E-mail topic: Nepotism in Public Office
Sayeth a reader via email: Taxpayers request that all County commissioners currently in office and all County government elected officials (department heads etc) PLUS those seeking to be elected, list on this blog ALL direct and indirect members of their families who are employed by the County... including cousins, second cousins, aunts, uncles, neices , nephews and in-laws, and identify what special attributes these family members have to justify hiring them.
Bloggers are requested to identify any such nepotism they can factually verify to help this identification process. DO NOT spread rumors; the public domain needs FACTS. Public employees are publically verifiable as are their salaries (call the Court House or School Office and ASK. This info CANNOT by law be refused to any taxpayer who requests it). WHY are these publically funded jobs NOT being advertised as required by state law? Is the State's District Attorney asleep... WHERE is the law enforcement FOR the taxpayer when it is needed???
Bloggers are requested to identify any such nepotism they can factually verify to help this identification process. DO NOT spread rumors; the public domain needs FACTS. Public employees are publically verifiable as are their salaries (call the Court House or School Office and ASK. This info CANNOT by law be refused to any taxpayer who requests it). WHY are these publically funded jobs NOT being advertised as required by state law? Is the State's District Attorney asleep... WHERE is the law enforcement FOR the taxpayer when it is needed???
posted by J. Kendrick McPeters | 7:40 PM
33 Comments:
Nepotism means favoring relatives or personal friends because of their relationship rather than because of their abilities.
This is a small town and alot of people are related to each other I'm not saying that nepotism doesn't happen but it would be very hard to have all the elected officals not related or not be friends to anyone. It can only be called nepotism if the person put in the position is not the best qualified for that specific position, just because a friend or relative of someone is hired it does not necessarily mean nepotism.
To IM, June 14th -
Agreed, however, do you ever see those positions advertised and applications reviewed? I know they that doesn't happen.
What positions are you referring to? I have seen several openings advertised in the paper. Lots of people are vague in their comments which leads to all kinds of runaway ideas, if people would state exactly what they are trying to say instead of beating around the bush their comments would not be mistaken about what was meant or who they were talking about.
Well, for one, Porterfield is Eddie Bass's brother-in-law.
It would have been better if Hatfield had introduced something to stop nepotism in county government rather than reducing down the number of commissioners in each district.
Steve McGill hired his friend and another friend's daughter. She has now quit. He paid her more than he did the women who have worked in that office for years. Those two jobs were never advertised. I would have applied for one of them myself.
take a look at Shawn Walls,board of director of E911.Board of director members are appointed by the county exective.the present appointed mr walls who just happens to be related to her through his wife. Was this position his reward for helping cause problems at the ambulance service
What about Pierre Billard,
He was hired by the county mayor-Vanzant-as a consultant to find out or come up with problems at E911 mainly what Bill Potts was doing wrong,and was then later appointed EMA Director by Vanzant.
See his comments under the topic:Tornado Warnings dated June5,2006 . Was this his reward for helping out. This may not have been nepotism by relation but it was the same thing
To anonymous who commented on June 20th and 21st:
Shawn Walls was nominated by the County Executive to fill a vacancy on the Giles County Emergency Communications Board. The Board voted in who they wanted to fill the vacant seat. Members are to be re-elected after their respective term is concluded. At that time nominations are open for those who wish to serve on this non-paying Board. By the way the E-911 Board is not a County entity; it is a stand alone legal entity separate from any other jurisdiction.
As for me …. I was hired as a consultant by the County Executive and the Mayor of Pulaski to conduct a managerial, financial and operational review of the E-911 center. My finding were published in a report provided to the County Executive, Dan Speer and the members of the Emergency Communications Board. The major conclusion of the report placed blame for mismanagement of the E-911 Center directly upon the Board of Directors.
I was offered the position of EMA Director. Was this a “reward”? I will let both of you decide ….
