As we announced yesterday, Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt has proposed a reorganization of his office. To accomplish this, he has requested that the Wicomico County Council not cut from his proposed budget for the county’s executive department.
Pollitt’s re-organized department would look like this:
While I expect shock from our readers (and my fair share of critical comments), I endorse Pollitt’s proposal, at least in theory. This structure is more in line with what a county executive’s office should look like.
However, I DO NOT support giving Pollitt level funding in the FY 2012 budget. The reasons are simple and consistent.
NO MORE 11th HOUR CHARGES
Pollitt has exhibited a habit of riding in at the 11th hour and trying to buffalo the council into passing bad legislation. The recent vote for his “Early Retirement Package” is just the latest example. Council members Gail Bartkovich, Matt Holloway, and Stevie Prettyman all voted for a bad bill because Pollitt claimed that he couldn’t balance the budget without this legislation. We now know that the promised savings didn’t materialize. We also know that many who are taking this retirement package would have probably retired without it. However, now these individuals are receiving an extra 10% of their salary in pension.
POLLITT NEEDS BETTER REASONS
As stated above, I support the changes. However, I do not support them for the reasons given by Pollitt in his presentation yesterday. Pollitt claims that this would allow him to be out more in the community and to be able to work to help Wicomico County at the state level. During Pollitt’s first term he was “out and about” quite a lot campaigning for the abolition of the revenue cap. This year he has been out campaigning for his tax rate hike. These are not compelling reasons for council to support this proposal.
POLITICS OR SUBSTANCE?
I have always been an opponent of crafting public policy around an individual. I didn’t advocate it when Barrie Tilghman was mayor of Salisbury. I don’t advocate it with Rick Pollitt as Wicomico County Executive. That said, there are dangers in this proposal.
The proposed office of “Constituent Services and Communications” could be used to help citizens. It could also be used to punish Pollitt’s political foes.
The proposed “Budget Officer” could be very helpful in helping to shepherd the county through tough economic times. Even in good times, this post could be extremely useful in planning the county government’s fiscal future. However, Pollitt claimed yesterday that he could use existing personnel. This point was brought up by councilman Bob Culver. I agree with Culver that someone would need to be brought in from outside for the position to be effective.
WHAT SHOULD COUNCIL DO?
If the council was willing to take my advice, their path would be simple. Cut Pollitt’s proposed budget. Eliminate positions that they currently feel are unnecessary. This last minute proposal should be shelved until some time after July 1.
After the budget is adopted and in effect, then it is time to sit down with Pollitt and allow him to pitch this idea again. IF council is willing to consider this proposal, it is also time to extract some concessions from Pollitt.
For starters, they should get a commitment (in writing) that commits Pollitt to regular, public meetings with the council. He should be meeting with council at least quarterly, and probably monthly. Harford County Executive David Craig, who Pollitt used to help pitch this proposal, admitted that he meets with his council. Pollitt has to end the practice of meeting with council ONLY when it furthers his political or personal ends.
IF Pollitt is able to convince the council of the merits of this proposal, and after the council extracts its concessions, the council can pass a budget amendment and take the funds from contingency.
THE BOTTOM LINE
This proposal has merit. I seriously question whether or not Pollitt can make the best use of this structure. However, it is bad practice to design policy around an individual. Rick Pollitt will not always be the county executive. We should structure the office around the needs of the office and not the merits or faults of one person.
Well written and on target with my thoughts. No doubt Pollitt needs help with lots of things but financials is the most important. I suggest the council cut the salary of the one administrative assistant who is retiring and the PIO position at this point. The PIO is a position that could be effective if the right person was in that position. Shea's slot should have the funds cut to an entry level grade. I don't know the savings but Pollitt needs to realize he has to be more prepared than presenting important changes like this at the 11th hour. I have heard from many that the "early retirement" should have never been handled the way it was but council was rushed into acting. Stand firm this time council and discuss this after the budget is struck.
ReplyDeleteMaybe someone can answer this question: Why, in addition to the County Executive, do we need a Conty Administrator and a Chief of Staff, followed by two assistant administrators? It sounds like bloated bureaucracy to me, giving the Executive an air of pomposity. Next year Pollitt would probably want an eighth person in his department, and on and on it would go. All those people would probably trip over one another. Is our county THAT big that it needs an Executive office that large?
ReplyDelete9:14 why?
ReplyDeleteCause, rick's building his kingdom!
and as with everything he does the cost will be greater than he's let on!
anonymous 9:14, since I was in the meeting at the time Pollitt presented this to the Council, allow me to express what Rick actually said.
ReplyDeleteI'm paraphrasing, but here goes. I don't want to be known for shaking hands and kissing babies. I want to have the time to go out and market Wicomico County. I want to build our economic and development.
Here's my problem with what he stated. Rick Pollitt is paid a pretty penny to do BOTH. He has a very large Staff. Even though I do not believe in his sending Jim Fineran to public events representing the County Executive, (since Jim is not an elected official) Jim is doing so, allowing Rick the extra time to build economic and development, or so he should be.
Many state that Rick Pollitt is never in on Friday's. I've never been able to confirm this to be a fact but far too many people in the right places, (in the know) have told me so.
Perhaps if Rick, Jim and their entire Staff were to manage his time better, (especially in this economy) we could see better results and less requests of such.
Now, that being said, you have to ask yourself these questions. Are YOU seeing Rick at every single event, shaking hands and kissing babies? Are YOU also wondering why we NEVER see the Economic and Development Director, EVER, ANYWHERE?
