August 24, 2007

Timothy O’Hara - Reporter Key West Citizen

Monroe County’s budget director has been suspended without pay for “employee misconduct,” but the county administrator on Thursday would not expound upon the reason. Budget Director Sal Zappulla, who was hired in 2004, violated the county’s personnel policies and will face a hearing officer who will determine his fate, County Administrator Tom Willi said. “I really can’t comment,” Willi wrote in an e-mail to The Citizen. “We are preparing our file for the predetermining hearing. I need to let the record speak for itself. Sal has a few issues already in his human resources file.” At The Citizen’s request, Willi released a taped phone message Zappulla left with an undisclosed county employee on Tuesday —  the day before he was suspended. In it, he says he plans to go home after lunch because he is not feeling well, possibly because he is tense, stressed out and aggravated, presumably over his job. Personnel files show Willi has disciplined Zappulla for misconduct twice since March, including one instance in which Zappulla attacked County Engineer Dave Koppel in a Feb. 6 e-mail. “You are a moron as I always thought you were!!!!” Zappulla wrote. Willi filed a misconduct disciplinary form on March 9 telling Zappulla to control his emotions and maintain a professional demeanor, records show. Willi filed another disciplinary action for misconduct and insubordination on April 27 after Zappulla again called Koppel a moron and said the county engineer did not know what he was doing. “My write-up was so worth it,” Zappulla told county officials at the time. Zappulla did not return The Citizen’s phone messages seeking comment. In an e-mail to Willi and the County Commission, Koppel supported Willi’s decision to suspend Zappulla. “Although those on the outside might be surprised by your action, those familiar with the problems Sal has created realize this action is long overdue,” Koppel wrote. “From my perspective, I have never seen someone talk as badly about so many people as Sal has.” Zappulla has “demonstrated a total lack of understanding” in multi-year budgeting, Koppel wrote, accusing him of a $34 million shortfall in funding for capital projects, including the Freeman Justice Center in Key West, Nelson Government Center in Key Largo, fire stations and parks. “A sufficient fund balance should have been maintained in order to fund the projects in the outer years,” Koppel wrote. “This was not done and now we have a large deficit that needs to be addressed. I have lost confidence in his abilities long ago. I know a lot of staff will be happy with your action.” Commissioner Sylvia Murphy was not happy, saying she thought given the serious budget situation, Willi could have postponed addressing any personnel issues. “The timing of this could not be worse,” she said. “I think it could have waited a month.” She also empathized with Zappulla, who complained to her on Wednesday that he suspected something was awry last week when an employee of Bishop, Rosasco and Co. was in his Key West office reviewing the proposed 2007-08 budget while he was at a County Commission meeting in Key Largo. “I thought that was very unprofessional,” Murphy said. Willi has hired the Florida Keys accounting firm to oversee the county’s budget, at a time when officials are struggling to meet a state-mandated 5 percent cut before the 2007- 08 proposed budget is finalized next month. The city of Marathon also contracts the firm for year-round services and Peter Rosasco is considered that city’s finance director. “This change will ensure the budget is completed and is accurate and, of course, completed in a professional, collaborative spirit,” Willi said. “Staff within the division are very capable.” County Mayor Mario Di Gennaro declined to comment about Zappulla pending the outcome of the hearing, and said he supports Willi’s choice of Bishop, Rosasco and Co., as he has “nothing but respect for the firm.”