The article.
No, don't hide the coffee mugs. Someone in the parks department needs one flung at their head. I drive by a strip of city land that has not been mowed all year and the grass has grown so tall that it dwarfs the TARTA bus bench that sits by the side of the road. Seriously, if someone were sitting on the bench, waiting for a bus, only their head would be visible to traffic. That is absolutely unacceptable and I'm contemplating just using a weed whacker to cut it down myself.
FTA: "Don Czerniak, president of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Local 7, which represents the parks' full-time employees, said there are not enough supervisors to keep track of the seasonal workers who are sent across the city each day to work in parks and boulevards. He described the workers as "kids.""
No, it's easy to keep track of them. Make a list of all city parks and boulevards and mow them in order. Get to the end of the list, start at the top. A quick driveby of the locations scheduled to be mowed would verify that the job is done. Equipment will break and downtime will result, but entire areas will not be missed for months at a time. If a single supervisor can't estimate time and assign off a list, they shouldn't be a supervisor.
I worked for my hometown's mowing crew during high school and I will admit, we did screw around a lot. The citywide game of tag we played with trucks comes to mind. But when we screwed around, it was when we were caught up.
posted by thenick at 07:46 P.M. EST on Sun Jun 18, 2006 #
Maybe that's why Czarty wants bike paths. More pavement, less mowing.
posted by MikeyA at 09:06 A.M. EST on Mon Jun 19, 2006 #
I think it is not the message that is at question. It is the delivery of the message.
The Mayor is in a place of leadership. There are tasks at hand to be done. It is the same in all places at all times.
The question is, does he use foul language and intimidation tactics? Or does he lay the tasks out with a timeframe and a form of accountability? And does he stick to these things?
No and that's why he's both an embarassment and a humiliation.
Very professional guy. Smooth. Bridge builder, wouldn't ya say?
posted by katie82640 at 10:19 A.M. EST on Mon Jun 19, 2006 #
Yes, you're right Nick, the director of parks should have his staff in line, doing what they are scheduled to do, and have a random check system in place and reprimand those who are not doing their jobs. We certainly could stand to weed out the crap workers around the city of Toledo.
posted by gotoledogo at 05:44 P.M. EST on Mon Jun 19, 2006 #
Just an fyi - I believe the parks staff that is due for summer park care starts TODAY.
So, while the parks do need care - I'd take this up with two people:
1. The HR director who obviously didn't realize that grass needs to be mown prior to 6/20 and that garbage needs to be picked up regularly (fire that idiot)
2. The Mayor. Before he read the guy off, maybe he should have asked him why the parks etc. were in the condition that they were in? The guy might have had a chance to say that he hadn't been given the staff yet. Which isn't under his control and is an appropriate reason.
Hey - just an off the wall idea, but then the problem could be fixed. No yelling and wouldn't happen again next year.
I know,,,,I'm a nut ain't I?
posted by katie82640 at 08:51 A.M. EST on Tue Jun 20, 2006 #
Okay - I agree that Carty acted like a nut -- profanity, yelling and the like have no place in any work setting.
On the other hand, did the media accurately characterize this letter.
Can a subordinate to the mayor issue a reprimand?
As I see it, a reprimand has to be issued by someone who has authority over the mayor? Without any authority over the mayor, the letter isn't really a reprimand is it?
BTW, I do give the man who wrote the letter credit for expressing in written form his dissatisfaction with the mayor's conduct.
posted by corky at 01:39 P.M. EST on Wed Jun 21, 2006 #
I do too corky. Didn't costco write a letter also? Maybe it's the best policy for these instances. Keep things calm.
I don't know about the media question - is there a way to read the entire letter? Good question.
posted by katie82640 at 06:01 P.M. EST on Wed Jun 21, 2006 #
Syndicate ToledoTalk
