The Deposition(s) of Jana Still

I received authorization to release the three volumes of Jana Still's (former HR Director for Escambia County) depositions in the now concluded Matt Selover lawsuit.

Her deposition, conducted by Pensacola attorney J.J. Talbot, was not helpful, whatsoever, to the county's case.  In fact, upon re-reading it juxtaposed with all of the other pertinent information in the case, it now appears more than likely that she was brought in and thrown to the wolves and instructed to "handle" the mess that was already well underway by the time she was brought in to work on it in November of 2019.  She was brought in to fix it, and her efforts were a belly-flop-job, a disaster.  It went south on her very badly...and cost us time, money, and several employees.

From county legal, as to my ability to release these particular records:

"Commissioner Bergosh:

Attached please find Jana Still’s deposition transcript.  There does not appear to be any applicable exemptions.  However, this transcript also contains testimony regarding the xxxxxxxxxxxxx and the resulting xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

 You may want to exercise your discretion to omit the following portions of the transcript:

• Volume II, page 129, lines 9-11; and
• Volume II, page 133, lines 15-18

Thank you,

 Kia M. Johnson

Assistant County Attorney"

Read the transcripts here, here, and here...

Another BIG Settlement Coming in Public Safety. This One DID NOT Have to Happen Though.............

 This settlement, below, will be on next Thursday's agenda for consideration by the Escambia Board of County Commissioners.

The conduct that led to this issue was a series of blunders by management--to include an abject failure by administration to honor an employee's basic due process rights.

There was also an allegation of harrassment against this employee that the county did NOT properly investigate and settle as stipulated in board policy.

While this settlement, if approved by the board on Thursday, will be paid 100% by an insurance policy we carry--nevertheless this will impact our rates going forward in a major way.   And this employee did deal with the stress of the whole ordeal.  He told me, in October/November of 2019 before it went to court "I don't want to sue the county--I just want to get back to work and work for Escambia County Public Safety!"  But unfortunately that did not work out that way.

And this all came on the heels of the other harrassment case we settled in Public Safety just a year earlier!

Saddest and most disappointing of all---this never even had to go to the courts.  It could have (should have) been addressed properly in November of 2019.  But some HR and admin folks didn't listen and couldn't see what was coming.  Even when they were told, even when they were shown.  Nope. They, instead, got BAD advice from a guy that did not and does not even work for Escambia County, a " healthcare consultant" of sorts.  His advice on this was about as good as the Titanic's navigator in the North Atlantic......

And now, we are going to have to swallow ANOTHER big settlement in Public Safety.......due to botched managament and oversight.  I can't wait to have this and other related discussions this coming Thursday.