1. The #1 question that jumps to everyone's mind is why the heck do Suffolk leaders think the city really needs a larger Municipal Building now –in the middle of a recession?
Why can’t this wait until the economy improves? Why didn’t Suffolk put away funds for this when the home inflation was was shooting through the roof and revenue from over-assessments was flooding into city coffers? Instead, they chose to spend every penny. But Northern Suffolk has the bulk of the increased population--and City leaders have used that to justify a huge expansions in municipal employee rolls! But let's be real here. Reality Check: It's not like anyone in northern Suffolk has any real need to visit old Suffolk so why do City officials feel they need all the extra space? N.Suffolk is a bedroom community for Norfolk and Newport News and most of the population up there doesn't even know where old Suffolk is! And many of the same members still on Council went out of their way to kill the Kings Highway Bridge, ensuring that most accessible artery between northern and southwestern Suffolk was taken out. Let 'em live with that decision! The only reason the existing municipal center is crowded now is because of the excessive hiring from 2004-2009 that definitely needs to be rolled back to pre-2008 numbers before looking for additional revenue! So as soon as they scale back to what the City can really afford, the problem solves itself. And if Suffolk really needs an auxiliary office up in northern Suffolk, there will be a whole lot of empty space available up there real soon—and it’s gonna be a renter's market! The new municipal building is a solution in search of a problem to solve and the problem is self inflicted overstaffing. AND THE CITY OWES A JOB TO NOBODY regardless of how good they are! Just look out for the best by getting rid of the rest!
2. Why implement recycling now?
It's a waste of time, money, and energy. Suffolk leaders want to act "Green" without understanding the science or the economics of what they are lurching into. They haven't obtained a recycling economics study and don't have the city staff with the education in solid waste management to perform it anyway. Solid Waste Management is a full semester Env. Engineering graduate level course--just for the overview--that few undergrad Civil engineers take. The biggest cost in setting up a recycling program is transportation! Next is the transfer station. And the economics will not work in any area with low density housing spread over 460 square miles! These facts should kill the economic prospects of a proposed recycling program to anyone who understands the basics of recycling engineering and management. So reach out to ODU and you’ll find a half dozen very qualified Environmental Engineering and Engineering Economics professors in Kaufman Hall who can give you an unbiased evaluation. But, like most colleges, the city can purchase the answer they want to hear also so, as a taxpayer, I would really, really like to see the City's proposed scope of work for such a study--to make sure City leaders are asking the right questions! But, one of my Masters is in Environmental Engineering and the other is an MBA --and unless the science has changed radically in the last 15-20 years (and I still work in the engineering field), this is only going to be a hole into which Suffolk pumps money—without any prospect of improving “the environment” one iota!
Those two items above--plus focusing the City’s contribution to the School Board funding specifically into areas where the funds will do the most good would more than solve the city's Revenue shortage caused by poor planning, poor understanding of economics and staff management, and plain and simple overspending!
PS: any school employee making over $75,000 a year shouldn’t be getting a raise during a recession without meeting specific performance improvement metrics —that are established before the evaluation period commences. And if they they threaten to walk, please encourage them to do so—and bring in management from the private sector to manage—and let teachers teach. Teachers have already proved they can’t manage! It’s past time to tie executive pay to measurable improvements in performance and nothing else!
PPS: And don’t even get me started on why we’re subsidizing the Suffolk Airport! Nobody uses it except for recreational pilots. I’ve got almost 6,000 flight hours as a former Navy pilot. There is nothing strategic about Suffolk airport and Suffolk’s economic interests that justifies continued City funding that I can see!
12 comments:
When you look at Suffolk politicans my observations over the years is that these so called leaders never look at the long-term impact of their actions. They just want an instant feel good moment to show their "accomplishments".Sounds like drugs doesn't it?
Even if the city does go forth in building its Taj Mahal,in the near future our present council members even if they are no longer serving as so called public servants they will still be high....
In reading George Mears latest rant, there is no doubt he has anger issues or he feels that because he is a federal employee the rules that he works under should not apply to local City Govt. employees of Suffolk. Get a grip George and go down to City hall some time and meet the many engineers and scientist that have bachelors and masters degrees similar to yours and who also have a license as a Professional Engineer (not sure if you have one or not. I would guess if you do, you would have added it to your list of credentials. If not... well that speaks volumes!)
