Public Works Director, Jim Eckrich resigns last Monday.
I heard today that we have lost our Public Works Director Mr. Jim Eckrich. I am given to understand that he has resigned to pursue other adventures.
More will be forthcoming when i flesh out this recent news.
Tom Ford
NO. 1066
More will be forthcoming when i flesh out this recent news.
Tom Ford
NO. 1066
posted by Crestwood Independent at 15:31
12 Comments:
I feel this is bad news
I am glad to hear he is pursuing other ventures. I wish him good luck. Lessens the burden on the budget.
Well, as anyone will tell you I have been a critic of him, and his inflated salary, his unmarked take home car, and the very fact that when things got tough as C / A, he got going (to Public Works.)
That said though, I wish him no ill will in his new found venture (whatever that may be,) and hope his new employer will find his efforts to be exactly what they were looking for.
Tom Ford
Who's next ??? the Police chief? maybe?...we can only hope...
6:23 AM logger: That's the good thing about being free, you do your job and you can stay, or go, your choice.
I see no problems with the Chief at all. Crime is down in Crestwood, I am seeing our guy's out in the sub divisions, and yes monitoring traffic as well, so what's the problem?
I know the Chief personally, as well as his assistants, and let me tell you were very fortunate to have someone who really cares about our town.
My suggestion? Make an appointment, meet with him, I believe you will have a completely different attitude after you talk with him for a while.
Tom Ford
Tom - 9:03 PM - I apologize for this long comment.
You say that you have been a critic of the PW Director - then you give your reasons. You state he was paid too much and he had a city car.
Who makes up the salaries for the department heads - do they all tell the city what salary they want OR are they told what the salary range is and what their's will be? Do they have agents like the athletes do who get a cut after they settle on an outrageous amount of money?
You blame Jim for his big salary! Did he tell you what it is? I am guessing that you heard it through the grapevine.
Further, he can ask for a city car, BUT the "powers that be" say yes or no.
Would any other department head in Crestwood turn down a good salary or a city car for the sake of the city coffers? Further - if that salary and car were the only thing making the budget inflated then it should be an issue - but you know it is not! People who have vendettas carry that message around.
People at city hall can be troublemakers. There are those who absolutely hated Jim for becoming city administrator. He is an engineer not a CA. Bad decision on somebody's part.
I too hope Jim does find a better job. I happen to think he is an excellent engineer (especially when I remember who was in that position before).
I am trying to make my point Tom, that you are criticizing HIM when you should be criticizing those who have the power to designate salaries et al. Did he designated his OWN SALARY? Who OK'd it really!
If Jim was designated a city car - was he suppose to say "no, give it to somebody else"?????? Come On Tom, don't you think you are basing your implications on what others have told you and not what you have seen for yourself?
We have got some manipulators at city hall that think they know everything. (Oh Boy am I going to be crucified for that statement). And now that things are tight - someone needs to play the blame game and hang from a cross? Might as well be Eckrich!
Karl's mentor, Chief Kramer, on the other hand did possess the right qualifications to be CA. He was fair and only made determinations based on fact and honesty. So - in the first place - Karl would have been my first pick not a city engineer.
Tom, you and I have been good friends for years, and I express myself as I see it - as you do. But please don't believe everything you hear at city hall and leave this issue alone.
I am hear to tell you that Jim Ekrich is good person, a very good engineer and was always good at his job. But he was never cut out to be a CA.
Further, if you only listen to those who "Hate" or dislike him and/or by taking other people's words, you are falling into the same pit as those who choose sides by picking him apart. Hmm! Sounds just like what the Dems. and Rep. do to each other!!!
There are those in every culture who make up inunendos and suppositions and would exaggerate and even lie to get people to listen and believe things they say. They will make you believe their prejudiced opinions. Misery loves company sort to speak. I only believe what I see or know to be fact. And the Jim Eckrich I know is a good person and it should not matter to you or anyone what his salary is or his city car. It is none of our business - it is what the city gave him and that isn't his fault.
I refuse to believe any negatives as I know what I saw at city hall when the big shots and their followers had a "hey day" with the reasons I left and retired from the city.
Choosing sides - is what happens at city hall. No different than choosing sides in a National election. When people dislike someone - they will only believe the negative.
Mr. Eckrich's salary, like anyone else's at city hall, is a matter of public information, and can be found in the city's budget.
You're right in your assessment of his appointments. Ultimately, the decision to appoint him as CA and then later to accept his recommendation to demote himself from CA to Public Services Director (with a suggested salary and car)was the BOA's. The salary and car for his demotion were Mr. Eckrich's own recommendations, not the BOA's.
Different people have had different experiences with Mr. Eckrich. As with almost anything, there are three sides to every story: your side, my side, and the truth, which is somewhere between the two. I'm glad your experiences with Mr. Eckrich were good ones, but I'm sure you can acknowledge that that does not necessarily hold true for everyone else.
Martha Duchild
12;35 PM Blogger: Sandy, As it a given that the "laundry" is best left in the basket, I will make no comment on your post.
Suffice it to say that I agree with Ms. Duchild.
Tom Ford
Thanks Martha and Tom for the input. At the time of my employment and interaction with Mr. Eckrich - there was no reason to entertain any misgivings regarding him, and as Martha stated and I attest - all of my city experiences with Jim were good ones.
But things do change and unfortunately not always do they change for the best.
It is very unfortunate in this case that issues and situations did change since I retired from city hall. To add to my delimma - I don't know why the BOA would OK Jim's recommendation.
That said however, I should only concern myself with issues that pertain to all of the residents; i.e. the future for Crestwood, and leave the rest to those who get paid to take care of the rest.
Things do not always work out for the best, and people change - so I am sorry for judging things that I did not know or understand.
I only know what things were like a long time ago; so my judgements were based on what I saw at that time.
I guess I am out of touch and apologize.
4:0 PM Blogger: Sandy ! "Never apologize, it's a sign of weakness !"
(John Wayne)
I appreciate your missives no matter what!
Tom Ford
Thanks for your patience Tom because at times I can and do get people upset with my views. Fortunately, you know me well enough to know that I am not always correct but will say so when that happens.
Being 70 years young is a very humbling experience. But I remember the days when working at city hall was fun and I never once thought I would get old so fast. We oldtimers did our jobs, never forgot we worked for the residents (who are the best people in the world to me) and I loved it all.
Thanks again.
6:08 PM Blogger: Sandy, if you think being 70 is fun, wait till you hit 71. That's not for sissies, trust me.
Happy Veterans day!
Tom Ford
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