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Zephyrhills Chief Bought Vehicles Without Council Approval

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 11, 2008

Updated: 08/11/2008 08:11 pm

ZEPHYRHILLS - The new Ford Explorer arrived outside city hall last week.

It was one of four vehicles, including three 2008 white Crown Victoria police cruisers, purchased under a lease agreement authorized by Police Chief Russell Barnes. He, along with another officer, was put on paid leave July 29 following a citizen's complaint.

While the money for the vehicles was budgeted for this fiscal year, City Manager Steve Spina said Barnes never asked for approval from the city council to purchase them.

Under the city's charter, purchases of more than $10,000 require council approval.

So, city officials sent the Ford Explorer back and cancelled the delivery.

Monday night, the city council authorized the emergency purchase of the four vehicles from Duval Motors – at a cost of $109,758, plus a $500 delivery charge – in cash.

Money for the vehicles will come from the city's $1.3 million Penny for Pasco fund.

Spina said that the purchases were not related to the investigation.

"It's purely coincidental," he said Monday evening.

On July 29, Barnes and Sgt. Rob Perrault, an agency spokesman and internal affairs investigator, were placed on leave while city officials investigate a complaint filed against them.

Spina and other city officials have been tight-lipped about the nature of the investigation and have declined to reveal details of the complaint or who filed it.

Neither Barnes, who was hired in November 2003, nor Perrault, hired in 1999, have received major admonishments during their tenures with the police department.

Still, this wasn't the first time the police chief has come under fire for violating city policy.

Last year, Barnes received a written reprimand from the city manager and council for a procedural violation in purchasing three Ford Crown Victorias for the department.

He also said he asked the city council to approve the purchase of 34 Tasers when the stun guns had already been paid for and delivered to police headquarters.

Barnes publicly apologized to the council, but suffered no punishment.

The findings of the investigation are due to be released by the end of the week.

Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 948-4216 or cwade@tampatrib.com.

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