Hatch-No Staff Increases On His Watch!
HATCH'S SPEECH IN MESA VERDE
Shortly after I finished writing the previous post about cocaine being found in Huy Pham's system - a tough one for me to compose - I discovered Joe Serna's piece in the Daily Pilot about Costa Mesa City CEO Tom Hatch's speech before the meeting of Mesa Verde Community, Inc. Wednesday evening. I confess I missed that meeting. Now I'm very sorry I did.
HATCH - "NEVER EXPAND THE STAFF"
According to Serna's coverage, HERE, Hatch pledged to the assembled group - including Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer and non-elected councilman Steve Mensinger - that as long as he's the leader of city he will not expand the municipal workforce. Apparently it is his plan to fill any necessary staffing requirements using contractors.
UGH!
Maybe it's because of the late hour or because I spent a lot of emotional energy on the previous entry - or a combination of both - but reading that comment just took the wind out of my sails.
NEVER SAY NEVER
Although I've been retired for a few years, I do know just a little about managing. One of the things I've learned from years managing groups large and small is that is usually a very bad idea to say you're NEVER going to do something in the future. We don't know what the future will bring, but what Hatch's comment has done is lock out an option that he may well find he needs down stream to effectively manage our city as it gets back on it's feet.
A BODY BLOW TO THE STAFF
Even more disappointing to me is the message it will send to the current city staff. It is a diminishing group, pummeled by events in our city for the past three months and Hatch's comment will likely be received like one more punch in the gut to those loyal workers who are trying hard to continue to do their jobs in these difficult times. This is a group that has seen their numbers reduced by 25% over the past couple years, and who have been asked - and have responded - to do more while receiving less salary. They have done more than requested to help the city balance the budget.
I DO UNDERSTAND...
I do understand the economics of our times. I do understand that we're having a difficult time balancing our budget - a fact exacerbated by the irrational demands of certain council members to cast aside employees so a pot hole can be filled. I do understand that Hatch - a man I like very much and who I feel is giving this job his very best under extraordinarily difficult circumstances - works for this city council and only has his job as long as they want him in that slot. I understand all that, but reading his comments tonight made me very disappointed in him.
"CHARACTER"
Perhaps the most ironic comment I read in Serna's article is that, when asked what characteristic he was looking for most in a department head Hatch's response was "character". He was quoted as saying he values that "more so than expertise or skills". I think it's ironic because some of the people he works for come up very short on that scale.
WHAT ABOUT THE REMAINING EMPLOYEES?
So, before I go hit the sack tonight, I find myself wondering just how the remaining loyal city staffers will feel when they read Hatch's comments in the Daily Pilot tomorrow. I suspect that many who had not received layoff notices within the past couple months and who had planned to hang in there and continue to do their jobs will now start to consider other options. I suspect they may be looking fo
r a new job - perhaps in a new city - where their contributions are acknowledged and appreciated. No one could blame them...
WHAT ABOUT FUTURE RESIDENTS?
And how will this position be perceived by potential future residents of our city? Will those "upwardly-mobile" young families that seem to be a highly sought-after commodity feel that such an inflexible position may result in diminished services provided by our city? Will they worry about there being enough police officers and firefighters to provide adequate public safety? Will they worry about our parks and streets being properly maintained? I think they might.
MORE BAD NEWS
H
atch's line in the sand is just one more dark cloud hanging over our city and it's just too darn bad for us all.
Shortly after I finished writing the previous post about cocaine being found in Huy Pham's system - a tough one for me to compose - I discovered Joe Serna's piece in the Daily Pilot about Costa Mesa City CEO Tom Hatch's speech before the meeting of Mesa Verde Community, Inc. Wednesday evening. I confess I missed that meeting. Now I'm very sorry I did.HATCH - "NEVER EXPAND THE STAFF"
According to Serna's coverage, HERE, Hatch pledged to the assembled group - including Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer and non-elected councilman Steve Mensinger - that as long as he's the leader of city he will not expand the municipal workforce. Apparently it is his plan to fill any necessary staffing requirements using contractors.
UGH!
Maybe it's because of the late hour or because I spent a lot of emotional energy on the previous entry - or a combination of both - but reading that comment just took the wind out of my sails.
