MONTGOMERY Ala.
The new president of Auburn University has hired a retired lobbyist whose contract with the Alabama Medicaid agency drew fire for avoiding legislative review and allowing her to collect a state pension while drawing state pay.
Sherri Fulford of Montgomery, who resigned the part-time Medicaid job after the complex contractual arrangement was disclosed by The Huntsville Times, has received a one-year, $120,000 appointment from Auburn President Jay Gogue to work as director of state government affairs.
Auburn spokesman Brian Keeter told the Huntsville paper Monday that Fulford will report to Gogue and that she will suspend collecting her $59,000 state pension.
“She will work closely with members of the state Legislature and other state elected officials,” said Keeter. “She’ll be leading Auburn’s initiative in Montgomery with state leaders.”
Fulford did not immediately return a call seeking comment Tuesday.
Auburn already pays a well-known Montgomery lobbying firm, Fine Geddie & Associates, well over $120,000 a year to lobby the Legislature on its behalf.
