The media needs to be a watchdog of government. If they fail to do their job, then anything can happen and does. Government needs to be held accountable and their spending has to have justification.
This is truer today than ever with the current economic situation in our country. To start with, let’s take a look at some numbers regarding the United States and Colorado. This is always an eye opening exercise.
Right now the population of the United States is 311,184,090 and 23,948,439 are unemployed. 44,220,455 are receiving food stamps. The national debt is $14,303,805,200,000 and rising, which is $45,965 for every man, woman, and child. Tax revenue is $2,181,470,150,000.
In the state of Colorado the population is 5,095,212 and 242,466 are unemployed. 458,319 are receiving food stamps. The state debt is $54,219,248,500 and rising, which is $10,746 for every man, woman, and child. Revenue is 45,272,000,800.
All the above statistics are from the website www.usdebtclock.org. Very disturbing. It also seems that anyone in the capacity of being a “public servant” would be not only disturbed but slightly horrified. While we don’t have statistics for only Adams County, Colorado’s largest density of population is in the Denver metro area and Adams County is a part of that. So that means that 242,466 of our neighbors are unemployed and 458,319 are receiving food stamps so they can eat.
Let’s go to local government now. I have not heard of any local entity that has a great surplus right now but I have heard of budget cuts, services being cut back, ideas being looked at for “creative ways” to pay for basics like roads and road repair and street lights.
So what does your local government spend your local tax dollars on? How about we start with car allowances. These are amounts of money for appointed officials, in this case city managers, to pay for a vehicle to drive while they do the city’s business. We asked several Adams County cities for some statistics.
In Northglenn with a population of 36,000, there is no car allowance paid, but the city manager has access to a city vehicle if needed for city business but is not allowed to take it home. Northglenn has their own water department too and no assistant city manager. Annual total is zero dollars.
In Commerce City with a population of 45,913, with two assistant city managers and no responsibility for either the water department or fire department, the city manager receives an $850 per month car allowance (at his former job he received a $350 monthly car allowance) and $500 car allowance for each of the two assistant city managers or a total of $22,020 per year (for car allowances for city manager and two assistants).
In Brighton with a population of 33,352, where the city manager is responsible for not only the city, but the water and sanitation district, the fire district department and the cemetery, the car allowance is $350 per month. There is no assistant city manager. Annual total $4,200.
In Thornton with a population of 120,000 the city manager is responsible for the city and the water, the car allowance is $550 per month. There are no assistant city managers. Annual total $6,600.
In Aurora with a population of 325,078 the city manager is responsible for the city and water and fire departments, and he has no car allowance. He is allowed access to a city vehicle. Annual total is zero.
This is my opinion, so what about yours. We want to hear from you now so please comment below.
45 comments:
This is for the city managers, now you need to do a story on the other employees that receive car allowances for those same cities.
So CC is a little High, Who cares it's just money, the Dems will print more.
How come other city managers do NOT have any car allowance at all??? Since when can't people pay for their own transportation? Seems that at least two city managers are able to live without it so why can't all of them live without it? Talk about greed, really.
my opinion.
Kathy McIntyre will always look for problems with this city staff and council.
It is way more than reporting it is dig dig dig to find something, anything that you can complain about.
My opinion
Thanks GN, now I know what not to get my city manager for Christmas.
Commerce City Manager already has a house that we gave him, Of course he needed a car! Now we have to complete the collection and get him a boat!
Who's with me?
Whatever, The city manager needs to have transportation. What is he suppose to do? Take public transportation?
It is important that you all understand that these are legally binding contracts with city managers and can not be changed.
right PRO CITY, unless they are amended, right?
Why didn't Commerce City council just give the city manager the same amount as he got at his old job? Why did it jump up from $350 to $850?
good question vikki,
So pro city or pro city 2.0,
why did council jump it up form $350 to $850?
First of all the city never "jumped it up" it was offered at $850.
Second if you knew the formula it would make sense. The city used to just give a car to the city manager. In fact it happened to be a tan Jeep Commander with shiny wheels. Then after it was reported that the vehicle may have been driven by the city manager in a way that was potentially against the law the city decided it was a better approach to give cash in lieu of a vehicle that had the city attached to it, for liability purposes.
