Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2008 > December > 13 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USEconomic hardship not enough to stop retreat
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On Dec. 1, the Gwinnett County Commission unveiled a 2009 budget proposal that includes a $43 million shortfall in the county’s general fund. To make up the expected shortfall in the $1.4 billion plan, officials will have to curtail spending or dip into the rainy day coffers or raise taxes. They’ve already implemented a hiring freeze, resorted to shorter work weeks in some offices, and shaved about 100 jobs.
But there’s one expenditure the county can’t let go, can’t do without.
It’s the annual three-day planning retreat, held this week in Brasstown Valley Resort in Young Harris. It’s theme: “The Changing Landscape.” Taped highlights are to be broadcast on TVGwinnett, the local cable channel.
This year’s retreat, attended partially or all three days by 34 county officials and civic leaders, cost taxpayers $15,000, up a couple thousand from a few years ago. Then, like now, I wrote that the county brass should have stayed put, met in any number of upscale hotels in metro Atlanta. Stone Mountain Park, for example, offers beautiful amenities with a natural, magnificent backdrop.
You’d think that in this economic climate, officials would shelve the expense. Stay home. County revenue is shrinking. Budgets are being slashed. A national economic turn-around isn’t expected till late 2009, yet taxpayer money has been spent on a meeting that could have been held just as efficiently at the Gwinnett Place Marriott.
E-mail is the most reliable way to reach county officials, so days ago I sent queries about the retreat to Commission Chairman Charles Bannister, along with commissioners Kevin Kenerly, Mike Beaudreau and Bert Nasuti. Outgoing commissioner Lorraine Green skipped the retreat; commissioner-elect Shirley Lassiter attended, but she’s the new kid on the block.
Only Nasuti responded.
The retreat, he wrote, is not a “perk or getaway.” He views the meeting as a way to focus without distractions on complex issues that involve billions of dollars. Being away, he said, cuts down on buzzing Blackberries, ringing cell phones and other “home-turf” disturbances.
“Despite economic conditions, we still have very important work to do,” he wrote. “If anything, it is probably more important for Gwinnett to carefully deal with issues now than when times are easier. I think anyone covering things would have seen we spent our time working on difficult and important matters. …We are conservative with expenses, and don’t take such expenses lightly.”
Call me a simpleton, but shouldn’t the county be saving money by any means necessary? Some county employees have been asked to work shorter weeks. Departments must do more with less personnel.
Shouldn’t an example be set by the higher-ups in command?
Last month, Gwinnett officials announced plans to cut 93 jobs from two county departments as a cost-saving measure. The cuts came from Planning and Development (79 positions) and Water Resources (14 jobs), for an estimated saving of $4.5 million. These workers took one, so to speak, for the overall good of county operations. If you find nothing wrong with the county retreat, think that $15,000 is peanuts in a billion-dollar budget, then do this: Step into the shoes of one of those entry-level Gwinnett employees unemployed due to cutbacks.
Tell them how its important for leaders to hunker down, unintruded, to discuss county affairs.
Tell them what a wise investment the retreat was.
Tell them.
Then let me know the response you get.
Permalink | Comments (26) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
Comments
By Sanford and Son
December 13, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this
Don’t worry fool the commissioners plan on recouping that money and then some with the fines generated by thos malcontent citizens who can’t separate their cans from their platics.
Who said there ain’t gold in that garbage.
By BW
December 13, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this
I like Berts answer, “a way to focus without distractions on complex issues that involve billions of dollars.”, like his Field Of Dreams. I guess it’s as good excuse as any why the county is screwed up the remaining 11 months.
The worst part is what kind of Christmas present will we’ll get from the brain storming on the mount?
Kind of reminds you of AIG and the Bush Bailout & Vacation Plan, the only difference is our commissioners have been taking advantage of us taxpayers far longer.
By The Fonz
December 13, 2008 3:31 PM | Link to this
Nasuti is a lawyer, so it’s redundant to call him a liar. He is, however, an out-and-out self-dealing crook over the baseball business and deserves to have his berry blackened at each & every opportunity.
By Lee
December 13, 2008 10:32 PM | Link to this
A few thoughts:
Yes, there is some merit in attending an off-site meeting.
