This week I am writing about the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Most of the time, sadly, we hear these words of good advice but don’t make the conscious effort to apply healthy choices to our usual routines. Perhaps some of you who are reading this may think that writing about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, one which includes “eating right” and “exercising,” may not have anything to do with city government. I politely disagree.
Rising healthcare costs are a detriment to every employer—public or private. Higher healthcare costs equate to less city services; or, in private sector, it may mean not hiring a new employee.
I recently met with Eric Larsen, President of AFSCME Local 101, regarding wellness programs. Eric shared with me that 15 percent of the employees of the City of San Jose are responsible for 80 percent of the medical costs that the city endures. This percentage shines light on a serious issue.
The issue of wellness and preventative care is not new; however, its implementation is rather slow. Popping a few pills takes much less time than walking the Guadalupe River Park. Eating healthy and exercising regularly is called preventative care.
For example, a member of my staff recently suffered a swollen knee which made it difficult for her to walk. The doctor explained that she had a weak knee and that for her knee to improve she would need to exercise or have surgery. Her treatment consisted of different exercises specifically for her knees. Even though it took time, her knee is much better and she is now exercising and avoided costly surgery.
People who maintain a healthy lifestyle pose less of a health risk and thus less of an economic risk to health care providers. Avoiding extra weight, lowering blood pressure, keeping cholesterol in check, among other things, are positive ways that we can demonstrate that we take our health seriously. Sadly, many adults do not see a doctor on a regular basis but only when they are already sick or have a problem that needs immediate and more costly attention.
In an effort to bring awareness to the importance of exercise, I am continuing the City Hall Stair Challenge on November 7th at City Hall. This event was started by Supervisor Ken Yeager. Ken was a smoker at one point in his life. He decided to stop smoking and is now an accomplished marathon runner. Although many people will be participating in the eightee-story Stair Challenge, it is also a symbolic gesture and reminder that any type of physical activity is important.
Recently, the City of San Jose was voted the “8th Best Walking City in the United States.” This great news leads me into an idea that I want to share. Why not take advantage of San Jose’s “Best Walking” title and incorporate walking tours from City Hall.
I want to challenge you to think about putting together walking routes that start and end at City Hall. They should be different in length and take you to different areas within the downtown. There are many different options that one could take going in all directions from City Hall that include different neighborhoods, park, landmarks, and retail stores, etc., that are missed by driving in a car. Let’s get out of the car and start experiencing our surroundings by walking.
The city has over 2,000 employees that work at 200 East Santa Clara Street. Can you imagine if just half or a quarter walked 3 times a week?
I propose that the City of San Jose take a proactive approach to promoting healthy lifestyles and that we get the insurance carriers involved so that we can attempt to get quality healthcare that costs less.
Something else I learned from Mr. Larsen was that the City of San Jose has been given a $200,000 grant for wellness. The city has not yet decided how the money should be spent.
I will take this opportunity to share my thoughts about how the money could be spent. For example, I would like to promote web-based tracking that all city employees (including myself) could log into when they walk and/or exercise. Sharing personal exercising data would not be mandatory; however, the system could be accessed by the healthcare providers and if employees wanted to share their information with others, they could. The City of San Jose could use this information to attempt to receive lower healthcare rates. This idea resembles car insurance. When one has a good driving record, their costs are lower. Of course, it would be cumulative. However, if the City of San Jose negotiated right, I think it would be pretty hard for the healthcare industry to ignore the nation’s tenth largest city’s proactive approach for promoting healthy lifestyles.
The walking routes (that I mentioned above) could be located on the cities intranet so that city employees could choose to walk different routes during lunch or on their free time. The intranet setup would allow for employees to track their progress. This set-up could cost well under the $200,000 grant. Imagine if there were 15 plus walking routes that employees could choose from. The walking routes could be shared with others and possibly used as promotional material for City Hall and the Downtown Association.
