Bell takes over in January so why should any “acting manager” be hired now?
When the Mayor decided to hire Ricci Gardner near the end of August, I wondered what was going to happen to Mr. Gardner after Mike Bell takes office since he had campaigned under the belief that economic development was not something that the City of Toledo should have, Bell wanted a “business advocate,” not an economic development director. That said, it was four months away from the end of Mayor Finkbeiner’s term. In early November, after the election, I wondered about the current Mayor’s decision to demote Sue Frederick and to move her to the city’s finance department as far as what would Mike Bell want when he’s Mayor.
Now, it’s been decided to hire the Mayor’s son in law, Tim Burns, as the Acting Manager of the Parks and Forestry division, today is December 5, that’s a month away from when Mike Bell takes the office of Mayor. I realize legally the current Mayor can hire or fire whoever he wants right up until his final day in office and if it’s an “acting” position when there is a requirement of Council approval, that skirts that having to take place, it also skirts requirements any position may have, as we saw when Frederick was the “acting” Commissioner of Streets, Bridges and Harbor, it waived the degree requirements set out for that position. Yet, has the current administration had any discussion with Mayor-elect Bell on these decisions since it seems counterproductive to hire or transfer people that may very well be out of a job under the new administration is something each one of these decisions makes me wonder. Why would someone accept a job that could only last for one or two months? This then places the new administration in the position of having to fire someone if they had someone in mind for any of these positions, or wanted the position eliminated…
Good questions, both.
And, if anyone has ever worked harder to earn her stripes that Barb Lane, I don’t know who that would be.
Other people’s recommendations seem to pale in comparison to someone’s 26-year plus track record of working yourself up from the bottom.
Thank goodness for the long-standing tradition of department heads handing in their resignations whan new management takes over.
Methinks that the current and soon to be ex mayor has ways of indirectly making his wishes known and has indirectly influenced people who will claim otherwise.
But then, I’ve been watching this guy too long to buy the story as printed in his puppet master’s daily loco.
Funny how things change when you’re being given the bum’s rush to the nearest exit, isn’t it?
December 5th, 2009 at 3:00 pm“Why would someone accept a job that could only last for one or two months?”
In times like these, a job for a month, is better than no job at all.
December 5th, 2009 at 3:46 pmHopefully Bell has enough sense to divest himself of any and all Carty loyalists right out of the gate. Not that those folks are not good in their jobs, but they would be bad for Bell in his job.
I can see why the guy took the job. Even if it only lasts a month or . He can add it to his resume and blame his departure on the new administration. He’d look golden and be able to brush off any challenge as not his fault the new Mayor wanted his out. And the guy now has “name recognition” ta boot.
December 5th, 2009 at 8:44 pmCarty will act as mayor right up until the end of his term, much to the detriment of the city of Toledo.
December 6th, 2009 at 12:01 pmI hope that someday soon we can find out why Frederick has not been terminated from the City of Toledo. She’s gotta have the golden ticket. Many other people have been fired for much, much less than she’s done this year..not to mention all of her prior years of “service”.
December 6th, 2009 at 7:29 pmThe bull of the herd (or should I say ram of the sheeple in honor of HoodaThunkit?) is finally losing his place at the top of the food chain. Anyone expecting this to happen gracefully has been paying attention to the management style of Toledo’s #1 cheerleader.
Hiding his mistakes (Sue Frederick)and violating his own hiring ban (Tim Burns) are merely the latest symptoms of the recurring fever that this city has suffered under for 12 of the last 16 years.
I suspect that Mayor-elect Bell and outgoing Mayor Finkbeiner have spoken. I also suspect that these conversations have been a bit one-sided, with Carty attempting to enforce his will on “revenue enhancements” on his way out the door. I likewise suspect that a Mayor who would submit a budget with a $30 million deficit has little concern for the position that he leaves the new Administration in.
December 6th, 2009 at 8:39 pmI hope Toledo hasn’t elected another Carty! We shall see when the Mayor-elect takes over. This could be another tragedy in the making, which would be fitting since Toledo has a rich history of tragedy.
December 7th, 2009 at 7:32 amForget acting manager – I’m waiting to see who the acting MAYOR will be. Meghan (#37) unfortunately is exactly right. Cult of personality wins out yet again. Three terms of Carty, and now this guy. And just what is it again that qualifies a fire chief is to be mayor????
December 7th, 2009 at 10:54 pm