$15k is a reasonable amount for a 3 day conference for 34 people.
Perception becomes reality. It IS in bad form to schedule a meeting such as this and at the same time, ask your employees to bear the brunt of many of these budget cuts.
Is there not a meeting room within Gwinnett county municipal that would hold this size meeting. Yes, I think there is.
Being away, he said, cuts down on buzzing Blackberries, ringing cell phones and other “home-turf” disturbances.
Bullcrap. You NEVER get away from those things - even in Young Harris.
By ol wise one
December 14, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this
so let me get this straight, our county commishoners are issued cell phones/blackberries that do not come equipted with an on-off switch ???
By Much ado about little
December 14, 2008 3:40 PM | Link to this
Do the math and this comes out to about $150/night for the off-site meeting with the hotel providing overnight rooms, meeting rooms, etc… I doubt the hotel at Stone Mountain or the Gwinnett Marriott would have offered a much better deal. For these types of sessions you really want the participants to be away from home (spouse, kids, commuting) and the value in these off-site meetings is often gained during evenings and non-meeting time when business leaders can brainstorm or kick ideas back and forth.
This doesn’t equate to the resort debauchery of the AIG execs after getting billions in bailout money and I’ve been to Brasstown. It isn’t exactly the Ritz.
By Rick Badie
December 14, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this
For those who care: I will be out of pocket for a few days. Won’t post again till Dec. 21. Peace…
By Michael H. Smith
December 14, 2008 4:52 PM | Link to this
Best wishes of the season to you and yours my friend. Till Dec. 21, peace we hope. :)
By Michael H. Smith
December 14, 2008 5:22 PM | Link to this
By the way, this ain’t rocket science as the proverbial they say: It is called coming up with a budget. You cut where you have to and do without, just like so many of us have been forced to do. The deepest cuts usually start at the very top and proceed down the list of expenditures.
Most of us don’t need to get away any further than the kitchen table to come up with a budget that works - Well, hopefully we can.
None of us seem to have any problem finding the off buttons on things Tvs’, video games, cell phones and blackberries, etc.
What our commissioners appear to be missing in all of this, is the role of leadership they should all be portraying by the actions they take.
I expect a hue and cry before the budget axe finishes. Some people will lose jobs, others will see hours cut, which will mean cuts in salaries. We citizens may as well get use to the idea that some of the cherished services we enjoy may be cut back or cutout all together until economic conditions merit a return of such luxuries. On my part there are no sacred cows or bulls, Misters’ Bannister and Connell.
By Mark
December 16, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this
Rick Are they going to use a real journalist during your absence?
By Ajamu
December 16, 2008 11:56 AM | Link to this
I hope all is well, enjoy your break, Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa!!
By Mark
December 16, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this
Ajamu
There is no such thing as “Kwanzaa”. It’s a made up holiday for blacks.
Prove me wrong by telling me it’s origin, and meaning.
By JSC
December 16, 2008 6:19 PM | Link to this
The commissioners are pathetic. We know it, and they damn well should know it.
Hey, Nasuti - HOW ‘BOUT USING THE “OFF” BUTTON ON YOUR BLACKBERRY?
You didn’t have to go on your “retreat” to do that now, did you?
Worthless idiots.
By DogsRPeople2
December 19, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this
Pop Goes The Beagle (part two)
As I watched my dog chew his bubble gum 28 times on stage at Letterman’s show during an episode of stupid pet tricks, I didn’t expect what happened next.
I had previously practiced bubble blowing with my dog all day long, and he performed flawlessly, but what I didn’t notice was that my dog had swallowed several of the pieces of gum that day for some reason. An hour before showtime, I had to use the bathroom, and a CBS intern must have fed my dog from the CBS commissary, unbeknownst to me at the time.
So the perfect storm of stupid-pet-trick-ruining coincidences came together on that stage my friends, and a huge pumpkin-sized bubble appeared from my dog’s patoot. Letterman had a field day as he riffed on the debacle. Humiliated, I began to walk my dog off the stage.
“Any dog can do that.” complained Letterman.
