Seems that Toys R Us are to start liquidation sales in the next few days? So look for possibly a big ad in paper on Sunday. There are rumors that an attempt to buy about 400 of the stores is in the works. As with all things, it will be about getting the money.
I have given more thought on the VFD Retirement/ Annuity/ Retention/ Incentive Pensions (whew, that is a lot of typing for one program Title? But will note it is hidden in the Retirement line of the Fire Department Budget.), and I think as with the reduction in Property Taxes that is said to not be possible by the City, but I know it can be done; that I have figured out a rough draft approach on that issue also. Just takes a willingness that is lacking in the City and the State to tackle a tough issue.
Still does not change the past and what is wrong/ probably illegal. But I would like to try and also move forward. Requires "thinking outside of the box" and it is very, very hard for bureaucrats to do that. They get into a comfort zone and resist just about any change that does not provide a "profit" of some sort to them.
Getting back a bit on the 2018- 2019 Budget that just got passed, I would like to touch again on the Police Salary issues(s). Now supposedly our guys are not making what the County Officers are receiving. Yet, Mr. Stephens inferred that his Officers make less than Vienna. Somebody clearly is not being forthright? A prudent person might even say, someone is lying albeit for a possible good cause. But as I have noted before and will here again, my dear departed grandmother told me more than once that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. But, I will begin to side more with Mr. Stephens on this as you read on.
Listening to both sides with an open mind but a very suspicious one, it almost appears that the real hang up is what Williamstown is paying their officers and where the biggest difference in pay scales may well exist. We have/ are trapped in a cycle of one up man ship, where under the guise of keeping staff, we constantly are raising or trying to raise salaries and benefits. In Vienna where as is now out in the open that a Family Plan is only $99.52/ month for an almost 100% (and I mean 100%), covered plan, the County Officers it was pointed out pay $350./ month for what I will guess is their Family Plan. That is a $250./Month difference.
Now the County is said to start at $34,103./year per Mr. Stephens; it would be $34,112./ year per Mr. Pifer. Okay, $9. bucks, big deal, but the insurance difference really makes a big change in what is going on. At the $15.49 that Mr. PIfer said Officers start out at, that is $32,427/ year. Operative for both forces is "starting pay".
Two points, one that the Vienna Officers of course do NOT stay at "starting pay" level for long. Believe that our guys get $.50/ hour more after 6 months? That is another $1,040.00/ year there. The County, I do not know, but suspect that they get something along the line also?
But secondly, lets talk about that darn Health Premium again. County is $350./ Month (per Mr. Conley), x 12= $4,200/ year out of their $34,100. which leaves the family plan guy at $29,900., net. In Vienna, using the $32,400.,/year less the $99.52 x 12 = $1,194., leaves $31,206., net. Our guys who are in the family plan are really getting $1,300./ year more as I post this. But without the just passed $2080./year increase, our guys will be gone or mostly gone as soon as they can land a new gig. Maybe go to the County which is said to have a couple of Lieutenants retiring soon. But in any case, our guys will start at $34,507./ year come 1 July 2018.
Now let us be very fair to the Police as well as the Fire and EMT folks. NOT one of them has a written guarantee that I know of that they will go home after their shifts? They have chosen for whatever reason to pursue a Vocation that is inherently dangerous, very dangerous in todays World. And as with the Military, mostly chosen not for the wealth, but the personal satisfaction of serving the Public as it pertains to them. To me with my biased love of Veterans, they are one and all still to be commended. We need them one and all, but we ever more now than before need to start looking at how we support the groups? The Military is a no brainer as without them, this whole thing we call the U.S., will cease to exist. The other three however are valuable on a more limited basis by location. These become very, very subject to available funding. No one wants to cut back on Street repair, Sewer/ Water repairs and so forth, but many will and have to insure adequate funding across the board. In Vienna in truth, we have not cared properly for any of the others for years if not decades.
Yes, shiny new Water Tanks; new Sewer Plant that I guess is shiny? But the streets/ utility side of the City is wanting. So we are finally beginning to notice the shortfalls. Pay and Benefits are finally also to raise their heads in the mix?
The real issue here is not just the "pay", but the cost of benefits and I note the City pays 1/2 of the Dental Premium, 100% of the Vision and the Short Term Disability for our folks (Do you even have any of these?), City wide. County costs or benefits for the Sherriff's, I don't know, but would be an interesting comparative. Still, no one, but no one wants to compare the "whole package", when it comes to raises today and benefits in whatever period of time? They MUST be compared together to arrive at an intelligent decision. We don't do it here; did not hear/ see where Mr. Stephens talked about it either? They need to be addressed all together.
I did NOT use a single piece of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), data in the above except for the info on the subsidiary benefits and that was a generality. It is all information obtained by listening, watching and reading over the past seven days. May I suggest we all try that sometimes, it works. But, I will keep it on file as I know this will come up again as it always does.
Gonzaga College will be playing later tonight. Always a strong contender and has been for many decades. Did not go there, but ran with a guy whose sister did back in the day.
We can discuss the Council Meeting from last night later. 'nuff said'.