Snuffles, Tradition & Change
Most of us are awaiting change at the national level…it’s certainly been an interesting transition period!
Hooray for our local Dawn Johnsen for being selected as Obama’s pick for assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel. Very interesting, very exciting!
Mr. Fluck Mill, Baby Finn, and I headed east for Christmas and returned New Year’s Day. We took the choo choo to all our destinations which was really fun and made traveling with Finn easy!
We were in northern Virginia and northwestern Massachusetts. Our destination in Massachusetts was a revitalized town called North Adams. It’s an artsy destination where the museum MASS MoCA is located.
On the return trip home, Baby Finn and I caught a mild case of the snuffles. A self-imposed quarantine on Fluck Mill Road seems to have us on the mend…today we may even make a King Cake to celebrate 12th night…this is not a tradition yet but if all goes well maybe we’ll start a new one!
Changes at the Monroe County Courthouse likely bring welcome relief to the administrative arenas of local county government. I’m sure it is a tricky time but let’s hope for the best.
Long-time county government employee, Bernice Luck, has switched back to the Auditor’s office from the Treasurer’s office. Bringing with her a wealth of institutional knowledge—- her peaceful disposition will likely be a welcome change contributing towards moving swiftly away from the aftermath of frantic, confused, and failed “damage control.” Smart move.
Later—I’ve got a cake to bake! Laissez le Bon temp rouler!
January 6th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Don’t forget the baby trinket!!
January 6th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Or the little bean…dough is still rising…
January 6th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Sophia, Bernice has been well received by county employees. Thank you for mentioning her on your blog. We’ve been working very hard to restore public confidence and accountability and felt she would be the best choice for payroll. I know you will be missed on the council. Today at the work session, Vic mentioned with pride how you led the council in the Pledge of Allegiance at every council meeting. Your many insights and ideas, especially regarding diversity and YSB, will be missed as well. I think they are all hoping you will continue to be in politics and return to elected office. We still have some of your council mail from late 2008 and can send it to your home address if you like.
January 7th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Hello!
Very good news about the payroll officer position–and good news about the verve with which your office will strive to continue with all kinds of efforts and services as the hub of operations that it is to County Government and the public.
Too kind about the Council but thanks so much for conveying such a happy and nice message! I’ve always liked the Pledge since I was a little kid. It’s kind of musical and calming and I can admit to missing that kind of swing to starting it, “I pledge a—-!”
No need to mail me anything– I will drop by the Courthouse to sign some papers and visit Michael Flory soon! Thanks so much for dropping in on pin-the-tail and I look forward to more good news on how you embrace public service!
January 19th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Sophia, B Luck is a hard core republican that did nothing under Clark’s auditorship to correct any of the employee benefit selling the commissioners were up to with Ron Remak. Clark had 112 different payroll deductions supporting every insurance salesman in town, at the expense of the county employees. And now the commissioners are going back to their old ways of throwing county business at special interest insurance agents. The university folk voted for a democratic auditor. You would think she could find a democrat among them that could prepare and issue county payroll! County government as usual.
January 19th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
I think that bringing in a long-time employee regardless of party affiliation is something that can be diplomatic. In this case, Ms. Luck has institutional knowledge that also includes an understanding of the culture of the courthouse.
When Sandy Newmann became Auditor of Monroe County she also kept long time employees of both party affiliations in tact.
I’m sure new officeholders have to follow their intuition about a lot of these management decisions. As an outsider I’m reticent to comment. I think I’ve very rarely commented on such decisions that other department heads have made about hiring, firing, and managing…
About the insurance salesman activity and employee benefit “hustling” or whatever— I recall that Sandy Newmann exercised her oversight role in that area and was pretty proactive in trying to be involved. Again, I would think that more transparency about the Commissioners’ meetings with the reps from various companies is the solution. To that end, let’s hope and depend upon the new energy and eyes that Councilman Stoops brings to the office. He’s knowledgeable about the Council side of County Government so I think he can join forces with Stoffers’ considerable knowledge of fiscal matters and help Council with some analysis of what all those decisions (and the history of those transactions, contracts, etc.) cost the taxpayers.
As for Commissioner Kiesling, it behooves everyone (electeds and citizenry) to ask her frank, concise questions about that insurance activity— since she’s been a part of the body at the helm for making those decisions for, like, forever, as in 4evah!!