By Rudizink
Any lingering doubts about the true motives of Boss Godfrey's administration in connection with 2006 police and firefighter salary "negotiations" were resolved yesterday, we believe, in this matter-of-fact John Patterson guest editorial. Boss Godfrey and his minions are punishing our police and firefighters, and they are doing it blatantly.
In truth, it's obvious that there were no good-faith salary negotiations during the winter run-up toward finalizing our public safety officers' pay plans. Mr. Patterson makes no bones about that. As City Administrator Patterson forthrightly admits, Boss Godfrey initially tendered an identical "take it or leave it offer" to all city employees. When our public safety employees had the temerity to exercise their rights under currently-operative administration/council Joint Resolution 95-9, and plead their case before the city council in the very manner contemplated by the resolution, city administrators, acting in apparent "bad faith," summarily took their initial offer "off the table."
Read the full article here.
We urge you to contact your city councilmembers to demand parity for our police and firemen. This is a problem that can be easily fixed. All that's necessary is for the council to amend the salary portion of an ordinance, which is something that the council has the plenary power to do. The city council has the power, of course, to amend any of its rules, resolutions or ordinances, any time it chooses. It's the city legislature, after all.
For the convenience of our gentle readers, we have placed individual and bulk council email links in our upper-left sidebar. It now only takes a minute to turn outrage into action at Weber County Forum, and we hope you'll all take a few moments to stand up for the dedicated folks who work 24/7 to safeguard our lives and property.
Comments, anyone?
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33 comments:
Yup.
Exactly.
The short version of Patterson's post would be this:
"Yes, the sliding scale for merit pay was punishment for the police and firemen not meekly accepting the first offer the city placed on the table on which the city refused to negotiate."
Good points Rudi. It's unfortunate all the police and firemen of Ogden get are phrases of tokenism.
Right you are, Og. From a Schwebke article dated May 28, 2006, right around the time the Ogden City Council received the first tentative budget:
Patterson is paid $121,272 annually. Harmer, Greiner and Mathieu receive $104,544 and Cook is paid $101,745, according to a Standard-Examiner study of government employee salaries.
Greiner's most recent pay raise of 8.6 percent, or $8,289, was the largest of the five, the study shows...
...In addition, Greiner said, prior to the 8.6 percent raise in October, he received a 5 percent pay increase in 2002.
Cook received a 6 percent pay increase worth $5,759, Mathieu was given a 4.3 percent raise amounting to $4,316 and Patterson's pay was increased by $4,272, or 3.7 percent.
And these figures of course do not include the total package--the health insurance, retirement plan, car allowances, and expense accounts.
Whereas, our police and fire, many of whom are working for $15 an hour, received a 2% one-time bonus, as I understand it. And the possibility of getting a 5% merit raise if they reach a 4 on a 5 point performance evaluation program.
Punitive? Oh, yes.
Godfrey: Ogden's 'A-Team' worth salaries above $100,000
Is this a Mormon community? If so, shut down the welfare and give it to the city employees in the form of salary.
Thank you for an excellent post, Rudi.
Also thanx to you, Dian, for repinting the "out of line" salaries of the A team.
Our City Council must act as a cohesive unit and amend the ordinances that are so punitive.
Instead of in-fighting, and pandering to Godfrey, that some do, this Council must ast as the legislative body itis.
They need to meet and hammer out the proper language that should be in city ordinances.
This is their purview. Mr. Cook needs to work with and for the Council.
THAT is his responsiblity. His loyalty should be to the Council.
The Council's loyalties are to the citizens they pledged to serve.
So, get on the ball, Council. Stop letting Godfrey and his corrupting administration hamstring you all.
Meet together and be of one mind and purpose.
You have the authority to open these negotiations and do what is right for our police and firefighters.
While you're at it, you can decrease the welfare dole of the A team! Start with taking away car allowances and car insurance!!!
I just took a look at KSL news, and the lead story is still about the missing 5 year old, missing three days now.
And I know that if that were happening here, our law enforcement would be working round the clock to find this child.
Ticket quota or no ticket quota.
Individuals in our law enforcement would make the choice to earn less money in order to cope with this emergency, or any emergency. That's the kind of people they are.
