BROWARD OFFICE

OF THE

INSPECTOR GENERAL

MEMORANDUM

To:

Burgess Hanson, City Manager, Cityd~eld Beach

From:

John W. Scott, Inspector General ~t(/

Date:

November 7, 2014

Subject:

OIG Final Report Re: Misconduct by Deerfield Beach Mayor Jean Robb,
Ref. 0/G 14-017

Attached please find the final report of the Broward Office of the Inspector General (OIG)
regarding the above-captioned matter. The OIG investigation found that C ity of Deerfield
Beach (City) Mayor Jean Robb misused her elected position by attempting to obstruct the
City's code enforcement efforts involving a luxury automobile dealership whose owner had
made charitable donations. Specifically, Mayor Robb told a Broward Sheriffs Office
Deputy who was the City's code enforcement officer that "I want you to leave [the
dealership] alone. He just gave me two $500 checks."
The investigation abo uncovered other instances of misconduct by Mayor Robb, to wit: ( I)
using her pos ition to obtain benefits for her church and pastor by directing C ity staff to issue
an employee parking sticker to the pastor, and to use C ity employees and equipment to clean
the church's parking lot; (2) attempting to block the City from awarding a contract to a
vendor she personally disfavored; (3) unilaterally committing the C ity to pay for
transportation for a Little League baseball team, in circumvention of procedures that required
the participation and approval of City employees; and (4) attempting to personally direct the
duties of the C ity Purchasing Manager. In furt herance of her aims, Mayor Robb repeatedly
personally directed and attempted to personall y direct the duties of City employees- and
comm itted C ity resources in so doing- without the requi site knowledge or authori zation of
the City Manager, as plainly required by the City' s charter and code.
The OIG investigation establi shed probable cause to believe that Mayor Robb engaged in acts
of ethical mi sconduct. The OIG wi ll be refening thi s matter to the Florida Commission on
Ethics, and the City, for their independent assessment of the application of state and local
eth ics laws.
Attachment
cc: Mayor and Members, Dee rfield Beach City Commission
Honorable Chip LaMarca, Member, Broward Board of County Commissioners

John W. Scott, Inspector General

On e North Uni vers ity Dri ve, Suite I ll Plantat ion, Florida 33324 (954) 357-7873 1:ax (954) 357-7X57
\\'\\'\\ .browardig.org (954) 357-T IPS

BROWARD OFFICE

OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

FINAL REPORT

===========================================================

OIG 14-017

November 7, 2014

Misconduct by Deerfield Beach Mayor Jean Robb

BROWARD OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

SUMMARY
In May 2014, the Broward Office of the Inspector General (OIG) began an investigation based on
allegations that City of Deerfield Beach (City) Mayor Jean Robb misused her elected position. The
OIG had received allegations that Mayor Robb, in her official capacity, improperly solicited two
charitable donations made by the owner (Owner) of a local luxury automobile dealership.
Although the OIG investigation did not substantiate those particular allegations, we determined
that after the Owner made the charitable donations, the Mayor used her position to attempt to
obstruct the Citys code enforcement efforts involving the dealership. Specifically, Mayor Robb
told a Broward Sheriffs Office Deputy who was the Citys code enforcement officer that I want
you to leave [the dealership] alone. He just gave me two $500 checks.
The investigation also uncovered other instances of misconduct by Mayor Robb, to wit: (1) using
her position to obtain benefits for her church and pastor by directing City staff to issue an
employee parking sticker to the pastor, and to use City employees and equipment to clean the
churchs parking lot; (2) attempting to block the City from awarding a contract to a vendor she
personally disfavored; (3) unilaterally committing the City to pay for transportation for a Little
League baseball team, in circumvention of procedures that required the participation and approval
of City employees; and (4) attempting to personally direct the duties of the City Purchasing
Manager. 1 In furtherance of her aims, Mayor Robb repeatedly personally directed and attempted
to personally direct the duties of City employeesand committed City resources in so doing
without the requisite knowledge or authorization of the City Manager, as plainly required by the
Citys charter and code.
The OIG also received allegations that Mayor Robb accepted a gift valued at over $50 and
misappropriated gifts given to the City, but those allegations were not substantiated by the
investigation. In addition, the OIG received allegations that Mayor Robb violated Floridas
Sunshine laws by attempting to block residents emails and by using her personal email address
to communicate with City staff, but those allegations were unfounded.
The OIG investigation established probable cause to believe that Mayor Robb engaged in acts of
ethical misconduct. The OIG will be referring this matter to the Florida Commission on Ethics,
and the City, for their independent assessment of the application of state and local ethics laws.

Section 12.01(A)(2) of the Charter of Broward County (Charter) defines misconduct to include any violation of any state
statute or code, any violation of any county or municipal ordinance or code, or conduct involving corruption or abuse.
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BROWARD OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

OIG CHARTER AUTHORITY

Section 12.01 of the Charter of Broward County empowers the Broward Office of the Inspector
General to investigate misconduct and gross mismanagement within the Charter Government of
Broward County and all of its municipalities. This authority extends to all elected and appointed
officials, employees and all providers of goods and services to the County and the municipalities. On
his own initiative, or based on a signed complaint, the Inspector General shall commence an
investigation upon a finding of good cause. As part of any investigation, the Inspector General shall
have the power to subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, require the production of documents and
records, and audit any program, contract, and the operations of any division of the County, its
municipalities and any providers.
The Broward Office of the Inspector General is also empowered to issue reports, including
recommendations, and to require officials to provide reports regarding the implementation of those
recommendations.
THE INDIVIDUAL COVERED IN THIS REPORT
Mayor Jean Robb
Mayor Robb has been a resident of Deerfield Beach for 53 years. She first served as mayor from 1980
through 1993 and was elected again in March 2013 for a four-year term. The Mayor certified that she
took eight hours of ethics training in 2013 and filed a certificate of attendance for another eight hours
in 2014.
RELEVANT GOVERNING AND ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITIES
The Solicitation of Charitable Contributions
The Code of Ordinances of Broward County, Code of Ethics for Elected Officials (Broward Ethics
Code) prescribes the manner in which Broward municipal elected officials may solicit and receive
charitable contributions. The Broward Ethics Code states that:
Sec. 1-19(c)(5) Solicitation and Receipt of Contributions.
a. Charitable Contribution Fundraising.
1. The solicitation of funds by an Elected Official for a nonprofit charitable organization,
as defined under the Internal Revenue Code, is permissible so long as there is no quid
pro quo or other special consideration, including any direct or indirect benefit between
the parties to the solicitation.
2. To promote the full and complete transparency of any such solicitation, an Elected
Official shall disclose, on a form created by the Broward County Attorney's Office, the

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BROWARD OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

name of the charitable organization, the event for which the funds were solicited, and
the name of any individual or entity that may have promoted the solicitation. The form
shall be filed for public inspection.
3. The requirements and prohibitions of this subpart shall not apply to actions of an
Elected Official in connection with charities or fundraising events sponsored by the
official's governmental entity.
Limits on the Authority of the Mayor of Deerfield Beach
The Deerfield Beach City Charter expressly limits the manner in which the Mayor is allowed to
interact with city officers and employees, namely, that such interaction be made through the City
Manager. These limitations clearly manifest the intent of the Charter to separate the Citys
legislative functions from those of the executive. 2 City Charter 3.06, Mayor and vice mayor,
provides:
(a) Mayor. The mayor shall preside at meetings of the commission and shall be recognized
as head of the city government for all ceremonial purposes; and as the city official
designated to represent the city in all agreements with other governmental entities or
certifications to other governmental entities, but shall have no administrative duties
except as required to carry out the responsibilities herein. (Emphasis added).
City Charter 3.09, Prohibitions, states in relevant part:
(3) Oversight of administration. E
xcept for the purpose of inquiries and investigations, the
commission or its members shall deal with city officers and employees who are subject
to the direction and supervision of the City Manager solely through the City Manager,
and neither the commission nor its members shall give orders to any such officer or
employee, either publicly or privately. (Emphasis added). Nothing in the foregoing is
to be construed to prohibit individual members of the commission from examining by
question and personal observation all aspects of city government operations so as to
obtain independent information to assist the members in the formulation of policies to
be considered by the commission and assure the implementation of such policies as
have been adopted.
It is the express intent of this provision, however, that such inquiry shall not interfere
directly with the regular municipal operations of the city and that recommendations for
change or improvement in city government operations be made to and through the City
Manager. (Emphasis added).

