Memorial Day Will Soon Be Here

Please look at this Memorial Day picture.

The only person standing as "Old Glory" comes down the street ...

Is the old man in the wheel chair.

Please Share Any Pearls You Have

The Pearls of Wisdom posted on this blog were gleaned from a 30 plus year career in government. If, or your colleagues, have harvested some real gems that you think are great Pearls of Wisdom will you share them?

Its easy!  Just click here and send them to us. Our pearls are intended for individuals who are Public Officials in Local Government how any pearl that makes sound business sense or can help a career professional or business leader reduce their learning curve will gladly be accepted.



Thank You

Pearl of Wisdom # 93 Types of Local Public Officials

There appear to be two types of Local Public Officials in every local government.

First, there are those who appear to be on a mission.

Then, there are those who appear to be on intermission.

Seven Compelling Reasons to Terminate a Local Government Employee

During my career in local government, there were numerous times individuals running for public office would boast that when they get into office they were going to clean house, get rid of waste, and fire unnecessary public employees to reduce the payroll.  Man, that rhetoric sure sounded good during the campaign; however from what I have observed, 99% of locally elected government officials found terminating a public employee very unpleasant.  Most agonized during the termination hearing.  Many wanted to give the employee a second chance.

Some were concerned what the impact of the job loss would have on the person’s family.  Some dreaded the thought of confronting them in the local community.  Worst yet, some knew the employees either as a friend of the family or as a member of a local organization.  Consequently, terminating local government employees took a toll on most local public officials.

As a County Administrator I had to wear the black hat many times and I came to believe there were only seven valid reasons to terminate a public employee.  Whenever I based my decision to recommend terminating an employee on one of these seven reasons, I never missed a night’s sleep or had regrets.  I share these reasons with you in the hopes that you can benefit from them.  I know from personal experience, these seven reasons will pass any court or union test and I vehemently believe if public officials don’t enforce these reasons, they abdicate their responsibility to the public they serve.    

1) Theft.  Anytime a local government employee is caught stealing or misappropriating government resources, terminate immediately.  Employees who steal from government are not taking from the corporate coffers; they are stealing from every taxpayer and resident in the community and therefore have no place whatsoever in local government.

2) Falsification of government records.  Government records are public documents; they are part of a community’s official history and need to be accurate.  If an employee falsifies public records, terminate immediately. Examples would be: filing false expense vouchers, exaggerating hours worked on a time sheet, and backdating or postdating government/department transactions.

3) Loss of license or certification.  Many government employees, by virtue of their positions, are required to possess a state license or academic certification.  Job announcements always state: must possess a valid XXX or YYY at the time of application (i.e. valid state driver’s license, CDL commercial driver’s license, a social worker license, appraiser certification, etc.).  Should an employee lose his or her ability to maintain required licensing or certification, terminate immediately.

4) Inability to meet physical requirements of the job.  This one gets a little tricky because of workers comp and ADA requirements.  However if an employee is no longer able to physically perform their duties “with reasonable accommodations”, terminate immediately.  Clear examples would be: a law enforcement officer who loses both legs in a car crash while in a pursuit or a clerical person who loses eyesight during a home accident.  (Both, by the way, were real world issues I experienced.)  A law enforcement officer without legs cannot chase a suspect nor can a sight-impaired clerical person file or type as required.

5) Incompetence.  Some employees, public as well as private, find themselves in positions where they are academically qualified for, but ill-suited for, a particular job.  Though they have the knowledge, they may not possess the personality or the temperament for a position.  If training, mentoring or coaching cannot help an individual achieve minimum standards or performance expectations, terminate immediately.  Working with irate members of the public or consistently being able to remember all required tasks are traits not every individual possesses.     

6) Under the influence of drugs or alcohol.  Units of local government have drug and alcohol policies.  Should an employee return from lunch under the influence or engage in alcohol or drug consumption while on duty, terminate immediately.  Never condone such incidents or let the person go home and sleep it off; I guarantee it will come back to haunt you.

