Brain drain

February 15, 2015

This came in from Helen Marshall:

The Times Friday published a laudatory editorial about Michael Tomor, the Museum of Art director who is departing for Tampa to run the Museum of Art there, a private institution. 
http://www.elpasotimes.com/opinion/ci_27516524/tomor-left-his-mark-at-el-paso-museum

The editorial notes that arts leaders in El Paso “point to the difficulties sometimes encountered when creative people have to work within a municipal bureaucracy.”  Adair Margo says “I am very, very sad our city structure discourages rather than encourages great leaders like him.”

Tomor is leaving despite being a hometown boy, and about 18 months short of the ten years for a pension.  What about the city bureaucracy drove him to seek another position (assuming it’s not just about being closer to water).  Joyce Wilson was in charge of that bureaucracy for nearly the entire time that Tomor worked here.  Could it possibly be that the “El Pasoan of the Year” and her acolytes ran a dysfunctional bureaucracy?  Nah, couldn’t be; why, everyone – except the Crazies – knows how wonderful she and her co-conspirators were.  

(Curious – there are three city museums, but only two directors.  Ms. Wilson tried to close the Museum of Archaeology in 2008 but was stopped by Council.  When the museum’s director retired shortly thereafter, she took her revenge by making the Museum of History director serve as director for the Museum of Archaeology as well.  The two institutions are more than ten miles apart and have very different collections and programs.  And of course the Museum of Archaeology is out there near Cohen Stadium, lightyears away from D*wnt*n; who cares about it?  Her keen interest in museum affairs might also be deduced from the demolition of the only children’s/science museum in town in order to build the Stadium.)  

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Last and least

February 14, 2015
Turning to the final two of the city’s eight new goals:
1.) Create an Environment Conducive to Strong Sustainable Economic Development
2.) Set the Standard for a Safe and Secure City
3.) Promote the Visual Image of El Paso
4.) Enhance El Paso’s Quality of Life through Recreational, Cultural and Educational Environments
5.) Promote Transparent and Consistent Communication Amongst All Members of the Community
6.) Set the Standard for Sound Governance and Fiscal Management
7.) Enhance and Sustain El Paso’s Infrastructure Network
8.) Nurture and Promote a Healthy, Sustainable Community

First things first

Most of us would probably prefer that we sustain what we have before we add new comforts.  Our roads are a disgrace.  The emphasis in this goal should be to take care of what we have.  Then if money is left we might try to build something new.

Magicians

How can they nurture and promote a healthy sustainable community when they continue to take more and more money out of our pockets?

Not only do our taxes make El Paso the fourth most expensive of the top 50 in the United States, we now see our city government increasing their intake through fees imposed on our utilities.  This year we have seen increases in storm water fees, so called water charges assessed against businesses, and massive increases in franchise fees that our utilities are charged.  These are fees that the consumers pay.  City council is doing this in an effort to deny that our taxes are going up.

If council believe that being economically skinny is the way to promote health then they are on the right path.

We deserve better

Brutus

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Poor against the standard

February 13, 2015
Today we address the sixth of the city’s new goals which are:
–
1.) Create an Environment Conducive to Strong Sustainable Economic Development
2.) Set the Standard for a Safe and Secure City
3.) Promote the Visual Image of El Paso
4.) Enhance El Paso’s Quality of Life through Recreational, Cultural and Educational Environments
5.) Promote Transparent and Consistent Communication Amongst All Members of the Community
6.) Set the Standard for Sound Governance and Fiscal Management
7.) Enhance and Sustain El Paso’s Infrastructure Network
8.) Nurture and Promote a Healthy, Sustainable Community.
–
So we are talking about number 6, “Set the Standard for Sound Governance and Fiscal Management”.

Don’t pretend

A more reasonable goal would be for them to achieve the standards that others enjoy in other cities.  Sound governance and fiscal management are basic attributes that our citizens are entitled to.  We are so lacking in these areas that pretending that this group could set the standard is absurd.  This should probably be second on the list, right after public safety and security.

If they divide the eight goals into an eight hour work day and decide to spend one hour a day on each of the goals they will get around to doing a competent job somewhere around 2 in the afternoon.

We deserve better

Brutus

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Transparent diversion

February 12, 2015
Continuing our commentary on the city’s eight new goals:
1.) Create an Environment Conducive to Strong Sustainable Economic Development
2.) Set the Standard for a Safe and Secure City
3.) Promote the Visual Image of El Paso
4.) Enhance El Paso’s Quality of Life through Recreational, Cultural and Educational Environments
5.) Promote Transparent and Consistent Communication Amongst All Members of the Community
6.) Set the Standard for Sound Governance and Fiscal Management
7.) Enhance and Sustain El Paso’s Infrastructure Network
8.) Nurture and Promote a Healthy, Sustainable Community.
Goal number 5 is to “Promote Transparent and Consistent Communication Amongst All Members of the Community”.

Really?

Do we need help communicating with each other?  Is that a proper role of local government?

Would you rather the goal be “Ensure Transparent and Consistent Communication Between the City Government and its Citizens”?

What are these people smoking?

We deserve better

Brutus

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Walks like a duck

February 11, 2015
This week we are addressing the new goals that our city has decided will be their priorities:
 1.) Create an Environment Conducive to Strong Sustainable Economic Development
2.) Set the Standard for a Safe and Secure City
3.) Promote the Visual Image of El Paso
4.) Enhance El Paso’s Quality of Life through Recreational, Cultural and Educational Environments
5.) Promote Transparent and Consistent Communication Amongst All Members of the Community
6.) Set the Standard for Sound Governance and Fiscal Management
7.) Enhance and Sustain El Paso’s Infrastructure Network
8.) Nurture and Promote a Healthy, Sustainable Community
Today let’s look at number 3, “Promote the Visual Image of El Paso”.
The only live visual image that we have been able to find from the city looked like this on the day this post was written:
visualimageplaza
Truth can hurt.  Maybe they should focus on handling projects well instead of promoting a positive visual image.
How the city can make this our number three goal defies explanation when they have made a mess like this, unless the plan is to impose rules on us that they will not even try to follow.
Maybe their plan is to bring Hollywood fantasy to El Paso.
We deserve better
Brutus

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