NEVER SAY NEVER
Although I've been retired for a few years, I do know just a little about managing. One of the things I've learned from years managing groups large and small is that is usually a very bad idea to say you're NEVER going to do something in the future. We don't know what the future will bring, but what Hatch's comment has done is lock out an option that he may well find he needs down stream to effectively manage our city as it gets back on it's feet.
A BODY BLOW TO THE STAFF
Even more disappointing to me is the message it will send to the current city staff. It is a diminishing group, pummeled by events in our city for the past three months and Hatch's comment will likely be received like one more punch in the gut to those loyal workers who are trying hard to continue to do their jobs in these difficult times. This is a group that has seen their numbers reduced by 25% over the past couple years, and who have been asked - and have responded - to do more while receiving less salary. They have done more than requested to help the city balance the budget.I DO UNDERSTAND...
I do understand the economics of our times. I do understand that we're having a difficult time balancing our budget - a fact exacerbated by the irrational demands of certain council members to cast aside employees so a pot hole can be filled. I do understand that Hatch - a man I like very much and who I feel is giving this job his very best under extraordinarily difficult circumstances - works for this city council and only has his job as long as they want him in that slot. I understand all that, but reading his comments tonight made me very disappointed in him.
"CHARACTER"
Perhaps the most ironic comment I read in Serna's article is that, when asked what characteristic he was looking for most in a department head Hatch's response was "character". He was quoted as saying he values that "more so than expertise or skills". I think it's ironic because some of the people he works for come up very short on that scale.
WHAT ABOUT THE REMAINING EMPLOYEES?
So, before I go hit the sack tonight, I find myself wondering just how the remaining loyal city staffers will feel when they read Hatch's comments in the Daily Pilot tomorrow. I suspect that many who had not received layoff notices within the past couple months and who had planned to hang in there and continue to do their jobs will now start to consider other options. I suspect they may be looking fo
r a new job - perhaps in a new city - where their contributions are acknowledged and appreciated. No one could blame them...WHAT ABOUT FUTURE RESIDENTS?
And how will this position be perceived by potential future residents of our city? Will those "upwardly-mobile" young families that seem to be a highly sought-after commodity feel that such an inflexible position may result in diminished services provided by our city? Will they worry about there being enough police officers and firefighters to provide adequate public safety? Will they worry about our parks and streets being properly maintained? I think they might.
MORE BAD NEWS
H
atch's line in the sand is just one more dark cloud hanging over our city and it's just too darn bad for us all.Labels: City of Costa Mesa, Tom Hatch
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 5/27/2011 12:01:00 AM
47 Comments:
Hatch agreed to work for no character bosses. He acts as their "HatchET" man. He is a YES man to his masters. If he is such a talented CEO and man of character he could choose to work for someone with the same qualities. He didn't. Street walkers have more character.
BC, do you think questions about possible drug use at City Hall are fair game or simply salacious? To me it's a balancing act, the residents deserve and need to know if we have a drug use culture among our City workers, but at the same time it's somewhat irrelevant to the bigger picture and tends to potentially generalize all of our employees, which is not right. Maybe the answer lies somewhere in the middle. I'm interested in the other bloggers take.
Geoff, you are correct about the "never say never." It's a nice sound bite but not a responsible way to manage. Stuff happens - always does. So, this settles the Lobdell question: If there is a hiring freeze, he will not be hired when his interim status is up soon, right?
lets go county, at least there is a chance of a representation of leadership. Sherrifs,fire and city goverment would be out sourced. Home values would go up. hatch is riggys and menacings barking dog.
For those that want a different perspective, check out this new blog-- The Republic of Costa Mesa.
If you know Will Swaim, you know he isn't bought or paid for the by GOP, the DNC, the unions or our Councilmembers. I expect more hard-hitting stuff fom him.
republicofcostamesa.com
Really Barry? A drug use culture? One guy pops positive post mortem, and the residents "deserve and need to know"? That's the problem with our country today. We have this "I have a right to know" mentality. Guess what, you don't. I don't care if these people are public employees, paid by public monies. The only thing we have a right to know, is; what are we spending to pay them. That's it. Because they are public employees, does not make them public property. If they are using. and they get arrested, public record, very simple. if it is affecting their work habits, and they get fred for it, personnel matter and therefore confidential.
