November 22, 2010
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1. THE $40,000 CONTRACT TO REVIEW THE WORKINGS OF THE PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENTS?
We are not kidding. Our $850,000 dollar “dream” management team (full estimated costs of salary, pension, benefits, excluding severance packages-- of Pam, Khalid, Hargy, and Gummey) have hired a California Company for $40,000 to analyze how the two City Departments are functioning and can they be improved. CLICK HERE for copy of approved contract. The Shadow thought that is why we are paying our “girl” and the others such high salaries! Obviously they are not capable of the simplest management evaluation job. Just how hard is it to decide the effectiveness and whether a department with only 25 employees, Parks and Recreation, should be merged into Public Works which has about 30 employees.
It is almost a no-brainer as the kids would say, but in Mayberry you need a $40,000
2. THEY BOUGHT A HOUSE FOR $231,000 TO DIG A RETENTION POND TO STOP FLOODING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD?
We do not like to think of anyone having their home flooded. But the people who build in a flood zone generally bought their lot or house cheaper than the people who did not. So why should we not have a tax district composed of those neighbors directly benefiting from the retention pond. At least we believe that they plan to bulldoze down the house and dig a pond to protect their property. CLICK HERE
3. CONFUSION WITH THE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE ACCOUNTING
The Shadow must admit that it is confused. The Golf Course Board Chairman writes, we are certain with the agreement of the CPA who is on the Golf Course Board, about how they turned the corner and made “a cash flow profit of $77,000 this year” [quoted below]. BUT, the City Finance Director submits that the City funds to be advanced this year has dropped to only $110,000. [See the letter from the Finance Director at page 345 of the Agenda; also quoted below]. So, when all is said and done the City still “advanced”, by its own statement, another $110,000. Sounds and flows like red ink. CLICK HERE
consultant to tell you the obvious. If they really believe this contract is needed, the four of them should be fired. In fact, since they are not doing the job they are being paid to do, how about taking $40,000 out of their salaries to pay the bill. There is a benefit to management for hiring consultant. If “George” tells you to consolidate, it is different than you just handing out pink slips, or, as we do here, provide unnecessary expensive buy outs. Blame it on “George”. We do not always have a high regard for the judgment of all of our Commissioners, but we do not believe that any of them are stupid enough to vote for this proposal if it were properly explained to them . We believe that they voted on what they heard as an oral explanation. They should have read the proposed contract! how about taking $40,000 out of their salaries to pay the bill.
BLOGS
Date: 
11/19/2010, 6:10 pm
11/19/2010, 6:10 pmName: re-focus on real issues
re-focus on real issuesWe noticed that Volusia is spending $50k to study beach driving. There is no doubt there are numerous qualified county/city employees up for the job, for FREE! I would trust a local or county cop with some assistance to complete the study better than any consulting firm.
As orange county builds a heli-port at a public sports arena.
As politicians in several cities and counties are under investigation for all kinds of stupid stunts, usually greed based.
Florida is F' ed up.
Date: 11/19/2010, 11:37 am
11/19/2010, 11:37 amName: Upcoming funding firefight
Upcoming funding firefightNews Journal
Mark Lane
• Fire-rescue services inflation. In a time of otherwise low inflation, the cost of fire and rescue services in Volusia County almost doubled since 2002, according to a July Halifax Civic League study.
And if you want to see something that looks like terror in someone's eyes, ask a city manager about unfunded fire and police pension liabilities.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/columns/fo...
Date: 11/19/2010, 9:35 am
11/19/2010, 9:35 amName: Shamber still the same
Shamber still the sameIt seems the new girl at Shamber has slipped on the giant floppy shoes and red rubber nose of her predecessor. She is fighting the SVAA for funding. Instead of standing up to waste and shameless spending by CRA and City Commission she has jumped in line with her hand out. Why would any real business support welfare for a failed, unsupportive organization? How will she make ad authority stop donating tourist tax to drinking and art show events that do nothing for the economy and business base?
What’s next NYC trips with the Waddler?
NOTES
1. TAX BASE COUNTS
The nonsense about comparing the New Smyrna Beach millage rate to that of Port Orange or Edgewater is truly nonsense. The mill rate on property is taxes based upon the property tax base. When the base is high, it usually results in a lower millage rate. So, go to either Port Orange or Edgewater, cross over the Inter Coastal and look at their beaches and the condominium row. Huh, there isn’t any that you can see! Surprise! Well look at the Beach that is part of New Smyrna Beach and the hundreds of million dollars of extra property in our tax base. Edgewater has a millage rate of over $7 while Port Orange is $4.7. With the NSB tax base Port Orange would probably be less than $2. We collect more money than either of them and throw more away by our awful government, bought and paid for up to now by the Anglers and the unions.
2. THE NEW CITY MOTTO
“When in doubt, lie”. The runner up: “Seldom right, but never in doubt”. Hey, we only spent about $40,000 last week for a management contract using money we do not have and should not have spent. They paid more for Pine Street than it is worth. On top of that, they sort of fibbed about the losses at the Municipal Golf Course. Not bad for a single session of the City Commission.
1. VOTRAN “ROCKS”
The Shadow does not know how well the new “call” system Votran inaugurated Beachside works elsewhere, but the Beachside service seems to be working to perfection. It saves a lot of money by not having fixed schedules but provides the needed service to those in need. So we are told.
2. LET US NOT “QUIBBLE” OVER THE PRICE
Remember when the last City Commission overpaid for the Dunn Lumber property and the Commission decided they should not “quibble” over the price--$417,000 if we recall correctly. Only $30,000 or so over the last contract the owner had signed on a contingency sale basis. $350,000 for a cash price would have been generous. But it was not their money. The common denominator if we recall correctly of Commissioners Hathaway, Plaskett, and Grasty were there then and were there at the last meeting. As stated, the current Commission last week “negotiated” a premium price for the Federal government to buy a house on Pine. Ho hum, when will we ever learn that they do not care whose money they spend since it is not their money?
DEAR PAM
As we have stated in the past, we realize that various City officials have limited resources available for pursuing cost reduction projects, so we have decided to help them out and provide draft letters for review. As we have said, this will free them up for important things, like dealing with all the serious problems of the police and fire department pensions.
Dear Mayor Barringer,
Look, I want you to stop the Shadow from publishing articles that make me look bad. And the City Clerk is supposed to stop him from getting information on a timely fashion. I have warned City employees that they can be fired if caught reading the Shadow on Company time.
PAM
