COUNTY RECEIVES GRAND JURY REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

MONROE COUNTY, FL—The grand jury’s report was recently made public. The report makes a number of recommendations for Monroe County Fire Rescue (MCFR) and Monroe County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). The report lists 14 recommendations stemming from a 2022 incident involving former Trauma Star Chief Flight Nurse Lynda Rusinowski and missing drugs.

County staff is reviewing all of the recommendations and will discuss them with the Board at its Sept. 11 meeting, starting at 9 a.m. in the Murray Nelson Government Center in Key Largo. That meeting will be viewable online and on MCTV.

“We are thoroughly reviewing how our culture operates,” said Acting County Administrator Kevin Wilson. “We want to make sure we do not repeat any of the past mistakes and ensure that our controls are robust enough not to be circumvented moving forward.”

Immediately following the incident, Monroe County took action to improve the drug accounting inventory system and ensure proper controls are in place so similar incidents do not happen again. The additional controls included implementing a computer-based inventory system, installing security cameras and new medical supply safes with biometric locks, and adding additional personnel for quality assurance and oversight.

“The number one priority now is to regain the trust of our community,” said Monroe County Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein. “We will continue to be accountable and transparent while implementing the appropriate recommendations in the Grand Jury’s report and will have staff present regular updates at BOCC meetings into the foreseeable future.”

Grand Jury Recommendations and County Responses

 

1. Roman Gastesi be immediately terminated from any and all Monroe County positions, including volunteer positions. This recommendation was previously made by the 2012 Grand Jury in its Official Report and ignored. Mr. Gastesti must never hold any position with Monroe County. 

Gastesi’s volunteer status was terminated immediately following his indictment on Aug. 16, 2024. Gastesi had been serving as a volunteer advisor since he retired as County Administrator in February 2024. 

 

2. Andrea Thompson be immediately terminated from her position with MCFR and not be allowed to return or hold any position with MCFR or hold any position of trust with Monroe County.

Thompson was suspended without pay following her indictment. Her pre-determination hearing is scheduled for Aug. 30, 2024.

 

3. Chief Callahan be asked to resign as Fire Chief before the end of 2024 and the BOCC begin immediately the necessary steps to appoint a new Fire Chief who possesses the requisite education, technological knowledge and professional skills to perform the Fire Chiefs job responsibilities and oversees the daily operations in county and be on site.

After the 2022 incidents, Callahan returned to MCFR on a temporary basis when former Chief Steven Hudson retired. Monroe County administration is discussing Callahan’s retirement plans with him, and the County will determine how to move forward with a replacement chief. Under Florida law, department heads, like the fire chief, are appointed by the county administrator and confirmed by the BOCC. 

 

4. We strongly recommend that MCSO allow Firefighter /Paramedics Damian Suarez and Harold Perez to return to Trauma Star as flight medics if they so choose. Additionally, Monroe County should reinstate with backpay Damian Suarez and Harold Perez Trauma Star flight pay from the day they were allowed to return to work, but denied flight status pay.

Suarez and Perez were removed from Trauma Star at the direction of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Both are still firefighter/EMTs with Monroe County Fire Rescue. Trauma Star is a joint venture with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office provides the helicopters and pilots, and Monroe County Fire Rescue supplies flight nurses and flight-qualified paramedics. If the sheriff’s office were to allow Suarez and Perez to return to Trauma Star service, the County could then consider reinstating them following proper procedures.

 

5. An internal affairs division should be created to handle MCFR personnel discipline, similar to what is afforded for law enforcement officers under Chapter 112, Florida Statute.

The county administrator oversees the Monroe County Employee Services Department and Human Resources office. Employee Services conducts internal investigations into policy violations, employment law concerns, and other such matters. Employee Services has two former police officers on staff with expertise in investigations, who are used in most cases but do not have independent enforcement authority. This topic will be discussed with the BOCC.

 

6. Monroe County Employee Services to implement random drug testing for all county employees in special-risk positions as was previously recommended in the Clerk’s Internal Audit Report.

