Where are you Robert James?
Friday, December 16, 2011
For Some Reason We Don't Believe Him, Or Any Of The Commissioners
Conventionally, the repayment of the 40 million dollars stolen from the Green Space Fund is left out of the budget.
Where are you Robert James?
Where are you Robert James?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
56 comments:
AGAIN, cutoff the county pension contributions next year as already planned but allow those already in the old pension structure to retire and collect regardless of age. That alone will save millions a year for the county and allow some older, high salaried officers a chance to enjoy what's left of their lives. NO BRAINER...
Dysfunctional DeKalb.
Call me old fashioned, but isn't it the CEO's job to produce a budget after consulting with the commissioners? Commissioner Lee May, chairman of the budget committee hasn't heard a word from Burrell Ellis about the budget.
WTF?
While I might disagree with Lee May's politics I do agree with him on some major issues concerning DeKalb government.
Lee May initiated the GSU study that for 50 grand was a bargin and 75 percent correct. He advocates efficient and effective government. The rest of the commissioners say the same thing and I believe several of them actually mean it.
Unfortunately that means some really hard work and some very unpleasant choices that DeKalb Commissioners and the CEO refuse to face.
To become an efficient and effective government DeKalb government has got to reorganize and get rid of expensive dead-weight. The bloated, expensive and ineffective CEO office should be abolished and a county manager hired. About half of the assistant or associate directers should be canned and their duties reassigned.
Prioriies should be designated to core functions and unessential services halted until the economy rebounds.
Attention should be given to all the county's citizens and the class warfare against the percieved "Rich white North DeKalb" citizens halted. Drive through the Brookhaven area, PDK-Buford Hwy, Doraville and all the rest and discover the rich diversity of its citizens, they are not all rich, white and afluant and deserve the respect of the commissioners regardless of their financial success. They pay their taxes and deserve the same consideration as given to South and Central DeKalb.
Losing Dunwoody was a huge, unforgivable mistake for DeKalb leadership. It hurt the county and its citizens.
It is totally insane to perform the same act with Brookhaven over the mistaken perception that they are "rich and white" and deserving only scorn and disdain for paying their taxes.
To the CEO and Commissioners;
You saw what happened with Dunwoody, it was bad news for the county citizens. I beg of you to do the right thing for all the county.
Go to Brookhaven and hold two to four "town-hall" meetings with the citizens. Ask them what the issues are and address them. Losing Brookhaven due to the politics of class-warfare is unacceptable.
My oppinionated opinion.
KenC
Well what this means for 2012 ----
Tickets and Tickets and more Tickets to raise money for the General Fund.
Then they can waste it all away on anything and everything , right Commissioner Sutton.
He oughta know it's illegal. That's a storm sewer. If it fills with gas, I pity the person who lights a match within ten yards of it.
Whats disgusting is that there are any problems with the pension to begin with.
Dekalb County is a den of thieves, I guess their crimes are too complicated for even the FBI to figure out. Pathetic.
Of course the FBI stopped investigating black politicians about 3 years ago.
listen guys, the CEO was happy to announce his new budget proposal because it didnt raise taxes or furlough employees. Where is our fing raise? seven years no raise for me? I bring home less right now than I did in 2005 unfortunately I am stuck here I am 43 years old and have been with the county 18 years I was promoted to sergeant in 2005 and at least I got the 10 percent raise, but nothing but less less less ever since.
There have been meetings behind closed doors, and the only way we can sustain no furloughs is writing a considerable amount more citations with far less officers. Are you really surprised that the proposal increased fines for traffic citations? If the CEO has the power to raise the cost for traffic citations why doesnt he just double the fines shit why not triple. I red light citation is a $2,000.00 ticket. All I can say is WTF. More and more is expected of us with less and less.
Ellis did not give a new budget,did
not meet with the Chairman of the
Finance Committee.Entering his 4th
year as CEO produced no reorganization plan.Ellis stiffed the taxpayers of DeKalb County and
blatantly thumbed the elected
Commissioners.If Ellis runs in 2012
I will get a sign printed for my
car that says
ELLIS NO MICKEY MOUSE YES
Does anyone find it odd that Gwinnett, Cobb, Fulton, Forsyth, Clayton, etc etc are all able to run their county like normal people but in corrupt Dekalb even the most basic functions elude our elitist community planners who are all members of the democrat party.
