Agency spends $20,000 on food

At a time when Florida's unemployment rate continues to rise, a Tampa Bay area agency that finds work for the unemployed has spent thousands of dollars to have food delivered to its headquarters and pay for meals at local restaurants.

An examination of credit card statements and other records shows that the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance spent more than $20,000 on food in the past 13 months.

A News Channel 8 investigation found:

•In December 2008, the agency spent more than $600 at the Spaghetti Warehouse.

•In June, it paid Wright's Gourmet House more than $750.

•In August, it paid the Columbia Restaurant $1,600.

•In June, the work force alliance paid the Cheesecake Factory for one of the many working lunches delivered to its headquarters at Net Park, 5701 E. Hillsborough Ave.

The agency had 22 lunches delivered in the past year from various restaurants. Work force alliance records also show 127 separate credit card charges at area restaurants, grocery stores, food delivery and catering services.

The Cheesecake Factory meal consisted of appetizers including edamame for $6.68 and crab cakes for $16.13. The main course consisted of an order of Jamaican Black Pepper Shrimp and Chicken for $24 and two orders of Crispy Chicken Costoletta for $43.06. Dessert included an original cheesecake slice for $8.78, a slice of white chocolate raspberry truffle cheesecake for $9.11 and a slice of dulce de leche caramel cheesecake, also for $9.11.

The agency also paid premium prices for the lunch by ordering it through a pickup and delivery service.

With the delivery fee and tip, the total for the meal came to $155.94.

News Channel 8 found it was $50 cheaper to order directly from the restaurant.

"I don't think that's an unusual expense at all to have a working lunch for an organization," said Ron Smith, chairman of the work force alliance's finance committee.

Smith says the agency receives grants from different sources so he is not sure that taxpayers' dollars were spent. When asked where the grant money came from, Smith said he did not know.

The agency is heavily funded by the federal government and the state.

"I think you're nitpicking, end of subject," Smith said.

Agency records show employees also seemed to enjoy food with an international flair. Several meals were ordered from Angithi Indian Cuisine, Sawatdee Thai Restaurant, the Acropolis Bar and Grill and Ichiban Japanese Cuisine.

Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe, who sits on the agency's board of directors, said he wasn't aware of how much money was being spent on food.

"It's not their money; it's not the money of this agency to spend in that fashion," Sharpe said. "You know, I keep a can of salmon or tuna at my desk. That's what we do."

Sharpe plans to ask the chairman of Florida's Workforce Board in Tallahassee to investigate.

"To be spending this much money at a time government is really struggling to pay the bills and citizens are struggling to pay the bills of government is irresponsible and there ought to be a thorough investigation," Sharpe said.

The workforce alliance has not provided an explanation of its spending. At a meeting in early November, the agency provided a printout of charges, but an employee said she could only show reporters the charges and was not allowed to explain them.

Agency president and CEO Renee Gilmore was asked about the charges at last week's finance committee meeting.

"I'm going to get with my chairman, thank you, and coordinate a couple of things," Gilmore said and walked out of the meeting room.

State Sen. Ronda Storms said based on the charges she reviewed the agency should be ashamed of itself. She said she plans to ask for an investigation of the work force board and similar boards across the state.

"I just am outraged," Storms said after reviewing the food bills provided by News Channel 8.

Storms said she works through lunch all the time. At an upcoming Hillsborough County legislative delegation meeting, lawmakers are paying $10 apiece for a box lunch, she said.

"These people could very well afford to pitch in 10 bucks and say, 'Hey, listen, we're going to have a working meeting,'" she said. "Or better yet, just order a sandwich ring from Publix, that's what people do and that's responsible."

Storms said she is frequently stopped in public by people who are out of work, struggling to pay their bills and put food on the table. She said every dime of the money going to the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance should be going to help people get jobs.

"When I think of people who are getting laid off, who are about to lose their house, who cannot put food on their table for their kids, who are having to go down and get groceries from nonprofits and to know that these people are buying Indian cuisine and cheesecake for 9 bucks a slice," Storms said. "That's outrageous and people should be rightly infuriated."