And to think that this is the system under which they're trying to work effectively is appalling. To know that if you effectively do your job and respond promptly to emergencies and calls, you are losing out on your chance to give out more tickets to the public, which means more money for you.
Because that ticket quota is an integral part of that merit system, and if you come in low on it, you don't get the merit raise.
We've really got to change this---like Rudi says, click on the left sidebar and e-mail the City Council. Tell them they have to lower that score needed for the 5% merit raise for police and fire.
That our police are told to earn their money by penalizing the general populace for driving and parking infractions, and that the spending of time on an emergency such as this would result in lower pay for them is absolutely unthinkable.
Has anyone or does anyone know that if a resolution is pasted and that I is a law of the legislative body and has not been repealed, why is it that council saften thinks it is only a one year resolution, where does it say that is the law. I thought it is valiad til it is repealed?
So, I was out trying to catch some wipers out a Willard Bay last night. When we trailered the boat, I forgot to unplug my trailer lights and they blew out. So, I'm driving to my humble abode in Ogden and get pulled over for having no trailer lights (about 10:30 last night). Anywho the very nice officer gave me a fix-it ticket and told me this "Here's what I'm going to do. I'll give you this fix-it ticket, that way I get a ticket and you don't have to pay for anything!"
Our police are definitaly not happy about the quota system. I asked him about it and they have been instructed that they are not allowed to talk about it while on duty. I told him that they all deserve a raise and thanked him.
Just thought it was an interesting add to the thread.
If the resolution/agreement between the employee groups and the city is in force even after the year of the agreement, how come their pay increase has to be negotiated each year?
If the employee group agreements have to be renegotiated each year, it sounds to me like the resolutions are in effect for only the year in which they are negotiated.
I think you're talking about two different things, anonymous.
A resolution, 95-9 outlines the process for the employment negotiations. That process is the way it should be done every year unless the resolution is repealed or changed.
The process is for the purpose of obtaining an employment agreement, and that agreement is what is to be negotiated every year. The agreement would cover mainly pay scales, whether or not employees get raises, etc.
However, the resolution also makes provision for agreements negotiated in previous years in case they have any bearing.
For example, if it were said in 2001 that the employees would get a raise in 2003, of course that would be part of the agreement that would have to be "good" for more than one year. Otherwise, these things are not worth the paper they're written on.
But the resolution, which is always good until repealed, outlines the process which is undergone to negotiate agreements from year to year. See?
Comment moved to "Gondolist Flights of Fancy Thread."
Og:
Careful, Og. Many of the people who post here in support of the police and firemen on this matter live "above Harison" and our council members have heard from us on this. Often. I wouldn't presume views on this matter can neatly be divided up by neighborhood or that people "above Harrison" have blinders on.
Officers Wife
You’re the true hero, that the politicians don’t even phantom.
They’re too arrogant, only thinking of themselves who deserve a livable wage.
God bless all the Officers Wives out there.
Curmudgeon:
The people above Harrison VOTE more then anyone else in this City.
Some of them are also the ones that believed what the people in office said at election time. They also have the money that helped a lot of those elected officials in to office.
Nice point, Og, about the KSL interview. Exactly. You said it.
And I'm really glad the officer's wife wrote in--thank you, whoever you are. I'm really wondering about that no alcohol in the system policy. (does this include cough medicine, I am wondering?) especially when off duty. I am thinking that this might be going a bit too far, especially without compensation for being on call. One would think that if an employer were going to exert control over off-duty hours, they would have to pay compensation for those hours, especially for classified employees.
You know, I have to say that in my opinion both the administration and council, whether intentionally or not, have come out of this looking not so good and exhibiting an attitude which I do not think we want in any of our elected officials.
Especially in the case of their final action after impasse.
The police and fire ended up with Less than the city's initial offer, I believe. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on this, because this is one of the biggest problems that I see with what's happened.
The message that comes through to me loud and clear with such an action is----Go to impasse, will you? Well, all right. Now you're getting Less than we originally offered! That will teach you to try to negotiate with us. Take that! And that!
I mean, that's really how this appears to me, and I don't like it. And I really cannot believe that after such an action, statements of how police and fire are so appreciated are supposed to make everything all right again.
And I think people below Harrison should get involved, too. I think we all should.
