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Tempe rulers lie about cost savings related to firing of Charlie Meyer

 


Savings on Tempe city salary are clarified

Tempe rulers will say anything to get elected

Tempe politicians will lie thru their teeth to get elected????

In this article they are trying to snow the public into thinking that firing city manager Charlie Meyer saved the public $61,639.86.

Of course that is an outright lie, they forgot to include his severance package of $158,329

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Savings on Tempe city salary are clarified

By Dianna M. Náñez The Republic | azcentral.com Fri Feb 8, 2013 11:25 PM

Tempe appears to have overstated the savings to taxpayers resulting from its appointment on Thursday night of an interim city manager and an interim city attorney, both juggled from other city-payroll positions in the wake of the Jan.28 firing of City Manager Charlie Meyer.

The City Council public agenda regarding the appointments states that “total savings of approximately $61,639.86 is anticipated over 10 pay periods during the search for the permanent city manager position. ... Total savings of approximately $162,210.15 is anticipated over a 12- month period.”

The agenda states the fiscal impact based on the salary savings from firing Meyer. The agenda says Meyer’s annual salary was $188,989.

The stated savings does not, however, account for Meyer’s severance package of $158,329.

According to public records, the item was prepared by Deputy City Attorney Judi Baumann, who was up Thursday for promotion to interim city attorney. City Attorney Andrew Ching, who was up Thursday for promotion to interim city manager, is noted as the department director through whom the item was delivered to the council.

The council Thursday approved the promotion of Baumann and Ching to their interim positions, both on 7-0 votes. Ching replaces acting City Manager Jeff Kulaga, who assumed the role on Jan.28 upon

Meyer’s dismissal. Kulaga will revert to his longtime position as assistant city manager.

It is standard practice for Tempe to specify the fiscal impact of each agenda item. City Council members have lauded the effort, saying it promotes government transparency and ensures that taxpayers know how their money is being spent.

When The Arizona Republic asked city Finance Manager Ken Jones to explain the savings calculation relative to the interim appointments, he said he was not involved in drafting the public record.

The Republic then asked Jones to review and explain the fiscal impact of approving the interim contracts. Jones’ e-mailed response to The Republic states: “I reviewed the Request for Council Action related to the appointment of the interim City Manager and I believe that the savings mentioned in the Fiscal Impact section only include the vacancy savings and do not take into account the contractual severance payouts to Charlie Meyer, which would have been associated with the City Council action of terminating Mr. Meyer.”

The promotion paves the way for Ching to gain as much as a $10,000 bonus for “satisfactorily performing his duties as interim city manager” and a “10percent increase in his current rate of pay of $73.63 per hour,” according to the public record outlining his interim employment agreement.

Ching’s annual salary is $153,157.

Baumann gets a 10percent increase on her $59.97 hourly rate and as much as a $7,500 bonus for a satisfactory performance as interim city attorney.

Baumann’s annual salary is $124,742.

Following Thursday’s council meeting, Ching told The Republic that he looks forward to the new opportunity.

In response to The Republic’s questions, Ching confirmed that he had reviewed the public record explaining the fiscal impact of his promotion. He said that the fiscal impact took into account the vacancy savings from firing Meyer and the cost of appointing himself and Baumann. He described this as an “apples to apples” comparison and calculation.

He said the severance payouts were irrelevant because they relate only to the Jan.28 vote to terminate Meyer’s contract with Tempe. Meyer’s severance, in accordance with his employment contract, is $94,500 for six month’s salary, $45,069 for accrued sick time, $18,033 for accrued vacation and $726.92 for eight hours of regular time.

Mayor Mark Mitchell said that the interim appointments will ensure that city business runs smoothly during the search for “the best possible candidate as city manager.” Mitchell said Tempe plans to open the job search to candidates nationwide.

Mitchell said he is certain that taxpayers understand the cost associated with firing Meyer as it was outlined on the Jan. 28 public agenda.


Tempe appoints City Attorney Ching as interim city manager

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Tempe appoints City Attorney Ching as interim city manager

By Dianna M. Náñez The Republic | azcentral.com Fri Feb 8, 2013 8:18 AM

Tempe officially has its third top administrator in 11 days.

