Case Name: Angelo PALOUMBIS, Appellant, v. CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, a municipal corporation, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2003-02-05
Citations: 840 So. 2d 297
Docket Number: No. 3D02-809
Parties: Angelo PALOUMBIS, Appellant, v. CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, a municipal corporation, Appellee.
Judges: Before SCHWARTZ, C.J., and FLETCHER and RAMIREZ, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 840
Pages: 297–299

Head Matter:
Angelo PALOUMBIS, Appellant, v. CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, a municipal corporation, Appellee.
No. 3D02-809.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
Feb. 5, 2003.
Rehearing and Rehearing En Banc Denied March 26, 2003.
Nevel & Greenfield and David H. Nevel, Miami Beach, for appellant.
Murray H. Dubbin, City Attorney and Kelli V. Cohen, Senior Assistant City Attorney, for appellee.
Before SCHWARTZ, C.J., and FLETCHER and RAMIREZ, JJ.

Opinion:
FLETCHER, Judge.
Angelo Paloumbis seeks review of a decision of the appellate division of the Miami-Dade County circuit court quashing a decision of the City of Miami Beach Personnel Board. We grant certiorari.
Paloumbis was a classified employee of the City of Miami Beach working in the City's code enforcement department. He was employed at the same time by a nightclub, which moonlighting led to termination of his employment by the City purportedly for violating Section 3(d)(1), City Personnel Rule I, which provides:
"EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONS:
1. No person who holds a position in the Classified Service of the City shall engage in any other employment or pursue any other gainful occupation than that involved in his/her City duties except as such other" work shall be formally approved by the Appointing Officer under whom he/she serves and by the City Manager. Any person may be appointed to more than one part-time position in the service of City provided that the working hours and [sic] do not conflict."
[R.5]
Paloumbis appealed his employment termination to the Personnel Board, whose ultimate duty it is to uphold or deny employment appeals.
During Paloumbis' appeal hearing before the Personnel Board the unrefuted testimony reflected that he was employed by the nightclub while also employed by the City. It further reflected that he had not received approval from his appointing officer and the City Manager for his employment at the nightclub.
Notwithstanding these clear-cut facts the City's Personnel Board found in Pal-oumbis' favor. The hearing transcript [at R. 138-48] indicates that the Board reached this result by construing Section 3(d)(1), Personnel Rule I, as requiring the City, in enforcing the rule, to demonstrate an actual conflict of interest between the City employment and the outside employment. The Board construed the rule not to have been violated without such an actual conflict.
The City then sought in the circuit court certiorari review of the Board's reinstatement of Paloumbis as a City employee. The court agreed with the City, rejected the Personnel Board's interpretation of Section 3(d)(1), Personnel Rule I, and quashed the Board's decision (thus upholding the employment discharge of Paloumbis). In granting the City's petition the circuit court held that the Personnel Board "is limited to determining the 'truth or untruth' of a charge against an employee . " [R.84], The Personnel Board, according to the circuit court and the City, is thus simply a fact-finding body unable to construe the rules it enforces and mandated to accept the City's interpretation of those rules.
Such is not the case, however. Of necessity it is the Personnel Board's task to apply, thus interpret, the rules and to do so in a rational fashion. Its admin istrative interpretation is entitled to judicial deference as long as it is within the range of possible permissible interpretations. Humhosco, Inc. v. Department of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 476 So.2d 258 (Fla. 1st DCA 1985). It is arguable— due deference being given — that the language of Section 3(d)(1), Personnel Rule I, lends itself to several interpretations, including the Personnel Board's interpretation that the rule applies only where there is an actual employee conflict of interest.
As a result, we grant the petition and quash the circuit court's decision. The cause is remanded to the circuit court for a determination as to whether there is sufficient substantial competent evidence before the Personnel Board to uphold that Board's decision that there is no actual conflict of interest in Paloumbis' double employment.
RAMIREZ, J., concurs.
. We treat his appeal as a petition for writ of certiorari. See Rule 9.190, Fla. R.App. P.; Anoll v. Pomerance, 363 So.2d 329 (Fla.1978).
. The City of Miami Beach Personnel Board was originally established by Ch. 18696, Laws of Florida (1937). It is a quasi-judicial body with the authority to review personnel actions, including the termination of employment. See Anoll v. Pomerance, supra note 1.
. Violation of the rule is an adequate ground for removal. Section 4, City Personnel Rule ' I.[R.6],
. Section 3(1), City Personnel Rule XI reads in pertinent part:
"A majority vote of those members present shall be required to deny an appeal. In the event of a tied vote, the appeal shall be upheld."
[R.12]
. See Anoll v. Pomerance, 363 So.2d at 331 ("[T]he judgment of the Board is contingent on the showing made at the hearing.")
. Deference is particularly given where the Board is acting in its field of expertise. See Humhosco, Inc. v. Department of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 476 So.2d 258 (Fla. 1st DCA 1985).
. See City of Deerfield Beach v. Vaillant, 419 So.2d 624 (Fla.1982).
. This does not preclude the City's legislative body from amending the Rules should it dislike the Personnel Board's interpretation thereof.