The Charter limitations were imposed on February 14, 1989, during Mayor Robbs first turn in office.

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BROWARD OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

Misuse of Public Position

The Florida Ethics Code prohibits a public officer from using and attempting to use her official
position to secure a personal benefit for herself, or for others. F.S. 112.313, Standards of conduct
for public officers, employees of agencies, and local government attorneys, states in pertinent part:
(6) Misuse of Public Position.No public officer, employee of an agency, or local
government attorney shall corruptly use or attempt to use his or her official position or any
property or resource which may be within his or her trust, or perform his or her official
duties, to secure a special privilege, benefit, or exemption for himself, herself, or others.
F.S. 112.312, Definitions, describes corruptly as:
(9) Corruptly means done with a wrongful intent and for the purpose of obtaining, or
compensating or receiving compensation for, any benefit resulting from some act or
omission of a public servant which is inconsistent with the proper performance of his or her
public duties
The Deerfield Beach City Code of Ethics (City Ethics Code) mirrors the state prohibition of the
use, and attempted use, of official position for either personal gain or gain for others. City Code
2-502, Required and prohibited conduct, states in relevant part:
(e) A regulated officer shall not use or attempt to use his or her official position to
improperly or unreasonably request, grant, or obtain in any manner any privileges,
advantages, benefits or exemptions for themselves or others that are not available to
those generally available to city residents or which are not specifically incident to their
position and the conduct of their public duties.
(p) A regulated officer shall not, directly or indirectly, induce, encourage, or aid anyone to
violate any provision of this ethics code.
Acceptance of Gifts
The Broward Ethics Code and the City Ethics Code both impose limits on the source and value of
the gifts received by regulated individuals such as the Mayor. The Broward Ethics Code states
that:
Sec. 1-19(c), Standards of Conduct.
(1) Acceptance of Gifts.
(a) Elected Officials shall not accept gifts, directly or indirectly, regardless of value,
from lobbyists registered with the governmental entity on whose behalf they (or their
spouse, registered domestic partner, or relative) serve, or from any principal or

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BROWARD OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

employer of any such registered lobbyist, or from vendors or contractors of such

governmental entity.
(b) Elected Officials may accept gifts from other sources given to them in their official
capacity, where not otherwise inconsistent with the provisions of Florida Statutes
Chapter 112, Part III, up to a maximum value of $50.00 per occurrence. Gifts given to
an Elected Official in his or her official capacity up to $50.00 in value are deemed to be
de minimis.
The City Ethics Code, D.B.C. Code Sec. 2-502, Required and prohibited conduct, states in part:
(o)(1) A regulated officer shall not accept a gift as defined in F.S. 112.312 in excess of
$50.00 (during any calendar year) from any person or entity that a regulated officer
knows, or has reason to believe, has received or sought a land use plan amendment,
development permit (other than a building permit) or contract or the payment of city
funds from the city within the previous two years or within six months of the date the
regulated officer assumed his or her respective office, whichever is shorter.
INVESTIGATION
This investigation was predicated on information alleging that Mayor Robb engaged in misconduct
by misusing her elected position. The OIG investigation substantiated the information by finding
that Mayor Robb attempted to use her position to obstruct City code enforcement efforts involving
a local dealership that donated to her chosen causes; used her position to obtain benefits for her
church and pastor; attempted to block the City from awarding a contract to a vendor she personally
disfavored; unilaterally committed the City to pay for transportation for a Little League baseball
team; and attempted to personally direct the duties of the City Purchasing Manager. The OIG
investigation did not substantiate allegations that Mayor Robb improperly solicited two charitable
donations, accepted a gift valued at over $50, or misappropriated gifts given to the City. In
addition, allegations received by the OIG that Mayor Robb violated Floridas Sunshine laws were
unfounded.
This investigation included the examination by OIG Special Agents of substantial materials
including Parks and Recreation Department logs; City Commission minutes; City Commission
audio and video recordings; City emails and correspondence; and materials obtained through
internet research. OIG Special Agents also conducted interviews of numerous current and former
City staff, several witnesses from the BSO, Mayor Robbs church pastor, and Mayor Robb. 3

OIG Special Agents originally interviewed Mayor Robb in May 2014. After we discovered further information that
implicated her in misconduct, she declined our invitation to interview a second time.

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BROWARD OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

Mayor Robb Did Not Improperly Solicit Charitable Donations

The OIG investigation commenced after we received allegations that the owner of a luxury
automobile dealership in the City gave Mayor Robb or the City $1,000 in charitable donations, and
that Mayor Robb then donated the money to charities of her choice. This raised a concern about
whether Mayor Robb violated the Broward Ethics Codes limitations on charitable solicitations,
and whether she may have misappropriated money intended for the City.
On May 14, 2013, Mayor Robb acknowledged to OIG Special Agents that at the May 6, 2014, City
Commission meeting, she announced her receipt and disbursement of donations to two local
organizations. They were the Deerfield Beach Historical Society, a nonprofit that identifies, preserves,
and maintains historical sites in the City, and Family Central, Inc. (FCI), a nonprofit that provides
childcare education, childcare, and referral services. 4 Mayor Robb explained that a friend of hers had
informed her that the owner of Domani Motors asked to meet her, and her friend thereafter arranged
the meeting at the dealership. She said this was the first time she had ever met the Owner. His wife
was also present at the meeting. After the Owner asked Mayor Robb if she had any local
recommendations for the receipt of charitable donations, she suggested the Historical Society and FCI.
The Owners wife then exited and returned a short time later with a $500 corporate check made
payable to each of those organizations, both dated May 5, 2014. (See non-executed copies of the
checks, attached as Exhibit 1)
Thereafter, Mayor Robb mailed the checks to the charities, each with a cover letter on City stationery
that began, I had the occasion to meet with [the Owner] of Domani Motors who wished to make a
contribution to whatever worthy cause I determined. (Exhibit 2) The letters also said that she
intended to honor the Owner for this act at the May 20, 2014, Commission meeting. Thereafter,
Mayor Robb did present certificates of recognition to the Owner and his wife at the May 20 meeting.
During her interview, Mayor Robb stated that she could not recall the date or time of the meeting, but
that she had filed a Broward Ethics Code Charitable Contribution Fundraising Disclosure Form noting
the donations. She then arranged for a City staff member to deliver a copy of a disclosure form to OIG
Special Agents. The form noted the date of solicitation as May 4, 2014. 5, 6 (Exhibit 3)
Mayor Robb stated that neither the dealership nor the Owner had any current or pending matters
before the Commission. She also stated that she did not know whether they had any pending code
enforcement matters. She further stated that the Citys budget included a line item for
contributions to FCI, and that the Historical Society had received City funding in the past.

FCI and the Historical Society websites report that they are registered under the Internal Revenue Code as 501(c)(3) notfor-profit tax exempt corporations. Florida corporate records identified the organizations as Florida nonprofit corporations,
and neither Mayor Robb nor any elected City official was a corporate officer or board member of either organization.
5
The Clerk informed us that the Mayor passed the form to her during the May 6, 2014, Commission meeting and that she
had inadvertently failed to date stamp and file the form for public inspection (that is, post it on the Citys searchable
internet database). The Clerk remedied these deficiencies following our inquiry about them in August 2014.
6
Mayor Robb told the OIG that the City Attorney advised her to complete the form noting the donations. The City
Attorney, who was present for Mayor Robbs interview, explained that he did not believe the circumstances required the
disclosure form but, in an abundance of caution and in the interests of transparency, he advised the Mayor to file it.