I agree with the comment on the Geigers. The whole clan seems to be suffering from a moral, ethical and intelligence genetic defect. With Geiger Senior's stupid letter this morning it gives new meaning to the old saying "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree".
They never come up with any intelligent or honest answers. They just keep repeating the same tired old mantra. They seem to subscribe to the theory that if you repeat a lie long enough that a lot of people will believe it.
Geiger knows damn well that this $6000 dollar figure put out by the mayor is a lie. He and his sons have no shame or honor.
Mz. Wicks and Mrs. Jeske are the only two people in Ogden city government with any integrity.
I'm curious about this remark of Patterson's:
While both groups did receive the same 7 percent raise that was offered by the administration, the offer for a 5 percent raise with a score of “3” or higher went away and the default position of needing a “4” on their evaluation was instituted.
My understanding is that all that was received was the 2% one time bonus. The above says that this is not the case, that police and fire received a 7% raise besides.
Can anyone clear this up?
Here is the deal:
The Ogden Police Benefit Association (O.P.B.A.) has been representing police officers in negotiations with the city for a long time. Chief Greiner is a past O.P.B.A. president. In 1995, it was negotiated with the city that a base of rules needed to be set down for any future negotiations. The base of rules and procedures is what gave birth to Joint Resolution 95-9, which was signed by the Mayor at the time, the City Council Chair at the time and the president of the O.P.B.A. at the time. This has been articulated very well in Dian’s recent article.
Since 2000, when Godfrey took office, he has micromanaged and abused his authority. He started by attempting to bring a friend of his, from an outside police agency over as a Sergeant. A Civil Service protected position. It was under his early tenure that a pay for performance plan was instituted, which for the first time had a ticket quota. This was at the time that he had spread all over the media that he had cut property taxes, which he had. But to the police officer it was clear he had just cut and pasted those taxes the property arena to the ticket revenue arena. The mistrust of this man started to build within the police ranks. This was solidified over a series of “Mayor Meetings” where the Godfrey came to the police station and spoke to the officers. He claimed that these meetings were to let us know what was going on in the city and to address any concerns or to answer any questions that the officers had. In the first part of his first term, he had extended the use of our police cars from 80,000 miles to 100,000 miles in order to save money. Now at the time, we had officers that we in route to serious calls and their car would quit running and they were not able to respond. We felt this serious public safety issue and related this to the mayor. He responded with a “if you don’t like it leave” attitude and at that time many seasoned and trained officer did leave and took jobs elsewhere. This derogation of police vehicles could have been the reason why a dog can slide a vehicle into gear.
Then came 2003, which the City instituted a Physical Fitness Test. This test would save the City about $30,000 a year. Most of the officer are in support of a P.T. test and feel that we are held to a higher standard and need to meet that. Here is the kicker that the officers did not accept; if an officer is hurt in the line of duty, and cannot pass the P.T. Test, the Officer will be fired. The City will not implement and does not support a medical retirement. So, I lose my means of feeding my family because I am doing my job and get hurt. 2003 also brought the first years of no merit increases. Now these were hard times for the country and we realized that a raise would be very unlikely, but the Godfrey Budget for FY04, which did not include a merit or a cost of living, did include two new Traffic Officer Positions. The mayor stated, without hesitation, that these positions will be funded by the tickets that they write. I think his pattern of behavior was evident. The City Council nixed his two tax officer positions and gave the employees a 2% COLA instead.
In 2004, employees did not receive a merit or a COLA. It should be noted that we did not reach an impasse because of this. We felt that we had to do our part in the economic picture.
This year the City, starting with the Godfrey Administration, has added 95-9 to the trash pile titled “I don’t care what is moral, proper or best for the Ogden Citizens” which must be quite high on the 9th floor. They did this without informing the OPBA. So, the OPBA negotiated based on the guidelines set forth in 95-9, in good faith, and all the time the Godfrey Administration was subverting the process. When the negotiations came to an impasse, we took our case to the Council. We were still somewhat naive and thought that the Council had been told what truly occurred in negotiations by Mr. Johnson, during there numerous closed executive meetings. This apparently was not the case. As we all know the new pay standard that was instituted, specifically for Public Safety Officers, was punitive. This pay pan caused all Police Officer to increase the score in 18 different categories. These categories are mostly subjective to the point of view of the officer’s supervisor. There are a few that are not and are totally with in the control of the officer to get a higher score on. These categories include Citations. To get a passing score, a 3, an officer has to write a certain number of non-moving citations (Equipment violations etc.) and a certain number of moving violations (Failure to signal, improper lane changes etc.). Now the score increases with the number and type of citation that an officer writes. Now we all know that writing a citation is part of the police officer’s job, but why are we mandated to both type of violations (moving and non-moving) and not just say contacts and allow officers to give warning when they feel it is warranted. Well it’s simple; moving violations cost the individual more and therefore the city gets more money from them. This will be particularly true with the opening of our new Justice Court.
