Flyer found on a CHE bulletin board

Interesting stuff :
Can 4 out of 5 Civil Service Commissioners be wrong?

They were on May 22 when they gave notice of intent to:

• Violate the LA City Charter
• Thumb their nose at the LA City Contract
• Trample on the entire system of Civil Service in the U.S.A.
• Trash seniority in “temporary layoffs” (mandatory furloughs)

“This could be a minefield. I don’t understand what it means.” Commissioner de los Reyes (and he voted for it!)

Commissioner John Perez understood what it means when he voted against it: “No citizen can vote away their constitutional rights. We can’t make employees bargain away their rights.”

More than 60 members of the Coalition of LA City Unions packed the Civil Service hearing on May 22, 2008 to oppose Personnel’s change to Civil Service Rule 8.7 and many testified.

Simboa Wright, SEIU 721: “I always believed the City was an equal opportunity employer. Don’t give that up.”

Commissioner John Perez: “Seniority is fundamental to Civil Service throughout the U.S...to protect public workers from the vagaries of politics.”

Victor Gordo, LIUNA 777: “Every layoff is linked to service. This rule change opens the floodgates on discrimination and takes away balance for short-term political expedience.”

Cheryl Moore, AFSCME, 31 years with the City: “This rule would hurt people like me, committed to internal changes for everybody, who could be singled out. Don’t send me out on a limb where I can fall and everything I’ve worked for could get washed away.”

Mark Fink, Operating Engineers 501: “This violates the very spirit of mutual gains which the city asked us to use and we did.”

Emma Leheny, Coalition lawyer: “The Personnel Department is asking this Commission not just to amend a Rule, which it has the authority to do, but to amend the Charter, which it does not.”

Bob Hunt, SEIU 721 General Counsel: “If the Commission enacts a meaningless rule it undermines its own credibility.”

Julie Butcher, SEIU 721: “The city already passed a balanced budget. This rule is spurious, abhorrent and violates the City charter and collective bargaining which has worked so well.”

Tell Maggie Whelan, Personnel Department General Manager at (213) 473-3470 and the Civil Service Commission at (213) 473-9107 to play by the rules:

• Charter passed by LA voters


• Contract the City signed


• U.S. Civil Service tradition.

________________________________________

Rumblings urges you to call both numbers, beginning Monday, and express your concerns.

Minutes from May 8th Civil Service meeting: link

The May 22nd minutes have not posted yet.

See Thursday, May 22, 2008 post: Mayor/City management at it again for additional background on this subject.

Big sister is watching

Email to Rumblings (5/26/08 2:58 PM):

"We have been accessing Rumblings from our City computers and just last week they implemented a program that forced each user to sign on to it with our employee number and Novell password, one manager told us that it was to measure bandwidth usage and to use the Internet as usual but with discretion. Interesting...."Work Will Make You Free".

Rumblings had heard that an employee Internet usage program was being implemented, under the guise of "bandwidth monitoring", but had no confirmation until Mondays e-mail.

ITA management is rolling out their "snooping", floor by floor, segment by segment. However, don't expect a "team" Randi-gram e-mail before it rolls into your section.
_______________________________________
Anonymous said...This doesn't seem to be implemented yet on the 14th floor, though some other technical difficulties today suggested some trouble with domain name services (DNS). May 27, 2008 8:17 PM
Anonymous said...What this means, if you are at a workstation and use the browser, shut the browser down when you leave or whoever comes along next will be surfing on your dime. The sites that they visit will be credited to you. May 30, 2008 5:48 PM
Anonymous said...It's unfortunate that ITA staff wont get a chance to scream their concerns at Randi, like they did with the CityFone mug shot lunacy. Lack of transparency on this subject makes you have to wonder about the real agenda here. Word is, most ITA managers have not even been clued in. May 31, 2008 5:26 PM

Oh, Magic 8-ball ...

How surreal was this??

_________________

From: Randi Levin
Wednesday - May 28, 2008 1:26 PM
To: ITAAll
Subject: Fwd: Enhancement to the CityFone System

Team, I'm pleased to announce a new enhancement to the CityFone system. In an attempt to familiarized (sp?) ITA personnel within the Agency, a picture will be now included on the CityFone system as part of the employee information. I hope that this new feature is helpful and increases teamwork among the agency. This enhancement will be effective Monday May 26th, 2008 (It wasn't).