And, if there is not the support to spend a portion of the $200,000 for database purposes, there are many FREE websites that allow you to track your fitness goals. Even if we did not create an intranet to store the employees’ fitness information, the city could ask employees if they would like to share their results from the FREE fitness websites so that the city could share this information with the health insurance carriers when it’s time to negotiate, thus showing that San Jose is serious about proactive preventative wellness care.
Do you have a favorite walking route you want to share? Even though it’s October, the weather still lends itself to walking downtown.
Councilmember Oliverio:
Interesting piece on how simple walking can make one healthier, and how it should be encouraged at the city level.
Are you and/or the City Council aware of just how much San Jose’s streets are designed to encourage speeding automobile traffic than to support pedestrians? I found some examples here:
http://sanjosehatespedestrians.priss.org/
What is the City doing to address the areas “not walkable” mentioned at the site mentioned above? These are all institutionalized barriers to a healthier, saner environment for all.
The city should focus on implementing walking into everyday life. Get people out of their cars. Make real neighborhoods, not stucco McMansion tracts. Those are the last things we need now.
Ever seen those lists of fittest and fattest cities? The slim ones are typically less dependent on the automobile. People aren’t too lazy to get themselves places.
Plan for all new growth within a certain boundary at the center of the city. Keep people attached to the community. A trip to the convenience store should not entail a five-minute drive there and another one back.
Perhaps the grant money could best be spent on drafting a solid plan of making a real “walkable city.” We can be the “10th largest” whatever, but all I ever hear from outsiders is “you wouldn’t know it was that big by being there.” How about fixing that with some real, efficient city lifestyle?
PO wrote:“Something else I learned from Mr. Larsen was that the City of San Jose has been given a $200,000 grant for wellness. The city has not yet decided how the money should be spent. “
I hope they don’t pay a consultant $175k to figure it out for them.
Sorry to Hijack this topic, but rather than talking about walking I’d like to talk about running. Running for Supervisor that is.
Tonight at SJ State CINDY CHAVEZ is suppose to announce she’s not running for BLANCA ALVARDO’s seat.
This should not be a surprise because she’s been job hunting all over the place since she lost (in places as far away as San Francisco for a job).
Rumor is she’s (i.e. labor and developers) did a poll that showed she’d probably lose. Her negative rating is 50 percent! People still think she’s a Gonzales clone and she’s responsible for the Grand Prix and cost overruns at City Hall and the lobbyists.
Can anyone at SJ Inside get and publish the poll?
Thank you for letting me be able to walk in a park and not have to inhale second hand smoke. This is a big improvement in the quality of life of San Jose.
#1: I thought I heard within the last couple of weks that SJ was named 8th most pedestrian friendly city in the US of A.
I guess their criteria are different than yours…whoever it was that made that pronouncement.
Why even think about creating another “only in San Jose” database when there are free on-line programs aplenty, including the American Heart Association’s Start! program?
The Health Trust has had AmeriCorps volunteers who map out on-site walking paths—indoors and outdoors—for businesses and other institutions, free.
If 15% of employees account for 80% of healthcare expenditures, focus on the 15% instead of a general feel good effort. Aggressively manage chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and other cardio-vascular disease (Management that includes exercise and diet) and watch your co-morbidity costs drop.
There is more to be gained by helping an obese diabetic keep blood glucose levels in a normal range (Through diet, exercise, monitoring and, when appropriate, medication) than giving a tee-shirt to an already fit disease-free worker who ups her walking disance from 2 miles three times a week to 2.5 miles three times a week.
Glad you are focusing on the importance of exercise and preventative health care. The figure you cite of 15% of the employees are responsible for 80% of the medical care costs is astounding. I realize some health issues are beyond us and can’t be prevented, but much of them can be. I also realize that some of those folks who have been railing against the smoking ban in parks will see no correlation to smoking and good health, but for the rational folks out there I hope this is the beginning of common sense in San Jose and an effort to educate people about taking care of themselves.
As someone who walks a couple of miles just about everyday, I know it is not easy at times given the condition of the sidewalks and other hazards. It would be nice if the city took care of the sidewalks better or at least got the homeowners to fix those hazards.
