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NSBNews.net photo by Henry Frederick and audio presentation by Multimedia Editor Sera Frederick / Things are moving rapidly for the likely departure of embattled Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority Director Nicole Carni with the county seizing control of her agency's books, her being suspended by her own chairman, an offer on the table by the county to resign and now the State Attorney's Office may be looking into the matter. The above audio highlights action taken by the County Council on two fronts:
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Just one day after the Volusia County Council authorized County Manager Jim Dinneen to seize control of the books of the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority, NSBNews.net has learned that Nicole Carni has been suspended and offered an "exit strategy."
NSBNews.net has also learned and confirmed through Carni herself that she has been suspended, though she insisted she was "placed on administrative leave," which is a nicer way of saying the same thing.
Asked if the leave was paid or unpaid, Carni responded, "I don't know," but later said it was paid. The suspension was ordered by SVAA President David Kosmas, either Thursday or Friday until an outside auidit is completed.
Kosmas could not be reached for comment with more specific details on time frames, though Carni has not been at her office the better part of the week.
Volusia County Chairman Frank Bruno said he couldn't publicly comment on legal matters, but he did say County Manager Dineen had control of the SVAA's financials by 1 p.m. Thursday, less than an hour after the County Council voted unanimously.
"I've done nothing wrong," Carni insisted in an interview with NSBNews.net late in the day Friday. "I've got all my paperwork to show that and I'm sending it up to county."
Carni said the county presented her through Kosmas with an "exit strategy," or in common language, the opportunity to resign.
She wasn't more specific about what she was offered in exchange for her resignation and declined comment." The conversation ended abruptly just after 5 p.m. when Carni told NSBNews.net, "I've got to go, I've got county on the other line."
It was at Thursday County Council meeting that County Manager Jim Dinneen was emphatic about seizing control of the SVAA's finances.
"I need that authority today," Dinneen told County Council member Pat Northey, who asked why. Dinneen said a representative of the accounting firm James Moore that examined the books was in the meeting room and could explain to her the urgency of granting his request.
Neither Dinnen nor County Attorney Dan Eckert were willing to discuss specifics of what was found, saying it wouldn't be appropriate at this time in a public forum while they further review the finances. Dinneen's request then got the unanimous green light from Northey, Chairman Frank Bruno, newly elevated Vice Chairwoman Joyce Cusack and Council members Andy Kelly, Carl Persis, Joshua Wagner and Joie Alexander all in agreement.
Carni was hired in August by the SVAA's board in August at a salary of $110,000, far more than the $66,000 in annual pay given Deborah Boyd who left in May after eight years on the job. After public criticism of the salary, Dinneen's office issued a salary study with new levels that led to Carni's annual compensation being reduced to $85,000 and then $71,500 in October.
In a separate, but related development, Cusack announced that a "town hall meeting" would be held Jan. 23 at the Babe James Center in New Smyrna Beach's Westside community to discuss concerns about questionable spending by the city's Community Redevelopment Agency.
Cusack said she asked New Smyrna Beach's city government and staff to attend the 5 p.m. with emphasis on allowing the public to answer questions about what has occurred with the CRA, especially in the past year, and where the CRA is heading before it sunsets in 2015.
EDITOR'S NOTE: In the interest of media transparency, NSBNews.net has received advertising from the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority for banner ads for its open NSB Visitor's Open House and hoteliers meeting as well as for marketing of the Gallery Group of Flagler Avenue. NSBNews.net will provide further details in an upcoming segment.
Previous coverage for "Show Me the Money: New Smyrna Beach"
http://www.nsbnews.net/content/408029-drinking-your-tax-dollars-away-nsb-while-jobs-lost
NSB News is a 24/7 Internet newspaper in New Smyrna Beach accessed through NSBNews.net and VolusiaNews.net, launched April 7, 2008, by award-winning breaking news and investigative journalist Henry Frederick and award-winning blogger Peter Mallory. It is the first fully-online newspaper in Florida and among the few in the nation with continuous editorial content picked up by Google News Directories.
