P-Span...you truly are the man!!
You folks in Wareham are VERY generous. It's nice to make $65.00 an hour and all of the benefits for 24 hours work per week.
I won't even go into the rest of them.
I believe that a permanent Chief needs to be found soon.

I was asked by someone the other day why I don't like Chief Stanley. I never said I didn't like him...I said that I believe that any temporary Chief that came on the scene and was left alone by the Selectmen would be successful in establishing things like bike patrols, and SWAT teams, and cleaning up the station and maintaining a proper and well set out PD.

I believe, in the interest of morale, that there should be a Civil Service Chief of Police exam called for so that officers on the WPD that have served for 10 or 15 years and are qualified to take the test, have the opportunity to do so....how would you feel knowing that you are working in a dead end job and that you could never achieve the rank of Chief because politics took precedent over loyalty.

You have a fairly young police department. It needs a fairly young and hopefully local Chief. I would love to see the officers of the WPD have the opportunity to take the test, and if two or three make it with a good score, become one of five or so finalists for the job. I would not exclude Chief Stanley in the consideration either. He can slide over laterally through Civil Service if he is the choice.

I just believe it is only right to give these officers who have dedicated their lives to Wareham, and go out into combat everyday for you , the chance to advance.

If not...many will move on and your turn-over rate will be very high (what is it now, by the way?). You will have spent thousands of dollars to create a competent cop who will move on to a Town or City that would welcome his services as a Chief or Deputy Chief.

Capt. C  asked me if asking for the test would solve the problems of the PD. Of course not, but it might increase the morale, break up some of the cliques, and have cops start trusting cops again. That's the way it should be.
Once a Marine always a Marine; Once a cop; always a cop.

I know some of you have spoken to cops. If you are not a relative, or a cop that they trust, or a former cop that they trust...they aren't going to tell you squat.
"Yes. I like the Chief. He has done a good job."

Most of them do like the Chief. They don't like the idea that they are used as pawns too many times and they don't have a future that reaches the level of Chief. They don't like kiss ass cops that only kiss the ass of whomever sits in the Chiefs seat..no matter who it is. They are sick of cops that cry about everything but don't get involved in some way to change things. Half of the department doesn't trust the other half. It is discouraging to watch.

You can't expect cops to tell you what I stated. No more than you can expect a combat soldier, Marine, etc. what he thinks about the war and the President. There was a General who made that mistake recently.

I hope I have made some sense here, and I truly hope that the men and women of the WPD are given the chance to lead Wareham and it's Police Department into a bright future for many years.

I'm too uninformed to discuss the other contracts with any knowledge. I know that the TA is a lucky SOB, as well as the Town Accountant.

You are VERY generous...please pass the generosity and consideration on to the cops.

edited for spelling

Last edited by danoconnell (2010-08-09 17:57:06)

You are one person I truly want to hear from regarding Biz, Nota...

I do talk to cops, and they do trust me.

Bottom line: the cops know that Town Meeting voted to keep Civil Service, in spite of the temporary (Civil Service) Chief's trying to convince the people at Town Meeting to remove the Chief's position from Civil Service.

Bottom line: CALL FOR A CHIEF'S EXAM...NOW....

"We want a permanent Chief. This has gone on too long." One cop told me tonight.
He has no problem with the current temporary Chief, but he, like most of the cops, want to seek some stability and permanence in their department.

It's time to hire a permanent Chief after the exam has been called for.

Enough is enough.

It might take some political courage for some Selectman to make a motion to ask for the test, but I guess we'll find out who is willing to step up to the plate and be a leader. No-one has emerged yet. It would be nice to have a leader or two before your next Town Meeting where some very good questions are going to be asked, and accountability will be demanded.

Bad time to be an incumbent...but it is time to show some leadership and give people a reason to be glad you are in office.

Time to talk about the DOR report, time to talk about the position of Town Accountant, time to ask the tough questions about shortfalls that are certainly coming. Time to ask about any other reports that are "hanging around" like the DOR report that apparently the Selectmen didn't know about. The DOR report that the TA  had in APRIL.

It is definitely time to get candidates together to run for Selectman. Don't underestimate the other side. It will take a lot of work, and you have to start NOW.

