What started as an item about approving the minutes of the third budget workshop by the county commission ended with a discussion about a vote of confidence on keeping the current county administrator in place.

Although no action was taken, the discussion caused quite a stir in the commission chambers.

Chairman Howard Kessler brought up the issue of an increase in $800,000 in personnel in the budget over the last few years, which has been brought up in previous meetings.

When the issue was brought up at the last commission meeting in June, Kessler asked Pingree and his staff for an answer and a breakdown of that number.

He said at the meeting on Monday that he has yet to receive an answer.

“When asked staff for clarification on this, I can’t get an answer,” Kessler said.

Kessler then asked Assistant County Administrator Tim Barden if the $800,000 figure was verifiable. Barden said that it was. Later in the meeting, Barden promised to have that breakdown by the this week.

Pingree was absent from the meeting due to health reasons.

Resident Dana Peck then presented several issues and brought forth evaluations of Pingree for the last three years. She said the commission gave Pingree a seven percent raise in 2007, and an eight percent raise in 2008, but did not give him a raise in 2009.

She added that when Kessler became chairman, a raise was not given to Pingree. The chairman also gave Pingree the lowest ratings.

Commissioner Mike Stewart read from the evaluations and although Kessler didn’t recommend giving Pingree a raise, he did comment on his outstanding performance and high strides.

Stewart added that the most recent evaluation gave Pingree high marks.

Stewart cited the Letter to the Editor in last week’s Wakulla News in which Kessler stated his unhappiness with the current administration.

“Which do we believe?” Stewart said.

Kessler responded that his evaluation scores were the lowest given.

He added that his frustration with the administration is enormous and sometimes it’s hard to get an answer.

“The administration has to accept responsibility for what it’s doing,” he added.

Kessler added that he would like the board to consider having a discussion about evaluating the administration.

Stewart then made a motion to have a vote of confidence on whether they want to keep Pingree as county administrator.

Kessler said he wouldn’t entertain that motion because Stewart did not have the floor.

“Now you just voted yourself king,” Stewart said.

Kessler responded, “You didn’t have the floor. You have to ask for the floor.”

Stewart then asked for the floor, was given the floor and made his motion.

Commissioner Alan Brock seconded the motion.

Several citizens spoke on this issue.

Tourism Development Council Director Pam Portwood spoke in support of Pingree.

“I hope that you’ll give him your vote of confidence,” Portwood said. “The changes from just a few years ago are unbelievable.”

Resident Billy Pigott agreed with Portwood.

“Looks like you’re throwing a man under the bus,” Pigott said. “I’ve heard he’s done his job.”

Former county commissioner Brian Langston said the changes Pingree has made in his time as county administrator are 150,000 percent.

“I’ve seen bad management,” Langston said. “Ben Pingree isn’t bad management.”

Resident Sue Damon expressed her disappointment in the commission and said this wasn’t the time to discuss this while Pingree is in the hospital.

“You are bickering like school children,” Damon said.

She added that sometimes a boss may write a good review of an employee when they want that person gone. However, they want that person to be able to find a job after being let go.

“It’s the decent thing,” Damon said.

Resident Steve Fults agreed with Damon that it wasn’t the time.

Fults suggested that the commission table this issue until Pingree could be present.

He added that someone may give a decent review to help them, to give him an advantage out the door.

Resident Jenny Brock agreed that the motion shouldn’t be made while someone is absent.

“Please give him a chance to be present,” Brock said.

Resident Hugh Taylor also agreed that the discussion should happen when Pingree is at the meeting.

“A vote of no confidence when a man’s not here is not right,” Taylor said.

Peck suggested the commission sit down with the administration and discuss the issues.

“To get answers to the questions that keep exploding at these meetings,” Peck said.

Kessler agreed that an evaluation of the administration is needed.

Alan Brock said he seconded the motion to bring this to an end.

He added that it is destroying the morale of the employees.

“It eats at me,” Brock said.

He added that he has confidence in Pingree.

“He has continued to make our office more professional,” Brock said.

He added that he is comfortable having this discuss because he is saying positive things.

Kessler said that without Pingree present, the commission cannot discuss all the issues and he didn’t feel it was right.

Stewart said he made the motion because Kessler was attacking Pingree.

“This has got to stop,” Stewart said.

He added that if he has an issue with staff, he goes directly to them.

“We fix it and move on,” Stewart said.

Kessler responded that he wasn’t attacking anyone. He said he was asking the administration to respond to a question.

Commissioner Lynn Artz said of the situation, “There’s a whole lot of other places I’d rather be.”

She added that she doesn’t want to make any rapid decisions on the issue.

“I think the county is much better off since he arrived,” Artz said of Pingree.

She added that research needs to be done and questions and concerns need to be addressed.

Commissioner George Green said the discussion should be brought to a halt.

“This is not the time,” Green said.

Brock said his idea was to show the commission’s confidence in Pingree and hopefully bring the issue to an end.

The motion for the vote of confidence was withdrawn, but the commission agreed to address the issue in the near future when Pingree was available.