Contentions over a split vote by the Eureka City Council to make a deal with a public safety officer for early retirement was still bubbling a day after the meeting.
The city is looking to save money, and the unnamed officer is one of three city workers requesting early retirement. The city will provide 2 years of health insurance as part of the deal, but save money on an already-strapped budget.
Councilpersons Larry Glass and Linda Atkins opposed the move by calling it a “cut” to public safety. The rest of the council, Mayor Virginia Bass, and City Manager Dave Tyson called it a funding freeze.
But Glass told Channel 3 News “it’s definitely a cut.”
“Once you freeze these positions, they’re gone,” he said. The city is “cutting public safety when we promised the public that we wouldn’t do that.”
Councilman Jeff Leonard told Channel 3 “the accusations” that the decision amounts to a “cut” are false. “We’re not going to hold them hostage and make them work for another two years,” Leonard said of the three employees.
Glass said the issue is “being spun” by the council.
Eureka Police Chief Garr Nielson said the department is currently down 3 officers, and loss of this officer will up the number to 4. This time last year he was down 8.
It was suggested (by someone whose name this blogger failed to note — the chief?) that the officer may have reason to retire early, but the personal details couldn’t be discussed.
Councilman Frank Jager, a former cop, supported the move despite campaign promises to fill public safety positions in Eureka.
“Public safety needs to be a priority,” Jager wrote on the smartvoter website. “Eureka should have fully staffed police and fire departments.”
The council will decide the fate of the monies in June. We shall* see if they cut the cash or refill the position.
Down the rabbit hole
*Or maybe we won’t. Glass said he was surprised to learn a “cut is not a cut” after learning earlier in the meeting that “‘shall’ doesn’t mean ‘shall,’” despite being written in the municipal code.
That discussion unfolded during a report about the crack in the Apostolic Chruch and the start of construction on the controversial Henderson Center cell tower before permits were issued. The full report on that story will be forthcoming. Keep it tuned to the Herald.
If a city employee is contracted to work another two years but decides to retire early, they might have the best of reasons, however, their positions should be filled first if their work is in the area of public safety. Those funds should be spent for their intended purpose, not hoarded by bean counters.
When exactly does shall not mean SHALL? that is absurd and outrageous, but typical of what I have come to expect from the City of Eureka. They need a massive turnover in the entire staff, not just the police dept.
Actually the police dept. is down 6 people–well, now it’s 7, after this decision. At the council meeting, Glass asked how many officers are they down, rather than how many people. When you cut a Public Safety Officer, that is one more cop that has to spend time off the street doing paperwork.
The voters of Eureka should be outraged, since they just voted in a new city sales tax specifically to fund the police dept.
Ohhhhh, that’s what this big dial on my monitor is for.
and it only took Leonard 10 minutes to explain his position, and it was obvious after all that he still did not get it. They need to apply the 3 minute rule to councilpersons.
I call BS on this flap. Its just a typical sweetheart deal, giving a few employees a sweetener, early out retirement. They want to take the money now and run. Early retirement is a perk, not a punishment. It isn’t like the county would otherwise have to lay people off and is offering this instead, like some companies have done.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the early outer is a buddy that Jager promised this to, and Glass is trying to score some points by putting Jager in a little bind, either doing his friend a favor at public expense or keeping his campaign pledge.
According to the TS article, it will actually cost the city an additional $85,000 in cash this year, but they’ll put it on the book as just $4,000. And the savings are puny, as little as $12,000 this year. So its not about money. They could save more than that in office supplies.
And its not about getting the job done. If those employees died or were disabled they’d be off the job just as much as being retired. And who believes these won’t be replaced?
Its all about personalities and patronage. As soon as the managers identify someone they like, they’ll hire them in somewhere else and then promote them over . Just like it was only when Jager moved to the council that anyone noticed the coroner position could be eliminated for efficiency. No one in a public position would dare suggest it while Jager held that office.
The county had a “hiring freeze” but there were many positions filled anyway, the papers have listed many county jobs in the last several months. In fact, “exceptions” to the “freeze” are routinely on the consent agenda, not even worth discussing.
Boy, Not a Native, you sure know a lot!
that’s what he wanted to hear, thanks turtle.
Ed is 100% correct, the issue is not whether or not we let the worker retire, that seems prudent. The issue is whether or not to replace him.
Clearly somebody ELSE would have to be cut if this position were kept, as was promised. I’d like to know who is on the block next.
If history is any guide, this position is lost forever. The police department is now seven positions down and it is much easier to cut vacant positions than have to actually lay someone off. If they did not intend to eliminate the position, why was it frozen? Why not just let the person retire and authorize filling the vacancy? The reason is that there is no intention to fill the position. The Council could have left the money in the police budget, but did not do that either. It is smoke and mirrors and a scheme to cut public safety without calling it a cut. If the goal was to consider other public esafety uses for the money, it could have been left in the police budget, but it was not. It is a cut and the position is gone, mark my words. So much for the promises that were made when we voted on the new sales tax. No wonder the electorate distrusts politicians.
Is Murl one of the ones who is going to retire FINALLY? They could hire 2 or 3 public safety officers for what he makes!