They will ALL end up in prison. Just ask any Chicago Mayor. Those that begin to roll now may slide if they give testimony but for most it is too late. Watch what happens this coming election year. No one will wish to appear soft on corruption. Incidentally this is the most dangerous period for officers with politicians gunning for you so watch your Ps and Qs.
VERY TRUE. If people expect us to behave as professionals they must start paying us as such. Granted Cherokee deputies should have noted a bloody crime scene in an abandoned apartment while searching for a missing 7 yr old. However, at least they didn't leave a triple homicide murder weapon in the open for the media to find. When is the last time 400 was ever out managing a scene as the Canton Police Chief was apparently expected to do per their Mayor. Beware politicians my friend this time of year.
Unfortunately, the readers of this blog cannot believe that any words which come from any of the mouths of the commissioneers and the ceo are true, because it isn't. It has never been the truth, never will be the truth, so why waste all of your time trying to understand what these bludering idots are saying. It is nothing more than hot air.
Nothing has changed for the good this year or will next year. It is the endless cycle of bullshit, more shit, piled high and deep.
NO MORE EARLY OUT'S ! Too much of a strain on the pension .
"To the CEO and Commissioners;
You saw what happened with Dunwoody, it was bad news for the county citizens. I beg of you to do the right thing for all the county.
Go to Brookhaven and hold two to four "town-hall" meetings with the citizens. Ask them what the issues are and address them. Losing Brookhaven due to the politics of class-warfare is unacceptable."
Do you REALLY think this will happen? I have never known Dekalb to ever do anything to head off a disaster. They rather let 'em happen and dig out.
I actually spoke to an FBI detective yesterday about the goings on with the BOC. The person I spoke too assured me that the feds are looking closely into what is going on with BOC. So those of you who are concerned, as I am, can find a little comfort in the fact that the FBI is well aware of what is happening. The FBI also needs people to come forward with information if they have any to bolster their case. If anyone knows or has evidence of some of the many wrongdoings by the BOC call the Atlanta office. I am sure with some good info they can put these crooks behind bars where they belong.
Some of the other commissioners want to give us furlough days. Are you all forgetting that they gave us essentially the same budget proposal last year with no furlough days, only to turn around at the mid year budget and hose us with four furlough days. Two of those days came back to back. Rader and Gannon want to cut the tax rate. That makes good economic sense, if the market was strong. They would give back that money at our expense as usual.
The CEO's letter said that he wants to do away with merit increases and go with pay for performance. What planet has he been on for the last ten years that we've had pay for performance. What a joke and rip off that was for all the employees.
Nobody down in Decatur really wants to attack the bloat. They ought to dissolve fleet maintenance, we can get a better deal at 5 or more car dealerships (one near each precinct). Loflyer has it right, nobody wants to work and make tough decisions.
Ticket revenue goes in the general fund to pay day to day expenses. You know the ones that cost $49,000.00. I'm sure that's still going on and I know for a fact the catered lunches haven't stopped. Their old habits are hard to break. Nobody in Decatur has ever given us anything more than lip service. I don't believe any of them. When ever I hear one of the BOC speak, I always think of one of the old Godzilla movies where the dialogue ended but the actors lips are still moving.
Mr. Stogner...Next time, how about moving the American Flag to the correct side of the podium when facing an audience?
Leave my pension alone! I kinda enjoy checking my direct deposit on the 1st of the month.
And while I'm at it, think I'll fire one up!
Pension aside, has anyone REALLY questioned why we continually lose our best and brightest. Most don't enter this career field for the money so that is a moot point. It has become obvious to me that excellent officers are simply not allowed (much less rewarded) to thrive here. I've witnessed time and time again dynamic ideas ignored simply out of spite and/or ignorance from our command staff. Let's dust off the precinct suggestion boxes and start giving serious consideration to the wealth of knowledge and experience yet untapped in this department before the well is completely dry. If you are scared or simply biding time then please do the final honorable thing you can for all our betterment and get out of the way.
Geez; We used to joke about dirty Chicago politics, and the trashed Chicago PD. Now they are joking about us! Oh well, off to my third job in 24 hours!
Precinct suggestion boxes!?!?*!?
