Businessman Craig Yarde sent this along:
It looks like a classic fight. The taxpayers who are looking for more efficiency and cost containment in our city government and the union looking not to change the status quo. The unions biggest argument is the cost of hiring another couple of positions (COO and assistant) working underneath the mayor to perform the duties that aren't currently being managed. I will personally state my reputation ( for what that is worth), that this new COO position will pay for itself in spades. I don't want to list the areas where we can achieve cost savings, so as not to offend anyone that works for the city. I personally believe they are all acting in the best interest of the city and we have some fine ladies and gentleman trying everyday to contribute. This community will be facing the most terrible conditions in our history in the next five years. We need someone with the expertise of a Chief Operating Officer to help guide us to the future.
Hiring a few more assistants under the mayor will not provide the management experience necessary to promote efficiency and promote change.
Don't be penny wise and dollar foolish. Sometimes you have to spend a little bit more to get the results that are necessary. I sincerely hope the citizens of Bristol believe as I do. If I can demonstrate the cost savings, would they support the COO position.
What else are they concerned with if the cost is not a problem. The mayor is still the boss and the COO would never undermine his leadership but we desperately need to manage our business. The COO managing twenty one direct reports is not a easy task but it's better than no management at all.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
24 comments:
Booooo! Must be Halloween cuz Craig is trying to trick us! BOO-COO!
So now Yarde is saying that the COO position is better than nothing?
I t would be a lot more responsible to wait and find a procedure that we know will address their concerns rather than playing roulette.
Craig,
Your EXCUSE for not pointing out potential savings is ridiculous.
Or maybe you don't have any.
You, or others around you have not responded to any of the many people that have asked questions.
Why not?
Craig,
Great letter! Thanks for working for Bristol taxpayers!!
Craig,
Nice try! Now quit trying to stick it to Bristol's tax payers....
VOTE NO COO!
Craig,
Tell me what a COO can do that a mayor can't!!!
Why don't YOU volunteer a few hours to look at the way the city operates and then make YOUR suggestions to teh mayor???
so craig is telling us that the COO is going to know EVERYTHING about EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD'S position? If that is the case, he is going to be asking for a hell of a lot more money than the $150,000 - $200,000 salary that craig is saying.
Move your business back to Bristol if you care like you say !
Answers Craig, answers>
here kenny, kenny, kenny - your choice of 1 out of 2
here kenny, kenny, kenny - your choice - the other one
Here's a few examples why a city manager will save taxpayers money. Mayor Stortz decided to bypass our paid BDA staff by forming the mall committee because apparently he didn't respect their leadership. A mall committee was formed. What the the public never realized is it cost the city three hundred and fifty thousand dollars in expenses to form this committee which the BDA already had a request for quote to go out to bid. In the mean time, precious time was wasted and on top of that our BDA staff could not do their job and as a result their future was in limbo. Between the three hundred and fifty thousand dollars and continuing paying our BDA staff we wasted one half of a million in extra expenses approximately. On top of it we lost the window of opportunity to get developers and now the entire project is in limbo which has to cost the city at least a million dollars in lost revenue and interest and expenses on the money it took to buy the mall. When Byers( who I understand had a serious drinking problem for ten years) was fired, he sued the city for three hundred thousand dollars and won. These two decisions cost the city almost two million dollars. Because the Mayors doesn't manage his direct reports no one can get fired. No performance reviews, no management meetings, no verbal warnings and no written warnings in anyones personal file. I do believe Mayor Ward has put a few warnings in the files to try to make cases against various individuals who are not in good standing. But no one is managing the twenty one direct reports. I've been told that we have extra employees on the pay roll due the change in the economy. What does this community do, continue to pay wages that are not needed or do we lay them off. These are tough decisions that can only be realized by proper management which is not happening because the mayors does not have the time or management experience. I could go on but this should help to explain the cost benefits why we need professional management with a COO. I would never support the COO if it couldn't pay for itself. Craig Yarde
so tell us how it is going to pay for itself, stop ducking the issue.
Craig, you don't know what you are talking about.
Mayors have put letters of reprimand in employees files: I know for a fact that Stortz did at least four. One reprimand does not necessarily warrant discharge.
We all know how much Couture and Kosta cost us with their unilateral decision, which the public totally rejected.
Stortz got the issue before the public, who he worked for and who he knew was paying the freight.
I don't know how you can think that the city can go out for a quote without some idea of what they wanted to do.
Also, since we were expecting State assistance, this was one way to get them on our side. They too wanted things done up front.
If you are getting your information from Jonathan, you are even more out of it that I thought.
He was thrown out of meetings by Couture, and was not held in high regard bt the state.
As a city employee, and a taxpayer, I resent you thinking you have all the answers when you clearly have not researched the issues, the operation.
Different organizations have to be run in different manners. If you don'tthink so, see what happened to Cerebus when they took over Chrysler and tried to run that operation like they ran other differnt industries. They failed, and thelesson was expensive.
You clearly have no idea how much Stortz reduced city expenses, do you? Compare budgets: I did.
Lastly Craig, why haven't you answered the many questions that have been posed regarding the COO issue? Or don't you have any answers??
Stortz implemented the BDDC after he presented it to the council, who turned it over to the Ordinance committee which held numerous public hearings and responded to all the questions.
I din't recall you commenting on the issue at the time. Did you?
At least the public got a responce to the questions unlike what is happening with your COO COO issue.
Craig, where were you when Couture was buying the Mall?
Where were you when the Mayor and Council formed the BDDC?
These people were willing to get involved, while you were "busy" feathering you nest, making money.
You are a Johnny come lately who does not know what he is talking about.
If you have all the answers, why not share the answers on the COO with the public?
"I do believe" .... "I've been told" .... Sorry Craig, way too vague, way too expensive.
Vote no COO!
It amazes me that someone that was so successful in business could honestly believe that this is a good idea FULL KNOWING that the COO would have absolutely no power what so ever.
Next he will want to put a coffee brewery in City Hall or maybe a dog sitting service?
Craig,
Answer these question for me...
Will the COO have the authority to give directives to the department heads without the Mayor?
Will the COO have the authority to write up department heads if he/she feels that they have done something wrong?
Will the COO be able to tell department heads that they need to cut out certain items on their budget without getting the Mayor's input?
Will the COO be able to do anything without the department heads saying "I'm not going to do it until my boss, the Mayor, tells me to?"
It's nothing more than a high paying consultant position that can only offer suggestions. If anything it gives the Mayor more things to deal with instead of less.
To 12:05 PM. Yes, Yes, The COO will have to work hand in hand with the Mayor before deciding major changes. After all the COO works for the Mayor. Last question, all department heads will report to the COO
so they can't do a end around and go to the Mayor. The Mayor must meet with the COO often to make sure he is aware of what's going on.
Last question, all department heads will report to the COO
so they can't do a end around and go to the Mayor.
Craig,
When did the Union contract change to make your statement true? As of right now the contract states that the department heads report directly to the Mayor and some report directly to their designated commission. So, when did this change?
If it didn't change, you are not giving accurate information to the voters of this city.
Craig, the charter gives certain powers to Boards that your change does not eliminate. that will create a conflict.
Please explain.
Also, are you going to comment on where you where when the Mall was on the table?
And the BDDC was being discussed?
Craig, is that the legal answer or yours?
craig, time is running out and so is your credibility in justifying this position - where are all of your supporters - minor, ken johnson and "croc"caine? questions too tough for them so they abandoned you?
Yard is like Dodd and others: he thinks money can buy anything.
A classic example of what is wrong with the process.
Too much ego building, too much greed.
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