10-15

[Unregistered]

That’s because grant is crazy and everyone knows it, grant was probably either intimidated that terry could do his job better, or that terry knew how incompetent he was so he fired him behind the councils back.

[Unregistered]

That’s because grant is crazy and everyone knows it, grant was probably either intimidated that terry could do his job better, or that terry knew how incompetent he was so he fired him behind the councils back.

You are an IDIOT! not probably, I'm certain.

[Unregistered]

Memo offers more detail on ouster of Fort Myers attorney Terry Cramer
Fort Myers News-Press 11:50 p.m. UTC Dec. 16, 2019

A former attorney fired by the city of Fort Myers last week was contracting outside law firms without proper approval, according to a memo sent to Fort Myers city council.

A memo written by the transition team in charge of restructuring the long-troubled city attorney's office was sent to Fort Myers city council on Friday laying out the team's explanation for what led to Terry Cramer's firing.

The memo accuses Cramer, the chief administrative attorney, of failing to get approval for contracts from City Attorney Grant Alley and city council and undermining the work of the transition team tasked with fixing the issues in the department.

"The most recent attack does not surprise me at all," Cramer said through a statement via his attorney Sawyer Smith. "I have been under attack from these people for years."

Smith said the memo was a predictable move by the transition team.

"It’s a hot mess over there and that team is swimming right around in the middle of it. Of course they are attacking (Cramer)," Smith said.

Smith said Cramer is a great attorney and was a great city employee.

The transition team is made up of attorneys Jim Humphrey and Kristie Scott, as well as family therapist David Kelley. Humphrey served as Fort Myers mayor from 2000 to 2009.

The city attorney's office went under the microscope in 2017 after allegations were made about Alley's treatment of City Hall employees.

Alley went on leave during an investigation, and Cramer was named acting city attorney.

The transition team came in afterward, according to the memo, and decided to split the office into two departments. The city attorney, Alley, would work with the city council and advisory boards and litigate. Cramer, who was part of the legal staff since 2015 before being promoted, would work with the city manager and administration. Ultimately, all of the legal staff report to the city attorney.

According to the memo, the issues date as far back as December 2017, when in a memo, Humphrey wrote that the then-manager of the office where Cramer was assigned, Tatum Walker, "instructed office staff to not allow (Alley) to read the e-mails coming into the office."

Additionally, Alley was moved out of City Hall and into a building on Hendry Street. Cramer and his staff remained in City Hall on the third floor.

In his memo, Humphrey states he hopes to meet with council members to go into more detail, adding that "it is important to communicate with this memorandum that without the removal of (Cramer), the transition within the City Attorney's office will not succeed."

According to the memo from Humphrey, the investigation into allegations against Alley was initiated by Cramer, who hired a Naples law firm to conduct it even though as a staff attorney he had no authorization to do so.

City Council approved it for a budget of $130,000, but it ended up costing $150,000. A review of the investigation shows that it was Human Resources Director Ellen Clyatt, Cramer and Walker that made the allegations against Alley.

Clyatt spoke out against the transition team last week during a special city council meeting. During her comments at the podium, Clyatt said Cramer was fired without the human resources department's authorization and that she was excluded from the transition team because they didn't like what she was saying.

That, according to the Humphrey memo, is untrue.

Clyatt and the transition team began to have issues when she refused to place a charge of discrimination in Walker's personnel file "as she has been named in the Charge of Discrimination," according to the memo.

Walker no longer works for the city, according to Fort Myers spokeswoman Stephanie Schaffer.

It's unclear what discrimination charge the memo refers to, but Walker was once named in a complaint alleging discrimination in the city attorney's office.

Jasena Pearsey, a temporary employee who is black, was fired by the city after she sent a letter to council stating she felt discriminated against and claimed Walker once made a comment about people in Dunbar, Fort Myers' black neighborhood, not being able to sustain a grocery story because they used food stamps.

The city entered into a settlement agreement with Pearsey for $30,000 in December 2018. Attempts to reach Pearsey or Walker were unsuccessful on Monday.