Let's get over ourselves and this I pay your salary BS. It's arrogance at its worst and a covert way of saying "I own you".
I can't help thinking of the recently-replaced City Attorney. She had character. Enough character and ethics and professionalism that she told the Council the truth - something they didn't want to hear. Now where is she? Replaced by someone who tells the Council what they want to hear. I can't prove cause and effect, but the coincidence is hard to ignore. I vote for character. Let's exhibit some.
I have to agree with Valentine. Character. To demonize employees shows the lack of character and a smear campaign at best. The City of Costa Mesa employees work hard with city services their number one priority. Employees have families, lives, and careers and this constant bashing is not credible nor is it warranted. All employees are subject to finger printing/criminal back ground checks prior to hire; however, paid consultants are not subject to any criminal background test. FYI.
Ok.....I bit at the bait......The Republic of Costa Mesa?
I knew I was in for it when the tag line stated that the little blog calls itself "The Only Newspaper in Costa Mesa".
It rapidly went downhill from there.....don't waste your time.
Mark, not true at all. If the employees are performing important tasks that puts them in contact with the general public, drug testing should be done. I'm sure it's done for our fire and PD, right? What about inspectors, public maintenance folks, park rangers? Anyone who comes into contact with the public should be tested. I don't want someone inspecting my home addition that is on drugs. That puts my family in danger.
Angel Montoya: I won't be reading Swaim. As far as I'm concerned, he's just an opportunist piling on Costa Mesa. Where has he been this whole time?... Mismanaging his failed newspaper venture in Long Beach. Now that that's gone, he's going after the low-hanging fruit. I'll start reading him when I see him at council or PC meetings or when he starts volunteering around town. Until then, he's a carpetbagger, even if he lives here.
Mark: Nothing covert about the "I own you" from my perspective. If I'm paying you a wage, I expect to "own you" during the time you work for me. You will do what I say as long as it is moral/ethical, legal and within the job description. You get your breaks, lunch, vacation, etc., but other than that, yep, I own you. Doesn't mean I won't appreciate the work you do, but don't expect "attaboys" every day. You're paid to do a job, but you are not a slave: If you don't like the terms, you are free to leave, same as in the private sector. And even if you do like it, you are free to leave.
Hey Barry- so all employees are drug offenders bc one employee had cocaine in his system? Are all City Council Members drunks just because Mayor Monahan is? Should we have our PD perform sobreity testing before each council meeting? I wouldn't want a City Council member making decisions regarding my city under the influence of drugs or alchohol either. I mean Mayor Gary Monahana owns a bar...
Barry, there's a difference between random testing and removal of an employee for that reason and the public's "need to know". The city can test and remove someone with cause. You just don't have a right to know about it. To follow your logic, anyone who comes into contact with the public and has potential liability for the public's safety should be tested for drug use and the public is privvy to that information. So, I suppose a ride operator at Disneyland should be tested and we as the public, who will board said ride and be hurled through space have a right to know. We don't.
The "Republic of Costa Mesa" was a great read. Will Swaim deserves some kudos.
It looks like the wheels are about to come of the union's cart. Stay tuned.
Congratulation Mr Hatch- YOU ARE NOW LIABLE .....
Hatch is some piece of work. Sometimes I wonder how he can drive a car or use an elevator with all his strings attached to the puppeteers ( Riggy and Mensinger)
"I won't hire while he is CEO?"
That is the most idiotic statement a CITY MANAGER CAN SAY, WHEN YOU RUN A CITY.
He needs to be reminded that with layoffs and employees fleeing this sinking ship, that the people left are working their butts off just to make the city run. They are doing twice the work, and being forced to put in more hours just to maintain the city.
OVER STRESSING AND OVER WORKING PEOPLE IN THIS HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT. Hatch should be named, along with Riggy and Mensinger (throw in Bever and Monahan) in any work group lawsuit.
In some documented cases Hatch is forcing people to work 80hr work weeks..... THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE !! and shameful.
