County Administrator Jim Ley Offers to Resign Amid Purchasing Scandal

Citing that he has become a distraction from the county's goal of bettering the community, County Administrator Jim Ley offered his resignation to the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners Tuesday morning. 

The county is in the middle of a procurement scandal that has already led to seven resignations or firings. Ley said he no longer wanted to be a lighting rod of discussion. 

"The CEO is the person that must say no," Ley said as he addressed the BCC. "The ongoing procurement debate has been used to raise issues about my leadership. I take responsibility as the leader of this organization when such things happen."

"I have become the issue. I’ve become the lighting rod," Ley added. "[The county is] losing focus on important things, caught up in the drama in the current moment."

Ley offered a mutual termination that would pay him $265,000, which Ley said would save the county money rather than terminating him unilaterally. 

"My preference is to have myself removed from the discussion," Ley said. 

Should the county terminate Ley unilaterally it is contractually obligated to pay Ley more than $384,000 along with giving him 90 days notice of termination. County attorney Stephen DeMarsh said he has met with Ley's attorney and the numbers match up. 

Commissioner Joe Barbetta said the BCC should not make a decision immediately citing his wish to add something into the agreement, though he would not say publicly what that would be. 

The BCC only received the proposed agreement this morning and agreed it needed a little more time to make a decision.

Commissioners decided it would try to talk about the presented contract termination agreement later this afternoon and continue tomorrow morning.

"Let’s put in on tomorrow first thing and bring it to closure," Barbetta said.