When I was hired by OPD, I did not raise my hand and swear an oath to protect and TAX the Citizens of Ogden. I did take this oath prior to Mayor Godfrey taking office, so I don’t know if he has changed it. It is clear to me that Mayor Godfrey has an agenda that is contrary to the oath I took, it is contrary to the citizens of this community and it is contrary to their safety. On the 4th of July, Mayor Godfrey complained that there were too many police officers at the Hot Rocking Fourth celebration. Think about that…TOO MANY OFFICERS? There were less than 40 to cover the thousands of people that were there. I believe that everyday or during any event, the Citizens of Ogden have an expectation that they will be safe. I can tell you that at times there are 6 Patrol Officers handling calls for the entire city of 70 to 80 thousand people and an average of 300 calls per-day. Let me say that again, ONLY 6 PATROL OFFICERS TO COVER THE CITY! This occurs while there are over 13 officers assigned to the traffic unit. It’s not hard to see Mayor Godfrey’s priority with the police department.
All of the officers are going out there writing as many tickets as they can. There are a large number of officers that refuse to tax the citizens and give up what merit increase they could have had. This needs to be known.
In the SE, I have seen that there are some letters to the editor that do not support our position. The names on those letters are familiar to me as those that are staunch supporters of the Gondola. I guess the loyal subjects are supporting their King.
I have the hope that the punitive merit system will be reversed by the City Council. I thank those of you who have contacted them in support of us and I want to let you know that the Ogden Police Officers are dedicated to serving the public. I wish the Mayor was.
Dian,
This was obviously just part of Mr. Patterson's Enron spill. No City employee has ever been offered a 7% increase for FY06/07. All City employees were offered a 5% merit and 2% "bonus" in lieu of a COLA. The merit would be based on a average evaluation score of a 3. Due to the impasse of the Police and Firefighters, the punitive evaluation instituted by the Mayor and the City Council requires that the Police and Firefighters score an average of a 4 to receive that 5% merit. The other city employees, who did not reach an impasse, are still held to the level of a score of 3 to receive their 5% merit raise.
I think that Mr. Patterson was confused and momentarily thought that the City Employees were receiving the same percentage of wage increase that the City Administration was.
Thanks, Ogden cop. I was wondering where this 7% raise came from. Thought he might be adding the 2% one time bonus to the 5% merit raise, but that really didn't make sense either.
Perhaps he should call in to the Standard Examiner and clarify this. I really think he should. If people look at that statement the way I did, the community will be thinking that you all got a 7% anyway, so what's the problem with the merit system? Scoring a 4% on the merit system would get you an additional 5%, which would be a 12% raise, which nobody is getting and you will be thought greedy to be protesting.
I think since it's an opinion column, he would have to do this personally. I have had to do it myself. It's not the most fun thing to have to call up and ask that something be changed, but it is for the best if you've made a mistake.
Thanks also to humble public servant! Very nice history of the whole thing. I hope some of the City Council are reading here.
Anon:
My objection was to Og's trying to stigmatize an entire portion of the city by residence alone. Particularly since what he was imply is demonstrably false.
As for above Harrison folks voting more often than others....If that is true, and it may be, the correction lies with those [who presumably live elsewhere?] who don't vote as often as they might. Or at all.
I just don't like people making assumptions, particularly incorrect ones, about people's politics based exclusively on where they live. That's all I disagreed with Og about. And still do.
Humble Servant and Ogden Cop,
Firstly, thank you more than mere words can express for your unselfish service and sacrifices that you and your families make for all of us. And that goes for the firefighters also.
Wonder if Godfrey is going to ask for a quota of fires to be extinguished in order for firefighters to have enough to live on?