But don't worry, I am sure at the end of the year, after the employees of Costa Mesa collapse from overwork and from everything else..... Hatch, Riggy and Mensinger will POST THE EMPLOYEES HUGE, INFLATED SALARIES IN THE PAPER.... not explaining that they are FORCING PEOPLE TO WORK ALL THOSE HOURS.
Angel Montoya: So after a failed attempt at a newspaper in Long Beach, Will Swaim decides to pile on Costa Mesa with a "me too" blog. Nothing like picking the low-hanging fruit. Don't count on him to attend council or PC meetings or volunteer to serve on any commissions - that takes work and commitment to improving the city. He is a carpetbagger, even if he lives here, and he is too late to the party.
Serious question- Has the council done "anything" to better Costa Mesa since being elected?
All they have done is rip the city apart. Destroy any loyalty from its workers but at the same time COST THE CITY MORE MONEY!!
They haven't created any new revenues, they have caused lawsuits, created need for more personal security, Hired a ton of friends.... ah, I mean "consultants" (over $300k so far), hired a "spin doctor" PR guy ( at more money then the state pays), had the city pay for a few meals, got jewel encrusted badges, added two days of cleanup on July 4th weekend and even created the need for new letterhead ( thank Mr CEO / City Manager / or whatever else you want to call yourself)
And for what? NOTHING, ZERO, ZILCH !!!!
Oh yeah, Righeimer and his cronies are gaining GOP points. That sounds like a great trade off.
God, these knuckleheads have to go. Mensinger needs to chest bump the door so it doesnt hit him in the ass on the way out and Righeimer needs to take his balding, pot-belly butt back the the GOP headquarters. I'd say the same about Bever but the idiot is never here anyway. ( Care to refund some of your $45,000 compensation sir? for work never provided)
"Recall Riggy and Mensinger"- overworked, are you kidding me. I just tried calling City Hall, everyone is gone. They're always gone on Fridays. The dirty secret came out that people were working flex schedules, taking every other Friday off. The public services field guys were working 4-10's and taking EVERY Friday off. Thankfully, Hatch is stopping that. Have you ever been to City Hall after 5 p.m.? It is a GHOST TOWN. Everyone leaves for South County right at 5.
No one is overworked at City Hall, I GUARANTEE YOU THAT! Geez, what a silly statement.
Geoff,On a completely diff subject, CMSD is having a Special Meeting on June 2 to discuss CMSD HQ Remodeling. One of the Board of Directors, guess who, wants a dais built! really!!?
Anonymous, not talking about if you are "my boss". You seem to be speaking from a boss perspective, not a taxpayer perspective. No you do not own a public employee, they will not do what you say when you say, just because you are a taxpayer. As for the police, they will act within the scope of their duties, within the constitution and they will do what needs to be done based on that and that alone. Your input as a y\taxpayer is moot. You need a service, you pay a taxes to get thet service, they provide it. Your relationship ends there. Get over yourself.
Boeing just sent 60 day notices to a bunch of employees in Irvine. Where is the recall campaign? Where is the tv ad campaign, or the lawsuit? Someone please explain to me why in the private sector layoffs are okay and commonplace but somehow if it's government employees it's the end of the world. You are somehow off-limits in this recession. This sense of entitlement is what makes me the most upset in all of this. Just act like every other employee in America. If you lose your job, get another one. We have to go through it, why are you so different?
Yeah, I visited the "Republic of Costa Mesa" site... too early to tell if this is actually going to be a valuable place to visit or not. The links are left-leaning, which is OK with me. We tolerate almost everybody here. Clearly, the posts show some of the OC Weekly heritage, also OK with me. I'm not going to post a link to it - yet.
Barry, although you're welcome to post here, please try to educate yourself to save some embarrassment. City Hall is thinly staffed on Fridays because of their 9/80 schedules that some follow. They work 9 days over two weeks for a total of 80 hours. 8 days at 9 hours and the 9th at 8. Most of the time they schedule that day off on Fridays. That being said, I realize that facts don't really matter to you, but I thought I'd provide some anyhow.
