By Smattguy:
Hot off the press... Dateline Ogden Wed, 12/28/2011 - 4:36pm... Per the Standard-Examiner: GREINER FIRED!!!
No word whether Ogden City will foot the bill for a further Federal District Court appeal.
Who'll be the first to comment?
Update 12/28/11 6:27 p.m.: The Salt Lake Tribunes's Christopher Smart is all over this story, too:
"The decision on whether to appeal the Merit System Protection Board’s ruling in federal court was up to Ogden Mayor-elect Mike Caldwell," according to the SLTrib.
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20 comments:
I'd like to believe that incoming Mayor Mike Caldwell had a hand in this. It would be a rare pleasure to praise Ogden's Mayor, for a change.
"Greiner's termination was unwanted and involuntary...." While it may have been an involuntary termination for Greiner for many Ogden taxpayers it was wanted. It's just too bad that the city has wasted a million dollars on the futile and foolish appeal.
Now, what about school teachers??
one would think that he knew this was coming...whats the real reason behind "fired" vs resigning....follow the money I suspect....
One would hope the firing was because the mayor decided to do the "right thing". But based past history, I'd have to agree with Smattguy. Certainly appears to help Mayor Caldwell...Ray
One would hope the firing was because the mayor decided to do the "right thing".
But based past history, I'd have to agree with Smattguy. Certainly appears to help Mayor Caldwell...Ray
Good points, Smattguy and Ray. What's the typical last act of a departing tyrant/dictator before going off into political exile? Looting the public treasury, that's what!
Interesting comment beneath the Trib article, by former Utah Democratic Party executive director Todd Taylor:
"Bradshaw's comments are typical of the bad judgment exhibited in this case. The complaint was no "political hatchet job". It was a request for clarification as to whether the law applied in the Chief's case. I know. I filed the original request for an investigation in 2006 on this matter.
Further, Jon chose the life of a public figure and over the years I have listened to many who have fairly criticized Chief Greiner as a police officer and or called into question his fitness to serve as chief. While I appreciate, the positive nature of this "obituary" for his career, it fails to give a full picture of the many controversies where he has been a key participant.
Chief Greiner, Mayor Godfrey, and Atty Gen Shurtliff''s open refusal to follow the law in 2006 led to this tragic moment nearly six years later. Ogden was not served well by their leadership in this matter. They thought they were above the law. Whatever Greiner's talents, it does not excuse his hubris as a member of law enforcement nor his choice of advisers. "
Despite the severance pay issue, it appears that Mayor Caldwell is getting off to a good start.
Seems to me that Greiner shouldn't be entitled to severance pay, as he was fired for "just cause." That's the general principle of contract law that applies in most cases. It'll be interesting to watch how Caldwell handles this.
Usarmye6 - what do you mean "what abour school teachers?"
Mr.Taylor's comment was excellent. I also found it interesting to compare the comments of Mayor-Elect Caldwell and Councilwoman Wicks. First, the Councilwoman:
"We were put into a difficult position and we’ve spent a lot of money defending this," she said. "He’s been a good police chief, but you come to the point where you have to decide what’s best for the community. Spending a lot of money defending this in court is not in the best interest of the community."
"You come to the point where you have to decide what's best for the community." Precisely. Her comment was judicious, and spoke directly to the main issue: what, going forward from this point, was in the best interests of Ogden City?
Then there were the comments of Mayor-elect Caldwell:
"This is heartbreaking for me and Chief Greiner and his family," he said. "And it’s very unfair to the citizens of Ogden."
Now I understand when someone reaches the end of a long career in public service, something akin to a career-eulogy is both expected and proper. But this one went a little overboard. The Chief retired from the job he's now losing years ago, and has been receiving his retirement pay and his salary for doing the same job he retired from years ago. So I'm a little hard put to understand, since he'll still receive his pension, how his leaving the city's employ is "heartbreaking for... Chief Greiner and his family." Nor, seems to me, given the unknown sums that have been spent fighting the battle in court, and the six digit costs to the city in finds that would result from letting Double Dip Greiner continue to double dip, can I see how the decision can be said to be "very unfair to the citizens of Ogden."
One would think the Chief would have had, when the Mayor's decision became known, the good grace to offer his resignation. He evidently did not. Given his long association with the out-going Mayor, this does not surprise me.
The Mayor-elect made the right decision, the one that was, in Councilwoman Wick's terms, "the best for the community" under the circumstances. And a dignified statement of thanks from the Mayor-elect to the Chief would have been expected, proper and deserved. Why the Mayor-elect felt he had to declare his decision a "heartbreaking" one escapes me. Elected officials who engage in rhetorical overkill do little thereby to improve their credibility .
Good decision, clumsily executed.
If Greiner had a good grasp of what a career in public service requires of an honorable man, he'd have tendered his resignation as soon as the Mayor-elect made his decision known. He can still do so, and should.
ROTFLMFAO!!!
js
BB
It shouldn't have gone on as long as it did. Not saying he was a bad police chief, but the law is the law. What I find amazing is it took so long to make the decision.
Hell no Greiner wouldn't resign, no matter what. Resigning would eliminate him from being eligible for unemployment benefits. While being terminated, the burden sits on Ogden City to prove he was terminated for cause and that keeping Greiner on staff was a detriment to the city.
My money sits on "the city won't even respond to Greiner's filing for unemployment benefits".
I'd have to agree with Mr. Becker on the tact of public officials commenting on Chief Greiner's departure. His comment "Elected officials who engage in rhetorical overkill do little thereby to improve their credibility." is on the mark. Reading Mayor elect Caldwells bluster over the bullying Federal government does nothing to bolster his credibility. Somewhere lost in the rhetoric is the fact Chief Greiner brought this on himself. He knew in 2006 it was illegal for him to run for office but did it anyway. So now he "suffers" the consequences. Actually it is the taxpayers that suffer as they ponied up for Greiner and Mayor Godfrey's being "above the law" to the tune of 200,000 to a million dollars depending on whose figures one believes. Iif I we're the Mayor elect I'd be happy Greiner is gone on Godfrey's watch, not bluster over big bad Feds, hire a new Chief, and start a new era with a "clean" administration and distancing my administration from Godfrey's considerable baggage.
It is interesting that nowhere can i find a respone to Greiner firing from Stuart Reid. He is the complaint in the original Hatch Act violation. I would think that he would be sought out to get his feelings on his successful suit.
Caldwell's comments reflect an attitude of "your rulers are better than you", and "the purpose of the public is to serve their leaders."
He sheds tears for Greiner, but has nothing for the taxpayers that are bleeding out the nose for the crimes and hubris of their leaders.
Not an auspicious start for Caldwell. Wicks was on the money, as always.
They take federal money too!
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