S. Tahoe moves ahead with staffing changes without budget
Even though South Lake Tahoe has not approved a budget for 2011-12, which means jobs have not definitively been axed, officials are going forward with finding replacements for people.
On CareerBuilder.com the listing posted Sept. 19 is for temporary snow removal operators who would make between $15.15 and $21.07 an hour
Temporary snowplow operators are expected to go from seven to 15. City Manger Tony O’Rourke at the Sept. 15 budget meeting said this will provide for an initial savings of $256,000 a year, with long-term benefits of a half million dollars a year.
The next budget meeting is Sept. 27 at 6pm. The document is expect to be approved that night because the fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
Is this new “TEMPORARY” what is really needed when we have experienced people who have worked their way up and know the job. Mr. O’Rourke and City Council……why don’t you clear Keller in a snow storm. Years ago, my Mother called 911 for an ambulance and they could not get to our house….something about temporary plow drivers on this side testing “Hot” and all the rest of the drivers were on the other side of the pass. I’m sure that everyone remembers the winter of no plows…This was when the county tried what you are about to do. The neighbors all got together and cleared the road and the sheriff came with the ambulance, hours later. They took Dad’s body away.
I think it is almost impossible to hire a temporary crew who will get enough training for our winter roads at this late date. And face it, would any of you want to do this job for what’s being offered? Two or three not showing up would wipe out the city. Why would you choose to skimp on something that is so important to the City’s well being? I remember just such an instance, when a council member chewed up the landscaping and part of the parking lot at the old offices, when he took matters into his own hands during a particularly bad storm (who paid for all that damage?). We need our experienced drivers, or we too, will be paying the bills for repairs all over town.
Last year’s snow removal crew deserves medals, not pink slips. Faced with the heaviest winter on record, the SLT snow removal crew did a truly heroic job, working around the clock to keep our streets clear. Anyone who thinks firing these highly trained and dedicated workers will result in any savings to the city should have their head examined. Seriously, this is a monumentally stupid move, by a city council that is clearly incompetent and dangerous.
You have a new street supervisor who has no snow removal experence and your going to put newbies in the cabs of graders. People here in town are not always thrilled with the quality of snow removal as it is. Good Luck your going to need it!
I live in the county and could tell you horror stories about part-time snow removal operators. This is not an area where budget cuts should take place. Keeping all of our streets cleared by trained personnel should be a priority. Billie Jo has already told of one good reason. I am sure there are more.
Please keep Tahoe residents safe in winter conditions.
Generally I get the “business” side of these decisions. This one is too risky though. If these temps tear the town up or damage our already old equipment, there will be a lot of pissed off residents and tourists. I always hear several council members say we can’t kill the goose that laid the golden egg. Meaning don’t mess with anything that generates tourism revenues. Watch what happens if hwy 50, ski run, keys blvd, al tahoe and pioneer are serviced poorly.
This is too risky a gamble council and city manager.
The City Mgr. Is out of his mind. And the Council is STUPID if they go along with this. You have a Street Superintendent that is from Carson City and knows nothing about the area or the Snow Removal here or any where else. Good luck, You will pay for this huge mistake. And soon you will find that just because you pay a FOOL $200,000 a year plus benefits, that he really is a Fool that knows nothing or care’s nothing about the City of South Lake Tahoe. He only wants VAIL COLORADO to move in and take over.
Yup. Messing with snow plow drivers is an extemely bad idea. For all the reasons posted above.
The ONLY reason I can see for management choosing to do this would be to test just how much they can make the citizens suffer before we allow them to raise our taxes again. They’ve been known to use this strategy before.
I’m guessing they are looking for experienced drivers for temporary positions, maybe cause it’s not a full-time position anyways? Since it’s only part of the year, and then only when it snows, but maybe it should be permanent part-time? Is that what the positions were before? It’s definitely not full-time.
Whoever did our route last year was worse than previous years, on average it took 12-24hrs more before they would come, and they NEVER dropped the gate when they passed our driveway. I will be up for trying a new driver.
I’m guessing if they don’t do a good job, they will be replaced. Is there a # or email to log complaints about snow removal?
Mr.Kubby is a little in the hyperbole arena when talking about a “heavy’ winter – just because we happened to catch up somewhat from a drought doesn’t mean we broke any records.
What Mr. O’Rourke and the current “council” does not recall is that the snowplowing situation is what caused the City to become a City in the first place.