When they stop screwing over the officers and supervisors that work hard and have innovative ideas, I'll support something like that. My "White Shirts " have screwed me one time too many. I'm not going to bail their sorry asses out with my ideas and suggestions.
My "White Shirts" are intimidated by those who excel and have systematically put the better supervisors and officers in their place. My "White Shirts" should have been terminated a long time ago for being lazy, unethical and for breaking the law..... they were moved up insted of out.... now DKPD will have to deal with what it failed to do.
No, they're on their own.... I tried and paid the price....my input now has a greater price tag.
Am I angry? Yes! This was a great place to be.... they sow what they reap..the chickens have returned.
They don't care! no discussion about cost of living raises, health care up, pension up and due to possibly double, undermanned bloated departments, with the exception of the police and fire departments. How do you give evaluations to employees year after year without any pay incentive or increase what so ever? Sure Burrell great budget, F O R - G E T - A B O U T - I T citizens of Dekalb your taxes will never go down....they are too buy spending the MONEY!!!!!!!!!!
Ken,
Explain class warfare and why this is a black verses white issue?
To Anon 12:07 AM...
Here, bait my hook when you get a chance, or throw me the worms. What the heck are you smoking over there shagnasty?????
I thought this blog is the suggestion box?
Anon 11:17,
This weeks its some nice stuff I picked up in Colorado on a resent trip (no pun intended). Gotta love that state. Now I know what it's like to be "ridin dirty".
Rock on O.B.!
http://www.buffalonews.com/city/police-courts/courts/article673081.ece
http://fox4kc.com/2011/12/16/lawsuit-claims-kcpd-gang-of-8-discriminates-against-whites/
To the BOC & CEO......Forget about going to those areas who want to incorporate. They will do what they want and if they are smart, they will not include the thinking of Dekalb County has on its mind.
Dekalb Coungty is a cesspool made up of inept politicians who do not know their ass from a hole in the ground.
If these areas want to move forward with their plans, at the very least they are much smarter than the idiots that the citizens of Dekalb got stuck with.
The outside best thing that could ever happen in the poverty stricken cesspool of a county is to TOTALLY incorporate and then no mo BOC & CEO.
Lets all vote to get rid of these deceiving, crooked, useless, dumbass parasites we all call comissioneers and Chief Embezelment Officer. Good Bye & Good Riddens
Hey Griswold... Where you think you're gonna put a tree that big?!?
Anon 9:14, that is a really excellent question, and having slept on it, and thought about it, why do I say the commissioners are committing class warfare against north DeKalb?
Why did the commissioner refuse to negotiate with Dunwoody citizens? Its their jobs to govern the citizens and abide by the citizens wishes. That is the western form of a republic government. The citizens elect their political leaders but it is the politicians that work for the citizens, not the other way around. In my opinion DeKalb leaders have lost sight that they work for all the citizens, why else would they allow Dunwoody to secede?
Now Brookhaven is proposing the same and DeKalb politicians are acting like they do not care.
Just like Dunwoody.
WTF?
One could say that the Dunwoody secession was a fluke, Vernon Jones made the decision, but the commissioners backed his play. We all know that Vern had a vindictive, racist streak inside him. Joe Stone didn't help out matters either.
While Dunwoody might be 95 percent white, Brookhaven is not. There are a fair amount of Hispanic and Blacks that live in the Brookhaven area. You can drive through parts of Brookhaven that look bizarre, You have big expensive McMansions built in predominantly black neighborhoods with cinder block houses common. (For the record, cinder-block construction while utilitarian and cheap, is a strong, valid choice of home construction. Its primary fault is insulation from the cold is poor.)
So why will not DeKalb commissioners negotiate in good faith with the Brookhaven citizens?
Anon 9:14 has a valid point and I am willing to concede that it might not be "class-warfare" as I previously stated.
I think it is their fracken' ego's. That's even worse than "class warfare". You can debate or argue ideology, you cannot argue ego.
I am convinced that it is ego's of the CEO and commissioners that is doing the majority of the damage to the county services to the citizens.
If Brookhaven leaves the county with no effort made to negotiate by the commissioners, then the commissioners pay should be reduced by 25 percent due to the loss of citizens of Dunwoody and Brookhaven and the poor performance displayed by the commissioners.
