Concerns arise over new TDC director's salary, experience

With a new director in place at the Tourist Development Council, Walton County now has to answer questions about her qualifications and pay.

Dawn Moliterno, who will step down as President of the Walton County Chamber of Commerce July 2, will now become the county’s highest-paid employee, with a guaranteed one-year salary of $125,000. The County Commission decided the matter at its Monday meeting.

Former Walton County Taxpayers Association President Bonnie McQuiston has been following the TDC situation closely.

“I think this is all ridiculous,” she told the Sun. “We are all scraping by right now — a lot of people cannot afford to pay for anything.”

When Walton County decided to hire Moliterno as head of the TDC, District 5 Commissioner Cecilia Jones said she “thought Moliterno was a good fit.”

“I think when it comes to running a chamber and running the TDC,” Jones said Wednesday, “you have to have a lot of the same experiences.”

McQuiston does agree that some of the same skills should apply in running the TDC and the Chamber, but still wasn’t convinced that Moliterno is the right person for the job.

“I just don’t know how we are going to gauge her performance,” she said. “How do you even know which tourists came here because of the TDC? I don’t see why we even need the TDC.”

Jones counters that with the airport coming and the threat of oil on South Walton’s beaches, “it made sense to fill the position with someone local, and someone who knew the area.”

County Administrator Lyle Seigler recommended Moliterno’s salary to the county commission. Sigler said “the county looked at salaries of local TDC’s to make its decision. “

Gary Mattison, acting assistant County Administrator, was also part of the salary negotiations.

When reached for comment concerning Moliterno’s salary, Moliterno, Mattison and Seigler were not available for comment.

McQuiston, a Santa Rosa Beach resident, said she has spent the past few days calling Walton County and trying to get answers.

“I haven’t been able to reach Mattison or Seigler,” McQuston said. “My call was returned by Ken Little, but he couldn’t answer my questions.”

She said she wants to know what other TDCs the county used to compare Moliterno’s salary to, and who is actually paying for the new director’s salary?

Bob Hudson, president of the taxpayer’s association, said the new Okaloosa County TDC director makes $103,000, plus benefits. He said that after 22 years on the job, former Okaloosa TDC director Darrel Jones was making $111,000 when he retired.

He added that one of the “most disturbing” parts of the commission’s decision was that the position was never openly advertised.

“When you hire someone for a job,” McQuiston said, “what are the requirements? How many years of experience do you need to have? I want to know if she met them.”

In other business at Monday’s meeting:
• A resolution was approved to amend the budget for the additional funding from DEP for the Oakwood Hills Storm Water Grant in the amount of $291,614.
• Commissioners approved an amendment to the agreement for management services for the Freeport Swimming Pool.
• Commissioners extended Dr. Paul D. Hart’s appointment as medical director for an additional 30 days.
• Shelly Jackson with the U.S. Census Bureau gave commissioners an update on current participation rates and said that households that did not turn in their information would be visited by census workers toting black U.S. Census bags and proper identification.
• A traffic signal design for U.S. Highway 331 at Chat Holley Road was approved by commissioners.
• Bay Loop grant proposals for Shipyard Road were approved by commissioners. Improvements would include work in the bridge and pedestrian path.
• A study for Walton Road was approved. The cost of the study was estimated at $27,850. Ryan Douglass, construction engineer manager for public works, said the need comes as traffic from area schools gets congested when the school in DeFuniak Springs lets out.
• Commissioners approved a Coastal Management Consulting Services Contract for $98,000, which is $17,000 less than 2009, according to Mattison.
• Western Walton County beach restoration project 2010 monitoring was approved at a cost of $89,334.61 for three years of monitoring. The project is shared with the city of Destin.