Flagler County Administrator Jerry Cameron on Tuesday appointed Jorge Salinas, 53, an assistant city manager in an Oregon town for the past five years, as his “chief of staff,” a position similar to deputy county administrator, lining him up to replace the administrator when Cameron leaves next year.
Salinas has been with Albany, a city of 50,000 along the I-5 corridor, for 14 years. He’d been with Hewlett-Packard before that. He graduated college in Puerto Rico with a computer science degree and earned an MBA at Western Governors University in Salt Lake City. He was passed over for manager in Albany in 2017 after making it to the final two, not long after winning plaudits for earning his city the attention of other cities and a tech magazine for his transparency initiatives. But the man who beat him out was among his references for the Flagler job. Ironically, he took part in an unusually secretive hiring process in Flagler. Salinas also made it to the final four in Lakeland last year but pulled out before the final choice was made.
Locally Salinas beat out Heidi Petito, the county’s long-time general services director, and John Brower, the finance director completing his first year in the county. The appointment was first reported by the Observer Tuesday evening after Cameron called the paper, which reported that Salinas will be paid $147,000, at least initially. It’s a little less than the $151,000 he was earning in Albany. His pay grade ranges up to $175,000. The position was last held by Sally Sherman under then-Administrator Craig Coffey’s administration.
In keeping with Cameron’s handling of the hiring process so far, the county has not issued a public announcement as yet. Neither Cameron nor the county commission discussed the position before or after it was advertised on Indeed.com, nor subsequently when its salary range was set or when the interviews with five short-listed candidates took place behind closed doors Friday. The two other candidates were Jarrod Shupe, the county’s IT director, and Joe Saviak, the sheriff’s leadership chief. The commission is expected to ratify the appointment at a meeting this month.
All five commissioners participated in the interviews and ranked the candidates, a ranking that played into the appointment. As such, the commissioners’ action appears to have violated the state’s sunshine law, since they took part in a process that led to a decision, all outside of a public meeting. The law prohibits any elected body’s actions to take place outside the public eye, with rare exceptions (such as strategy sessions ahead of union negotiations or legal proceedings). Cameron also prevented information about the scheduling of Friday’s interviews, and the identities of those conducting the interviews, from being released until after the sessions had been completed.
In the rankings, Salinas had edged out Petito, with Brower in third, Shupe fourth and Saviak fifth. Petito had been favored because of her long tenure in the county, but also had baggage, because of her husband–former Fire Chief Don Petito–whose last years two with the county, coinciding with Cameron’s first two, became tumultuous and punctuated by a public clash with Shupe. Cameron forced Petito to retire earlier this year. In the “leadership academy” he conducted for top administrative personnel, Cameron had told Shupe, Petito and Brower, among others, that one of them could be named his deputy and potential successor, then changed his mind, telling the three that the back-stabbing was hurting their prospects. He changed his mind again, as all three ended up on the short-list of five candidates for the deputy position.
Before becoming assistant city manager in 2015, Salinas was the city’s IT director for nine years, and held various managerial positions at Hewlett Packard from 1996 to 2006.
“Throughout the years, my skills and experiences have prepared me to leverage technology in order to serve others and enable processes that, in many cases, were meant for profit while in others, they were designed to enhance the lives and experiences of members of our community,” Salinas wrote in his cover letter. “I am committed to building and fostering successful relationships with the community, county commissioners, staff, customers, stakeholders, and vendors to ensure that we identify and address the needs of Flagler County.”
Salinas did not return a call before this article initially published.
“I think it’s probably an interesting but excellent choice,” Dave Sullivan, the commission chairman, said of the Salinas appointment this morning. He would not explain his use of the term “interesting,” nor say how he personally ranked the five finalists, or where Salinas ranked in his view. “I’m not going to say, because I don’t need to. It was Jerry’s choice,” Sullivan said. “It’s a good selection, it’s the first time I’ve ever met the person, from my 45 minutes with him I’m very happy with him. Seems like an intelligent guy with a lot of incentive to do a great job.”
As for not revealing his choices, Sullivan added: “It’s called a Republic, it’s not a total democracy. It’s a representative form of government and we’re representing the public. We don’t have to tell them everything we do. We hired a janitor too, big deal.”
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WILLIAM J NELSON says
You’re right Sullivan. You don’t have to tell “we the people” anything. But, I’ll tell you when I vote.
