The Crestwood Board of Alderman Meeting (or Tuesday night at the fight's!)
Well fellow Crestwoodians, once again we can be proud of "His Honor," the Mayor for his usual outburst at an Alderman! I am given to understand that he was a nano second from exclaiming "the illegitimate few" remark that has endeared all us to his winsome ways! Alas, he stopped short.
However, his "wing men," the City Attorney, and the City Administrator, jumped in to take up the slack, as follows. The City Attorney was not able to cite the correct "sunshine law" statute to explain why the Board had to go to "closed session." Now, we are forking over in excess of $115,000.00 per year for his "expertise," and he get's it wrong? Incredible!
Memo to: The City Attorney, if your going to have the nerve to charge $275.00 per hour for your "work," at least get it right!
As for the City Administrator, please stop the "closed door sessions," you ask for under the guise of "personnel matters," and let the Citizens see just what you are up to. As of today, all you have done is to cause wide spread conjecture among our very valued employees as to whom will be the first to be "let go!" If you doubt this, ask around! You really caused undue consternation on this one friend!
Like it, or not, Crestwood is a business, and so far, as Ross Perot said "Just cause you can run the corner store, doesn't mean you can run Wall Mart," which is short for I am not impressed so far!
We know what the opportunity's are, we know what the shortfall will be, and we know what must be done to survive! My question is, Do you have the nerve to come out in public and say so, or will you continue to hide behind the "executive session" Bravo Sierra?
Tom Ford
NO. 600
However, his "wing men," the City Attorney, and the City Administrator, jumped in to take up the slack, as follows. The City Attorney was not able to cite the correct "sunshine law" statute to explain why the Board had to go to "closed session." Now, we are forking over in excess of $115,000.00 per year for his "expertise," and he get's it wrong? Incredible!
Memo to: The City Attorney, if your going to have the nerve to charge $275.00 per hour for your "work," at least get it right!
As for the City Administrator, please stop the "closed door sessions," you ask for under the guise of "personnel matters," and let the Citizens see just what you are up to. As of today, all you have done is to cause wide spread conjecture among our very valued employees as to whom will be the first to be "let go!" If you doubt this, ask around! You really caused undue consternation on this one friend!
Like it, or not, Crestwood is a business, and so far, as Ross Perot said "Just cause you can run the corner store, doesn't mean you can run Wall Mart," which is short for I am not impressed so far!
We know what the opportunity's are, we know what the shortfall will be, and we know what must be done to survive! My question is, Do you have the nerve to come out in public and say so, or will you continue to hide behind the "executive session" Bravo Sierra?
Tom Ford
NO. 600
posted by Crestwood Independent at 18:59
34 Comments:
Do you think that the City Administrator could make available somewhere, a current roster of city employees? Full time, part time, contract, whatever, so we can see what is going on. Don't even need names, or salary at first. Just the positions.
8:36 PM blogger: Indeed he can, and if you want it, just go to City hall, ask for a "freedom of information act" form, fill it out, and you will have it!
Will you see, "what's going on?" well, if you are sharp enough to look very closely, maybe.
Tom Ford
Yet another uniformed follower of Tom. All that information is available at City Hall. Sunshine Law they have to make that information available. Make a written request to the City Clerk. While you are at it you should check out other municipalities.
Tom
Your logic confuses me. The city administrator would prefer to let the alderman and mayor discuss which employees to let go, and you would prefer the do it out in public so they can read it in the Call or hear it from someone else before their direct supervisor. Maybe if my place of employment decides to lay me off they can send a signing telegram. Or even better they can have a news conference so I can see it on T.V. But as usual, Tom Mr. Doom and Gloom, it means they're hiding stuff from us. Stealing our money, destroying our city, and siphoning our ozone. Everyone hide your first born child they'll be coming for them next.
Talk about gloom and doom, if your read this months ego driven letter from our mayor in the City newsletter, you will learn that his honor had a small role in the movie Toro Toro Toro.
Yawn.
9:02 PM, February 25, 2009
What's a "signing telegram" mr. informed?
But I agree with your one suggestion and that was to check other municipalities and do some comparisons. Ask other municipalities if they have an animal control officer. See what they tell you. Ask other municipalities what they done with their budgets to cope with this economy. Who knows, we may get some interesting ideas.
I thought the attorney's citing of the Sunshine Law made sense, given that they let us know it was to be regarding the possible elimination of an employees position.
I agree with the above poster: I dont think anyone would like to have their pink slip handed to them by the Call.
Tom- why no mention of Mr. Nieder's infantile actions during the outburst? Oh, I forgot- you were not present to see them! Or is it that you and Mr. Nieder have the same agenda and therefore he can do no wrong in your eyes?
It boils down to this; Mr. Nieder (not an attorney) did not want to go into a closed session, and decided to use his spot on the dais to showboat a little in yet another attempt to make himself look like Crestwood's salvation.
Mr. "I want the record to show that I will not be attending this meeting!" ended up coming across as a malcontented child who did not get his way as he stormed out of the room.
And Mr. Ford, if you really want to tell the "Crestwood story" with this blog, why don't you come to more meetings? Instead, I see you publishing second-hand information as though you were there. While I understand that your blog is not a newspaper, I think you would do well by refreshing yourself with the term "Libel".
Yes, it got heated for a brief moment between Nieder and Robinson. Both acted like idiots, and both yelled. Both. Not just one. The city attorney remained calm and attempted to explain the law, but was met with verbal hostility from Mr. Nieder and his obvious (a joke) litigation knowledge.
