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| A recent audit of the 1st Judicial Circuit's Medical Examiners Office has revealed some explosive issues, to include personal yearly compensation of nearly $700K for the ME--a public employee for all intents and purposes. Is this salary too high?!? |
At 4:25 yesterday afternoon I received a 171 page audit report on the First Judicial Circuit Medical Examiner's Office. Afternoon data dump, right before the July 4th Holiday....
I did not read the report until today, July 4th. It is interestingly coincidental that there will be numerous fireworks displays all over the area today. This report I have received and now read is explosive, probably more-so than any of the area fireworks displays we will all witness later today.
One of the most striking aspects of the report deals with the income and compensation paid personally to the Medical Examiner: Earlier this year, in an effort to get to the bottom of some lingering questions about the ME's budget, Okaloosa County leaders made numerous requests for information. Initially, these requests were not fulfilled. Eventually, enough financial information was given such that this 171 page audit could be completed.
In between that time and now, the ME has filed a lawsuit against the four counties in the First Judicial Circuit--over the records requests. My personal belief is that because her office is funded with public dollars, all records requested should be released and are subject to the open records laws (of course with any HIPPA related information redacted)
According to the audit, 6 areas of concern are noted. One of the most important ones deals with compensation of the ME, and how her total compensation breaks down yearly according to the report and how this compensation is paid -- partially through a staffing company, partially through shareholder distributions from a company "Gulf Coast Autopsy Physicians" - a for-profit corporation of which Dr. Minyard is the "sole shareholder and owner" according to the audit. from page 13 of this audit, describing her compensation:
"During the audit period, Dr. Minyard's average annual compensation totaled $673,129.26 which includes a yearly average of $19,661.76 in County/district paid 401K contributions and health insurance premiums as well as $15,038.89 in County/district paid ancillary costs...the information listed..does not include Dr. Minyard's claim on the cash assets held by GCAP at the end of the audit period which totaled $459,706.60"
There are many more troubling findings in this report, to include potential ethics issues related to the employment of relatives, the potentially improper collection of various fees, and also several practices by the ME's office that are inconsistent with Escambia County ordinances/resolutions. I will dive much deeper into this report in follow-on posts. Stay tuned!
Get ready for the fireworks, figuratively and literally. Happy 4th of July!
3 comments:
Missing from you blog, and what I hope you will include in future postings, is what the annual compensation is for similar ME’s. The retirement contributions are in line with other publicly employed physicians in many specialties.
Michael Ambrose-The compensation is one issue, but I can assure you this is but one of many serious issues in this audit. But just talking compensation--I have no idea what other ME's make. I'm sure they are well compensated. I only care about the one, this one in the first judicial circuit, that Escambia funds 44% of the total budget for. This is a public employee, and public employees should make a public wage. Our Doc at the jail made $190K. High, yes, but a difficult position to staff with the right person..but 3X this much for one person, a public employee? The Governor makes like 20% of this salary. I'm sorry, not a lot of sympathy here and support for this salary--which equates to $56,000.00 a month. $56,000.00 a month is way more than the average YEARLY salary my constituents gross in pay. Sorry--governments that are fighting to make fiscal choices and sacrifices should not be paying private level wages to public employees, period. I don't give a damn what private sector talent makes/earns--I could care less what LeBron James makes, I don't give a damn that some plastic surgeons here in Pensacola make $70K monthly. But when taxpayers are footing the bill all employees, DOCs included, have to make a public wage. And most importantly--when we ask for documents and records, don't hide the ball, don't claim that you are not subject to open records requests when you are funded by public dollars. I can't wait to discuss this at the upcoming budget meetings. And I have a suspicion that our portion of this budget might just get a lot more scrutiny now that we know this Doc is making 4X what our county administrator is making......
Good Job as Always.. The only commissioner with a backbone. PLEASE Bring up and Discuss Why the DEPUTIES do not have their raise. Citizens are getting real heat for discussing this. We need you. This is an amazing discovery but so is what is going on with RAISES...please in front of the media if necessary. This is our home .. our county. You are the frigging chairman of the BOCC, we are depending on you.thanks
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