Hmmm
Jager is trying to do the right thing. He does not even know the services officer. When Jager was a cop the public Services Officer positions didn’t even exist.
I watched the council meeting and it seemed that a big deal was made over not much. A lot of wasted time.
Not a native is NOT as well informed as he hopes others think he is. Assuming that Nota is a he.
Yes, please follow up on the “shall” controversy. I heard that that portion of the meeting is nearly unbelievable. Is there any way a segment of the meeting can be made available for download?
I am familiar with the relevant code, and its meaning is clear.
Sheryl Schaffner was the orator the Shall Follies. In true lawyerspeak, she deferred to the whims of Kevin Hamblin and Dave Tyson to do anything but enforce the CUP the city granted Verizon. I’m very disappointed in her.
Dissapointed with following the law?
One has to violate the conditions of approval before the shall becomes applicable. You having trouble getting that?
Meanwhile, implementing police review in Eureka and hiring an independent auditor gets sacrificed, but hey, who cares about law enforcement accountability so long as Glass can perpetuate his pissy little power struggle with Tyson?
This is another of Tyson’s behind the scene controlling the outcome in regard to police staffing. He doesn’t live in Eureka and doesn’t have to put up with the daily crime levels that, we who live here, do. Today I got home and my second car had a side window broken (sidewalk side) and things taken from the car. All done mid day on a busy street. Tyson hasn’t liked the new Chief and the internal reorganization he has begun. Tyson has been waiting for a chance to trim him down to size and this is the excuse. Tyson could give a damn what happens in our neighborhoods. HE wants to protect his buddy’s jobs at city hall and trim police and fire. And what about the new 1/4% sales tax increase, supposeidly to keep full staffing at EFD and EPD. The power struggle referred to above is between many of Eureka’s residents who feel short changed and a City staff that is tone deaf to the real issues in Eureka. Don’t let this reality get mixed up by the “PISSY” attitude of anon 12:24.
Tyson began to lose his stranglehold on budget last year when the council funded the six police positions he tried to get rid of. This latest effort was his reasserting his control over the budget by dumping a position in the police department even though the council has made it clear that public safety is the priority for the budget. It was fancy footwork and had everyone so confused they didn’t knowwhat they were voting for except for Atkins and Glass who could see through the bullshit. The position is GONE people, as will many others in public safety unless the council is willing to assert themselves and their duty to represent the will of the people. The budget belongs to the council, not to the city manager. The manager puts the budget together and shoves it down the throats of the council. Maybe the department heads should be responsible for their budgets and prsent them to the council before the manager red lines them. and maybe the council should decide the priorities for the city.
We’ll soon see how clear thinking the council is when it comes to the city’s priorities and major shortfalls in the general fund due to a major decline in sales tax figures. Reality better come home to roost at city hall. The Feds are sending out money to cash strapped towns all over the US to help retain police and firemen. I don’t think Tyson has a plan there. Explain why Tyson got his way during a hiring freeze to add new people? Where were the three council members who voted to let it happen? Sometimes I just wish these people would watch the news a little more. “Recession” equals “protect your basic services.”
when is Tyson’s contract up?
Tyson’s been personally instructing each City Council member (other than Glass) how to vote for sometime
It is not unusual for a City Manager to think they are they are the real power in a city, and the city council is just a bunch of country bumpkins. Unfortunately a couple of the old time council people (Jones and Leonard) are just that.
You can expect the city manager to continue to exercise his perceived authority unless the three newer councilpersons reign him in, and you can expect him to run roughshod over the wishes of the citizens of Eureka just to prove who is in charge. Public safety may be a casualty in this struggle.
Tyson knows the writing is on the wall for his slow decline. That’s why he applied for the City Manager position down in Novato (they offered him the job, and he declined it, according to Mr. Tyson himself – perhaps he realized it’s too progressive a polity for the likes of him?). He knows the demographics are trending more and more Democratic in Eureka, and that the new voters are smarter and less willing to tolerate the Good Ol’ Boys’ network, atop whose throne he sits. Just watch. I predict, in two years or less, Tyson will be gone.
And good riddance, you corrupt old bag!
You are so full of shit it isnt even funny, average. Tyson’s contract will carry him to retirement.
The only possible way he leaves is if it for a city that has single highest year of salary for calculating his retirement.
Of course those positions are frozen for now; how do any of you financial experts propose to pay for them right now with Eureka so far behind in their revenue projections?
They can unfreeze them at any time.
Average Eurekan is correct. It takes four votes to fire Tyson. Two of those votes are on the City Council now. Leonard and Jones are termed out in 2010. If two progressive candidates win those seats, Tyson will most likely be gone.
If If If, 904.
Tyson is what 52-53?
Retirement age for PERS under plan Eureka has is 55. It was very clear when he signed his contract that he was taking it into retirement.
You also need to do a bit more research if you think you can just dump a city manager in California the day after an election.
Again, instead of these supposed conspiracies Tyson is weaving, tell me again how these positions are going to be paid for. What are they going to cut?
With the trainwreck that is the california economy, Eureka needs to do all they can do to hang on until it turns around.
