|
 |
||
|
Staff Creates Illusion of Discovery On Dec. 15, the city held a seven-hour workshop to formulate a strategy, but staff members had already developed it. City administrators could have presented their plans in a brief summary at a council meeting, but taxpayers instead paid a facilitator $20,000 for an illusion of discovery on Dec. 15. Adding to the cost, a dozen top administrators attended, and some literally fell asleep. The workshop focused on city surveys of 400 residents, conducted in 2006 and 2008. Instead of building a “strategy” around the surveys’ few credible findings, (traffic issues, emergency preparedness and safety are residents’ biggest concerns), city employees have become absorbed with such superficial things as Easelgate, a Rose Parade float and the yearlong 20th anniversary celebration. As an example of the consequences, Crown Valley Parkway has taken three years to widen, and residents say they rarely see anyone working on the road. The city staff now focuses on branding everything with its “iron tree” symbol while the council majority chips away at the Master Plan. To a resident’s suggestion on Dec. 15 about finance – that proposals should be limited to what the city can afford – the facilitator said talking about money would hamper creativity. By the way, any inference the city is awash with cash after a yearlong spend-a-thon during a recession is a myth. Connie Lee |
||