Flagler County Clerk of Court Tom Bexley made it official today: Heidi Petito will start Monday as the clerk’s office’s senior adviser, a new position.
Petito’s final day as the Flagler County administrator is today, after five years on the job and 23 years in the organization. Her tenure came down to three county commissioners’ determination that Petito was not meeting their expectations: Pam Richardson, Kim Carney and Leann Pennington, probably in that order of disaffection.
Nor was Petito willing to step into a different role within the organization, though Pennington, aligning with Commissioners Andy Dance and Greg Hansen, were prepared to make that happen, ensuring that Petito would also not be booted out of the Florida Retirement System (she is close to retirement).
Tensions had become so toxic for her that she was willing to take a job paying just about half her current salary of $212,900: she will be earning $110,000 in her new job, a 48 percent pay cut. The clerk’s office, a constitutional office, is part of the FRS system.
“This is a position we’ve been contemplating for a very long time and we found a great person to fill it,” Bexley said in a brief interview. He had spoken at length, when FlaglerLive first disclosed the potential hire in mid-March, about how he’d been having discussions with Petito for months about hiring her. Superintendent LaShakia Moore had also approached Petito about a job with the district, telling her it would be a “safe landing place.”
Bexley announced the hire in a press release issued within moments of the end of the working day today. He said he’d offered Petito the chance to take a vacation between the two jobs. Petito declined. “She’s a go-getter,” he said. She could not be reached before this article initially published. She is not quoted in the release Bexley issued.
“Heidi Petito has been a valuable part of Flagler County for a number of years, in a number of capacities,” he was quoted as saying in the release. “In her most recent role as County Administrator for the last five years, she has done a remarkable job building consensus among the county’s partners and her fiscal stewardship has put the County in a better place.”
The release doesn’t mince word–nor did Bexley on at least two occasions in previous interviews, here and on WNZF–attributing the change of venue to “recent events and as a direct result of the Board of County Commissioners’ actions.” It was a subtle dig at the commission majority that pushed Petito out–the same majority that now has the budget of the Clerk of Court in its hands. Bexley said it is possible that, as part of her responsibilities, Petito could appear before the commission during budget season. If she does, many people working in the Government Services Building will likely take an extended break for the show.
Bexley said Petito’s office will be on the second floor in the courthouse. She will “counsel and advise the executive team, work with all intergovernmentals, work in Tallahassee with us and other clerk’s offices on clerk agendas,” Bexley said. She will also work extensively on outreach to educate people who use the clerk’s services and don’t necessarily know what the office does.
“Ms. Petito will bring proven leadership to our office and will assist us in maintaining accountability for County resources while helping to engage and build relationships throughout the County and beyond,” Bexley was quoted as saying. “Ms. Petito also has deep institutional knowledge and a genuine commitment to public service. Her experience, integrity and steady approach will be a tremendous asset to our office and to the residents we serve. We are fortunate to have her join our team.”
Petito positioned Growth Management Director Adam Mengel as her interim successor as the commission searches for a permanent replacement.
RobdaSlob says
Not judging Petito but why do we suddenly need this position? And why was it not posted to allow others to apply and why didn’t we go through a selection process? It is behavior like this that drives accusations of cronie-ism and not being good stewards of the tax payers dollar.