I have worked for over two years at no pay, no reimbursement of out of pocket expenses, and no benefits. The vehicle I drive is mine as are the radios, lights and all emergency equipment. I am responsible for all maintenance fuel and insurance. I have “donated over 5,000 hours of my time and over 36,000 miles without any compensation.
Is this a “reward”? You bet it is. I have been given the chance to “give back to the community”. I also work with the finest group of public safety personnel I have known. Yes a few of them are not perfect but most of our public safety personnel are also volunteers who serve for no compensation.
We need citizen help in developing a county Hazard Mitigation Plan. Why don't the two of you come and join our team and have the opportunity to receive your "reward" for serving your community?
Piere Billard - Director
Giles County Office of Emergency Management
You have to overlook some for they speak before they know the truth, a tiny hint of something gone amuck and rumors fly-people fail to get the insight of knowledge before running rampant in the streets. People who donate their time to serve the public should be commended instead of convicted. Please forgive those who speak before they think.
Pierre, a couple of questions would like a response to -
when you were hired as a consultant were you paid for that work?
if Vanzant loses will you continue in this position as a volunteer?
You always seem to be harping on about what you do for 'free' but you don't hear that from the rescue squad folk. It comes over that you are trying your darndest to get this job turned into a paying one. You are getting your gas paid for in this next county budget but if this is not a county agency why is the county doing this and why would vanzant nominate you for the position?
Pierre,another question
In your response,you stated the radios and lights were yours.What happened to the radios,which I believe were Motorola 1225 one VHF and one UHF as well as portables, which were passed on to you by former director Bill Potts that were purchased with EMA money.Also the dash lights.You also make it sound like you are the only person who has given your time for EMA.What about the 25+years Bill Potts and several other persons gave to this county.Probably a lot more than you will every give. It is easy to see why yourself and the county exec. get along so well.
Dear Anonymous Coward Obsessed with Mr. Billard:
Please lay off the unjustified attacks. I'm sure Mr. Billard isn't perfect, but I'm equally sure that Jesus Christ Himself couldn't satisfy you as EMA Director. It's hard enough to find good people to work for the county WITH PAY, but to find someone who would work WITHOUT pay -- in the face of constant petty sniping from anonymous folks on the sidelines -- has to be all but impossible. Perhaps, after the next election, you can go to the County Executive and offer your services -- for free -- and then you will be in a position to criticize Mr. Billard. But until then, just kindly zip your lip, or, if you have any real evidence of malfeasance, offer it-- while logged in under your real name.
I didn't set up this blog to offer cowards a way to anonymously attack the character of others. While I have never intentionally deleted a post here, if this style of criticism becomes the dominant mode of discussion, I quite likely will start deleting right and left.
I believe in free speech, and that the answer to the abuse of free speech is MORE free speech, but don't test my patience on this one! I really don't want this blog to sink into the morass that Penny Thought's blog sometimes descended to, but there's only two ways to keep that from happening: self control on the part of the posters, or censorship on my part.
Let's keep the namecalling and petty criticisms to a minimum here, and prove that a blog dedicated to free speech can actually work. Let's prove the naysayers wrong, and build this blog into a valuable resource for the entire community to use.
Thank you, and I will now step off my soapbox, and return to my usual bumbling...
Dear Anonymous
When hired by the County and the City of Pulaski I was paid.
Whether or not I continue as Director of the Office of Emergency Management will be my decision in conjunction with whoever is County Executive.
I am attempting to get funding for an assistant position that will be paid and trained to take over this office. JA would you care to apply?
The former EMA Director acquired two mobile radios and five hand-held radios that were purchased with government funds. The two mobile radios were given to the Rescue Squad. The hand-held radios are stored in my office and are unused due to their age and capabilities. The dash light became inoperable and has been replaced.
Pierre Billard
Pierre, if you are successful in getting the funding for your assistant, will that funding be divided between the county and the city?