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BROWARD OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

The City Manager confirmed to OIG Special Agents that the City had budgeted contributions to
Historical Society in fiscal years 1998, 1999, and 2003, and that it had budgeted $15,000 in
December 2013. He stated that the City had also provided in-kind donations to Historical Society.
He further stated that, since at least 1998, FCI was in a contractual relationship with the City to
provide social services such as childcare for local low-income families. In 2014, the City provided
$9,000 in local matching funds to FCI in conjunction with funding from the Federal Child Care
Block Grant and Early Learning Coalition of Broward.
The OIGs investigation concluded that the Mayors conduct may have constituted a charitable
solicitation and that there may have been an understanding between the parties for a direct or indirect
benefit. However, we also concluded that, because the City in fact sponsored these charitable entities,
she met the exception to the limitations on charitable fundraising as enumerated in the Broward Ethics
Code. Accordingly, the allegations that Mayor Robb improperly solicited charitable donations were
not substantiated.
Mayor Robb Improperly Attempted to Influence Code Enforcement Efforts
The Owner acknowledged to OIG Special Agents that his dealership had been the subject of
ongoing code enforcement efforts for parking code violations, although he did not believe that
there were any outstanding code violations at the time of his meeting with Mayor Robb. The last
enforcement action he could recall had been approximately two months earlier. He stated that,
during the meeting, he did not discuss code enforcement issues or violations related to his business
with the Mayor, ask for her assistance, or suggest that she speak to code enforcement officials on
his behalf regarding any pending or future matters.
The OIG met with a Broward Sheriffs Office Deputy who is the field supervisor of the City Code
Enforcement Division (the Deputy). According to the Deputy, Code Enforcement had issued the
dealership code violation warnings a number of times for what he described as minor violations
regarding where it can park its vehicles. Among other restricted areas, the Owner had been
parking vehicles on the property of Florida Power and Light (FPL) without express permission.
On April 23, 2014, the dealership received two warnings for parking on vacant lots, but a May 6,
2014, inspection determined that there was compliance, and Code Enforcement was not going
forward in that matter.
The Deputy told us that, one or two days prior to the May 6, 2014, City Commission meeting,
Mayor Robb called him and said, [Deputy], I want you to leave Domani Motors alone. He just
gave me two $500 checks. The Deputy stated that he notified Mayor Robb of the violations
which he did not describe in detail to her and she then replied that the Owner told her he had
permission to park on the FPL property, so that the dealership was not in violation. The Deputy
responded to Mayor Robb that he would talk to the Owner but he informed us that he later thought
that could be considered improper, given the involvement of Mayor Robb and the fact that the
parking violations were actually another code inspectors job responsibilities. The Deputy told us
that he believed the purpose of Mayor Robbs call was to influence the code enforcement efforts
regarding the dealership, but he stated that it would not.

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BROWARD OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

On May 14, 2014, in response to a question from an OIG Special Agent about whether she was
aware whether there were pending code violations, she said she was not. Contrary to Mayor
Robbs statement to the Deputy regarding her conversation with the Owner, the Owner denied to
OIG Special Agents that they had discussed the parking problems.
The Deputy stated to OIG Special Agents that he immediately informed the BSO lieutenant in his
chain of command about the substance of Mayor Robbs call. Some days later, the Deputys
Captain received a telephone call from Mayor Robb, who asked him to tell the Deputy to disregard
what she had said. 7 The Captain told OIG Special Agents that, at the time he received the
telephone call, although the call was brief and he did not understand the context of her request, he
did not think it was unusual behavior for Mayor Robb. He contacted the Deputy and conveyed the
message. The Deputy later explained to the Captain that Mayor Robb initially telephoned him (the
Deputy) and told him to back off the dealership, and that Mayor Robbs contact with the Captain
was related to that telephone call. The Captain told us that he instructed the Deputy not to back off
enforcement efforts against the dealership.
The Deputy also informed the interim City Director of Planning and Development Services (the PDS
Director), who oversees the Citys interests in code enforcement matters, about Mayor Robbs call
approximately one week prior to the May 20, 2014, Commission meeting during which she presented
certificates of recognition to the Owner for his donations. The PDS Director acknowledged that the
Deputy had called her and informed her about Mayor Robbs call to him to stop picking on the
dealership for code enforcement, that they were good people, and they had given money to local
charities. She told OIG Special Agents that during a May 14 agenda preparation meeting for the May
20 Commission meeting, she informed the Citys management staff, the City Attorney, the City Clerk,
and the City Manager about Mayor Robbs call to the Deputy.
The OIG investigation found probable cause to believe that Mayor Robb engaged in misconduct in
violation of the Florida Ethics Code and the City Ethics Code when she improperly attempted to
influence the code enforcement efforts affecting the Owner of a dealership who made $1,000 in
donations to two local charities of her choice, for which she took credit. She used her official position
in an attempt to obtain benefits for the Owner and his dealership that are not generally available to
City residents, through actions that were inconsistent with the proper performance of her lawful duties.
Finally, her attempt to have the Deputy disregard her actions evidenced that she understood what she
had done was wrong.
Mayor Robb Improperly Procured a City Parking Sticker and City Cleaning Services
The OIG determined during the investigation that Mayor Robb directed City staff to issue, at no
charge, an employee parks and recreation parking sticker (PRS sticker) to the pastor of Saint Ambrose
Church, of which she is a parishioner. The City did not make available the PRS sticker to City
residents at any price; a resident parking sticker, with significantly lesser privileges, would cost a City
7

By then, the OIG had begun its inquiry including, on or about May 7, 2014, contacting Mayor Robbs office and leaving a
message requesting she discuss the Owners donations with us.

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BROWARD OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

resident $100 for one year. 8 (See sample PRS sticker, attached as Exhibit 4). We also determined
that Mayor Robb directed City staff to employ City personnel and equipment to clean the St. Ambrose
church parking lot for free.
Specifically, the Parks and Recreation Department (PRD) Director stated that in the fall of 2013,
without prior notice, Mayor Robb presented herself at the PRD office and asked for a parking sticker
for the Pastor. She made it clear that she was referring to a PRS sticker and not a resident beach
sticker, and told the PRD Director that she thought the City had previously issued a PRS sticker to the
Pastor. The PRD Director replied that she had never issued a PRS to the Pastor or any other person
who was not a City official or City staff, but that she would check. Mayor Robb responded to the
PRD Director, in the presence of her staff, Make sure you follow up. The PRD Director told OIG
Special Agents that she believed Mayor Robb was implying that she would be in trouble if she did not
issue the PRS sticker to the Pastor. The Director said that none of her staff could recall the Pastor
previously receiving a PRS sticker.
The PRD Director stated that, within five to ten minutes after leaving her office, Mayor Robb called
back and confirmed that what she wanted was a PRS sticker for the Pastor and that she would
immediately be returning to the PRD office to get it. Within minutes of the telephone call, Mayor
Robb, in fact, returned. She provided the Pastors vehicle description and tag number to the PRD
Director. The PRD Director then gave Mayor Robb the PRS sticker for the Pastor. The PRD Director
told the OIG that she felt obligated to comply with Mayor Robbs request, and a few days after she
issued the PRS sticker she informed the City Manager about it.
The City Manager informed OIG Special Agents that his office staff told him that Mayor Robb
contacted the office requesting that the Pastor be issued a PRS sticker. He stated that he did not intend
to give the Pastor a PRS sticker, because they are only for elected officials and staff, and he did not
respond back to Mayor Robb. The City Manager said that, some days later during a City directors
meeting, the PRD Director told him that she issued the Pastor a PRS sticker at the Mayors request.
The City Manager decided that, since the PRS sticker had already been issued and given to the Pastor,
he was not going to seek its return.
The Pastor told us that, some months ago, he found a new parking sticker on his desk. He was not
certain if he had requested it or to whom he made any such request. After he became aware that
someone made an issue of it, he removed it. The Pastor acknowledged speaking to the City
Manager about the sticker, saying that he never needed one in the past and, since removing it, he
will pay to park.
With regard to the Citys cleaning of the St. Ambrose Church parking lot, the Environmental
Services Department (ESD) Assistant Director stated that sometime around Lent (March 5 to April
20, 2014), he received a telephone call from Mayor Robb, who requested that he assign a street
8

The City provides residents with beach parking stickers for an annual fee of $100. These permit residents to park in
designated areas. The PRD issues PRS stickers to City employees and officials whose City duties would require them to
park their personal vehicles at the City beach and parks. A PRS sticker allows its holder to park at otherwise restricted or
prohibited parking areas. The PRS sticker can be affixed only one time and is normally destroyed when removed.

