County personnel chief retiring, citing family ills
Being available to care for ailing family members in Texas — not allegations of tuition assistance abuse and improper hiring practices — is behind the retirement decision, McGowan said.
"My sister has cancer and my mother is elderly. I need to be able to go at a moment's notice and stay for an indefinite amount of time," said McGowan, who has worked as the personnel director for nearly 12 years and will retire in February. "All of that other stuff didn't bother me at all. None of that even fazed me."
McGowan was placed on a week's administrative leave last month following an August auditor's report citing nepotism and improper hiring practices. The report also concluded that McGowan did not curb those practices nor appropriately discipline workers.
The report also criticized McGowan for not having concrete hiring and management policies. In particular, the audit found that McGowan provided no guidance and did little to counter improper hiring by his employees.
McGowan said that the unpaid leave was simply his duty and the one-week reprimand in no way led to his retirement.
"I'm in charge of the division and anytime something is brought into question, I'm ultimately responsible for it," McGowan said. "I stand up and take responsibility for it."
McGowan also came under fire this year for failing to curb abuse of the county's tuition program, which an audit found was riddled with sloppy accounting and improper administration.
"My decision to retire next year has nothing to do with that," McGowan said. "I'm proud of the job I've done here and think history will bear me out."
Jim Braden, county spokesman, said that the problems within the personnel department had nothing to do with McGowan's retirement and that there was no pressure from the county for him to leave his post.
"It was Felix's decision to leave. He was not forced out," Braden said.
Mayor Peter Corroon added that Felix has "been a steadying influence in Salt Lake County for more than a decade."
Following the allegations of improper hiring and tuition reimbursement abuse, Corroon moved the personnel department under the new umbrella of the Division of Administrative Services. The new division is intended to give more fiscal control and oversight to departments like personnel and fleet, both of which have been scrutinized this year for mismanagement.
April Townsend, director of administrative services, put McGowan on leave following the personnel audit and required the department to immediately create hiring policies.
"I realize that the recent criticism is difficult, particularly when it puts into question the integrity of the entire division," Townsend wrote in a letter after the personnel audit.
E-mail: estewart@desnews.com
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