Another humorous memo from Dan Martin from last year.
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Enjoy!
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
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- More Dan Martin memos of interest.
- Brooks Willis' city phone listed on Realty web site.
- Teaser for FastFrame scam.
- Another interesting article.
- Deleted Bluffton Today post!
- Memo suggesting firing of officers.
- Who will replace Rodney Cannon?
- Another memo from the "acting" Chief Dan Martin.
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14 comments:
Based on this poorly written and threatening memo dated in June 2006, by the LT, it seems that serious problems DID and DO exsist within the HPD. That said, why all the discontent about the city's attempt to revamp and straighten out the PD? Please be nice and civil if you choose to reply.
Have we forgotten who and what we stand for in our town? Im ashamed of this blog. The dirt that is being thrown from a few nasty people that have other agendas in mind. This is a old game. Dirty politics, don't be fooled. I have been around a long time and seen this game before. You can say whatever you want and not be accountable for it. If you believe in what you say, don't be ashamed of it. I know better than most, of the problems we have in OUR town, and no one has given what my family has to make this a better place to live and raise our children. Those of you that have not made mistakes, please throw the first stone.
Coach,
Thanks for your well thought out question and civility.
My answer includes but isn't linmited to the following:
City Hall's demand for revenue above and beyond normal ticket writing parameters.
City Hall stating that any officer who was caught doing nothing (such as having coffee at The Waffle House) would be fired...think back on that one, it happened.
City Hall allowing T.C. to treat city employees with disdain and not be accountable for late or no payments to child support, many lost their supplemental Aflac insurance when they found out months after signing up that payments had never been made, T.C. using the company credit card for personal use, allowing her to pad comp. time hours for herself and others including high level administration.
This also includes large payouts of comp. time to close friends and associates.
When an officer in the department saw a check stub for one of the payouts to Lt. Martin, the possibility of firing him was discussed.
Five current and previous employees receive letters from the IRS stating that they had worked for a company called "FastFrame" and owed taxes on salaries in excess of $30,000 for a particular year.
The letters actually said "as reported by The City of Hardeeville."
Where did that tax money go? These employees had never even heard of FastFrame before and they still haven't cleared themselves with the IRS.
Shane Haynes' bullying of city employees followed by his tears, lost him the respect of all city employees.
I have about 30 or so more key points but I am tired now...let's start with those.
Dear Admin 1:
Perhaps you know some things some of us who visit this site do not. I am just someone who wishes to see the city do well. And it bothers me that good energy is spent on bickering and accusations. So, my remarks are based on general knowledge, and nothing I can declare specific. That is my disclaimer. Still, I offer you this: There is a universal assumption that traffic citations generate funds for municipalities. I can tell you with my background that this is a fallacy. Traffic tickets do not generate funds locally. At the end of assessments, a town receives roughly 25% of what a violator pays. So, perhaps the city manager was merely suggesting to some employees that they earn their paychecks. I believe entry-level HPD officers are paid around 30K annually, and are usually given a car to drive home. There are police officers who dream of those kinds of amenities with that level of compensation. So I would have a problem if an employee frequented fast food establishments more than serving, protecting and enforcing. He or she should eat before they leave home. Next, do you know the number one reason people die in South Carolina? By far it is due to traffic accidents. Your loved ones, especially the very young and old, have a much greater chance of being killed or severely injured in a car accident more than anything else in this world. Traffic enforcement works for much more than making cities money. Third, ever notice what happens when careless drivers approach a city limits sign. They slow down. They do this more at city limits because they suspect that the speed limits will be somewhat enforced, though not strictly, and you know that. People who live in city limits deserve to have safe streets, and peaceful quiet neighborhoods, even if they don’t realize it. Service levels within a city limit are expected to be more immediate, personal and professional within a city. So maybe, just maybe, this is a long over due attempt to professionalize city services. Unfortunately, sometimes people have to either adapt or be replaced when they refuse to adapt. Let us remain civil.
