Dear Editor, I just finished reading the current articles in
regard to the pay raises for exempt city managers. My first thought
was
”
UNBELIEVABLE
”
.
May be Time to ‘Clean House’ if Council Keeps Insulting Us
Dear Editor,
I just finished reading the current articles in regard to the pay raises for exempt city managers. My first thought was “UNBELIEVABLE”.
On the heels of the police chief’s secret retirements and the promise by the city administrator and council to be more transparent, the attempt to to push this through on the consent calendar is insulting to all the residents of the city.
I applaud Councilman Craig Gartman for pulling the item from the calendar for open discussion. I also ask those council members that voted yes to reconsider their decision so the issue can be further discussed with input from the public since most where unaware of what was hidden in the consent calendar. Do the right thing.
The backlash has already began in the press, next it will be at the polls. It may be time to clean house, from city council members to the city administrator.
Chris Ordaz, Gilroy
A 15 Percent Pay Differential for Gilroy City Managers?
Dear Editor,
I would like to commend Mr. Craig Gartman, as the sole councilman to oppose the city “pyramid ” scheme for management pay.
He appears to be the only member of the Council that is looking to provide a critical review of employee compensation. While an agency wants to strive to have the best benefits to attract good staff, there is or should be, an upper limit that fits the size and operation of the organization.
Gilroy is a city of about 50,000. I would like the human resources manager to provide the local newspaper with a bit more detail on the various agencies, of comparable size and mission, approach to setting salary range differential.
She did not provide many specifics and gave only a general overview in the Dispatch article. In my many years with a public entity, management, of which I was a member, had several areas in the overall benefit package that were superior to that of the union members. However, the salary was never set at an arbitrary 15 percent and ran closer to 10 percent. In addition, I would hope that Gilroy does not attempt to tie how it operates with an entity the size of the City of San Francisco, which has a population of more than 600,000 and work force of more than 12,000.
Bruce Kirk, Gilroy
Greed Raised to a New Level and Council Stamps Approval
Dear Editor,
I just finished reading the article in Wednesday’s Gilroy Dispatch “Salary Sore Point”. It was very good for a laugh, it really was. These are the same people who always tell the unions they have no money to give them a pay raise. But yet, boy oh boy talk about taking care of yourself. They have raised greed to a new level.
The real issue I’m debating with right now is which of you is a bigger joke – the city administrators for asking for this ludicrous pay hike or the City Council for granting it. I haven’t decided yet. Granted you probably don’t care what I think. But one thing I strongly feel, is that all those who voted for this should be voted out next election day.
We’ll see in the near future how the unions are dealt with. I’m sure they’ll be no money left for them. Especially the union that represents the non-fire and non-police employees. They are referred to as miscellaneous employees. They get the short end of negotiations every time. Let’s see if that changes now. Somehow I don’t think it will.
Ray Hansell, Gilroy
Gilroy Needs a New Mayor With the ‘Guts’ to Lead City
Dear Editor,
If one thing in Gilroy politics is becoming clearer and clearer, it’s the fact that Gilroy needs new City Council leadership, starting at the top.
Therefore, this is an open letter to encourage Councilman Craig Gartman to seriously consider running for mayor.
I believe Mr. Gartman has again demonstrated that his attitude of “public servant” is real, with his recent “no” vote on the City Hall administrator raises. While the other council members are apparently acting out their political roles as City Hall pleasers and appeasers, Mr. Gartman continues to display his intestinal fortitude (guts) to consider the best interests of the citizens of Gilroy.
We need strong leaders like Mr. Gartman, and I’m sure he’d do an excellent job for us as mayor.
James Fennell, Gilroy
