Elections boss: Stabins' ideas absurd

Last week, County Commissioner Jeff Stabins e-mailed the supervisor of elections proposing several ways to shave the $43,000 board members directed her to cut from her budget.
On Tuesday, Williams responded to Stabins, also by e-mail, and told him his recommendations won't work and took exception to him even trying.
"I never asked the board or you to assist me with my budget," Williams said. "Apparently you took it upon yourself to give me your opinion."
Williams said it was the board's decision to reduce her office's budget by another $43,043 after it had already been reduced by more than $84,000. She said she only asked board members where they planned to trim the additional funds and let her know how much money her office would receive.
"I have been an employee of the elections office for more than 30 years and to think that I would ask for someone that has never worked in this or any other elections office for their assistance with my budget is absurd," she said.
Among other things, Stabins suggested the elections boss remove overtime allocations for her employees, reduce staff through attrition, reduce her professional fees and office supplies budget and rebid her computer maintenance contract.
Stabins noted that Williams cut her $101,718 salary by 2 percent and put it back in department coffers. But he said she should cut it 5 percent, which would match what her 12 staffers are essentially sacrificing due to 12 furlough days Williams mandated.
If Williams followed his recommendations, Stabins estimated she would cut $51,675 from her $1 million budget, more than the mandated $43,000.
But Williams said Wednesday Stabin's ideas are unworkable because she is bound by Florida Statutes to run her department.
"As a fellow elected official, I believe these questions and/or concerns could have been discussed with me directly by picking up the phone or coming into the office to speak with me," she said.
"The employees in this office are and have been more than willing to work reduced hours prior to this fiscal year as well as take furlough days," Williams said.
When asked if she plans to make any additional cuts or trim her salary further, Williams said she is sticking by her current plan of reductions.
"It is what it is," she said.
Williams said she may approach county commissioners in the future if it becomes necessary to obtain more money to run her department.
In response to that, Stabins said he can say "no" in four different languages.
Stabins said he is disappointed with William's response. He also takes issue with her comment that she did not ask the board to help her with her budget. That was publically stated during the budget hearings, he said.
He also calls it unfair that her staff is being asked to cut 5 percent of their salaries when she is only sacrificing 2 percent.
"It's very, very disappointing," Stabins said. "Annie and I have been friends for a very long time. But it's not about friendship. It's about doing her job and if she can't do her job, maybe she should resign and we can put someone in there who can do it."
Stabins said he doesn't care where she cuts the $43,000 and suggested that maybe she take it out of her own salary.