You know, the LO postulants keep saying we need a 'fix' for Ogden. That there is blight and unseemly areas in Ogden that only that darned gondola can repair.
Well, reading the history of the corruption and egotism of this shameful mayor and his A Team, perhaps we should send exterminators to the 9th floor of the Municipal Building.
It would appear that what is wrong with Ogden are the wrongful actions of this Administration.
I understand we lost two officers this week. How many more are preparing to walk?
It is apparent that the Council was not apprised of the true facts before they voted against the public servants.
Shouldn't Bill Cook have been forthcoming of the proper procedures and HISTORY of negotiating that Godfrey monkeyed with?
Where was Greiner when all this chicanery was going on?
BTW...does he go to the gym? Rather portly, wouldn't you agree? And, we all know the debilitating effects of smoking.....and 2nd hand smoke!! Plus, extra insurance costs.
The Council, as has been demonstrated here by publishing the ordinances and the changes Godfrey has made, and what the Council is authorized to do to rectify the 'take away' of their rights as a legislative body, MUST put their heads together and become the unified Council they were elected to be.
(Don't bother to comment that they needn't be unified on every issue!...but some issues are too important for the safety of this city for the Council to side with Godfrey and Johnson now!!!)
We had enough of that old 'rubber stamp' Council. Now, we have the duped and misinformed and uninformed Council.
Get it together people. You are not beholden to Godfrey, Patterson, Harmer, MARK JOHNSON and the other sycophants.
Advise Bill Cook that his employed days are about over if he doesn't start working for YOU!
You Council members who find it difficult to speak up in the presence of the King and his minions...remember that another election is coming.
Jon Greiner is a disgrace. To speak of his OPD in such a condescending manner is unconscionable.
Curm: It is true that more citizens who live above Harrison represent the majority of voters.
However, education to the masses could certainly rememdy that, in part at least.
Many persons have said to me that 'the rich will ride that damned gondola and be looking down on the rest of us.' These are among the ones who have not registered to vote because they don't deem their vote as making a difference.
They understand the elitist , cool and sexy thinking of the LO's though.
The LO's are the mayor's pals. They support his goofy and costly dreams.
Does that mean they also support his screwing over ( threaten, pressure, extort, cheat) the
police and firefighters?
It has occurred to me that the current Ogden City Council has, by choice, amended an ordinance within recent memory.
This was the infamous ferret ordinance, and ferret owners everywhere in Ogden cried out against this injustice and obtained relief.
Ferrets and their owners were much happier after this ordinance was amended, and showed much gratitude at the fact that the Ogden City Council took the time to be concerned with their well-being.
Need one say more?
Hmmmmm....weasels reign! Literally.
There's some outrage over ticketing practices in Holladay, too:
Earlier this month, the Holladay Citizen Advisory Board suggested the council consider an alternative traffic citation (ATC) program, where the first two tickets would carry a $55 and $75 fine but essentially serve as warnings. The third offense would go into the system and be treated as a regular ticket.
Board members said their proposal was complaint-driven - that people were fed up with being ticketed for minor traffic violations, and business in this east-side city was falling off because of it. The ATC proposal aroused immediate negative feedback from city officials, which led to four of the seven board members resigning last Friday...
...DeBry, (Chief of Police Services,) made it clear the quota was his policy, not a dictate of the City Council.
Ease up on tickets, Holladay officials appeal to deputies: Vox Populi: Council suggested police listen more to citizens: By Cathy McKitrick
Did you get a look at the big truck cruising around Ogden with the signs on it warning citizens of Mayor Godfrey's traffic ticket quota program!
Whoever is behind it should be congratulated! We need more of this kind of citizen activism to combat and expose these heartless wonders that are running Ogden - into the ground.
With this kind of publicity the outside world will know how backward Ogden City and our Mayor are. Things like this will have a big negative effect on our city economy. Maybe then the City administration will get its priorities straight.
The outside world needs to know what is really going on here.
Hug your local fire fighter and cop - do it today!
Hoo Boy!
I can name 4 city council members I'd like to see resign.
Can you?
It occurs to me that John Lindquist, Sr. and his lovely wife should be ashamed of their son-in-law, Jon Greiner.
The Lindquist's are wonderful people. They have given, and given, and given to this city and county!
