Front Page  »  

Importance of a 3 person voting majority

April 25, 2012

Gary Nemeth

OPINION By GARY NEMETH

There is a danger in believing a rumor without asking where the rumor started, who started it, what they had to gain. Sometimes it’s started to stir the pot or to change the discussion from what is important.

Several weeks ago Sally Reynolds  of CPRN2012.org asked an important question of the council regarding the city managers contract, and if they had read it. The next week the mayor was on KPRL and was asked about the contract, he could not remember what and how he voted on the contract, stating he would get back to us with his answer.

The full term and conditions of the contract resolution can be found at “Resolution No. 11-120”.   I was fortunate to be serving as Mayor Pro Tem and one of two members who volunteered to sit on the ad hoc committee to negotiate the change from a civil service agreement to an “at will” contract which is currently in place today.

The original civil service agreement allowed the city manager to revert back to his previous position held if asked to step down without a finding of any wrong doing.  At the time, I had been receiving an enormous amount of requests to change the terms of the contract for 2003/2004 and the future.

As I listened to community impute then, they wanted change. Speaking for myself I agreed, I gathered information regarding both public and private CEOs. I investigated cities our size and larger, length of terms for city managers, requirements for severance packages, and reasons for changing city managers.

The current city manager was giving up a civil service commitment which is lifetime employment.  There was an agreement reached between the parties which covered all concerns including evaluations. The agreement was explained to the entire council and approved.

At any time that agreement can be modified by a vote of a majority of the council, three out of five can modify it. In the same manner three councilman can enact the “at will” provision of the contract; it was unfortunate that I was unable to have that majority. It is time for a new beginning.


Loading...
Subjects:             
Related:


25 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

I am concerned that Gary Nemeth is connect to the hip with the unions and will serve as Mayor to implement policies that will line the pockets of unionized employees. Huge salaries and benefits for police in Vallejo, CA contributed greatly to the city filing for bankruptcy. Gary will NEVER get my vote.


0

Huge payoffs to failed Police chiefs is just as bad. Don’t vote for Picanso either.


0

If anyone can explain to me the 3rd to last paragraph and its meaning, I would be grateful. “Impute”?


Sounds like the usual political rhetoric also known as BS.


0

I don’t understand the whole editorial. Guess I am just dumb.


0

Not dumb, but honest therefore you cannot run for office.


0

Yes, I would think seriously about re-electing them; but ONLY if the following was done:

A. The 3 of them would have to confess in a public meeting that they made serious mistakes

on how they help run down this city,

B.. They would all have to state very distinctly that they have made no real decisions, but have only

followed App’s orders on all important issues facing this city.

C.. Would have to divulge, totally and completely, the entire background and details that resulted

in Ms. Chitty getting a ‘sweetheart’ deal to ‘resign’ her job – and go on public record stating that

if they had not been following App’s orders – they would have FIRED HER, with no deal at all.

D. They would all have to wear Pink bras and green panties at each CC meeting for next 6 months.

Bras and panties would have to worn on the outside.


I am reasonably sure that the only one of these conditions they could remotely do would be D.


0

HeyPasoParents5….the Roblan of the year and Gibson is old, old news. Get over it. I think

Gary has more on his plate than worry about comments like that. Someone or two has to decide to

help Gary clean up city government. He can’t do it alone so set your sights on recruiting like-minded

citizens to run for the council this year!!!


0

And speaking of “Resolutions” let’s examine Resolution 2766, shall we? Please, take a moment right now and log onto the PR City website at http://www.prcity.org. Then locate and click the “government” link at the top. and type in the two words Charter City in the “search” box. Then find Resolution 2766. Here is a portion of what you will see:


RESOLUTION NO. 2766

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

EL PASO DE ROBLES, CALIFORNIA, A CHARTER CITY,

REQUESTING THE STATE TO FUND CERTAIN PORTIONS

OF THE COSTS OF THE 911 EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM.


A “Charter City”??? When was Paso ever a Charter City? Why would this document have been signed so stating this?


I discovered this a few weeks ago and asked Jim App why this would be? He said it was a simple “typographical error”. Really? No one EVER noticed that little tidbit in 30 years? And on a Resolution that may have resulted in M.O.N.E.Y. to the city for the 911 Emergency Telephone System? This resolution was signed in 1982. I questioned him about this and his response was that I was “angry” and it is “consuming me”. He said I am angry with him. And angry with the City Council. I found this interesting considering I asked a simple question and absolutely NOTHING directed to the City Council or him. His lecture was odd, unprofessional and meant to redirect my focus from the original question. WHY was this important document signed showing Paso Robles was a Charter City?