As an aside, I am also surprised at the amount of water that folks waste “watering” the sidewalk and the street. The problem is lessening as winter approaches but the number of broken and poorly aimed sprinklers is appalling.
I’ll keep walking, but very carefully. I’m young enough and nimble enough so these hazards are minimal to me, but they are pretty serious to older and less stable citizens.
Gotta go walk…
Finally ! ?
Cindy takes a WALK!
Don’t bet on it, considering how big labor (big bucks) still rules and they know How to walk.
Grumpy
I highly recommend all of you go rent “Sicko.” Look into socialized medicine in England, France, Canada, even Cuba, you’ll run not walk to the nearest foreign country, should you or a relative, or spouse get seriously ill. Insurance and drug companies in this country are ripping us off everyday. You pay for insurance and when you get seriously ill, you’re told you’re not covered. It is time Americans start demanding change in the heath care system.
As to walking, I do it at least three times a week, if not more. It’s a great stress reliever, and helps me sleep better. And I guess it’s good for my health, but that’s not why I do it. I love looking at the turning leaves, squirrels running around people’s yards, meeting new neighbors, or new dogs and their guardians at the park. The night sky is gorgeous; the harvest Moon has been glorious these past few weeks. Yep, I highly recommend walking for the soul, if it helps the body great, but a rested mind is even better!
Dear San Jose:
It’s only a matter of time before we’ll all be required to meet in the public square for a communal “morning stretch” followed by ten minutes of “what’s best for the community” indoctrination.
Pete Campbell
p.s. On the slippery slope national front…Gov. of New York issues drivers licenses to illegal immigrants…and, FEMA hosts a fake press conference.
$200,000 so city employees can track how far they walk and where and tell each other about it. That’s money well spent. NOT!!! And then to provide it to insurance companies. I can see it now. Well, Joe is not covered for his heart attack because he did not walk 50 miles last year. It says so on the $200,000 computer system.
I feel strongly that a new law is needed that requires people to walk at least 2 miles a day or risk being hauled downtown and placed on SJPD treadmills and tasered until the 2 miles are logged.
That should greatly improve our health.
Hopefully Forrest Williams can fast track this one through SJ’s red tape quagmire.
$200, 000 would help pay the medical bills for a lot of uninsured people who can’t afford health care.
#14- “I feel strongly that a new law is needed that requires people to walk at least 2 miles a day or risk being hauled downtown and placed on SJPD treadmills and tasered until the 2 miles are logged.
That should greatly improve our health.”
You are joking right? If not, you’re pretty frightening.
Walking is good for everybody regardless of age. Since SJ Govt will probably spend the $200K on a consultant therefore you have already thought of your Plan B which is to use FREE websites to track fitness milestones…here is one I like: http://www.fitday.com
Large organizations need traceability to negotiate with insurance carriers and FitDay shows compliance. It tracks exercise, nutrition, weight loss goals and more…
Why are you talking about this? You should be working on ways to reduce the city budget
deficit….
While it would appear to be an appalling statistic, I think if you compare any large group of insured people you will always find this kind of lop-sided relationship. It’s the same as your own personal medical expenses: unless you have health problems from an early age you will spend 90% of you entire life time allotment of medical expenses during the last 10% of your life. In any large group there is a small percentage who drag down the numbers because of long term or catastrophic illnesses or injuries. This does not mean that they are “at fault”, it’s just part of the overall big picture. I’m also guessing that many of the 15% cited are on disability leave and I would question whether or not this includes retired employees…you can imagine that the older you are the more money on health care you are going to cause the insurance pool.
While logging into a database sounds like a wonderful geeky tech thing to do, it is a violation of privacy and a huge opening for insurance companies to start raising rates. There is also an incredible opportunity for pressure from your boss, the city manager, your co-workers, etc. to start producing statistics. If I work out at the gym it’s nobody’s business but my own. If I don’t, it’s not something that should be in any database considering there is no security these days. Plus, doesn’t the city self insure for worker comp? Doesn’t that start to open a can of worms about work place confidentiality? Walking 5 miles a day does no good if I’m out at the bars every weekend, smoking crack (or tobacco) or engaging in other lifestyle options that create poor health.
