Council Shirks Budget Responsibility
The City Council recently authorized the commencement of the formal budget adoption process. They listened to the presentations over the last few months and authorized the staff to prepare the formal papers. In late November or early December a public hearing will be held on the adoption ordinance. The first reading will occur most likely latter this month.
Many members of the Council are not comfortable with the budget but they know that, with a new manager to be under contract this Thursday, changes will be likely after he arrives. Oh, by the way, the new manager is A. J. Krieger. The Mayor released the information at her Monday coffee even thought all nine members of the Council agreed in Executive Session not to make any public comments until the negotiations were completed and a contract signed.
The budget as proposed is an instrument fraught with “gimmes” wanted by the staff before AJ’s arrival. Because of the overhead costs related to the gimmes, there is once again an absence of major maintenance and capital improvement projects. I will be commenting on the gimmes in a few postings starting today and continuing during the next few weeks.
Terence Quinn reestablished the Community Development Department that Leslie Cullen and Phil Nelson abolished last year. You may remember my earlier posting concerning the number of people in the area as compared to the CD Department that existed in previous years. In 2001 there were four individuals. This year Terence increased it to five plus a contract employee. For next year he wants nine full-time, one part-time and one contract employee. If Terrence knew how to do rather than direct, even he would not be requesting new worker bees. Gimme a kingdom!
“Heavens to Betsy” we must be either a rapidly expanding city or one that needs to be “redeveloped”. With all the development that occurred in the late nineties through the efforts of four, what does Terrence have in store for us with eleven City employees? And, get this; I’m not counting the employees in the already enlarged Building Department. The very sad part in all of this is that our Council members did not ask why or say no to one single thing Terence or the staff wanted.
I will be saying this over and over again so please keep it in mind now and in the year to come. “The budget is an unscrutinized compilation of unadulterated staff requests.” The requests were not analyzed by a City Manager or our elected representatives. AJ has a tough, important job on his arrival. At least most of our Council members recognize the budget document for what it is and will be wide open to his suggested modifications.
Knowing staffs as I do, they are already making contingency plans to implement their requests. In fact, upon Council approval they will be taking concrete steps to assure their bennies immediately. For example, they will be advertising and interviewing for all the new positions before the ordinance goes into effect. They know if they can get a person hired on paper before AJ appears, there is no going back. Don’t let it happen!
Many members of the Council are not comfortable with the budget but they know that, with a new manager to be under contract this Thursday, changes will be likely after he arrives. Oh, by the way, the new manager is A. J. Krieger. The Mayor released the information at her Monday coffee even thought all nine members of the Council agreed in Executive Session not to make any public comments until the negotiations were completed and a contract signed.
The budget as proposed is an instrument fraught with “gimmes” wanted by the staff before AJ’s arrival. Because of the overhead costs related to the gimmes, there is once again an absence of major maintenance and capital improvement projects. I will be commenting on the gimmes in a few postings starting today and continuing during the next few weeks.
Terence Quinn reestablished the Community Development Department that Leslie Cullen and Phil Nelson abolished last year. You may remember my earlier posting concerning the number of people in the area as compared to the CD Department that existed in previous years. In 2001 there were four individuals. This year Terence increased it to five plus a contract employee. For next year he wants nine full-time, one part-time and one contract employee. If Terrence knew how to do rather than direct, even he would not be requesting new worker bees. Gimme a kingdom!
“Heavens to Betsy” we must be either a rapidly expanding city or one that needs to be “redeveloped”. With all the development that occurred in the late nineties through the efforts of four, what does Terrence have in store for us with eleven City employees? And, get this; I’m not counting the employees in the already enlarged Building Department. The very sad part in all of this is that our Council members did not ask why or say no to one single thing Terence or the staff wanted.
I will be saying this over and over again so please keep it in mind now and in the year to come. “The budget is an unscrutinized compilation of unadulterated staff requests.” The requests were not analyzed by a City Manager or our elected representatives. AJ has a tough, important job on his arrival. At least most of our Council members recognize the budget document for what it is and will be wide open to his suggested modifications.
Knowing staffs as I do, they are already making contingency plans to implement their requests. In fact, upon Council approval they will be taking concrete steps to assure their bennies immediately. For example, they will be advertising and interviewing for all the new positions before the ordinance goes into effect. They know if they can get a person hired on paper before AJ appears, there is no going back. Don’t let it happen!
posted by Gene Wieneke at
1:04 PM
7 Comments:
Mr. Weineke-
I would like to take some time this evening to respond to your comments. I take some issue with the fact that I am trying to build a Community Development empire here at the city. I can only explain my proposed staff structure based on the resources I was aware of and inherited in November of 2005 (my start date).
