HOFFMAN TO TAKE REIGNS FOR LEY

SARASOTA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON WEDNESDAY VOTED 3-2 TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT WITH SARASOTA SHERIFF’S MAJOR KURT HOFFMAN TO BE THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.  EARLIER WEDNESDAY, COMMISSIONERS VOTED 4-1 TO ACCEPT JIM LEY’S RESIGNATION LETTER SUBMITTED TUESDAY THAT WILL PAY HIM MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS IN SEVERANCE AND BENEFITS.  HOFFMAN WAS CHOSEN OVER DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR DAVE BULLOCK, WHO WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE THE INSIDE TRACK ON THE POSITION.  HOWEVER, AFTER PUBLIC COMMENTS SUGGESTED THAT BULLOCK WAS AS MUCH OR MORE A PART OF THE PROBLEMS IN THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATION, COMMISSIONERS DECIDED TO GO WITH THE 44 YEAR OLD HOFFMAN, WHO IS ALSO AN ATTORNEY AND A FORMER PROSECUTOR, THINGS THAT MADE HIM APPEALING TO COMMISSIONER JOE BARBETTA, WHO SUGGESTED HOFFMAN OR SHERIFF TOM KNIGHT AS TEMPORARY REPLACEMENTS FOR LEY.  COMMISSIONERS WILL LAUNCH A NATIONAL SEARCH FOR LEY’S REPLACEMENT.