With that said, using the money to develop walking routes from ALL the main areas where City employees are housed is a good idea. Having health fairs, bringing in resources, encouraging flex spending plans and making sure that any preventative care is fully covered is a good starting point for the $200k. Most people don’t see their doctors for preventative care because it costs money to do so. Refund a month of the premium deductions if you get an annual check up. Pay for smoking cessation programs in advance.
Heck, just handing out pedometers to everyone will help. Making brown bag lunch seminars available or converting wing rooms to yoga/stretching/tai chi/meditation classes is an inexpensive route. Converting that empty retail space to a gym with showers and giving city employees a discount is a good use of existing empty property and funds. Give people gym memberships.
Or, you could reinstate the in house programs that would reduce work place injuries. How much of that lop sided figure is due to the fact that during lean times we tend to cut the very offices that supervise work place safety? How much do we lose every year due to preventable injuries because we have no safety training program? Have you seen the number of people walking around City Hall with carpal tunnel braces on? Wellness programs, whether work related or general wellness save you much more money than they cost.
There are any number of good things that can be done without creating yet another data base, yet another means of tracking individuals and yet another way to breach somebody’s confidentiality.
I would recommend a walking route to Japantown and back to City Hall or walk to historic Naglee Park neighborhood meandering through SJSU.
You have got to be kidding me? with all that’s going on in city hall. This is your topic ? for the week.
If I didn’t know better I’d say you were a doctor and you just play a dumb council person on the weekends.
Do some home work for a change and write something with meaning. give someone else a chance if this is the best that you can do.
How did you get elected….
For some City workers who will go unnamed, if they have to walk, exercise, eat right, take off the extra pounds, lower their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. . . how will they be able to qualify for that pre-retirement disability they’re planning on?
Your post makes me want to walk off a plank, bridge, or building or maybe I will walk off the pain of reading yet another moronic post from a Councilmember who loves thunderstorms. Wake me up next week, this post will put me to sleep at least that long.
21 & 22 make some good points. But why should the city pay for school crossing guards? This should be a cost paid for by the school districts. This is not an essential city service and in this time of deficits only essential city services should be funded.
As for Pellier Park I can only second what 22 says. This is another example of a developer getting away with whatever he wants. Where is the accountability??
21 sez: duh me not know how grants work…
Everyone should walk to check out the 1968 Olympics Black Power statue in SJSU. My uninformed friends call it “The Big Ups Statue.”
#22—“the developer” probably doesn’t have the $$> I just noticed he’s put a sign up on hius condo building touting a $50K incentive!!!
Any doubts about the viability of the downtown housing market?
$200,000 grant for wellness.
OK, take it and pave some roads. Our backs will appreciate the wellness given.
Or, hire four school traffic guardes. Our children’s wellness will be potentially better.
Or build, fix that firestation, traffic intersection, dangerous alley.. wellness will be appreciated.
You get the idea. Priorities. Leave messages and walking your neighborhood to the people. Do what your are elected todo.
Set priorities… Safety, Public Works, Neighborhood planning, economic development and yes, some recreation…
#18- Very well said. Unfortunately, very few people realize that this “great idea,” is going to come back and bite them in the butt. In several Midwestern states, insurance companies and employers are already experimenting with rewarding healthy, slim customers and employees with lesser costs, and punishing people with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes with higher premiums, as well as, pressuring these people into health programs at their own cost. Civil rights groups, and citizen advocacy groups are already coming out against this because they are smart enough to see the eventual outcome of this “great plan”. No one is taking into account heredity. Some illnesses and body builds are passed on to us regardless of how much we exercise, eat, or don’t eat, whether we smoke or don’t smoke.
I’m just amazed how so many people don’t get this invasion of privacy issue. Our rights are disappearing every day and people just don’t seem to get it.
#28 – #1: Reread 1984
#2: Rights to Privacy is understood, however, when a proven carcinogen is harmful to the majority, then the democratically elected ruling body is justified in banning health hazards.