I will explain the best I can to you and the citizens of Northglenn who read your blog about my proposed department structure. I will use the staff position titles of last year and where they were located within the city hierarchy.
This is what we started with in 2006-
Planning Tech
Administrative Assistant
Special Projects
City Planner
Planner (Part Time)
Grants Administrator
Center Manager
Contract Developer
Contract Planner
Contract EcoDevo Spec.
Intern Architect
As you are aware, based on your past publications, I was allowed a contract planner when then "Community Vitality" was to run Planning Commission, the BOA, and DRC. I believe we are handling these and the day-to-day activities very well.
Furthermore, I have not asked for any new contract employees. But, I am inheriting contract development and economic development specialists from the City Managers office. I am adding them to 2006 and 2007 for comparison purposes. These positions have been added to my Division and payroll.
I would like to show what I am proposing for 2007 below.
Department Manager
Senior Planner
Planner
Admin Assistant
Planning Technician
Planner (Part Time)
Contract Developer
Contract Eco Specialist
Architect
Housing& Grants
I think you will find that I am actually proposing to do everything with less people than with more. My proposed 2007 staff will consist of 10 individuals, not 11, as in 2006.
I was trying to fill the vacant position in 2007, but I believe council is not excited about allocating the resources to Community Development. Rather I think they would like the resources to go for road maintenance and parks staffing needs.
I believe some of the misunderstanding may come from the fact that we are trying to reassign staff in ways that make more sense while allowing us to expand our responsibilities. We have had many people leave city employment which allows me to reconfigure staff so we can better form a Community Development Department.
I hope this explains where I am coming from a little better while shining some light on our situation. I also know I will be unable to change your mind about my abilities in the near future, but over time I believe you will see I can do the job...and do it well.
You can always contact me directly if you wish to discuss this matter further.
Terence T. Quinn
Community Development Manager
By
Anonymous, at 6:51 PM
In preparing the posting I used the chart prepared for and given to the Council. It has eleven positions of which Terence is one. I have now learned from other sources that he as withdrawn on full-time position from his request.
In kingdom building the object is to increase the number of subjects by bringing others under your rule and hiring new. Terence was hired to be the city planner. After a few months he successfully convinced his old boss to hire another planner who happened to be a very old friend.
Travis was a full-time contract employee hired, per the contract, to do Terence’s mundane duties. Since Terence moved up to be the manager, his friend has now become a full-time regular employee. Earlier this year Terence felt he also needed to have an administrative assistant to do his “secretarial” duties. As can be expected, neither of the positions was budgeted. As a refresher, check out two of the postings from last March but substitute Terence as the new Director.
During the departmental budget presentations the staff, Terence included, compared their 2007 personnel requests to existing personnel. It would have been honest to have compared their requests to the number of positions approved by the Council. Terence’s area is overstaffed already as are the other departments located in city hall.
I compliment Terence for identifying himself in the comment unlike those from other members of the staff
By
Gene Wieneke, at 11:33 AM
Mr. Weineke -
Your sources of information should have told you I have withdrawn "2" full time positions from my proposed 2007 staff. Further, the resources allocated to those staff positions are resources from staff members who have left the city. So, in effect I was budget neutral (no increase). Now, I am actually turning staff resources back to the city. I think only positive things will come from this action.
I also think it is honest to say I am comparing staff resource allocations in the budget. However, I do see your point about making a comparison on the number of positions. But not honest? I don't think so.
Further, contract staff was added in the past to help with the operation of the departments expanding responsibilities. Previous to my arrival, many duties usually undertaken by the planning department were being undertaken by other staff members. It became my responsibility to take them back and perform them. I am sorry these duties seem mundane, but in fact they are far from it.
Your sources were also wrong in assuming any current staff members and I are "old friends". I may have worked with them in the past, but that makes us colleagues not old friends.
Also, I convinced no one that we needed to hire a contract planner. Past administrators thought it was a good idea. But I have to admit, it was good to have the help to meet our expanding obligations. More work meant the need for more staff.
Our new administrator staff member is meant to fill a vacant position - it was not new. Further, this person is not undertaking "secretarial" duties. Rather, they are organizing our land filing system which was decimated in previous years (I think your sources will back me on that one), developing new processes to help streamline the development review process, act as clerk for our boards and commissions, and to provide research assistance on the city ordinance. We have experienced very positive results from their efforts; I am pleased that this staff person is here.
The fact remains, we currently have 10 staff members, with the loss of a past planner, and I am proposing to hold 10 staff members next year.
I want Northglenn citizens to know I did request more staff based on what I thought I would need to undertake all of the city's planning business, but through our staff budget process we all needed to cut back. I have made cuts to ensure the city can accomplish what it feels is important. I still believe we are on the right track.
