INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — We're looking into a potential dispute over how much money one county administrator is being paid.
An internal audit was just completed in Indian River County, and it will be up to county commissioners to determine what happens next.
WATCH: County administrator tells WPTV he 'acted with transparency'
The internal audit looked into a $15,000-plus payment to Indian River County Administrator John Titkanich.
It stems from a May e-mail the administrator sent to the county attorney and HR director, that he had not received a progressive pay increase he believed he was entitled to during his first two years on the job.
The audit concluded, “The manner in which the progressive pay increase was approved for the County Administrator and the County Attorney, represents a breakdown in internal control procedures.”
It went on to determine the administrator's employment agreement does not mention such an increase and that the proposed increase should have been brought before the county commissioners for approval or rejection.
“I was somewhat taken aback given the timeline," County Commissioner Deryl Lohr told me.
Commissioner Lohr, while not revealing his stance on whether to grant the raise, has raised issues about the county administrator’s performance in the past.
Region Indian River County
County administrator faces public scrutiny over job performance
“I will tell you it’s a very sensitive topic. So we’ll have to analyze this clearly in the sunshine. All five commissioners will have an opportunity to review any investigative reports that they may have.”
I reached out to the county administrator. He was unavailable to go on camera, but did give me a statement where he said:
I was surprised to learn that this item was raised by the audit team as concerning. An annual pay progression increase, often referred to as the anniversary increase, is a right provided to all employees, subject to budgeted funding of course. I did not unilaterally execute a pay raise for myself. I reviewed the language in my contract, consulted counsel, and discussed it with each commissioner individually. I would have happily placed it on a board agenda if any one of them had raised a concern about it. I believe the public record reflects I acted with transparency.
The issue is expected to be discussed, and hopefully decided, at next Tuesday’s county commission meeting.