Vernon Jones instituted the infamous no "pay for performance" plan to deliberately cut employee salaries.
I propose the same for the CEO and commissioners. Pay for performance. Accountability, what a novel concept in regard to DeKalb's political leaders more intent upon personal advancement than what is best for DeKalb citizens, government and the employees. If Brookhaven secedes from DeKalb I will request DeKalb state legislature to introduce a bill reducing the CEO and Commissioners salaries by 25 percent.
Best of luck, guys!
KenC
Dunwoody is not 95% white. Yes it's predominantly white, but the real number is closer to 80%, with the remainder made up of black, Asian, and "other". Check facts, and think things through before publishing comments.
(Anon 12/17 1257)...Bend over Ill show ya!
Have you looked at the proposed outline for the City of Brookhaven? It's gerrymandering at the worst. It just so happens to coincide with Rep. Jacobs district and cuts off the less affluent areas that are nearby. How some of these new cities boundaries are not a violation of the Voting Rights Act, are beyond me. If your a minority in any of them, your vote doesn't stand a chance. The Justice Dept. is supposed to be looking at this issue; nationwide. They need to start right here in Georgia.
I agree with LoFlyer. You ever watch or go to the Commission meetings? The citizens in south DeKalb County are always complaining that the money is spent up on the northside. The citizens on the northside complain just the reverse. Want to see where the money is really going? Just look at new construction for the County. You got rec and senior citizen centers being built on the south side. They are building a new library on Candler Rd. and right next to it they are building a 300+ room senior retirement housing. There is a new library in Lithonia with a stack stone fireplace, similar to what you see in expensive resorts. There is an auditorium at the same library that is nicer than the Fox. It is obvious that the BOC and CEO need to spread the spending around.
Loflyer,
Negotiations can't be successful with a gun being held to the head. At least you should see that this thing is about race and the our way or the highway mentality by North Dekalb.
South Dekalb residents has always supported the All Dekalb notion but the Northern part of the county is only interested in their bottom line.
This is 2011 and we should be past some of this nonsense.
Keep writing those tickets boys,maybe you will get promoted and be able to hide behind a desk at 1960 and be a bad ass desk jockey.You can also get all of your furlough days to, but hey that is so we can have emptey rec centers with 5 employees making 38k each helping out the community,wow new cars new guns new uniforms.yes sir we are da baddest PD out dare wutz up.Keep drinkin da koolaid foolz.HERD DA penchon is goin up to 16.5%.GET your life vest the place is sinking.
Anon 2:26. I am not exactly sure of what you are saying. I wouldn't call the possible secession of Brookhaven placing a gun to the head of DeKalb government. DeKalb politicial leaders are refusing to negotiate with Brookhaven citizens, their constiuents. It is there job to negotiate with citizens over issues concerning the citizens welfare.
Where are the "town hall" meetings in Brookhaven?
Rumors are that Tucker citizens are considering becoming a city.
What a cluster-frack.
My opinion,
KenC
To be continued.....
Proposed letter to DeKalb state representatives requesting introducing a bill to reduce the DeKalb CEO and commissioners salaries 25 percent upon the secession of Brookhaven. Here are the state representatives I have discovered, I know there have to be more and request assistance from the blog on the issue.
Mary Oliver,
Stacey Abrams,
Stephanie Benfield,
Mike Jacobs,
Howard Mosely,
Pat Gardner.
Here is the proposed text of my email requesting a bill to reduce DeKalb CEO and commissioners salary upon the secession of Brookhaven. Please read and offer suggestions for improvement.
"Dear Representative,.
As a DeKalb legislator you are aware of the pending secession of Brookhaven from DeKalb County government. DeKalb political leadership is far more concerned with the loss of tax revenues from Brookhaven than fixing some fairly minor issues concerning Brookhaven residents.
They refuse to negotiate nor address the issues concerning Brookhaven citizens.
Under Vernon Jones, DeKalb political leadership made the huge, unforgivable mistake of refusing to negotiate with Dunwoody citizens over valid and unresolved issues.
Dunwoody seceded and the citizens are satisfied with their new government.
DeKalb county raised property taxes a whopping 26 percent last year. Primarily due to the housing market bust, but the loss of Dunwoody tax revenue seriously hurt DeKalb government and several percent of the tax increase is due to the loss of revenue from the City of Dunwoody.