When addressing your budget request for an assistant it was stated by a member of the county budget committee they understood you were planning to put your wife in that assistant position. What is your answer to both these questions?
Helo Joe
Funding from the County and any municipality within Giles County are separate. Todate, Pulaski is the only municipality to provide financial support to the OEM. Their generosity provides office space, utilities, telephone and fax services as well as $1,000.00 for general expenses. The county has proposed a 2006-2007 annual budget amount of $6,000.00. Funding for an assistant was turned down. If and when funding for an assistant is approved, the OEM will submit a request to TEMA for matching salary funds. There is a federal grant that will match 50/50 for wages. The budget committee was informed of this grant.
I submitted a written budget request to the county commission and was unable to address the budget committee in person because I was out of town during both of their meetings.
As for having my wife work as a member of the OEM you have to be joking! I want to remain married to her. Anyway she has an active equine business that requires her full attention.
Pierre Billard
Mr. Barrett
Are you retired, if not, how do you have time to post your thoughts on every subject?
Are you an unhappy person and why are you soooooo negative!
Mr. Barrett,
You should feel smarter now…since I gave you an opportunity to exercise your brain for the day and your sarcasm runs over!
Are you retired?
Hi Pierre,
So, if city of Pulaski funds OEM at $1,000 and they already had the office space, the county must be contributing the most at $6,000 annually. What would salary range be for your assistant since you say TEMA will match it? How about giving brief outline of responsibilities the assistant position would entail.
Joe:
If the County Commission passes their proposed budget it will be a close race regarding who is contributing the most. Please note that none of the other four municipalities have contributed for they can not afford to do so; and, therefore have not been asked.
If you wish to have a copy of the Deputy Director position description please come by the OEM and receive one.
If the OEM odes receive future funding for personnel then we can apply for matching funding assistance from TEMA. This is called the EMPG (Emergency Management Planning Grant) and it matches dollor for doller salaries and wages up to $30,000.00
Pierre Billard
Pierre:
Thanks for the above. Is the Deputy Director position waiting to be filled and is this EOE?
Joe:
The Office of Emergency Management will not post a vacancy announcement until such time that we receive approved funding to support a deputy director position. We will post such announcements in our local newspaper and radio news, and keep the application period open for at least one month. I also intend to broadcast an announcement throughout the mid-south TEMA region.
Of course the position will be filled following current EOE requirements. I also intend to ask other EMA directors (don’t ask me who for I have not given this any thought since we do not have a promise for funding) to fill a three-person panel to review all applications and submit there top three candidates to me. That panel and I will interview those three applicants and vote for the top candidate. HS/GED diploma required, higher education will be a plus. The successful applicant must demonstrate abilities to prepare and manage budgets, administrative reports, and update and maintain local emergency plans. 80% of our work is administrative. Having completed hazardous material training will be a plus, but not required for training is available.
Pierre Billard
Pierre,
Thanks for the above. I had assumed the assistant director position was to be voluntary and could be filled at this time.
Pierre,
So what you're saying is that the salary could be around $60,000.00 ?
Could it be that the blog hasn't been updated recently because Mr. McPeters is too busy spewing venom on his other site. Think.
WHICH OTHER SITE ARE YOU REFERRING TO? I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE. WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT ALL OTHERS HAD BEEN CLOSED DOWN.
kendrickmcpeters.com, or something like that
Does anyone know how many family members Barry Hyatt has employed at the Highway Dept?
Oh no, now the whiners and mudslingers are after Barry. What a shame.
Doesn't seem like whining and mudslinging - just simple a question. Does anyone have the answer to Tom's perfectly legitimate question?
Tom, I don’t know about Mr. Hyatt’s family members being hired but I can find out for you. I do know Mrs. Vanzant got Mr. Hyatt to hire some people.
Thanks to writer of Oct. 17th. Can you also list the names of people Vanzant had him hire. This explains a lot of what I see. Appreciate it.
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