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BROWARD OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

sweeper to service the parking lot of the church prior to 6 a.m. the next day. He did not direct
Mayor Robb to the City Manager or his supervisor, but rather agreed to arrange for the cleaning
because he considered her request as being told to do it.
The Pastor stated that the City has swept the church parking lot for many years, particularly after
church festivals, which past mayors and city managers have approved. He said that, around Lent,
as he had done in the past, he called someone in the City and requested him or her to arrange to
sweep the parking lot, which was done.
The ESD Director told the OIG that, on the Monday after its completion, the ESD Assistant Director
informed him that he (the Assistant Director) had assigned a street sweeper to service the church. The
ESD Director stated that the City does not utilize its street sweepers to service private property unless
the Citys activities were the cause of debris deposited on the property, such as that which might result
from underground utility repairs or adjacent roadwork. He added that he could not recall authorizing
the sweeping of the church or any other private property parking lot, absent cause, nor could he recall
anyone else authorizing such services. The Director said that the cost to the City to sweep the church
parking lot was minimal; he said that it would have been a small job for a private service provider and
would cost about $200. Nevertheless, the City Manager stated that, had he been asked, he would not
have authorized the sweeping of the church parking lot. 9
The investigation found probable cause to believe that Mayor Robb engaged in misconduct when
she improperly directed the PRD Director to assign employee-only parking benefits to her pastor
and improperly directed the ESD Assistant Director to assign a City street sweeper, at taxpayer
expense, to sweep the parking lot of her church. Mayor Robbs actions violated not only the
Florida Ethics Code and the City Ethics Code, but also the City Charter, because she gave orders to
employees who are subject to the direction and supervision of the City Manager, instead of making
her requests directly to him.
Mayor Robb Attempted to Exclude a Vendor from Contract Consideration
The OIG investigation concluded that Mayor Robb engaged in further misconduct when she
improperly attempted to influence the Purchasing Manager to exclude a vendor from the selection
for a pending contract, in violation of the City Ethics Code and Charter.
The Purchasing Manager told OIG Special Agents that shortly after Mayor Robb took office, the
City Commission had directed that a feasibility study be done in contemplation of transitioning
from the BSO back to a municipal police department, and he was in the process of researching and
preparing the bid solicitation for the study. The Purchasing Manager informed the OIG that the
Mayor told him that she did not want the City to permit a particular vendor to bid on the
solicitation and did not want the City to award the feasibility study contract to the vendor. 10 This
9

The City Manager told the OIG that the City has used the church parking lot for special event parking, and in such an

instance, he might authorize the use of the street sweeper. He also said that the City has an agreement with the church for

mutual use of its facilities, but the agreement does not include sweeping the parking lot clean.

10
The Purchasing Director could not recall the identity of the vendor.

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was outside the scope of Mayor Robbs duties and, once again, in contravention of the Charters
prohibition that she not direct the Citys administrative staff members. The Purchasing Manager
replied to Mayor Robb that the City would not exclude a vendor from the solicitation or selection
and that it would not deviate from the standard procurement process. He said that, after some
research, the City Commission declined to bid out the feasibility study altogether, and the City
took no further action.
Mayor Robb Unilaterally Committed the City to Fund Transportation for a Little League Team
The OIG investigation found that Mayor Robb again violated the City Charter by committing the
City to pay for bus transportation services for the City-sponsored Little League baseball team and
then directing City staff to facilitate the commitment without conferring with the City Manager or
the appropriate department head.
In July 2013, Mayor Robb called the Citys Athletic Coordinator and told him that she had promised a
Little League team that the City would pay for a charter bus to transport it to a multi-day competition
in Tampa, Florida. The PRD Director told the OIG that the City regularly paid for such trips and, if
requested, would likely have approved the expense using the standard procedures. Although the Little
League team should have submitted the request to the City Manager or the PRD Director, the League
went directly to Mayor Robb, who in turn directly contacted the Athletic Coordinator. (See the
Athletic Coordinators July 22, 2013, email to the PRD Director describing Mayor Robbs call,
attached as Exhibit 5) In addition to unilaterally making the commitment to provide a bus for the trip
at City expense, Mayor Robb asked the Athletic Coordinator to suggest that the City authorize $2,300
for Davis Transportation (Davis) to provide the bus service. The PRD Director said that, when she
became aware of the request, she advised Mayor Robb that the team should have made the request
through her (the Director) or the City Manager. We observed that Daviss written proposal of July 22,
2013, (Exhibit 6) bears the facsimile header of Mayor Robbs personal fax number. The proposal also
lists Mayor Jean Robbs Group as the proposed client. The PRD Director ultimately did approve
Davis as the vendor, which received approximately $2,900 due to the trip being extended an extra
day. 11
Mayor Robb Improperly Attempted to Direct the Duties of the Purchasing Manager
The investigation found that Mayor Robb improperly attempted to direct the duties of the Purchasing
Manager, in violation of the City Charter. The Purchasing Manager stated that in late 2013 or early
2014, while he was a member of a multi-departmental committee to conduct a citywide parking study
to modernize parking revenue and enforcement efforts, he received a telephone call from Mayor Robb.
She requested that he research the installation of parking meters at the Cove Plaza parking lot to
generate City revenue and asked him to determine how much the City should charge for parking in
that area. The Purchasing Manager told us that he advised her that the setting of parking fees was a
11

City ordinance Sec. 38-126(a), grants department heads the authority to purchase goods and services which are less than
$2,500 for a single purchase, subject to a valid current appropriation for the items to be purchased. The OIG did not
review the details of the trip expenditures, and the relationship between Mayor Robb and Davis, if any, was not a focus of
the investigation.

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FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

City Commission policy decision and beyond the scope of his position but agreed to look at what
information was available on parking systems.
The Purchasing Manager stated that he later attended a January 28, 2014, City Commission meeting at
which Mayor Robb publicly commented on the request she made of him. At that time, the City
Manager openly advised her that she should direct her requests through him, and he would then assign
the request to the appropriate staff. He offered to continue working with her, saying, Youve asked
me for things, and Ive turned around and given them to you in a quick manner. 12 Rather than assert
any defense or explanation to the act of going around the City Manager, Mayor Robb merely replied,
I have some things I havent gotten, yet.
Mayor Robb Did Not Accept a Gift Valued Over $50 or Misappropriate Gifts Given to the City
The OIG received an allegation that, in her official capacity, Mayor Robb received toys from a
local toy manufacturer valued at over $50, in violation of the Broward Ethics Code, Sec. 1
19(c)(1). The OIG received a second tip alleging that the toys were a gift to the City and that
Mayor Robb appropriated them by giving them to a family of her own choice, without
Commission approval. The investigation did not substantiate the allegations.
We determined that, at the March 4, 2014, City Commission meeting, representatives of a toy
manufacturer headquartered in the City were present to receive recognition from the City
Commission for the company having received an award from the Toy Industry Association. At the
meeting, the company representatives gave two toys directly to Mayor Robb. A verbal exchange
between the Mayor and the company representatives ensued, as follows: 13
Company:

Mayor, weve got some gifts for you (unintelligible) - the hottest toy of the
year.

Mayor:

I hope its not worth more than $50.

Company:
Mayor:

No (laughing) no, no its not its this big, big, big play set for girls who
want to pretend to be Doc McStuffin and actually (unintelligible) their toys.
My six kids and 11 grandchildren thank you.

Company:

Theres more, heres a doll from last year (unintelligible).

Mayor:

Anybody have any grandchildren that are that age (speaking to the dais)?

