When we last left off, we needed to solve this “lack of applicants problem” so we can open the pools this summer. How do we do that?
Immediately, we raise the offered wage to $10/hr, and we make a lot of noise about it. Then we wait and see what happens. While we wait, let’s think about how we will PAY for this increase in wages.
The latest budget shows $75,000 allocated for “seasonal salary” at Hanna pool [page 31]. If we raise wages roughly 40%, then that line item should rise roughly 40% – or about $30,000. Gee…where are we EVER going to find $30k in the $26 million City budget? I have lots of ways…but first, allow me to rip you clowns to shreds on your wasteful spending over just the last few years.
I would like to remind Finley and The Seven Goldfish of SOME of the many times the City has wasted WAY more than $30,000 in the blink of an eye:
The $96,000 A/V system for council chambers comes to mind. You had a bid from Broadcast Works for around $35,000. You instead went no-bid with Azbell and blew an extra $60,000 right there.
You also went with a $128,000 elevator (for City Hall remodel again!) when there was a $96,000 bid on the table from Austin Elevator. That’s ANOTHER $30,000.
You sold a building for $75k then bought it back for over $200k – City Hall building AGAIN. That’s over $125,000 squandered.
You incinerated almost $170,000 on a pre-fab BATHROOM in Campbell Park….yet another no-bid project that could have been done for half of that. That’s about $80,000 wasted.
Mike White managed to find about $72,000 instantly last month to provide “free” electricity to the businesses they forced closed due to Wuhan flu. Apparently there was just $72,000 laying around unused.
Rich developer Deorald Finney was handed “free” electrical hookups for this houses in Stone Valley a year or two ago – at a cost to the City of about $72,000 in lost fees.
S2M2 was handed $150,000 for THEIR housing development after FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER “Greasy” Chris Harrison begged for it.
City council and the LEDC squandered $15,000 on three giant metal letters two months ago that will supposedly sit on a pedestal in the town square and attract throngs of tourists! Where is that thing, by the way??
Don’t even get me started on the MILLIONS wasted on the moronic “business park” – which I have covered here in great detail over the last 18 months.
Do you idiot hypocrites see a pattern here?? You waste HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS when it comes to buildings/toys for government workers and politicians. You hand out gobs of money to your rich developer buddies and former council members. You jump into NO-BID contracts all the time. YET, you can’t find $30k to pay a decent wage to LOCAL KIDS working at the pool!
Aren’t you dummies always crowing about “supporting the local community”? I know Mandy Walsh does it daily. I know council members like Delana Toups and Misti Talbert parrot that line all the time too. How about “supporting the local kids” and paying them a wage for lifeguarding that isn’t a complete insult?
You all make me sick with your hypocrisy, you absolute buffoons. Excuse me while I go puke. I’ll be back for PART THREE and how we pay for this paltry $30,000 in a $26 million dollar budget.