Many of the engineers at City Hall will gladly talk to you about your suggestions and or concerns about refuse and recycling issues. Many have taken the same classes as you have and may even be more up to date on the State and Federal regulations as it relates to refuse disposal and recycling.
In working with the staff at City hall I would estimate that there are at least 12 to 16 engineers. Many have earned masters degrees and have also taken classes at Kaufman Hall at ODU as referenced in your post.
It ticks me off to know you work for the Fed. Govt. and most likely make more than $75k (at least I assume you do if you have worked for the Feds for 20+ years as an engineer; if not, that explains your anger) but yet you suggest that any worker at the SPS system that makes close to what you earn be subject to a pay freeze. What makes you so special? Do you believe that just because you work for the federal government that you get to play by a different set of rules than an employee that work for the City of Suffolk?
SPS employees and City of Suffolk employees (including engineers with Masters Degrees) have not gotten a pay increase in the last 4 years. But you and the millions of other federal employees have been enjoying annual pay increases over the past 20 years (assuming you annual performance reviews have been up to par).
Why do you think you should be rewarded or compensated at a higher level than City Employees? What say you Mr. Mears?
1:02 Anon, leave the class warfare at the voting booth with the misguided. It doesn't work and indicates an individual that is obviously not a deep thinker and probably not an engineer. May I add Mr. Mears' comment is his protected constitutional right.
Reading the comment one has to wonder what are the staffing levels of engineers at SPW, SPU. Are they as bloated as other city government entities. What is the job security, pension, medical benefits working for a municipality as poorly managed as Suffolk? I recall a special retirement package that a senior city engineer enjoys that his fellow city workers are denied. What is the city's criteria to be called an engineer. Does it include a person that pushes a broom, operates a street sweeper, or changes light bulbs?
I am also an engineer with a Masters Degree and an extensive international business background. Mr. Mears' comment obviously hit a nerve which is not an engineer's way of responding rationaly. I applaud him for his frank commentary and urge him to continue.
Feel free to attack the messenger if it make you feel better. It's a lot easier than addressing the issues--like the economic infeasibility of making a recycling operation work given the territory and distribution facts as they are in Suffolk, or the justification for a new municipal building, or the lack of strategic benefits that the airport provides, or why the School Board continues to shower income on those executives who aren't making a difference when there are many teachers trying to and succeeding without any reward beyond cost of living change--but you know that and avoided every point.
As for me I attended foreign, parochial, and public schools and saw the advantages and disadvantages of all of them. I firmly believe that without effective and real competition being forced upon the system--this nation's public school system is doomed and can't end soon enough! It's not going to correct itself from the inside--even though thousands of good teachers desperately want it to.
And I haven't been a Federal worker for that long. I was an active duty pilot for almost 23 years, worked as an engineering intern in a neighboring municipal public works department while I was back in graduate school, and then worked for a national private sector engineering firm for six before taking an an engineering position with the government. but my undergraduate degree was in geology and geophysics, not engineering. While getting into the masters engineering program requires one to take all the undergraduate engineering courses up to the 4th year design courses, any PE will tell you that the PE exam focuses very heavily on those 4th year design courses. You either have them or make up for that lack in actual work experience. If your job doesn't offer you that experience--and engineering is very specialized and segmented--you aren't likely to pass the PE.
But I do get frustrated with public sector and elected officials who seem unable to relate to the people who are paying their salaries and for every economic blunder they commit us to--while ignoring our inputs and preferring to see us as nothing as walking ATMs who pick up the bills they leave on the table they get to walk away from. But instead, we're real people struggling to pay our bills, take care of our families, and save for our retirements. And I also know there are some good engineers working for this city and I know several of them. But they still work for City staff and elected officials, many of whom don't come close to them in understanding of economics, engineering, or management.
One last suggestion? Look at today's VA Pilot and see where high school teachers hourly salaries come in compared to everyone else. With the performance of our schools, do you really think many of them would have jobs in the private sector? Actually, you may be surprised that the answer would be Yes for about 80% of them--but the performance requirements and expectations would be so much higher--as would their effectiveness. It's typically not the people working in the system that are to blame for poor performance, but the managers and the ineffective organization the employees have to adapt to in order to survive and remain employed in a less than functional and performance driven system.
