Tom Willie

If Willie goes.... Roberts looks to return

November 28, 2007

story from KeyNoter Newspaper - by Alyson Crean

Roberts looking at return

While Monroe County Administrator Tom Willi awaits a decision by the County Commission about whether he should be fired, his predecessor is testing the waters for a potential comeback.

Jim Roberts, who held the position for more than a decade, called Commissioner George Neugent Tuesday expressing a possible interest in the job, at least on an interim basis.

“He called my office,” Neugent said. “He's observed what's going on, he stays up to date. I told him I'd throw something on the water and see if it floats.”

Roberts couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday.

Last week, Commissioner Dixie Spehar called a special meeting to consider terminating Willi's contract, which expires Oct. 30, 2008. That came just a week after Willi proposed an extension until Oct. 31, 2012. He later took back the proposal.

Spehar called the meeting citing “a multitude” of reasons, saying “nothing has improved since February.”

Early this year, Commissioner Sylvia Murphy called for Willi's resignation. That resulted in a special commission meeting in February that ended with a 3-2 vote to keep him after four hours of debate over the county budget and employee morale.

At the Nov. 14 commission meeting, Spehar surprised her fellow commissioners by proposing adding Willi's ouster to the agenda, but she didn't have the votes to do it. Then she called the Dec. 5 meeting, scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Harvey Government Center.

“I don't know if there's any interest [in Roberts] on the part of the commission, and Tom Willi's not even gone yet,” Neugent said. “But he could hit the ground running; he knows the job.”

Roberts retired in 2004 after 11 years running the county. He now lives in New Jersey.

“When I came on board,” Neugent said, “we were one of the most solvent counties in the state. [Roberts] was fiscally conservative and always clearly laid out the consequences. These are things Willi has never presented in a comprehensive way.”

Neugent has been vocal in his concern over Willi's tenure ever since a last-minute addition to the 2006-07 budget of more than $5 million to fund sinking a ship as an artificial reef and buying a Stock Island restaurant. The Vandenberg and the Hickory House have been the battle cries of a number of residents who have supported Willi's firing the past year as well.

Whatever happens Dec. 5, Willi says he's not leaving the Keys. In an interview to air at 7:30 tonight and Thursday on “Keynoter News” on Comcast Channel 5, Willi talked about the prospect of his firing.

“One thing I can tell you,” he said. “I'm not leaving the Keys.”

Since Spehar called the Dec. 5 meeting, the rumor mill has run on overtime with speculation of where Willi might end up working. Though he's not ready to address the question, his contract with the county assures there are some things he wouldn't be doing.

The contract includes a two-year restriction against him acting as a lobbyist for any entity that comes before the County Commission. Moreover, it spells out that Willi cannot “appear on behalf of another person or entity for compensation before” the commission.

County Attorney Suzanne Hutton is still sifting through the contract buyout amount, which she estimates will range between $200,000 and $265,000.