coach, if municipalities only see about 25% of traffic enforcement revenue, why is it so pushed? Especially in a city the size of Hardeeville, where it is expected (in the budget) to bring in 1.7 million in by means of fines and forfeitures? Because of the safety factor, as you point out, to try to minimize accidents and such, especially for the children? So how does that look, when a city official or one who enforces traffic laws, is known to drink and drive? Now that would be more personal policing, wouldn't it? If a drunk officer or city official caused a tragic accident.....And regarding careless drivers slowing down when they hit the city limits...And are employees to be sustained for 12 hours by eating before they go to work? What about city hall employees, who are seen out eating...they work less hours, get paid more, also have take home cars, and yes, i'll say it, do not have the life threatening stresses that their officers face. Is the amenity of having a take home car to make up for not eating? Bigger question, do you really think that it appeals to officers to get 30k a year and a take home car in leiu of having qualified personnel to back you up in a dire situation, or having the trust in your upper management to look after your best interest? Woo-hoo, where do I sign up?Actually, I feel that by frequenting businesses the officers are becoming more personal by interacting with citizens/business owners, etc...just one more thing....if it's not about the revenue, why is the interim chief burdened with running laser details (mandatory overtime) more frequently now when other things need to be done to get the department in order (like maybe a policy and procedure manual for the officers, or training for the rookies)
All good points, however, Hardeeville police just recently got a pay rise from $25,000.
Also, Those guys work twelve hour shifts! The fact that you think that they should not eat at all during that time amazes me.
(8:00am-8:00pm shift)
Imagine this, you eat breakfast at 7:00am get to work by 7:45am and get home at 8:30 - 8:45pm and now you have to prepare yourself dinner!
That is a laughable.
You aren't allowing for any breaks for a job that requires more concentration, skill, and intelligence than even the City Administrator's.
Let's face it, the growth was coming to 278 regardless of who was in office.
What about the current situation with officers having to come in on one of their three days off to run laser, which is currently ongoing?
That is mandatory per Lt. Martin.
All officers on duty as I am writing this are out at the three mile marker running laser with no one patrolling the city.
Feel free to respond to some of the other weighty issues mentioned. I look forward to you response.
It certainly is a factor that a town/municipality receives only 25% on an average citation. Consider this:
1. An average speeding ticket of $129 netting $32.. then do the math of 6 of these each shift for an average of 15 workdays a month makes about $2900 a month per officer. Those pennies add up quickly.
2. As an even bigger math, prior to Bluffton's fiasco with town tickets, an average of only 1 $500 town ticket per shift for careless op (of which the state was receiving nada, zippo, zilch) for 15 days: ahem, $7500 a month revenue. And if you had a particulary hard-charging ticket writer... There once was a man named Grindle who would average no less than 300 tickets in a month...no joke.. in fact he would often brag about it at the local Waffle House for all to hear, ask any employee from the 2000 - 2003 time frame.
The aforementioned having been deemed illegal (it always was)has taken away lots of greenbacks for the town.
And, by the way, due to the location of towns along the interstate, most ticketed interstate travelers would rather opt for a careless op ticket... Now that would be the proverbial 'cash cow' for ANY small town.
Solution: make your officers work twice as hard, turn them into revenuers instead of POLICE/PEACE officers.
This response is for both Admin1 and S: Let me make it perfectly clear. I do not oppose, and no one should appose any employee eating during a 12-hour shift or an eight shift and hopefully developing appropriate relationships with local merchants. Reading what I posted after I posted it, I could see how that could have been taken the wrong way. My apology. But if you are in law enforcement, or if you are close to someone who is, you know the kinds of employees I am talking about. They clock in and then sign out at the waffle house for an hour before they do anything else. These kinds of employees are out there. As for the Lieutenant everybody seems to be referring to, he did not promote himself to Lieutenant, did he? I know from personal experiences that nothing will destroy an organization more thoroughly than poor supervision. Good leaders do not promote or tolerate poor supervisors. It appears that HPD is at least one city department, that is the product of poor leadership, which leads to poor supervisors being promoted, which in turn gives you what you have got – poor morale. And for mandatory overtime details to run radar, I lead people for a living. I have never had a mandatory anything, because I put people first. And I realized I was not made ruler of the world when I was assigned to lead. I was made a leader to help people. Mandatory seldom does. The 12-hour shifts are brutal enough and I personally do not believe in them. Finally, local officials are people. Just like the police, firefighters, etc, and yes, they are held to a higher standard. They don’t always do what is right. If a city official is consistently violating the law, I would suggests that the local PD stay out of enforcing this and refer your suspicions to your local sheriff’s department, state police, or your state patrol. Because, an entry-level lawyer can successfully argue against any enforcement by locals on local officials, the revenge motive, in a courtroom. And the official will certainly believe that is what it is. You have heard the old saying before: there is more than one way to skin a cat. Sorry for the long opine.