If you want a destination within walking distance of City Hall, how about getting the developer who trashed Pellier Park and turned it into a featureless wasteland to return it to its former condition (as was promised before the work began)?
I want to thank the Councilman for his thoughts for the week… I would however suggest that he have good attorney look over these things before he puts ‘em out…
Much of what he suggests as ways for the community to become more involved with peoples private lives and lifestyles borders on potential profiling… Let’s just leave it at the level of nice Public Service announcements and let the market and the Lord sort out the sick and the sinful.
One must always be mindful of the extent of people’s right to be left alone…, to be different and not to be discriminated against because they are different. When you start imposing values as policy you open the door to those who would impose what they feel is right on you…
In short, this is not the business of our City government… Much less it’s second newest member…
And one more thing…The 80-20 bit is specious. It can be said of most things, as in 20% of the City Council puts out 80% of the hot air… And if your weekly posts are evidence, and I think they are, 20% of the City Council is doing 80% of the work as well…
Dallas1122633
#29- I’m sorry Wonder Woman, I don’t understand your comment “Reread 1984.”
One problem with walking during the summer months is the heat and also risk of skin cancer caused by the sun. To encourage walking, it would be helpful to provide more shade. One way is to plant more trees. Another is to encourage businesses in areas like downtown, Willow Glen or The Alameda to provide awnings or other sources of shade (which could of course be used to display the name of the business). If you look at old pictures of San Jose, from when people walked more, this was once quite common. Now I think it is discouraged in the interest of uniformity. I walk quite a lot, and I certainly suffer from the lack of shade during the summer.
#31 George Orwell’s fictional book about invasive surveillance, where the term “Big Brother is watching you.” originated, reminicent of laws such as the smoking ban. Actually not worth rereading, it’s thought to be predictive of what’s been happening, is happening and will happen.
I find that I need to reread “1984” at least once every five years or so. His predictions on the use of TV and mass marketing to control the masses is just amazing. Anyone listening to any of the debates today or the utterances from ‘homeland security’—oh what level are we at anyway? or is that dating me?… should pause and take note of the similarities.
Yes, it was fiction. Yes, it was over the top. But it was trying to make a point, and did. Power corrupts. People with power will use what ever tools necessary to keep power. Modern marketing came into being during the 1950s and he predicted that this tool would be used to control the populace, and it has.
A lot of the details are of novel were done to make it readable, or not so readable depending on your comfort zone. I don’t especially like rats, or the idea of them eating my eyeballs, but that’s just personal taste.
It was brilliant than and is brilliant today.
And on the idea of government promoting exercise. Anyone see the film clips of Nazi Germany extolling the virtues of a healthy population? mmhh.. I won’t go there, but slippery slops are more than just talking about talking points of the NRA on gun-control.
Seems like there are three ways to solve rising health care costs in our city budget. One is to raise co-payments on city workers to private sector level or second cut the actual health care benefits or third what he is proposing is to lower costs by offering a fitness program with measurable results. The city cannot fix our sidewalks, streets or hire enough police to slow speeders down unless we solve SJ budget issues and one big one is the amount spent on healthcare.
#34- Concerned Citizen.
You`ve made a lot of good points that are important to our “Quality of Life” issues in San Jose. I agree with your comments except for one (and respecting your comments) you said,“PLO…What are you doind…you should be focusing on fixing problems”.
I haven`t herd much from the other council members nor have I herd them attempting to solve them, but Pierluigi is certianly working very hard on most of the problems you speek of, he has been having meetings inside his district and in other districts in an effort to get residents of San Jose feed back, in district six, he has solved or is in the process of solving many of our problems. PLO has no budget money to work with but he has accomplished more than our previous council members.
I`ve attended many of his meetings with residents in his district and watched him listen and work toward solutions. I only hope, and you should too, hope he has the support of his fellow council members.
I suggest you attend one or more of his meetings to see his working style. I think Pierluigi sees every problem to be an opportunity and as you have mentioned, we have a lot of problems in the City. Quality of Life problems.
