Arkansas Blog: Lottery staffer departs UPDATE

We got a tip yesterday that Bridgette Frazier had left her job as legal counsel for the Arkansas lottery. Nobody wanted to say much. Ernestine Middleton, v.p. for administration, finally sent an e-mail saying Frazier had resigned and the job had not been posted so she couldn't answer a question about a replacement. Frazier sent a brief e-mail in response to our question: “I have left. I had a great time and it was an honor to work with so many wonderful Arkansans.”

Frazier, who had worked on Commission Chairman Ray Thornton's staff when he was a congressman, along with now-Sen. Bob Johnson, was hired in July from a House counsel job created when Johnson was House speaker for $105,000. The connections drew some attention in the lottery startup.

Thornton told legislators at an oversight meeting today that Frazier resigned in a disagreement over which lottery staff members should receive merit pay increases. The dispute apparently was with Middleton. Frazier had noted to us in a conversation some time ago that her pay was relatively modest for an experienced lawyer, particularly when compared with the $200,000 and up, way up, pay received by Middleton, Director Ernie Passailaigue, etc. (PS: It was unclear from the report we received from a person attending the meeting if the disagreement over pay related to Frazier's or other members of the commission staff. But we were later informed that it related to Frazier's argument that pay increases were due some lower paid employees -- pay raises that weren't planned -- unless the lottery adopted specific rules to supersede the law. She stood up for Arkies, in other words.)

Middleton and Ernie P. didn't make the meeting today. Middleton wasn't in the office yesterday either.

UPDATE II: House Speaker Robbie Wills, the stepfather of the Arkansas Lottery, hopes the scholarships will be worth $5,000 each when they get rolling.

Comments

Good Ole Boy System

Just more of the Good Ole Boy system. It's not just an Arkansas thing. Apparently it's practiced in South Carolina as well.
Sounds like Frazier was doing all the work and wanted to reward those who helped get the lottery off to such a good start.
$100K or $125K is a lot of money to most Arkansans. But try hiring an attorney to do a week's worth of trial work or any work for $2,500. They'd laugh you out of their office.
If a woman's does the same job as a man - she ought to get the same pay.
I heard they have a similar issue out in Maumelle, where His Honor, our illustrious Mayor Stodola got $30 bucks an hour more for his part-time work than the current female attorney does.
Hey, did you hear the guy on TV last night butcher His Honor's last name?

Posted by: Coca-Cola Cowboy | November 24, 2009 12:05 PM

>>I have left. I had a great time and it was an honor to work with so many wonderful[WELL CONNECTED] Arkansans.

Posted by: eLwood | November 24, 2009 01:07 PM

I know Ms. Frazier worked for Bob Johnson at the Arkansas House of Representatives. I do not know how much money she made while employed there. She took a job at $105,000....and wanted more?!

I'm a state employee. I've been employed by the State for 17 years. I'm an attorney. I don't make anywhere near $105,000 that Ms. Frazier, licensed in 1999, made while at the Lottery.

Again, it's all who you know.

Not that I stand a chance, but where do I sign up for the now vacant job?

Arky

Posted by: Arky | November 24, 2009 01:34 PM

"Frazier had noted to us . . . that her pay was relatively modest for an experienced lawyer,"

If the pay was so lacking, why did she take the job?

Posted by: Durango | November 24, 2009 01:37 PM

Don't be so quick to assume that it was over her own pay increase. There are many staff members at the lottery, support and secretarial staff, who do not make the big bucks.

Posted by: mcbsmith | November 24, 2009 01:45 PM

Now chillin. Don't go fussin over gets some little bits bigger than other little bits

cause

The chillin of Arkansas are now going to get to go to college and lern thay weren't prepard to
go in the furst place.

Posted by: eLwood | November 24, 2009 02:08 PM

"The chillin of Arkansas are now going to get to go to college and lern thay weren't prepard to go in the furst place."

You're right, eLwood. I'm still waiting for someone to unearth the ADHE research from a couple years ago with the finding that 100% of that year's high school graduates who were tracked college prep and enrolled in community colleges placed into developmental/remedial courses.

Posted by: DrRingDing | November 24, 2009 02:30 PM

Frazier certainly has the disposition to be a ligthning rod. Bet she sues 'em.

Posted by: PVNasby | November 24, 2009 02:40 PM

Hw can they be talking about merit pay increases already for a brand new start-up that feeds itself? Has Wall Streetitis hit our state?

Posted by: Roger | November 24, 2009 05:52 PM

Arkansas Blog

Lottery staffer departs UPDATE

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