The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) has fired two seniors staffers and two other employees, according to The Orlando Sentinel.
- On Monday, the CFTOD dismissed Eryka Washington Perry, director of communications, and Jason Middleton, chief of human resources, along with an administrative assistant and facilities maintenance specialist.
- Neither district officials nor the terminated employees have commented at this time.
- Washington Perry and Middleton were hired by Reedy Creek, which has since been replaced by the CFTOD.
- Middleton previously served as chief of staff to the former Reedy Creek administrator, John Classe, who stayed on as a consultant under a one-year contract that was terminated early by the district in July.
- Glen Gilzean was appointed to replace Classe in May and Middleton was moved to chief of human resources.
- Washington Perry joined the district in October 2019 and had been the district’s lead media spokesperson.
- District officials have been referring reporters to Matthew Thomas Oberly, their new head of external affairs and many of the district’s statements have been written by the public relations firm Athos.
- Since the state takeover at Reedy Creek in February, more than 40 of the district’s nearly 370 employees have retired or resigned and left negative reviews of the new administration, saying the “workplace culture has been destroyed.”
What they’re saying:
- Administrator Glen Gilzean, in a memo: “These separations were isolated and specific and are not representative of our team members who show up every day with excellence and a clear vision of a stronger tomorrow for our taxpayers and visitors.”