by Michael Monks
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It was a ceremonial resolution to honor City Manager Larry Klein for receiving the 2011 City Manager of the Year award from the Northern Kentucky Area Development District. "Aye", responded Commissioners Sherry Carran, Steve Casper, Steve Frank and Shawn Masters.
"I disagree," said Mayor Denny Bowman. "I vote no."
That resolution was near the bottom of the Commission's agenda for Tuesday night's meeting and followed several other 4 - 1 votes, with Bowman on the steadfastly defiant, losing end.
An ordinance defining job titles and salaries that would increase pay for some non-union employees who are taking on additional responsibilities: 4 - 1.
An order to hire a new law clerk to replace one that resigned: 4 - 1.
An appointment to the position of division supervisor (recreation & facilities) in the Department of Public Improvements: 4 - 1.
An appointment to the position of division supervisor (urban forestry and parks) in the Department of Public Improvements: 4 - 1.
"These people are great people, I like every one of them," said Bowman. But the firing of public workers and early retirements of others amid a $4 million budget deficit followed by raises and new hires did not sit well with the Mayor.
"It bothers me that we can tell our citizens to go to thirty 'road shows'" and scare them into believing that bankruptcy was imminent, the Mayor said. "Then, all of a sudden, boom, $450,000 for computers."
An ordinance to upgrade the city's computers and operating systems: 4 - 1.
"We had to do reorganzation in public improvements," said Klein, justifying the pay increases. "We have one that went from supervising two to supervising eleven. They'll keep doing their old job in addition to their new job."
One employee's demotion approved at a recent Commission meeting still sticks with Bowman, who railed against what he calls retaliation against the worker for being friends with the Mayor. "(Sherry Carran) called me 'chummy' with this guy," Bowman said. "(Klein and Finance Director Bob Due) had a future plan to remove him. It's made me physically sick."
"They forced two guys out and demoted a third guy all because of politics and all because of friendship. I know the public sees this," said the Mayor.
Carran countered Bowman by arguing that it was the Mayor's suggestion that some employees could accept more responsibility. Bowman agreed, saying that it was the only suggestion he had that was approved in the negotiations and that if the rest of his proposed package would have been accepted, jobs would have been saved.
When the computer upgrade issue came up for a vote, in his dissenting remarks, Bowman asked if the $460,000 would eventually cost the city more police officers. "We're popping out money like it's laying there when we were going bankrupt two weeks ago," the Mayor said.
"I wasn't feeling too well for a couple weeks since our last meeting," Bowman continued. "I feel good tonight. I'm gonna speak my mind."
OK, we get it. Mayor B is a little nutty, but I think there are a few questions here. Are we giving raises to all the people who have to do more work after the layoffs or just to the people who have to manage more people after the layoffs? Klein was the one who fought for the layoffs in the first place, but I don't see him justifiying raises for firemen who have to cover the same city with fewer people than before. What is the difference?
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