7) Excessive tardiness or absenteeism.  Every municipal government I know operates on a tight budget.  When employees fail to arrive on time or show up when required, they put their government function in jeopardy.  Oversleeping, car problems, unique home situations, etc. cannot take precedence over the stated job requirements.   If excessive tardiness or absenteeism continues after an employee has been given two written warnings, terminate immediately. 

I sincerely hope these seven reasons make sense and allow you to make good termination decisions.

Pearl of Wisdom # 92 - Judging Constituents

Don't judge your constituents by their relatives.

Pearl of Wisdom # 91 - Worries

Most of the stuff local public officials worry about won't ever happen; it's always the stuff they didn't think about that gets them in trouble.

Pearl of Wisdom # 90 - Public Comments

You cannot "unsay" a stupid comment.  Be very careful what you say in public ... or private ... when you are a locally elected government official or senior public employee.

Pearl of Wisdom # 89 - Voting Records

A "good voting record" in local government comes from years of experience - and a lot of that experience comes from having a bad voting record.

Pearl of Wisdom # 88 - Local Censorship

Most people are not aware of this, but the first married couple (husband and wife) ever to be shown in bed together on American television during prime time was Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

This was solely because there were so many strict "local" censorship laws throughout US which prevented married couples such as Ozzie & Harriet, Donna & Alex, Ricky & Lucy and Rob & Laura to be shown in bed together. 

Pearl of Wisdom # 87 - Never Throw Dirt

Never throw "dirt" at a colleague during a public meeting or at a public event.  You will only ''lose ground" in the eyes of the public.

Pearl of Wisdom # 86 - Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is the most important quality a newly elected local government official can bring to any public body. 

Enthusiasm can compensate for one's lack of experience, maturity, or wavering confidence.

Enthusiasm is more than just giving 100%.  Enthusiasm is being willing to go that extra mile when everyone else in the room wants to quit.

If you are a local public official, be enthusiastic in everything you do:

    Answer your phone enthusiastically.
      Greet people enthusiastically.
    Walk with an enthusiastic stride.

Be Enthusiastic!

Pearl of Wisdom # 85 - Eliminate Negative Words

Get rid yourself of negativity when you walk in a public enviroment.

Eliminate using negative words when you speak in public.
Such As:

Can't

Never

Won't

Pearl of Wisdom # 84 - Efficiency

The is nothing more frustrating then watching a group of local public officials do something efficiently - when the thing they are doing does not need to be done at all.

Pearl of Wisdom # 83 News Media

Many local government officials expect too much from their local news media outlets.

They want their local media sources to run favorable stories about them; yet they expect their local media to run only true stories.

Pearl of Wisdom # 85 - Personal Pride

It is amazing what any local governing body can accomplish if the elected or appointed members who sit on that body put their personal egos aside and stop focusing on who gets the personal credit for the good things they are doing.

Pearl of Wisdom # 82 Knowing Names of Public Officials

Most people in a community cannot recite the names of all the members on their city council, or those governing their schools, or those sitting on their county board, let alone recall more than a handful of elected officials from the past.  Why is that?

Perhaps it is because so many local public officials live in a gray twilight; they don't have a clue what their real role in government is.  Some locally elected public officials seem to want nothing more than to cut current local government services; others cry out for lower taxes but can't figure out any acceptable methods to lower them.

As a non-elected county administrator, I saw my job much more than providing services and cutting taxes.  I found  my sense of purpose in these thoughts expressed by Theodore Roosevelt.

 

It is far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor souls who neither enjoy nor suffer much simply because they want to serve their terms in office in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

Pearl of Wisdom # 81 Silent Public Officials

Generally, the local public officials who know the most are the ones who say the least.

Pearl of Wisdom # 80 Great/Weak Officials

Great local government officials are hard on themselves;

Weak local government officials are always hard on others.

