THE PCOC / CITY OF BARTOW BATTLE ENDS...MAYBE?

For the past six months I have noted here the continuing battle between the local community action agency, the Polk County Opportunity Council, and the City of Bartow over PCOC's refusal to seat the city's designated representative to the organization's board of directors. David Hallock, a retired businessman who has served on several nonprofit boards in the past, had his qualifications called into question by the PCOC leadership in their refusal to seat him.

The entire episode eventually resulted in the City's complaining to Congressman Adam Putnam (PCOC handles the county Head Start program and other federally funded projects to assist the poor), which has since blossomed into an investigation into the organization's operations by the federal agency which funds it.

Well, Mr. Hallock has given up, deciding to instead accept an appointment to the City of Bartow's Community Redevelopment Agency. But he didn't go away quietly. In his letter to Mayor Leo Longworth, Hallock blasted PCOC's handling of his appointment.

"This board, in my opinion, is incapable of governing," he wrote. "I have been amazed at the level of incompetence of the (PCOC) board in their denial of reality and inability to acknowledge, recognize and deal with their problems.

"Bill Grob, a Tampa lawyer, speaking on behalf of the PCOC board, said he was disappointed with Hallock's perception of the agency.

"Any animosity he may have as a result of the board's actions is based on a misunderstanding," he said.

No misunderstanding, friend. PCOC made a serious mistake, and one which may prove fatal for the agency. PCOC does good work, but it has a terrible history of mismanagement and officials misusing funds/equipment/resources for their own purposes. There are some within PCOC who continue to work in a defensive mode and are simply not interested in reform. And that's sad.