TAMPA, Fla. -- He is like a prize fighter who appears to be knocked out, but keeps getting up to fight another round. The head of the Hillsborough Planning Commission, Bob Hunter, retired three years ago, took a lump sum payment of $239,000, and collects $42,000 a year in retirement benefits. However, Hunter was hired back one month after retiring and makes an additional $129,000 a year.
When Hunter initially retired, he was given a 1-year contract, then it was renewed for two years and was supposed to end in March of 2012. A provision of the contract said it could not be renewed, but Hunter tried to get another extension last month. It failed by a 5-5 vote.
Although the Planning Commission is supposed to be looking for a new executive director and Hunter is not on the list of applicants, sources say there is another move to keep Hunter. His good friend, former County Commissioner Joe Chuillura, wrote a letter to the editor of the Tampa Tribune saying no one could replace Hunter. Hunter then sent a copy of that letter to every member of the Planning Commission Board.
We are told Hunter supporters will try again on Monday to work a deal to keep him. While there is opposition, Hunter, who has been executive director for 24 years, always seems to find a way to keep his job.