Seminole Commissioners Were Stunned Tuesday To Learn That $450,000 In Contracts May Not Have Been Authorized

SANFORD - The Seminole County Commission put $450,000 in contracts on hold Tuesday after a preliminary audit showed the work was never authorized.

Nineteen contracts for "visual simulation photography" were awarded to American Acquisition Group by former land acquisition manager Joyce Suber in August.

Suber was fired last month for abusing her position, accepting gifts and soliciting campaign contributions for her son. She is appealing her dismissal.

American Acquisition is one of two land-buying consultants under investigation for allegations of kickbacks, said County Clerk of Courts Maryanne Morse.

Morse's report stunned the commission, county staff and audience members at Tuesday's commission meeting.

Commissioner Win Adams asked whether her report was "the tip of the iceberg." Morse responded that the audit was continuing.

The contracts involved "before and after" photographic imaging on several road projects in the county. The audit found no documentation to indicate how the fees were established, whether the amounts were reasonable or whether the photography was needed or used, Morse said.

The commissioners will consider their next step after the contracts are reviewed by staff and Morse's office.

More than $200,000 for photographic work already has been paid to American Acquisition. It is unclear whether the county could recover that money.

Morse blamed several county departments, as well as two of her departments, for approving work that was not specifically authorized.

"There were enough checks and balances in place," Morse said. "This should never have occurred. It went from Suber, to the county engineer, to purchasing, to finance, to the county attorney's office. Everyone rubber-stamped it."

American Acquisition is one of two companies that operate under a "master contract" to buy property for the county. Any work outside of that scope, including the photographic imaging, required the approval of the County Commission, Morse said.

Victor Scodius, American Acquisition right-of-way program manager, said all the work was authorized.

"Obviously we don't do unauthorized work. Why would we do something that wasn't in writing from the county?" he said. "As far as I know is was unauthorized."

Scodius said he had copies of the work orders that were signed at various times by the county purchasing manager, county attorney and county manager, and certified by Morse.

"We have never been accused of any wrongdoing in our entire time of doing business," Scodius said, adding that the company has been doing Seminole County jobs since 1991.

Morse said even if American Acquisition thought it was authorized to do the work, it violated its contract by subcontracting the photographic work to Dames & Moore, a Tampa company.

The County Commission approved Morse's recommendation for her staff to audit American Acquisition's books to determine what Dames & Moore charged for the photographic work.

The county never balked at the use of subcontractors, Scodius countered. The subcontractor's name was prominently displayed on contract material, he added.

"We're operating under work orders issued by the county, and everything was known before they issued the work order," he said. "We don't get paid until they approve it, and we've been paid."

Finally, Morse recommended the county scrap its practice of using a master contract for land acquisition consultants because the two firms being used by the county - American Acquisition and Post, Buckley, Schuh & Jernigan - are under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

"In my discussions with FDLE, it became clear that both entities may be involved in kickbacks or allegations of kickbacks involving Ms. Suber or others at the county."

Scodius strongly denied any improper compensation to county employees.

"We never made any kickbacks, but the concept of the master contract is the county's doing, not mine," he said.

Officials with Post, Buckley, Schuh & Jernigan could not be reached Tuesday.

Seminole Commissioners Were Stunned Tuesday To Learn That $450,000 In Contracts May Not Have Been Authorized

SANFORD - The Seminole County Commission put $450,000 in contracts on hold Tuesday after a preliminary audit showed the work was never authorized.

Nineteen contracts for "visual simulation photography" were awarded to American Acquisition Group by former land acquisition manager Joyce Suber in August.

Suber was fired last month for abusing her position, accepting gifts and soliciting campaign contributions for her son. She is appealing her dismissal.

American Acquisition is one of two land-buying consultants under investigation for allegations of kickbacks, said County Clerk of Courts Maryanne Morse.

Morse's report stunned the commission, county staff and audience members at Tuesday's commission meeting.

Commissioner Win Adams asked whether her report was "the tip of the iceberg." Morse responded that the audit was continuing.

The contracts involved "before and after" photographic imaging on several road projects in the county. The audit found no documentation to indicate how the fees were established, whether the amounts were reasonable or whether the photography was needed or used, Morse said.

The commissioners will consider their next step after the contracts are reviewed by staff and Morse's office.

More than $200,000 for photographic work already has been paid to American Acquisition. It is unclear whether the county could recover that money.

Morse blamed several county departments, as well as two of her departments, for approving work that was not specifically authorized.

"There were enough checks and balances in place," Morse said. "This should never have occurred. It went from Suber, to the county engineer, to purchasing, to finance, to the county attorney's office. Everyone rubber-stamped it."

American Acquisition is one of two companies that operate under a "master contract" to buy property for the county. Any work outside of that scope, including the photographic imaging, required the approval of the County Commission, Morse said.

Victor Scodius, American Acquisition right-of-way program manager, said all the work was authorized.

"Obviously we don't do unauthorized work. Why would we do something that wasn't in writing from the county?" he said. "As far as I know is was unauthorized."

Scodius said he had copies of the work orders that were signed at various times by the county purchasing manager, county attorney and county manager, and certified by Morse.

"We have never been accused of any wrongdoing in our entire time of doing business," Scodius said, adding that the company has been doing Seminole County jobs since 1991.

Morse said even if American Acquisition thought it was authorized to do the work, it violated its contract by subcontracting the photographic work to Dames & Moore, a Tampa company.

The County Commission approved Morse's recommendation for her staff to audit American Acquisition's books to determine what Dames & Moore charged for the photographic work.

The county never balked at the use of subcontractors, Scodius countered. The subcontractor's name was prominently displayed on contract material, he added.

"We're operating under work orders issued by the county, and everything was known before they issued the work order," he said. "We don't get paid until they approve it, and we've been paid."

Finally, Morse recommended the county scrap its practice of using a master contract for land acquisition consultants because the two firms being used by the county - American Acquisition and Post, Buckley, Schuh & Jernigan - are under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

"In my discussions with FDLE, it became clear that both entities may be involved in kickbacks or allegations of kickbacks involving Ms. Suber or others at the county."

Scodius strongly denied any improper compensation to county employees.

"We never made any kickbacks, but the concept of the master contract is the county's doing, not mine," he said.

Officials with Post, Buckley, Schuh & Jernigan could not be reached Tuesday.