So apparently there was a surprise agenda item for a closed door city council meeting this evening. Evidently Queen Fargo decided a review of city Manager Ray Kerridge’s performance was in order. A “performance appraisal” they call it. Eeeyoo don’t you HATE performance appraisals–especially when they don’t come with raises?
The Bee ran something about it today and in the article councilman and KJ supporter Robbie Waters grumbled, “I’m not aware of any problems with the city manager….I think he’s done an outstanding job.”
I can’t help but ask: Really? By what measure(s)? Isn’t the city budget a direct measure of the city manager’s performance? I believe we have a $58 million dollar deficit? If Kerridge is doing an OUTSTANDING job, Mr. Waters, then how would you rate the jobs being performed by the city managers of Elk Grove and Rancho Cordova, whose cities do not have a budget deficit, and whose cities are actually in the BLACK? Perhaps Mr. Waters had a momentary lapse of reason, and thought he was being asked about the former city manager, Bob Thomas.
I was still doing the Scooby head shake on that one, when an email arrived from Kevin Johnson’s camp in the form of an official press release. Apparently Kevin Johnson feels the same way as Waters. KJ evidently thinks Rainman Kerridge is also doing an “excellent” job, and accuses Fargo of “playing politics..” by scheduling the impromptu performance review in council’s 36 chambers.
Politics! During an election season!? The humanity!
In the PR Johnson is quoted as saying, “It’s unfortunate that Mayor Fargo is trying to point fingers at public servants instead of being accountable for her own missteps,” said Johnson. “A week ago she was prepared to give pay raises to city officials. This week she’s trying to take them to the woodshed. It makes no sense, and it undermines morale at City Hall.
“Ray Kerridge is an excellent city manager who is recognized nationally for his work,” said Johnson, noting he [I think Kerridge, not Johnson] recently received a performance review. “It is a disservice to the citizens of this city that she is trying to make him a scapegoat for her failure of leadership.”
So, let me get this right: KJ is saying Ray Kerridge, the city manager of the city with a $58 million dollar budget deficit, is an “excellent” manager? Excellent manager of WHAT exactly? I’m confused.
With his glowing review of Kerridge, KJ appears to be putting ALL the deficit blame on Mayor Heather Fargo, the mayor who–by Johnson and many others’ OWN ADMISSION–is in a lowly “weak” mayoral position and only has minimal influence on city policy and budget.
I’m going to go out on another limb and say Johnson prrrrrobably does not trrrrruly think Kerridge is an “excellent city manager” in his heart. Of COURSE the city’s budget performance is a direct reflection of both the Mayor’s AND the City Manager’s performance. Let’s not kid each other; regardless of Kerridge’s “nationally recognized” work, he has done a very poor job managing our money in recent years. Is he solely to blame? No. But let’s not go off the deep end here. “Excellent” is not a word that should show up on his 2008 Performance Review.
In the end, the council review never happened. Instead Fargo met with Kerridge in her own chambers. We may never know what they talked about. In any event Fargo reports she is satisfied with Kerridge’s response, whatever that means. If I wasa betting man, I’d say this had to do with Kerridge holding the KJ Briefings on taxpayer dime and time–although we all know Fargo’s ethics code when it comes to the same is discretionary at best.
But who’s REALLY playing politics? Kerridge did hold all those meetings for KJ. That was nice of him to do on city time. Fargo was not happy about that; nor were a lot of average Joes around the city who weighed in on message boards and so forth at the time.
I sense a very clever game being played from both sides of the table, although I’m not sure if both agendas are political in nature.
Either way, blaming Fargo alone for the deficit is ridiculous at best. Even dumb old Joe knows her “weak” mayoral position does not dictate the way every penny of the city’s money is managed. There is PLENTY of blame to go around. I have far more beef with Fargo’s JOB PERFORMANCE–in terms of deprioritizing public safety and taking 100+ days of work off in a quest to solve global warming–than I do her budget culpability. OF COURSE the City Manager is partly responsible for the budget deficit. And hence he is not even CLOSE to worthy of the “outstanding” or “excellent” distinctions both KJ and Waters have bestowed upon him. Give me a BREAK.
Seems to me KJ’s camp is every bit political, if not more, than Fargo’s. This is now a battle between The Notorious Big Maviglio, and Richie “I Got it at” Ross.
Call me crazy, but my money is still on Biggy.
Another day at the I Street circus.
Full Johnson press release:
Johnson Says Fargo “Playing Politics” on City Council
SACRAMENTO — Sacramento mayoral candidate Kevin Johnson today blasted Mayor Heather Fargo for “playing politics” with city business to advance her campaign. Johnson made the remarks after Fargo made a surprise move to review City Manager Ray Kerridge’s job performance at a private city council meeting today.
“It’s unfortunate that Mayor Fargo is trying to point fingers at public servants instead of being accountable for her own missteps,” said Johnson. “A week ago she was prepared to give pay raises to city officials. This week she’s trying to take them to the woodshed. It makes no sense, and it undermines morale at City Hall.”