Missed Opportunity says
He’s already been reelected – unfortunately.
Dennis C Rathsam says
I smell something stinky here in Flagler County… Where the hell om earth, do you get to pick your replacement? The smell is comming from Jerry the Jerk!!! If you are gonna leave in a year… do us all a big favor, LEAVE NOW! We dont want U, and we dont want an outsider, with no knowlege of Fl or Flagler County, as our next commish. This new commer will do any thing Jerry says,once he’s gone. this is a ugly mess, that wont go away.
Paul Harrington says
Maybe Jorge Salinas can bring transparency to Flagler County. Appatently the Commissioners need a lesson.
Rick Belhumeur says
The County Commission hires the County Administrator. The County Administrator hires and or fires all of the staff below him. The hiring of County employees does not need to be a public process. If the Commissioners didn’t meet as a group during interviews, where is the sunshine violation? If each commissioner ranked the candidates and shared their results separately with Mr Cameron, I don’t see that as a problem but as feedback from each commissioner(his bosses) to help him make a choice.
Katrina says
But because the Commissioners met in one room and then ranked the candidates, those activities and meetings are subject to SUNSHINE.
FlaglerLive says
The commissioners never met together. They individually met the candidates, though Cameron briefed them of the uniform process ahead of time.
Katrina says
I rescind my previous statement. Thanks for the clarification, Pierre.
Concerned Citizen says
Not surprised you are speaking up to defend your counter parts on the County Level.
You’ve gotten away with your share of shenannigans in this county. Flagler Beach doesn’t know how to act ethically either. I mean when you run over people drunk and get out of a DUI because of the good ol boy’s network. Myself or anyone else would have gone to jail that night. But hey it’s who you know right?
We aren’t asking for much in this county. Just honesty and fair representation. Something which elected officials convieniently forget once they are sworn in. I guess an Oath doesn’t mean much anymore. It did when I took my oath of enlistment after Highschool years ago. Then again when I went to work for The Sheriffs Office after graduating from Basic Law Enforcement Training.
How much time has been wasted on our dime? With shady real estate deals. And criminal behavior? Or dealings with special interests? When do you all start getting to work doing what needs to be done?
Deborah Coffey says
Straight out of the Trump playbook. Keep people in the dark or lie to get what you want, break the law, and say, “Tough, I hold all the power.” It’s disgusting.
Another one lost says
As for not revealing his choices, Sullivan added: “It’s called a Republic, it’s not a total democracy. It’s a representative form of government and we’re representing the public. We don’t have to tell them everything we do. We hired a janitor too, big deal.”
Thanks for the Civics lesson Dave! What an arrogant statement. Just a nasty attempt to give you the middle finger. His recent re-election affords him the opportunity to start talking shit again. And I’m a Trump supporting Republican.
Trailer Bob says
Yes, his comment was degrading to the public for which he works for. Let’s get some decent candidates to run over all these dinosaurs.
I'M BAAACK says
I see that Sullivan is back to his good old self again but then again if would be very out of character for him to be anything butt, no pun intended.
Jimbo99 says
Exactly, I’ll bet that’s what he said & was thinking back when they bought both the moldy buildings for the county Sheriff’s Office too that taxpayer’s are eating in higher taxes. The last year how many hires have they brought in and then found a way to to force a resignation or whatever in an attempt to get rid of a 1/2 baked employment situation that wasn’t thought out past a few months.
This has the look of a diversity hire for an outsider. For a small rural government things do get nasty when they want someone gone, wonder how long he lasts here, he’ll probably know it in the first few months who the bitter losers are that would’ve seen that position as their next step in their Flagler county government careers ?
E, ROBOT says
Sullivan is right and we’re lucky we are a Republic because democracies are mob rule gone mad. The difference between what the ff’s gave us and his version, is the quality of the people’s representatives which has been in a downward spiral since Wilson and commies came into power.
Nick papageorgeo says
Yes finally the citizens of Flagler county won one ! Let’s get rid of the old and bring in the new good job in choosing the right candidate! Just the petito name brings corruption !
Don’t blame Don Petito for this one Heidi has her own group of good old boys protecting her and bringing her down . Now all we can do is hope and pray it is time for this couple of corruption to move on ! As forJarrod Shupe every one in county is pissed because this man does his job ! He was brought in new and obviously he is contributing to the change keep up the Good work Jarrod keep the corruption on its toes ! Let the public know when they slip .