The recorded statements of the company representatives indicated that they gave the toys directly
to Mayor Robb, and they made no statements that suggested they intended the toys to be gifts to
the City. None of the Commissioners made any comment that he or she understood otherwise.
12

The City Managers statement is recorded on the January 28, 2014, City Commission meeting video at 03:12:00.
The video commences at 00:06:55. It cannot be conclusively determined from the video which company representative
was speaking.
13

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FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

Mayor Robb accepted the toys, and she openly commented that her family thanked the company.
She then publicly asked the Commissioners if anyone had grandchildren of an age that could
benefit from the toys, to which there was no response. In response to a March 6, 2014, email from
City staff inquiring about the location of the toys, Mayor Robb replied she gave the toys to an
unnamed local family.
The value of a gift is material to the application of the Broward and City limitations on the
acceptance of it, as well as Floridas requirements to disclose it. In the absence of a special
valuation rule, the value of a gift is determined by the actual cost to the donor. 14 The OIG
determined that the combined retail value of the toys was less than $100. The representatives
statement that the toys were valued at less than $50 was consistent with the assumption that the
manufacturers cost should be significantly less than the retail cost. The investigation also found
that the company was not a City contractor, vendor, lobbying firm or principal of a lobbyist. Nor
was any managing member a registered lobbyist. We found no evidence that the toy company or
related persons or entities had requested a land use amendment or had any other pending matter
before the Commission. Accordingly, we concluded that state and local ethics laws did not
prohibit, or require the disclosure of, Mayor Robbs acceptance of the toys.
Mayor Robb Did Not Violate Floridas Sunshine Laws
The OIG received allegations that Mayor Robb violated Floridas Sunshine Laws 15 by attempting to
block residents emails and by using her personal email address to communicate with City staff, but
those allegations were unfounded.
With regard to the email blocking allegations, we found that Mayor Robb only sought to avoid
viewing the e-mails of two residents, not to block the City server or the accounts of any officials or
employees from receiving them. These acts did not implicate the Sunshine laws, and there was no
evidence that the Mayors intent was to affect the retention of public records. 16
With regard to Mayor Robbs use of her personal email account, we determined that no local or state
law prohibits elected officials from using personal email to communicate official business, so long as
they retain the communications in accordance with the public records law. Although we found no
violation of law in this case, we caution that this conduct risks violations when communications are
inadvertently deleted or otherwise not retained.

14

F.S. 112.3149(7)(a).

The Florida Constitution and Florida State Statutes, Chapter 119 (public records) and Chapter 286 (open meetings),

provide a right of access to public records and governmental proceedings. They are commonly referred to as the Sunshine

Law or Laws.

16
On September 17, 2014, the Florida Commission on Ethics dismissed a complaint against Mayor Robb which raised the

same allegations.

15

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FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

INTERVIEW SUMMARIES
As a part of the investigation, OIG Special Agents conducted numerous witness interviews.
Significant interviews are summarized below:
1.

Interview of the Owner of Domani Motors

The Owner said that he did not personally know Mayor Robb but as with most local elections,
he usually contributed to all the candidates. He said that he wanted to meet the new mayor and
he believed that he was the one who called the City to make the arrangements. He stated that
Mayor Robb agreed to meet at his office. The Owner emphasized that this was his first
meeting with her.
The Owner stated that over the years his business has grown and become very profitable, and
he wanted to give back to the City. He further stated that he contributed what he estimated as
thousands of dollars each year, for many years, to local organizations and causes.
The Owner stated that, prior to meeting Mayor Robb, he had planned to donate to the Deerfield
Beach Housing Authority and another local cause, and when they met he asked if she knew of
any organizations that would most benefit from his donations. Mayor Robb suggested the
Historical Society and FCI. The Owner stated that he had previously been unaware of FCI or
its cause. He said he had checks issued from the dealerships corporate account for $500 to
each organization and gave them to Mayor Robb. The Owner commented that, since donating
to FCI, he received a thank you letter from its president and will be donating directly to it in
the future. He added that, during a recent City Commission meeting, the City formally
recognized him for his contributions to the community.
The Owner said that he has occasionally had code violations resulting from a variety of issues,
most involving vehicle parking. He stated that his building is one of the nicest buildings on the
street and, although he believed that some of the code enforcement actions were unwarranted,
he has and will continue to attempt to comply with the law. He said that he has an ongoing
issue with parking, some of which was caused by the widening of SW 10 Street some years
ago and the installation of sidewalks, which negatively affected his available parking space.
He emphasized that most of the violations were related to temporary parking, citing as an
example the many times he has moved cars out of his showroom and parked them outside
while moving a car from the back of the showroom. He stated that at least one of the code
violations regarding parking had gone before a special magistrate who found in his favor.
The Owner stated that he did not believe that, at the time of his meeting with Mayor Robb,
there were any outstanding code violations. He also stated that he believed that it had been
approximately two months since the last code enforcement action. He further stated that,
during his meeting with Mayor Robb, he neither discussed code enforcement issues or
violations related to his business, nor did he ask for her assistance or suggest that she speak to
code enforcement officials on his behalf regarding any pending or future matters.

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FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

2.

Interview of the Deputy Sheriff and Code Enforcement Supervisor

The Deputy stated that he has been involved in the code enforcement function for the City
almost continuously since 1997, when the City contracted with BSO for its services. He
currently supervises the BSO civilian code enforcement inspectors. The Deputys duties
include reviewing code inspection reports, reviewing enforcement actions, responding to
inquiries and complaints, attending commissioners district and regular Commission meetings,
and attending special magistrate hearings related to code enforcement matters. The Deputy
stated that the goal of code enforcement actions is compliance.
The Deputy said that he was familiar with Domani Motors and its owner, who have generally
come into compliance, except on one occasion, when a matter was brought before the code
enforcement magistrate, who ruled in part for the dealership and in part for the City. The City
had warned the dealership a number of times for what the Deputy described as minor
violations, generally the result of site plan restrictions, which operate to limit the location
where Domani Motors can park its vehicles. In addition, the dealership had been parking
vehicles on the property of FPL, without its express permission.
The Deputy was present for the May 6, 2014, City Commission meeting when Mayor Robb
announced that she received two $500 donations from Domani Motors for two local causes, the
Historical Society and FCI. The Deputy stated that a day or two prior to the May 6 meeting, he
received a telephone call at his office directly from the Mayor. The Deputy said that Mayor
Robb told him, [Deputy], I want you to leave Domani Motors alone. He just gave me two
$500 checks. The Deputy told her that the dealership had code violations pending. Mayor
Robb spontaneously replied that the Owner said he had permission to park on the FPL property
and that the dealership was not in violation. The Deputy said he then told her that FPL denied
giving the dealership such permission. He informed us that, based on his knowledge of Mayor
Robb and the fact that her call was not preceded by or related to any other subject, he believed
the purpose of her call was to influence code enforcement efforts regarding the dealership. The
Deputy said that he did not feel intimidated by Mayor Robbs conversation, and felt he had the
support of BSOs administration.
The Deputy said that, some days following Mayor Robbs phone call, the Captain telephoned
him and informed him that he had just finished speaking to her, and she asked that he tell the
Deputy to disregard what she had said. At the time, the Captain was not aware of the context
of her request and message. The Deputy observed that the request to disregard could not have
been related to any matter other than the Mayor Robbs request that he leave Domani Motors
alone.
The Deputy stated that he has not had any further contact with Mayor Robb since the telephone
call, and he was unaware of her contacting any code enforcement inspector or any BSO staff
(other than the Captain) regarding the dealership. The Deputy stated that the Captain directed
that there would be no change in enforcement efforts related to the dealership, and he did not
tell the code inspector responsible for the dealership area about the call.

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FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

The Deputy stated that it was not unusual to receive a telephone call from a City commissioner
regarding code enforcement issues, but that he received more calls from the Mayor. He said
that, in no other case, has a commissioner improperly attempted to influence code enforcement
action.
3.