Sincerely,

Randi Levin

Chief Technology Officer & General Manager

Information Technology Agency

________________________________________
From: Randi Levin
Wednesday - May 28, 2008 1:38 PM
To: ITAAll
Subject: Fwd: Enhancement to the CityFone System

Team, This system/functional (sp?) is only used internally to the city. We checked with the city attorney's office prior to announcing this feature and they said that the pictures would not be sent to the press as part of any public records acts. I hope this clarifies this issue.

Thanks,

Randi

_______________________________________

Some public records info: link

California First Amendment Coalition links: here

_______________________________________
From: Randi Levin
Wednesday - May 28, 2008 1:51 PM
To: ITAAll
Subject: Fwd: Enhancement to the CityFone System

Team, I have received a large amount of feedback from the staff that they don't think this is a good idea for safety and security reasons. I have heard you and listened. We will not roll this functionality out at all. The safety and security of our staff is most important. Ya think?

Sincerely,

Randi

_______________________________________

Did not one of her managers realize what kind of concerns would be raised by this so-called "enhancement?" While Randi sent the message, and we know how people treat the messenger, some of the blame has to fall on other managers that knew about this and didn't raise red flags. By the way, who is proof-reading her missives? Spell check? Grammar-check? Use the technology people.

“Fool On the Hill”

Email to Rumblings - 5/28/08 - 2:52 PM:

The lyrics to McCartney’s “Fool On the Hill” have played inside my head since I began reading this blog a few months back, Yet at the same time I wondered if all the negativity directed at our General Manager was actually fair.

After the events of the last hour, I now know that the lyrics aptly describe both the current disposition and wounded reputation of this GM as she continues to follow the instructions placed before her, "open mouth, insert foot".

Randi's cast of enablers are making her appear like an insipid knucklehead. Foolish and simultaneously Machiavellian. For all the speculation over the last year, that the former AGM/XO Ken Simmons was in charge of the on-going duplicity in ITA, todays CityFone fiasco clearly proves that the ITA's bumbling management style is defined by it's leader.

I leave the rest to McCartney and poetic licence:

Day after day, alone on the hill

The gal with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still

But nobody wants to know her

They can see that she's just a fool

As she never gives an answer

But the fool on the hill

Sees the sun going down

And the eyes in her head

See the world spinning around

Well on the way, head in a cloud

The lady of a thousand voices talking perfectly loud

But nobody ever hears her

Or the sound she appears to make

And she never seems to notice

But the fool on the hill

Sees the sun going down

And the eyes in her head

See the world spinning around

And nobody seems to like her

They can tell what she wants to do

And she never shows her feelings

But the fool on the hill

Sees the sun going down

And the eyes in her head

See the world spinning around

She never listens to them

She knows that they're the fools

They don't like her

The fool on the hill

Sees the sun going down

And the eyes in her head

See the world spinning around

______________________________

Anonymous said... Seems to me that Randi, and to some extent, the entire executive team, are "post turtles."Not being a California term, you might wonder what a 'post turtle' is. When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a "post turtle." You know she didn't get up there by herself, she doesn't belong up there, she doesn't know what to do while she is up there, and you just wonder what kind of a dumb ass put her up there to begin with? June 1, 2008 8:42 AM Answer: Tony Villar

"Third time is a charm?"

The polls have closed on the latest Rumblings reader poll: "With the third edition of the All Hands meeting coming soon, how would you rate the first two meetings, in terms of value and significance?"

1. Very valuable - 3 votes (4%)
2. Above average value - 1 vote (1%)
3. Some value - 9 votes (13%)
4. Of little value - 11 votes (15%)
5. A waste of everyones time - 48 votes (67%)

72 total votes

It seems more like, "Three strikes, you're out!"

Mayor/City management at it again

The Mini Mayor and City management are again trying to steal your civil service protection and eliminate your seniority as the key criteria in layoff situations or temporary lay-off situations (work furloughs). They tried this back on May 8th but it failed. Make no mistake they are doing everything in their powers to force it through this time around. They've gone back to the drawing board and have modified the wording in Civil Service rule 8.7 again. Thieves one, thieves all.
_________________________________________
link

BOARD OF CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONERS

REGULAR MEETING

THURSDAY - MAY 22, 2008, 10:00 A.M. (TODAY)
ROOM 350, PERSONNEL BUILDING
700 EAST TEMPLE STREET
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90012

Item #7. REVISION TO CIVIL SERVICE RULE 8.7

The General Manager recommends that the Board give 21 days notice of intention to amend Section 8.7 of the Civil Service Rules as follows (additions in red, deletions in blue):

Section 8.7. If work is temporarily interrupted due to a financial emergency as declared by the City or due to if because of inclement weather or other unforeseen reason, work is temporarily interrupted, it is not necessary that layoff seniority order be followed in assigning employees. The interruption of work must be known to be temporary, the appointing authority must act in good faith, and an employee must not be deprived of his/her rights or gain an advantage with respect to his/her employment in the classified civil service.