Save Wareham...dammit'

OK, I'm here on the Biz contract. Sorry for the delay  -  family matters intervened. anyone with adult (so-called) children will understand.

So. let's do it.

Article IV - work schedule. It is logical to allow some flexibility to accomodate night meetings  -  as long as that practice extends to ALL department heads (and others) who MUST attend TM, Fincom meetings, BoS meetings, etc. Is that the current case?

Article V - Compensation. Raises of 6.1% per year. That's right. Are ALL department heads getting 6.1% raises. How 'bout regular folks, police, etc.? The T/A's contract?   -   2.5 % per year. the T/A's contract says "subject to appropriation"; didn't see that verbiage in the Biz contract. Does that mean that the raise is guaranteed? Are all new hires receiving the same deal? And you thought that the Town is broke.

I seem to recall a certain Brenduh-zela blowing her horn about the school administrators on this very point. A double standard, you say? Not a chance! that is her signature on the contract, though.....

Article XIV - Professional Development. Seems pretty open-ended, evidently Biz doesn't have to spend much time in the Town Hall. No mention of any approval as a requirement for attending any and all meetings, courses, seminars, etc.; the T/A's contract specifies approval by the BoS for him to attend such. Do all Department heads have the same or similar deal?

Article XV - to be addressed separately

Article XVIX - deferred Compensation. Wasn't that nice ot the BoS to kick in $1,000 per year to the Biz retirement fund, deferred compensation, the 457b plan. for Andrews it is much more, 2% of his salary per year, which will exceed $2,000 per year. Now, isn't that special (Paul Lynde)! Again, do ALL department heads get this perk? How about cops, clerks, MM workers, etc.? How about new hires, such as a Library Director?

There seems to be a lot of sweetheart deals in this contract, which very likely DO NOT apply to other Town employees. Perhaps that is why the Biz is such a stalwart advocate of the T/A's position, as well as the positions of the two remnants of the prior BoS.

anyone doubt what THE GAME PLAN NEEDS TO BE?

TAKE BACK WAREHAM   -   FINISH THE JOB!

ATTEND: FALL TOWN MEETING

VOTE: APRIL 5, 2011

SAVE WAREHAM

Article XV - Attainment of degree.

while you are paying raises of up to 23 % over the three years, Biz will be working on obtaining the degree that she was supposed to have in order to be hired. WILL BE WORKING FOR THE DEGREE ON YOUR TIME, that is.

let's read Article XV together. To do so, you must suspend any and all knowlege of English grammar, spelling, etc. Being picky, you say? Not at all. Remember this a LEGAL document. What does this Article say about the LAW School graduate who signed the document, hmmmm? Oh, I forgot....Nora Bicki has revealed to us that these losers don't read contracts, legal documents, etc.

So here is Article XV, in all its splendiferousness:

Zaleski agrees to presue (sic) and obtain a Bachelor (sic) degree in business administration accounting or related field. (missing comma in series?) All cost (sic) associated with this article shall be bourn (sic) by Zalski (sic). The Town realizes that the (sic) may be a need to attended (sic) classes during the workday, the town (sic) agrees to allow for these events without loss of pay; if they are less than one 1/2 day out of the office per week. (misplaced semi-colon. better construction for a legal document would be: one (1) half-day, or specify the total hours).

1. Presue and obtain a Bachelor? Nice work if you can get it. Yes, yes, it appears that here is a hand-written correction, and I did see the word degree after Bachelor-without-the -s. Just seeing if you are paying attention.

2. Is it it business administration accounting? is it business administration, accounting? Does this series mean that Biz does not have to have a degree in ACCOUNTING? that a degree in business administration or "related field" will suffice?
and, who defines"related field"? Pretty sloppy for a Law school graduate.

3. who is Zalski?

4. "...a need to attended classes during the workday...without loss of pay..."
A NEED ??? whatever happened to night school? Time-off WITH PAY to attend classes ????  Do all town employees get this perk?

So, this underqualified individual gets OJT, a decent salary, stunning increases over time and up to 10% of her work week spent attending classes to earn a degree.

Ain't life grand?

Here's a helpful little link (especially if you live in Wareham)

Massachusetts Law About Freedom of Information and Public Records

TBW
P-SPAN