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Movement for Change at Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary
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Movement for Change at Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary is a grassroots movement created by over thirty former staff members and volunteers of the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores, FL. The movement aims to put in place transparent and accountable management which will responsibly use the public donations. Ralph Heath and the office manager Micki Eslick have been under investigation by both state and federal agencies for non-payment of payroll taxes, violation of overtime and minimum wage laws and diversion of donated funds for personal use. Ralph Heath was previously in the news for the scandal involving photos taken of underage girls on the Sanctuary property, as well as for the luxury yacht purchased and upgraded with over a million dollars of Sanctuary funds. The upgrades included five luxury state rooms and a hot tub. Ralph Heath claimed the vessel was for research. In 2012 and early 2013 current and former employees spoke to local news media regarding Ralph Heath's mismanagement of donations, with many of them stating they saw Ralph Heath taking and pocketing the money from the donation boxes. Video was taken by an employee in the summer of 2011 backing up these claims which aired on Channel 8 news in Tampa. Employees allege going many pay periods without receiving their earned pay and in the fall of 2012 approximately 80% of the bird care staff was forced to quit due to nonpayment of wages. Currently the sanctuary is trying to continue operations using mostly volunteers and most of the staff who left still have not received their owed wages. On May 18th of 2012 the IRS filed a lien for back owed payroll taxes of more than $187,000. In November of 2012 a Department of Labor investigation ruled that Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary violated U.S. labor law in not paying its workers overtime and with some workers receiving less than minimum wage. Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary was ordered to pay $21,336 in back owed wages with monthly payments to owed ex-employees beginning in December. As of mid-February 2013 no payments have been made. On January 24th 2013 a creditor filed to sue for foreclosure against Ralph Heath and Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary for a $550,000 loan which was taken out in November 2009. The last payment made on the loan was in September of 2011, a year and four months from the date of the foreclosure filing. In late 2012 and early 2013 Charity Navigator has issued a Donator warning stating : Charity Navigator has become aware of the following information in connection with this charity: -On November 15, 2012, News Channel 8, in Tampa, FL, reported that the “Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary has agreed to pay $21,336 in back wages to nine employees following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor.” The news coverage also states that “the Department of Labor says it determined the nonprofit bird rescue organization failed to pay some employees ‘for several work weeks’ and did not pay overtime to others who worked more than 40 hours of week.” Additionally, the news station reported that “the IRS has filed liens amounting to $187,000 for unpaid payroll taxes over the past two years.” For more information, please see News Channel 8. -On November 2, 2012, News Channel 8, in Tampa, FL, reported that “former employees of the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary say one reason the wildlife rescue center is struggling to pay its debts is that founder Ralph Heath took cash from donation boxes but failed to account for it.” For more information, please see News Channel 8. -On January 24, 2013, New Channel 8, in Tampe, FL, reported that "creditor Ronald Cooper has filed a foreclosure action in Pinellas Circuit Court against the sanctuary to recover an unpaid $550,000 loan secured by the charity's 35,000-square-foot warehouse." For more information, please see New Channel 8. 
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