor Nelson's counter-offer to your email of June 15.
Page 1
<<BULLOCK6-15-04CounterOffer>>
Donna Hanson
Executive Assistant to Mayor Nelson
PH (305) 852-7175
FAX (305) 852-7162
Email: boccdis5@monroecounty-f1.gov
Mayor Nelson:
Thank you for speaking with me yesterday and today. Working through these contract issues is
frequently stressful for all parties. I appreciate your straightforward approach.
We discussed three major items of importance to work through.
Base Compensation: Monroe County advertised nationwide for an Administrator in the unique
environment of the Florida Keys facing a set of challenges that don't exist anywhere else in the
nation. The salary range advertised was $125,000 to $175,000. The ad also referenced a
willingness to consider a housing allowance. Given my current salary and the increased cost of
housing, which Donna and' would experience, a salary of $170,000 is needed to help me qualify
for a mortgage of sufficient size to buy a house.
Housing Allowance: You had previously offered a housing allowance of $2,000 per month (Which
is fully taxable). This allowance would yield approximately $1280 per month after taxes to apply
toward housing. When combined with the salary above I could qualify for the mortgage needed to
obtain a house.
457 Contribution: The IRS allows tax deferred compensation contributions of $15,000 per year.
This is a very important of a total compensation package and is standard in City/County Manager
contracts.
We have researched housing extensively; consulted with a tax accountant, mortgage brokers,
and a contract attorney. It is very important to me that' fully understand all elements of the
proposed contact in the context of the costs we will incur to live in the Keys. In quickly reviewing
the draft contract I received this morning these are the major issues. There are a few other minor
issues I would want to discuss but I consider the above to be threshold issues.
Mayor Nelson, as I explained to you, Donna and' are people who commit to a community and
fully intend to buy a house in the Keys and live there through out my remaining career and well
into retirement. Let me assure you and the other Commissioners I am committed to focusing my
full professional energies to this position and to work closely with the County Commission to
accomplish great things for Monroe County. This will be a journey that will require patience from
all parties, some uncomfortable decisions, and an unwavering commitment to creating an
excellent government.
Thank you for your patience in working through this' am looking forward to hearing from you.
David R. Bullock