LMAO says
I almost spit my water out after reading this, especially the Shupe part. There is a reason why Cameron claimed there was back stabbing going on.
Trades worker 2 says
Nick you are 100% right petito needs to just walk away . All chief of trades and up should be investigated ! Pure corruption !
Let’s just look into family ties ! How did everyone get there job !
Again just saying
Ben Hogarth says
I’ve strived to avoid public comment on actions taken by Flagler County since the leadership change following the 2018 election. I had hoped that the public and their elected representatives would be working towards positive change, and certainly some good changes have occurred. With that said, we have to call a spade a spade when we see one. Once again, I put on my public service cap in order to educate and plead for serious culture change.
For the edification of FlaglerLive contributors and the education of all engaging in this conversation… A FL Attorney General Opinion (on this very subject) from 1990 states:
“Moreover, the courts have stated that the Sunshine Law should be construed to frustrate the use of all evasive devices.”
It goes on to say:
However, where the activities of the individual are limited to fact-finding or information gathering, the courts have reached a different conclusion. In Cape Publications, Inc. v. City of Palm Bay, the district court considered whether certain activities of the city and the city manager violated the Sunshine Law. The city charter placed sole responsibility for the selection of a police chief in the city manager. However, when it became necessary to select a new chief of police, the city manager asked certain people to sit in on the interviews with him. The only function of this group was to assist the city manager in acquiring information on the applicants he had chosen by asking questions during the interviews and then discussing the qualifications of each candidate with the city manager after the interview. The court stated that:
“Because the record demonstrates that the committee selected by the city manager had the sole function of assisting him with “fact-finding,” to supply him with the necessary information so that he could properly exercise his duties and responsibility in selecting a new chief of police, and because the committee had no decision-making function such as authority to screen, interview or recommend applicants to the city manager, the group was not a “board” within the contemplation of the Sunshine Law and its meetings were not required to be open to the public.”[8]
I personally believe that Cameron and the Commission committed a violation of Sunshine Law by collectively sitting in on the interview process and formally presenting Cameron with their “ratings” of candidates. In addition, it is my understanding from recent articles that the intent was to allow select staff and commissioners alike, the opportunity to provide decision-making input while effectively eliminating candidates from the process. These actions do NOT constitute a “fact finding” activity, but rather, serve as a decision making process thereby violating the sunshine provisions.
Although the sunshine laws can get quite technical and certainly within a grey area, the ethos behind them have always been rather clear. It is equally clear that the intent here was to avoid transparency and public input from day one. Mr. Cameron should have simply chosen whom he felt was most capable and let the cards fall where they may. This is a decision that city and county managers (any executive) make everyday. And while I understand the value of having more opinions and certainly buy-in from staff and commissioners alike, we must protect the public trust first and foremost, always. By his actions, Mr. Cameron has positioned himself so that he may not be entirely accountable for the success or failure of this new individual. To me, that is a poor reflection on him especially.
Who am I to criticize so openly a senior manager with decades more experience than my own? The public will be the judge of that. The facts still remain, whether uttered by me or since they were penned by the courts. And the fact here is that this process was neither transparent nor entirely legal. The candidate selection appears promising and will hopefully yield positive results for Flagler. But sometimes Mr. Cameron, even when you win, you lose.
The same can be said for the Flagler County residents who thought meaningful change was just around the bend.
Sad.
CB from PC says
This is a horrible choice for Deputy. Not what is needed here.
Any experience dealing with developers, Beach replenishment projects and most of all the people who live here and who will be paying the salary?
Florida also is world’s away from Oregon in terms of geography, culture and weather.
The letter of introduction he submitted when going for a job in Lakeland is filled with nothing but boilerplate bullshit.
Been in Corporate and Government long enough to smell it when I see it:
In his letter of introduction, he states, “Excellent services are directly linked to our ability to understand and manage the expectations of our customers and stakeholders. As a successful Deputy City Manager/CIO for the City of Albany, Oregon, I have fostered strong and enduring organizational relationships and implemented innovative technical solutions that have enabled the organization to deliver excellent services to our community.”
One could probably make a legitimate case that Cameron has violated the requirement of residency for County Administrator, whether”Acting” or not, rendering this hire null and void.
