A CUNNING PAIR: NOVAK/CULLEN
Under the Mayor’s leadership the City Council has promoted the Deputy City Manager, Leslie Cullen, to the position of Interim City Manager. The manner in which she even obtained the position of Deputy smacks of cronyism. Ms Cullen has been an employee of the City since last July. Prior to then she was a consultant who took in $300,000 serving the former Manager through a series of contracts.
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In a posting and a letter to the editor last fall, I decried the organizational restructuring of municipal operations that saw the elimination of all departments as we know them. At a recent meeting, the Parks Board was so confused with the new structure that they asked their Council representative to try and find out who was their liaison with the staff. Or, who is in charge of parks? The new structure was devised by Ms Cullen while serving as a consultant.
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On July 6, 2005, the former Manager implemented Ms Cullen’s new organizational structure. The position of Deputy had been held by Karen Skifalides until July 1, 2005. Concerning the position of Deputy he stated, “I plan on trying something different in that the position will be filled on an interim basis by people that will be working on projects that will be short term in nature, but will involve the continued evolution of our organization for the future. People who fill the position will come from inside and outside of the organization, and will hold the position for a time that will be specified by a contract.”
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I can hear the Mayor and her oligarchy saying, enough of that, we want Leslie Cullen on staff. Ms Cullen began as Deputy on July 25th. Proof of that lies in the fact that the outgoing Manager recommended that Ms Cullen NOT be appointed as Interim Manager.
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Ms Cullen is an academic and global thinking expert that probably wouldn’t know the difference between a water and sewer line. After listening to her at the Council meeting of February 24th, she proved my point. I have been assured that she is very nice and pleasant to be around, unless you work for her, and that she is very good in her field; which isn’t municipal operations. I also have seen that she can talk you ear off and not miss one buzz word.
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In her own words she describes her qualifications as follows: “I have a proven track record in producing turnarounds that have caused substantial change. In working with Northglenn as a consultant, I became very connected to the Vision of the ‘New Northglenn’. I believe that I will be able to move this vision to reality as an internal with my other employee partners at an accelerated rate.” For more of her own comments and those of her sponsor, Mayor Novak, you should read the cover story in the February 23rd issue of the Sentinel. Yes, she has a law degree but has not practiced for years.
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Ms Cullen started her career as a registered nurse in 1980. In 1986 she received a law degree and worked for two firms until 1992. From 1992 to 1996, per her resume or 1997 per her application she was a partner in a firm that consulted with law firms in the area of strategic planning, organizational change, marketing and client relations. From 1997 to 2000 she worked as a consultant with a firm specializing in “large scale organizational change projects” for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.
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Now her work experience becomes somewhat confusing. Her resume and application states that from 2000 to 2004 she operated her own business, Collaborative Solutions, as a business strategy consultant. Her resume states that from 2003 to 2005 she also worked for Sirna Therapeutics as a Vice President in re-organizational activities but her application states that she was there from 2004 to 2005. At the same time, her application states that she was Vice President for Mines and Associates from 2003 to 2004 but the position doesn’t appear on her resume.
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It is obvious she has considerable experience in going into companies and selling them innovate packages of organizational modifications. I do not believe that she has the knowledge or experience to manage a city’s operations as Deputy Manager, Interim City Manager or Manager based on her resume, application and public statements. I can assure you that if the position of Deputy had been advertised in a professional city management newsletter, she would not have met the minimum qualifications necessary to even apply.
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And now for the saddest part. Mayor Novak and her oligarchy will do everything possible to make Ms Cullen our new, permanent Manager. They will go through a recruitment process for a Manager but it will be a dog and pony show for your benefit. Only you can ensure that a legitimate process will be conducted and a professional manager employed.
-
In a posting and a letter to the editor last fall, I decried the organizational restructuring of municipal operations that saw the elimination of all departments as we know them. At a recent meeting, the Parks Board was so confused with the new structure that they asked their Council representative to try and find out who was their liaison with the staff. Or, who is in charge of parks? The new structure was devised by Ms Cullen while serving as a consultant.
-
On July 6, 2005, the former Manager implemented Ms Cullen’s new organizational structure. The position of Deputy had been held by Karen Skifalides until July 1, 2005. Concerning the position of Deputy he stated, “I plan on trying something different in that the position will be filled on an interim basis by people that will be working on projects that will be short term in nature, but will involve the continued evolution of our organization for the future. People who fill the position will come from inside and outside of the organization, and will hold the position for a time that will be specified by a contract.”
-
I can hear the Mayor and her oligarchy saying, enough of that, we want Leslie Cullen on staff. Ms Cullen began as Deputy on July 25th. Proof of that lies in the fact that the outgoing Manager recommended that Ms Cullen NOT be appointed as Interim Manager.
-
Ms Cullen is an academic and global thinking expert that probably wouldn’t know the difference between a water and sewer line. After listening to her at the Council meeting of February 24th, she proved my point. I have been assured that she is very nice and pleasant to be around, unless you work for her, and that she is very good in her field; which isn’t municipal operations. I also have seen that she can talk you ear off and not miss one buzz word.
-
In her own words she describes her qualifications as follows: “I have a proven track record in producing turnarounds that have caused substantial change. In working with Northglenn as a consultant, I became very connected to the Vision of the ‘New Northglenn’. I believe that I will be able to move this vision to reality as an internal with my other employee partners at an accelerated rate.” For more of her own comments and those of her sponsor, Mayor Novak, you should read the cover story in the February 23rd issue of the Sentinel. Yes, she has a law degree but has not practiced for years.
-
Ms Cullen started her career as a registered nurse in 1980. In 1986 she received a law degree and worked for two firms until 1992. From 1992 to 1996, per her resume or 1997 per her application she was a partner in a firm that consulted with law firms in the area of strategic planning, organizational change, marketing and client relations. From 1997 to 2000 she worked as a consultant with a firm specializing in “large scale organizational change projects” for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.
-
Now her work experience becomes somewhat confusing. Her resume and application states that from 2000 to 2004 she operated her own business, Collaborative Solutions, as a business strategy consultant. Her resume states that from 2003 to 2005 she also worked for Sirna Therapeutics as a Vice President in re-organizational activities but her application states that she was there from 2004 to 2005. At the same time, her application states that she was Vice President for Mines and Associates from 2003 to 2004 but the position doesn’t appear on her resume.
-
It is obvious she has considerable experience in going into companies and selling them innovate packages of organizational modifications. I do not believe that she has the knowledge or experience to manage a city’s operations as Deputy Manager, Interim City Manager or Manager based on her resume, application and public statements. I can assure you that if the position of Deputy had been advertised in a professional city management newsletter, she would not have met the minimum qualifications necessary to even apply.
-
And now for the saddest part. Mayor Novak and her oligarchy will do everything possible to make Ms Cullen our new, permanent Manager. They will go through a recruitment process for a Manager but it will be a dog and pony show for your benefit. Only you can ensure that a legitimate process will be conducted and a professional manager employed.
posted by Gene Wieneke at
2:02 PM
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