The Escambia Children’s Trust personnel committee voted yesterday to give Lindsey Cannon, its new executive director, an annual salary of $125,000 – $5,000 more than the job posting.
The meeting was held at 2 p.m. The agenda packet did not include the proposed contract change or any backup documentation. It only stated: “Executive Director Agreement Review,” so the public was given no notice of the possible salary increase.
How it unfolded: The minutes state that Stephanie White made the motion to increase the salary to $125K, and Tori Woods seconded the motion. “All were in favor to accept the requested changes.”
- The minutes do not list any other attendees except Dr. Rex Northup, White, and Woods. The trio voted to hire Cannon at the Dec. 20 special board meeting. The public meeting last month did not mention increasing the salary offered.
Dig Deeper:
Dr. Northrup justified the increase to WEAR-TV, saying the Trust had budgeted to pay moving expenses for the new executive director. However, the other finalist was also an Escambia County resident who would not have required moving expenses.
- An email from board attorney Meredith Bush to Tammy Abrams, the interim executive director, states that the pay increase demand came from Cannon. Bush wrote, “…the salary is a dealbreaker for her so the sooner we can have a meeting, the better.”
Bush also attached a draft employment agreement “to include as backup to the personnel committee agenda.”
However, the draft was not posted online with the agenda or minutes.
Moving expenses are a one-time deal. A pay raise is forever. No need for the moving expense money because both finalists live locally. Reinvest that money in the children. As reported above, the $5,000 is a “deal breaker” for Cannon. Gee, she doesn’t seem very motivated to help the children if she’ll walk away over her new pay demand. The ECT board should vote to “break the deal,” rescind her employment offer and offer the agreed upon $120,000 salary to the other finalist who seemed like the better candidate anyway. If this is how Cannon “operates” before being hired just imagine how she’ll operate once in power.
You have GOT to be kidding me hahaha
Okay, so at least they’ve shown their cards and we know what the game is now. This is nothing more, nothing less than key members of that policy board intentionally thumbing their nose and loudly razzing their critics–and the taxpayers. There is no other possible reason to have this show, and it is pure show, of unnecessary disruption off a sliver percentage of what the very high advertised salary already was.
Guess they also feel like there’s no worries per a grand jury investigation, or any other oversight that could put an end to this madness? Is there a new judge on the panel yet?–maybe he or she can be the voice of reason like the last judge was (futile as some of her attempts were). I stopped watching and attending their meetings again because it seemed too crazymaking and pointless to even bother. Thanks for staying on it for those of us watching with one eye closed, Rick.