Editor's Note: Today 5th District Council Member Gerrie Schipske, an avid blogger on Long Beach issues who frequently raises questions in the public forum, joins our Patch blogging voices.
One of the hottest discussions I've received in my email was related to the City Council's recent vote (5-4) to give the City Manager authority up to $500,000 to retain a consulting group called Management Partners.
Residents are more than quite concerned that the City Council did not receive a breakdown of exactly what 1/2 million dollars is buying or when we can expect to get the "deliverable" as they call it -- the report. I have looked at the proposals sent by this Ohio based consulting firm to other California cities -- and low and behold -- they provided a breakdown of what work they intended to perform -- how many hours it would take.
The other point residents raise is why if the City employs so many, that it cannot find among the 4300 or more staff, employees with enough sense and information to make the recommendations of how to make City Hall more efficient.
I certainly agree with the residents. I would also add that in a city of close to 500,000 are you telling me we couldn't put together a "blue ribbon taskforce" of residents with expertise in all walks of life to do the same for free that is costing us one half a million?
Think of the things we could use that money for instead? Like putting back the Fire Engine that was just removed from Fire Station 8 -- on Second Street.
How go discussions with city government colleagues when you present to them ideas like those suggested in paragraphs three and four?
At least we can be assured that your columns are not just blatant attempts to get campaign messages out during an election cycle. As for imprudent expenditures of public funds in Long Beach, this is nothing new and I think that particular "buck" really stops with the majority of voters in Long Beach, who just do not seem willing or able to hold their elected officials accountable on such matters once those voters have elected them. May that change one day because unless/until it does, I believe Long Beach's chronic budget deficits are going to not only persist but worsen.
(That goes for the rest of you Shore Dawgs, too!)
Perhaps someone should ask the CM just whose "interest" he is more concerned with conflicts of...the Peoples' or that of the Electeds and Appointeds currently in office?