wexwimpy
July 13th 04, 07:07 PM
DCF chief's records seized
State investigators seized the work computer files of Department of
Children & Families Secretary Jerry Regier in an investigation of
contract award procedures.
BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER
Investigators from Gov. Jeb Bush's inspector general's office have
confiscated the contents of the work computer of Department of
Children & Families Secretary Jerry Regier as part of an investigation
into how the agency awards contracts.
Regier, a former Oklahoma Cabinet secretary who joined the child
welfare agency in August 2002, became the second DCF official whose
computer's contents were taken by the inspector general, child welfare
sources told The Herald. Investigators also took the contents of
Deputy Secretary Ben Harris' computer, sources said.
Harris, along with Information Technology Director Glenn Palmiere, was
placed on administrative leave July 2 amid the ongoing investigation,
which began in March. Regier's spokesman, Bill Spann, said the two
would remain on paid leave until the probe was complete.
Spann declined to discuss the investigation Thursday, saying it would
be inappropriate to discuss an ongoing inquiry.
''When we receive the full report, we will take the appropriate action
at that time,'' Spann said.
When Gov. Jeb Bush was asked Thursday if the Florida Department of Law
Enforcement, a statewide law enforcement agency, was investigating
Jerry Regier, Bush responded: ``Not that I'm aware of.''
CONTRACT QUESTIONS
Last week, The Herald reported that DCF had awarded a $21 million
contract to upgrade the state's troubled child welfare computer system
to a company whose board of directors included former Oklahoma Gov.
Frank Keating -- the man who recommended Regier to the governor.
The company, AMS Inc., submitted neither the lowest nor the best bid
for the contract, according to the DCF's initial tabulations. But a
second tabulation -- which included several ''intangibles'' such as
the agency's ''confidence'' in the team -- concluded AMS was the best
bidder.
The Herald also has reported that both Harris and Palmiere have taken
trips -- including one last month to Australia for a technology
conference -- or received gifts from technology companies that do
business with the state.
Bush declared earlier this week that such gifts are ``inappropriate.''
News that Regier's computer had become involved in the investigation
came as a surprise to one of the state's most active lawmakers on
child welfare issues.
''I'm shocked, that's all I can say,'' said state Rep. Sandra Murman,
a Tampa Republican who heads the Future of Florida's Families
committee and has been active in children's causes for a decade.
DETAILS UNCLEAR
Murman said she does not know any of the details of the investigation,
and cautioned against assuming that investigators' activities or
tactics in any way telegraph what they are looking into.
''We can't be the judge and jury before the inspector general's report
comes out,'' Murman said.
Murman said the investigation has ''slowed the progress'' of important
department initiatives, such as the transition to privately managed
community-based care in child welfare.
''Things slow down when you are missing key people,'' she said,
referring to the top officials placed on leave. I hope they get to the
bottom of it soon.''
State Rep. Nan Rich, a Weston Democrat who also sits on the Future of
Florida's Families committee, said the investigation raises questions
about one of the Bush administration's key policy moves, the shift to
private management of most of DCF's core functions, including child
welfare.
''The administration is constantly talking about accountability,''
Rich said. 'But if you play favorites in contracting, then I don't
think you are focusing on accountability with taxpayers' money.
''I'm not shocked, let's put it that way,'' Rich said. ``Nothing this
department does shocks me.'
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/9111840.htm
Defend your civil liberties! Get information at http://www.aclu.org, become a member at http://www.aclu.org/join and get active at http://www.aclu.org/action.
State investigators seized the work computer files of Department of
Children & Families Secretary Jerry Regier in an investigation of
contract award procedures.
BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER
Investigators from Gov. Jeb Bush's inspector general's office have
confiscated the contents of the work computer of Department of
Children & Families Secretary Jerry Regier as part of an investigation
into how the agency awards contracts.
Regier, a former Oklahoma Cabinet secretary who joined the child
welfare agency in August 2002, became the second DCF official whose
computer's contents were taken by the inspector general, child welfare
sources told The Herald. Investigators also took the contents of
Deputy Secretary Ben Harris' computer, sources said.
Harris, along with Information Technology Director Glenn Palmiere, was
placed on administrative leave July 2 amid the ongoing investigation,
which began in March. Regier's spokesman, Bill Spann, said the two
would remain on paid leave until the probe was complete.
Spann declined to discuss the investigation Thursday, saying it would
be inappropriate to discuss an ongoing inquiry.
''When we receive the full report, we will take the appropriate action
at that time,'' Spann said.
When Gov. Jeb Bush was asked Thursday if the Florida Department of Law
Enforcement, a statewide law enforcement agency, was investigating
Jerry Regier, Bush responded: ``Not that I'm aware of.''
CONTRACT QUESTIONS
Last week, The Herald reported that DCF had awarded a $21 million
contract to upgrade the state's troubled child welfare computer system
to a company whose board of directors included former Oklahoma Gov.
Frank Keating -- the man who recommended Regier to the governor.
The company, AMS Inc., submitted neither the lowest nor the best bid
for the contract, according to the DCF's initial tabulations. But a
second tabulation -- which included several ''intangibles'' such as
the agency's ''confidence'' in the team -- concluded AMS was the best
bidder.
The Herald also has reported that both Harris and Palmiere have taken
trips -- including one last month to Australia for a technology
conference -- or received gifts from technology companies that do
business with the state.
Bush declared earlier this week that such gifts are ``inappropriate.''
News that Regier's computer had become involved in the investigation
came as a surprise to one of the state's most active lawmakers on
child welfare issues.
''I'm shocked, that's all I can say,'' said state Rep. Sandra Murman,
a Tampa Republican who heads the Future of Florida's Families
committee and has been active in children's causes for a decade.
DETAILS UNCLEAR
Murman said she does not know any of the details of the investigation,
and cautioned against assuming that investigators' activities or
tactics in any way telegraph what they are looking into.
''We can't be the judge and jury before the inspector general's report
comes out,'' Murman said.
Murman said the investigation has ''slowed the progress'' of important
department initiatives, such as the transition to privately managed
community-based care in child welfare.
''Things slow down when you are missing key people,'' she said,
referring to the top officials placed on leave. I hope they get to the
bottom of it soon.''
State Rep. Nan Rich, a Weston Democrat who also sits on the Future of
Florida's Families committee, said the investigation raises questions
about one of the Bush administration's key policy moves, the shift to
private management of most of DCF's core functions, including child
welfare.
''The administration is constantly talking about accountability,''
Rich said. 'But if you play favorites in contracting, then I don't
think you are focusing on accountability with taxpayers' money.
''I'm not shocked, let's put it that way,'' Rich said. ``Nothing this
department does shocks me.'
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/9111840.htm
Defend your civil liberties! Get information at http://www.aclu.org, become a member at http://www.aclu.org/join and get active at http://www.aclu.org/action.