Arkansas Lottery to begin director search

Nov 23, 2011, 10:04 am (12 comments)

Arkansas Lottery

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Lottery Commission voted Monday to begin its search for a new director in December, but the panel left unanswered how quickly it hoped to fill the vacancy left by former director Ernie Passailaigue.

The commission voted to begin advertising for the director job on Dec. 1 and to begin reviewing applications at its Jan. 9 meeting. The panel set a "priority" deadline of Jan. 4, but it said it would continue to accept applications after that date.

The commission hired Passailaigue, then director of the South Carolina lottery, in 2009 to launch the Arkansas games. He resigned Sept. 19 following a series of complaints about the games' management, including a nearly $100,000 penalty the Internal Revenue Service levied against it for late payments.

Commission Chairwoman Dianne Lamberth said the panel doesn't have a strict timeline for when to hire a replacement for Passailaigue.

"We'll leave it open ended until we find the right one," Lamberth told reporters after the meeting.

Commissioner Ben Pickard said that the 2009 search came as the panel was trying to quickly launch the games, a challenge it doesn't face today.

"We were under quite a bit of pressure to act at that point," he said.

After Passailaigue's departure, Vice President for Gaming David Barden resigned and Vice President for Administration Ernestine Middleton was fired. Julie Baldridge, who had been the lottery's spokeswoman and legislative relations director, is serving as interim director during the search and won't be a candidate for Passailaigue's job.

Commissioners said they don't know how the lottery's organization will look after a new director is hired and whether Passailaigue's successor would restructure the vice president positions.

They said the next director shouldn't expect to draw the same hefty salary Passailaigue enjoyed. Passailaigue's $326,000 annual pay was criticized during his tenure. Barden and Middleton received $225,000 salaries.

Lamberth said she doesn't want the next director to be paid as much as Passailaigue. State law sets the lottery director's maximum salary at $141,603 but allows the commission to pay as much as $354,000 with legislative approval.

"I'm not in favor of paying what we paid the director previously," Commissioner Bruce Engstrom said.

Pickard responded, "I don't think you're going to hear any objection."

AP

Comments

Grovel's avatarGrovel

Maybe I should apply. The old guy was making a butt load of money.

TheRightPrice

I have never seen an official description for "Lottery Director". What are the qualifications exactly? Does anybody go to college and say to themselves "I'm going to be a Lottery Director one day" ????

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Quote: Originally posted by TheRightPrice on Nov 23, 2011

I have never seen an official description for "Lottery Director". What are the qualifications exactly? Does anybody go to college and say to themselves "I'm going to be a Lottery Director one day" ????

Qualifications for any Government Related Job including Lottery Director .................

 

1. Member of the ruling political party

2. Well connected

 

Stooges Government !

TheRightPrice

Quote: Originally posted by dpoly1 on Nov 23, 2011

Qualifications for any Government Related Job including Lottery Director .................

 

1. Member of the ruling political party

2. Well connected

 

Stooges Government !

lol, trueI Agree!

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

I think they should let Slick Willy come back home and run it.

Their first new ticket could be a scratcher with blue dresses on it called: "Find the Dress with the Mess!"

The less dresses you scratch off to find the winner, the higher your prize.

And all winners who scratch off only one dress to find the winner are automatically entered into the finals to win the remains of the lamp Hillary smashed over Bill's head when she heard about the dress.

faber98

they should offer the job out to the lowest bidder. certainly anyone who can read or write could do it. how much skill could it take. those sc hacks are back home searching for another gig since their unemployment is nearly run out. it should go to a lifetime arkansas resident who should be chosen by conducting a "lottery".

CLETU$

Pick me!Pick me!I kin red un rite un I's gude wif nummers,two!

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Nov 23, 2011

I think they should let Slick Willy come back home and run it.

Their first new ticket could be a scratcher with blue dresses on it called: "Find the Dress with the Mess!"

The less dresses you scratch off to find the winner, the higher your prize.

And all winners who scratch off only one dress to find the winner are automatically entered into the finals to win the remains of the lamp Hillary smashed over Bill's head when she heard about the dress.

yo,ridge you should be runnin it.

scratchin off dresses sounds like fun.Wink

don't know how you do it.LOL

tiggs95's avatartiggs95

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Nov 23, 2011

I think they should let Slick Willy come back home and run it.

Their first new ticket could be a scratcher with blue dresses on it called: "Find the Dress with the Mess!"

The less dresses you scratch off to find the winner, the higher your prize.

And all winners who scratch off only one dress to find the winner are automatically entered into the finals to win the remains of the lamp Hillary smashed over Bill's head when she heard about the dress.

tiggs thought for sure you'd offer up the Dragon Lady...What is tiggs missing here?..

sully16's avatarsully16

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Nov 23, 2011

I think they should let Slick Willy come back home and run it.

Their first new ticket could be a scratcher with blue dresses on it called: "Find the Dress with the Mess!"

The less dresses you scratch off to find the winner, the higher your prize.

And all winners who scratch off only one dress to find the winner are automatically entered into the finals to win the remains of the lamp Hillary smashed over Bill's head when she heard about the dress.

Rotflmao...good one.

CashWinner$

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Nov 23, 2011

I think they should let Slick Willy come back home and run it.

Their first new ticket could be a scratcher with blue dresses on it called: "Find the Dress with the Mess!"

The less dresses you scratch off to find the winner, the higher your prize.

And all winners who scratch off only one dress to find the winner are automatically entered into the finals to win the remains of the lamp Hillary smashed over Bill's head when she heard about the dress.

Green laughEPIC Green laugh

~~~~~~~~~~~

L..M..A..O..

I don't know how you do it Ridge, but you sure do it Good !!

2011 Funniest Guy Of The Year Award --- Goes 2 U !!

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Well thank ya lil darlins, Sully and Cash.

I'm beholden to ya.

End of comments
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