City Employees Resigning–Why
Posted by Sandy on October 5, 2021 · Leave a Comment
It’s been said If you love your job, you never work a day in your life, If you don’t care for your job, 8 hours can seem like 15. I believe both versions. Been there-done that.
West Palm Beach is to receive a total of $24.5 million in federal coronavirus relief money.
Half of the money was given to the city in May, (2021) and the other half will come next year.(2022)
From the City: “The bulk of this year’s money, about $6.5 million, will be used to replace the roughly $7 million in revenue the city said it lost because of the pandemic, which shut down businesses and limited the city’s tax receipts. The city plans to purchase vehicles to replace aging ones in its fleet. About $10 million in vehicles will ultimately need to be replaced, city officials have said.”
Employee bonuses of up to $3,800 will be issued in Nov.2021.
Premium Pay Proposal Details: Category 1: $3,800.00. “Routinely worked in areas mainly outside of City facilities. Broad potential exposure and interaction with public and/or items touched by public in the community or within City facilities” Fire, Police, SEIU (Service Employees International Union) PMSA ( Professional Managers and Supervisors Association) Non-Union Employees.
The WPB police dept. mourns the loss of 2 police officers in as many months. Officers Bob Williams and Tony Testa, both husbands and fathers passed away from Covid-19. Hopefully the City will allow the premium pay to go to their spouses and children.
Premium Pay Proposal Details: Category 2: $2,500.00 “Routinely work within City facilities. Some degree of potential exposure and interaction with public and/or items touched by public who had appointments at City facilities.” SEIU (Service Employees International Union) PMSA ( Professional Managers and Supervisors Association) Non-Union Employees (Includes Police & Fire Command Staff, Directors, Administrations)
Premium Pay Proposal Estimated Totals:
Category 1 $3,800 X 892 FTE (full-time equivalent) $3,389,600.00.
Category 2 $2,500 X 442 FTE $1,105,000. Total $4,494,600.00.”
I don’t understand why the city received $12.25 million dollars in May and will not issue the city employees their well deserved bonuses until 6 months later in Nov.2021, and wonder if Directors and Administration will wait, or have already received their bonus.
I was told 3 employees who worked for Code Enforcement recently resigned from the City, and it was easily verified that Supervisor Mitch Posner, everybody’s favorite Laura Borso and Joe Oliva have resigned within a month.
Code Enforcement is already understaffed, how could they afford to lose these three employees and many more.
Talk around the office it is connected with the department being moved under the watchful eye of the Police Dept. I wrote this was tried previously and was not successful.
I was advised to look into exactly how many have left the City, and I did place a PRR (Public Records Request) for information.
“I am requesting information on the number of City employees who have resigned from the City of WPB from 4/1/2019 until 9/30/2021. Please include the departments they resigned from.”
My response from the City was “275” employees resigned, and the job loss includes many from Admin, Clerical&Fiscal, Utilities, Labor, Supervision & Trades, Public Safety, and Engineering, Inspection&Related. Think of the dollars used to train all these people and now a new city will get the benefit of our lost employees.
Keep this date in mind James was sworn in as Mayor on 4/4/2019, and City Administrator Faye Johnson was promoted on 1/3/2020. These 2 people run the city, and make the decisions.
Between 4/4/2019 and 9/30/2021 = 910 calendar days.
Exclude 130 Saturdays, 130 Sundays + 31 holidays = 291
That leaves 619 working days and 275 employees resigned. Something is terribly wrong, and I have been told morale among city workers is at a all time low.
Now I ask myself, how bad can the working conditions be when employees are walking away from a Premium Pay of $2,500.00 to $3,800.00.
How bad are the working conditions at the City? Below is a list of employee’s who have left the City. Enlarge print by holding the Ctrl button down while tapping the + bar to enlarge.
The end.