The County already has reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug testing procedures in place. Other County employees in applicable positions are already subject to DOT-mandated random drug screening. This year, the County will implement a random drug testing program and has already raised the topic as part of the collective bargaining agreement with the firefighter’s union, who have indicated that they will consider it.

 

7. Employee Services and MCFR request the Medical Director to issue a Medical Directive requiring all MCFR EMS and Trauma Star employees to be subject to random drug testing.

Random testing is both a matter of county policy and the collective bargaining agreement with the firefighter’s union and would involve coordination with the medical director. Union negotiations are currently underway, and random testing is a subject of bargaining proposed by the County. County staff will discuss this recommendation with the medical director.

 

8. All MCFR employees to receive diversion training to identify signs of substance abuse, and steps to prevent the theft of narcotics.

All County and fire rescue employees must undergo annual drug and alcohol training and as part of the hiring process. All employees take annual refresher training that is documented in their personnel files. The County will review, update, and improve the training program in this area.

 

Following the 2022 incident, Monroe County Fire Rescue implemented additional controls to prevent similar incidents from happening again. These include adding a computer-based inventory system with double controls to prevent the theft of narcotics. Previously, inventory was done on paper. Security video cameras were also added to areas that hold narcotics, and medical supply safes were replaced to include biometric locks. Additional staff was also added to help with oversight.

 

9. Monroe County’s Human Resources/Employee Services department to develop a new and uniform policy and procedures for the handling of any complaint received from a Monroe County employee. More specifically, the policy and procedures to require in every complaint that a written finding, resolution or conclusion be provided to the complainant or the subject of the complaint no later than 45 days from receipt of the complaint. That the subject of the complaint be allowed to review the complaint and all statements, names of witnesses and evidence before any investigative interview is conducted of the subject of the complaint. The complainant to also be allowed to review any evidence, statements or names of witnesses by the subject of the complaint and allowed to respond prior to any investigative interview of the complainant.

Monroe County already has policies and procedures for this type of complaint. When the County receives a claim of workplace violence, sexual harassment, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or other such matters, it conducts an in-depth investigation. The County will review the policies and procedures to see what can be improved.

 

10. Monroe County’s Human Resources/Employee Services departments should review and update its whistleblower/ anonymous reporting process to require a response to be sent confirming receipt of the report. There also needs to be a written report or response documented internally indicating what was done to investigate the report as well as a response being provided to the individual who made the report.

Monroe County adopted a whistleblower ordinance in 2009. The ordinance prevents the County or independent contractor from taking retaliatory action toward an employee or applicant if the employee or applicant reports the law violations to the County. The ordinance authorizes the county administrator to adopt procedures to implement the ordinance, which was done and has been updated over the years. Monroe County will review the policy and procedures to see where improvements can be made.

 

Monroe County does not currently have a system for anonymous complaints, but it is researching how employees or applicants can make an anonymous complaint to Monroe County in accordance with state and federal law.

 

11. All Monroe County elected officials, BOCC, department heads, executives and any person in a management/ supervisory level be ·required to complete an ethics and compliance in the workplace training with a focus on intimidation, bullying, harassment, retaliation, discrimination and working in a regulated environment. The training should be required on an annual basis.

State law requires the BOCC and other County elected officials to attend annual ethics training, which they do. The County also requires all staff to complete yearly online compliance training. The County will review its training programs and make improvements.

 

12. All Monroe County elected officials, BOCC, department heads, executives and any person in a management/ supervisory level be required to complete a Leadership training course with continuing education on an annual basis.

Monroe County administration will look into creating an internal course or sending pertinent staff to leadership training courses.

 

13. The BOCC immediately hire an independent third-party firm to conduct a review of all contracts of services and determine compliance with the required contract terms before any contract is renewed.

Monroe County is in the process of hiring a third-party firm to conduct an independent review of MCFR.

 

14. The BOCC implement more checks and balances as it pertains to the County Administrator position. There should be written monthly reports detailing a thorough review by the County Administrator of the County’s departments’ work environment, work product, and efficiency along with any pending complaints or incidents related to public trust or accountability.

The Monroe County Administrator presents a monthly report on the BOCC agenda and will continue to do so.

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