Interview of the BSO District Chief and Captain

The Captain (who is also the District Chief) stated that, sometime in May 2014, Mayor Robb
called him and asked him to tell the Deputy to disregard what they had talked about. The
Captain said that, at the time he received the telephone call, he did not know the context of her
request. He said that he did not consider the brevity of the call unusual for her. In response to
the Mayor Robbs telephone call, he called the Deputy and informed him of her message.
Some days later, the Captain received a telephone call from the lieutenant who is in the chain
of command between the Deputy and the Captain. The lieutenant told the Captain that he had
learned that Mayor Robb had spoken to the Deputy about Domani Motorss code violations.
The Captain stated that, sometime before the May City Commission meeting when the owners
of the dealership received recognition for donating to a local cause, the Deputy told him that
the donations from the dealership were related to the telephone call that the Captain had
received from Mayor Robb a few weeks earlier. The Deputy told the Captain that she had
initially telephoned him and told him to back off the dealership, and that her call to the Captain
was related to that call. The Captain stated that he then informed the Deputy that they would
not be backing off enforcement efforts.
4.

Interview of the Planning and Development Services Director

The PDS Director stated that the City contracts out code enforcement responsibilities to the
BSO, and that the City considers the Deputy to be the supervisor of the day-to-day
enforcement efforts. It is her job, in consultation with the City Manager and the City Attorney,
to advise the Deputy on the interpretation and application of the Citys ordinances.
The PDS Director stated that, during a discussion with the Deputy about Domani Motors in
May, he told her that he had received a telephone call from Mayor Robb. She could not quote
the conversation but said that the Deputy told her that Mayor Robb asked him why he was
picking on the dealership and declared to him that they were good people and had given money
to local charities.
The PDS Director took no action at the time; however, during a May 14, agenda preparation
meeting for the May 20, 2014, City Commission meeting, she observed that the owners of
Domani Motors were on the agenda to receive a presentation from Mayor Robb for their
donations. She stated that it was during this meeting, attended by the Citys management staff,
the City Attorney, City Clerk and the City Manager, that she told the group about Mayor
Robbs telephone call to the Deputy.

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FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

5.

Interview of the Parks and Recreation Director

The PRD Director stated that, in the fall of 2013, her staff informed her that Mayor Robb
presented herself, without prior notice, at her office reception area and asked about getting a
beach sticker for the Pastor. The staff told Mayor Robb she would have to speak to the PRD
Director. Upon meeting with the PRD Director, Mayor Robb reiterated her request for a beach
parking sticker for the Pastor. The PRD Director asked her to clarify whether she was referring
to a resident sticker or a PRS sticker. Mayor Robb stated she was referring to a PRS sticker,
and told the PRD Director that she thought that the Pastor had previously received one. The
PRD Director told Mayor Robb that she had never issued a PRS sticker to the Pastor or anyone
who was not an elected official or on the City staff, but that she would do some research and
respond back. 17 Mayor Robb responded in the presence of the PRD staff, Make sure you
follow up. The PRD Director stated that she believed that Mayor Robb was implying that she
would be in trouble if she did not comply with the request. Mayor Robb left, and the PRD
Director made inquiries of her staff to determine if the City had ever issued the Pastor a PRS
sticker. She stated that no one could recall and there were no records of it.
The PRD Director stated that, within five to ten minutes of Mayor Robb leaving the office, she
called back and confirmed that she wanted a PRS sticker and that she would immediately be
coming back to get it. Within minutes of the call, Mayor Robb arrived back at her office. The
PRD Director felt she was obligated to comply with the request and issued the PRS sticker for
the Pastor to Mayor Robb. She later told the City Manager what had occurred.
The PRD Director stated that Mayor Robb obligated the City to provide a service without
going through the City Manager on another occasion. She said that, in July 2013, the Athletic
Coordinator told her that Mayor Robb told him that she had promised a local Little League
team that the City would pay for a charter bus to transport it to a multi-day competition in
Tampa, Florida. The PRD Director told the OIG that, although the City regularly approves and
pays for such trips, the team should have submitted the request to the City Manager or her.
She did not believe the City Manager was aware of Mayor Robbs request. She said that,
according to the Athletic Coordinator, Mayor Robb also told the Athletic Coordinator that she
wanted him to recommend that the City authorize $2,300 for a bus to be provided by Davis
Transportation. The PRD Director stated that the City Manager has directed all City
management staff to route all of Mayor Robbs requests through him.
6.

Interview of the Pastor

The Pastor stated that he has been the pastor of the Saint Ambrose Church twice, most recently
from 1993 to the present. He said that he has known Mayor Robb and other City officials and
employees for many years. He expressed that he did not want to get involved in discussions
about the PRS sticker. He stated that he was aware that a local person had made an issue of the
PRS sticker and, as a result, he removed it. He said that the City only issued the one sticker to
17

At the time, the City had only employed the PRD Director for approximately two years.

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FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

him. The Pastor acknowledged speaking to the City Manager about it. He stated that he had
never needed one in the past and, since removing the sticker, he will pay to park.
The Pastor stated that he received the sticker some months ago, when it appeared on his desk.
He was not certain if he had requested the recently issued parking sticker or, if so, to whom he
made the request. He said that many years ago, he had a beach parking sticker, but he did not
know if the new sticker was the same as he was previously issued or even that there were
different stickers.
The Pastor stated that the City had swept the church parking lot for many years, particularly
after church festivals, a practice that past mayors and city managers approved. He said that,
around Lent, he called someone in the City to sweep the parking lot as he had done in the past
and, as requested, the City swept the lot. The Pastor told us that his maintenance man
informed him that the current city manager may not continue the practice.
7.

Interview of the Environmental Services Department Assistant Director

The ESD Assistant Director stated that sometime around Lent (March 5 through April 20,
2014), Mayor Robb called him at his office and requested that he assign a City street sweeper
to sweep the parking lot of the Saint Ambrose Church prior to 6 a.m. the next day. He agreed
to provide the service. He stated that the time was not an issue because street sweeping
commences very early in the morning. However, as the street sweeper operator had already
left for the day, he had to call him at home to tell him about the new assignment. The sweeper
cleared the lot as Mayor Robb requested.
In anticipation of the OIG interview, the ESD Assistant Director researched his departments
records but could not find a notation about sweeping the church. He stated that he took Mayor
Robbs request as being told to do it. He did not immediately tell the ESD Director about
her request, and he did not inform the City Manager. It was only sometime after he completed
the assignment that the ESD Director became aware of the matter. He said that he could not
recall any other such requests from Mayor Robb or the City Commission.
8.

Interview of the Environmental Services Department Director

The ESD Director stated that, sometime in April 2014, the ESD Assistant Director informed
him that he had authorized the sweeping of the Saint Ambrose Church parking lot pursuant to a
direct request from Mayor Robb. The ESD Director said he recalled that the ESD Assistant
Director had informed him that Mayor Robb made her request late on a Friday, and he (the
ESD Director) learned of the request early the next week after the service had been rendered.
He said he instructed the ESD Assistant Director to route all future extraordinary requests
through the City Manager. He stated that he could not recall any time when he had authorized
sweeping of the church or any other private property, nor could he recall such services being
authorized by anyone else in the City, including the former mayor. He added that the City does
not utilize its street sweeper to service private property, unless municipal activity caused debris

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FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

to be deposited on the property, such as would result from underground utility repairs or
adjacent roadwork. The ESD Director stated that he had heard that the Saint Ambrose parking
lot may have been swept at one time, but he didnt know when or the circumstances. He said
the cost to sweep the church lot would be a small job for a private provider, who he estimated
might charge $200.
9.

Interview of the Athletic Coordinator

The Athletic Coordinator stated that Davis transported a local Little League team to Tampa in
July 2013. The Little League team is usually the only sports team that travels outside the tri
county area. He stated that Mayor Robb received or requested the original quote for
transportation for the trip from Davis. He also stated that he forwarded the request for the trip
to his supervisor, the PRD Director. He stated that the original quote was for less than $2,500,
which is below the bidding threshold, and thus within the authority of the PRD Director to
approve. The Athletic Coordinator said that the length of the trip was originally for two days,
but because the team won, it was required to extend the trip another day. Thus, Davis
submitted an additional request for $600.
10.