Pearl of Wisdom # 79 Hear, Say and Do

Most local public officials who hear something, forget it;

Many local public officials who see something, remember it;

But every local public official who does something, actually understands it.

A Controversial Pearl of Wisdom

The Pearls of Wisdom I share are generally short and to the point.  My goal, since starting this blog, has always been to quickly share priceless gems of information you can use and apply immediately.  This Pearl, by its very nature, has to be long.  We are in an election year and there is a lot of talk across the aisles about restructuring our tax codes.  Hope this is of value.  

Not long ago ten boys graduated from high school; all ten applied for jobs at the local mill.   As luck would have it, the boys all qualified for different jobs.   Their jobs ranged from custodian to sales, to marketing and machinists.   Each was paid a different wage rate.  

The years at the mill flew by, yet their friendship remained strong.   When they turned 21, they began to meet on Thursday nights at a local bar after work.   They would talk about the old high school days, discuss how their families were doing, and sip on several drinks.   When the night ended, their bar tab was typically $100.

Since there was such a difference in their pay, they came up with a plan to pay their tab.   The first four men (the lowest paid) contributed nothing.   The fifth man put in a $1 while the sixth man chipped in $3.   The seventh laid down $7 and the eighth tossed in $12.   The ninth kicked in $18 and the tenth man (the highest paid) coughed up the remaining $59.

For over two years, the men used this arrangement to pay their bar tab and all seemed okay.   Then one week the bar owner threw them a curve.   He came to their table and said, “You boys are wonderful customers; from now on I’m going to reduce the cost of your bar tab by $20.  When you guys come in on Thursday nights from now on, you will only have to pay $80 instead of the regular $100."

Delighted that the owner was going to reduce their burden, the buddies agreed to still pay their bar tab on a sliding scale. The six payers had to decide how to divide up this $20 reduction?   If they divided the $20 equally by six, that would mean a $3.33 savings per man; however, when they went to subtract the $3.33 from their shares, the fifth and sixth both received money and that just didn’t seem fair.  

Seeing their dilemma he caused, the bar owner suggested they reduce their shares using the principles the federal government applies to income taxes.   The men agreed and the bar owner calculated what each man’s new fair share would be.

According to his calculations, the fifth man, like the first four, would now pay nothing (a 100% savings).   The sixth man would now only pay $2 instead of $3 (a 33% saving).   The seventh man would now only pay $5 instead of $7 (a 28% saving) and the eighth would now kick in $9 instead of $12 (a 25% saving).   The ninth man was asked to contribute $14 instead of $18 (a 22% saving) and the tenth man would now only be responsible for $49 instead of $59 (a 16% saving).

 

Proud of his solution, the bar owner smiled as he believed the ten men were now better off than before.  

The men settled their tab using the new system and then left the bar.  Once outside they began to compare their savings. “Damn, I only got one dollar out of the $20,” declared the sixth man!”  He then pointed to the tenth man and said, "but you got a $10 savings!” 

“That’s right,” exclaimed the fifth man. “I too only save a dollar; it isn’t fair he gets a benefit ten times more than me!” 

 

“That’s true!” shouted the seventh man. “Why should he get $10 back, when I only get $2?  I guess it’s true what they say the wealthiest always get all the breaks!”

Just then the first four men yelled out in unison, “Why are you guys complaining?  Look at us; we didn’t get any savings from the $20.00. This system really sucks; we get nothing, he gets $10 and you all get something - we are the only ones here being exploited!”   The nine men were now so worked up and irate that they surrounded the tenth man and beat him up and left him lying in the street as they walked home.

The following Thursday night, the tenth man did not show up; however, the other nine men met as usual.  They talked about the old high school days, discussed how their families were doing and had several drinks.   As the night came to an end, the bar owner came over with their $80 bar tab.   Within a few minutes the men realized they did not have enough money among the nine of them to cover even half the bill.