"Ellen Clyatt's behavior as Human Resource Director was not and is not conducive to the positive changes needed for the transition of the City Attorney's Office to succeed," Humphrey wrote in his memo.

Cramer was not in support of the transition team, either, according to a memo to Alley from Humphrey dated Sept. 23, 2019.

"I realize and appreciate your support of the Transition Team; however, we are not receiving the support from Terry and HR for us to proceed with recommending adoption of the proposed Resolution and policy statements," Humphrey wrote to Alley. "There are several recent examples where they are intentionally attempting to undermine you and the Transition Team."

One example cited was Fort Myers Police Chief Derrick Diggs' contract renewal and $42,000 pay increase in August.

Alley was not given sufficient time to review the agreement, according to the memo.

Attempts to reach Alley were unsuccessful on Monday.

Staff in Cramer's office continued to work against Alley and members of his staff while also withholding information, the memo states.

One of the last unauthorized actions Cramer took was to contact Holland & Knight to provide him general government advice on the Hatch Act while Alley had already issued an opinion on it. He was instructed not to incur any legal fees, but continued to do so, according to Humphrey's memo.

"The employees of the City Attorney's offices, including both professional and non-professional employees are to be appointed and supervised by the City Attorney and they may be suspended or removed by the City Attorney," Humphrey wrote in the Sept. 23 memo.

In a February memo, Humphrey wrote to Cramer that he found his treatment of the city's legal department "disconcerting."

"I have been told recently and personally witnessed where you are refusing to report to Grant or to even provide him with copies of all matters which are coming before the City Council for action," Humphrey wrote.

Keeping the administrative side of the city attorney's office in City Hall was not meant to separate it from Alley's direction, Humphrey wrote.

"(Alley) has been more responsive and supportive of the Transition Team," Humphrey wrote. "He was supportive of our selection of you as the Chief Administrative Attorney. However, you have been just the opposite which is most disappointing. You have been openly disrespectful to (Alley) and have supported (Walker's) improper behavior and actions."



https://www.news-press.com/story/new...ey/2662472001/

[Unregistered]

Fort Myers attorney pushes back against city’s ‘unauthorized termination’
Publishedecember 17, 2019 4:06 PM EST

Fireworks are flying at Fort Myers City Hall over the firing of Terry Cramer, chief administrative attorney, earlier this month.

“That’s not fair to the taxpayers,” Terrolyn Watson said. “It’s not fair to the city leaders. All we know is he’s fired and that’s it.”

Cramer’s attorney, Sawyer Smith, sent a letter to council member, Gaile Anthony. She serves as the liaison between the city council and the transition team, who recommended terminating Cramer to Grant Alley, the city attorney.

“Mr. Cramer can voice his objection to the unauthorized termination that the city attorney and the transition team issued to him,” Smith said. “They have no authority to fire him as he does not work for the city attorney’s office. He works for the administrative attorney’s office, which is directly under the office of the city manager.”

Smith argues that only the city manager could have fired Cramer. But Kevin Anderson, who is a city councilmember, said they are following the rule book.

“I’m looking at the city charter,” Anderson said, “and it’s clear that the city attorney is responsible for hiring and firing all of the legal staff.”

While Anderson told WINK News he believes the firing was fair to come from the city attorney, he said an open, top city legal position is concerning.

“There’s a tremendous workload when it comes to legal issues on a variety of levels, some of them very complicated,” Anderson said. “Again, we want to make sure we are serving the needs of city staff, so that we are serving the needs of the public.”

“The city council needs to get this department under control,” Smith said, “because it is running rough shot over the taxpayer money.”

Anderson told WINK he is meeting with the transition team for the city on Wednesday. We left messages with two members of the transition team and the city manager, but we did not hear back.