“Ray Kerridge is an excellent city manager who is recognized nationally for his work,” said Johnson, noting he recently received a performance review. “It is a disservice to the citizens of this city that she is trying to make him a scapegoat for her failure of leadership.”
Johnson also criticized Fargo’s move to put the Kerridge review on the Council’s docket at the last-minute. “Trying to do this in the middle of the night is an affront to her colleagues on the Council. It’s just another example of her mismanagement of city business.”
“I haven’t spent more decades in politics like the Mayor, but by any measure, 2008 has been a poor performance by the incumbent on a range of fronts,” said Johnson. “It’s clear the city needs a change at the top.”
I must say this is a great article i enjoyed reading it keep the good work
Just when I thought you ran out of good stuff to say, you drop this one. I love it! Very accessible and thought provoking. I think you are right: politics being played all the way around, young Joe. So they’re still slinging mud just at a higher trajectory. I get it. Young Joe I am seriously considering promoting you to dirtball first class.
I am not a KJ fan. I thought you were on his team. It’s very refreshing to see you criticize him when necessitated to. I think his “excellent” assessment of Ray K is a joke. I’d love to see him or Maviglio try to defend that assertion. “Excellent”? What a kick to the teeth of taxpayers in Sacramento–all for political posturing. Where I come from we call that a “sell out”
The Notorious Big Maviglio? Richie “I got it at” Ross? Where do you come up with this stuff? Friggin hilariojs. Thx for the laugh today jerk, I mean Joe.
Are *your* loyalites shifting Joe? You almost sound like a Fargo supporter at some points in this post. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I just haven’t seen you rag on Kevin Johnson a lot, and in my opinion has said and done some truly idiotic things since he announced his candidacy. And no matter how crafty “Biggy” and the gang are, if that St Hope investigation dumps a garbage can full of rotten fish on KJ’s Curtis Park door step, damage control will be the main theme of KJ’s campaign and it won’t be pretty.
Either way Joe, thanks for the balanced reporting. Glad to see KJ go under the Joe Sac microscope–even if it’s only for a spell.
Joe Joe I am in concurrence. Is that a word? Concurrence? I need to check that out. You know Kkev is fam and all but come on homey what is up with showing all this love to the people he should technically fire as soon as he gets elected. Didnt kj tell homey from the eyes of argus interview he would clean house? See now here I am thinking kev is going to mop up when he gets to city hall but now I hear him saying he thinks they doin a good job. Man you aint the only one who is confused.
Let the KJ flip-flopping extravaganza begin! This is only the beginning. I have a very funny feeling the last two months have been a crash course in govt. to Kevin “will some young lady touch my” Johnson (touche Joe), and when the rubber meets the road in the coming months it won’t be enough for him to blow past Fargo. I tenfd to agree with the Bmmmmmmmmer person that this election will bring out ALL the hard lefties and there is no way they will vote for Kevin Johnson, who, if you think about it, is more conservative than liberal. Call it a hunchothesis.
FGC: I agree! What house is Kevin Johnson referring to cleaning? Apparently not the one at city hall. He is now on record ********endorsing*********** the top administrator at city hall for a job well done. So I guess if Johnson gave Kerridge his review this year, he would be up for a raise. Ok then. Good to know
Where else can you get this info? I forgot what Sac was like before this web site
Thank you Joe!
Thax Glenna. I’m just like yall trying to figure it all out.
Oh Joe Joe no you didn’t put ol boy getting spanked my mama Fargo! Oh snap!!!!!
I am not convinced yet that Fargo will spank Kerridge. I don’t think anyone knows for sure yet–do they? Kevin Johnson acts like he’s already seen the review. For all we know, it could be a glowing review, which would make Fargo look like a complete fool, but I wouldn’t put it past her.
Here’s another angle Joe: Maybe Fargo is going to give Kerridge a bang up review and get him all stoned on her love and support to win him over after he gave the briefings to Johnson. Maybe she’s going to win him back. Maybe this is her way of telling him he’s doing a great job since she couldn’t give him the raise. Why not? Wasn’t it Fargo that orchestrated the firing of Bob Thomas so she could bring Kerridge in from Portland?
Wouldn’t Kevin Johnson and Maviglio look stupid if Fargo spent the whole session praising Kerridge? If I were her, that’s exactly what I would do now.
Hi all. As always, the comments are better than my post. =D Fine by me.
Sven, you make a great point. No one even knows how the review will go yet. From a strategical standpoint, I think Johnson’s camp spoke too early on this UNLESS they know something about the review the rest of us don’t.
Joe, check out this BS…
http://www.sacbee.com/749/story/1170077.html
http://www.sacbee.com/749/story/1170077.html
seems as if you all been visited by Daniel Webster and the Devil…
choices between Ms Stalin and Idi Amin Dada ain’t no good…
gotta go conference with the Kingfish to see how you get outta this here mess…
Ok Cole, lay off the Jager before the drive home, huh?
