IL taxpayers pick up $10,000 tab for DNR Chief
02-19-2008, 10:10 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,688
IL taxpayers pick up $10,000 tab for DNR Chief
SPRINGFIELD — The acting director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is on pace to collect nearly $10,000 in travel reimbursements from taxpayers this year, simply for going to work.
Sam Flood, who has served two years as acting chief of the agency, has received special permission from the Blagojevich administration to collect housing and meal money when he works at the agency’s headquarters in Springfield.
The travel money is on top of his $120,000 salary and the use of a 2000 Ford Crown Victoria from the state motor pool.
According to a review of state travel records for the current fiscal year, Flood has received an average of $765 per month in travel reimbursements, primarily for driving from his home near Belleville to the Department of Natural Resources headquarters in Springfield.
The reimbursements pay for up to $550 per month for a rental property where he lives when he is in Springfield. Records show he usually spends two to three days in the Capital City each week.
The rest of the time, Flood reports to Kaskaskia State Fish and Wildlife Area near Baldwin, which is his assigned headquarters, said DNR spokesman Chris McCloud.
In an e-mail exchange, McCloud said Flood’s absence from the agency’s main office has not caused problems.
“It’s important for the director not only to spend time in Springfield, as Acting Director Flood does, but also to maintain a presence in Kaskaskia and facilities around the state. So, no, the acting director being headquartered somewhere other than Springfield has not negatively impacted agency operations,” McCloud wrote.
Flood, a Democrat who is a former St. Clair County official, has worked for Gov. Rod Blagojevich since the governor took office in 2003. He has seen his salary grow 65 percent to rival that of other permanent state agency heads.
But, it remains unclear why Blagojevich has not named a full-time director to oversee the agency, instead relying on Flood to serve for more than two years in an acting capacity.
McCloud said the arrangement is saving the state money because Flood is serving both as an assistant director of the agency, as well as acting director. McCloud put the savings amount at $200,000.
Flood’s tenure has not been without controversy.
He is alleged to have used his influence to help his son, Scott, get hired to a supervisory position with DNR.
In October, the agency came under fire from lawmakers, who criticized a series of financial and management missteps that were revealed in an audit.
Lawmakers also said the loss of 400 workers to job cuts has left it unable to function properly.
A check of travel records for other agency heads found that Flood’s arrangement appears to be unique.
Chuck Hartke, director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture is on pace to receive more than $14,000 in travel money this fiscal year. But, unlike Flood, Hartke has traveled to meetings out of the state at least four times since last June.
Department on Aging Director Charles Johnson is on pace to receive more than $8,000 this year for travel, but, like Hartke, he also has gone to out-of-state conferences and meetings.
Records show Maureen O’Donnell, acting director of the Department of Central Management Services, has averaged $353 per month in travel expenses.
Only in Illinois
[:'(][:-]
Sam Flood, who has served two years as acting chief of the agency, has received special permission from the Blagojevich administration to collect housing and meal money when he works at the agency’s headquarters in Springfield.
The travel money is on top of his $120,000 salary and the use of a 2000 Ford Crown Victoria from the state motor pool.
According to a review of state travel records for the current fiscal year, Flood has received an average of $765 per month in travel reimbursements, primarily for driving from his home near Belleville to the Department of Natural Resources headquarters in Springfield.
The reimbursements pay for up to $550 per month for a rental property where he lives when he is in Springfield. Records show he usually spends two to three days in the Capital City each week.
The rest of the time, Flood reports to Kaskaskia State Fish and Wildlife Area near Baldwin, which is his assigned headquarters, said DNR spokesman Chris McCloud.
In an e-mail exchange, McCloud said Flood’s absence from the agency’s main office has not caused problems.
“It’s important for the director not only to spend time in Springfield, as Acting Director Flood does, but also to maintain a presence in Kaskaskia and facilities around the state. So, no, the acting director being headquartered somewhere other than Springfield has not negatively impacted agency operations,” McCloud wrote.
Flood, a Democrat who is a former St. Clair County official, has worked for Gov. Rod Blagojevich since the governor took office in 2003. He has seen his salary grow 65 percent to rival that of other permanent state agency heads.
But, it remains unclear why Blagojevich has not named a full-time director to oversee the agency, instead relying on Flood to serve for more than two years in an acting capacity.
McCloud said the arrangement is saving the state money because Flood is serving both as an assistant director of the agency, as well as acting director. McCloud put the savings amount at $200,000.
Flood’s tenure has not been without controversy.
He is alleged to have used his influence to help his son, Scott, get hired to a supervisory position with DNR.
In October, the agency came under fire from lawmakers, who criticized a series of financial and management missteps that were revealed in an audit.
Lawmakers also said the loss of 400 workers to job cuts has left it unable to function properly.
A check of travel records for other agency heads found that Flood’s arrangement appears to be unique.
Chuck Hartke, director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture is on pace to receive more than $14,000 in travel money this fiscal year. But, unlike Flood, Hartke has traveled to meetings out of the state at least four times since last June.
Department on Aging Director Charles Johnson is on pace to receive more than $8,000 this year for travel, but, like Hartke, he also has gone to out-of-state conferences and meetings.
Records show Maureen O’Donnell, acting director of the Department of Central Management Services, has averaged $353 per month in travel expenses.
Only in Illinois
[:'(][:-]
02-20-2008, 09:47 AM
#2
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Southwest Ohio
Posts: 10,277
RE: IL taxpayers pick up $10,000 tab for DNR Chief
Wow, Chicago style politics have now infiltrated the DNR. But with all that money flooding in from deer hunting, you can expect folks to start getting greedy.
