PSB shuts out the public

August 10, 2014

Our public service board met Friday,  August 1, 2014 at 4:30 P.M. to discuss city council’s proposed creation of a franchise tax that the water utility would have to pay the city.  We know that any expense the utility has will be passed on to the water customers.

There was one item on the agenda.  It was “The Chair will entertain a motion to move into Executive Session”.  The purpose of the executive session was to consult with it’s attorney which of course is legal in Texas.

Smoke filled room

Why did they need to discuss the item with their attorney?  They could have, and should have, discussed the item and their potential actions in open session where members of the public could see how the board members stood on the issue and where members of the public could express their thoughts.  If they needed help from their attorney once potential courses of action were ready to be explored, they could then have moved to executive session.

The board ultimately passed a resolution against the imposition of the franchise fee 6 to 0.  Our mayor abstained.

This was a straight forward matter that should have been handled in public.  Unfortunately their ability to go into executive session to consult with their attorney was used as an excuse to keep the public out of the discussion.

We deserve better

Brutus

1 Comment | City government | Permalink
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Restaurant shake down

August 9, 2014

After speaking with a few restaurant owners I am becoming aware of a scam that our public health department is running.

Public health performs restaurant inspections.  Facilities receive a grade from zero to 100, with 100 being the best.  Points are taken off for myriads of dastardly deficiencies, like having a dented can or letting the corner of an onion bag touch the floor.  These deficiencies can take 4 points each off of a restaurant’s score.

A score below 70 is considered failing and the restaurant must remedy the issues and then be re-inspected.  Here is where the scam comes in.  The restaurant owners that I have been speaking with universally tell me that the inspector comes in and tries to find any and every minor infraction that they can.  The restaurant is given a failing score.

The inspector offers to re-inspect the facility after the operator is given a few minutes to eliminate the problems found.  The restaurant is then given a passing grade and can stay open.  The scam?

The city charges $85 to re-inspect the facility.

We deserve better

Brutus

13 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Cleaning up a mess

August 8, 2014

We finally have some insight about the departure of our former chief financial officer.  Many of us remember her as the deliverer of wildly inaccurate projections, be they revenue or expense related.

Our new city manager’s letter of transmittal of his proposed 2015 city budget begins with discussion that might explain why she left.

 “This year’s budget process has been challenging, with lower than expected revenues throughout FY 2014 and a continuing impact into FY 2015.”

Translation:  I’m having to clean up a mess from 2014 that will continue to hurt us in 2015.

“To mitigate the impact of the revenue fluctuations and to establish more realistic revenue projections, the FY 2015 revenue budget encompasses a review of the last five years of actual revenue performance, particularly as it relates to property and sales taxes.  Revising overly optimistic revenues combined with increasing demands on the expenditure side du to implementation of the Quality of Life (QOL) projects, looming impacts for police and fire collective bargaining negotiations, and maturing economic development incentives make the task even greater.”

Translation:  I could not present a budget for next year without facing up to the mess that we are carrying forward.  We need to accurately forecast revenue.  Last year’s projections were so inaccurate that I had to go back and study the last five years to figure out what to tell you.  Now we have to start paying for the QOL projects while we are cleaning up the mess from prior years.  Our public  safety pension funds are upside down and we might have to face up to that fact this year.

Maybe we will start to see some financial honesty from a city manager, because

We deserve better

Brutus

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Too many chiefs

August 6, 2014

We are now down to one working deputy city manager out of four positions.

Things seem to be settling down.

Less is more

Maybe we don’t need deputy city managers.  We have a chief of police, a fire chief, a comptroller, and various department heads.

What did we get with deputy city managers?

The one in charge of transportation got us the new rapid transit system on Mesa, the street cars that go to the wrong places, the coming bicycle rental system, and countless streets that either are in dire need of paving or are under what feels like permanent reconstruction.

Our chief financial wizard helped us tear down city hall and spend countless millions refurbishing multiple buildings.  Citizens have to travel to multiple buildings for services and we have even used space in a community center to house a city department.  Our public safety pension funds are floating in red ink.  Bond spending has skyrocketed with the promise that revenues will pay for them.  We have the bonds but not the revenues.

One former deputy city manager got us the ball park, the beginning of a downtown renaissance.

Another brought us a multi-million dollar digital wall, soon to be one of only two in the world.

Maybe these people thought that they were supposed to do something other than give us an efficient city government.  Maybe they actually thought their job was to create massive public works projects in the name of progress.

Savings

It seems to me that we could save a lot of money here.  First we have the salaries, termination agreements, and pension obligations of the deputies.  Then we have their offices and staffs.  Then we have the mischief they cause.

We have department heads.  Why can’t they run their departments?

The new city manager might want to do some reorganization.  Creating a director of public works might be a good idea.  Strategic sourcing could be transformed back into purchasing.  You get the idea.

We deserve better

Brutus

14 Comments | Ball park, City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Different story now that the die is cast

August 5, 2014

This came in from Helen Marshall yesterday.  I think that she is spot on.

Rep. Robinson is quoted in an  EPT story about Cohen Stadium as saying that “Unfortunately the Diablos chose to move the franchise out of El Paso.”   He also notes that events should be held there.  “It is accessible from all parts of the town with US 54 and the completion of Loop 375.”

Am  I on some other planet?  I thought that the city told the Diablos they could not continue to play baseball in a city facility once the Barking Park was completed, and no one in the city wanted to use Cohen Stadium in any form because it was Not Downtown.  What am I missing here?

Will the water park the city wants to build out there be filled with drinking quality water or treated effluent?  Maybe it can be encircled with cotton farms so EP can show the world there are no water problems out here in the desert!

Cheers!

We deserve better

Brutus

5 Comments | Ball park, City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

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