Did the Manager tell Council and the People to go Pound Sand ???
Video Clip from Jan, 22,2013 Council Meeting <–
Six Months later, we are still waiting for some type of action.
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10:18 AM
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As un-necessary as this may seem I believe the Mayor and Council need reminding of a promise they made to the people a mere 6 months ago that has gone un-fulfilled. Accordingly
Mayor and Council,
In the aftermath of the sweetheart retirement arrangement the former Manager made with his CFO each of you described that arrangement as personally odious and offensive to the people. Each of you swore to severely curtail the ability of subsequent Managers to ever again make any deals with departing personnel that are offensive to the people. HAVE YOU DONE SO ??
The answer is not only have you not done so, you have not even started that process. That is unacceptable as became crystal clear at the last Council meeting when the Manager told you and by extension the people to go pound sand. He would make whatever payment arrangements he chose with the departing HR Director EVEN IF SOME OR ALL OF THOSE SICK AND VACATION PAYMENTS WERE NOT AUTHORIZED BY ORDINANCE.
While we have heard plenty about responsibility and accountability I have seen precious little of anyone including yourselves being accountable or responsible for anything. It is nice that you-all take great notice of trash piles, broken fences and illegal garbage trucks but here is a news flash — we are paying employees to take care of those matters, all be it un-successfully.
What we are paying you all for is to represent the interests of the people, AND by that measure you each need to ask yourselves honestly if you are performing any better than our most lack luster employees. Let me single out Don and Drew for a simple question each.
Don, how much longer are you going to put up with a non responsive City Attorney on those matters you raised a month ago before you call for her removal ??
Drew, how much longer are you going to tolerate bullshit inaction from the Manager on the Council approved fire station repairs before you call for his removal ??
The Managers answer to a direct question at the last council meeting has placed the legal status of the sick and vacation buybacks in great doubt. That doubt needs to be resolved today — not next week or next year. WILL YOU FULFILL YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PEOPLE BY ENSURING THAT HAPPENS ???
It is disappointing and amazing that there is no one on the city council, and I include the city manager in my observation, who is ready to take the bull by its horn and turn the city government of Port Orange upside down on its head. That is needed, immediately. Nothing seems to have changed in Port Orange City government, and that includes numerous audits which are talked about and discussed, and promised to produce problem solving procedures, in the weeks, months, years ahead? Or never?
I guess it is up to Ted Noftall and other citizens like him to censure Mayor Green for not acting like a team member, and immediately inform the city council of the special financial deal, the city attorney, Mr.Parker, John Shelley and Mayor Green knew about, but of whom not one, —- not one of them walked over to the batter’s box, and like a true team member, informed the other city council members of what was imminent. The mayor said he did not want to exasperate the situation, and had been worrying about shooting himself in the foor, by acting wrongly. What a sorry excuse for not acting at all. And we come to the next question the city council members force us to ask: What the hell is going on, and why are city council members afraid to act decisively, forcefully and immediately. Again, a city manager is making money payments to retiring city workers, which as far as I can see, the authorization to do such has not been passed by the city council.
Is Parker, Green and LaCour still running this city? Who is? How is it, and why is it, that Ted Noftall looks like the shining light to straighten things out, and no one on the city council seems to be able to force the city government to change its ways.
Bob Ford complains and points out what is wrong, but I see no requests by him for immediate action. What I usually here from Bob Ford is something like this, “I would like the city council to look into this problem and come up with recomendations, because this is truly wrong”.
Every week when the city council meets, we should be hearing about a new procedure or process instituted to change the climate at city hall. There is enough to work on right now, as Ted Noftall outlines for them, and no need to wait for the endless series of audits, which may even go to audits auditing former audits. Or perhaps we should start a work shop and “work shop” the problems to death.
I for one would start on censuring Mayor Allen Green for not acting as a team player and informing the city council about the deal the Mayor knew was being put together by Ken Parker, John Shelley, with input from the city attorney.
People, have you ever seen such tactless planning where it seems that the city council can’t put anything to rest, and in fact brings forth new problems showing us how ineffectual the city council is? What in the world is going on, and which foot are they now afraid of shooting? Is there some kind of new world order in the back room, holding back the forceful arms of city council members?
Is this all about oil? Why can’t the city council show us that things are really changing in the Port Orange City government? Maybe this will all blow ove, if people like Ted would just stop clamoring for action and go away. If you wait long enough, “This Too Shall Pass!”
sincerely, hank springer