This story was originally covered by our local press, but only with an AP byline. Check it out:
LAKELAND — A fertilizer company paid a record $10,000 for a cake at the Polk County Youth Fair Auction baked by the 9-year-old daughter of state Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam.
The Ledger of Lakeland reported today that Mosaic, a large contributor to the annual agricultural fair and one of Polk County's largest employers, paid $10,000 this week for Abigail Putnam's hazelnut chocolate cake.
Fair officials say the cakes are often sold for $200 to $500, with the second-highest this year going for $600. One year, a cake sold for $1,000, they said.
Putnam, who took office Jan. 3, said Abigail donated $9,000 back to the youth fair.
"Even my 9-year-old knows a cake isn't worth $10,000," he said. "I am proud of my daughter and proud of her cake. She feels good about her decision and is excited about it. It's going to help a lot of kids."
Mosaic spokesman Russell Schweiss agreed that $10,000 paid Tuesday was "outside of the normal range."
He said an employee had been given a lump sum to purchase items at the fair. For example,the company spent $17,000 on pigs with the meat being given to charity.
"This situation is embarrassing for Mosaic and our employees and is not characteristic of how the company represents itself. We've intiated an aggressive investigation to understand exactly what happened at the fair so that we may take swift and appropriate actions," Schweiss said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
Putnam said the purchase put him in an awkward position.
"The one that it's most awkward for is Abbie," he said
You'll notice that the unfortunate employee who went above and beyond the payment they were sanctioned to spend on the Ag. Sec daughter's cupcake isn't named in the story. Whomever that is, one might deduct that their job security might be tenuous today. Whatever the stated instruction's were, getting discovered in the press that a Mosaic employee was seen trying to buy off curry the good favor of the state's top official in the industry most certainly wasn't in the plan.
This article appears in Jan 27 – Feb 2, 2011.