Hopefully they can cut their funding to the visitors bureau in a year – that would free up money to – what – unfreeze the positions, but gosh, that wouldn’t be as fun as slinging shit against the city manager.
Tyson is a good guy and he is 51 I think. Or very close.
good news then, only 3 more years of Dave Tyson and his manipulations at the expense of taxpayers! It’ll soon all be a bad dream we had…we can probably keep out the Walmart-Home Depot-LNG for 3 more years. Then we’ll be paying his retirement for the next 30 years…ah retirement at 55! What’ll he do with al that free time, golf?
You know, I really believe he is a guy who tried to do the right thing. If you don’t believe that, fine.
tries not tried
Tourism is the only growing business in the county right now. Motel TOT was up about 8% in Eureka in 2008. The council would be crazy to cut the visitor’s bureau. Get real! It is time to look at the new budget, line by line. Keep basic services as strong as possible and take out the fluff. No new $80,000 service trucks, city wifi, etc. Did we really need those new electronic water meters through out the city last year? Come on folks, this is not rocket science.
So then what are you going to cut, Monitor? Service trucks are usually not funded by the general fund – they are funded by enterprise funds or other special revenue funds. I’m sure that Eureka isnt going to be spending that kind of general fund money on “new 80,000 service trucks”.
Those “electronic water meters” were funded by the water fund, funds that cannot be used for anything but – the water fund.
You are right, monitor, it’s not rocket science, but a basic understanding of how city finances work is helpful. Obviously you dont have that grasp.
Has anyone considered closing our zoo? It sucks up a half million (or more) of general fund money. It is simply a big black hole money-wise. No tourist ever came to Eureka to visit our zoo. In grim financial times it should be the first thing on the chopping block.
I agree with the comment above the money to the Visitor’s Bureau is probably a good investment. On the other hand the sweetheart deal with the Chamber of Commerce needs another look.
What to cut? is right on: VB thumbs up, Eureka Chamber (aka Warren’s Gravy Train), I say, cut the cord.
I stand on my original argument: If Dave Tyson weren’t scared of the ever-more liberal bent in Eureka, he wouldn’t have gone fishing in Novato. ’nuff said.
Proof, please?
How about a bit of proof that Tyson went “fishing in Novato”; you are far from “nuff said”.
Eureka has a great Council, politically balanced, with all views represented up there, hardly anything that Tyson would be “scared of”.
I am chuckling, remembering the thread from a year or so ago where Heraldo was accusing Tyson of consorting with Arkley, being seen together, etc.
The bash-brigade was in full force, right up until Tyson came here and injected a bit of truth into the thread, at which point furious backpedaling from Heraldo commenced.
Again, if these positions are not frozen, how are we going to pay for them right now with the budget upside down?
Backpedaling? No, I simply posted his response.
I believe apologizing, as you did on that thread, can be characterized as backpedaling.
I apologized for characterizing his behavior as “loitering.”
whatever dude, you backpedaled.
You were insulting his behavior, got called on it, apologized for it, and presto, you backpedaled.
Nothing to be ashamed of though.
Tyson was born in 1957. He’ll be 52 later this year. He’ll be 53 after the next Eureka City Council election.
The problem with Tyson is not that he’s evil. He just lacks any real vision for Eureka. He’s too easily swayed by the Republican economic model, which has been a disaster for the nation.
Tyson is too provincial. He was born and raised here. If he’s ever been out of Humboldt County, it wasn’t for very long. We need a city manager who’s been exposed to new ideas. Someone who can provide a fresh outlook for Eureka’s potential.
Anon 9:18 p.m. is wrong. The City Council can remove Tyson at any time, as long as there are four votes. The 2010 City Council election will be interesting. Larry Glass will be up for re-election, and there will be a real battle for the other two open seats.
Mean, mean, Heraldo, now Rob can only give Tyson is orders on the phone.
Tyson is bragging to anyone who will listen, about how badly Navato wanted him. I find that hard to believe, Navato is a pretty progressive city.
Actually, Bull Moose, I believe there is a period of time immediately following a city council election that the City Manager can not be fired, so technically, 918 is correct.
I’m not 100 percent sure on that though.
There’s your proof. So I suppose you’re now saying that if it came from Tyson’s own mouth, many times over, it still can’t be believed.
*sigh*
Where exactly is the proof? That an anonymous poster than yourself said it?
*sigh*
Unless of course you think “Matthew Bass” is the poster’s real name.
*BIG sigh*
I know who Average Eurekan is and where she is getting her info. It is pretty much true.
Your City Manager was one of 62 applications for our City Manager position. He made it to the finals, that much I know, beyond that, I am not sure if he was ever offered the the job. I don’t think they’ve settled on anyone yet. If the selection committee was to look at archives of this blog, I doubt very much they would choose him.
Four more years! Four more years!
Four more years? God help us all. Tyson’s shell game with the city budget is just that, a game. However the jig is almost up. Juggling funds from here to there, maintenance to the general fund, money from redevelopment to try to hid the imbalance for the last few years. It is all robbing Peter to pay Paul, and Tyson is at the end of his rope, no more Peters are left to rob. Sales tax money is declining at an alarming rate, so hang on to your hats.