Board Denies Fired Library Director's Request for More Severance Pay

Palm Harbor Community Services Agency's board of directors denied a request Wednesday that additional severance pay be given to fired East Lake Library director Patricia Perez.

During a June 4 meeting, the agency's board voted to remove Perez from her position because of concerns about her job performance. Agency attorney Andy Salzman said Perez was ready to sign an employment release, but then reports about her dismissal were published by the media.

"… she is unhappy with the agreement, unhappy with some of the publicity that has been associated with her tenure," said Salzman, who added that Perez wanted an 30 more days of compensation in addition to the 30 days outlined in the employment release.

"She would like to put this behind her. She is somewhat upset, obviously, and that's why she's raising this issue over some of the aspects have come out that she was hoping to keep quiet," said Salzman.

The East Lake Library Advisory Board had recommended that Perez be removed from her position. The reasons why were outlined in the minutes from an advisory board meeting held in April. The minutes are public record and were published by some media outlets.

"According to Patricia Perez's last performance review, there were ongoing issues that needed to be improved upon. Patricia asked for and was granted the opportunity to do just that. Unfortunately, at the time of this year's review, those issues remain uncorrected. Two areas of great concern were failure to conduct background checks for employees having access to children, and allowing employees to receive paid lunch breaks," according to minutes from the East Lake Library Advisory Board meeting held in April.

"As we all know, when you're a government agency, when you work for a government agency, records are public and that's just the way it is. That's subject to the type of work you're doing. If you're working for a government agency, there's the chance that things that go on will be made public provided under the law," said Salzman.

"All I can tell you is nothing has changed since our June 4 meeting," said agency chairman Rex Haslam, who also said that Perez was given the opportunity to submit her resignation, but declined. So, she will be terminated. Haslam added that Perez will not get any severance pay at all unless she signs the employment release.

Palm Harbor Library director Gene Coppola is filling in until a new director is hired at the East Lake Library.

Related:

• PHCSA Votes to Remove East Lake Library Director 

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