Frank Sodek Fights Back
In the citizen comments section of the May 21st Commission Meeting, Frank Sodek, the Administrative Services Director for the City of Alachua, took the opportunity to defend himself against recent criticisms voiced on this site's message board. Here is the full text of his speech.
"My name is Frank Sodek. I would like to speak first as a concerned citizen of the City of Alachua, and secondly as a city employee. Recently I was given copies of posts to the Alachua Post web site that contained some very negative, inappropriate and inaccurate comments from some dis-informed citizens regarding some citizen employees. I was genuinely concerned how some of the comments were allowed on the site. One concerned citizen asked that I respond to comments directed to me personally questioning my credibility."
"I am a native Floridian, a resident of Gainesville for over 27 years and a taxpaying citizen and resident of Alachua for over 6 years. I have a B.S. and a M.S. degree from the University of Florida. I was a state employee for 32 years. I served as a staff member, a manager, faculty member and an administrator. During this period I was directly involved with the creation and implementation of three nationally recognized programs at the University of Florida. I have held offices at the state and national levels. By invitation, I have coordinated a national land grant university federal excess personal property program during reorganization within the U.S. Department of Agriculture as instructed by the secretary of the agriculture under the approval of the vice president of the institute of agricultural sciences."
"I was responsible for administering a 57 million dollar state property program and a 20+ million dollar federal excess property program."
"I retired from the state in 1999 after 32 years of service. I was hired by the City of Alachua on the 29th of September in the year 2000 as a purchasing agent responsible for procurement, bids, and inventory control."
"After I was hired and came on the job I was given these added responsibilities. Safety program, and the production of a safety manual, and a creation of a safety committee, a vehicle equipment maintenance program, and we had to reorganize and streamline the accountable property inventory. Voluntarily, I suggested a surplus acquisition program for the City. From September 2000 to date, we have acquired approximately $22,000 of equipment for the City at no cost to the City at all."
"This was all done at no salary increase. At March of 2001, we reorganized and restructured the city staff and reassigned duties. At that time I was promoted to Administrative Services Director, or Purchasing Director. With a $7 salary adjustment, that was not a raise, that was a promotional adjustment, at that time I was given added responsibilities: benefits administration, that includes retirement planning with the Florida League of Cities, the Florida Municipal Trust, and looking at possible affiliation with the Federal State Retirement System at this point in time. Risk Management. That is the casualty insurance on our vehicles and equipment insurance. Medial/Dental employee benefits, and also workers compensation. Also, I am assisting with the capital improvement planning for the city. Also, with the development of personnel policies and procedures. We have negotiated a fuel man contract, which gives us the ability to purchase fuel for the city vehicles at fraction of a cost, I shouldn't say fraction... At the cost that is equal to the wholesale price of gasoline plus ten cents a gallon. Which should save the city approximately five cents a gallon over the course of this year."
"We also changed the phone service to Nextel, and that combines our cell phone, pagers and radio to one unit. These units were provided to the city at no cost. This eliminated the need for separate radios, pagers and cell phones. And not all city employees have cell phone access. "
"As one citizen commented, to date I have assumed these added responsibilities with no support staff. I don't have a staff of three or four people working with me. This is a full time position."
"I am proud to be a City employee. Like most all City of Alachua employees I do earn my salary. I am no one's lackey, I have never been and I never will be."
"One of the privileges we all do have as citizens of the U.S. is freedom of speech. The Alachua Post gives responsible citizens the opportunity to voice their opinions. However, freedom of speech does not grant the right of character assassination, or unsupported conjecture. This web site could be a very positive facet of this community. Please utilize this site responsibly. Thank you."
Mayor Coerper responded "Frank, I would like to say something to. I have appreciated everything you have done for this City."
As an aside, Mr. Sodek is currently an applicant for the City Manager position. | 
