The Alberton Papers # 15
By Dick Darne 4- 17 -06
In this article, we will discuss the proposed maintenance position for the Town of Alberton, it’s need for and requirements. We will focus mainly on the flawed methods being employed to create it. We, as council members, must "discharge the duties of our office with fidelity" (article III, section 3, mt. Const.) It appears that the job was created first, for an employee to fill. There was no job description based on actual need. Now let’s get one thing straight; I have not abandoned my principles as a labor advocate and activist. A portion of an oath I took, many years ago, was to " extend a helping hand to all branches of honorable toil". My oath and obligation to my fellow citizens in Alberton comes first, with fairness I can honor them both.
What is the right thing to do? Evaluate our needs, not only now, but with an eye toward the future. Describe the duties. Make an honest assessment of the hours required. Without a crystal ball, the only accurate method is to observe over a period of time, remembering that work tends to fill the time available. If things honestly need to be done, then they should be done. The " things needed" will vary with the time of year, therefore, the observation period should be at least a year. Just how much maintenance do we want or can afford? Maybe some of the "fluff & buff" projects should be done by volunteers. Instead of forging ahead "willy-nilly" just because the money can be "found" in the budget, (I am thoroughly outvoted), we should return to an "as honestly needed" basis for maintenance. All individual tasks should return to their previous status before this dottiness. Remember that "make-work" is costly to the town and demeaning to the employee.
Some more pertinent questions: Who is backup after we have alienated all the former contract workers? Should there be some tests or practical demonstrations? Or , for that matter, should this not apply to the bobcat? How will we know if the tasks can be performed with efficacy without some demonstrations?
If we do this right, then we are all well served. Do it wrong and the "Nightmare on Railroad Ave." will haunt our pocketbooks for a long, long time. dd
722-4575 aldermandarne@hotmail.com On-line http://albpap.blogspot.com/
By Dick Darne 4- 17 -06
In this article, we will discuss the proposed maintenance position for the Town of Alberton, it’s need for and requirements. We will focus mainly on the flawed methods being employed to create it. We, as council members, must "discharge the duties of our office with fidelity" (article III, section 3, mt. Const.) It appears that the job was created first, for an employee to fill. There was no job description based on actual need. Now let’s get one thing straight; I have not abandoned my principles as a labor advocate and activist. A portion of an oath I took, many years ago, was to " extend a helping hand to all branches of honorable toil". My oath and obligation to my fellow citizens in Alberton comes first, with fairness I can honor them both.
What is the right thing to do? Evaluate our needs, not only now, but with an eye toward the future. Describe the duties. Make an honest assessment of the hours required. Without a crystal ball, the only accurate method is to observe over a period of time, remembering that work tends to fill the time available. If things honestly need to be done, then they should be done. The " things needed" will vary with the time of year, therefore, the observation period should be at least a year. Just how much maintenance do we want or can afford? Maybe some of the "fluff & buff" projects should be done by volunteers. Instead of forging ahead "willy-nilly" just because the money can be "found" in the budget, (I am thoroughly outvoted), we should return to an "as honestly needed" basis for maintenance. All individual tasks should return to their previous status before this dottiness. Remember that "make-work" is costly to the town and demeaning to the employee.
Some more pertinent questions: Who is backup after we have alienated all the former contract workers? Should there be some tests or practical demonstrations? Or , for that matter, should this not apply to the bobcat? How will we know if the tasks can be performed with efficacy without some demonstrations?
If we do this right, then we are all well served. Do it wrong and the "Nightmare on Railroad Ave." will haunt our pocketbooks for a long, long time. dd
722-4575 aldermandarne@hotmail.com On-line http://albpap.blogspot.com/
posted by aldermandarne | 8:20 AM
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