The Tempe City Council voted 7-0 Thursday to appoint City Attorney Andrew Ching interim city manager during the nationwide job search for a permanent city manager.

The move comes with a pay hike for Ching and in the wake of the council firing former City Manager Charlie Meyer on Jan. 28 after he shot off an e-mail to staff warning of his impending termination.

The severance payout for Meyer was $158,329.

Ching replaces Acting City Manager Jeff Kulaga, who assumed the role upon Meyer’s dismissal. Kulaga will revert to his longtime position as assistant city manager. Kulaga also had served as Tempe’s interim city manager for several months in 2007 when Will Manley retired.

Following the meeting, Ching told the Arizona Republic he looks forward to the opportunity. “I’m here to serve this city,” he said. “I’m excited to do it.”

Thursday’s meeting also included a vote to appoint Deputy Assistant City Attorney Judi Baumann interim city attorney during Ching’s temporary appointment.

The council vote paves the way for Ching to gain as much as a $10,000 bonus for “satisfactorily performing his duties as interim city manager” and a “10 percent increase in his current rate of pay of $73.63 per hour,” according to the public record outlining his interim employment agreement.

Ching’s annual salary is $153,157.

Likewise, Baumann gets a 10 percent increase on her $59.97 hourly rate and as much as a $7,500 bonus for a satisfactory performance as interim city attorney.

Baumann’s annual salary is $124,742.

Baumann said she is “honored to serve in this position and serve the city.”

Mayor Mark Mitchell said that the interim appointments will ensure that Tempe city business runs smoothly during the search for “the best possible candidate as city manager.”

Councilman Corey Woods is among council members who lauded Ching’s qualifications.

“He’s worked for the city for a number of years … he has deep roots in the community,” Woods said.

“I believe myself and this council has tons of confidence in his ability to do the job while we continue the search for a permanent city manager.”


Tempe rulers blame city manager for their screw ups

Source Richardson: Tempe council’s move helps start airing out city hall

Retired Mesa master police officer Bill Richardson lives in the East Valley and can be reached at bill.richardson@cox.net.

Posted: Saturday, February 9, 2013 9:17 am

Guest Commentary by Bill Richardson

Last month, the Tempe City Council voted 5-2 to fire city manager Charles “Charlie” Meyer. Mayor Mark Mitchell told KPHO the majority of the council “had concerns over communications with Meyer.” Councilmember Shana Ellis said Meyer had allegedly “lied to her.”

Former Mayor Hugh Hallman handpicked Meyer. Only Hallman loyalists Onnie Sherkerjian and Kolby Granville sang Meyer’s praises. Meyer was city manager for over five years and during much of the former mayor’s regime.

Meyer was AWOL for the meeting even though his duties required attendance. On the Friday before, Meyer sent an email to all city employees touting Mother Teresa and acting the good guy and portraying the council as the bad guys.

Lying, suborning or tolerating a lie by an employee deserves firing.

While Meyer had his supporters, one need only look at the facts about Tempe.

According to the ‘City Comparison Guide’ at azcentral.com, Tempe has the highest crime rate, spends more on policing, has fewer swimming pools and libraries per resident, has the highest city revenues and spends the most when compared to Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa and even Phoenix. Surrounding cities are doing a much better job than Tempe and they’re doing it with less. Throw in the rising utility rates and tax increases and I’d say Meyer hasn’t done Tempe well.

His questionable ability to properly run Tempe doesn’t stop there.

In a May 12, 2012, column, Laurie Roberts of the Arizona Republic examined trumped up allegations of criminal conduct by then city council member and mayoral candidate Mitchell. Roberts brought to the public’s attention and Meyer’s crossing an ethical and professional line. She wrote, “Even Tempe City Manager Charlie Meyer got into the act, asking Phoenix City Manager David Cavazos when the (police) report would be out. Meyer is tight with Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman, who has endorsed (Michael) Monti, (the other mayoral candidate).”

City managers aren’t supposed to meddle in ongoing police investigations, especially those in other jurisdictions.

Hallman also oversaw the hiring of the current Tempe police chief. A single in-house candidate was interviewed for the chief’s job. The chief answers to the city manager.

