Pinellas County commissioners are still examining the ongoing CareerSource Tampa Bay controversy.
- Pinellas commissioners still eyeing CareerSource options
- CareerSource has suspended Tampa Bay CEO Edward Peachey
- Officials asking did CareerSource get incentives by skewing their job placement numbers?
- CareerSource Tampa Bay CEO Edward Peachey suspended
Pinellas County Commissioner Pat Gerard says officials do not have a lot of power over the agency but can still take a look at what options they do have regarding the agency and its embattled director Edward Peachey.
Peachey was suspended last week by Hillsborough County commissioners until a review panel determines whether CareerSource has been inflating its success at helping people find work.
State and federal investigations are underway.
Gerard recommended his commission suspend Peachey as well but the executive director of the CareerSource Pinellas board ignored that request, instead voting to form a committee to investigate.
She plans on asking the county attorney to re-examine that decision.
"It does reflect on the county," she said. "But even worse it impacts the services we're able to provide and the confidence people have in the service they're coming for, and that's a bad thing."
The state agency investigating CareerSource released a statement saying:
"The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity welcomes the opportunity to coordinate with the US Department of Labor and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement as a part of the investigation of CareerSource Pinellas and CareerSource Tampa Bay. Protecting the taxpayers’ dollars and ensuring transparency and accountability in the workforce system is our highest priority."
Both county commissions are looking at completely revamping the power structures of CareerSource Pinellas and CareerSource Tampa Bay once the investigation is concluded.