FINALLY - on the subject of Anonymous postings.. I've been trying not to be a tyrant about it, cutting slack on those too lazy to pick a pen name. But, it's gotten out of hand again so, once again - NO MORE posts by Anonymous will be entered. This is just not hard to resolve, for goodness sake! Pick a name!!!
Geoff: Just curious... What is the difference between picking a name and posting anonymously???
I'm done with ti all. Hatch is no better than the other four. It is time for me to sell and move out of this City before I cant get a dime for my house as Insurance ratings go sky rocketed. Hell sell City Hall and outsource the Council and CEO/$hity Manager or what ever you want to call yourself you pathetic losers.....
With multiple "Anonymous" posters it's impossible to follow the conversation. Picking a name is easy and I encourage "discussion" of the issues at hand. So, even though all you who use fictitious names are actually anonymous, at least you can be addressed and engaged. If everybody posting here used "Anonymous" it would be like the tower of Babel! It gets that way sometimes anyhow. :-)
So when the PD is cut back to 120 as a part of their "right sizing" program and then many of the rest start leaving for a better place to work (they already are), they aren't going to hire anybody?
I guess it will eventually get down to where the OCSD will have to be called afterall.
Better start investing is security doors and windows.
Barry and Phil the reason you are so mad is not a result of your perceived view of public workers, it is because even after all this time you still fail to understand what the problem is in the first place. That would make me very angry too.
I have to agree to the "Hostile Work Environment." Can't wait to see the first lawsuits start rolling in..
Services- go down
Consultant fees - go up
City in the red- 100%
PS, re your request for a pseudonym other than "Anonymous:"
Thanks for providing a good excuse to quote Dr. Samuel Johnson from 1777: "Depend upon it, Sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully."
Ah! but what does this have to do with pseudonyms? I mention it to help support your call for posters to use individual names.
I'm at one end of the "name" spectrum; I always use my real name whenever I post anything (even though I am sometimes mightily tempted to get out the cudgel and anonymously brain some deserving writer). Being a man of few words, I want them to accomplish a lot. (Efficiency and all that.) I use the spirit of Dr. Johnson's comment to remind me of how crummy I would feel "in a fortnight" if someone
discovered that I had written an intemperate, anonymous post. However, that's just me.
On the other hand, I value the other extreme of the spectrum, and everything in between. These freely given comments are vital to the life of a community. It's important for people to be able to banter and gossip over what's going on in their town.
So much of public discourse nowadays is stripped of content so as to not offend anyone. This makes it easy for politicians to get away with Orwellians such as "War is peace," and "Ignorance is strength." It's so refreshing to read postings to blogs, because they are all heartfelt and unencumbered by concerns about political correctness.
In this way-too-modern life, we don't have arguments around the cracker barrel any more, and few discussions over the backyard fence. The Pilot and Register can't possibly publish enough letters to get the job done. Fortunately, blogs like yours
provide a virtual "cracker barrel."
Your point about needing names to help follow the threads is well taken. A useful improvement might be to number postings in their order of publication. This might help with replies to comments when there are a lot of postings and individuals post more than one comment.
http://voiceofoc.org/countywide/this_just_in/article_decb3c42-88b7-11e0-9295-001cc4c03286.html
Chief not convinced Huy Pham had cocaine in his system the day he jumped to his death from City Hall.
you're wrong, duh -
What is the problem?
Geoff, I'm convinced you need to educate yourself on the definition of "left leaning".
At the risk of insulting you, Geoff West is well known to be the most left leaning person in all of Orange County.
Phil, your ignorance is showing. Perhaps you should educate youself as to what the crux of the problem is. It's not the actual lay offs themselves.
I will address your ignorant question about Boeing first. Who would the employees of said private company recall? Can they lay off 60 employees of it's 160,500 employees? Absolutely. I am certain they did their due dilligence and cost analysis and either decided that the 60 jobs locally could be cut completely or absorbed by combining jobs etc.
The issue in Costa Mesa is this: was the due dilligence done prior to the decision to lay off employees? Answer: no. Will the outsourcing actually save money over the long term? Answer: Unknown. The owner's manual to my Cuisinart was thicker and had more actual content than the staff report on the lay offs.
