Advance Copy of Series Finale Critical For Competitiveness
When Dan Fenton took his job as CEO of Team San Jose, the prospect of running another organization along with his current duties as leader of the Convention and Visitors Bureau seemed a daunting and overwhelming task until the city made him an offer he couldn’t refuse: an advanced copy of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”
“What can I say?” said Mr. Fenton. “They played dirty. I love that little wizard!”
Perks for top government managers are not new, but the lengths that some cities have to go to in order to acquire and keep the best employees now have no limits. San Jose has offered some of its top managers city cars, extended vacation time, comprehensive health benefits, swollen pensions, and use of the mayoral jet. But in most cases it wasn’t enough. Former RDA Executive Director Susan Shick left for a yacht as Micronesia’s retail deputy director, former City Manager Del Borgsdorff took his small hands to a backup QB position with the 49ers, and former Mayor Ron Gonzales decided not to seek higher office when offered a plea deal.
“Top government managers are hard to come by,” said city attorney Rick Doyle, “and in Silicon Valley, if you’re not prepared to offer things the ordinary Google executive can’t get, you’re S.O.L.”
According to Mr. Doyle, in order to stay competitive, perks have included iPhones before they were available to the public, two-and-a-half hour lunch breaks for city code enforcement officials, free parking nights and weekends, and early retirement with full salary and benefits in the case of one District 2 council representative.
“That last one is in dispute,” said Doyle. “It is our contention that although Councilman Williams did retire early, he continues to show up physically, which is a breach of the agreement.”
Speaking of city employees, it is a good thing we have FAT LAZY FIREFIGHTERS, at least yesterday. With the Donner house burning down, there is one less EYESORE to blight our city. Of course the police weren’t able to catch the arsonists, they were probably down at city hall filing for DISABILITY and getting a marriage license for their NEW YOUNG BRIDES. Maybe the HOMELESS BUMS who set the fire can torch a few more JUNKY OLD VICTORIANS AND QUEEN ANNES. Then we can build beautiful buildings for our downtown, Fairmont Hotel, Sobrato Building, HP Pavilion, etc.
George Berlin
Dear San Jose:
We had a fire incident in our neighborhood around the 4th of July. I’ve got to tell you, that I didn’t see ONE heavy firefighter. All I saw was a bunch of pros doing their job well!
Someone should write a novel about an old historic building being torched to make way for a high-density residential tower…and in this same novel, a dot com billionaire buys a couple of downtown buildings and dismantles them to make way for parks and open space.
Pete Campbell
Someone light Harry Potter on fire!
John,
Why don’t you do a piece on how much money the city attorney has cost the city in losing cases? The one against the county being the most recent in my memory. He should fired by the council per the city charter –
SECTION 901. Officers and Employees; Appointment and Removal.
The City Manager, the City Attorney, and the City Clerk shall be appointed and may at any time be removed by the Council. Except as otherwise provided by this Charter, all other officers, department heads and employees of the City, except members of boards and commissions, shall be appointed by the City Manager and, except as otherwise provided elsewhere in this Charter, shall serve at his or her pleasure.
The Council shall appoint, and may at any time remove, an Acting City Manager, an Acting City Attorney, Acting City Clerk, Acting City Auditor and Acting Independent Police Auditor to perform the functions and duties of the respective offices in the case of absence or disability.
The Mayor and each member of the Council shall appoint any assistants to serve in his or her office.
The City Manager shall, subject to the provisions of Section 411.1, appoint a person to act as the head of a department or office, other than the office of City Clerk, City Attorney, City Auditor, Independent Police Auditor and Public Information Officer in the case of absence or disability of the head of such department or office.
I was walking in the neighborhood, after the soft closing down town and noticed a couple of strange figures polking around the Donner house. Can’t say that I can connect them with the fire, but I would not be surprised to see a slick night club opening soon at that location. That would be the perfect spot . Next to the half way housing. One block from city hall. Our 24/7 downtown is happening.
D.O.A.
Why don’t you do a piece on how much money the city attorney has cost the city in losing cases?
Blah, blah, blah. The broken record continues.
Harry Potter spoiler.
Ron Gonzales is He-Who-Cannot-Be-Mentioned.
#6 Blah, blah, blah. The broken record continues.
Struck a nerve with you too! You work in that office huh, Joey
Oakland, CA has an ongoing trash haulers labor strike. Does anyone think that “GONZO”
would be willing to take on an assignment of
signing a secret contact and paying the union
4 million or so to settle the strike? After all he
could use the city of San Jose as a reference.
If he got caught, maybe the D.A. there would
charge him and not drop the charges As our D.A. did.
In reviewing three previous columns:
November 22, 2006, “What Do You Not Understand” by Tom McEnery mentions:
Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins
May 21, 2007, “The Dialogue Has Started” by Pierluigi Oliverio mentions:
Phaedra Ellis-Lampkins
July 18, 2007, “Reed Sets The Agenda” by Tom McEnery mentions:
Phaedra Lamkins-Ellis
Three different columns, three different spellings, conclusion – I have quite a bit of free time on my hands.
George Berlin
Is George: Green, Berlin and Bush the same person?