"Well, it’s pretty obvious which part of the First Amendment you don’t like!"
Dear Mr Kisela,
Well, it’s pretty obvious which part of the First Amendment you don’t like!
Your latest attempt to coerce Ted Noftall into silence is an embarrassment to the City of Port Orange and to me as a citizen. If I understand you correctly, Ted has somehow been conspiring with someone about something that for some reason he doesn’t want you to know about and you’re going to force him to give up the secret. Where have you been the last couple of years? Ted may just be the least secretive person I know—he wants people to know what he is thinking and saying. He writes his thoughts down on paper and sends them to everyone who will listen (and some who won’t), and this is in stark contrast to those at City Hall who prefer the privacy of phone calls and closed door conversations to the written word.
The First Amendment and the Freedom of Information Act were both designed to protect individuals from the excesses of government not the other way around. Your distortion of the purpose and intent of these documents makes me wonder just how far and how low your bosses will go to protect the status quo.
Mike Gardner
618 Ruth St
Port Orange, FL 32127
manddgardner@cfl.rr.com
386-527-1959
Kisela Fired
Updated: Sat 7:26 PM, Jun 02, 2012 http://www.wjhg.com/ Channel 7
Walton County Commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to rescind last week’s resignation of County Administrator Greg Kisela, then voted 3-to-2 to fire him without cause.
the firing clears the way for Kisela to receive a severance package that includes six months salary.
The commission had been receiving criticism for awarding Kisela his severance package in exchange for submitting what appeared to be a forced resignation. But a new state law caps public officials’ severance pay at 20 weeks.
Since Kisela signed his contract before the severance cap became law, he’s entitled to the package if he’s fired.
Kisela left the Destin City Managers job 11 months ago for the Walton County position. But there had been increasing speculation in recent weeks he might be on his way out, due to a deteriorating relationship with some of the county commissioners.
Mr. Gardner:
I have simply asked Mr. Noftall to send to the City Clerk the public records he has in his possession.
Greg Kisela
City Manager
Worker Intends To Sue City Over Management Actions
April 4, 2002|By Rafael A. Olmeda Staff Writer
FORT LAUDERDALE — One of the city’s most vocal critics put officials on notice this week, declaring plans to sue over the city’s refusal to discipline or dismiss more than a dozen managers.
Elgin Jones, 39, charges that city managers routinely harass him in retaliation for discrimination complaints he’s been making against the city for four years. He also said the city has engaged in “negligent retention” by failing to discipline or fire workers known to be breaking the law or violating city policies.
“All of those managers should have been fired a long time ago,” said Jones, a city engineering inspector. “Now nothing has changed. In fact, it has intensified.”
The suit Jones intends to file has nothing to do with workplace discrimination, but covers some of the same incidents he alleges in federal complaints he filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC found Jones’ discrimination complaints were warranted, and Jones is waiting for a Justice Department review before proceeding with that legal action. His lawyer expects to file the federal discrimination complaint by next month.
But the notice of intent served on the city Monday will eventually play out in state court, where Jones will accuse city officials of ignoring the problems even though they were fully aware of them.
The notice of intent names 14 middle- and low-level managers, and Jones said he expects to double that number by the time the actual lawsuit is filed. Among those named are Assistant City Manager Greg Kisela, whom Jones accused of threatening him by claiming to have a burial plot waiting for him.
Kisela has admitted making the comment, but only as a joke. And while Jones’ letter accuses the city of failing to act on the comment, City Manager Floyd Johnson did reprimand Kisela over the issue earlier this year.
Johnson declined to comment on the letter, saying he has not yet seen it.
“Our goal is not just to sue the city,” said Reginald Clyne, Jones’ lawyer. “It’s to change the way they operate. The city has to be taken to task. Whatever it takes, the goal is to have a workplace free of discrimination, harassment and retaliation.”
Jones has been outspoken about his criticisms in articles that appear regularly in the weekly Broward Times newspaper.
Assistant City Manager Bud Bentley, who is named in the notice of intent, said he’s pleased to see Jones’ legal action proceeding.
“I’m glad Elgin’s finally come forward with his complaint so they can be fully aired and fully addressed,” Bentley said. “This is the first time we’re getting them in a form that allows an independent body to determine the truthfulness of what he’s saying.”
Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4207.
Former City Hall employee sues city over firing: Dana Williams cites ?emotional distress’.
The Destin Log (Destin, FL)
The Destin Log (Destin, FL)
May 2, 2007 | Copyright
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Permalink
Byline: Fraser Sherman
May 2–Destin’s former city clerk, Dana Williams, has filed suit against the city for “damages in excess of $15,000” over City Manager Greg Kisela firing her last year.
In the lawsuit, filed last week in Okaloosa County Circuit Court, Williams asks for damages to cover lost wages and benefits, attorneys’ fees and for “humiliation, mental and emotional distress, physical discomfort.”
Kisela said in an interview that the city has sent a copy of the complaint to the city’s legal insurer. He said he expects the insurer to hire Alan, Norton and Blue, the city’s regular labor counsel, for the case.
The roots of the case lie in the Destin Cemetery. …
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