When did it become OK to publically bash a public servant?
The Bear Valley Community Services District has been in the news a lot lately with the Board of Directors coming under fire for many of the decisions it has made. Anyone who attends or watches the meetings online,knows that the meetings have been well attended and often heated. Recently there was an article was published in the Tehachapi News entitled “Stocking Stuffers” by Mr. Sandy Williams. Mr. Williams calls into question decisions made by the directors to approve many of the benefits of the CSD employees and what it costs citizens of the district.
Mr. Williams believes the CSD management to have a “costly” benefits package. He goes so far as to dissect the general manager’s employment contract in what appears to be an effort to build public outrage against certain benefits he receives. His letter appears to be based more out of a personal attack rather than fact. The parts he wrote that are fact are biased in nature to begin with.
Mr. Williams described the general manager’s paid leave benefits.
This leave includes 11 holidays and 12 administrative days per year.
Let’s examine this for a minute. The paid holidays the general manager receives are 12 federally recognized holidays. On these days most if not all government offices are closed throughout the country. On many of these holidays banks and some stores are closed as well, even in Tehachapi.
Mr. Williams also points out the general manager receives 12 paid administrative days off per year. What Mr. Williams does not appear to be aware of is that the general manager’s position is very demanding.
His duties require him to be available at all times to the needs of the district. These days are used to make up for the personal time lost in dealing with the district’s issues.
In addition, Mr. Williams points out that the general manager receives vacation and sick days. Really? Is he surprised that a full time employee receives vacation and sick days? Is he suggesting that the general manager not be allocated vacation or sick days? He uses the number 61 in an effort to rally people against him. Anyone with a brain can see right through his propaganda.
I am not sure where Mr. Williams is employed, but I am sure he also receives a benefits package that includes sick leave, holiday pay and health insurance that is also costly to his employer and yet not included in his yearly salary. Maybe he should divulge that information to us so I can write a letter to the newspaper in an effort to get his benefits reduced.
When did it become OK to publically bash a public servant? I am all for government accountability, but I am also for proper compensation for a job well done. If a particular employee has a skill or education that is required to do his or her job shouldn’t they be appropriately compensated?
This argument goes beyond the general manager. Mr. Williams also points out that Bear Valley employees also have very generous compensation packages. Should a police officer not be appropriately compensated? How about a waste water worker? These positions require both education and skill.
I can assure you that no one is getting rich while being employed with the Bear Valley CSD. The district is full of honest hard working people that enjoy serving their community. Maybe its time for some people to stop and think about what their political ramblings are doing to the morale of CSD workers who are constantly hearing how their position is a financial burden.
This brings me to the biggest issue. Having watched the CSD meetings and read the letters to the editor, it seems that there is much more going on than just the citizenry being concerned about the finances of their government. Mr. Williams appears to have a personal vendetta against public servants. If Mr. Williams was truly set on finding ways to save money how come he, or anyone else, hasn’t mentioned that the CSD has to subsidize the post office every year?
Furthermore, I question his math by saying the CSD could save $100k per year on take-home vehicles. It would be refreshing if he could provide accurate numbers instead of just trying to shock people.
And when he discusses the personal use of district vehicles by certain employees, I can only add that sometimes that is necessary. With certain positions there comes a lot of responsibility. It would be reasonable to assume that sometimes certain employees would need to immediately respond to Bear Valley. I would assume their response would be quicker if they had a car immediately available to them.
Mr. Williams is upset with the Board of Directors and that is his choice. His recourse should be to not vote for the same directors at the next election. He should remember that their job is a difficult one.
They have more information afforded to them than the average meeting attendee. They are reasonable people and he should understand that if they approved those employment contracts they did it knowing it was best for the district.
What Mr. Williams, and every Bear Valley citizen, should remember is that the district requires the hard work of many employees to keep the district a nice community for citizens to live. Do you thank the road crews for plowing the roads at 3 a.m. so you can get to work on a snow day? How about the police officer who gives up Christmas with his family so that the valley can continue to be safe? Bear Valley workers hold themselves accountable to the district and to the citizens the serve, but they should not have to work for free.
ROCHELLE PEARCE lives in Stallion Springs.