It’s no secret in city government that whoever controls the police department, controls the city.

While Meyer was concerning himself with the mayor’s race and the trumped up charges against Mitchell, Tempe police were dealing with real crime problems.

Besides the extra high crime rate, nearly double the statewide average, Tempe police have been in the headlines over officers stealing evidence and city property, mishandling evidence and crime reports and in December, KPHO reported Tempe police failed to properly investigate multiple serious crimes including rape, robbery and murder. Last November KNXV reported police didn’t submit 363 sexual assault kits for examination by the crime lab that could help identify rapists. And Tempe police have yet to solve the March 2012 mass shooting of sixteen concertgoers.

Meyer and his leadership team — known by some around City Hall as “Charlie’s Angels” — have delivered a less than quality product to residents and business owners. In a few short years, Tempe has gone from the city every other city wanted to be like to the city they’re glad they aren’t.

With Meyer gone the challenge for Mitchell and the city council will be to find someone who is experienced, qualified and willing to stop Tempe’s downward spiral and bring it back to equal footing with neighboring cities.

In the end Meyer’s legacy will be one of high crime and taxes, declining city service’s and quality of life, poor performance and a mendaciously powerful odor coming from Tempe City Hall.

Retired Mesa master police officer Bill Richardson lives in the East Valley and can be reached at bill.richardson@cox.net.


Tempe Town Lake full of dead stinky fish!!!!!

Tempe Town Toilet full of dead stinky fish!!!!!

Source

Tempe Town Lake cleanup in works after cold kills thousands of fish

By Harmony Huskinson The Republic | azcentral.com Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:05 AM

Like an aquatic zombie invasion, they rose and drifted into the world with an eerie emptiness and festering stench.

When thousands of dead fish simultaneously floated into Tempe Town Lake on Jan. 28., Rick Amalfi, owner of Aquatic Consulting & Testing Inc., dispatched a cleanup crew of about 12, he said, which has since removed from 2,000 to 4,000 pounds of dead fish.

Amalfi’s company consults for the city and tests the water in Town Lake. With the help of Arizona Lake and Pond Management, the business also cleans trash from the lake every Monday.

The fish, tilapia, died after four consecutive nights of below-freezing temperatures in the Valley, Jan.12-15.

The tilapia is a species of the African cichlid. It cannot survive in waters colder than 55 degrees, Amalfi said.

If one or two nights dip below freezing, Amalfi said the water can maintain its temperature. But when water temperature dropped below 50 degrees after those four consecutive freezing nights, the tilapia were goners, Amalfi said.

Although some of the dead tilapia originated in Town Lake, the majority came from upstream locations, such as Indian Bend Wash and the Salt River. When they died, they sunk to the bottom of those water bodies, decomposing for about two weeks until they produced enough gas to float.

As the fish floated to the water surface, they received encouragement from record rainfall on Jan. 27, which stirred the water for any stubborn bottom-dwellers and carried the fish en masse to Town Lake.

Aquatic Consulting & Testing Inc. has since removed from 90 to 95 percent of the fish, using nets on shore and in 12-foot Jon boats to retrieve them, Amalfi said.

The cleanup crew then double-bags the fish in heavy-duty contractor bags, dumps lime in to absorb moisture and odor, and transfers them to a dumpster.

The dead fish have not caused any health concerns for the lake water, city water hydrologist Basil Boyd said. The large size of the lake, cooler temperatures and quick removal of the fish all prevent the spread of bacteria.

In a smaller body of water, Basil said dead fish can absorb enough oxygen to harm other fish, but this will not happen in Tempe because the lake is so large.

Amalfi said there is no way to avoid the fishy stench that follows this kind of work.

“After about five minutes it doesn’t matter any more. You smell fish for about the next 20 hours,” he said.

Amanda Nelson, a public-information officer for the city, said public complaints about the fish or any stench has been minimal.

Not all of the tilapia were wiped out. Amalfi said survivors will likely keep the species thriving.

In the case that tilapia might die out, Boyd said other fish from the 12 species in Town Lake would take over algae- and weed-chomping, until tilapia were reintroduced to Arizona waters.

 
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