If the jobs the employees are currently filling are to remain on the books, is it ethical to lay off the employees, in hopes you can find another set of employees to do the same job, cheaper? Is it ethical to lay off your employees for (hopefully) "cheaper" employees when you have failed to approach your current employees with actual ideas and numbers in terms of concessions to save the current employees?
So, in summary, 60 employees out of some 160,000 (Boeing), vs. 213 of some 400 employees (Costa Mesa). Due dilligence, cost analysis. That's the high points. You will have to further educate yourself. I can't do your thinking for you, although you seem to like to let Riggy and Menses do it fo you.
Jack Dawson, you would be wise to post anonymously in the future. Why? Because it's unbelievably obvious that it is YOU who fails to understand the consternation of both the city council, and the taxpayers, with regard to the city budget dilemma. Now we all know that you failed to educate yourself on the problem at hand. The problem really IS the actual layoffs themselves.
For instance, if due diligence and cost analysis were done first, it would take 6 months to analyze the problem, and another 6 months to lay the employees off.
If a newly elected city council were to waste a whole year deciding upon which employees should bite the dust, chances are the city would be in bankruptcy by then. Our council members had no choice but to take whatever shortcut they could in order to speed up the process. I understand completely why they've done what they've done. It was the only option they had. They need to be commended for their action, NOT vilified.
Women are famous (worldwide) for multi-tasking; the council simply took a page from their playbook. At the end of 6 months (instead of 12 months) the council should be able to decide who gets laid off, and who doesn't (and each will have been properly notified). If ever efficiency was necessary, this was the time, the place and the issue. Nobody ever said that all of the employees will be laid off. It's entirely possible that none of them will be laid off, or only a few.
Employees in the private sector get no such courtesy. Instead of appreciating their layoff notices, our city employees have now decided to whine about them. Their inability to face reality tells me they are a spoiled bunch, consequently I feel no sorrow over their plight. They have pretty much told us taxpayers that they are entitled to their jobs, and for some reason, that really ticks me off. I guess it's because there are so many jobless taxpayers struggling to pay their property taxes in this tough economy right now.
By the way, don't shoot the messenger Jack. It's not my fault that you didn't "get it". Also, since I'm "assuming" the employees are the ones who wanted those 6 month notices in the first place, the damage for same must be laid at their feet.
Personally, I think you owe Phil an apology. I don't make it a habit of sticking up for other bloggers, but you were so far over the line with your remarks that I felt I had to say something. Sorry about that.
Just a question regarding the drug testing - will the contractors to whom city services are outsourced be drug tested? They will be in contact with the public just as the employees are who watches them? Who monitors the tests? Is the requirement for testing listed in their contracts? I am sure the terms of the contracts are public records. Let's level the playing field.
Really bankrupt? The city was never in danger of going bankrupt, that is until this council started making decisions. Seriously, a high school kid in an econ class could make better decisions than this band of clowns. This budget crisis is seriously a wag the dog event.
Children Have More IQ (NOT):
The threat of bankruptcy didn't loom over the city until that vote that Wendy Leece blew off. She, alone, is the cause of the grief we are having to deal with today (including the suicide of Huy Pham). It was HER vote that triggered a potential disaster.
If Costa Mesa ever has to declare bankruptcy, you have only Wendy to blame. I am so sorry I ever voted for her. I will never do so again.
Not So, you do realize that Monahan ALSO voted for the contract extensions, don't you? It was the right thing to do at the time.
Pot Stirrer, I realize other people voted as Wendy did, but if you will remember, when it came time for Wendy to vote, she knew full well her vote would be the deciding factor, she had plenty of time to think about what she was about to do, and yet she willingly threw the city into turmoil by her own hand, no one else's. You cannot, in good conscience, blame anyone else.
Sorry, but this entire fiasco belongs to Wendy alone. If she loved the whole of Costa Mesa more than a privileged few fanatics, she would not have voted so irresponsibly.
I don't know how anyone could have failed to see this train coming down the tracks after that vote.