Their son-in-law is a taker. He's a traitor to his officers.
He's arrogant to the extreme.
His dissing of his officers on KSL was rotten.
There is no leadership in this guy.
A true leader inspires his 'troops.' This guy has lost all respect and loyalty from his officers.
He and Godfrey are punitive, mean, vengeful and totally lacking in loyalty to the very people who give THEIR best, every day.
Someone asked if Greiner is going to the gym too? How come 98% of his health insurance is paid by the taxpayers and the OVERWEIGHT guy SMOKES??? Does he have a beer when he relaxes with his family at night, and on holidays?
The off duty hours and holidays that his officers can't call their own time, and aren't compensated for either.
That guy driving the truck around town should be in the SL newspapers and on the TV news.
How about some signs that inform the public how the firemen and cops are being treated?
I hope the city council is going to do their job and reopen negotiation for these guys.
The next time Godfrey tells everyone his integrity is higher than anyone else's...the whole council should walk out!
Officers Wife
Great words of wisdom in your comments! Godfrey doesn’t even realize most of those officers at the events don’t get paid. Their reserve officers.
We went to the rodeo last night. Many uniforms, both police and fire were there. A good rodeo, lots of fun, with a lot of people. No "incidents," at least none that we saw.
And afterwards, getting out of there was a snap. No traffic jam! Uniformed officers were directing traffic and everything flowed very smoothly.
I don't know where Mayor Godfrey is getting these ideas. What would he rather have these people doing? Giving tickets, perhaps. But I like to attend events where Public Safety has a high visibility. I think it increases everyone's comfort level about crowds. Amd rioting is not unknown in Ogden, and although last night's crowd certainly was not the rioting type---still, it only takes a few minutes for these things to start.
One common thread that runs through the experiences of vets from the Viet Nam era is the frustration they felt with the administration of the US who did not allow them to do their jobs. And a Desert Storm vet told me that they couldn't understand, in '91, why they didn't, as the rallying cry went, go "All the Way to Baghdad." And I also remember when the US military had Bin Laden in its sights, and had to then call home for permission to do something, and while people were deciding, I suppose, Bin Laden and his entourage escaped.
The point of all that being that we have good, highly trained personnel in both the military and public safety, but when these people begin to be micro-managed by someone who is Not Trained At All, we of course are coming to come out with less than we could have had on all fronts. And that goes for public safety as well as for war.
Someone told me the other day that the local police are a military force, with Mayor Godfrey as Commander in Chief. During the last forty or fifty years, we have seen the micro-management of the US military, and perhaps this is all someone of the Mayor's age knows. But there was a time when generals and officers were respected and trusted to do what they were trained to do, and I think things went a lot better back then.
Compare, for instance, the rebuilding of Germany after WWII with the idiocy that now goes on in Iraq, and you will see what I mean. And the same thing is true on a local level--if we don't allow people to do their jobs the way they need to do them, we just end up with a bad job all around.
Very true, Dian. On our way out of the rodeo last night, we shook hands with an officer who was making us all feel safe. He thanked us for our support.
Officers Wife's....YES..please ask someone whom you trust to take your knowledge of the mayor's latest insane meddling and dangerous ego to the press.
By all means, contact the SL newspapers, and all TV stations. Include Telemundo TV also.
You know how the Hispanic community loves this mayor and his elitist friends.
You could go further afield and alert the AP and the National TV!
Runaway Mayor could outsell Runaway Bride!
Here's a new quota...
You could be on a secret government database or watch list for simply taking a picture on an airplane. Some federal air marshals say they're reporting your actions to meet a quota, even though some top officials deny it.
The air marshals, whose identities are being concealed, told 7NEWS that they're required to submit at least one report a month. If they don't, there's no raise, no bonus, no awards and no special assignments.
"Innocent passengers are being entered into an international intelligence database as suspicious persons, acting in a suspicious manner on an aircraft ... and they did nothing wrong," said one federal air marshal."
From Ed Brayton's blog, "Dispatches from the Culture Wars"
I don't believe that!
No Bogeyman:
I don't know if it's true or not. The point is, I don't find it automatically unbelievable at all. You can go to Ed Brayton's blog. He always sources what he puts up. The original story appeared on a Denver TV station. Here is the link:
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/9559707/
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