Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Burrell Hands Out Christmas Raises

Just in time for Christmas, Burrell hands out $40,000. in raises to some of his department heads. For example, Patrick Bailey, director of the medical examiner’s office, saw an increase of $75,504 to $86,580 or 13% per year. And Burrell and the rest of the commissioners are beaming with pride because they want to give a one time handout of $250. only to our topped out Master Patrol Officers, and no one else.

We would ask Commissioner Rader, how much more did Patrick Bailey produce to receive such a raise? Are deaths in Dekalb County up compared to last year?

The AJC claims we cost the county to lose 5.1 million dollars in revenue through our ticket furlough. The ticket furlough was in response to the some commissioners and Burrell Ellis handing out hefty pay raises, car allowances an severance packages of tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to staff members, while at the same time forcing us to work holidays without pay, then furloughing us.

Just prior to these findings, we learn the county is stealing from it's property owners by over charging property tax as much as 25% above property value. The AJC article didn't include the millions and millions of dollars this has cost the taxpayers.

In light of the commissioners robbing the treasures of the county, the ticket furlough is pale in comparison. We're just giving back to the property owners who are getting shafted by the commissioners, and giving the general public a break in these difficult financial times.

What relief the public must feel when they are handed a warning instead of court appearance traffic citation. Now they may be able to pay their higher water bill, and their inflated property tax bill.

17 comments:

Gold Badge said...

Ticket Furlough ...... yeah it started that way. Now I see it a result of LIMITED manpower. I have enough officers on the watch list to cover each territory. On a good night, I have two officers in the busiest territory and one who can work as a floater or focus our problem areas.

The drop in tickets is a function of the Furlough, manpower, and morale.

The county used early retirement to cut numbers......the problem is they let the wrong people go and brought back a lot we should have let go. Now we don't have manpower or the money needed to do what we were hired to do.

Ellis, instead increasing the budget during lean times, implement the study's recommendations!

Anonymous said...

How about the fact that it took the county so long to actually promote these people into their positions????? Why were they in the "interim" position for so long?

You're not asking the right question. If you get the job, you get the pay. Now if you want to argue the jobs shouldn't pay so much then put forth data to sustain your claim.

Anonymous said...

Come on man! Patrick Bailey was put in as "Acting Director" when Paul Kelhoffer retired this year. He is now the Director and was just given the pay raise that he did not get earlier for his promotion.

Sometimes I wish you guys would check some of your facts before making an ass out of yourself on this site.

You are so quick to jump to conclusions and you are losing credibility. People will eventually stop visiting this site if this continues.

Yes im a supervisor! said...

I was asked yesterday by a subordinate 'Sarg im confused what are we supposed to be doing'
My answer not a damn thing!

Slobenz Z Nobins said...

Why in the hell is Karen Anderson still employed here, I mean I undertsteand that she ratted on ol Tebo.
I mean is she worth 90k a year for her testimony. Cause to be honest I was never paid for my time on the stand.
Start with her cut out the fat.

Anonymous said...

To the supervisors posting here, way to stand behind your people. We have to stick together. Keep it up I have noticed more and more support amongst the citizens.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the links. I've read the articles and they don't support your rant. ALL of the raises you cite and that are cited at the first article are for people who were promoted some time ago without pay increase. Heck, for at least one person, and maybe all of them, their current pay after the raise is still below what their predecessor was paid for holding the same position and doing the same work. In fact, it's not even the same work; its MORE work because now they have to effectively run an office or department with fewer people and resources.

As to the incorrect tax assessments, there's no question that the numbers are the numbers. But where Dekalb assessors performed worse is on a very specific segment - distress sales. According to the article, on other measures of performance, Dekalb did better than other metro counties. Well, could it be that Dekalb assessors historically had less experience with distress sales?

Again, thanks for providing the links. Comparing what was actually reported to your interpretation published at this blog was...educational.

Anonymous said...

Burrell, have you lost your MIND?????? That is NOT a rhetorical question. Seriously, WTF?? Ima Citizen

Anonymous said...

Promotions come with pay raises.....it's the only way you get one in Dekalb. The question is "how long did the county have them doing the work without the increase and title. (See Acting Chief O....I'd bet he was doing the work but, didn't get a raise till they dropped "Acting".

"Acting" is becoming a phrase used to describe the county's penchant for having employees do the job without having to pay/promote them!.... kinda like OIC or SIC. The slot is open, but it's cheaper for the county to have a subordinate in a "temporary capacity ".....no promotion, no pay raise or an increase in the budget.

Anonymous said...

Check out the full budget proposal with charts on retirement/re-hire numbers and extensive commentary on the 'study' and comparison to nearby counties.

http://dekalbcountyga.gov/portals/ceo/pdf/2011_Executive_Budget_Recommendation.pdf

Anonymous said...

Bailey was just promoted to Director and the raise was part of the promotion just like the raise everyone receives when promoted. It wasn't a bonus or a raise just for. I dislike Ellis and the BOC as much as anyone, considering them wrong on most everything they have done and agree with you on most things you post on this blog. But in this case you are wrong.

Good for Pat Bailey. Congrats on the promotion!!

Anonymous said...

Actually, yes, deaths are up in Dekalb County compared to last year.

Anonymous said...

"I was asked yesterday by a subordinate 'Sarg im confused what are we supposed to be doing'
My answer not a damn thing!"

Not much of a supervisor if you ask me. Tickets fine if your not going to wite them no problem there and I think it should be supported by the rank in the right way. Howver by the statement you made you are telling the OFFICER not to do his job, Dont answer calls? Dont back fellow officers? Dont make arrests (of any kind), You are in no way a supervisor, you just have rank.

Anonymous said...

Pat Bailey is one of us and you attack him like that while spinning the truth of his raise. Its been said a couple of times but he was promoted to that position it was not a bonus or a raise for no reason. Heck, he has been doing the job for the last year or so( I could be off) and his pay is increased because that's what the salary is for the position.

Anonymous said...

There are still way too many chiefs in this department than there are indians. This isn't just in the PD, its county wide.

Anonymous said...

Why in the hell would anyone apply to work at this agency?

Anonymous said...

Wow, going after Pat Bailey was a new low...a man that was doing a director's job and not getting paid what the director's make. Then, he finally gets it and you twist it to fit your supermarket tabloid-style agenda? Low, man, low. I, for one, am tired of reading the same old twists without fact checking (like the insurance opt out for DeKalb, ILLINOIS, the water dept at bass pro, and all the justified promotions). Seems like this page started out with good intentions, especially during the TeBo days, but has fallen short lately. I hope you can find a way to recover.