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Nelson Crony Lands 77k County Parks Job
Written by Chuck Maxwell   
Thursday, 10 April 2008

Despite assurances  to the public by County Manager Peggy Busacca and County Commissioners that  the County is seeking to cut government "waste"  by not hiring new government workers, a longtime friend and crony of County Commisioner Chuck Nelson was recently hired for a major "management position" in the County Parks Department by Bussacca without the normal procedures used to fill such positions.

Those employment procedures include advertising the job's availability to other county personnel and the public.

But Jack Masson, a longtime friend of Chuck Nelson, was "appointed" to the position of "The Interim Area Manager for the Central Area Parks and Recreation" by Busacca at the request of current Parks Director Don Lusk.

According to a September 6, 2007 memo by Lusk, Masson DEMANDED a salary a  30% above the minimum level of the budgeted position.  Masson's  salary is $77,872.

MASSON HAD RETIRED WHEN NELSON WAS DEMOTED
 
Incredibly, Masson  was an unemployed former county parks employee who had retired with full benefits when he demanded the 30%.  He had retired from his position as Assistant to Nelson when the commissioner was demoted as Parks Director.

Masson had presumably received all the financial benefits he was entitled to after 35 years of  experience with the county.

Since Busacca and the County Commission are claiming that "attrition" through retirement of county employees is a  way the county is eliminating  "waste," some may wonder if this is an example of what they are talking about.

Luask's request to hire Masson is as follows:

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Last Updated ( Friday, 11 April 2008 )
 
County Rejected Free Waterfront Land Offer
Written by Chuck Maxwell   
Thursday, 10 April 2008

While County Commissioners wrestle with increasing problems within the controversial EEL program that was intended to spend millions of taxpayer funds to purchase undeveloped wilderness land to keep it from becoming developed, The Brevard Whstleblower has learned exclusively that the County was offered  FREE waterfront land owned by Port Canaveral along the Barge Canal on Merritt Island about 10 years ago.
 
But the County IGNORED the offer when it was made around 1997, according to former Port Manager Charles "Chuck" Rowland.
 
The Port's land  along the Barge Canal is today appraised at over 1 million dollars. and consists of about 145 acres  (see arial photos below).

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Whats more, The Port's offer included  a grant of $75,000  to help develop a "passive" park, including launching  ramps for recreational boating.
 
The Barge Canal is located in  District 2 currently represented by Commissioner Chuck Nelson, who,  ironically, was County Parks Director, when Roland made the Port's ignored offer.

Last Updated ( Friday, 11 April 2008 )
 
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