Commissioner Murman mentioned in this WTSP article on firefighters:
Commissioners concerned with firefighters’ activities
Mike Deeson, WTSP
6:44 p.m. EDT March 18, 2015
And Union President Derrick Ryan has a contract that secures a six figure salary as a firefighter without ever stepping foot in a fire station. (Photo: International Association of Firefighters)
Tampa, Florida — There was strong reaction Wednesday from a Hillsborough County commissioner after a 10 Investigates report of firefighters getting paid with tax dollars to campaign for politicians.
We found some firefighters are campaigning while on the clock which violates county and state law. There also were firefighters who are taking additional time off when there is no union business happening and that is violating their own contracts with the county.
And Union President Derrick Ryan has a contract that secures a six figure salary as a firefighter without ever stepping foot in a fire station.
His contract also allows him to bank vacation time and sick hours, and cash them out when he retires, ultimately costing you the taxpayer even more money.
There was strong reaction Wednesday from a Hillsborough County commissioner after a 10 Investigates report of firefighters getting paid with tax dollars to campaign for politicians.
We brought these issues to the commission meeting Wednesday and Hillsborough Commissioner Kevin Beckner says he’s concerned.
Beckner says, “I understand what you have identified and obviously if that is certainly occurring that is certainly troubling and should not be occurring and again it’s something that we probably need to tighten up and re-address with the chief as well as with the union contract negotiations.”
Meantime, Commission Chair Sandy Murman tells 10 Investigates that the county attorney insists union time off is like vacation pay and comes from a separate union account.
However, the former union president was fired for taking vacation during union leave, and a circuit court judge also ruled the pay was coming from county tax dollars for fighting fires, not union business.
