Pacts keep ex-agency workers silent

Before Desiree Moore could receive her final check of $3,691 from the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance, she had to sign an agreement stating she would make no negative comments about the agency.

Moore, who worked in accounting, also agreed not to sue the agency and that she would keep the "general release" agreement, its terms and the amount she was paid "completely confidential."

Moore is one of 22 employees the agency fired in the past 13 months, according to agency records. She is one of three employees with whom the agency acknowledges it entered into such agreements. Moore signed the document in November 2008.

Last week, an 8 On Your Side investigation revealed the Workforce Alliance spent more than $20,000 on food during the past 13 months. Staff enjoyed pricey lunches with $9-a-slice cheesecake and $13-a-gallon iced tea.

The findings concerning the agency's food purchases angered local lawmakers.

When contacted by News Channel 8, Moore would not comment about the food purchases or discuss the agreement.

State Sen. Ronda Storms called the agreements asinine and silly.

"I'm not even sure this is even legal," Storms said. "This is the kind of thing that makes people distrust their government."

The alliance is provided millions by the federal government and state to help people find jobs. It also provides grants to local companies to assist them with training workers and to help local businesses stay competitive.

Every document the alliance generates is subject to public inspection.

"Baloney," Hillsborough County Commission member Mark Sharpe said when he learned of the agreements.

Sharpe sits on the Workforce Alliance board of directors. He said he had no clue the agreements existed.

"I think sometimes people forget who they work for, and they think this is their information - and no, it's not," Sharpe said. "It's the people's information."

Sharpe plans to bring the agreements to the attention of the agency's board.

"If this is in any way an attempt to quiet employees who've seen things that should not have taken place, then it's wrong," Sharpe said.

The agreement that Moore signed states: "I agree that I will not make any comments, either written or oral, which could be construed as negative concerning the companies to any individual entity, including but not limited to, clients, customers, vendors, employees or financial or credit institutions."

According to the agreement, the agency paid Moore $3,691. Of that amount, $1,719 was listed as unused vacation time and personal days. The documents gave no explanation for the remaining $1,972.

Julian Durrant-Days also was an employee the agency says it fired. She also worked in accounting. In December 2008, Durrant-Days signed a similar agreement. According to records, the alliance paid her $3,627.

Storms said that even if the documents are not a violation of the letter of the law, they certainly violate the spirit of Florida's Sunshine Law.

"I think it's an abuse of power. I believe that they have not been subject to public scrutiny, and clearly they're not transparent," Storms said.

Storms and state Sen. Mike Fasano have demanded a state investigation of the agency's food purchases. They contacted Florida's Agency for Workforce Innovation, which oversees the state's 24 regional work force boards.

Director Cynthia Lorenzo promised an inspector general's investigation of the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance's spending habits. She also pledged to send a financial monitoring team to all 24 regions to see how taxpayer dollars are spent.