APOPKA, Fla. — 9 Investigates uncovered more questions about a lucrative deal for Apopka's former manager.
Last week, Channel 9 reported on how Richard Anderson is now getting $250,000 a year as a lobbyist and consultant.
WFTV's Lori Brown crunched the numbers for lobbyists in similar-sized cities and found Apopka is being very generous with Anderson's pay.
Not only is Apopka paying more than twice as much as other similarly sized cities for the former chief administrator to be its part-time lobbyist, but other cities are getting a team of people for half the price.
One hour before midnight, Apopka city leaders granted a $70,000 salary increase for one of the state's highest-paid city leaders to leave and become a lobbyist/consultant for the city.
"I know some people have heartburn with us paying that much for lobbyists," said Apopka City Commissioner Bill Arrowsmith.
The deal gives Anderson a total salary of $264,000. About half of that salary pays for him to lobby for the city.
That's the same amount Apopka has been paying to a team of people from two different firms, one to handle state issues and the other for federal issues.
"Would there have been a limit on the amount you would have been willing to pay?" asked Brown.
"That reached the limit. There's no doubt about it. That was the limit," said Arrowsmith.
Channel 9 called six similarly sized cities and found five of them paid between $50,000 and $60,000 for lobbying.
Winter Garden does not have a lobbyist.
Council members never had the chance to really consider these figures. Anderson's deal was only put on the agenda three hours before the meeting.
"We got the email at 5 p.m. saying we're going to discuss this at 8 p.m. tonight," said Arrowsmith.
Mayor Joe Kilsheimer's supporters believe he was put in a box because Anderson's contract guaranteed him 40 weeks of severance if he were fired.
"Joe, I believe, is trying to fix a situation set in front of him. He was put in a lose-lose situation," said concerned resident Gregg Phillips.
Anderson's new contract is for two years.
For the price of Anderson's full salary, Orlando has four firms employing more than a dozen lobbyists.
WFTV
