Both the Salt Lake Tribune and Standard-Examiner report this morning what appears to be a breakthough in the pay dispute that's been boiling in Emerald City since June 13, 2006, when the city council adopted its budget, incorporating Boss Godfrey's plainly "punitive" pay plan, giving public safety employees "second class status" in merit pay evaluations. From this morning's Kristen Moulton story we receive this encouraging information:
Heeding complaints from police officers and firefighters that a new pay system is unfair, Ogden City Council leaders want to throw out part of the new plan and return to the old.Whereas council leadership had earlier refused to revisit the issue, and to seriously reconsider bringing public safety employees' merit pay standards up to par with all other Emerald city employees, it appears there has now been a 180-degree council leadership change of course, if not an outright epiphany.
Council Chairman Jesse Garcia and Vice Chairwoman Amy Wicks also will ask their colleagues at Tuesday's meeting to hire a certified mediator to work with all parties to scrutinize and fix the salary-negotiation process.
"There was a breakdown this year, and it's important we make an even playing field for police and fire and make sure it doesn't happen again," Garcia said Friday.
Under the proposal, officers and firefighters can get merit raises when they score a 3 or better on a performance evaluation - as in past years and like all other classified city employees this year.The Standard-Examiner's intrepid Ace Reporter Schwebke also furnishes additional information on this sudden and heretofor publicly-unforeseen turnabout, including this quote from Councilwoman Jeske, the sole councilmember who has been publicly consistent in urging the council to restore police and firefighter pay equity:
Under the June ordinance, police officers and firefighters had to score a 4 or a 5 to get merit raises.
"I'm happy to see that it finally may happen," she [Jeske] said, "Members of the City Council have had a change of heart. We all know the salary negotiations procedures must be changed. This is one step to make that road easier to go down."We're frankly puzzled that the issue took so long to regain the council's attention. In the interim since the passage of facially defective pay ordinance, this story (and its permutations) has been widely and very negatively reported and discussed across the northern Utah media landscape. During over a month's council indecision, Emerald City government has in fact now been allowed to become the laughing stock of the state. What is now a political crisis could easily have been forestalled at the outset, had the council earler paid more careful attention to the inherent unfairness of the pay matter disposition.
As gentle reader ArmySarge wisely (and rhetorically) opined in an earlier comment section: "Why can't the council just do what's right?"
The above stories indicate the council may now be moving in that direction. Let us hope that there are at least five council members next Tuesday night who are willing to listen to, and act upon, the wisdom of ordinary folks like ArmySarge and Rudizink. We've been waiting for this new council to "find its legs," and get out from under the "Gang of Five" council's "rubber stamp" legacy. Could today's stories finally signal a more dominant posture from the council we all counted upon in November to "step up" and "stop the (Godfrey) madness?"
What say our gentle readers? Will the council, however belatedly, finally "do the right thing?" And will our gentle readers continue to do their part in this matter -- "contacts links" are available in our WCF sidebar -- to praise them for this sudden apparent turnaround, and to encourage them to "choose the right?"
Nevermind. We already know the answer to at least that last question. For the rest, we'll have to wait for Tuesday night.
The floor is now open for comments.
12 comments:
The Ogden City Council has taken a great step towards making this a balanced government once again, and I for one applaud them for it. I believe the council realizes that it is time to insert itself as force in city government and that they truly represent their constituents. There is no doubt in my mind that the Godfrey Administration, via Mark Johnson and Bill Cook, high jacked this year’s employee negotiations and spread misinformation and out and out lies to the council. The possibility that the council could reverse the injustice placed on the public safety employees gives one hope for our city.
I have the hope that this is the beginning of the end of the Godfrey tyranny that has plagued our city for years. I hope that no longer will one person, though his manipulation and subversion of the checks and balances in government, be able to rule with an iron fist. I have hope that there will be no further instances where a citizen is followed by an elected official and placed on leave for expressing an opposing opinion. I have hope that the City Council sends a message to all of the Godfrey cronies out there that just telling them a plan is good is no longer good enough.
History has shown us that absolute power corrupts absolutely. This Mayor and his cronies are absolute proof of that. I don’t want to be premature in my exuberance of this step; there is still a vote to be taken on Tuesday. Still, I want to share my appreciation and admiration in a city council that is stepping up to the responsibilities bestowed on them by their constituents. As Officer Jones can testify to, it’s not easy to stand up to the little tyrant.
I hope that Officer Jones will be rstored to duty. HPS, can the Council (a) recommend this action? or (b) by vote cause this action to be done?
It is my hope that Officer Jones will be able to return to his secondary job so that his family will not suffer further financial hardship.
This is the right step by the Council. I just hope they will follow through and vote together to start some healing in Ogden.
I share your hope that this mayor's reign of tyranny has or will be brought to a close.
Fellow supporter:
Although I do not think that the City Council can take any official action to place Officer Jones back on duty, I think that they can keep the pressure on the County Attorney to make sure that the official investigation is not shelved or slowed for a substantial period of time.
I have absolute confidence that the case will be investigated competently and ethically by the County Attorney's investigators, they are some of the best in the business. I just hope that the case is not locked up, for political reasons, to give time for public sentiment to taper of on this issue.
HPS,
THAT is a fear!
Comment moved by administrator to previous comments thread
someone posted a new ogden blog address here the other day that I checked out and was very pro-godfrey, that site has suddenly disapeared too. something very fishy is goning on here.
Rudi did you by chance have any saved UTmorMan posts or emails that shows his blatant one-sidedness?
As a show of good faith towards the city council revisiting negotiations with public safety.
The moving van has been removed from the streets and the signs taken down.
I hope the city council will take a fair look this time and not have Mark Johnson wispering in their ear while deciding what is right.
Does anybody know if the city council has approached Matt Jones and tried to come to a settlement with him and his wife. This seems like it would be for the better of Ogden. Rather than waiting for lawsuits to be filed. Spreading this out over years and wasting city money and time fighting this.
Anonymous asked for links to UTmorMAN's website
Do you really want to read one of Bob Geiger's letters again?
Ogden Officer said...
As a show of good faith towards the city council revisiting negotiations with public safety.
The moving van has been removed from the streets and the signs taken down.
I really applaud this gesture. It's always good to meet each other at least halfway. The problems come when we don't meet each other at all.
I hope your (OPD) goodwill gesture of removing the signage and van from the city streets is noted by the Council, the Administration, and Chief Greiner.
To me, this shows a conciliatory spirit that is needed here.
I hope it is reciprocated by the 'other side'.
Cautiously hopeful is indeed the term for this. Will of course attend this evening, wearing blue to show support. I really, really hope this turns out well.
Police, firefighters cautiously hopeful
Sharon, didn't the Council note the OPD for removing the van and sign from the streets and thank them for that gesture of good will?
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