Now Brookhaven is threatening the same.
The DeKalb CEO and Commissioners are refusing to negotiate with their Brookhaven constituents over valid issues that they pay local county taxes to see resolved. I am requesting that DeKalb State representatives introduce a bill to the Georgia house.
The bill will state that upon the secession of the City of Brookhaven, the DeKalb CEO, and DeKalb commissioners salary will be reduced 25 percent.
DeKalb political leaders are the highest paid in the metro area.
The proposed bill would be a subtle reminder to local DeKalb politicians to perform their jobs of representing all of DeKalb citizens or face a reduction in salary.
Thanks for your time and your service.
Ken Choate"
We all know that from past performance the CEO and BOC is not going to address the issues concerning Brookhaven citizens.
They are refusing to represent their constiuants and do their jobs.
Fine. If Brookhaven secedes we cut the CEO and commissioners pay 25 percent. I wish there was a better way of doing this.
Best of luck, mates!
KenC
12/18 7:37 - you need a lot more than a vest.
In society the haves support the have nots. The same will happen no matter what new GOVERNMENT comes along. There is no way around it. Most of this is done at the federal level and not the local level. So rich people will still pay an unfair amount to support the so called bums.
So if Brookhaven becomes a city, enjoy your trimmed shrubs and exclusivley nice parks and still pay for the have nots.
2 things. According to the last census, Dunwoody is 25% minority poulation.
There are 3 members of the DeKalb delegation to the general assembly that are Republicans.
Senator Fran Millar (District 40, which is part of North DeKalb, Fulton, and parts of Gwinnett)
Representative Tom Taylor (Dunwoody + parts of Doraville and Chamblee)
Representative Mike Jacobs (Brookhaven, part of Chamblee, and the Murphy-Candler & Marist area)
With huge Republican margins in both the House and Senate (2/3rd's in Senate and a 116 R's vs 64 D's in the House), these guys are the only ones in DeKalb that can get the number of votes on the floor to get any change in form of DeKalb government through.
The issues with Dunwoody and Brookhaven have nothing to do with race.....it has nothing to do with police and fire services. What those residents dislike is the way the BOC spends the tax money. It's wasted away, primarily in South DeKalb. Look at the million dollar library, its vacant. Brookhaven is tired of seeing their taxes go up and getting nothing for it.
To get to the core of the problem we need to ask ourselves WHY these state of the art libraries are vacant of DeKalb youth. They CLEARLY have disposable time to skip school and burglarize their neighbors all day long. Children in any number of impoverished countries would LOVE the opportunities afforded to unappreciative children in this country. This is why we need MANDATORY military service.
Anon 12:08,
This thing has everything to do with race. South Dekalb spent years with their tax money going to build up Dunwoody and the northern portion of the county. When the county started to work on thei south infrastucture, the north cried fowl.
The north along with the state legislature are playing a game that might bite them in the azz. They get a lot business from southside residents who patronize their malls and eateries. That could stop if they keep it up.
LoFlyer...........Why don't you run for CEO and straighten this mess out?
I think you are confusing patronizing with looting and robbing. They'd be thankful to keep your south side "patrons" away from their businesses I'm sure.
Listen, in our modern politically correct society if you are in a minority group and haven't gotten it together yet with all the handouts and freebies over the last 20 years then you never will.
Criminals are criminals. Of course again it comes back to the tired black and white issue. The truth is there are some really good people on the southside as well as a high number of criminals and parasites. We as a country would do well to leave aside our political decisions for business decisions. The help the afflicted of the world welfare culture has killed us as a nation. While it may be too late, if we stand a chance at all, we better elect leaders on business qualifications and expect results as would a shareholder at every level of government. No longer are we as a nation being afforded the luxury to vasilate in our victim mentality as the rest of the world overcomes their transgressions and handicaps.
Send your south side patrons to Alpharetta and see the warm welcoming response they get. That is if they have gas money to get here, we kept Marta out.
Good to see the awakening. Slow to arrive, but steadily making progress.
Or Cobb County... I f you don't keep up with your childrens there and one gets killed crossing outside a crosswalk PD will charge the parent.
