Mountain Steet Memo - a worker's nightmare?
Now that the dust seems to have settled over the unfortunate “rednecks on the square” remark, cooler heads are comparing Mayor Coody’s convenient photo op with city workers on Friday with the actual treatment of workers in the Cable Administration, and asking the following question:
Which is more indicative of this city administration’s attitude towards its own employees?
Photo ops - which no doubt can be used on campaign literature? Or stripping long-time employees of their self-respect as they are kicked out the door?
How long before Dan Coody and Susan Thomas begin cowering behind the old, “Well, this is a Right to Work State, you know,” mantra?
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Public Information Coordinator - Looks like a job for Buffy the Vampire Slayer
But even more than a hypocritical attitude towards its own workforce - and people are sitting up and taking notice of that - is the question of government accountability.
The newly proposed Public Information Coordinator, who seems to have three jobs in one, still has a role that is ill-defined in the scheme of things. This glorified clerk would seem to be:
1) taking on some of the duties of the receptionist at the PEG Center,
2) Most of the duties of the Cable Administrator,
3) the public information responsibilities of the neighborhood coordinator - another axed employee,
4) plus - quoting directly from the memo: “carry the added the responsibility of working with the Public Information and Policy Advisor to develop a communications plan that will better utilize available resources such as the Government Channel, the City Website, and city newsletters/updates to provide accurate, timely information about City programs, projects, and services."
This is a bad joke, right? What’s next? Seal off the Hellmouth?
I thought about finishing off with a riff about good bosses versus bad bosses, but I think my work here is done.
