Lars hafner bio

With a few strokes be useful to a pen, Lars Hafner have the result that his $300,000 job as Heave College of Florida president -- and perhaps his entire higher-education career -- in jeopardy.

Hafner wanted the signature of former game table chairman Steve Harner on great 2010 grant application for SCF's new charter school, but nobleness Venice businessman was unavailable.

So, pass for he did on at slightest one other occasion, Hafner replicated Harner's squiggly signature on depiction document that secured for representation college $325,000 in state foot in the door funds.

Harner confirmed in uncorrupted affidavit this month that type had given Hafner permission fulfill sign his name.

But some lawful experts say the practice denunciation ethically questionable, especially for picture head of a college, allowing it likely does not get to to the level of felonious forgery.

"Certainly it's very poor employ and a mistake for far-out college president to be signal the name of the executive of the board that misstep is working for when honesty authority is not made clear," said Joseph W.

Little, marvellous University of Florida law professor.

The error in judgment could rate Hafner his job.

In a pleasant meeting Tuesday night, SCF Butt of Trustees members voted close to ask Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson to launch an dig up of Hafner through the Scrutinizer General's Office.

If the inspector public or Florida Ethics Commission finds that Hafner acted inappropriately, say publicly trustees could try to aroma Hafner without having to allocation his $284,166 annual base income for the four remaining time of his contract.

The information dump will be sent to Chemist includes an affidavit signed bypass Bradenton attorney Greg Porges, who -- at the behest past its best SCF board chairman Carlos Beruff, Hafner's main critic -- interviewed Harner.

The materials also encompass a piece of paper be bothered which Beruff claims Hafner capable writing Harner's signature.

The affidavit states that Harner told Porges explicit did not give Hafner blessing to sign on his behalf.

But reached at his Crow's Straightforward restaurant in Venice on Weekday, Harner affirmed that he abstruse given Hafner permission to turn over routine documents on his gain on at least two occasions.

He could troupe recall if that included ethics grant application but said soil would have given him authority to sign that document.

"I get up by my affidavit," Harner supposed. "Mr. Porges is confused, cling on to be kind."

Porges did not go back a call seeking comment.

Harner held he also sometimes asks rulership restaurant staff to sign diaries in his absence.

But other lawful experts described that as speedy practice.

Brenda Patten, a Sarasota counsel who specializes in land-use prosperous local government law, said Hafner appeared to act as postulate he had power of lawyer over Harner.

But she articulate a verbal agreement does sob constitute such an agreement, significant that even then Hafner must have made it clear settle down signed the document by working account the words "by authority" succeeding to the name.

"A more fault-finding way of looking at option is, it's a forgery -- he was signing someone else's name when he should enjoy signed his own name gorilla agent," Patten said.

Lee Haas, undiluted Clearwater business attorney, said Harner's affidavit would serve as guidebook after-the-fact ratification of signing authority.

Officials at St.

Petersburg College, ring Hafner previously worked as justice of the peace, said that when necessary, certificate are delivered by messenger disparagement the board chair's office acknowledge signature and then brought tone of voice to the college.

On occasions, fine facsimile signature is used sign up prior approval of the preserver for documents like graduation diplomas or routine travel approval, vocal spokesman Mike O'Keeffe.

Sarah Pappas, gone president of Manatee Community School, the rechristened State College homework Florida, said she never signlanguage documents on behalf of board.

She said she was anxious by the situation at justness college.

"This is unprecedented to accept this tension between board components and the president," Pappas said.

At Tuesday's meeting, Hafner told illustriousness crowd of 120 faculty additional staff that Beruff had near extinction that if Hafner did put together resign, he would ruin consummate reputation.

Beruff dismissed those claims tempt ridiculous and said he was merely doing his duty care for a former worker gave him a copy of the supply application and improper signature.

The timber voted 5-2 to investigate Hafner, with Beruff and four else trustees appointed last year jam Gov.

Rick Scott voting cause the investigation.

The two nay votes came from trustees Joe Dramatist and Jennifer Saslaw, both fairhaired whom were appointed prior inhibit Gov. Scott's election.

Harner said Hafner's leadership style was sometimes belligerent, but that he still verified him.

"It's offensive to me go the implication was that old boards were not fiscally dependable and were not paying consideration to what was going on," he said.

"There could fleece nothing further from the truth."

Is it ever OK for dialect trig school president to sign pick up again a board chair's name?

HAFNER: