That article quoted a press release from Mayor Jane Murray, assuring the citizens that she is in control.
"Portsmouth Mayor Jane Murray released a statement Friday afternoon saying that the Flood Defense Team will begin closing the flood gates along Madison Avenue today (Saturday), in anticipation of heavy rains that may bring rising flood waters by the middle of next week."City Services Director Jeff Peck (who finally has a title that is actually in the City's Payroll Ordinance) is apparently in charge of our city floodwall now. Mr. Peck's interview reveals that we can now add flood gate construction to the long list of things he doesn't know anything about: along with traffic lights, race relations, water, and wastewater treatment.
Peck said "I’m not really sure how many people it takes, but you could probably do it with half a dozen people, and it takes equipment to put up these big steel beams and they put up wood lagging and then they put up some plastic and sandbags and other types of sealant. So it’s not just a one-two-three, ready-set-done thing.”
Reader, don't let this picture from Saturday's Times fool you. This is a file photo from many
years ago, when the city practiced putting up a flood gate.
Despite the mayor's Press Release, no flood wall gate construction was done on Saturday.
What really happened was this: Mr. Peck called out about a dozen city workers (not a half-dozen) on overtime to put up the flood gates like the Mayor ordered. But when Peck got there it was raining, and when the employees explained how much work was involved in putting up a floodgate, Peck sent them all home. (I guess we can't have flood workers working in the rain. That would be crazy.)
Thanks to our brilliant mayor and wanna-be engineer, twelve employees stood around in the rain for an hour and got paid for three hours (the minimum call-out rate) to do nothing. Actually since it was overtime, the City really paid out 4-1/2 hours per man. With benefits and fuel costs, that's like a cool grand, right there.
Ms. Mayor, since you're so big on getting employees to give back to the City, maybe you can sweet talk these guys into passing on the overtime. Just talk to their union reps. You know, the same guys you stormed out on and threatened on Friday. Yeah, we think they'll go along with that idea.
Just another day in Jane Murray's Crazy Town.
try 18 people and we need to give up something how about Peck getting a clue
ReplyDeleteIf I hear this lady say that she knows how government is supposed to work one more time, I think I will puke. SHE IS CLUELESS AND PECK IS UNQUALIFIED!!!! Mismanagement at its best. But when you call her on it, she throws a temper tantrum like a little teenage drama queen. Very professional behavior for a City leader. No wonder she had to leave Lexington, Canada, The Vern Riffe center and The Fifty Miles of Heroes. Seems the unions that did not endorse her in the election knew what they were talking about after all.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone seen the river lately? I was just there. It's very high, and supposed to crest mid-week. I hope Peck figures things out by then! Who would ever think of hiring an "engineer" for a river town who doesn't understand flood defense?
ReplyDelete...and she said I mismanaged funds?...I lacked leadership?...I lacked concern?....hahahahhaha I wonder if she will fire herself?
ReplyDeleteI've been wondering why Mr. Peck is still around considering the totally hostile environment the ....cough.... Mayor has created with EVERY department in the city. He has no clue what the job takes and he's being led around the city by a ...cough "lady" cough..... with total abandon of facts and plans for the future of our fair city.
ReplyDeleteMy guess Mr. Peck is only hanging around with the hope that his housing and food bills are paid, and his salary somehow gets to the level which our Mayor promised to pay.
HEY!!!! Mr. Peck....it's NOT going to happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hoping against the facts isn’t going to do anything but dig your hole deeper. GET A CLUE!!! Eventually you will be thrown under the bus like everyone else. She WILL be removed from office by recall or the charge of dereliction of duty and where will you be then?
I wonder if having a $10,000 fine by the EPA wouldn’t be the best thing for the city to endure. That would positively prove dereliction of duty from the Mayor’s office and afford immediate removal from her position. That scenario sure would save a lot of people a lot of work putting the recall together. Doesn't a special ballot cost about $30,000?
Sounds like a bargain to me.
Sadly the town where I was born and raised, the town I have always been proud to be a part of, is turning into a laughing stock and a major joke. Is this how Portsmouth wants to be remembered? Hopefully she can be removed before causing any more damage to the image. How many more days until July 6?
ReplyDelete