What follows is a comment by someone called "dvelcro" on my blog which you all need to think about. This is a great example of the kind of thinking that is very contrary to the interests of the citizens of any town. We can't be certain who this person is but we can sure take this case of "attitude" as a cautionary tale as our Commissioners continue work on the Town Manager's contract.
Dear concerned,
The issue at hand appears to be paragraph 2, a new contract is being negotiated.
Except it's not. I don't see any negotiation here. "Manager, sell your house (at a loss) and move to 21660 or else ..." what? We'll find someone who will move here for the sake of an at-will position at a modest wage in a small town in a rural county in the isolated hinterland of the Bo-Wash sprawl? I'd say Ridgely is over a barrel unless the town can negotiate to get what it really wants.
Residency or ownership does not equal a sense of responsibility. How many investors who own property would just as easily accomodate shady developers because their interests are in increasing the value of their investment rather than the quality of their community?
Wasting the energy groaning over gas mileage is to me a distraction from the real concern: What are the traits and actions of a manager who takes seriously the interests and concerns of the citizens he/she serves? Who is going to talk seriously about what will make Ridgely a better place at the end of 5 years than it is today?
By the way this Blogger/Google set-up is buggy, it took half an hour for it to recognize my password to send this. I will not be posting again.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
You and your viewers have been getting way too much mileage out of a off-handed comment and it's time to just quit.
All I meant to say is look at a map: How many places within 100 miles is Ridgely competing with for a manager? If a competent manager has so many opportunities it's his market. Ridgely could get lucky and find a really committed individual who will readily relocate, but is it worth all the sturm und drang if things are going reasonably well with this one?
I stand by the bottom half: Is a resident manager really going to benifit the town that much more? How does that address the problems of failing businesses, capital investments and community character?
Again, dvelcro and others are MISSING THE POINT.
Our town manager SIGNED A CONTRACT that he would move to the 21660 area.
To decide after (or maybe he knew all along) that he doesnt' want to move is liken to FRAUD. A contract is binding.
What dvelcro is saying is, so what that he signed a contract that he didn't honor, he is doing an okay job, so just let it slide.
I fault the Commissioners for not enforcing the contract, thereby giving the impression that honesty, integrity, and trustworthyness doesnt' matter as long as we have someone for a town manager.
Thinking we HAVE to keep him because we don't want to be without a Town Manager gives him all the power and says we're okay with someone we can't trust, at least we have someone!
And the nominations for the Ethics Committee reinforces this attitude. One of the nominees made it quite clear at the Sept. Town Meeting that he also is okay that the Town Manager didn't honor his contract. What does that say for that nominee's and the Commissioners ethics? It is a joke!
Maybe the Commissioners, or some of the Commissioners are just a puppet for the Town Manager?
Unfortunately for Ridgely, the people will have to pay for this down the road.
There are no off handed comments, the intent is arrogance. If you think it's your market, PLEASE, feel free to take advantage of another town in the hinterlands of the BoWash area!!!
People hired under signed contracts are obviously bound to live up to those terms and agreements. Otherwise, why have a contract? If there ever appear extenuating circumstances which may require a new look at the contract, that should be done in a rational manner by both parties.
If a change is deemed appropriate, it is the responsibility of the employer (in this case the commissioners) to change or re-write the manager's contract. Furthermore, the commissioners are bound to keep the contract within the limits of our local ordinances and government structure. They cannot change the structure of our local government by giving status to someone above and beyond what is allowed, without the public's permission. Any member who does, should be removed as commissioner immediately.
I also think that when people are invited to comment on a blog, responses to the comments should be kept in the 'comments' section.
dvelcro
Here are SOME facts, I'll save some for another time.
1. Joe was not the only person that applied for the position.
2. All candiates were told upfront the move to town requirement.
3.Joe accepted (not forced)the terms of the contract.
4.Joe asked and was given more then the offered salary...so he could make the move.
5.One year later...more money so I can move...ok
6.Second year more money so I can move....and so on and so on....
And that's not the half of it.
Trust me!!
7.Accomplishments....I asked one of the commissioners this question and the answer was weak at best.
He started commettees??? He goes to meetings, grants-3 years in the making, get the picture, 50,000.00 maybe a year salary, hardly worth...
What's the managers salary now?
Is the town getting its monies worth??? If anyone can answer that one I am all ears.
Oh yes, lets not forget he now needs an assistant. Who is paying for that?
Ethics...
We had a town newspaper, towns people loved it. What happened to it, ask the town manager. OH, never mind we got one now...that would be City-State, Erik Mangini, Editor,(town managers son?). Who is printing it you ask? A local print shop. Where is that???Who is paying for this paper?
The Commissioners that participate or continue to allow this type of deception should step down or be impeached. They say they care about this town and they want to hear our concerns, they are here to serve the towns people. For years I hear from town residents the same thing...BIN THERE DONE THAT, THEY DON'T CARE, THEY DO WHAT THEY WANT! I'll continue to stand PROUD AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
RIDGELY ITS TIME TO SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, Ok, you are Americans, but you can not deny that the rest of the continent is American. America starts in Canada, and ends in Argentina. If I ask somebody which country is he/she from, and he/she tells me that he/she is American, I would like him/her to specify the country. If you do not like to be called "United Statians", I will call you "from USA", but please do not steal the name of a whole continent.
Post a Comment