SARASOTA COUNTY CHIEF FINANCIAL PLANNING OFFICER JEFF SEWARD WAS PLACED ON LEAVE THURSDAY; JUST A DAY AFTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RECEIVED TWO AUDITS WHICH SHOWED MORE PROBLEMS WITH PURCHASING AND SPENDING OF COUNTY FUNDS. INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TERRY LEWIS TOLD THE HERALD TRIBUNE THAT HE’LL HAVE MORE TO SAY ON MONDAY. SEWARD WAS ACTUALLY NAMED ACTING MANAGER OF THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT JUST LAST WEEK, BUT AT WEDNESDAY’S COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING SEVERAL NEW PROBLEMS AROSE AS SEWARD AND OTHER COUNTY STAFF COULDN’T ANSWER EVEN THE MOST BASIC OF QUESTIONS OF COMMISSIONERS. SEWARD, WHO MAKES OVER $120,000 A YEAR, IS THE LATEST PERSON TO COME UNDER INVESTIGATION IN A WIDENING PROBE INTO COUNTY PURCHASING PRACTICES. SO FAR NINE EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING FORMER COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR JIM LEY HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS SINCE MARCH, AND THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS INVESTIGATING POSSIBLE CRIMES IN THE SCANDAL.