I`m pleased to see you take the time to list some of our most pressing problems.
#33- You’ve made some great points. I think our society is very short sighted when it comes to freedoms, and well intentioned ideas that lead to disaster. Sometimes, “Truth is stranger than fiction!”
“The Los Gatos Creek Trail” with its new extension to Auzreis Street is a bueatiful asset for us living in the south bay. I use this trail every day entering the trail at Meridian avenue and walking to Campbell Park and downtown Campbell. Returning to Willow Glen it`s a 9 mile walk. I`ve also made the trip on weekends walking from Meridian Ave. to Los Gatos and back with my two dogs, 18 miles round trip.
The walk gives usa a chance to experience San Jose and west as it used to be, it`s a chance to meet many of your neighbors walking or jogging or bicycling. The air along the trail is very clean and the route is very safe. I have a slow thyroid problem and my doctor has recomended I walk as much as I can. My brother in law is very thin, but has been fighting a high cholostrol problem most of his life, again his doctors recomend walking as it is an enjoyable way to burn off bad Cholostrol.
I`d like to see the trail extended to downtown San Jose because I believe it would be a wonderful way to walk from Willow Glen to downtown San Jose on a summer night or some of our nicer spring or fall evenings. The trails give us a chance to think while walking and enjoying the fresh air.
Walking on the trails is a lot safer than walking on our city streets, and for joggers and cyclist the trails are a lot safer than using San Jose`s bike lanes. (San Jose is not as protective of its bike lanes as Palo Alto).
One of the nice things about using the Campbell-Los Gatos segments of the trails is that you often see local Police officers either walking or riding their mop-heads on the trails.
Because of this you see a lot more foot traffic on their segment of the trail.
The traiks are real value for all of us.
#37, Kathleen,
You can apply the BAREC incident to 1984 too. Power corrupts !!
People with power will do whatever is necessary… isn`t that what happened at BAREC.
The last thing we need is to add more traffic to all ready packed I-280. Building condos on “BAREC” will seriously impact I-280 even more!!
Try to imagine all the new high density residential construction underway in downtown San Jose and in Willow Glen, and now on the Alameda, try to imagine all these people trying to get on I-280 in addition to those residents already frustrated with that Interstates traffic condition. Do we really need more traffic from condos on BAREC land.
What`s next, go to Jim Beal and ask him to ask the Governor to add another deck to Interstate 280. Do our city managers really think the developers will pay for a second deck on I-280 ?
Soon we will be able to WALK FASTER ON I-280 than we can drive on it,(maybe at times that time has arrived). Should we add bike lanes to the Interstate too???
#39- Very good points. My concern extends even further into the fact that the Mayor and Council just blew off concerned citizens, and did what they dam pleased. One of the articles in the press nailed either the Mayor of Santa Clara, or a Council Member, can’t recall which, for rolling her/his eyes during public comments, and making some, under her/his breath comment, about wanting them to hurry up because Council was not going to change their minds about passing what THEY wanted.
I’m very proud of the Save the BAREC citizens for getting a petition together, and forcing a public vote on this issue. It will teach these pin headed, power mongers to think twice about ignoring public input.
If your really interested in people walking and exercising, make trails accessible and safe, make street – bike lanes in all streets safe and available for bikers and walkers. Fix all the sidewalks so people don’t fall on unsafe, unlevel, broken sidewalks. Make that a priority so they don’t fall and file a law suit. If your really interested in Health, fix the problems that San Jose has today.
Allow staff to have breaks, when otherwise they are so busy working for their employers that they don’t take the time to have one. Make it mandatory, so they can get out, have time to do a 20-30 minute walk.
What are you doing? as an example to good exercise…More recently I was in City Hall and was walking through the 18th floor and saw a bike in your office? Are you riding that bike? or is it just there for looks? How are you being an example of health? And..as a councilmember – while health is a great subject to talk about, shouldn’t you really be focusing on fixing problems that are going on in the City? broken sidewalks, bad, cracked, broken streets, safety? Especially since have the SJ Police force are sitting at Starbucks. What are you doing to put the Police back on the street and on our City freeways. Our City freeways are a San Jose 500 raceway. No one follows the speed laws on San Jose freeways because they know there is no Police on them. Why do Police only come out on Holidays? What are you doing Pierluigi and how are you working to fix our City’s problems.
