The first of many?

Bill wrote:

A two tier system is the way to go in my opinion. I really don't want to loose ALL of our veteran officers. If we can keep a number of them here in Vallejo, they can mentor the younger people coming into the system. Same goes for the Fire fighters. We need to try to find a way to keep a core of our experienced people so they can pass on the local knowledge to the new recruits.

A two tier systems for both salary and fringe benefits has been instituted in some public agencies, but unfortunately, that approach won't solve Vallejo's financial problem both because it is too big and too imminent.

I doubt, frankly, that the more senior officers would find it easy to make a transfer. Police departments are in the market for lateral transfer officers but generally more senior positions are filled from within rather than through recruitment. I believe the same in true in the fire service. More senior officers also are likely to have families with children in school. I guess if you're not living in Vallejo at the moment, you may be willing to commute in a different direction. That severely limits alternatives, however, unless the person is excited about long commutes and big credit card bills from Chevron. Selling a house in a tight market isn't exactly fun either.

I think the best thing the City of Vallejo can do is get through this re-calibration as quickly as possible so the uncertainty ends. Employees know change is in the wind but they have no idea how big a hit they're going to take. Once that becomes clear folks can make their decision to stay or leave with a bit of confidence. The sky ISN'T falling in Vallejo. We're all uncomfortable with change in our lives, yet if we're honest about it, change happens all the time, some for the better, some for the worst. Believing we can stop things from changing is a form of mental illness. I say, relax and ride the wave. Life is too short to waste it battling reality.

Vallejo Visitor wrote:

<quoted text>
Quite honestly, I find it hard to believe you have ANY long-time friends, but IF you do, I'm certainly not one of them. I haven't seen a friend from Vallejo in many years and the last time that happened was at a memorial service for someone who had been killed in an auto accident. So dream your dreams about Doug Keener. If I've ever met him I certainly don't remember the occasion. Perhaps he came to City Hall for one of the Christmas parties when Helen Intintoli would play the piano and we'd all sing carols. Whatever... ;-)

Doug, you are so full of it, no, yourself.

You sound like your jerking yourself when you blog