File No. 52254

COMMISSION ACTION:
(On May 8, 2008, the motion to give 21 days’ notice of intention to amend Rule 8.7 failed by a 2-2 vote.)
_________________________________________
Good faith? Do you really expect that from this management team?

In ITA, this will impact from ISM II level down. So if you aren't on the "friends of Randi" list, odds are no matter how many years of service you have in your civil service class or with the City, temporary lay-offs (work furloughs) will be imposed on those she and the AGM's see fit.

For example an ISM with 15 years of seniority could be furloughed while a newly appointed ISM would not be impacted.

________________________________________

Thanks to Rumblings favorite buccaneer for the great image of Mayor Bonaparte.

________________________________________

The Civil Service Commission voted on 5/22, 4-1, to approve posting the 21 day notice of intent to change the wording of Civil Service Rule 8.7.

The employee unions have already engaged legal counsel on this.

Bits 'o dirt washed up on shore

E-mail to Rumblings:

Avast!

We have it on VERY good authority that the Rumblings blog is checked DAILY by management or the minions in the land of the Great Timekeeper! If you wondered why access to Rumblings from city computers hasn't been blocked, that might be the reason. It would only be courteous to give our shipmates in management who are such loyal readers a fine rumbling welcome!

Other rumor is that management REALLY REALLY wants to find out who the author(s) is (are). Some of those who have been accused of being the author or of even knowing who the author is are NOT! Despite the departure of Ken Simmons people still seem to be very afraid.

And for those worried about furloughs, notice that the CAO herself does NOT count mandatory furloughs of EAA represented employees as any kind of done deal. EAA is NOT part of the Coalition of City Unions and has no such negotiations. The only reopener negotiations with EAA concern PARITY with DWP and an unfair employee relations practice has been filed with the Employee Relations Board against the CAO for failing to bargain in good faith. A hearing has been scheduled for that UERP.

The memo below was found here:
http://www.lacity.org/cao/budgetmemos.htm

Memo No. 137
CITY OF LOS ANGELES
INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE
Date: May 6,2008
To: Budget and Finance Committee
From: Karen L. Sisson, City Administrative Officer
Subject: FURLOUGH DAYS FOR PLANNING DEPARTMENT

The Committee requested information on the feasibility of developers paying the cost of furlough days for Planning Department staff responsible for the generation of decision letters.

The final decision to include or exclude furlough days as a budqet balancing mechanism is within the purview of the City Council. This also extends to the determination of which functions, departments and classifications are required to participate in the furlough program. Removing the Planning Department staff from the furlough program would require that additional savings be generated in other parts ofthe budget.

The impact of the furlough program must also be negotiated with the affected unions. Preliminary discussion of furloughs has taken place with the Coalition of City Unions, but has not taken place with the Engineers and Architects Association that represents the majority of the Planning Department staff (a majority of ITA as well). The outcome of those negotiations cannot be identified at this time.

The ability to assess the developer an additional fee to eliminate the necessity for furlough days is dependent on the level of cost recovery currently being provided by the fee. If the fee is at full cost recovery, the fee cannot be increased for this purpose.

KLS:TAC
Question 307

Congratulations Mark!

Rumblings sends a hearty "congrats" to Mark Wolf. Word from "the view from 14" is that Mark will soon be named Executive Officer of ITA.

Comment overheard at a retirement reception today "A million times improvement over his predecessor".

_________________________________________

Tuesday - May 27, 2008 11:22 AM

From: Randi Levin

To: ITAAll
Subject: re: Appointment of Mark Wolf

Team,

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Wolf as Executive Officer for the Information Technology Agency (ITA).

Mark has more than twenty three years of experience in information technology and has made a positive impact on the City by improving access to City services and information for the citizens and business of Los Angeles. For the past two years, Mark has served as Assistant General Manager for ITA managing Internet Systems, LA CityView Channel 35, Video/Cable Services Regulation as well as many of our strategic initiatives.

Prior to his appointment as Assistant General Manager he served as the City of Los Angeles’ E-Government Director for the Mayor’s Office responsible for developing strategies and oversight for the implementation of technology in the City.

I have worked with Mark for over a year and I have come to appreciate his knowledge of IT, his collaborative style, his relationships he has built with other departments, as well as his vendor and elected officials relationships. This is a well deserved appointment.

Please assist me in congratulating Mark on his appointment.