Well here it is again people....the race card, north Vs. south, white Vs. black etc.... Yet another reason why I left Dekalb, and since I've left I have learned that ya'll are not all that great as I was brainwashed in the academy to believe that, Dekalb is the Best it doesn't get any better. Well sorry to inform ya'll but it does get better, take home cars, good equipment, support from 99% of citizens, good training, shifts properly staffed, and even no furlough days...yes I said no furlough days....imagine that. Oh wait this sounds like another race card comment, here it comes....its in the north end. Oh no! I just did it....Get a hold of yourselves people, get outta that dump of a corrupt gov't and go somewhere else. It was tough at first, but I got my change O'bama promised me. Dueces to Dekalb where they continue to violate peoples rights, arrest, and search vehicles illgally. Go ahead and stop me in Dekalb, I'm waiting for one of ya'll to violate my rights I have my lawyer on speed dial and it'll all be on tape. Be careful and know how to do your job properly and legally, study your code book and know policy. There are people out here just trying to get something for nothing.
Anon 10:50........and you really think the southside residents are going to stop going north of 85 to eat and shop???....lol.....Lets see.....S. DeKalb Mall....What does it offer? Oh, you can go pay your light bill and get your SS check there. Stone Crest....there are already new restaurants turning belly up. Vacant stores and the place isn't even 10 years old yet. Get real....South does have nice, legit people there and they will continue going to Dunwoody and Brookhaven to get away from the robbing and thieving and the scum they see everywhere.
I guess the only question remaining is who will be the last white officer left at DeKalb.
To 12-21-11 8:58AM
If you witnessed illegal activity as an officer here and did'nt report it you are a part of the corruption. Otherwise how do you know about illeggal searches etc...Maybe it is good you are gone.
Moving On: It was good to see prop crimes CID on news out busting Craigs List thugs via search warrants today. Now if we can get the rest to follow suit.
Merry Christmas, mates!
The AJC has an interesting article on abolishing the CEO's office. Link is:
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/battle-over-ceo-position-1269611.html
I have no idea of what Vernon Jones discussed with the commissioners three years ago in closed session to head off a legislative bill abolishing the CEO's position. Knowing Vern and the commissioners, it could not of been pleasant.
The DeKalb CEO's office has been increasingly ineffective for over a decade, incapable of its primary duty of directing employees or producing a budget under the guidance of the commissioners. The CEO's staff is over-paid and super-sized to ridiculous proportions that cannot be remotely justified. Two months ago the CEO hired a new Economic Development director for a record salary of 166 grand. The highest paid director in the county with the least amount of responsibilities. I can only imagine how ticked off the rest of the directors getting paid 25 percent less with far more responsibility and stress. To the directors, welcome to the politics of DeKalb government that has been shafting the employees for the last decade! You were complicit in the actions and would not speak up for your employees when they needed you most. Payback is hell.
The CEO position was designed expressly for one person, Manual Maloof and he was the only with the temperament and moxy to pull it off. Every DeKalb CEO has failed since, Levitan, Jones and Ellis have never been able to gain a consensus with the commissioners, Jones was convicted in federal court of “creating a hostile work environment” for the employees. Jones can also take credit for driving the county into political cronyism and severe ethical lapses. CEO Ellis is a waste of space and indecisive at best.
I commend both Elaine Boyer and Lee Mays for taking the lead in this issue. This is the first spark of real leadership seen out of the commissioners in years. I know most of the cops dislike Mays for the position he has taken on Public Safety issues in the past. Perhaps it is time to give Mays a revaluation of his performance. Elaine Boyer has always had the citizens best interests at heart, she does not champion the employees, but deserves respect for her honesty in discussing the issues.
My opinionated opinion,
KenC
Dekalb County! The NEW Fulton County! The NEW City of Atlanta! Bloated budgets, north vs. south issues, black vs. white, pet projects here but not enough money for important things. I am just waiting for the Unincorporated vs. City Residents that Fulton and Gwinnett frequently engage in. Cityhood predictions:
Brookhaven 2012
Druid Hills 2013
Tucker 2014
Stonecrest 2014
The only part left unincorporated will be the part closest to Atlanta, City of Stonecrest (they probably wont go no further than Panola Road) and Decatur. Atlanta will probably offer annexation to interested residents and few pockets will go in and that will be that.
Post a Comment