If you’ve been keeping up with Disney news, then you’ve likely heard about the feud with the new Reedy Creek board.
Ever since the Reedy Creek Improvement District was turned into the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) with a DeSantis-appointed board, there have been numerous battles between them including lawsuits. Now, we’ve got an update regarding the board.
Glen Gilzean was hired as the new District Administrator for Reedy Creek earlier this year in May. Gilzean served as a school board member in Pinellas County, was a CEO, and is “a supporter of Gov. DeSantis, who has appointed him to several other positions, including the Florida Commission on Ethics.”
Earlier this year, Glen Gilzean resigned from the Florida Commission on Ethics in order to keep his $400,000 per year job as the head of CFTOD. This came after Steven Zuilkowski, the ethics commission’s general counsel, said that Gilzen could not hold both positions.
Recently, Gilzean discussed a new system he says will improve 911 calls and response times saying, “The district is investing a million dollars for a new communication network and completely separating from the Walt Disney World system.”
According to WFTV9, that million-dollar investment mentioned by Gilzean will go to Freddie Figgers, an ethics commission member. This is where Gilzean worked before choosing the position with the CFTOD board.
Based on emails, it appears district employees reached out to Figgers for his services in early August as the CEO of Figgers communication consulting firm
Less than a week later, a contract was sent for approval and the deal was complete without open bids from other companies. According to the district, this was because Figgers communication was able to commit to the important migration of 911 wireless calls within the tight timeframe.
Even though the district did not comment, Figgers’ media team said, “This new architecture will enable all wireless emergency calls to be directly routed to the district’s 911 system, significantly reducing response times and potentially saving lives,” in a statement.
Stay tuned to AllEars for more CFTOD news.
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Sounds like a possible kickback. A million dollar contract WITHOUT bids to a former employer doesn’t pass the smell test. FDLE and FBI needs to be involved in investigating the parameters of this deal!
If it looks like a rat and smells like a rat then it’s a rat. This is collusion all the way. How do they know nobody else can do the job fast if they didn’t ask? Also it says Mr. Figgers is a communication consultant. That usually means most if not all the work gets subbed out to other companies.
Yes, nothing questionable about that. Let’s throw Disney under the bus and then award a million dollar contract to a former board member and say there can’t be open bids due to tight timeline constrictions. Such hypocrisy!