Our city has once again decided to spend our money without thinking.
As we know, members of council have switched seats because they cannot get along together.
When the new city council room was built the city added room for two more members. The two new city council positions are the result of changes in our city charter. Those positions will be created when our population reaches one million residents.
One of our council members decided to vacate her position and then bumped another out of her existing seat. As a result one member does not have the electronic equipment that the others have.
We learned this week that the city is going to spend approximately $6,800 setting up the new seat.
Why?
Without getting into the discussion about who should sit where, a question needs to be asked.
Why not move the equipment from the vacant position to the newly occupied one? The city might have to hire some expert equipment movers to do this if the city staff cannot handle it.
Either way we would have some labor cost but would not need to buy new equipment.
Where was management on this?
Would anyone be surprised if the next thing we hear is that “it isn’t fair, she has new equipment and I don’t”.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
What an incredibly stupid example these people are setting. One could go to any elementary school playground and see the same scene being played out…”Na na na, boo,boo” ~ It is ridiculous!
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I am very curious as to just what kind of equipment they have that it should cost so much. Seems to me that all they need is an electrical outlet and an ethernet connector, plus maybe a standing microphone. This is indeed ridiculous, and our Mayor has shown himself to be a total wuss.
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As I mentioned in a different comment yesterday, the $7,000 to move Ann Lilly’s seat combined with the additional $16,000 in moving allowance for the city manager come to a total $23,000. That is equal to more than half of median annual household income in El Paso. They wasted that amount in less than a week.
Neither of these were planned, budgeted expenses. They made these decisions right on the heels of all the hand-wringing about a budgetary shortfall, which resulted in more indirect taxes.
This is absurd.
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We ALL have moved our own computer and wires from room to room and it costs. . . .oh . . . about 1 or 2 hours. . . . maybe.
For. . . $6,800. you can buy everything on 1 isle/ gondolla / at Best Buy computer section.
Yeah, something is wrong with that price.
Should be close to $1000.00 . . . maybe, or less.
Even with contracted labor.
But. . . we are dealing with people that are completely out of touch with prices, cost of parking, negotiating contracts for baseball stadiums, and think that everyone enjoys going downtown.
Even the new Mayor has gotten stupid after spending time downtown. He was smarter before.
These are the people that work their way “up the government ladder” and eventually think $1000. for a hammer or toilet seat is fine and dandy.
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City Council moving anything around is expensive to the Taxpayers!
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How about asking Mrs. Niland to move back to her designated spot? If she refuses, send Mrs. Niland and Mrs. Limon to the city human resources counselor — all workplaces have them — to iron out their differences. No moving, work it out. And, yes — we do deserve better from our elected representatives.
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The stations are not wired and therefore are not ready to just put a computer in, If they make the move they will then have to pay to upgrade the software they have for voting and that cost has not been even discussed and you know it won’t be cheap.
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I hope the mayor does not allow the city to spend thousands to accommodate Rep. Niland’s offended sensibilities — either by moving equipment or installing new hardware. Everyone who has worked in an office has had to put up with someone who gets on their nerves. If Rep. Niland won’t move back, she should pay for the expense herself.
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We have to admit it, Rep. Niland is territorial and arrogant. She complains about taxpayers who demand accountability and want our streets to be in decent condition. As taxpayers we expect Rep. Niland to act in a more mature manner and to be productive. We also need accountability from our mayor, he needs to stop this nonsense. Can he fire any city council member who refuses to follow the rules? All city council members need to use their designated seats.
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