And that my friends is the problem we face when someone announces they want to fix our federal tax system and reduce our taxes.   Invariably, individuals who pay the most in taxes are going to be the ones who get the greatest benefit from any reduction.

If we choose to tax the wealthy extra just for being wealthy they might decide not to show up on Thursday nights.   In fact, they might start going overseas where the conversations and the atmosphere is friendlier.

 

Pearl of Wisdom # 78 Public Officials' Goals

It is a fact - it is impossible for the largest magnifying glass in the world to ignite a piece of paper on a bright sunny day if you keep moving the magnifying glass.  However, any small magnifying glass, if properly focused, over a piece of paper and kept focused, can quickly ignite the paper on fire.

The same, I believe, is true with elected and appointed officials of county boards, city councils, parishes, townships, boroughs, or school boards.  If they fail to develop goals and keep a tight focus, they shouldn't expect  much to happen in their unit of local government.

Pearl of Wisdom # 77 Government Officials Relating to Employees

As a local government official, never walk in front of your public employees - they may not follow.

It's also important that you not walk behind your local public employees - they may not know which way you want them to go.

It's important you walk alongside your public employees and give them clear directions, solid advice and personal feedback so they know what you expect.

Pearl of Wisdom # 76 Trick Questions

Most of the questions raised at a local government public hearing are similar to those raised at the American Association of Magicians ... they are all trick questions.

Pearl of Wisdom # 75 Accepting the Best

There is a funny thing about serving in a unit of local government - or in a business environment. 

Once you begin to accept anything but the best you seldom ever get the best.

Pearl of Wisdom # 74 Do Your Best

You are not expected to be the best local government official the world has ever seen - all that is expected is that you try your best while you serve in public office.

Pearl of Wisdom # 73 Perfect Answers

There are few perfect answers - respond to every question the best that you can.

Pearl of Wisdom # 72 Implement a Plan

Implement a plan or a policy now - perfect it later.

Pearl of Wisdom # 71 Failures in Government

The real failures in local government are those elected and appointed public officials who really never tried to make a difference.

Pearl of Wisdom # 70 Conversation

When a local public official engages in a conversation without a purpose it is like going on a journey without a destination.

Pearl of Wisdom # 69 Direction Wind Blows

You can't control the way the wind blows in your community but you can adjust the direction of your sails.

Pearl of Wisdom # 68 Leading Public Employees

Either lead your public employees, follow your public employees, or get the hell out of their way.

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Pearl of Wisdom # 67 Leadership is Action

Local government leadership is action - it's not a title on a business card or a position you hold on a committee.

Pearl of Wisdom # 66 Your Colleagues

Your colleagues - the other men and women who are elected and appointed officials who serve on your public body - school boards, city councils, commissions or regulatory authorities are not against you ... it just that they are merely for themselves.

Pearl of Wisdom # 65 Positive Thinking

If local public officials think they can - they usually can.

If local public officials think they can't - its almost a given they can't.

Pearl of Wisdom # 64 Constituents

       Simple Truths About The Constituents of Local Government Officials

The vast majority of constituents will forget what their local government officials say while they are in public office.

The vast majority of constituents will forget what their local  government officials do while they are in public office.

Few, if any, constituents will ever forget how their local government officials made them feel while they were in public office.

Pearl of Wisdom # 63 Concerned Public Officials

There is a "significant difference" between local government officials who worry and those who are concerned.

Public officials who worry are the ones who only see the problems in their communities.  Public officials who are concerned generally are evaluating possible solutions to improve their local communities.
 

Pearl of Wisdom # 62 Daydreams

Local government officials should daydream often as to how life in their local communities could be better; for it's often their  daydreams that become the blueprints for how they achieve true success in public office.

Pearl of Wisdom # 61 Enthusiasm

Successful local public official understand one basic and very important concept:  It is important that they go from a failed idea in local government to another without losing enthusiasm.

They know that Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron did not hit a home run every time they went to bat.