TransMedia Group
MEDIA ADVISORY
(AND WARNING TO CITY VENDORS)
WHO: ALBION STAFFING SOLUTIONS ADVISES MEDIA AND WARNS FELLOW FORT LAUDERDALE CITY VENDORS TO BEWARE OF SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY, WHICH IS TO BE SUBJECT OF . . .
WHAT: COURT HEARING TO DETERMINE IF THE CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE CAN WEASEL OUT OF PAYING $187,000 DEBT IT OWES FOR STAFFING SERVICES RENDERED SIMPLY BY CITING “SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY” TO COVER IT OWN ADMITTED INTERNAL MISTAKES.
WHEN: WEDNESDAY
WHERE: FORT LAUDERDALE, FL
WHY: CITY CITES MISTAKES IN JOB TITLES AFFECTING WAGE SCALES WERE MADE INTERNALLY AND THEREFORE CITY IS NOT BOUND TO PAY FOR TEMPORARY STAFFING ALBION PROVIDED PER CONTRACT DUE TO SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY, WHICH LEAVES ALBION OUT $187,000.
BACKGROUND: Since May of 2015, Albion said the City of Fort Lauderdale has been promising to pay $187,000 it owes for staffing services rendered, until arbitrarily the Mayor John Seiler and his City Manager Lee Feldman and his City Attorney Cynthia Everett refused to pay the bill citing Sovereign Immunity. According to Peter Santangelo, President of Albion Staffing Solutions, the City of Fort Lauderdale contends that Sovereign Immunity states City Governments do not have to pay for services rendered if the job title is not explicitly stated in the contract, even though the contract was prepared and signed by the City and executed in good faith by Albion. In other words, if the city makes a mistake, all it has to do is cite sovereign immunity and it’s the vendor’s tough luck who paid out $187,000 in accordance with the contract. Apparently, it does not even matter to the City’s executive committee, if the temporary employees affected are Fort Lauderdale residents who were promised salaries under contract that Albion in good faith has paid out. Mr. Santangelo advises all City of Fort Lauderdale vendors to beware that if the City prevails at Wednesday’s court hearing, no vendors should feel secure that they will be paid by the city!