Never take your dog to etiquette class, where my dog had learned to chew his food 28 times (before swallowing). Perhaps a bulemic etiquette class would have worked better, I dont know.
I dont know.
By Scarlett
December 20, 2008 1:08 AM | Link to this
Did you know the county is slashing the library budget in Gwinnett? Our use is up by 37% and we are getting less money. If this wasn’t happening & people loosing jobs I would think the retreat is 100% A-ok. Perception is the problem & cutting government services during a recession is hurting people who can least afford it. Write the county commissioners if you want 2 keep getting your books on CD and bestsellers, library open until 9 pm, free internet access, etc!
By Mark
December 20, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this
Scarlett
Who cares? Most of gwinnett county is illiterate anyway….
By The BlogFather of Scroll
December 20, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this
Mark, the correct reply to Scarlett was, “Scarlett: Shhhhhhhh!”
you blew it, lad
that’s why I’m the blogfather of scroll, and you’re a cheekwad.
bwa haw
By Scartlett
December 21, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this
Mark…….There ARE a few really intelligent people in Gwinnett County & the rest of the worrld who don’t often read books or magazines or newspapers, or listen to books on CD, but it is a rarity! I’m an optimistic Southern Belle & think the population of Gwinnett can be taught much from using the Internet or checking out current copies of current issues of magazines from their neighborhood branch library. Hell, I save at least $1,000 each year by reading both new bestsellers & the classics. Then I don’t have to write Barnes & Nobel a check! NO ONE HERE A BIG FAN OF READING, OF A PUBLIC LIBRARY WHO GETS HUNDREDS OF COPIES OF NEW BESTSELLERS THE SAME DAY AS THE BOOKSTORE?
comments please…..
By The BlogFather of Scroll
December 21, 2008 11:45 AM | Link to this
Shhhhh!
By nana
December 21, 2008 9:00 PM | Link to this
I too am a big fan of the library and save many $$ by checking out books. Hey Mark I beg to differ with you sir, there are plenty of very smart people in Gwinnett. Of course if they real smart as soon as the economy and in specific the housing market turns around they’ll get outta here. I know we plan too. :)
By Biker_George
December 22, 2008 6:31 AM | Link to this
Mark Its not that the people are illiterate,,, its that they DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH so how can they read
By Average White Banned
December 22, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this
“the value in these off-site meetings is often gained during evenings and non-meeting time when business leaders can brainstorm or kick ideas back and forth.”
Oh really? You’re making some pretty big assumptions there, big boy. Like: 1. As if they give a shyte about getting any work done 2. That it’s impossible to come up with ideas/get work done elsewhere.
Good lord, if I need peace and quiet I can get a local reserved building, meeting center, or etc.
If you you’re going to go all-out on a “retreat” during hard times, at the taxpayer’s expense, might as well stop by the Asian massage parlor for a “happy ending” too.
By The BlogFather of Scroll
December 22, 2008 11:09 AM | Link to this
Avg.W ban: R U saying that Librarians do it quieter?
By The BlogFather of Scroll
December 22, 2008 11:14 AM | Link to this
Fumble, Fumble, Foiled by Fumbles, Timeouts burned, and Vikings humbled.
Are there deep mystical forces working for the Falcons? Surely it would take a spell to make the football take flight from the scrimmage line and scramble backwards purposefully toward the Falcon’s end zone twice in a few minutes.
Or do the Falcons have an angel? A mischievous angel with a sense of humor that harkens back to the keystone cop silent movie era. An angel who turned the vikings into bumbling fumblers. The image of the vikings chasing the pigskin dozens of yards behind thier line of scrimmage is one of the lighter moments of the past 300 years.
This is no ordinary season. The Falcons have won improbably again.
Inconceivable.
There can be only one reason that supernatural beings would favor our Falcons: The ghosts of Vicks Dogs will be avenged even if it takes an unholy aliance of witches, angels, and willful pigskins. OMG I just invented the cheerleader eligible play.
By wow
December 23, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this
Rick, So glad to see you new post on the 21st as promised, Mr. Unreliable.
By DS
January 6, 2009 6:34 PM | Link to this
Support the library. They provide great services even to those “illiterates.”