Hometown,
I don't think the purpose of this blog is to spread hate or negativity, merely to weed out the bad parts of the administration and hold them accountable for their deeds.
I am convinced that the administrator and his supporters actually have Hardeeville and its citizens at heart and want to see nothing but success for the town.
However it is their detractors they wish to see gone and having had first hand experiences of Haynes and his lackies' appalling leadership and managerial skills (and he was just plain rude to me)I think the successful growth of Hardeeville will only continue to be just that after Haynes and other incompetents (Yes, Martin, that means you) have found 'alternative employment'.
Haynes, Martin and TC have caused much personal hurt and anger. TC is now gone and Martin and Haynes will eventually also pay for their incompetence. Do citizens of hardeeville really want a man with such a lack of education running their SECURITY force? My message to him: Go back to 3rd Grade Martin, perhaps AA whilst you are at it.
I realise after writing a few posts that I want to tie up in a few sentences by hopes and aspirations for Hardeeville.
I love this town and I want nothing more than to see it bloom and flourish under good leadership. The only way to attempt to attain that good leadership is by disposing of the two inadequate men who run the show, Shane and Daniel. However, since Haynes positioned himself so he can only be fired by an unanimous decision on behalf the council, it is up to the citizens of h'ville to elect new council members who will do the job the current ones are too scared to. Please, come elction time, VOTE FOR SOMEONE ELSE. It is our only way to be rid of Shane and the thick one.
On a sidenote, a couple of years back Haynes gave himself, via the votes of the lackluster council, a significant payrise (around $14000, but not exact on that one.)Meanwhile it was suggested that their were not enough funds in the city budget to give cops a cost of living pay rise (we are talking inflation here folks, not really a proper pay rise) and I know for sure they didn't get one for at least 2 and a half years. Haynes' pay rise would have more than covered a 2.4% rise. He is a greedy selfish man who only had power and control in his mind.
Also, the starting figure on cops used to be only $26,000. Anyone who thinks that is well paid for the job that they do needs to ride with one of these guys for a week. I promise you, you would bump up their paycheck considerably. It is a well worn joke around the families of these guys that they could earn the same wage as a shift manager at McDonalds. Who would you rathe have protecting you as you sleep at night? Ronald McDonald or Dan Martin? Wait....they're the same guy.
coach, i do beleive that a big part of the problem is due to poor leadership, from a cheif that seemed to be too idle, giving too much control on his appointed staff, to council and the citizens of hardeeville electing to place the manager in the position he is in now. The citizens were strongly led to beleive that having the manager run things would be the way to go. I am one who voted for it, after talking with many people who assured me that it was the thing to do. How dissappointed i am now. i think that there are several on the council who need to go, the #1 one being the top dog! Hardeeville is growing too much to retain the 'good ol boy' ways, and that is what it seems upper management is relying on to get out of sticky situations.
Coach
"So, perhaps the city manager was merely suggesting to some employees that they earn their paychecks."
Police earning their paychecks? Last time I checked citizens don't require their police force to earn their paychecks through traffic tickets. Isn't it a social requirement to have an effective police force regardless of traffic revenue? What if I95 didn't run through h'ville? How would they earn their keep then?
How does the city administrator earn his $110,000 plus a year?
This is an ignorant comment Coach.
S
Thanks for your response. And thanks for refraining from lowering yourself to calling me names. I will gladly exchange comments with you and anyone who wishes to correspond with respect and good manners, even when our views are different. Here is my opinion; almost all small towns with a council manager form of government end up in disorder. This form of government is more suitable for big cities like Greenville, Savannah, Hilton Head, etc. Administrators are more appropriate for towns like Hardeeville and Ridgeland. By the way, that is what they have in Ridgeland. I don’t know your city manager, never met him and will not act as a judge and or a jury. I do know and respect the fact that in most small towns, people want a say in their local government. The manager form of government does not allow much of that. As for your vote, don’t we all wish we could live life in reverse? I know I do. The good thing is you will get to vote again. And when you do, now you know. And, for traffic tickets, they will always be a topic of contention in small towns because people are convinced that it is a primary source of revenue. And governments - local, state and national, just make it hard for people to trust them. I know. I work for one. Those with concerns about traffic revenues should ask for a copy of the line item of projected revenues for their respective cities in the current year budget. That is public information and must be made available. Again, I am not the source of all knowledge, but I do have an inside idea of how government works, or at times don’t work. Chat with you soon.
Coach,
I acknowledge that you didn't acknowledge my comment.
How political of you. In the business?
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