1/12/12
"Lisa" commented that she'd had a good experience when renewing her dog's license at City Hall. Great and as it should be!
The Insider wants to point out that the recent blog on compensation was about the amount staff is being paid, not how they're performing in their jobs (although, performance is involved and there may be some issues).
The City is paying some staff at what is the highest rates in the Twin Cities. The policy is to pay competitive wages for acceptable performance. Paying excessively is a waste of taxpayer money and just causes equity problems within the staff. Suppose employee X is rated as acceptable performance and is paid near the average of what other cities pay for the same job. Then, employee Y, also performing at an acceptable level, is paid at the maximum of their pay range and way above their peers in other cities. Is it fair to X that Y gets the max and X only gets the market average? Of course not.
The Insider hears comments that certain staff are "nice" or similar and this is used as justification for high pay. The Insider maintains that "nice" is usually a job requirement. Not being "nice" should be a problem needing correction. "Nice" as a reason for high pay is usually just covering up someone's way to show favorable treatment to someone who they like or to whom they owe some favor.
Happy Reading!
The Insder
Insder you should have had your "Nice","Overpaid Staff" proof your blog.
ReplyDeleteInsider reader
Qualifications count. Not just the ability to be likable to the public and elected officials.If someone with substandard credentials manages to wrangle an important job in the city, should his pay be based on what a similar job in another city would pay, where the requirement is more education, high-level certifications, and experience?
ReplyDeleteInsider, I think you are being too hard on city staff in general. There are plenty of nice people over there who are very qualified and do a great job.
ReplyDeleteAnd in fact, if you are working the front desk of anywhere you had better be nice, accommodating and efficient so one might consider that a requirement of the job. Dealing with the general public can be a drag most of the time.
I also think that Public Works takes the hit on a lot of things that are beyond their control. Who do you think gets things fixed around the city?
I think one of the most alarming ideas we need to explore is this "sharing" of staff and resources. If you think people are stretched thin now, wait until they have to start babysitting Excelsior. We are on the doorstep of a giant mess with that idea. Please point yourself in that direction.
You came down hard on the unprotected city workers. Why didn't you address the cities Union workers? Maybe the Union would slap your hands for writing blogs of such nature.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anonymous' (Jan 15) last paragraph 100%. According to the Insider's link to the council packet several weeks ago, we already have one under performer on staff involved in this expansion of staffing to other cities, and we have others who claim to be stretched thin. How will Shorewood taxpayers benefit from this endeavor? Please Insider, help with this. Has there been any type of study done or is this just a "good idea" that will affect our bottom line?
ReplyDeleteOne has to wonder if it's the beginning of the merger of the cities Woody Love coveted without the formality...food for thought.
Four of the five members believe in the concept. I am not sure why. Who wants Excelsior's problems?
ReplyDeleteInsider: We should focus on council policy and employee expectations and not attack the employees, union or not, for being paid a living wage. We should however, expect optimum performance and fair evalution of the jobs, and reasonable reward (or not) they are doing. If my taxes go up $2 a year to pay a living wage to a hardworking city employee, I'm fine with that. I'm tired of the national trend of beating on public employees generically. Somebody has to keep our sewers working, roads cleared and other services provided for and I don't expect them to work for free just because it's coming out of the public pocketbook.
ReplyDelete