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When you have a Mayor who must be in control of any and all people, you have a problem.
I can speak confidently about this issue because my Wife and I dealt with it and watched this leadership style fall apart right in front of our eyes.
While my Wife worked for 18 years at the Salisbury Zoo, (as many of you know) we watched the Director of the Salisbury Zoo, (Jim Rapp) hire friends of his who were well known as drinking buddies, golf buddies and even schoolmates.
Did this make excellent Zookeepers? Not one bit! When you look around at each Department in the City, this continues to be a problem, especially in the Finance Department. Now they want to claim their people weren't qualified enough, OH PLEASE! Hell, that started right at the top with Pam Oland.
Nevertheless, the excuses that came pouring out last night were, well, stupid! Herb Geary stated that the accounting group under Pam Oland get a "B" for effort but a "D" as a final grade! Give me a break! Can YOU run a business with an accounting department coming in with a final grade being a D? Come on now, Herb didn't know they were doing so poorly that he'd give them a final grade as a "D"? Someone knew something and didn't say it. Time to FIRE Trice Geary!
I'd also like to ask this question. You see, I've been attending EVERY Council Meeting and almost every Work Session but I know I've attended every meeting Herb Geary attended and NOT ONCE did this man ever indicate there was a problem. As a matter of fact, Herb constantly stated how fantastic a job Mrs. Oland has been doing AND her Staff!
I'd also like to ask this question. You see, I've been attending EVERY Council Meeting and almost every Work Session but I know I've attended every meeting Herb Geary attended and NOT ONCE did this man ever indicate there was a problem. As a matter of fact, Herb constantly stated how fantastic a job Mrs. Oland has been doing AND her Staff!
You cannot have it both ways. Last night my Mother In Law stated to Louise Smith, "Accounting and math are an EXACT SCIENCE, not something you make up as you go along!"
She then confronted the Mayor, (oh, you're going to love this) and asked, "What are you going to do about this financial mess?" The Mayor replied, (placing her hand on Dot's shoulder) "Dot, I'm going to fix it just like I fixed everything at the Zoo."
OK you dumb Biotch, please do explain what you've done to fix ANYTHING at the Zoo? That being said, were you attempting to take a jab at Dot Goetz' Daughter? One way or the other, that statement was just stupid.
The Salisbury Zoo is worse today than it was 3 or 4 years ago when my Wife left. It was going down hill then and my Wife was doing everything she could to expose just how bad it was getting. Today, it's so bad, there's no one running the Zoo and under Gary Muir's leadership the Zoo is destined to close within another year. Either that or many animals will be dead and no one will want to go there anyway.
So the City is being lead by a woman who is completely clueless, yet in control. Each Department has its own major issues and we haven't even gotten into the WWTP! Wait till everyone learns of the multi million dollar screw up that whole thing has become. Yeah, for about 1/2 the price they could have had a far better system with probably twice the volume, but you'll not read about that in The Daily Times because that would really take some investigating and that's too far over their head. Yeah, it's easier to keep their mouths shut on that one.
Last nights meeting was very disturbing in the sense that I have been around some pretty major accounting firms in my day. To listen to Herb Geary constantly lean over to his employee, (not a partner) and ask, "am I saying that right" clearly showed this guy Geary is clueless about what he's doing. If it were me and I owned that company, I'd be going in there firm, direct and confident. Not like a pansy almost asking the Council if that's OK! I wouldn't be smiling, I'd slam the facts down and say, I DID MY JOB, THIS IS WHAT I FOUND, THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND UNLESS YOU DO IT, I'LL NOT RETURN NEXT YEAR.
That's how you run a SUCCESSFUL business, especially an HONEST one. However, that's not what this Mayor wants and that's not how she's run things for years. I'd even go so far as to say, I'd bet Herb Geary would have been more firm if Barrie Tilghman wasn't sitting in the room intimidating that Firm.
Get Barrie Tilghman out of there and things will come right back and so will the morale.
8 comments:
Didn't Barrie fire a prior CPA firm the City had before Trice Geary? What was the reason?
I wholeheartedly agree with your comments about Geary last night--his was a very disappointing presentation. His doing a girly wave to Louise upon entering and then his sheepish presentation was not inspiring to we citizens at all. He has a professional duty to speak decisively on the shortcomings of the City's finances--maybe this is part of the problem. The reason for that is that unless Barrie is told in the most straightforward manner possible, she does not grasp it and will try to work around the edges to spin things to her advantage. Barrie does not do well with anything that constrains her.
The city is a cash cow for the CPA firm, of course they aren't going to antagonize Louise. Barrie Tilgman needs to be investigated by the F.B.I.
THE WHOLE CREW IS A JOKE. THEY NEED TO GO . ALONG WITH THE THREE STOOGES OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. (SEE, GORDY, HOPPES). THESE GUYS AND GALS ARE RUNNING THE CITY INTO THE GROUND. THANKS FOR THE TIME 16 VOLLEY
An audit is a factual report, not a greeting card or a novel. What was found, what is commended, what are exceptions or mistakes, what is recommended to correct those shortcomings, etc. There is absoltely no room for alliances and friendships. Trice Geary is employed by the city, not by Barrie or Louise. If maintaining objectivity is beyond the current auditing firm's ethics, fire them.
I don't think Trice Geary is guilty of anything other than the tone taken in their management letter, which was a bit stronger than last years sugar coated version. Put in an PIA form and request the original copy of last years letter and compare it to the one presented to council and the citizenry. You will note substantial changes in language that softens the blow to those of us that pay attention to detail.
Last night was Herb Gearys feeble attempt at softening the language. To late, it's in black and white and we've all read it. Now I'd like to see the original letter before toning it down.
The "softening the blow" effort has no place in official reporting. Yesterday's meeting was not a therapy encounter group or a tea party. The goal was not to make friends but to summarize the findings of an audit. When people act in an unprofessional manner, their competency and judgment do come into question.
"Dot, I'm going to fix it just like I fixed everything at the Zoo."
Sounds like a threat to me.
We all know how well she fixed the zoo. She fixed it so well her top three people packed up and took off for higher ground right along with the head of Public Works.
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