So it was figured out that the city paid about $850 total for the Jeep and it was as simple as just taking the figure and giving it to the city manager. Thus, protecting the city and citizens from any liability.
Thanks Pro City 2.0! that cleared it right up!
After hearing that I am okay with the city council giving a car allowance to the city manager!
so lets get this straight, trust the city manager to run the city , but dont trust him with a city car?
so what our council in Commerce City are great tippers, is that so wrong?
Is treating the city manager as your best friend such a bad thing?
If the managers do not use the entire amount of the "car allowance" on a "car", does the tax payers then get the money back?
HEY transparency in gov.
First of all learn to spell,
Heard this before!!!!!
Old News, you are going to say that the CC manager does not drive a expensive car, so get the money back.
A broken record, heard it before. Give it Up!
Actually, I have no idea about CC, I was talking about Thornton.
ps-sorry about the spelling mistake.
Commerce City/Thornton who cares it is still a GREAT QUESTION! I guess if we the tax payers are paying for the cars, do we get to know what they drive and if they are using all of the money for the car?
First time this has been reported but Car Allowances have been a big issue in Thornton!
I really don't care who reported it. I think all the cities should look at this.
It is like the councils have lost complete touch with the people the represent.
I down right challenge ANY council member of ANY city to present these facts to their people they represent and see if they have an opinion about it. I CHALLENGE you council members.
Of course I am sure you will do what you always do. Ignore it and pretend like it never happened.
Gateway - great story and great comparison to other cities of similar or larger sizes. The next thing tax payers need to know is that one of the assistant City Managers that has been with the City for a long time was promoted to the job even though they had never managed any staff or any Department or Division or budgets - zero management experience except for projects I understand that were badly managed and caused several disciplinary actions to be taken on the employee (if we have to pay 3 of them and the car allowances shouldn't they at least be qualified and do a good job). Gateway find out the real qualifications of all the City Managers and compare to the ONE in the other cities you mention in this article. While you're at it look at all the City Manager Office staff - I think you will find that very few of them actually had the experience and qualifications for their job. The story is there - go find it.
People often recognize to get good council people better pay would attract and allow people to spend so much time doing the job.
Well, to get good people to apply for jobs such as city manager, good pay and good benefits work the same way.
Come on use common sense.
We are a city whose image has not been good. To bring in good leadership we have to pay "better" than the rest to attract them.
I am willing to do just that. Competetion is the name of the game.
I get what your saying! Honestly I do. But we have to be result based.
Enough time has past to really do an good evaluation of our city staff. Is the CC manager really the best now? Lets be completely honest. A sort of Come to Jesus moment. If any of you really think we are on the right track, lets hear it and give results.
Do we really need a organizational outline that calls for not one but two deputy city managers? Lets not forget that we do not control the water or fire.
Lets take a HARD look at the incentive program. Is it really working or are we just throwing out numbers that can be easily manipulated?
I don't care if we are not doing our best right now. The climate in entire area is really iffy. I just think we need to take a hard tough love look at where we are going and if the right people are on the bus.
Okay lets be clear. Commerce City DOES NOT have to pay more for a city manager because of who we are. Are you kidding me! That is a horrible thing to say. I hope this is not the view of the Commerce City Council!
Fine Core Comments, I will play along. Here are my questions:
We always see the list of new business that have come to Commerce City by Commerce City Staff. Is there a list of business that went out of business?
How does the city know that the incentive program is working. Is there a base line being used?
Same idea, What would be the typical new business being obtained. How do you know that this is just not a typical month?
It was stated that Morris had some great contacts by City Manager Jerry Flannery. Can she utilize those contacts to help Commerce City?
Did the Commerce City staff ever say that they excpet a June 15th ground breaking on the walmart in the northern range?
Core comments. Results?
Results don't appear in a couple or even a few years (2 or 3). It does take time to find out where a city stood,correct previous admin mistakes and create a new direction. I can't imagine taking on such a task, especially in this economic climit.
