DOC chief continues to revamp personnel

The Gaineville Sun:

Article published Apr 21, 2006
Apr 20, 2006

By KAREN VOYLES

Sun staff writer

Two majors were fired from their North Florida state prison jobs on Thursday and an attorney was promoted as part of ongoing personnel changes inside the Department of Corrections.

The personnel changes were the latest in a series of moves by the department's Interim Secretary James McDonough. He was appointed in February after Gov. Jeb Bush forced James Crosby to resign. Under Crosby's administration, the DOC became a target of wide-ranging federal and state investigations that are ongoing.

Since McDonough's appointment, he has fired more than 15 high-ranking officials who had close ties to Crosby, asked for and received resignation or retirement letters from several others and demoted a few more. Then McDonough promoted more than two dozen others and transferred several more into positions that will make them more likely to be considered for promotions in the future.

On Thursday, without explanation, two majors from New River Correctional Institution in Raiford were sent certified letters notifying them that they were being dismissed from their jobs at the end of the business day. No explanation for the firings was given in the letters, which were signed by Richard Dugger, regional director of institutions.

Colin E. Halle had been a prison employee since 1981 and was earning $51,377. Rodney L. Barnett had worked for the prisons since 1983 and was making $51,445. Neither could be reached for comment.

McDonough's office would not say why the men were released, only that they were both Selected Exempt Service Employees who served at the pleasure of the secretary and had no right of appeal to the Public Employees Relations Commission.

The other changes announced Thursday were the promotion of longtime department attorney Rosa Carson to general counsel and the hiring of Anthony Miller as deputy general counsel.

Carson replaces longtime General Counsel Lou Vargas whose retirement was announced last month as part of the major personnel shifts. Since then, Carson has been serving as acting general counsel. She received her bachelor's, master's and law degrees from Florida State University before being hired by the prison system in 1982.

In a prepared statement issued to announce Carson's appointment, McDonough said she "is a shining example of professionalism and leadership in this department" and that "she has my trust and confidence in performing her new duties."

Miller had been working for the Department of Management Services as well as volunteering as a mentor and board member for the Legal Aid Foundation, which provides free legal services to needy Floridians.

McDonough's prepared statement identified Miller as "a bright, young attorney who exemplifies service above self."

Karen Voyles can be reached at 486-5058 or voylesk@gvillesun.com