And Mr. Sullivan, you and a few others there are the type of Republican that makes the rest the Party look bad.
Jimbo99 says
“…boilerplate bullshit”
When I read that, I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. That’s actually anyone’s job description, application & resume. You can go thru the pdf’s of Palm Coast on-line job descriptions and find several of them are for the City of Bristol, TN for City of Palm Coast open positions. Recycled BS that are outright thefts of job descriptions. See the meta data in the pdf’s were never changed, the city logos were changed and the text of the city name too. HR departments too lazy to recreate a pdf from scratch if they were going to plagiarize a job description. Makes you wonder if the hiring directors even know what the positions actually entail, even who gets hired into the job whether they BSed their way with credentials to get hired ? It’salways been nepotism 1st, diversity 2nd & a real open competition for employment is always the most desperate of options to fill a position. In a lot of cases, filling any job is more are a matter of knowledge transfer. That’s even more evident in the world of contract jobs, just easier to skirt employment laws and severance packages that way.
CB from PC says
The big mistake of this hire is assuming someone who plagiarizes uncreative verbiage like this will bring any original and creative thinking to solve problems.
Concerned Citizen says
Well it’s obvious what’s going on here.
This “Deputy Administrator” Wink wink nudge nedge will replace Cameron. You read that here first. LOL However this entire administration from BOCC to appointed believes we are ignorant. That shows with Sullivan’s arrogant statement.
As Sullivan is newly elected we can institute a recall. He’s not immune to being replaced. These folks need a reminder of that. Flagler County needs an ENTIRE leadershape change. Time to clean house.
Please remember that in November. I beg you to vote responsibly.
Agkistrodon says
Hmmmm a “transparency ace” hired in the “dark of night”…..I’d have to call that an oxymoron.
Just a thought says
I never though I would say this, but where is that snake in the grass McDonald? We need to shotgun some ethic complaints out. This is his territory.
palmcoaster says
Probably McDonald is really sick and tired as I am in this county’s politics and waste of our hard earned taxpayers tax funds. Just look at the BOCC incumbents outcome in the primaries! Unless that again some hundreds of ballots unaccounted for and are ready for shredding in some obscure locked room, maybe? What about we all communicate and find out how we voted? Could that be a solution to the doubts?
SASHAY AWAY says
We should start with a Sullivan/Carney recount I bet they got rid of those ballots real quick!
Celia Pugliese says
Dennis McDonald is actually running for district 2 Palm Coast city council seat and as well as Milissa Holland he will get our vote! I have known this man as a watch dog on behalf of all city and county residents when it comes to our local government use of our hard earned taxes. He is also protective of our environment in some cases even fought protecting our canopy of oaks in Palm Coast Parkway, without reaching his goal, but he tried hard. He lost when he run for county commissioner not long ago for a narrow margin ! A reminder of what happened to Kim Carney versus Sullivan now in the primaries. So lets make him successful this time and watch him working for us along the Mayor. He knows Palm Coast and the County in detail, he knows it all and how government sometimes works against the hand the feeds it, given the wrong people elected to serve us.
Edith Campins says
How is this different from when Coffey was running things and the commissioners were rubber stamping his bad decisions?
C’mon man says
It’s like a tv show…….
Jerry
Jerry
Jerry
Jane Gentile-Youd says
Hang on fellow Flagler Countians one minute. As one of the biggest citizen big mouth critics I am also aware that at the end of the day it is the County Commission who does the actual formal hiring of both the County Administrator and the County Attorney but nobody else. Two employees they can hire and fire with a 3 person vote which means that neither Mr. Salinas nor anyone can be directly hired by his/her predecessor but they can be vetted very thoroughly as it does appear which is something the commissioners really ever did before in my opinion. When Coffey was hired the commissioners were considering 3 candidates not 120….
I am sure that if Jerry Cameron had upped and left without homework to find someone who would probably do better than he ever did -we would be at the mercy of the commissioners to toss a coin to decide who is ‘gonna’ be new administrator.