Randi Levin

General Manager and Chief Technology Officer

(213) 978-3311

randi.levin@lacity.org

A week after it was announced here, but positive news never comes late. As stated last week: Congratulations Mark and thanks for your past honesty and candor.

___________________________________

Anonymous said ... C'mon now, Mark is not the pillar of light in the great hall of ITA darkness that this post makes him out to be. He is just another kiss ass like Roger and Kamton. My god, have you seen how he leads Randi around like a personal valet? He may be a smooth talker and well connected to the Mayor's staff, but he doesn't have any more spine than the rest of the jellyfish that make up the executive team. So in the end, our executive team is a bunch of mealy mouthed soothesayers who don't have the gumption to stand up a fight for this department or for good government. They give in to every stupid notion from the Mayor's office or complaint from other department. We are doomed to mediocrity. June 7, 2008 10:44 AM

Special Council Budget Meeting

AGENDA
LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, MAY 19, 2008 10:00 A.M.


JOHN FERRARO COUNCIL CHAMBER
ROOM 340, CITY HALL
200 NORTH SPRING STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90012

Agenda and Video

Of the things noted in the May 16th report (below), all of changes recommended to the Mayors budget were adopted. The only variance as it applies to ITA are that consolidation of IT services for the Board of Public Works and CCYF are moving forward.

City Clerk and LAFD - IT consolidation - on hold indefinitely.

LAPD technology replacement program - funding returned to the Police.

Channel 36 - funding restored.

3-1-1 3rd shift staffing - funding restored.

__________________________________________

Report of the Budget and Finance Committee
Discussing the Mayor's Proposed Budget for 2008-09

The Information Technology Agency described the concepts behind its proposal to begin consolidating IT services in the ITA. Committee members instructed staff to restore funding for Channel 36, and to restore the proposed deletion of the 3-1-1 Call Center graveyard shift. Members requested information on the ITA's efforts to apply zero-based budgeting to its 2008-09 budget.

EXPENDITURES (changes):
ITA, City Clerk, Fire, Board of Public Works and Children, Youth and Their Families

62. Transfer funding ($7,035,636) and the position authorities back to the following departments for IT positions consolidated into ITA:

a. City Clerk: 2 Senior Systems Analyst Ils, 1 Senior Systems Analyst I and 4 Systems Analyst lIs ($604,692 direct cost! $197,772 indirect cost);

b. Fire: On regular authority- 1 Director of Systems, 1 Secretary, 1 Data Control Assistant II, 1 Clerk Typist, 1 Programmer Analyst IV, 1 Database Architect, 11 Systems Analyst IIs, 5 Senior Systems Analyst Is, 4 Senior Systems Analyst IIs, 4 Geographic Information Specialists, 1 Geographic Information Systems Supervisor I, and 1 Drafting Aide; and on resolution authority- 2 Programmer Analyst Is, 6 Systems Analyst IIs, and 5 Senior Systems Analyst Is ($3,750,120 direct cost! $1,240,596 indirect cost);

c. Board of Public Works: 1 Director of Systems, 1 Senior Systems Analyst II, 1 Senior Systems Analyst I, 3 Systems Analyst II, and 3 Fiscal Systems Specialist I ($867,804 direct cost! $274,536 indirect cost); and

d. Children, Youth and Their Families: 1 Systems Analyst II ($74,520 direct cost; $25,596 indirect cost).

Instruct ITA to meet with the affected General Managers to determine the level of IT services needed, any specialized services required, how a consolidation of IT positions into ITA can assist user departments with achieving their goals in a timely manner and without jeopardizing public safety, and any added value ITA will provide.

ITA/Police
63. Transfer $2,000,000 from ITA to LAPD for the LAPD's replacement technology program.

City of Los Angeles Layoff Process

From: http://www.lacity.org/per/LayoffProcess.htm

City of Los Angeles Layoff Process

City Charter

Civil Service Rules

Policies of the Personnel Department

Layoff and Displacement Seniority

Layoff Questions and Answers

COBRA Rates

COBRA Brochure

Last day to apply...

Randi is hiring two more AGM's. One to replace Simmons and the other?

http://www.lacity.org/per/Exams/exemptITA-AGMJA.pdf Today (5/16) was the last day to apply.

_______________________________________

This was a comment to the "overtime pay" post, but Rumblings felt it works for the "2 new AGM's" post as well:

Anonymous said... Those supporting communications account for over 300 people of this department. This is over a third of the department. Given this level of responsibility the two directors of communications should be AGMs. At least they should be given membership on the exec team.