Budget problems are a big issue in San Jose – as a concerned citizen and a City of San Jose employee, I know that the City 1) is top heavy with management – departments really need to be taken a look at to see if they really need the people that have the very high salaries and what they are really doing for that particular dept. 2) Wasteful spending on vendors that the City contracts to do their work – that overcharge 3) Wasted Utility spending (example: turning off lights when there are windows in areas that don’t need the lights, or how about the City Hall Mist that comes on..not always on sunny days, but has come on…on cloudy misty days…so many little things that add up.
Healthcare is an issue, but that’s not the real issue. The real issue is the high salaries that some of the City mgmt have, too many managers and again too much spent on San Jose Police Department. Wasted money. They sit at Starbucks all the time. Take a drive on any given day and find out how much wasted money is spent on Police hours drinking coffee and/or managing construction sites, when construction crews could do that. So much wasted time/money.
I have seen what Pierluigi is doing….he cares there is no doubt about it, I’m not attacking him, I’m asking him to open his eyes and really see and hear the voices around him.
I feel San Jose Police Dept is a racket. Support them and they will give you anything and many people do not care very much for the independent Police Auditor because she was put in place to let Council know what really is going on with the Police Dept…but,,,,does anyone care to listen to Barbara Attard, Independent Police Auditor? No, because they know what’s going on and what are they,,,including Pierluigi going to do about it…is he going to support wrong doing…or put justice in its place? I ask, what are you doing Pierluigi?
#41- I agree with much of what you’ve said regarding trimming management, the City Manager staff, but not about the Police or the IPA. The IPA collaborates with anti Police groups, and there is nothing Independent about her. She is not trained in Police investigations or much else. Rather than working with the Chief, she uses the media and community groups to try and manipulate the Mayor and Council into giving her more power. Power that she isn’t legally entitled to, nor quailifed for in the first place.
The Police do not chose to sit bored directing traffic, or watching over construction sites. They are required to ensure public health and safety, so that’s why they do it. So they stop and chat over a cup of Java and that makes them bad, I don’t think so.
I see City staff doing lots of things on City time that they shouldn’t be. I hear constituents complain all the time about the run around they’re given by staff, or the complete lack of response when they call or write. It’s a double-edged sword that cuts both ways. Hence the old saying, “don’t throw stones in a glass house.”
I do see the point that Pierluigi is making here. There’s so much a person could do and offer if health is intact. The stair challenge that he talks about it pretty much a wake-up call to those who would take heed that they’re not as healthy as they think they are.
I thought that I was healthy until I had to run the stairs to catch the train.
Descending the stairs is not a problem, but climbing up is. Although I’m looking at the mirror everyday and ignoring the comments about gaining the weight or ignoring the fact that my clothes don’t fit AGAIN, the true wake-up call was when I thought my eyes would pop out of their sockets from those stairs.
I thought about the one who “nagged” me about my health—my husband. He said that if my health wasn’t the issue, he wouldn’t be bugging me about how short of breath I am when I do things.
Those stairs made me think…and slowly but surely I’m doing my best to work on it.
You may think that climbing a flight of stairs is a nonchalant thing, and the person recomending or advocating for such a wake-up call has nothing to do…think again.
Give the guy a break. He’s advocating for people to take a healthy lifestyle. It may sound petty to some, but when you can’t do and enjoy the things that you used to because you’re now plagued with God knows what type of illness (heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc) THEN maybe you’ll think twice.
P.O, Tom McE, Jackie V—can anyone get me a link to SJ operating budget?
I tried CSJ website and got nowhere. I’d wager that most of the regulars here could pare the budget of worthless projects/worthless manager/worthless programs…so we could have public safety and good infrastructure and keep the budget balanced.