Reporter: Taylor Petras

[Unregistered]

Memo offers more detail on ouster of Fort Myers attorney Terry Cramer
Fort Myers News-Press 11:50 p.m. UTC Dec. 16, 2019
A former attorney fired by the city of Fort Myers last week was contracting outside law firms without proper approval, according to a memo sent to Fort Myers city council.

A memo written by the transition team in charge of restructuring the long-troubled city attorney's office was sent to Fort Myers city council on Friday laying out the team's explanation for what led to Terry Cramer's firing.

The memo accuses Cramer, the chief administrative attorney, of failing to get approval for contracts from City Attorney Grant Alley and city council and undermining the work of the transition team tasked with fixing the issues in the department.

"The most recent attack does not surprise me at all," Cramer said through a statement via his attorney Sawyer Smith. "I have been under attack from these people for years."

Smith said the memo was a predictable move by the transition team.

"It’s a hot mess over there and that team is swimming right around in the middle of it. Of course they are attacking (Cramer)," Smith said.

Smith said Cramer is a great attorney and was a great city employee.

The transition team is made up of attorneys Jim Humphrey and Kristie Scott, as well as family therapist David Kelley. Humphrey served as Fort Myers mayor from 2000 to 2009.

The city attorney's office went under the microscope in 2017 after allegations were made about Alley's treatment of City Hall employees.

Alley went on leave during an investigation, and Cramer was named acting city attorney.

The transition team came in afterward, according to the memo, and decided to split the office into two departments. The city attorney, Alley, would work with the city council and advisory boards and litigate. Cramer, who was part of the legal staff since 2015 before being promoted, would work with the city manager and administration. Ultimately, all of the legal staff report to the city attorney.

According to the memo, the issues date as far back as December 2017, when in a memo, Humphrey wrote that the then-manager of the office where Cramer was assigned, Tatum Walker, "instructed office staff to not allow (Alley) to read the e-mails coming into the office."

Additionally, Alley was moved out of City Hall and into a building on Hendry Street. Cramer and his staff remained in City Hall on the third floor.

In his memo, Humphrey states he hopes to meet with council members to go into more detail, adding that "it is important to communicate with this memorandum that without the removal of (Cramer), the transition within the City Attorney's office will not succeed."

According to the memo from Humphrey, the investigation into allegations against Alley was initiated by Cramer, who hired a Naples law firm to conduct it even though as a staff attorney he had no authorization to do so.

City Council approved it for a budget of $130,000, but it ended up costing $150,000. A review of the investigation shows that it was Human Resources Director Ellen Clyatt, Cramer and Walker that made the allegations against Alley.

Clyatt spoke out against the transition team last week during a special city council meeting. During her comments at the podium, Clyatt said Cramer was fired without the human resources department's authorization and that she was excluded from the transition team because they didn't like what she was saying.

That, according to the Humphrey memo, is untrue.

Clyatt and the transition team began to have issues when she refused to place a charge of discrimination in Walker's personnel file "as she has been named in the Charge of Discrimination," according to the memo.

Walker no longer works for the city, according to Fort Myers spokeswoman Stephanie Schaffer.

It's unclear what discrimination charge the memo refers to, but Walker was once named in a complaint alleging discrimination in the city attorney's office.

Jasena Pearsey, a temporary employee who is black, was fired by the city after she sent a letter to council stating she felt discriminated against and claimed Walker once made a comment about people in Dunbar, Fort Myers' black neighborhood, not being able to sustain a grocery story because they used food stamps.

The city entered into a settlement agreement with Pearsey for $30,000 in December 2018. Attempts to reach Pearsey or Walker were unsuccessful on Monday.

"Ellen Clyatt's behavior as Human Resource Director was not and is not conducive to the positive changes needed for the transition of the City Attorney's Office to succeed," Humphrey wrote in his memo.

Cramer was not in support of the transition team, either, according to a memo to Alley from Humphrey dated Sept. 23, 2019.

"I realize and appreciate your support of the Transition Team; however, we are not receiving the support from Terry and HR for us to proceed with recommending adoption of the proposed Resolution and policy statements," Humphrey wrote to Alley. "There are several recent examples where they are intentionally attempting to undermine you and the Transition Team."

