Martin official to be suspended over affair with Mahoney
January 3rd, 2009 by Post StaffBy JASON SCHULTZ
STUART — A high-ranking Martin County official will be suspended for three days without pay for not disclosing that she was having an affair with U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, county officials said Friday.
Engineering Operations Manager Kim Roden will be suspended for violating the county’s standard of conduct for employees by engaging in the relationship with the congressman and keeping it secret, said County Administrator Duncan Ballantyne. The decision was made by a group of senior county staffers on Wednesday after a lengthy county investigation, he said.
“We found that she used very poor professional judgment while representing the county,” Ballantyne said. “We believe it caused the public to question how the county conducts business.”
Mahoney, who could not be reached for comment, admitted in October to having “multiple affairs,” including one in 2007 with a high-ranking Martin County official who he did not name at that time. The congressman, who lost his seat in the November election to Republican Tom Rooney, also admitted to having an affair with one of his former staffers, Patricia Allen of Hobe Sound.
Roden, 50, was identified in documents filed Dec. 22 by Mahoney’s wife, Terry Mahoney, who is seeking a divorce after 23 years of marriage. Terry Mahoney claims in the court documents that the affair is still going on and that Roden and Mahoney went on a Christmas ski trip together to Calgary, Alberta. Roden, of Palm City, could not be reached for comment Friday.
County officials have known about allegations of an affair between Roden and Mahoney for months and started investigating soon after news of the affair became public in October. Roden cooperated completely with that investigation, Ballantyne said. Roden has worked for the county for 20 years and has not had any disciplinary issues before.
Roden was a crucial member of a team of county engineering officials who worked for years to get the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse the county for millions of dollars worth of debris cleared from streets in gated communities after the 2004 hurricanes. The county eventually sought the help of Mahoney and other congressmen. Mahoney helped the county convince FEMA officials to reimburse about $3.4 million worth of expenses last year.
Roden’s role in that effort was chiefly to collect the data and document the work done after the 2004 storms, which was then presented to FEMA officials, Ballantyne said.
“We feel very strongly we received the reimbursement because we deserved it,” Ballantyne said. “There was no question about the work she had done.”
Since news of the affairs broke, many residents have questioned whether the county got the money because of Roden’s relationship and Ballantyne said he wanted to restore public confidence.
“I think the reflection upon the county has been unfortunate,” Ballantyne said. “It is very important that we move past this.”
Martin County Commissioner Patrick Hayes said he didn’t think the suspension would do much to change the opinions of residents who are questioning the county over the Roden affair.
“I don’t think it will have any meaningful effect either way,” Hayes said. “I’m sure she is a good person, just lost sight of things.”
Ballantyne said the decision to suspend her on Wednesday had nothing to do with her being named in Mahoney’s divorce papers and said he did not even know about that until Friday.
Roden will have to work out when she will serve the suspension with county engineering official Don Donaldson, Ballantyne said. Donaldson could not be reached for comment.
Staff Writer Jose Lambiet contributed to this story.
Tags: Duncan Ballantyne, Kim Roden, Tim Mahoney
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January 3rd, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Why would she have to take a 3 day suspension at all? The probem as I see it is Congm. Mahoney who lost the public’s support was reurned to private life following the Nov 4th election is punishment enough for everyone involved. What does her relationship with the congressman have to do with Martin County and what of it that it was held secret? I think Martin county’s adherence to 17th century Puritan mores is a bit bizarre given the far more serious exposes of the past several years at not only county, but state and federal level including their supportive business base. Harrumph, all miscreants championing virtuous conservative family values for others but not for themselves
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Tim was getting free sex and blow jobs just like all male politicians. I wish I was a man so that I can get free lips and blow jobs as well.
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:47 pm
This behavior is tried and true for advancement up the corporate ladder.This sounds like entrapment and how do you blame them for being human(horney).Keep up the good work.
January 4th, 2009 at 4:59 am
I do not condone Ms. Roden’s conduct, but what she does on her own time is her business. She does NOT deserve a suspension of any kind. A written reprimand? Yes. Suspension from duty without pay? Absolutely NOT! Martin County Officials responsible for this decision should re-evaluate themselves and the moral ground of which they’ve taken in this matter.
January 4th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Sounds like Martin will be defending another lawsuit very soon. Roden will sue, win and be handed large amounts of money from the county coffers because these senior staff members are trying to force their morals on an employee when they are on their own time. They had better back up and reconsider their decision. It is way off base. She is not a division director therefore a higher standard should not apply. Get back to the important issues. Duncan, do the right thing and reverse this horrible decision.
January 4th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
What Ms. Roden has done on her own time is her own, personal business. If it did not cost the taxpayer any money and did not influence the way she performed her job at the engineering department then the county should not be reprimanding or suspending her. It is only when relationships cause people to get unfair and/or preferred treatment that the relationship must be evaluated and the situation corrected.
January 4th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
In my opinion Martin County needed FEMA money so they used a female engineering manager to have sex with Mahoney so that he would lobby on behalf of Martin County. In my opinion It was basically a sex for money scandal. At first Martin County would not publically name the woman so it lended to the suggestion that it could be any one of the women who work in the county building. This Rodent was hiding among the decent women who work at the county. The county sweeps the Mahoney FEMA-gate scandal under the rug thus placing the scarlet letter on every female that works for Martin County. Mahoneys womanizing has brought shame and scandal to the county when employees have enough problems. It is hard to accept that the county is so wasteful and corrupt that it allows managers to waste hard earned tax dollars sending this woman to party and cat around on the county dime while dumping librarians and parks employees. The county allows this kind of activity to go on but then they lay off the lowest paid people in government who actually serve the public. I call on the press to investigate crooked Martin County government.
January 4th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Readers should see that this woman has a very well organized network of associates who have crawled out of the woodwork like cock-roaches in her defense. When a rank and file,blue collar worker is disciplined they have no support mechanism to work on their behalf. A regular working stiff has to just take it and shut up about it. See how they want the rules to only apply to the lowest paid working grunts while they feel entitled to escape any punishment for their actions??
January 5th, 2009 at 7:11 am
Governor Crist:
http://www.flgov.com/contact_form contact the governor and request that an ethics probe takes place to investigate Marton County government.
January 7th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Why is she getting a suspension? Because she is the woman? How many men have had affairs that were questionable– alot I bet. Many people meet in the course of the job they have and she is no different. Does she have issues? Sure, we all know married men are off limits. Should it affect her job? Not a chance.