Not So, so no culpability to Monahan or Foley, huh? What a hack you are. What has thrown this city into turmoil is the reluctance of many councils over the years to heed warnings from it's employees that it's methods of revenue collection were suspect (see figures printed on this blog, the Daily Pilot and the most recent CC meeting as to how CM compares to other cities). CM does not pay their employees better than fully 1/3 of the cities in this county. Yet, no other city is on the verge of collapse like CM allegedly is. Once again, your council has proposed new and more spending for next year. Why not blame them for any alleged deficit. Oh that's right, politics all the way. Thanks for showing your colors.
Wyatt Earp is correct. Previous council's have, for years, ignored the best professional advice of their city management - specifically in the person of retired City Manager Allan Roeder. He told them year after year - I can still hear the words ringing in my head - that "the use of Fund Balance to balance the budget was not a strategy, it was the consequence of not making the difficult decisions."
Failure to consider increasing funding sources - TOT and Business Licenses, just for two - until it was too late contributed to our current dismal fiscal condition.
This does not excuse the heavy-handed approach the current council is taking - making the outsourcing decisions BEFORE ANY analysis had been done. Or failure to reach out to bargaining units to see if they're willing to, once again, meet and confer to discuss possible concessions that might save jobs and also help balance the budget.
TPS, I can tell you without reservation every unit is willing to listen to the city, but not without the city taking action on some of these revenue issues. The attitude is why give up more when the city continues to ignore advice to reconsider revenue streams? Further, the employees have given many ideas over the past three years on how to save money and/or increase revenue, all falling on deaf ears. The cops made a 26 point proposal to the city last year that was completely ignored. This proposal would have saved more money for the city over a longer period of time than what the city, Monahan, Foley and Leece, voted in favor of. How in the world is that solely Leece's fault is laughable. I am almost shocked anyone had the guts to actually post that. But, after what the foolish four have done the past six months nothing shocks anymore.
Wyatt Earp - I hate to break it to you but the SOLE reason the city of Costa Mesa is in a bind is because it's employees have been, and continue to be, grossly overpaid. People of your ilk just want to stick to whomever they can, just to put even more money in the pockets of those overpaid employees. It's akin to bank robbery or embezzlement, and a case of our cops literally robbing every homeowner in the city. Residents have lost all respect for the safety personnel in this city.
And Pot Stirrer, I agree, the Fund Balance should not have been dipped into in the past, but when you have cops putting a gun to your head the money has to come from somewhere. Raising the TOT and sales tax to cover exorbitant salaries is absolutely INSANE. That's the very reason Costa Mesa needs to be run like a business, where nobody is "entitled" to anything. Our merchants, tourists and shoppers need to be treated with more respect. They don't like to be robbed and panhandled any more than the residents and taxpayers do.
I think you will be surprised at the uprising by the taxpayers because we have had it with all of you. We tried to give you a message when we elected our current city council. If any attempt is made to recall those council members, we will give you another message. I feel certain that such an effort will result in the unceremonious dumping of ALL the city employees. Be careful what you wish for.
This push for even more money for the city employees sounds like what happened in the city of Bell. When will it stop, --- when each employee banks 2 million dollars or more a month? I seriously doubt it.
Get Real, nice try. No one has put a gun to anyone's head and your employees get paid less than fully 1/3 of the cities in OC. If you can't see that your city has been asleep at the wheel for decades with regard to the TOT and other revenues than make sure you smile at your reflection in the bottom of your glass of Kool-Aid.
You think he sheriff's can deliver the same or better service? Think again. The same or slightly less service will cost you more as the deputies earn more (OCSD knows they would have to hire around 2/3 of CMPD to do their job, translation=a raise for those cops). Everyone hates OCSD service, slow response times, shared service, etc. I dare you. Actually, I triple dog dare you to go to OCSD with the crime issues CM has. Just don't complain about it later.
Get real, That whole "overpaid employee" thing is getting really old and I hate to burst your sad little bubble but to compare Costa Mesa employees to Bell is idiotic to put it mildly. It was a corrupt council and city manager that were making millions, not the average employees you seem to hate for some reason. Oh wait... a corrupt council and city manager, hmmmm...I guess comparing Costa Mesa to Bell is a fair comparison
Note to just the facts mam:
Nice try, but I'm not going to tear open a nine year old wound, even though it does demonstrate the hyprocrisy at play in Mesa North.
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