Compared to others at the equivalent ISM2 level the directors of communications have way more responsibility than any of the ISM2s, and even some AGMs. the old guard AGMs have used gerry-mandering and divide and conquer tactics to dilute the power of communications services and it has worked very well for them.

The overtime numbers reflect the attempts of exec team to further pare down communications services staff. now there is no choice but to shore up services using overtime.

Randi had no idea what she was in for when she signed up for the job. What we need are a GM and AGMs recruited from either the communications ranks or someone recruited from the telecommunications business like Verizon or AT&T that understands communications. May 17, 2008 9:10 AM

Randi-stravaganza III ?

Rumblings gets word from on high that Randi is planning is yet another "All Hands" meeting for July.

This begs a question, "Who is paying for All Hands Three?"

Will it be the ITA 3rd level managers and above? Let's hope Randi conducts a "meet and confer" with their unions first. Then again, the fleecing of ITA managers didn't work out so well in round two.

Maybe it will come out of the General Fund, oh wait aren't we in a financial crisis and the City? But that will be new budget monies in July, right? Nothing like a fresh start.

In any case, we can only hope that Madame ITA has the guts to hold and open mic "Q&A" session, instead of staged questions asked by the ITA Time Keeper.

C'mon Randi, stop being a wuss.

___________________________________________

Official word came today (5/16) - no agenda yet.
Date: Thursday - July 10, 2008
Time: 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center
Subject: Save the Date - ITA's All Hands Meeting

___________________________________________

Interesting Comments:

Anonymous said... Come on...everyone complains that management isn't keeping them abreast of what's going on. When they do schedule meetings, they get blasted for it. I agree we should NOT be providing drinks and eats at the meetings. Tell staff to bring their own bottles of water to the meeting.But, please, let's continue to have these meetings or something like them. Otherwise, you will NEVER know what's going on in the department! May 17, 2008 7:32 AM

Anonymous said... I agree 7:32 AM, let's go and see what she has put together this time. This blog is about the lack of communication in ITA, hopefully we can gain something from version 3. Two horrible mistakes in the first meeting have tainted "All Hands" since. 1. Having the Mayor show up was a bad choice, I understand politics, but having that womanizing cheater show up with his slimy grin was a slap in the face to every woman in ITA. 2. The gaffe in showing images that brought back horrible memories of the Piper Tech tragedy, was completely insensitive on managements part. So we will go and if it's more of the same stuff, with management kiss butts making themselves look foolish we have this blog to vent. May 17, 2008 8:37 AM

_______________________________________

It appears that "Dubya" is looking forward to it.

Focus on Channel 36

Rumblings would like to thank the "Clippings for PEG Access Television - Contributions to the Community Media Conversation" blog for recognizing our efforts to keep the voice that is Channel 36 alive.

We are glad that, with the help of Councilman Rosendahl, the attention we focused on the proposed budget for fiscal year 08-09, has not only restored fully, but bumped up by 10% ($605K).

LA Times 5/1: The Monday morning that the mayor released his budget, Carla Carlini, the general manager of Channel 36, was nervous. The city nearly whacked Channel 36 four years ago, and the city’s red ink is a lot more crimson now. “I looked at it online,” she told me, “and literally froze.” Her budget was zero. “I printed it out, I looked at it again — at that point I picked up the phone and called [the agency that supervises the channel] and said, ‘Am I reading this correctly?’ and they said, ‘Yes.’ “

That agency? ITA

Clearly Randi and the ITA managers who horde the $3 million dollar budget for the Channel 35 (which is like one big campaign commercial for the Mini mayor and City Councilmembers), underestimated the communities outcry on behalf of Channel 36.
We are all glad that Channel 36 will carry on come July 1.

CLA's budget recommendations

CLA Report - Recommended Revisions to the Proposed 2008-09 Budget

Page 15/16: CLA recommendations affecting ITA:

ITA/City Clerk/Fire/BPW/CCYF: Transfer position authorities and funding for IT positions consolidated into ITA back to the budgets of City Clerk, Fire, Board of Public Works and Children Youth and their Families. Following the model used for the creation of the Office of Public Safety which consolidated positions and funding for security and park ranger services within GSD. ITA to meet with affected General Managers to determine the level of IT services needed, any specialized services required, how a consolidation of IT positions into ITA can assist user departments achieve their goals in a timely manner and without jeopardizing public safety, and any added value ITA will provide.

ITA/LAPD: Transfer funds from ITA to LAPD for the replacement technology program for LAPD.

Telecommunications development account: Restore funding for Channel 36 and provide additional capital costs for a total of $605,000.

