So there were 2 issues that I am having a bit of a problem with involving Chief Crow. I want to stress, I don't think any laws were broken. But there is an ethical point of things that I believe have been crossed in these 2 issues.
The first is the investigation of missing funds from JB Wells. Now I have several problems with our own police department investigating these missing funds.
1) JB Wells funds were at times dropped off at the police station for safe keeping until the next business day where they would be turned into the city office. This leads to a conflict of interest when you start investigating your own people. It's hard to be truly objective when it's your own family, or in this case your own department are involved.
2) Even if the funds had not ever landed at the police station, we live in a small town. And I am just going to say it, there are those that are, and those that aren't. And if you are, then justice has a tendency to look a little different when it comes to you. No matter what the final report sent to the DA there will forever be a whisper in Gonzales about the one that got special treatment, or got away, or was the scapegoat because of the local police departments investigation. Now I want to stress, I'm not saying it will be so, but in this town it will still be the talk of the town as soon as the DA announces their decisions.
3) I know that the Texas Rangers were given the information, and the city council was told this to appease them that the investigation was going outside of our PD. I know that at least a couple of the council members were shocked to hear that GPD filed the report with the DAs office instead of the Rangers. This whole thing, 100% of EVERYTHING, should of been handed off to the Texas Rangers, impartial outside agency that has no ties to Gonzales or it's people.
Second is the handling of the JB Wells concession. Shortly after Mr. Maeler was fired, all of the concessionaire personnel were also fired and Sarah Tenberg was put in place to run it.
So what are my complaints here? Several
1) Why didn't we put an RFP out FIRST then after the award was given then we relieve the employees. We put the cart before the horse here.
2) Second, it's taken the city almost 2 months to get an RFP out, and now another month before the deadline. I'm hoping that they don't try to push the awarding of the contract out another month because of the shortage of time between the deadline and the next city council meeting. But without any bidding process, a private business was given an inside line to a potentially lucrative contract out at JB Wells.
3) Third, and here comes the small town politics, Mrs Tenberg is friends of the Crow family. Read #2 about private business and inside line.
Any laws broken that way? Not that I'm aware of, but poor ethical judgement was used here.
I've been arguing that the concessions needed to be sourced out for over a year now, and am happy that it's happening, but we did this all wrong, and once again the whispering underlying the whole thing is just incredible.
When are those in public office going to learn they need to be ethnically above board, and transparent in their actions that affect those they serve? In both of these cases Chief Crow has not been.
Again, I want to stress, I don't believe anything illegal has occurred. I just don't believe that the best interest of the City of Gonzales were considered when these actions were taken. That's just my opinion.
God Bless
Dennis Nesser
PS - I wish everyone in Gonzales the Happiest of Thanksgiving.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Cha-Ching
First Tuesday of the month was last night, so that means that our city council was in session and another chunk of unbudgeted change was approved for spending. No don't get me wrong, there are times we must spend unbudgeted money, and one of them was last night to an extent, but the rest? So here's the run down:
$48,000 in longevity bonuses for city employees. I have a couple of issues with this carte blanche bonus, though have to give Tommy Schrig props for trying to do it correctly.
This bonus is $4 a month for every month an employee has worked for the city up to 25 years. Now that includes Mr. Barnes who has worked for the city for 1 month. Councilman Schrig tried to pass it so that is applied to employees over 10 years. In my public working I've never seen one paid for any employee under 3 years. But not Gonzales. Why are we thanking those for their 'longevity' when they haven't proven any?
Additionally Councilman Hernandez asked about the handful of employees that within the last 2 years have gotten pay raises of over 25% and if they too would get the bonus. Oh yeah they will.
So why didn't the council table this motion till these issues could be sorted out? Had the city manager bring back a revised proposal that would truly benefit those who deserve something, yet not double dip those who have already benefited AND those who haven't earned it yet? I'm at a lose as to why our council is so quick to pass everything that comes before them.
Now the fire department asked for $10,000 in additional funds for unforeseen expenses, primarily due to the additional use they've gotten this year. My ONLY complaint is that we should have in our budget some of this additional repair items. We know that repair cost are never going to be what we thought they'd be. And heads up, for the next couple of years while this drought continues our fire department is going to need more money! Let's get it planned for now. I know it's not one of those expenses anyone wants to pay for, until that fire is at your house, but we've got to, and these firemen have busted their own tails raising money themselves too.
Now in one breath we heard (though I haven't seen the ytd/budgeted finances to confirm) that we have a windfall of cash from increased tax revenues and oil, and then in the next breath heard we would be going out for bonds to pay for the issuance of bonds for the money we need to make things work.
What I didn't hear is anything on the St. George debacle. Why after 2 year 4 months we still don't have finished streets.
I didn't hear one committee update from any boards / committees.
And with the exception of 2 out of 13 items, I heard NO discussion of ANY of the issues brought before council. I heard next item, motion, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, next item repeat above.
For those interested, the second item discussed was when Mr. Hernandez asked the city manager to work with the failed petition on garage sale issue to come up with a compromise even though the petition didn't hit the 400+ signatures the city is saying were needed. This will come back up in December for modifications to the garage sale ordinance. So if you're interested be there in December to speak your peace.
God Bless
$48,000 in longevity bonuses for city employees. I have a couple of issues with this carte blanche bonus, though have to give Tommy Schrig props for trying to do it correctly.
This bonus is $4 a month for every month an employee has worked for the city up to 25 years. Now that includes Mr. Barnes who has worked for the city for 1 month. Councilman Schrig tried to pass it so that is applied to employees over 10 years. In my public working I've never seen one paid for any employee under 3 years. But not Gonzales. Why are we thanking those for their 'longevity' when they haven't proven any?
Additionally Councilman Hernandez asked about the handful of employees that within the last 2 years have gotten pay raises of over 25% and if they too would get the bonus. Oh yeah they will.
So why didn't the council table this motion till these issues could be sorted out? Had the city manager bring back a revised proposal that would truly benefit those who deserve something, yet not double dip those who have already benefited AND those who haven't earned it yet? I'm at a lose as to why our council is so quick to pass everything that comes before them.
Now the fire department asked for $10,000 in additional funds for unforeseen expenses, primarily due to the additional use they've gotten this year. My ONLY complaint is that we should have in our budget some of this additional repair items. We know that repair cost are never going to be what we thought they'd be. And heads up, for the next couple of years while this drought continues our fire department is going to need more money! Let's get it planned for now. I know it's not one of those expenses anyone wants to pay for, until that fire is at your house, but we've got to, and these firemen have busted their own tails raising money themselves too.
Now in one breath we heard (though I haven't seen the ytd/budgeted finances to confirm) that we have a windfall of cash from increased tax revenues and oil, and then in the next breath heard we would be going out for bonds to pay for the issuance of bonds for the money we need to make things work.
What I didn't hear is anything on the St. George debacle. Why after 2 year 4 months we still don't have finished streets.
I didn't hear one committee update from any boards / committees.
And with the exception of 2 out of 13 items, I heard NO discussion of ANY of the issues brought before council. I heard next item, motion, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, next item repeat above.
For those interested, the second item discussed was when Mr. Hernandez asked the city manager to work with the failed petition on garage sale issue to come up with a compromise even though the petition didn't hit the 400+ signatures the city is saying were needed. This will come back up in December for modifications to the garage sale ordinance. So if you're interested be there in December to speak your peace.
God Bless
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