Besides the escapades of those two, I found Mr. Foot and Mr. Robys comments to be rational and well thought out.
gee that's wonderful
Tom- why no mention of Mr. Nieder's infantile actions during the outburst? Oh, I forgot- you were not present to see them! Or is it that you and Mr. Nieder have the same agenda and therefore he can do no wrong in your eyes?
I was there and did observe the actions of Mr. Nieder. Alderman Nieder was simply attempting to ask for clarification of the subject matter and content since that is required by the sunshine law to be stated in public. Section 610.021 paragraph 3 states Hiring , firing disciplining or promoting of particular employees by a public governmental body when personal information about the employee is discussed or recorded. Personal information is defined as relating to the performance or merit of individual employees. None of this was stated by the attorney and therefore the conclusion is there is no justification to meet behind closed doors.
Alderman Nieder attempted to understand but was immediately blocked/challenged by King Roy before the attorney could respond. Wrong response from Roy since the question was not asked of him. If I was an Alderman in this city I would certainly use caution since so many mistakes have been made in the past. I applaud the aldermans attempt at clarification and perhaps you should understand the situation before you comment or run for alderman and contribute to the city instead of complaining.
Remember Pearl Harbor!!
Toro, Toro, Toro.
Tough duty, serving our nation while stationed in the Pearl, making movies, not bad for a little man from West VA.
10:51 AM
The left hand was a little to quick for the right. Singing. I'm sorry that must have been to hard for you to figure out on your own.
Just wondering if there was new type of telegram. Thanks for the clarification. Now you can get back on your high horse and ride away.
10:51, 12:40
Since when is "What they done" correct english? You better check yourself before criticizing others.
Please forgive my mistake. While I was typing that particular entry, I got a knock on the door. It was a signing telegram.
3:44
Apparently others have little use for your entries like the person at 3:01. And I'm sure that the knock on your door was surprising. From the comments you have, it appears you don't get out much or have any human contact. I'm sure you heart skipped a beat at the idea someone was interested in seeing or talking to you. Now, I will get on my high horse and ride over to your house so he can do his business. Don't call animal control, you don't think we need it.
Memo to all you movie buff's: The movie was named TORA, TORA, TORA. You see The name you used, TORO, TORO, TORO, would mean BULL, BULL, BULL in Spanish.
However you were using it in the context of the leader emeritus, so you very well could be correct (in this case.)
Tom Ford
4:58
Thank you for your kind reply. It really didn't make too much sense but I guess the air up there is light.
I'll be happy to send you a telegram as well. And be careful, don't fall off your horse.
The larger issue at hand is the number of executive sessions. What is being discussed and why so many sessions?
11:11 PM Feb. 25th
I, too was at the meeting. I disagree with your characterizations, but that is a minor issue. Alderman Nieder asked the city attorney to explain why they were going into a closed session, and the city attorney's initial response did not meet the criteria set by the statute, so Alderman Nieder asked for further clarification. Nobody said the meeting was being called due to the possible elimination of an employee (not sure where you got that); all the city attorney said was that it concerned an identifiable employee, which does not constitute grounds to go into a closed session. The statute is very specific in describing the conditions that must be met to go into a closed session.
What is important here is that rather than providing the clarification Alderman Nieder sought, the city attorney deflected responding to the question by telling alderman Nieder he could just vote "No" on the motion to go into a closed session. We are paying our city attorney for legal advice, and he failed to adequately answer Alderman Nieder's question.
You do not need to be an attorney to read and understand the statute. If the board did not discuss during the closed session the performance or merit of an employee who was being hired, fired, promoted or disciplined, and if that wasn't the only topic of conversation during the closed session, then that closed session did not meet the specific conditions required by the law.
Martha Duchild
Well here we go again. A blog full of wanna -be- attorneys who have no idea what they are taking about. I think that when an attorney gives you advice you had better follow it or you are on your own. As for Mr. Neider, whether he was right or wrong will be determined once the content of the executive session is made public. But my money is on the Attorney.
Wonderful 1:41. What is your law experience? What is your knowledge of municipal law and executive sessions?
What is Martha's?
What is yours?
i didn't claim I was. I'll take a lawyers advise over hers though. Nothing against her, but I would trust his opinion more.
I know you are but what am I.
you are
no you are
tag your it
10:51 PM 25th
12:40, 3:44, 5:52 PM 26th
2:04, 2:30 PM 27th
Just thought I would make you feel more comfortable. Your grade school mentality makes for great debate and humorous reading.
I have a great idea! Why not show up at 3:00PM on march 12,2009 for the discussion (3-4 PM) with Jim Eckrich. Forget trashing each other and let's get it from the horses mouth!
I will be there, and I will be meeting with the Police chief just prior to the meeting.
Bring your VALID QUESTION'S, and let's see if we can get som factual answers.
Tom Ford
About the lawyer situation. You know what the lawyer who graduates last in the class of 1000 becomes, don't you? A lawyer, of course.
5:00 PM
Grade school mentality? That seems to be your specialty. Did you graduate from grade school or were you busy riding your high horse? Yes, I would say your posts are humorous too. If I knew who you were, I would thank you by sending you a "signing" telegram.
Thank you for proving my point. You might want to check that record your playing is skipping. Same story, different post, no originality, equals 10:54 PM
I didn't prove any point because you didn't make one.
I see the South County Times glossed over this matter in their story on the last meeting.
Something tells me the CALL won't do that. I anxiously await my copy tomorrow. Something tells me it will be a little more comprehensive than the teaser we got in the Times.
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