One example cited was Fort Myers Police Chief Derrick Diggs' contract renewal and $42,000 pay increase in August.

Alley was not given sufficient time to review the agreement, according to the memo.

Attempts to reach Alley were unsuccessful on Monday.

Staff in Cramer's office continued to work against Alley and members of his staff while also withholding information, the memo states.

One of the last unauthorized actions Cramer took was to contact Holland & Knight to provide him general government advice on the Hatch Act while Alley had already issued an opinion on it. He was instructed not to incur any legal fees, but continued to do so, according to Humphrey's memo.

"The employees of the City Attorney's offices, including both professional and non-professional employees are to be appointed and supervised by the City Attorney and they may be suspended or removed by the City Attorney," Humphrey wrote in the Sept. 23 memo.

In a February memo, Humphrey wrote to Cramer that he found his treatment of the city's legal department "disconcerting."

"I have been told recently and personally witnessed where you are refusing to report to Grant or to even provide him with copies of all matters which are coming before the City Council for action," Humphrey wrote.

Keeping the administrative side of the city attorney's office in City Hall was not meant to separate it from Alley's direction, Humphrey wrote.

"(Alley) has been more responsive and supportive of the Transition Team," Humphrey wrote. "He was supportive of our selection of you as the Chief Administrative Attorney. However, you have been just the opposite which is most disappointing. You have been openly disrespectful to (Alley) and have supported (Walker's) improper behavior and actions."



https://www.news-press.com/story/new...ey/2662472001/

[Unregistered]

Long rod landed a porn gig and doesn’t care if his fmpd pension is revoked

[Unregistered]

First regular work day of the new year 01/02/20 and guess who's gonna be on the news.... Drum roll for the failed reality cuban porn star Jay small Rod. Folks this has gone on too long and will continue to damage the reputation of this agency. But then again it's well deserved for all the nonsense, backstabbing, unethical criminals who are still working here and those recently retired.

This is gonna be fun, I'm gonna grab some popcorn and watch this sh!tshow of a dumpster fire play out. There's still big time fallout from Jay. I see lawsuits from falsely arrested prostitutes, i see others getting what's coming to them for lying under oath, i see crimal cases getting dropped and convicted criminals walking.

[Unregistered]

Now let's play Let's Make A Deal, who can Jrod sell out for less punishment....😂😂😂

Anyone who knows JFag should understand this guy ain't gonna just gonna let others slide with all he knows. He was betrayed and looking to get even with alot of people 😆

[Unregistered]

Anyone who knows JFag should understand this guy ain't gonna just gonna let others slide with all he knows. He was betrayed and looking to get even with alot of people 😆

I hope that he tells everything he knows..Hope you get all that is coming to you you POS ___J with a small cuban ROD

[Unregistered]

Former police captain Jay Rodriguez returns to court for prostitution scandal

A police scandal with sex, lies, and video tape returns to Lee County courtroom Thursday morning with a critical piece of evidence that was filmed by the accused officer himself.

The suspect, police captain, Jay Rodriguez, who was arguably the face of the department for years acting as the main spokesman.

He retired after being arrested back in September.

City leaders have been extremely critical of the department, but say an overwhelming majority of the officers work hard to keep our community safe.

He said In Captain Rodriguez’s case, the lie was worse than the offense, and he should have taken responsibility for his actions.

The case was blown open by surveillance video that shows Rodriguez in a prostitution bust. 6 years later he’s arrested for paying that prostitute then lying about it.

Fort Myers Police Department is now focusing on two major initiatives to regain trust. The first was the hiring of an inspector general, an outsider who could potentially keep the department in line, and also provide more transparency to the public.

The second focus is crime prevention. A report recently released highlighted how the department needs to do a better job with communication, and their use of staff to better protect the city.

Rodriguez is facing charges of misconduct, perjury and prostitution.



Reporter: Nicole Lauren