Webster, yeah… what a whigger
Joe
seems as if hell raisers have one up on the bureaucrats, and certain columnists at the Bee…
if memory serves me, seems some German monk dude got fed up with the Medicis and nailed his web page to some church door and he changed some of the world…
and then some bad smelling, no bath, itinerant, loudmouth, uncouth Englishman just got plain fed up and published his web page, with the help of Adams (both of them), Hamilton, Washington, Jefferson, Madison…and really pissed off some European King and he changed the world….in fact, I am willing to bet even Chairman Mao quoted him….
the more EVERYBODY speaks out, including EVERYBODY, and that includes Witnesses that come to your door, the better everybody be…
I’d say ML changed a LOT of the world. In fact Wikipedia says he “changed the course of western civilization.” Too bad he wrote such horrible things about the Jews. He could have been a contender.
But your point remains. And thanks
Shocked KJ is defending Ray “Spend it while you got it” Kerridge. My God. This is a huge development if you ask me and Joe I am glad you homed in on it. To me, it shows Johnson is trying to make friends at city hall. But what he obviously is not thinking about is what happens after he gets elected. He has a city manager who helped cause this massive deficit who he only months earlier said was “excellent”? Good luck with that one. Sounds to me like KJ campaign living for the moment. Also why does KJ have a big whig campaign manager? He won the primary. He’s like the fighter who wins the first 11 rounds, and all he needs to do in the 12th is just stay out the way of the haymaker and he’ll win the fight. But there goes KJ walking right into the leather. I don’t get it.
Oferfuxsakes you people wouldn’t know a politician if one jumped right into your boat. This is as joe sac said the big mavig on the case. Everything that drifts out of johnson’s “mouth” now comes from the thinktank that is steve-o, the italian stallion. Steve-o gets paid mucho moolah to say stuff for johnson. That’s why johnson hired him. You think the big mavig was hired to make coffee? You guys are some really wisecrackers here. You all up for a game of poker? I’d love to take your money. You too joe sac god love ya pal
NNA, you are a true wanker. You basically bit everything Joe wrote and then remixed it for your own post. You are pathetic. I’m sure you are the same wanker who posts on the Bee, You do the same crap there. You are a biter and a plagiarist loo-hoo-za-her.
In the words of the great Ray Treetheway: “Dear Mr. Farty..” Yes, I saw the CATHOUSE scandal. Can you believe it? Corian cages for the kitties? What about the area rats? I have a few running around in my backyard right now. NO LIE. They came from the site they are digging up for the new low income SUPERPLEX on Del Paso Rd. I saw one this morning as I strolled my backyard. Big old sucker with a tail longer than my dog’s.
NNA: don’t you have to go visit myfolsom.com or something?
Hey I had no idea Martin Luther wrote such things about the Jews. This was a learning for me. Thank you Cole and Joe. This is right from Wikipedia also:
In the treatise, Luther writes that the Jews are a “base, whoring people, that is, no people of God, and their boast of lineage, circumcision, and law must be accounted as filth.”[1] They are full of the “devil’s feces … which they wallow in like swine,”[2] and the synagogue is an “incorrigible whore and an evil slut …”[3] He argues that their synagogues and schools be set on fire, their prayer books destroyed, rabbis forbidden to preach, homes razed, and property and money confiscated. They should be shown no mercy or kindness,[4] afforded no legal protection,[5] and these “poisonous envenomed worms” should be drafted into forced labor or expelled for all time.[6] He also seems to advocate their murder, writing “[w]e are at fault in not slaying them.”[7]
What a great Christian he was! Not.
Read it all here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Jews_and_their_Lies
Wow, the comments are en fuego tonight. I guess I need to stick to city hall topics!
Welp, I went to the office of the Fargo headmater today and got my ass handed to me I’m afraid. Yeah it was ugly. I left with belt welts on my fanny. My staff harassed me as I did the walk of shame back to my office. They cat called and some punk through a box of raisins at me (which hit me right in the hair and messed up my c.o.). So basically I got spanked. And it hurts. And I think I’m headed back to Portland cuz I miss the rain.
If I ran for office, I admit it, I’d want an Italian dude running my campaign too. Big Whig Mavig is no joke. You think the 447 did damage. Wait til October. We aint seen nothin’ yet
Don’t be too hard on Kerridge. He is going to save us $50K by removing poop bags from the dog parks.
Cats get Corian. Dogs get the shaft. I can smell a civil rights case against the city out of all this.
Hahah! Good one, Wordy
Wordy Fartinghood. Where do you people get these names?
Where are ya Joe?
I just wonder how much of our deficit is attributed to the crashed housing market (much of it, I would guess). I would then wonder how world-class cities are handling the same issue. Instead of going on tree-finding missions, I’d be on a plane talking to major city financial analysts on how to balance out the problem.
Everything is political. Everything.
I don’t think so. There are plenty of cities in the black in the U.S. Elk Grove and Rancho are two of them
I’m sure there are some cities who fared better - but I don’t think I put Elk Grove and Rancho in the same group as Sacramento. Estherville, IA probably runs in the black too. I’d want to see what Des Moines was doing if I was comparing finances.
That’s very forgiving of you. I’d never let them off the hook that easy for a $58 million deficit. We can agree to disagree
Joe…am I blind…why dont you have a contact me button?