Mermaids:

a Species Protected by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Harass a mermaid and you could lose your job.

The manager of the Weeki Wachee State Park near Spring Hill, FL found that out first hand this past week. Ok, it was one of the many things that became grounds for the dismissal of Tommy Ervin, a 31 year state employee, after an investigation by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

During the course of the investigation, it was found that he did indeed make sexually inappropriate remarks to a mermaid and others at the park, which is known for its world-famous mermaid shows.

But there is more to the story. It appears that Mr. Ervin operated as though the park was his own little fiefdom, creating “tension in the mermaid village”. The investigation found that there were three areas for which charges were sustained against Ervin.

1. Misuse of Public Office/Official Misconduct

Ervin falsified payroll documents

A. to pay one employee for vacation she was not entitled to and

B. to prevent many others from reporting overtime hours they worked to meet his deadlines.

2. Violation of law or agency rules. To Wit: Violence-Free Workplace Policy

On more than one occasion, Ervin got in the face of other state employees who wound up feeling concerned for their physical safety. These seem to have occurred on occasions when he perceived his authority was being questioned.

3. Conduct unbecoming a public employee.

A. He displayed inappropriate, disrespectful and unprofessional comment to Heather Flowers in the workplace. Specifically, Ervin called one of the mermaids “bubble butt”.

B. Ervin engaged in disrespectful and insubordinate behaviors making comments on how a Bureau Chief got her position because she “had tits”.

C. While on a call with District management on a speaker phone, he “rolled his eyes and made a sexually inappropriate hand motion simulating masturbation” while others were in the office with him.

D. Ervin acted in a disrespectful and unprofessional manner towards the event planner and her assistant, by yelling at them and not allowing other park employees to assist them moving tables, as had been the custom. Yet, after firing the planner, he allowed the assistance to resume for her replacement.

E. He also show a lack of impartiality by not properly addressing the multiple exposures of sexual organs by a subordinate, while firing the event planner for unsubstantiated excessive phone use and being disruptive in the office.

Ervin denied most of the allegations. But he and the short wearing commando have been let go and the event planner has been rehired.

I say, Don’t mess with the mermaids.