Jennifer Radebach kicked off Manatee County Children's Services Advisory Board because of conflict of interest

MANATEE -- Jennifer Radebach, a child advocate on the Manatee County Children's Services Advisory Board, was removed from the board Monday after a County Attorney's Office investigation of an alleged conflict of interest.

The Manatee County Commission, which appointed her to the board in August, was not told beforehand about the removal.

Radebach, CEO of New Path Academy, was one of five child advocates on the board. Child advocates cannot receive county funds for the organizations they work with or represent, per county ordinance.

According to county staff, two organizations Radebach has been or is affiliated with -- Children's Academy of Southwest Florida and New Path Academy -- have received county funds through the Early Learning Coalition, which receives funding through the children's services tax.

At the beginning of the county commission joint work session Tuesday morning with Children's Services Advisory Board, Commissioner Robin DiSabatino brought up Radebach's sudden removal. Radebach was present.

"This is taking power away from the board of county commissioners as a whole," DiSabatino said. "She should be sitting at this table. ... It's really unspeakable."

Radebach declined to comment Tuesday.

At the Oct. 6 commission meeting, Chairwoman Betsy Benac brought up the Radebach conflict.

The next day, county staff made the commissioners aware of another child advocate with a potential conflict. Since Susan Miller's husband is on the board of directors of the Early Learning Coalition and Foundation for Dreams, however, she doesn't need to be removed per the ordinance since she has no affiliations individually.

"When a CSAB member ceases to be qualified under the code ... the member's position shall be deemed vacant and such vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the county for the remainder of the vacated member's term. Neither the county commission nor the county staff need take any particular action. The code provision is self-executing and the CSAB staff liaison should simply inform the member of the disqualifications and seek new applicants to assume the vacated seat," according to the memorandum sent from the County Attorney's Office to commissioners Monday.

The commission appointed Radebach to a three-year term at the Aug. 11 commission meeting. Radebach's term began Oct. 1.

Commissioner Charles Smith said he is very upset.

"I think it was mean spirited," Smith said. "I just don't like the slippery slope we are going down right now."

Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said she agreed the commission chairwoman should have been informed of Radebach's removal, but that doesn't change the fact rules were violated.

"We need to follow (the rules)," she said. "I hate that this situation is going on. We know when the rules are being broken, we have to be held responsible for that."

The commissioners tabled the topic to continue the joint work session but said they will continue the discussion at Tuesday's regular commission meeting.

"We are going to talk about that," Benac said. "We can't do that now. I understand you don't like the action that took place. I think we all heard that loud and clear."

After the discussion about Radebach, commissioners shared with the Children's Services Advisory Board their goals and priorities for the upcoming year. The advisory board makes funding recommendations to the commission, which has final approval.

The advisory board will present an annual plan to the commission in a joint work session in November. For fiscal year 2015-16, $9.6 million is budgeted for children's services programs.

"It's hard not to focus on the large issues facing this county," Benac said, pointing to the heroin epidemic and the number of children being removed from their homes and placed in foster care. "It's hopefully a problem we will get under control but for now, it's a crisis."

Benac said: "You read the paper. There are so many needs," and the focus is how to make the biggest difference.

"We are very fortunate to have this tax and try to make a difference in this community," she said.

Child advocate Xtavia Bailey, who is running for the District 1 seat on the Manatee County School Board, said they can condition the children but if the parent is not conditioned, it's an entirely different story.

"Our programs are really focusing on the key matters because we have to look at the family as a whole," she said.

Children's Services Advisory Board Chairwoman Lynette Edwards said they are seeing a transformation.

"We are very, very fortunate to have this tax in the county," she said. "It's making a difference in the lives of children in this county. We really try to keep our focus on the children."

Claire Aronson, Manatee County reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024. Follow her on Twitter@Claire_Aronson.

This story was originally published October 13, 2015 at 7:47 PM with the headline "Jennifer Radebach kicked off Manatee County Children's Services Advisory Board because of conflict of interest ."