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Lightning Tickets Spark Change In Agency Policy

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By JOHN W. ALLMAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 22, 2007

Updated: 12/21/2007 11:56 pm

TAMPA - Tampa Fire Rescue officials will no longer accept free tickets to Tampa Bay Lightning games, fire officials said Friday.

The decision came a day after the department received 300 free ticket vouchers to the Lightning's Thursday night game with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

And it comes four days after two fire inspectors resigned amid allegations that they accepted gifts, including hockey tickets, from a company whose work the inspectors monitored.

Jace Kohan, a public information officer for the department, said the receipt of the vouchers was bad timing, given the ongoing investigations into the inspectors' actions.

"In the future, we'll probably say thanks but no thanks," Kohan said, after discussing the situation with Fire Chief Dennis Jones.

The department made the decision after a Tampa Tribune reporter inquired about the free ticket vouchers.

David Smith, Tampa city attorney, said his office would look into the issue. It did not appear to violate the city's ethics policy, however.

City employees, by law, cannot accept any gift valued at more than $100 from anyone doing business with, contracting with or lobbying the city. If an item, such as a ticket, is valued at more than $100, then the employee has the option to pay down the amount out of pocket to the allowed limit.

Fire Rescue includes the inspection division, which is responsible for regulating fire safety at the St. Pete Times Forum.

"It's a violation if you take anything of value intended to influence your duties," Smith said. "Even if it's 2 dollars."

The ticket vouchers were redeemable for Terrace Level seats at the Forum. Those seats range from $8 to $43 and must be redeemed at the venue's box office, said Sean Henry, chief operating officer for the Lightning.

Henry said it's a common practice for the team to offer available tickets, particularly when a game isn't sold out, to members of the military, police and fire departments, as well as other charities and organizations.

"It's a lot more exciting at our games when you have a full building," he said.

Henry said he understands the concern about appearances. "Maybe it would be a little different if it was four tickets to individuals," he said. "Here it is a block of vouchers."

Monday, fire inspectors Toy Pelaez and Manuel Perrone resigned. They remain under criminal and administrative investigation for allegedly accepting gifts from Advanced Engineered Systems, a Tampa-based company that installs fire alarm systems.

In addition to hockey tickets, Pelaez and Perrone are alleged to have accepted golf tournament entry fees and the use of a boat. They also are accused of claiming overtime pay for which they are ineligible.

Kohan said he did not know how many fire employees accepted a voucher to Thursday's game.

The notice about the vouchers was e-mailed Wednesday by a Fire Rescue employee. The vouchers were made available at Fire Station 1, according to an internal e-mail.

Reporter John W. Allman can be reached at (813) 259-7915 or jallman@tampatrib.com.

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