Commissioner Murman mentioned in this Tampa Tribune article on audit of plan engineer hiring:

POLITICS

Hillsborough will audit hiring of transportation plan engineer

By Mike Salinero | Tribune Staff 
Published: September 16, 2015   |   Updated: September 16, 2015 at 01:43 PM

TAMPA — Amid accusations of political favoritism in the choice of an engineering firm to lead Hillsborough County’s transportation initiative, county commissioners today ordered an audit of the hiring process.

The move was made a day after WTSP television ran reports connecting Tampa public relations consultant Beth Leytham with the hiring of Parsons Brinckerhoff to lead the county’s Go Hillsborough effort. The engineering consultants hired Leytham as a subcontractor to handle communications and marketing for the effort, which will likely lead to a sales tax referendum on the November 2016 ballot. Leytham has been paid $187,500 for her services.

Commissioner Kevin Beckner made the motion to have the commission’s internal auditor examine how Brinckerhoff and Leytham were hired. Beckner said accusations made in the television investigation and by tea party-affiliated groups have “put a cloud over the Go Hillsborough effort.”

Beckner said a similar strategy was used to devastating effect against the Greenlight Pinellas transportation initiative, which included a penny per dollar increase in the sales tax. The ballot initiative was overwhelmingly defeated.

“As I listen to the comments that with the Go Hillsborough initiative, much like Green Light Pinellas, the … war has already begun,” Beckner said. Commission Chair Sandy Murman, who was featured in the TV reports as closely connected to Leytham, suggested the county shut down the Go Hillsborough effort, which includes nearly a month more of public workshops now underway, where visitors can learn about suggested transportation projects.

But County Administrator Mike Merrill said the public workshops are worthwhile, even if they have been lightly attended.

“It doesn’t matter if there are five people at the meetings or 50,” Merrill said. “Those five people showed up, they invested their time and they appreciate it.”

County Attorney Chip Fletcher reminded commissioners that the internal auditor has already examined the process under which Parsons Brinckerhoff was hired and found it legal. That report was issued in March.

But Beckner said he wanted the upcoming audit to be “broader,” to cover questions about how Parsons Brinckerhoff and Leytham were eventually hired.