Five weeks since the Mayor has been roasted in the Daily Snooze! There was a sudden stop to all reported activities by the Mayor after the parking fiasco hit the paper, then, WAM, nothing. Cold turkey on amusement.
You don't read about the follies at Shitty Hall because the Daily News refuses to cover them. Why? Only they know. My guess is that the city must be taking care of the Daily News, so they don't publish so stories on just what Cruella is up to!
Like the more recent flub up in treasury that produced overdrafts for most city employees that did not get their pay deposited over the 4th of July holiday.....must be the lazy work of the treasurers office that this mayor was warned about when she advanced the most lazy, but politically connected teller that was forced to leave private banking due to the need to break every rule employees are required to maintain? Nice to have a cover in council to not only keep your job (when your boss and oversight committees requested termination, but the then mayor did not have the testicular fortitude to accomplish the task) or the skills to keep your position, forcing your coworkers to do your job while you talked on the phone to relatives. So sorry that your past manager forced you to work and got fired for his efforts!
Things don't go unnoticed in Newburyport, at least when city employees stop screwing the public and turn upon each other like scavengers. With an election coming up, the filters on leaks are tight at the brick out house, but there are always stories from disgruntled employees. Seems that the demanded support from the present Mayor is costing city taxpayers a bundle. Several employees advanced by this Mayor, without the qualifications or education demanded by their advertised position are running scared of Donna loosing the election. What happens when a real manager catches up with the games she played with placing non degree holding managers into positions that demand advanced educations? Will a new Mayor stand for this risk that may cost Newburyport $$$ in losses and recovery of funds that may be questioned in court? I would hope so. After all, management style does not precede lack of oversight when one knows that a under qualified employee can set the city's risk at higher levels.
City council passed an inflated budget, not rendering even their own suggestions on overspending and cut backs as usual. Mr. Jones has not made a peep about his favorite dog ( the take home vehicles) and has joined the Mayor in their ‘chicken-little’ portrayal of ‘spend now, because it will cost more later’ show. As if taxpayers are not well versed on this well worn essay by now. Isn’t Mr. Jones a ‘paid consultant’ in his own field? Didn’t he smooze his ‘Cancer Center’ into existence recently? Wonder what’s next to line his pockets? A piece of the New Schools Action? Anything to get him to step down and back would be acceptable. Even presenting a challenged Director to replace an educated Director that Mr. Jones found to be in his way on political issues? A blessing that he has such a wonderful wife.
Speaking on under qualified personnel, has the city checked up on claims of higher education that it’s employees are claiming? I think not as the process to elevate income and lessen responsibility has continued through out this mayor’s term. A list of city employees reads like a Tammany Hall roster from Boston Southie’s past. A wonder that relatives find employment so easily in Newburyport.
I would like to see the expenditure sheets created by the MUNIS accounting software published on the City Web Site on a monthly base. If the Council cannot read these reports and see where certain managers and mayors are fluffing the expenses, at least the taxpayers could see the expenses and comment before the ink dries and the money is truly a lost investment. Just look at the DPW's history of expenses since O'Regan left and Furnari took over. A merger of Water/ Sewer (not a tax but a user fee charge for several communities under the city’s oversight) and the tax funded Department of public works (DPW) are mired by the mismanagement of these funds and the lack of proper oversight of the hand picked commissions (whom of some you may find on the unpublished water/ sewer bill publication that has not been seen recently).Compare line items trends for vehicle maintenance for instance. A five year history of spread sheets are readily available and easily published, but there will be some foot dragging and political maneuvering if the AG passes a request for all communities to publish electronic records for all to see. Newburyport may even need a real educated Auditor to feed the information to the taxpayers. Oh, didn’t know that Newburyport qualifications do not include a CPA for it's Auditor position? Well, Mayors know and have known along with councilors (another source of non income for the rate payers?).......Water and Sewer Commissioners for the past several years have requested an audit of the books and expenses and have gone ignored by the Mayors and the Auditor....and the publication of those who do not pay their water/ sewer bills by the Treasurer’s office (by-law) has not been met for several Mayors now. But your bill increases by the lost amount of collections and gifts from politicians to those who know how to avoid the public eye! Some surprising names would be on that list, unless the list was cultivated prior to release.
Found across from the Mayor's office in the $500,000 dollar park. Don't step in it, you may be fined!
