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Hernando Today

Kingsley Received Undeserved Tuition Reimbursement

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Hernando Today

Published: April 30, 2008

We can't find anyone opposed to Hernando County Commission Chairman Chris Kingsley furthering his education.
We think it's a great way for any individual to advance his or her station in life, especially once Kingsley returns to the private sector to look for work after his stint as a $60,000-a-year part-time county commissioner runs its course.
What we think is an absolute rip-off is his expectation that taxpayers should pay for it.
Last week, Hernando Today reporter Mike Bates learned that Kingsley had been reimbursed more than $3,600 by county government (that's us taxpayers) for classes taken in 2007 toward earning a master's degree in business administration at St. Leo University in Pasco County.
Problem is, Kingsley is not a county employee and, therefore, not eligible for the county's tuition reimbursement program. By state statute, he's a state employee, an elected official — a public servant — not a county employee whose job would more greatly benefit the taxpayers by earning a master's degree on the public's dime.
This was simply a way to feather his nest at the county taxpayers' expense.
Without seeking counsel from his peers on the commission, the county's legal staff or the county administrator, Kingsley was able to garner tuition reimbursement by having ex-Human Resources director Barbara Dupre sign off on it.
Dupre, who ironically resigned under pressure last week following a damning independent legal firm's report of her management skills, exceeded her authority by approving the reimbursement.
Amazing, but pretty much standard operating procedure in recent years at county government.
Turns out, Hernando Today learned Tuesday, that Kingsley is no newcomer to tuition reimbursement from the county. He got former county administrator Paul McIntosh to OK paying off his continuing education bills in 2001 when he was a first-term commissioner. He subsequently lost his seat and regained it in 2004.
Those tuition reimbursement payments should also be returned to the county's coffers.
So where were the checks and balances to prevent this type of fiasco from happening in the first place?
To her credit, County Court Clerk Karen Nicolai says the buck stops in her office.
Nicolai immediately expressed concerns about Kingsley's tuition reimbursement after she noticed that the county commissioners' budget came in above expenses. She saw the Kingsley line item for tuition and, after consulting with her department attorney, immediately notified the commissioner.
Nicolai also gave verbal reprimands to her department employees for not catching the error.
"A county commissioner getting a master's degree from the county? To me, that doesn't pass the smell test," Nicolai told Hernando Today.
Truth is, it stinks to high heaven.
That's probably why Kingsley was so quick to repay the money to the county.
Still, Kingsley said he thinks he's deserving of the reimbursement.
"I can't understand why anybody would be against education," Kingsley told Hernando Today. "I'm not going to apologize for going out there to learn."
For that, Hernando Countians would never expect an apology.
Kingsley owes taxpayers an apology for his arrogance, for thinking that it's somehow OK for taxpayers to foot the bill for an elected official's master's degree.
County commissioners are elected and given a public trust. They are expected hold themselves to a higher standard because they have the power to influence from the position they are given. They are to use that power to serve and to influence county employees to serve the residents of our community.

Our question: Who's serving whom?

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