Lively Case Discussion #659 7/17 - 7/19/2007

[Rob]

Kindof freaking looking Rob...no offense  

I know that site is a riot...lol...

I'll prolly make a new one every day now. I get addicted to stuff like this.

OMG ROB......it's SHANGO!!

I changed it back....LOL

[robots]

Maybe Lorenzo made off with Joran's shoes, what size you think he might wear?

I HEARD THAT, BLAH!  Just wanting you to know I caught you!

My lips are sealed on both subjects.  






     

 

its Robots fault!!!


   

       


         

[Rob]

Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007 04:38:24 -0700 (PDT)


http://tinyurl.com/2spqtc
 
Visitors bureau looks set to hire CEO at top pay
 
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 19, 2007
WEST PALM BEACH — Members of the county's Convention and Visitors Bureau are expected to choose their new leader today and offer a compensation package that rivals the pay of most top county government officials.
Jorge Pesquera, president and chief operating officer of the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association, is the top choice of the bureau's search committee to serve as its CEO/president. The tourism bureau's full board of directors will decide today whether to formally offer him the job.
In hopes of luring Pesquera from his well-paying job, the bureau has put together a salary and bonus package that could bring his total pay to about $195,000 in his first year and more than $250,000 by his third.
In his first year on the job, Pesquera would make more than Deputy County Administrator Verdenia Baker, the county's second-in-command and the one responsible for overseeing the county's tourism-related agencies.
Bureau officials point to Pesquera's 30 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. They also said they were impressed with how he handled himself during a crisis that played out in the national media.
Pesquera was head of Aruba's tourism agency in 2005 when American citizen Natalee Holloway disappeared while on a graduation trip there. On his résumé, he takes credit for playing "the key role in the establishment of the strategic communications task force, which worked behind the scenes to minimize the impact of the Holloway story and effectively stopped calls for boycott by some U.S. elected officials."
Pesquera, who officials say now makes about $250,000, would have to take a pay cut to come here. Officials have tentatively negotiated a three-year proposal that would bring Pesquera's pay to his current level by offering bonuses using the bureau's private accounts.
"I really believe this is a great choice," Roy Assad, the search committee's chairman, said of Pesquera. "I believe if you want to bring talent, you have to pay for it."
Pay increases and bonuses for the bureau's previous CEO, Warren "Mac" McLaughlin, were often controversial. McLaughlin was forced to retire in November when the bureau was in the midst of its nearly $1.6 million embezzlement scandal.
In 2005, the bureau spent nine months trying to boost McLaughlin's pay, saying he was underpaid compared with other CEOs in comparably sized bureaus. The original proposal called for McLaughlin to be eligible for a $46,000 bonus, which could have brought his annual pay higher than what County Administrator Bob Weisman was making at the time. After county commissioners balked, the bureau gave McLaughlin a much smaller bonus - around $13,800 - out of its private accounts.
The bureau's $10 million budget is largely paid for by bed taxes, a 5 percent tax visitors pay on hotel rooms. But as nonprofit, the agency also can generate private money through membership and board dues and participation fees.
An audit of the bureau last year by the clerk and comptroller's office took issue with the CEO's pay including a mix of public and private money. The audit found that the use of "private funds to increase county-approved compensation and benefits results in unapproved expenditures of county dollars." The audit concluded that the bureau wouldn't be able to generate private money if bed tax money didn't pay for operations at the bureau.
Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller Sharon Bock on Wednesday said she was concerned that the bureau planned to continue mixing private and public money and said the CEO's entire compensation package should be vetted by the county commission. Use of private money to compensate the bureau's CEO doesn't require commission approval.
Those who defend the compensation package say the position's pay is boosted largely by private money - and the amount of bed taxes used would be about the same McLaughlin would have received if he were still head of the bureau.
Supporters emphasized the bonuses would have to be earned.
County Commissioner Jeff Koons said the bonuses shouldn't be handed out automatically, as in the past, but rather the new CEO's performance should be evaluated and then a bonus given only if it's deserved.
"These are not going to be gifts," Koons said. "He's going to have to earn it."
Assad emphasized that if the board wasn't happy with the new CEO's performance, the contract could be terminated. McLaughlin wasn't under contract.
"We are no longer willing to accept mediocrity," Assad said. "He will be under a lot of pressure to perform."

[San]

Visitors bureau looks set to hire CEO at top pay
By DEANA POOLE

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Audio = http://tinyurl.com/26e52t

WEST PALM BEACH — Members of the county's Convention and Visitors Bureau are expected to choose their new leader today and offer a compensation package that rivals the pay of most top county government officials.

Jorge Pesquera, president and chief operating officer of the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association, is the top choice of the bureau's search committee to serve as its CEO/president. The tourism bureau's full board of directors will decide today whether to formally offer him the job.

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In hopes of luring Pesquera from his well-paying job, the bureau has put together a salary and bonus package that could bring his total pay to about $195,000 in his first year and more than $250,000 by his third.

In his first year on the job, Pesquera would make more than Deputy County Administrator Verdenia Baker, the county's second-in-command and the one responsible for overseeing the county's tourism-related agencies.

Bureau officials point to Pesquera's 30 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. They also said they were impressed with how he handled himself during a crisis that played out in the national media.

Pesquera was head of Aruba's tourism agency in 2005 when American citizen Natalee Holloway disappeared while on a graduation trip there. On his résumé, he takes credit for playing "the key role in the establishment of the strategic communications task force, which worked behind the scenes to minimize the impact of the Holloway story and effectively stopped calls for boycott by some U.S. elected officials."

