Between the 88-page “Personnel Policies for the City of Lampasas” and the last few budgets, I was able to piece together a VERY close estimate of salaries in the IT Department.
And, I’m sorry to tell Monica’s mommy, but I was quite right about her being overpaid. I was far too conservative with my $100,000 salary and benefit guesstimate. Despite you calling me a liar repeatedly in public online forums, I was nearly spot on. But we’ll get to that next – after this little nugget from the Employee Manual:
2.01 General Employee Responsibilities: The city is a public tax-supported organization. Its employees must adhere to high standards of public service that emphasize professionalism, courtesy, and avoidance of even the appearance of illegal or unethical conduct. [emphasis mine].
Now, I guess ethics are in the eye of the beholder, but to ME, signing off on a one-bid, $100,000.00 contract with a company that the city has never before used and who is charging $2,150 for a $900 TV sure looks very fishy. But does it rise to being unethical or is it merely gross incompetence? Tough to say.
What IS certain is that at least NINE people signed off on this and thought it was perfectly normal. First was Monica Wright…then her direct supervisor, Finley deGraffenreid, and then the seven people that comprise city council and the mayor. That is ONE BIG RUBBER STAMP. I have to assume they all read the bid sheet in its entirety and that nobody raised a peep about getting another bid or two. Which boggles the mind.
At this point, as taxpayers, there is nothing we can do to undo this debacle. Everyone in the chain of command has signed off on it. Finley runs the city and city council runs Finley and that is that. The only way any heads will roll is if it can be proven that this contract was steered to Azbell (and no other bids taken) because of the personal connections of somebody in that chain of command. I cannot prove that, but I am definitely looking at that possibility. It’s the only thing that makes any sense. I just can’t believe that NINE people thought this was a good deal. But maybe I underestimate the incompetence.
Of course, if it COULD be proved, it would violate a number of items in the Employee Manual.
2.07 Gifts and Gratuities: A city officer or employee may not accept any gift or free services from contractors, vendors, or other persons that might tend to influence his or her official actions or impair his or her independence or judgement in performance of duties for the city.
2.08 Conflict of Interest: A member of city council, the mayor, or an employee of the city shall neither have financial interests, direct or indirect, in any contract with the city, not be financially interested, directly or indirectly, in the sale to the city of any land, materials, supplies or service.
3.08 Employment of Relatives (Nepotism): Nepotism is the showing of favoritism toward a relative. The city forbids the practice of nepotism in hiring personnel or awarding contracts. A person who is related within the second degree by affinity (marriage) or within the third degree by consanguinity (blood, including adopted relatives) to any member of the city council or to the city manager may not be hired.
That’s it for the boring stuff. Now, lets move on to HOW MUCH MONEY THEY ARE PAID TO MAKE THESE BAD DECISIONS!!!