ITA overtime pay

ITA staff earning over $25K in overtime pay (April 2007 - 2008)

COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - XA, LAM - $61,340.75
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - CARLOS, JOSE - $49,128.28
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - GOMEZ, JOHNNIE - $48,424.33
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - PHAINGDY, BONA - $47,384.57
SR COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - WU, TOM - $41,133.55
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - VO, HUNG - $40,854.42
COMMUN CABLE SUPV III - CISNEROS, RITO - $40,511.95
SR COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - MURRAY, RONALD - $38,408.34
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - MOY, BRIAN - $36,236.11
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - FETTERHOFF, EARL - $34,466.41
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - CASTELLANO, ALAN - $34,142.85
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - RUIZ, ALEJANDRO - $33,511.98
SR COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - HYBARGER, JOHN - $33,477.80
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - NUNEZ, EDUARDO - $32,091.31
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - CORNEJO, CARLOS - $31,925.68
SR COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - ARGUETA, CHRISTIAN - $31,469.79
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - DINH, KHAI - $30,654.41
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - MORENO, FRANK - $29,463.48
SR COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - DANG, HEIN - $29,166.87
COMMUN CABLE WORKER - IRVIN, CLARENCE - $26,952.19
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - SCHULER, ANDREW - $26,710.04
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - TRIPP, CHARLES - $26,146.78
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - SONG, HUI - $25,791.00

For ITA, it's all about keeping the City communicating. While the Daily News is sensationalizing this subject, and the Mini Mayor is politicizing City employee salaries and benefits, it's also about dedication by these employees and lack of planning and foresight by ITA management.

As reported on Mayor Sams Sister City blog today:

What's behind the overtime? You guys are going to love this. Mayoral spokeshole Matt Szabo told the Daily News that 'much of the extra pay is being driven by the cost of providing necessary city services and security for special events - from marathons to parades - that are granted fee waivers."

The City doesn't hire enough staff, is forced to pay overtime to dedicated employees, but waives the special events fees for the politicians friends, yet the Mayor and City management want to make you look like the bad guy.

__________________________________

A couple valid comments:

Anonymous said... Is this for real? Can't Randi manage resources any better than this? Will the Mr. Mini-Mayor go after the violating GMs? This is on her watch, correct? Is this OT in cash or time? Regardless, I'm in the wrong bureau! May 13, 2008 9:28 PM

Worried and Concerned said... The truth lies somewhere in between. A great portion is due to providing essential 24/7 support and service to all the city's Public Safety entities, mainly LAPD and LAFD. Some is to provide the "extra" communications support for law enforcement at many of those "special events". These costs need to be recouped from the events organizers who enjoy those "waived fee's" and all the extra security provided at these events, including communications - why is the taxpayer footing these bills? Notice where the largest share of overtime is being generated. The real cause behind this has been the unchecked decimation of Communication Services personnel over the past years by 14th Floor ITA management. Their past and present myopic vision along with a complete disregard as to the consequences of their actions has left no other course of action than to incur these huge overtime expenditures in order to provide the proper 24/7 support required by LA's Public Safety departments. When we experience a major disruption to the communications system by a disaster such as a large earthquake these systems will have to be brought back on line by an ever decreasing core of people. The very same dedicated employees that are currently being highlighted in this blog. It's not the cost of the overtime budget we should be concentrating on - it's the gross reduction of skilled manpower that is the root cause. However, what is more troubling to me is "Who will pay the ultimate price when their call for help goes unanswered during a major disaster due to the lack of skilled personnel necessary to restore these communications systems that the LAPD and LAFD rely on 24/7"? May 13, 2008 11:57 PM

Sound Familiar?

Interim Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) GM - BongHwan Kim slammed in management study on the eve of his council confirmation:
http://mayorsam.blogspot.com/2008/05/interim-done-gm-slammed-in-management.html

Excerpt: The DONE staff members who responded to the survey were highly critical of Kim and other DONE senior managers found serious concerns with respect to accountability, distribution of work and management's - including Kim's - lack of the needed skill sets to manage the department. DONE employees also complained that management rarely takes and implement suggestions; that the only such recommendation implemented in the last year was that of a "morale club."

Maybe we need a "morale club" at ITA.

LACERS Early Retirement Window

Item 226:

CITY OF LOS ANGELES
INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE

Date: May 12, 2008
To: Budget and Finance Committee
From: Karen L. Sisson, City Administrative Officer
Subject: LACERS EARLY RETIREMENT WINDOW

As you are aware, an actuarial study was conducted by The Segal Company to look at several options for an early retirement window for employees in the Los Angeles City "Employees' Retirement System (LACERS). The study included the costs associated with four proposed scenarios - the first two proposals added either 1 or 5 years to a member's age, while the last two proposals added either 1 or 5 years to a member's years of service. The additional years added to age or service would enhance both the pension and medical benefits provided to eligible members who choose to retire during a specified period.

