Oops, sorry I forgot to sign (first time!) Dean E. Carlson Ward 10, East Harriet
----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thursday, September 8, 2005 8:18 am Subject: Re: [Mpls] when Rybak started to make me wonder > Sheesh, talk about the lowering the bar, what's next, complaints > that > RT's wearing of mismatch sox directly led to Daytons now being > owned by > an out of town firm? How about the time the Major illegally left > his > Hybrid running, it seemed like the crime rate started to creep up > right > after that, maybe it was a subtle hint that it was ok to be an > outlaw > in the city. > > I especially love the complaint about the budget. Here is a mayor > who > inherited a huge budget shortfall from a former mayor who didn't > want > to make hard budget decisions and a staff that was afraid to > confront > it. Couple that with a state government that literally turned its > back > on inner cities, plus having to govern in a post 9-11 world where > Cities were saddled with additional security needs but no > additional > funds to pay for them. He could have taken the path the former > mayor > did and stick his hands over his ears and say "la la la I'm not > listening." But instead he confronted the budget mess head on. > > Now he's facing an opponent full if happy bromides but won't give > us > his budget details. So excuse me if I'm a little nervous. But > don't > worry, I'll also watch his office hires, I'm sure that > receptionist > position will be his first order of business. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: wmmarks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Thursday, September 8, 2005 2:23 am > Subject: [Mpls] when Rybak started to make me wonder > > > After the last election, the winner of course moved to city > hall. He > had proclaimed that he was going to 'sweep city hall clean,' have > an > open door policy, and fix the budget. OK. Fine. Roll it out, let's > see > your act. > > > > Within a week or so he had removed the receptionist and some > other > low level clerks, installed his staff, sans any receptionist, and > had > moved the staff positions into higher wages than the positions had > carried under the previous administration. > > > > At that point he had broken all three of his intentions. The one > that > galled me the most was his failure to hire a receptionist. What it > told > me about Rybak was that he devalued the work of a receptionist, > thinking that job irrelevant. It completely contradicts the notion > of > an open door policy. The consequences are myriad and far reaching. > *Phone messages get lost, *visitors are greeted with confusion, > *having > an open door implies someone is home. Things don't happen in a > timely > fashion. In my estimation no office of any size over two > inhabitants > can operate without competent clerks. That also appears to have > been > the conclusion of every mayor preceding Rybak for a hundred years. > Then, of course, raising staff salaries for the remaining group > out of > the wages of a receptionist and a couple of clerks meant he could > shuffle money into the pockets of his supporters and out of the > picture > for running city hall well. Clerk positions are through civil > service > process and the contenders are not of the mayor's choosing > > > It was also dumb. The administration we have had as a > consequence has > religiously followed the path of not-quite-up-to-standard > throughout. > Rybak had the opportunity to hire people who could have improved > the > functioning of the city, but did not. Instance after instance when > he > could have made decisions for the city, all of which impacted the > budget to one degree or another, Rybak made less than sterling > decisions. A few bad decisions are to be expected. Nobody's > perfect. > But decision after decision? Over a period of 4 years? At some > point > one is forced to say that this guy ain't got his act together OR > follow the money and see where it takes you. > > > > Not a pretty picture. > > > > WizardMarks, Central > > REMINDERS: > > > REMINDERS: > 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e- > democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, > contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it > on the list. > > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e- > democracy.org/discuss.htmlFor external forums, see: http://e- > democracy.org/mninteract________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - > Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