Based on his unprovoked and heated response to my simple question, I still have to ask again…


Was it a typo, Mr. App?


0

San Luis Obispo is the only charter city in San Luis Obispo County.


0

Yes, I know this. But that doesn’t explain the existence of the document, does it?


0

If App receives a golden parachute when he is terminated, the people of Paso Robles have failed.


0

You want App fired, Gary? Just say it, if that’s what you are running on.


I have no idea where you are whith change, Please define it. As I am not that smart, it’s a challage for me to read between the lines.


0

I’ll say it, Paso Guy, I want App fired for incompetence, particularly in not firing Lisa Solomon and giving her $235000 of our tax money for “damage'” to her reputation.


Meanwhile, thanks Gary for explaining the contract. I, too, was listening on KPRL when Picanso couldn’t remember what App’s contract said and was going to get back with the answer. I don’t listen to KPRL constantly, so I never heard the answer. I didn’t know if I had missed it or if Picanso had never gotten back with the answer.


0

I’d have to agree, Paso_Guy.


Mr. Nemeth: Please make it really clear to the voters. We already know you’re running for Mayor and God knows it’s time for Picanco (and the others) to be gone… but what exactly IS your platform?


As a Paso resident, here are some suggestions:


1) Fire Jim App, find a better replacement, and pay him or her less money.

2) Don’t hire a new police chief until an updated pension agreement is in place.

3) Re-open Centennial Pool!

4) Start painting/striping our embarrassing city streets & fix some potholes.

5) Update the city’s website so I don’t have to look at Miss-Quarter-of-A-Million-Dollar-Hush-Money-Payout’s name anymore: http://www.prcity.com/government/citycouncil/pdf/CityOfficialList.pdf


I’m not a political consultant, but here’s some more tips, Mr. Nemeth:


Don’t harp on Mike Gibson & the Chamber anymore. It’s not worth your time. I didn’t vote for Gibson last time & I won’t this time either but when you go on & on about the “Roblan of the Month” honor, it isn’t helpful to your cause.


Instead, focus on the FUTURE of Paso and how you intend to help this town grow and change in a positive way. I have kids & am very concerned about what this town is becoming. Increased crime, gang activity, crumbling infrastructure…all that stuff is obvious to locals; we want a city government who cares enough to do something about it! We want an intelligent, well-spoken, honest mayor who isn’t in the back pocket of the city manager. We want a mayor who knows what’s REALLY going on and doesn’t hide his head in the sand and then say “Uh….that’s news to me!”


Good luck, Mr. Nemeth.


0

I found your post to be well said, PP5. We absolutely want a Mayor who responds to the people, not direct the people as a puppet for the City Manager.


“We want an intelligent, well-spoken, honest mayor who isn’t in the back pocket of the city manager.”


High 5 !


0

I will not be voting to the 3 incumbents nor am I voting for Gary (Police Union Thug) Nemeth.


Danika for Mayor!


0

Thanks for your support, LG01. While I won’t be running for public office, I will be watching the Mayors office, very closely. In fact, I have a list of questions I sent to the Mayor himself several days ago that he has not yet responded to. I am sure this is because he is VERY busy doing official Mayor “stuff”, right?


0

We need to scrap these civil service jobs. All gov employees should be working “at will”. What ever happened to the rights of the employer? This civil service crap and their rights is nothing but a bunch of bull shit designed to stick it to the taxpayers.


0

Yes California is hire and fire at will state for people in the privet sector an employer can fire a 15 year veteran and not even give a reason!


0

Well unless and till the council would seat new members, as far as App, it isn’t going to happen.


This same council that stuck it’s head in the sand on the Soloman shenanagans, ia certainly poised to find that same hole and place their heads firmly back in it. Or another postier hole on the human anatomy.


0

True. That is why Gilman/Picanco/Strong MUST be voted out in November.


0

That is why we need some people (2) to belly up to “the bar” and run for City Council. I would do it, but I am grossly unqualified and not a viable candidate. But…I know there are some people out there who can do it. A teacher is running in San Luis Obispo, come on, come out, run for our citizens.


0

Here is a question recently posed to me personally:


Are there any circumstances you would be willing to re-elect Gilman/Picanco or Strong?


0

Oops, my reply to danika ? on re-electing the 3 stooges was put at top.


0
1 2