The study concluded that there will be a decrease in the employer contribution and an increase in the LACERS Unfunded Actuarial Accrued Liability (UAAL). In addition, the LACERS funded ratio would decrease between 1.4% and 3.1% depending on the scenario used. The following table summarizes the results of the study:

Scenario A
(1 Year of Age)
Employer Contribution Rate: $8.96 million
UAAL Increase: $221 million
Funded Ratio: 83.9%
Increase/Decrease: -1.4%
No. of Members Eligible to Retire: 6,238
No. of Members Anticipated to Retire*: 1,871

Scenario B
(5 Years of Age)
Employer Contribution Rate: $8.81 million
UAAL Increase: $410 million
Funded Ratio: 82.7%
Increase/Decrease: -2.6%
No. of Members Eligible to Retire: 8,801
No. of Members Anticipated to Retire*: 2,640

Scenario C
(1 Year of Svc)
Employer Contribution Rate: $7.72 million
UAAL Increase: $234 million
Funded Ratio: 83.8%
Increase/Decrease: -1.5%
No. of Members Eligible to Retire: 6,021
No. of Members Anticipated to Retire*: 1,806

Scenario D
(5 Years of Svc)
Employer Contribution Rate: $.28 million
UAAL Increase: $500 million
Funded Ratio: 82.2%
Increase/Decrease: -3.1%
No. of Members Eligible to Retire: 8,078
No. of Members Anticipated to Retire*: 2,423

* Based on actuarial assumption that 30% of these members would retire under the window.

A number of actuarial assumptions were used in the study to determine the costs and impacts of an early retirement option. The assumptions included the following:

• A total of 30% of eligible members would retire immediately with either a reduced or unreduced retirement.

• The City would not back fill positions vacated by members who accept the early retirement window for 30 years.

Upon further review by CAO staff, it became apparent that an additional study with revised assumptions is needed. The ultimate cost of an early retirement plan is directly related to the number of members who actually retire. And while it is impossible to predict how many employees will take advantage of an early retirement window, the 30% assumption does not appear to be realistic. It is more likely that a higher percentage of employees eligible for an unreduced retirement and a lower percentage of employees eligible for a reduced retirement Will actually take an early retirement. Therefore, following a further analysis of employees eligible to retire, the 30% assumption should be revised in an attempt to more accurately capture the salary savings to be generated from early retirements.

The study also assumes that City positions vacated by early retirements would not be back filled. This assumption is not realistic given the magnitude of City services provided to the public. When an employee retires, the likelihood that the City will need to back fill the vacated position to avoid a long-term reduction in service varies from position to position. Therefore, the back fill assumption should be amended to account for the fact that some positions will need to be filled earlier than others.

As part of the economic re opener to the MOU's, the City is currently discussing the possibility of a retirement incentive program with the Coalition of City Unions. It is anticipated that after further discussions with City staff and union representatives, and further analysis of employee data, modified assumptions will be developed to refine the results of the first actuarial study. This process will likely take several weeks to complete.
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Reminder, as noted before in this blog, the current EAA contract (through June 2010), has NO economic re-opener. Most ITA employees are covered by EAA MOU's.

Daily News reports City pay/overtime

The LA Daily News has reported LA City employees salaries and overtime pay:

City employee payroll chart
Payroll story

City employee OT chart
OT story

In a clear attempt to stir readers ire, the Daily News reported City employee salaries and overtime pay in their online edition today. Must be a quiet day in news when middle-class salaries, in a metropolitan area like L.A., become front page news.

The obvious name/salary missing from the list, is the Mini-Mayors. First he went after your civil service rights and seniority, now he's allowing the Valley rag to post your income. Stirring the pot. The politicization of your hard earned salary is underway.
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Furlough time
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City employees that gave voluntary work furlough time: CAO's Furlough list (all City employees)

Rumblings noticed three General Managers on the City list, Randi was not one of them. Gene Gamachi was the only ITA executive manager on the ITA list.