So attack me all you want--but you might try addressing some of the issues next time--and have the guts to sign in as something other than Anonymous if you're only going to attack someone personally and not share anything worth learning. A debate starts with two people talking about the same issues--as opposed to one addressing issues and the other personally attacking the first because you don't like what I'm saying.
It's amazing how many of those impoverished city engineers have their yachts moored at Constance Wharf at no cost. Their obtuse thinking they believe it's their right.
While it may be true that there are some well educated engineers that work for the City, the question to pose is WHY? Is it because they cannot make it in a real job in the private sector? Or is it the claim of their inspired need to serve in Public Service? Many in this area have paid their dues in the military or government service, but that does not make them a "Mark" to be taken to the cleaners by the political types for ever rising taxes for questionable projects. Can any of those estemed City Engineers explain why they support pouring more money down the rat hole called the ARTs Center, etc? Oh that's right, even they cannot calculate that one.
Mr. Mears,
Don't waste your time on Anon April 10, 1:02. Why would he--or she--attack at such a personal level without arguing with a single point you raised? the individual either has money to burn and isn't bothered in the least by higher property taxes (not likely), or wants higher taxes and feels threatened by anyone arguing against them. That would make the individual a city official or municipal employee, or someone counting on an increase in taxes for some other reason? Don't forget that this is Surprising Suffolk and they don't answer questions from taxpayers here; they smear them so as to divert the public's attention from uncomfortable observations and questions. So was the personal attack an individual initiative, or suggested by someone we're paying as a public servant?
IN response to the following post:
The Ruling Class said...
It's amazing how many of those impoverished city engineers have their yachts moored at Constance Wharf at no cost. Their obtuse thinking they believe it's their right.
April 10, 2011 2:29 PM
I can assure you that there are no City employees that are docking their boats at Constance Wharf, much less for Free. I I have someone been misinformed, this is a criminal offence. Suggest someon FOIA the City to confirm.
if someone is going to throw darts, lets be able back up the claim.
How can the City Council of Suffolk consider a tax increase on people in the economy we are experiencing? Many are just hanging on to their homes, and some are losing their hold. You cannot justify the increase by saying the tax will be about the same or a little less than it was in 2009, when the assessment at that time was unrealistic and inflated. And on top of that they are going to charge us for trash collection! I am still fuming about their wanting to collect $20 a trip for bulk collection. I watched the bulk trash collection truck go speeding down my street yesterday. How much more would it cost the city for the truck to pick up the trash rather than making a pointless trip up and down streets?
It is time for the city of Suffolk to get into the real world. Businesses, both small and large, have had to cut back. In our business we have had to cut employees, and those who have remained, and most have been with the company for many years, have had to do without a raise. They have also had to see their benefits cut. We have had to cut the fat out of everything almost to the point of counting paper clips. And our business is probably affected less by the down turn than most.
Isn’t it time for the city government to look at what they can do to cut expenses rather than raise fees? When you drive one more homeowners into foreclosure, how much tax do you lose? What we need is a city manager and a city council that have experienced what business is actually like and not what they have been told it is like in a text book. Start at the top and cut salaries, benefits, and allowances. Then look at what you can cut in wasted supplies. Don’t send trucks on pointless trips when gas is approaching $4 a gallon. Run the city like a real business, because that is what it is.
It is time to get the council members out of office who have had no business experience in the real world! My vote will speak to that in the next election.
Re Constance Wharf: Lets get this correct. Anon 11:26 denies a senior city engineer has a yacht at Constance Wharf and was not charged a mooring fee? Nor has there ever been a yacht belonging to that person moored at the wharf? That's a whopper! Perhaps the impoverished yacht owner-engineer prefers not to be identified now that we are in the midst of the city's budget-payroll cycle.
Re FOIA: How does anyone FOIA anything in this city that has not run into a working papers exception or worse missing papers. Please do not suggest playing that game of hide and seek it's a complete waste of time, money. This is as partisan an office as any in this city.
We know who that engineer is thank you.
A 22 ft Boston Whaler qualifies as a yacht? (JK)
A 22 foot Boston Whaler suggests an ODU graduate. Hmm, a city employee that is an ODU engineering graduate. That's a tough one.
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