Mr. Salinas has not been voted and approved as yet. We will all have the opportunity when the commission votes on his employment to have 3 minutes to make our concerns known which will forever be part of Flagler County history,
I really feel that Flagler Live, with all due respect, make a boo boo calling Jerry a sham. He is saint compared to that arrogant, sneaky, lying, cunning, two-faced egotistical bastard we had before him – in my opinion. My opinion is one-sided as taxpayer only. I am not a county employee which makes me unqualified to ‘swear under oath’ to my feelings but they are my feelings,
Amen
Concerned Citizen says
Hi Jane,
One has to only delve into his background at St.Johns to see there were some major issues going on. And it looks like it got to the point that it was work out of county or not work at all. And so we got stuck with another counties problem. On a long term “temporary, wink wink nudge nudge deal. This BOCC was wrong for even letting him work here as he didn’t meet a good many of the job qualifications. But again they skirted it with the “temporary, wink wink nudge nudge” bit. In the belief that we are stupid.
I’m no saint and I’m not perfect however in my 50 some odd years on this earth I have served in the military and then worked and retired out of Public Safety. Most of my jobs required an Oath. And some required security clearences. That held me to a higher standard of conduct at ALL times. And still does to this day because of my current job. And volunteer status with Emergency Services and our Armed Forces/DOD. I expect and demand the same ethical and moral representation from those we elect and that are appointed. They agreed to do the job.
I have been in this county since 2006. And consider it my home. When I see what is going on with our BOCC and other leadership it is maddening. All the time wasted on petty bull crap. And criminal behavior of some. Yet no accountability. Because they believe they are invincible. Yet I see a population that is mostly resistant to change. I completly understand the fear of the unknown. But someone once said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and expecting diffrent results.
I vote how my consciousness tells me. And although I have lost friends and people aren’t talking right now this year I voted all new people. No incumbents. I refuse to be an enabler. And to allow these people to continue to sit in office and take our money with little to no reults.
It’s time for a change folks. Before our leadership runs this county into the ground.
Bluey says
Jane: DISAGREE with the part that Cameron is a “SAINT” more like a fallen angel who fell into the swamp of crap, I also think that Pierre did GREAT investigative reporting on this just look at how upset they are trying to stonewall maybe they did cave due to public pressure at the at the 12 o’clock hour, they are trying to make Pierre and Flagler Live look bad, they got caught, especially Jerry with his past COVID 19 misinformation to the public. Jerry doesn’t like looking bad to much of a ego, after all he will still be lining his pockets pretty well after he’s gone as the poor hard working taxpayers strive trying to make ends meet. They would all love to have control and “unfreedom of the press” so that they can continue with their closed backdoor deals and people are NOW wise from all political parties and its not looking good for any of them.
Mickey says
Jane: STOP PANDERING to that mob Jerry is part of them, he’s using you, he knows you have a big mouth and just wants you off his back like the rest of them they could not care less about what you have to say to them, they called you an embarrassment on Flagler Live when you voice at the meetings, they do not take you seriously!
Jane Gentile-Youd says
Wow guys.. Never said Jerry Cameron is a saint other than compared to Coffey!
Well aware that the Commissioners cringe when I speak because I do my homework and they don’t! I admit I go off ( sometimes way off) on a New York temper tantrum when they vote against the people and when they don’t respond to very valid questions and concerns.
What is fair is fair – nobody is being hired to replace the County Administrator.
Unfortunately the Commissioners love their Consent Agenda and enjoy is one big YES with hundreds of thousands our tax money being spent without having any read idea what for and why. – They don’t ( except for Sullivan who sometimes does) read anything at all in their agenda. They let everyone else run the county; come in to give their rubber stamp to most issues and cut the public off after 3 minutes with a military buzzer.
Yes, there are no saints but the biggest sinner who has cost the county more money than anyone in the past 7 years is the County Attorney who sat in on every asinine real estate stinking rotten deal and never opened his mouth to advise against such stupidity and in the Captains case I believe he is guilty of malfeasance because he did not advise the county that it is not LEGAL to give a private party the right to build a PRIVATE building on PUBLIC land.
Nobody ever blames Hadeed for having a budget of $700,000 just to sign everything Approved as to Form.
He should go first and he should be bashed for his years of leading the sheep to financial slaughter. Jerry’s past has no bearing on what is going on now,
Our community says
They know EXACTLY what they are passing on their agendas before hand which is WHY most of them are BURIED and HIDDEN with other agendas from the PUBLIC VIEW!
STOP BLOWING SMOKE UP OUR BUTTS says
David Sullivan: What do you mean when you say, “we don’t have to tell them everything” AND WHO are the THEM and WHAT are some examples of the everything, so just answer these questions specifically!