Does he want himself to be considered like those in our County seat of Placerville in 1965, who remained insensitive to what their SLT constituents ‘actually’ needed instead of what they determined, 60 miles away.
If so, creating a distance between you and your constituents is the best way to do what they did.
As to saving between 250 and 500 thousand $$ – doesn’t that just about cover you, or the City Attorney and Christine, but not much else ?
The City is in the process of its normal recruitment schedule initiated to hire seasonal workers. The City employs both seasonal snowplow drivers (also known as “temporary”) and fulltime snowplow drivers to support its snow removal work crews. This is the time of year we conduct the recruitment because it takes about 45 to 60 days to complete the recruitment, conduct testing and assessment of the qualifications of the drivers, conduct background checks and provide the drivers additional training and be on board before snow has arrived. If you have additional questions, please contact the City’s recruitment office at 542-6051 or Janet Emmett the Human Resources Manager at 530-542-6052.
Thank you for your post Nancy Kerry, it all makes perfect sense now, will you be operating a grader this winter…..
The Cart before the Horse….
This is pure manipulation by our City Manager. If you cut the jobs before formulating a budget, the budget gap conveniently changes and you don’t need to consider other Budget options that might save local jobs. Big surprise that the guy from Vail, who worked for Vail is Johny on the Spot to outsource local jobs.
The City Manager’s latest ‘Open Letter’ is anything but open. No consideration of any TOT increase, no consideration of any other revenue option, only an approach that cuts local jobs and gives management raises for the extra work they are getting. Wouldn’t it be cheaper to have fewer managers and more lower paid workers who have cheaper retirements and have to pay a portion of their benefits?
I will be happy to vote for any City Council Candidate who states that removing the City Manager will be their first goal.
My Two Cents
-Local Yokle
Has anyone called the Grand Jury to look into this travesty? Or are we the LOCALS at the mercy of what the Council decides to do …?
Ya, so we can vote for a new council when the time comes in four(?) years, meanwhile our town and it’s services is chopped up and sold off like stolen car parts to the highest bidders. Scary stuff, man.
Before we are so hasty to save “local” jobs we have to ask ourself how many city employees actually live in the city. I am not against trying to save jobs but I would like to make sure their money is spent here. Kinda like the retirees who move away yet still expect us to pay their way with our taxes. We need to change our focus of the future by correcting the mistakes of the past with concerns to retired employees. Most of the retired employees do not make that much and earned every penny they get but some have abused the system. An example is the old chief of police, his retirement monthly income is approx $8,000.00 per month, come on now. There was a recent report where 6? out of the top ten county retirees were sheriffs. That is a sacred cow that no one is willing to tackle. Everyone wanted something to be done but when someone steps up to the plate they are prosecuted in the media and court of public opinion. The city residents got exactly what they voted for when only 22% of the residents voted out of 21 thousand. The people bitching the most don’t even live in the city myself included. Just an opinion.
You have to know that the CM is planning on the currently “permanent” position holders of snow removal will jump at the chance to stay unemployed and take the “seasonal-unbenefited” positions. The folks that will be plowing will still be the same guys (for the most part) but will not be covered with any medical or any benefits what-so-ever. They’ll have to take the temp position just to be able to feed their families. Some won’t because they don’t want to represent a dictator but some will have no choice. Kudos to all of them though.
gotta read before posting. should have read ……..will jump at the chance to stay EMPLOYED…………..
Tony added to the work force NOT living in the city. Community Services Director lives over in the Reno area and the new Streets Supervisor lives in the Carson area. No ties to SLT, easier to be a hatchett.
So it’s come to this? Hiring part time employees to plow our streets? I imagine what they will do is fire full time city workers and then offer them their job back at minimum wage on a part time / temporary basis with no health insurance or pension.
I would suggest firing the city manager and putting the city council on minimum wage with no benefits. Sorry you guys but cuts had to be made!
So as the city manager resigns and jets back to Colorado with a suitcase full of taxpayer money and the inept council just waves goodby while Tony just smirks and says “what a bunch of suckers”, we’re all left with a torn up town with public property handed over to private individuals for pennies on the dollar.
Old Long Skiis has been around for awhile and knows lots of folks so you can bet your’e butt I’ll be working hard to make sure that no one on this city council ever holds public office again!
So (mostly) everyone here is in agreement. But no one is listening. I love the snow – but very nervous about living in it this year without the proper snow removal “crew”. They do deserve medals, not pink slips (wait? did I just agree with Kubby?….ha…probably won’t happen again!).