Interview of the Purchasing Manager

The Purchasing Manager stated that in late 2013 or early 2014, while he was a member of a
multi-departmental committee to conduct a citywide parking study to modernize the parking
revenue and enforcement efforts, he received a telephone call from Mayor Robb. She wanted
him to research the installation of parking meters at the Cove Plaza parking lot to generate City
revenue and asked him to determine how much the City should charge for parking in that area.
He advised her that parking fees were a City Commission policy decision and beyond the
scope of his duties. However, the Purchasing Manager did tell her that he would look into
information on parking systems. He stated that he later attended a City Commission meeting
where Mayor Robb publicly commented on the request she made of him. The City Manager
openly responded to her that she should have directed her request through him and not have
gone directly to the Purchasing Manager.
The Purchasing Manager recalled another instance when Mayor Robb attempted to affect his
duties without going through the City Manager. He could not recall when it was, only that he
believed it was shortly after she took office. He stated that at the time, the City Commission
had directed that staff conduct a feasibility study in contemplation of transitioning from the
BSO back to a municipal police department, and he was in the process of researching and
preparing the contract solicitation for the study. He said that Mayor Robb told him that she did
not want a particular vendor to be permitted to bid on the solicitation or awarded the feasibility
study contract. The Purchasing Manager said that the vendor she was referring to had
previously provided services to the City, but he could not recall its name. He said he advised
Mayor Robb that they would exclude no one from the solicitation or selection and that there
would be no deviation from the standard procurement process. The Purchasing Manager stated

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FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

that, after some research, the Commission declined to bid out the feasibility study and took no
further action on the matter.
11.

Interview of the City Manager

The City Manager stated that he was formally appointed to his position in September 2010. He
expressed that he had a strained relationship with Mayor Robb.
The City Manager stated that, pursuant to the Charter, the Mayor and any Commissioner may
make inquiries of City staff, but they may not direct or interfere in staff members job duties or
assignments. He also stated that he knew of no instances when any other members of the City
Commission attempted to direct the work of City employees. He stated he can and has
cautioned Mayor Robb about her conduct, and he has directed his staff to let him know if she
attempted to affect their job duties. He further stated that he believed that the City Attorney
has also advised her about the prohibition against her directing the activities of City staff.
The City Manager said that the PDS Director had contacted him and informed him about a call
Mayor Robb made to the Deputy prior to the May 6, 2014, Commission meeting. The Deputy
told the PDS Director that Mayor Robb told or implied to him that he should go easy or lay off
the dealership because they had donated money. The PDS Director added that Mayor Robb
later called the Deputys captain and asked him to deliver a message to the Deputy to disregard
their previous discussion. The City Manager said that Mayor Robbs call to the Deputy
occurred after the OIG began its inquiry into the donations.
The City Manager stated that, sometime in October or November 2013, his office staff
informed him that Mayor Robb had requested that the City issue a PRS sticker to the Pastor.
He further stated that he did not intend on issuing the Pastor a PRS sticker, because they are
only for elected officials and employees who are required to park their personal vehicles at
City parking areas for City business. The City Manager repeated that he had a strained
relationship with Mayor Robb and that she limited her interaction with him. Thus, it did not
surprise him that she had bypassed him with such a request. The City Manager stated that,
some days later at a City directors meeting, the PRD Director informed him that she had issued
a PRS sticker to the Pastor at Mayor Robbs request. He said that he made a decision that
since the PRS had already been issued, he was not going demand its return.
The City Manager stated that for many years, the City had an agreement with the church,
recently formalized, to use its parking lot. In return, the City provided in-kind services but was
not responsible for routine parking lot maintenance. The City Manager was aware that a City
street sweeper had recently cleaned the church parking lot. He said that was not one of the
services pursuant to the agreement and, had he been asked, he would not have authorized it.

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FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

12.

Interview of Mayor Jean Robb

Mayor Robb said she previously served as City mayor from 1980 to 1993. When OIG Special
Agents read excerpts of the City Commission meeting minutes from May 6, 2014, regarding
her receipt and disbursement of donations, she stated that a friend of hers called and told her
that the owner of the Domani Motors car dealership had expressed interest in meeting with her.
She said she did not recall the specific date or time she met with the Owner. Mayor Robb
stated that she did not personally know him but knew he supported her mayoral opponent in
the last election.
Mayor Robb stated that the Owner expressed his appreciation of the City and told her that he
had previously given donations to many local causes and non-profits, such as youth sports and
City events, and would again like to contribute to a local nonprofit that benefited residents. He
asked if she had any recommendations, and she suggested FCI and the Historical Society.
Mayor Robb stated that she never suggested that the Owner donate any specific amount of
money to either cause. She further stated that after their discussion, the Owners wife exited to
another room and came back with two checks for $500 each, one for the Historical Society and
one for FCI. After receiving the checks, Mayor Robb mailed them to each organization
accompanied by a letter she authored on City stationery. In the letters, she told the charities
that she arranged for the donations to be directed to them.
Mayor Robb stated that neither the Owner nor the dealership had any current or pending
matters before the Commission. She also stated that she did not know whether Domani Motors
or the Owner had any pending code enforcement matters.
Mayor Robb said that the Citys budget included a line item for contributions to FCI. In the
current budget, it was $9,000, and she stated that she was recommending that the City increase
funding to $20,000. In the past, the City has budgeted contributions to Historical Society, but
in recent years, due to financial constraints, the City may not have budgeted any.
Mayor Robb stated that after she informed the City Attorney about her receipt of the donations,
he advised her to complete a disclosure form noting the two organizations and to file it with the
City Clerk.
RESPONSES TO THE PRELIMINARY REPORT
In accordance with Section 12.01(D)(2)(a) of the Charter of Broward County, a preliminary version of
this report was provided to Mayor Robb and the City of Deerfield Beach for their discretionary
responses. The OIG did not receive any responses.

OIG 14-017

November 7, 2014

Page 21 of 22

BROWARD OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

FINAL REPORT RE: MISCONDUCT BY CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH MAYOR JEAN ROBB

CONCLUSIONS
The OIG investigation found probable cause to believe that Mayor Robb engaged in misconduct when
she attempted to use her position to obstruct City code enforcement efforts involving a local dealership
that donated to her chosen causes. We found that Mayor Robb routinely abused her authority by
directing staff members without the City Managers knowledge and approval. Given Mayor Robbs
long tenure in her position, we must conclude that such abuse was not accidental. Such actions
contravene the City charters well-considered safeguards separating the executive from the legislature.
They also have a predictably coercive effect on employees and circumvent controls designed to protect
public resources and maintain governmental accountability.
The OIG will be referring this matter to the Florida Commission on Ethics, and the City, for their
independent assessment of the application of state and local ethics laws.

OIG 14-017

November 7, 2014

Page 22 of 22

OIG 14-017

EXHIBIT 1

DOMANJ MOTORCARS, INC.

1~~

(954) 428-5636 FllXC9'5-it 428-8563

7:0-SN 101HST'REr

.
,:,<

--------------- 1:

OEfAAflO BEACH. FlORIDA 33441

PAYTOlHE
FAMILY CENTRAL
~OF.~~~~~~~~~---------------------------------------------

$ -soo.OO

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.._.__.__.._____________________________________________________~~UARS~
. j

--~F~iv~e~H~u=n~d~re=d~a=n~d~O=o~n~o=o~_

FAMILY CENTRAL

MEMO

DONATION

>.AAWAAAWWAWWIIAA4A

AA

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A1

11&&a4&AAA

..... . .-.--

~~--------------------------------------

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~

~~E~~O~E=E~RA~=F='=D~.H~IS~T~O~R~!~~~AL~S~O~C~IETY=
~------------------------------- $ .-$.0.00.
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FIVe: Hundred and00/100****"***

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--~~~~~~~~~~~----------------------------------------------------------------~------~
;,

DEERFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY

MEMO

DONATION
.

