There
has been much talk about the “transparency” of the County because the County
Administrator has put the budget online here at http://budget.tunicacountyms.com Unless you are an expert, it is very
difficult to understand the online budget.
Account codes are used rather than simple, easy-to-understand names. Why not put “Recreation Department” rather
than “000-000-000”?
Rumors have been circulating around
the county administrator’s office of certain key employees receiving raises
because “it’s in the budget”. If the
on-line budget was truly transparent, wouldn’t it list the names of all County
employees and their salaries – especially those who will be getting raises?
In reviewing the “online” budget,
where are the names of the County employees and their salaries? Where does it indicate that anyone will get a
raise? It just does not seem to tell us
anything.
Who does
benefit? SOCRATA, the company that provides
the platform for the on-line budget is hosting a Customer Summit in Washington,
DC next week October 25-28. In looking
online, guess who will be speaking for 20 minutes on the subject GAMING, GREED
& GOVERNMENT? Why not just look
yourself – http://customer-summit.socrata.com/speakers/michael-thompson-cpacff/
Who is
paying for Mr. Thompson to travel to this event? Will he be on vacation or does he plan to
include this as paid time from work? Has
the Board of Supervisors approved this travel?
Should the taxpayers have to pay for travel for an employee to speak
this event?
While
there seem to be no shortage of issues to try and address here, please comment
below or email us here at tunicaforjobs@gmail.com.
1. If you would like the departments to be listed by name, just ask. Sometimes when people work around a specific item they will know what they are talking about but others have no idea.
ReplyDelete2. In the second paragraph this rumor is not true. Department heads were asked to include in their budgets merit raises for their employees. This is preferable to coming to the BOS's Meetings and asking during the year. Also, it is important that Tunica County move to merit raises to get the best performance from our employees. In the past, Tunica County gave across the board raises. That's not best practices.
3. If you would like this included, just ask to see if this could be done. The Transparency Committee went to the BOSs and asked that this list be included in their January minutes. The BOSs agreed. Now that we have the open budget, including a list sounds like a good idea to me.
ReplyDelete4. Refer to #2 above.
5. Tunica County would have benefited with this national exposure. Mr. Thompson is on salary. Therefore, his salary would not be affected. SOCRATA was paying the expenses. I would like to take this opportunity to thank whoever got Mr. Thompson removed from this speaking engagement. Your actions disgust me.
6. Again, SOCRATA was paying all expenses.
3. If you would like this included, just ask to see if this could be done. The Transparency Committee went to the BOSs and asked that this list be included in their January minutes. The BOSs agreed. Now that we have the open budget, including a list sounds like a good idea to me.
ReplyDelete4. Refer to #2 above.
5. Tunica County would have benefited with this national exposure. Mr. Thompson is on salary. Therefore, his salary would not be affected. SOCRATA was paying the expenses. I would like to take this opportunity to thank whoever got Mr. Thompson removed from this speaking engagement. Your actions disgust me.
6. Again, SOCRATA was paying all expenses.
1. If you would like the departments to be listed by name, just ask. Sometimes when people work around a specific item they will know what they are talking about but others have no idea.
ReplyDelete2. In the second paragraph this rumor is not true. Department heads were asked to include in their budgets merit raises for their employees. This is preferable to coming to the BOS's Meetings and asking during the year. Also, it is important that Tunica County move to merit raises to get the best performance from our employees. In the past, Tunica County gave across the board raises. That's not best practices.