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Hernando Today

Fleet probe widens

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: October 31, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - Fleet manager Jack Stepongzi's admission of receiving kickbacks from a Texas parts supplier has triggered a wider investigation into the county's fleet department.

It has also prompted questions as to whether his actions rise to the level of a criminal offense.

County Commissioner Jim Adkins said he has already been working with County Engineer Charles Mixson to investigate anonymous reports of more "questionable" vendor purchases by other employees in the fleet department.

He declined to elaborate for fear of jeopardizing the ongoing investigation.

Still, Adkins said the Stepongzi incident caught him by surprise and has moved his investigation up in priority.

"Based on what I know, it might not be criminal," Adkins said. "But it's not appropriate. All savings should go to the taxpayer and not the employee."

Sgt. Donna Black, public information officer with the sheriff's office, said a complaint must be brought forward before her office investigates the matter. As of Friday morning, no complaint had been issued.

Ric Ridgway, chief assistant state attorney, said his office would investigate any incident involving public officials and public money.

The Stepongzi matter would come under his purview, he said.

"I want to know more about it, get more information as to whether we should get involved," he said.

Stepongzi was escorted out of his office Thursday afternoon after the county had received information that the fleet manager had been receiving side payments from a Texas supplier of global-positioning units.

Just two hours before that, Stepongzi admitted to a Hernando Today reporter that he accepted 10 percent "commissions" from Vulocity and that he would likely lose his job over the matter.

Stepongzi, who expressed sorrow for his actions, said he needed the money.
County Administrator David Hamilton said he and County Engineer Charles Mixson will meet with Stepongzi early Monday to decide the fleet manager's fate.

Last April, Stepongzi applied for a management position with a fleet department in Wisconsin.

He didn't get the job.

The fleet department has been under scrutiny since the release of a 2004 audit that identified several areas of needed improvement, especially with reporting fuel consumption.

The department at the time was struggling to reorganize its billing and managerial procedures and was forced to borrow $350,000 from the county to stay afloat.

Hamilton had asked Mixson to try to resolve the operations of the fleet department.

Hamilton at the time said he wanted to see "significant and quantitative" improvements in the entire department - from billing procedures to the purchase of vehicles.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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