Lastly, I hope you will consider refraining from the intense name calling that has been a regular occurrence on this blog. Many staff members have careers and families to think about. It degrades staff credibility and self worth. It is difficult to function when name calling is mixed with personal opinions and half truths.
I do like how you refrain from using people’s names (most of the time) when you are questioning their abilities or making comments on their personal lives. I would encourage you to continue that practice. You see, people may wish to look a staff member up on the internet, and when they do, your hurtful comments and opinions pop right up. I hope the citizens of Northglenn will also encourage you to stop the name calling. It is just plain mean.
I hope you, or any citizen of Northglenn, will consider contacting me directly so we can go over any budget concerns. I am excited about this city's future, and hope to be a part of it. I also look forward to continuing the professional relationship that you and I have so we can undertake city business and achieve beneficial results.
Terence T. Quinn
Community Development Manager
By
Anonymous, at 5:20 PM
I use names rather than vague references that might impact others.
The reduction sheet from the proposed budget listed you a removing one position.
Ok,colleague; not friend even though he had no competition for the contract he received.
By
Gene Wieneke, at 6:22 PM
The Community Development Manager needs to understand that by accepting employment in a public position like his he is implicitly agreeing to have his professional and to some degree his personal life viewed in the fish bowl of public opinion. If you are uncomfortable with the scrutiny applied then you should consider employment elsewhere in the private sector. Public scrutiny although awkward at times is good for the community interests because it makes public officials accountable for their actions.
The noncompetitive hiring of employees or awarding of contract work is not good for the community interest since it promotes cronyism and political corruption. It also promotes unhealthy loyalties within the organization. In the past the City Manager hired a family friend with no previous economic development experience as his economic development manager. Contracts were noncompetitively awarded to the Mayor’s relatives and businesses owned by council members. These practices are not good for our community. The Community Development Manager should be asked to answer why a contract and subsequent employee position were not competitively bid or competed for competitively. As uncomfortable as these questions may be I think the citizens have a right to know.
If the Community Development Manager has any illusions that the City has any concern for his career or his family, as a former city employee I can assure you that you are being naive. Whatever lip service is paid to concern by the City for the careers of its employees is offset by the empire building and cronyism that has existed in the City since 2001. The City has lost significant intellectual capital so that managers could build their empires and protect them from threats by other competent employees. The citizens pay the price for this lost intellectual capital but the mangers gain loyal and obedient followers which can help them in building their little empires. Maybe it is time these practices end and the welfare of the citizens take top billing in the City’s plans.
By
Unknown, at 8:01 AM
You're FORMER for a reason. And I'm pretty confident the reason is more about you personally than you're willing to accept about yourself. You must not be one of the ones who actually found a BETTER job somewhere else.
How on earth can we take you seriously? You have an obvious chip on your shoulder too. Take a word from Ghandi, "be the change you wish to see..."
Unless your goal is the poison you keep spouting - and then I seriously doubt that you actually are concerned for the citizens of Northglenn and more hell-bent on just destroying the one who destroyed you.
By
Anonymous, at 4:41 PM
Annonymous at 4:41 :
“And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32)
You are correct I am a FORMER for a reason. I disagreed with the plans and schemes of the City and so I was let go, as were many other hard working dedicated employees of the City. History has shown I was correct. Had the city listened to me and others it would have saved the taxpayers a lot of money that has now been wasted on these misguided efforts. You are also correct that I personally had a lot to do with my demise. I have learned my lesson and consciously try to keep my thoughts to myself at work. I now choose my battles a lot more carefully than I did at the City. Where you are wrong is that I have found a better job. In fact, leaving the City has been the most positive thing that could have happened to me. I no longer have to work with unethical ignorant people that have the power to punish those that speak the truth.
You can choose to listen to and believe the “happy talk” put out by the Mayor and her bobble heads. The truth is that until the City finds a higher ethical compass to guide its actions the citizens of Northglenn will continue to pay the price. The people that I opposed have all left the City and even left the State. What they left behind is the bill for their poor judgment. If you are ok with that then I say that is your problem. I think you are probably a City employee that is afraid of loosing some of your discretionary power in the new order of things or you are a present or former council member that has enjoyed having the City pay for your political patronage. In any case, the truth is not what you want to hear.
I want changes. The Mayor and Council are trying to distance themselves from the mistakes of the recent past but the truth is they caused them by their actions and inactions. Do I have a chip on my shoulder…absolutely. You should filter all that I say with that understanding. Does that mean I don’t speak the truth? I don’t think so. I notice you choose to attack me rather than address the issues I raise. Do you think noncompetitive hiring is a good thing for the City? And by the way…how is the 120th and Grant economic development project working for us?
By
Unknown, at 8:46 AM
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