Thursday, October 04, 2007

Touart's Botched Farewell

George Touart, the one-time Escambia County administrator who broke down in tears while resigning, and whose resignation was accepted with alacrity by commissioners last month, now wants the county to take him back. He's aiming to be paid "his monthly salary of $12,937" for the next six months. That works out to somewhere close to $80,000, plus benefits.

And then he'll resign. Really. He will. Promise.

The gambit, which his lawyer claims is based on an "indication" presented to Touart by county attorney Janet Lander after she met with three of the five county commissioners (
well away from the sunshine of public knowledge) is beyond bizarre. If county commissioners fall for it, what that will teach us is that Florida public employee laws are just for the suckers who do the work. The big-shot pols can re-write their contracts any time they like -- even after they've quit.

Touart needs a classier exist line than "'Mo' money." If he's as stupid as his bumbling behavior suggests, he should sign up to have a computer write his next farewell speech.

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