Pesquera, who officials say now makes about $250,000, would have to take a pay cut to come here. Officials have tentatively negotiated a three-year proposal that would bring Pesquera's pay to his current level by offering bonuses using the bureau's private accounts.

"I really believe this is a great choice," Roy Assad, the search committee's chairman, said of Pesquera. "I believe if you want to bring talent, you have to pay for it."

Pay increases and bonuses for the bureau's previous CEO, Warren "Mac" McLaughlin, were often controversial. McLaughlin was forced to retire in November when the bureau was in the midst of its nearly $1.6 million embezzlement scandal.

In 2005, the bureau spent nine months trying to boost McLaughlin's pay, saying he was underpaid compared with other CEOs in comparably sized bureaus. The original proposal called for McLaughlin to be eligible for a $46,000 bonus, which could have brought his annual pay higher than what County Administrator Bob Weisman was making at the time. After county commissioners balked, the bureau gave McLaughlin a much smaller bonus - around $13,800 - out of its private accounts.

The bureau's $10 million budget is largely paid for by bed taxes, a 5 percent tax visitors pay on hotel rooms. But as nonprofit, the agency also can generate private money through membership and board dues and participation fees.

An audit of the bureau last year by the clerk and comptroller's office took issue with the CEO's pay including a mix of public and private money. The audit found that the use of "private funds to increase county-approved compensation and benefits results in unapproved expenditures of county dollars." The audit concluded that the bureau wouldn't be able to generate private money if bed tax money didn't pay for operations at the bureau.

Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller Sharon Bock on Wednesday said she was concerned that the bureau planned to continue mixing private and public money and said the CEO's entire compensation package should be vetted by the county commission. Use of private money to compensate the bureau's CEO doesn't require commission approval.

Those who defend the compensation package say the position's pay is boosted largely by private money - and the amount of bed taxes used would be about the same McLaughlin would have received if he were still head of the bureau.

Supporters emphasized the bonuses would have to be earned.

County Commissioner Jeff Koons said the bonuses shouldn't be handed out automatically, as in the past, but rather the new CEO's performance should be evaluated and then a bonus given only if it's deserved.

"These are not going to be gifts," Koons said. "He's going to have to earn it."

Assad emphasized that if the board wasn't happy with the new CEO's performance, the contract could be terminated. McLaughlin wasn't under contract.

"We are no longer willing to accept mediocrity," Assad said. "He will be under a lot of pressure to perform."

http://tinyurl.com/2spqtc

[ospainter]

Thanks Rob,

Not a good way to start the morning.

OS

[mrs. red]

I think all of Palm Beach's offices need to be sent the new FP link, mayor on down....

and rob you look much better...  

[San]

Thanks Rob,

Not a good way to start the morning.

OS

Here is an audio link = http://tinyurl.com/26e52t

[mrs. red]

I think all of Palm Beach's offices need to be sent the new FP link, mayor on down....

and rob you look much better...  

red has written an article on this new development...

[ospainter]

I would like to give him a bonus.

Palm beach co. just lost a visitor.

OS

[Rob]

Thanks Rob,

Not a good way to start the morning.

OS

No it's not OS. I get a big kick out the government hacks that are always saying "the people have spoken", apparently thats only for issues they want. Otherwise we're a bunch of idiots.


After all the heat this generated, you would think they would look else where, but NOOOOOO they dug their heals in.

8-0 was the initial vote.


In the grand scheme of things, Palm Beach Florida is not a top destination... but allows Aruba to keep their obstructer close by Miami.

[Rob]

I think all of Palm Beach's offices need to be sent the new FP link, mayor on down....

and rob you look much better...  

Thanks Mrs... LOL..

You know we used to have a house their til last year..... looks like it was the right move...

Palm Beach is not known for the 'rocket scientists' in local government.

[San]

Thanks Rob,

Not a good way to start the morning.

OS

No it's not OS. I get a big kick out the government hacks that are always saying "the people have spoken", apparently thats only for issues they want. Otherwise we're a bunch of idiots.


After all the heat this generated, you would think they would look else where, but NOOOOOO they dug their heals in.

8-0 was the initial vote.


In the grand scheme of things, Palm Beach Florida is not a top destination... but allows Aruba to keep their obstructer close by Miami.

At the final year of his contract his pay will be $250,000. + Bonus

How much you want to bet he is being paid even more under the table.

[yapperz1]

Good Morning Monkeys

OS  Palm Beach County just lost 5 more visitors as my family won't be traveling there either.

[ospainter]

And we wonder what is happening to our country.

Don't have to look too far.

This just grates on my last nerve.

You don't reward someone for bad behavior.

OS

[Rob]

His 'bonus' amounts to a little more than 10K per quarter.

It's like Palm Beach got on their hands and knees and groveled. What a bunch of losers.

There are a lot of other qualified people that would have done the job for the 196K without the extra 10K.

196K is still alot of money.

Apparently no allegiance to the people of Palm Beach. But they are prolly totally unaware that this issue has even taken place.

[SunFreak2]

Doesn't Donald Trump have a house in West Palm Beach?  Let the Donald loose on him.      

[Easywriter]

Oh the humanity...... hot dog chili sauce recalled!  

[mrs. red]

So I say inform them... send the links to the mayor, everyone...the chamber of commerce anybody everybody... let them know that no one wants to travel where bad behavior is rewarded...

[Rob]

For me it's the disingenuous way Palm Beach SELLS Pesquera. Like what he did during Natalee's case was somehow a badge of honor to these morons.

Truly repulsive. They were warned and can't say they had no idea. And by the way, why is it our job to do thei back ground check?

[Rob]

Oh the humanity...... hot dog chili sauce recalled!  

certainly must have come from China.