Have YOU seen ALL of the vacant real estate in Wicomico County?????
IMHO, a good County Executive would NOT be asking YOU, (the taxpayers) to come up with more money to help them perform better. As a business owner I challenge them ALL to show you and me what they have been able to achieve on theor OWN in such difficult times.
IF you're going to shine, IF you're going to prove YOU are better than anyone else who ran against Rick, the time would be now to prove to the citizens that YOU made the right choice.
Instead, you have someone in office who is clearly telling you, HELP ME!
The proposal requires no additional funding.
ReplyDeleteNo Additional Funding, but asking not to cut his budget, while he is trying to raise property tax. Soooooo, all of his employees will take furloughs again, while basic utilities rise along with food etc.
ReplyDeleteSooooo, the budget needs to be past with cuts. Then Mr. Pollitt can re-vist his grand plan to change up the executive office.
Before I retired, I used the concept of proving my needs for increases in a proposal before I presented it. I had justifications and verification that I and my Department was over - extending. There probably were no justification of being overworked or ineffeicency of the County Executive and the ones under them due to being overworked beyond their job description. When you present a proposal you have to prove the need. You never present a proposal out of want. That is what this appears to be. If it is not out of desire and self - accomplishment, then why was Harford County brought in to explain and sell this proposal? That shows me Rick did not know the full concept of what he is proposing. He could not justify Wicomico County's need for this. He wants to be able to ride around the State to increase his visibility and social life on the Tax Payer. The Office is presently not run effiecently or there would have been proof presented to justify the need not desire. This post has comments that shows Rick is not fullfilling his job description and responsibilities of the County Executive. These overlapping positions, so it appears, reminds me of what Norman Conway accomplished with the WBOE when he bloated them top heavy. Look what that has done to the WBOE budget and effiecency. Straight downhill as for as the Students are concerned and straight up as for as the Staff and Administration is concerned.
ReplyDeleteRemember the card game BS...well I call BS! Just last week tricky Rick said the net savings from the early retirement program was $100K..that included Shea's salary and medical/retirement package. Now two additional salaries and their packages. Not even considering the salary increase in the years to come. Come on...it's business as always...Do your job just as local business owners have been forced to do. These economic times call for hard work in the private sector and if that means rolling up your sleeves and really working so be it. Not once since he's taken this cushy job has he shown the true ability to cut anything without back dooring us with something in its place. I was born at night...just not last night!
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we elect a dynamic leader who can issue their own information? This looks like Tricky Ricky is just shuffling job descriptions in order to add another person to his staff. Meanwhile, the County countinually charges the same amount of taxes to people that live in towns in Wicomico County while not offering as many services.
ReplyDeleteThe County should give us that live in Salisbury and other towns some tax relief before the County Executive office gets anymore people!
I hope Rick never runs again in this county. You people don't deserve someone who cares so much about a bunch of whining, uninformed citizens,(and I use that term loosely.) Anyone who thinks this is a cushy job never had a job trying to please the public. There is no pleasing them; it is truly a thankless job. Rick, if you take time to read this garbage, I hope you take away from it that some of us appreciate all you try to do in spite of all the naysayers.
ReplyDeleteI hope he never runs again either, but not for the same reasons as 12:54. The man is a liberal tax and spend democrat to the core and I'm sick of the government wasting my money. Yes, MY MONEY not the governments like the libs like to think.
ReplyDeleteI guess some of you missed the fact that Wicomico's budget has fallen $21 million since 2008 and the real property tax rate has fallen 45% in the past decade.
ReplyDeleteThe revenue cap provides for equalization of the tax rate...down and up dependent upon movement of the assessable base. Hence the term equalization. The cap was intended to provide a stable revenue stream but ensure it is limited to growth if no more than the rate of inflation or 2%; whichever is lower.
To always adjust downward and never adjust upward is mathmatical suicide.That path leads to a point where you cannot provide minimal core services.
The rate increase is within the formula set up by the revenue cap.
I have attended the public hearings and read all the quips in the Grapevine and elsewhere......NO ONE has pointed to truly excessive government here and NO ONE has provided million dollar budget cuts that won't negatively impact our community.
I don't like paying any more in taxes than the next person....BUT, the math just isn't going to work without equalization....and some reasonable budget reductions.
12:54...I guess you are one of the individuals applying for one of Ricks new positions....now you can kiss his butt on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteSorry, Gary Nock. I've been retired too many years to go back to work now. No butt kissing here, but I'd like to whoop yours, you know-it-all.
ReplyDelete3:09/12:54 Folks that have no basis to their statements normallly hide behind "anonymous" so your last comment certainly doesn't surprise me. Show me one circumstance were Rick has re-structured, re-organized, or changed for the better, anything in our county gov't that has been cost saving. The only cuts that I have seen have simply been due to the lost revenue not new ideals or streamlining. Its the same idealogical difference between conservatives and liberals whether it be on the county, state, or federal level. By the way...I'd be glad to accomadate your last request and I'm not sure you'd like the end result.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the response to Gary Nock is due to being accused of being someone applying for a new job and ass kissing, rather than just simply someone who supports Pollitt. I get that; too bad Nock doesn't. Don't let the old guy worry you too much, Gary.
ReplyDelete5:35 Good point! I stand corrected.
ReplyDeleteThe teachers in wicomico county cant get a pay raise. But ricky wants to add more people to his staff. Why dies he now have two executive office assistants? Are both really needed
ReplyDelete