ITA participation:

ITA management:
ASST GM INFO TECH AGCY - GAMACHI, GENE K - $615.20
INFO SYSTEM MGR II - HORCHER, VAN L - $537.20
CH MANAGEMENT ANALYST - LUNG TAM, AGNES Y - $537.20
INFO SYSTEM MGR II - STEINMEHL, GREGORY J - $537.20
INFO SYSTEM MGR II - LEE, HENRY C - $508.80
INFO SYSTEM MGR II - KIM, SUNG S - $481.92
INFO SYSTEM MGR I - LAU, WILLIAM P - $452.64
INFO SYSTEM MGR I - TAKAHATA, KATHY M - $452.64
8 total - $4,122.80

ITA Non-Management:
SR SYSTEMS ANALYST II - HALBERG, TERRY G - $446.67
PROGRAMMER/ANALYST V - HO, PATRICK K - $439.29
PROGRAMMER/ANALYST IV - TANG, WILLIAM H - $407.70
PROGRAMMER/ANALYST IV - YANG, WEN HAO - $407.70
SYSTEMS PROGRAMMER II - SHIN, KIJOON - $403.92
PROGRAMMER/ANALYST IV - PELL, RICHARD W - $362.40
SR SYSTEMS ANALYST I - KAZANDJIAN, KEVORK A - $357.60
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN SUPV - CARTER, RONALD J - $349.83
MANAGEMENT ANALYST II - HILL, ROBERT E - $340.29
MANAGEMENT ANALYST II - PAGUIA, ELOISA J - $340.29
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN SUPV - SOJA, DENNIS - $310.96
COMMUN ENGRG ASSOC II - NGUYEN, KHANH T - $310.00
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - SOO HOO, KENTON - $304.47
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - NGUYEN, TONY T - $270.64
EXEC ADMIN ASST II - CASTRO, ROBERTA L - $250.88
COMMUN INFO REP II - CORBETT, SANDRA S - $202.48
PROGRAMMER/ANALYST IV - DER, ANNA - $181.20
APPLICATIONS PROGRAMMER - SHTEYN, ELENA - $150.50
COMMUN ELECTRICIAN - PRUDHOLME, ANTHONY L - $71.38
SYSTEMS PROGRAMMER I - TAKAHASHI, MARIAN C - $46.93
20 total - $5,955.13

ITA Total: 28 employees - $10,077.93

Channel 36 being censored?

Leslie Dutton, Full Disclosure writes:

Full Disclosure on L.A. Channel 36, was not shown tonight during our regular time slot, without any notice or explanation.

We sent out thousands of Emails, as we usually do, notifying people of the programs that would be airing tonight. This was the first time that we promoted the fact that LA 36 Channel is streaming the program live from www.la36.org during that time slot of 8-9 p.m. I wonder what people thought about the LA 36 channel when Full Disclosure was not there and instead they are listening to a discussion from Cal State Dominguez Hills on "Deviates" in society.

You would think there would be some notice. Will our programs be shown Monday from 4-5 p.m. as the Channel schedule promises.? Is this a glimpse of things to come?
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What was suppose to be shown:

The Full Disclosure Network presents a Video News Blog Special Series covering Foreign Student Visa Loopholes, School Bonds and the Audits and Investigations of the LAUSD, to be featured the on Cable TV as follows:

L. A . Cable Channel 36
or Live video stream www.la36.org
on Sunday May 11th 8-9 pm.
Monday May 12th 4-5 p.m.

Terrorist Visa Loopholes? - Covering the crossroads battle over immigration and how the powerful education lobby influences U. S. Immigration Policy and student visa policies.

Secret School Bonds Create Billions Public Debt - LAUSD School Bonds issued without voter approval approach a billion dollars in outstanding debt.

IRS Relents to School District Clout - IRS waives penalty and sanctions for school district’s illegal use of non-voter approved bonds.

Prosecutor Attacks FDN on School Bond Cover-up Blog. - The truth is revealed from all perspectives on the questionable financing on Belmont.

Auditors & Investigators Speak Out on Lack of Prosecution - for big dollar crimes in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
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Are the ITA and the Mayor censoring this LA schools investigation/blog?
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E-mail from Full Disclosure:

Rumblings:

Can you tell me how LA36 video streams their shows? Last night the wrong show was video streamed (in place of ours) on their website where they have live streaming. Is the video streaming a separate function or does TIME WARNER (play back out of Santa Monica) do control that too?

Reason I ask: I got a message from GM at LA36 saying the City got wind of Rumblings intent to send an Email to protest what happened to us. Then they sent me an Email saying that it was Time Warner who had a problem software and that our show is "back on track" to run this afternoon. My question is could both the cable and the Internet software go bad at the same time, by accident?

So just the hint that Rumblings was going to take action, panicked the City. GOOD JOB!
Leslie

If someone knows the answer to Leslie's question please let Rumblings know and we will forward the info.