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OIG 14-017

EXHIBIT 2

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:1:! 111 -:l!l'Jil

Tri P11Iwm (?5 1) 1110 - 12011

Fns (951) '180--1268

v
Ct q o f

DEERFIELD

BEACH

May 05, 2014

Aimie Kay Tenner
President
Deerfield Beach Historical Society
PO Box 755
Deerfield Beach , FL 33441
Dear Ms. Tenner
I had the occasion today to meet with Michael Domani of Domani
Motors who wished to m~ke a contribution to whatever worthy
- cause I determined . My first thought was for the Deerfield Historical
Society, and I am enclosing his check in the amol!nt of 500 .00 for
you to use to further your cause . I intend to honor him on May 20th
at the commission meeting to express our gratitude for his kind
contribution .
Sincerely,

Mayor

.len n M. Hultlt

lle n

Jean M. Robb , Mayor

'"''Ill'

I ; ,.,. ,,

l' n~s l u n

i.,sirut 1'1'.10
Bill (;nu:r.

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( ~tJIH Ill

c:ity

\lt m /1,1!1'1'

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InternetCoast
Deet11e!d Beach.

Deerfield Bea ch.

...~JtQ1.

2003

Deer field Beach

2004

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www.deerfie ld-beach.com


1!)0 N. E. Stcnml
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"'';I) 1110-1200
~ l JIWI

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. (951) !IJ0-1268

City of

DEERFIELD

BEACH

May 05, 2014

Barbara A. Weinstein Ed . D.

President /CEO

Family Central, Inc.

840 SW $1 51 Avenue

North Lauderdale, FL 33068

Dear Ms. Weinstein

I had the occasion today to meet with Michael Domani of Domani
Motors who wished to ma.ke a contribution to .whatever worthy
cause I determined. I thought of our conven;;ation about the children
who go hungry, and I a$ked him to make a contribution to your
cause. Enclosed you will find his check in the amount of 500.00. I.
am also pushing for the city to up its contribution to 20;000 for the
upcoming year. I intend to honc:>r him on May 20th at the
commission meeting to express c:>ur gratitude for his kind
contribution .
Fondly,

;Humr
.1~1111

i\1. Hohh

J ;,.,, Mumr

llt>n

. Jean M. Robb, Mayor

l'n~stnn

(.'fllllllli..__-;;,,,,,.,..;

ll ill Ganz

.fnsCJih I~ Milltr

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De.erfleld Beach.

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2004

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www. deerfield-beach. com

OIG 14-017

EXHIBIT 3

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OIG 14-017

EXHIBIT 4

OIG 14-017

EXHIBIT 5

fi'9'!11~

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:st~yJiJf:~(f~f(t~n~h~v~: :~IJtf~;~q~~gli.f.~ W'P:I.!!Id.b~o:P.aytrr8:tO'tt.h~i:~o.t~I .'~C.~~ti1:r#<!l'd~t.r~~Jor the; i:l.f.ili.~r'lfilluSYtii~gtatulb/(. ~Jfi fi~~hv.~s'tffi:{itfns aJ.t~tt:i.~tJY.e~~rit.e qct~~eJa~W.:1] .

,.,.

OIG 14-017

EXHIBIT 6

Jul 22

1~

Jean Robb

11 :10a

~ t:J: lJ

l :l/lli:.!!Ht:J

De~

9544820117

~ ~qQ{~~~~~

p.2
I MVL.

DAVIS TOURS

7.22..13

WWW.Davie'tolltS.CODI

P.O. BOX 16147

Client
A..dclresl
Nam~

&: r-:o. ~( C\mtatt

Ft. Lauderdale, I'L 33318

Olllce: 954.472.28S81'u: 9S4.4'i"2.gS38
Mqyor Jean Robb~s Gn.y
Derield Beac.'fl
Jaa Robb -li 244.4ZZ.?W t F;
1
CatbleeD WiiUuns - t; 9J1.Z4.720

"f.m.ou

Tarupa

NIDieofTolll'

$2,309 (2-D~-+ Reftlra Saturday)

Sl,900 (3-Days -+ Return Sullday)

$3,300 (4-Da)'! -+ Return Mcinda)')

Price

Plas Dmerts Gntaity & Hotel room

Nmbt~: of lCJl'lc

57PAX

NamberofJuu
TdpDatt6

Friday-7.26.13

..,.DAVIS TOtJrtslS NOT RESPONSIBLE IFOR ITEMS LrWl' ON ANY BUS AfTIB FINAL DROJ:' O.FF"..,
"'~"'WJTBlN .10 DAYS ~llA NATVRALDISASTER. nus CONTRA.C'fCAN BE CANCELLI.))
4T ANY T.IMBAT nAVIB TOVRSSO'LE DISC.UT.IO~**'*WE WlL.L COMJIDER 11fiS T01Jlt COM.FIBMW ONLY UPON 011a RBCI!:R'T OJ' A
D~l'OSJT & SlONE&COPY OF '11118 .L~n'Eil 01' AGUIMENT,.. 6
"""YOV All lt.QPONSIBLE FOR DRIVER'S llOl'a.L R.OOM AND (lllATUITY
PLEAS GIVJi GRATDITY DnutCTLY TO .blUVER'*.
*-DAVTS TOURS MAY SUBSnTUTE MtNJ BUSES AT ANYTI~ fOR ANY

LOCAL CJIARTER BOOJQJIIG OF_.. MOTORCOJ\CHU"

'"'"NO FOOD OR DRII,'IIKS AU.OWBD ON BUUSWJTHOUX' f'B!Oll AN\ANGEMENT""'"'

1: Initial Depollt:
2. Fiaal Paynaent:

SSIO.GO with siged coDtraCl

Balaaeedue by '7.25.13'

Pltllt make checks DQJbleJS2 QAYIS TOURS, IN~.

(:'ANtELLATI(m rtlYCY: Deposits are My rvfu~e If CBr1001fatlonls racelved 45 days prior h> departure. Len 1han
45 cliiYS can celation noRce wlf mult In fQifeit... of deposit. Any b~kitlg canc.fed wilhil45 daya of departurt date vMI folfalt
the cfepoalt along \Wh any nOIHeflmdable payment& mtde10 lheal~ln", hotl!ls, re51.auranta, eiC., if amclorcoach Ia cantefed
'.MthlB 2weeks of deparhn; there wU bee 50" offull t:XJnttact priCe assaument fee. We Slfon9ly recommenctthe purchBBe of
cancelllllon insurance. This prioe ravarld ooly for 7daya der recerpt of oon~. The wnltactmtJst be con1ilmed, signed ano
returned fD Davis Tou!$ 'Mth the required deposit to be valid. Wltho\lt signature, conftnnati<Jnand Altum of contract to Davis
rours ~h the required deposit, the quoted plice call be made l.willld and null at Die sola dlstrttlon of Oavli Tours. Oavls
r. Is not ulred tD nor ro
c;llent af lfce chan es wr In 'aJ 7 da fler con111ct is sent to ltle dlanl

SPOT.IJMit 8:30am@ River Town Square-+ 1015 S. federal Hwy. Deerfield Beach 33441
DEP4BI~

9:00am For Tampa ~(Please provide d estination name and address)

Beturn will depend on 1f daey win or )ose tbe umu; If they win OJJ Fri. they stay overnight and
play Sat. if they win on Sat. they stay overnight and play on Sun. if they win o.n Sun. 1hey stay
overnight and return on Monday.
TIUS Lll'.TrER. OF AGUEMENT IS SDBIECT TO f. V.AlLAJIILrrY OP THE SERVICIES COVERED BEniN ON

THE OAT! THE SIGHED L~Tt'SR OF AGREEMENT IS UCitvl!:D WITH DE.POSIT BY DAVJS TOURB

g.uax

DAVIS TQUU
SJp.ed by:

Jim Davis

Sigaed by:

7.22.13
bate:
YN!JLITX AGBEEMENT: Customer accept$ full rcsponsibillty forvdlicle damage or special
c:leanlog arJd authori~es DAYIS TOURS to charge ft>t the expenses regardlcs.t of and in additioo to any
prior understandings and agN:ements. Customer agrees that any ofbislher activities or avior dsemed
by cbe cha~ffeur to be illegal or perilo~s will result ill ilomediBte teonination ofthejob wit.hout a refund.

Date:

.\