CC has been in the image "hole" for a long time. We are slowly climbing out (yes the nah-sayers will disagree, to support their adgenda).
Even if you don't like the current directors of this admin. I agree it takes good pay and benies to attrack top level staff (sometimes what you buy isn't what you think) but you can't offer less.
GN or anyone, can we verify what Tracey Snyder is as far as political affiliation. I know that she announced that she will be running in 2012 for Colorado House District 32. But as what a Democrat, a Republican, a Independent. What is the story?
Party affiliation is very important in Adams County, that is just the way it is. And unfortunately, the Democrats have the upper hand in this neck of the woods.
Core Comments, What would make you happy - Hire back Greg Clemmins as manager?
want to fix this mess - replace our mayor, most council and some of the executive staff. We need action-oriented, experienced and educated pro-U.S. citizens making decisions in commerce city.
In the know - you apparently don't know much. Greg Clemmens is the Public Works Manager and has been for a long time and with the City for over 30 years. he has filled in many times as the Acting City Manager while Council found yet another one. he filled in between Flannery and the last City Manager. Go see if you can find any scandals or bad press about him - my bet is his salary was in line, he didn't have a car allowance or free housing and he managed to run the City without any Assistant City Managers and most of all he exhibited integrity, which this City desperately needs right now.
Greg was only a manager for like a minute. I never think he was a viable candidate. He was just to get the city over the hump after the Perry situation.
I am having a very hard time believing that Commerce City has gotten themselves into a sunk cost situation with this city manager.
Fred,
what the hell is a sunk cost?
sunk costs are retrospective (past) costs that have already been incurred and cannot be recovered.
Greg Clements 30 years with Commerce City is without a blemish. He is accomplished, educated and full of integrity.
Some more know nothings - Greg Clemmens was the Acting City manager like 6 times in 30 years probably totaling all together more years than any City Manager in recent history or ever and the last time was the Manager for almost a year. As I said before try and find a scandal, bad press, see what his salary was, see if he had a car allowance, see if he had two or any assistants. I worked for the City for a long time and retired a few years ago and I am telling you to stop talking off the top of your head about Greg Clemmens if you don't know what you are saying. The last time he filled in the City Council offered him the job but he declined as he has in the past when outright offered the job by other Councils (I know personally past and present Council members) - Greg is a dedicated employee that has more integrity in his little finger than anyone in the City Manager Office right now.
hate to point out the obvious, but I have no idea who Greg Clemmins is.
Greg is a long time, well educated, experienced and knowledgeable Public Works director who has been the Acting City Manager many times and has probably forgotten more about Public Administration than the THREE current managers share right now. I suggest leaving Greg Clemmens out of these conversations all together as he is not the City Manager, but please whoever started the string being critical of him STOP - you have no idea what you are talking about.
PLEASE stop making references to Greg Clemmens. He has done nothing to any of you and he probably does not care to have his name slung around this blog - Greg is not an issue - he is not the City Manager and probably does not want to be or he probably would be so STOP please - he did nothing to have his name drug through the mud on this blog.
You are dreaming. I know all of the past city council and many of the current personally.
Greg may be a nice guy, but was NEVER offered the job. If he wanted to apply he would have been considered along with other applicants.
Same type of story
Adams County officials get deals on county cars
Adams Country Connections: Official automobiles
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_17239522?source=pkg
Anonymous is not dreaming - I was on City Council - trust me - an offer was made - please move on and let it go this is a total non issue.
Gov. John Hickenlooper makes $90,000 a year.
$86,500 lieutenant governor's salary
why do cities pay more then these salaries?
In the April 24, 2011, Denver Post, The story of Ken Salazar's foster daughter, Mireya, his actual granddaughter was very touching about her diagnosed Autism and what the Salazars are doing to give Mireya a head start in her education. Private schooling costs the family $27,600 a year. As the Interior Secretary, Salazar's cabinet post pays $175,700 a year. CC City Manager, Flannery earns $172,800 a year. When, one compares what Ken Salazar earns it is difficult to compare.
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