TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Chief Leased Vehicles Without Council OK

ADVERTISEMENT

By CHRISTIAN M. WADE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 13, 2008

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, leased by police Chief Russell Barnes, who was put on paid leave with another officer July 29, hours after a complaint was filed.

Although the money for the vehicles was budgeted for this fiscal year, City Manager Steve Spina said Barnes didn't follow protocol and never asked for approval from the city council. Under the city's charter, purchases of more than $10,000 require council approval.

Zephyrhills officials sent back the Ford Explorer, which came loaded with options for use as the police department's canine unit response vehicle, and canceled the rest of the order.

Monday night, though, the city council authorized the emergency purchase of the four vehicles from Duval Motors in Jacksonville - at a cost of $109,758, plus a $500 delivery charge. The purchase wasn't on the agenda for Monday night's meeting, but Spina asked council members to sign off on it toward the end of their session, presenting them with a memo detailing the purchase and a copy of the lease agreement signed by Barnes.

Council members approved the agreement unanimously; Councilman Luis Lopez was absent.

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

Spina said the vehicle purchase was not related to the investigation.

"It's purely coincidental," he said Monday night. "This was a procedural thing."

In approving the purchase, council members didn't mention the investigation or refer to previous problems with purchases authorized by Barnes.

On July 29, Barnes and Sgt. Rob Perrault, a police department spokesman and internal affairs investigator, were placed on paid leave while city officials investigate a complaint filed against them. Perrault has since resigned.

Spina and other city officials have been tight-lipped about the investigation and have declined to reveal specifics 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 department.

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

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

The city wanted to buy six new police vehicles: three Crown Victorias, two Ford 500s and a Ford E-250 cargo van. The vehicles were supposed to have been purchased from three authorized dealers, in accordance with bid procedures set by the Florida Sheriffs Association.

But the chief bought them all from one dealer in the Panhandle that was only supposed to supply the Ford 500s and the cargo van.

The $19,124 the city paid for the Crown Victorias was the same as other dealers offered, but buying them from the same dealer violated protocol.

Several months before, Barnes had asked the city council to approve the purchase of 34 Tasers - after the stun guns had already been delivered to the police. Barnes publicly apologized to the council but suffered no punishment.

While Barnes is on leave, Capt. David Shears is heading the department of about 40 sworn officers.

Barnes, who makes $74,090 annually with benefits, is expected to be interviewed by Shears and Spina at City Hall today. Spina said Barnes has asked to have his attorney present.

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

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT