Thompson’s final act: Stick it to Maynard

Posted by

in Editorial Archives

Friday, December 9. 2011

Comments (57)

City of Winder employees won’t get Christmas bonuses this month, but over the coming year they will get something even better.

Tuesday night, the council voted — with only one dissenting vote — to give employees a three percent pay hike. The idea had been put to the council Monday night by outgoing Mayor Chip Thompson.

It was a very, very clever maneuver by Thompson who, in effect, tied his successors hands financially and politically.

The issue here isn’t whether or not city employees deserved a raise. Rather, the issue is, can the city afford the $190,000 extra the raise will cost every year?

The short answer is, nobody knows.

Nobody with the city analyzed the budget impact of the pay hike before it was done. It all came from Thompson and was rushed through without much input or discussion based on facts.

No data was collected. It was only put on the council agenda last Friday. It was discussed by the council Monday night, when incorrect numbers were passed around the table, and then voted on Tuesday night.

Nobody really knows what the pay hike will mean financially to the city in the long run, because the council acted in a rash and irresponsible manner.

So why did Thompson propose a pay hike he knew the city might not be able to afford?

For two reasons: First, hiking city expenses ties the hands of incoming Mayor David Maynard financially and could force him to have to make cuts to the budget for the FY2013. It was payback aimed at Maynard, who defeated Thompson in November’s election.

The second reason Thompson pushed the plan at his last meeting as mayor was to drive a political wedge between Maynard and city employees and the city council itself.

Thompson knew Maynard would oppose the pay hike and that in doing so, it would make Maynard look bad to city employees, all of whom obviously support higher pay for themselves. Maynard did oppose the pay hike, but was the only council member to speak or vote against it. Thompson isolated Maynard by ramming the issue through the council before Maynard had time to collect any data.

In addition, Thompson set Maynard up on a side issue. Monday night, Thompson suggested that the city help pay for the employee pay hike by doing away with the city council members’ own plush city-paid insurance benefits. He knew Maynard would support that idea, but that council members would not go along with doing away with their own benefits – at least not on Tuesday night.

Before Tuesday night’s vote, Maynard did propose doing away with the council’s insurance benefits, but Thompson never said a word. He had baited Maynard Monday night by saying he supported the move, then sat back and left Maynard out on a limb by when it came time to vote.

The twin issues of the pay hike and council insurance also served to hammer a wedge between the incoming mayor and his council. By listening to Thompson and voting his way on the pay hike proposal, the council in effect publically dissed incoming mayor Maynard.

The council should have deferred this critical vote until after Jan. 1 out of deference to the new mayor and incoming council. It is, after all, Maynard and the new council that will have to find a way to pay for Thompson’s pay hike. And a delay would have given the council time to study the recently released city audit and to have staff analyze what the pay hike would mean financially for the city.

Instead, the council backed Thompson’s maneuver and its vote served only to undermine Maynard’s incoming administration.

It was all very clever. One has to give Thompson credit for the duplicity with which he handled this.

It is vintage for the outgoing mayor. During his tenure, Thompson often rammed through items with little notice to the council and without any supporting data. Tuesday night, he succeeded again.

Now the real questions need to be asked.

How will the city pay for raises it may not be able to afford?

How will the city explain the pay hikes to its citizens, many of whom are underemployed or not getting pay hikes of their own?

And how will the council now rebuild trust with Maynard after it just disregarded his very legitimate apprehensions and embarrassed him in a public vote that snubbed the incoming mayor’s leadership?

Thompson may soon be gone as mayor, but in a final act worthy of Shakespeare, he stuck a political and financial knife into the heart of his successor.

Mike Buffington is co-publisher of the Barrow Journal. He can be reached at mike@mainstreetnews.com.

Trackbacks

Trackback specific URI for this entry

No Trackbacks

Comments

Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

#1 Anonymous on 12/09/11 at 06:17 AM [Reply]

That's a truly whacky interpretation. Your raging egomania and delusions of power have really placed your flaws on display this time. Ye flippin' godz!

#2 Anonymous on 12/09/11 at 07:09 AM [Reply]

Facts or not, by the way this article is written it sounds like this paper has an alterior motive here. Personal involvement rather that news reporting.

#2.1 Mr. Webster on 12/09/11 at 09:15 AM [Reply]

ed•i•to•ri•al
noun
1.
an article in a newspaper or other periodical presenting the opinion of the publisher, editor, or editors.
2.
a statement broadcast on radio or television that presents the opinion of the owner, manager, or the like, of the station or channel.

#2.1.1 Michael Robinson on 12/09/11 at 09:33 AM [Reply]

The "Editorial" tag could be bigger. It's fine if you're used to the common blog format and know to look for tags and categories, but it's easy to miss otherwise.

#3 Richard Saunders on 12/09/11 at 07:23 AM [Reply]

Mr. Buffington,

The blame not only resides with Mr. Thompson, whom I underestimated with the intellect to pull such a shrewd maneuver, but the 3 council members who tirelessly side with the out-going Mayor. This would have passed either way and Maynard, Dixon, and Morris knew it. They didn't stand a chance with the tie-breaker going to the Mayor. It's very reminiscient of Joe Frank and his promise not to raise taxes forcing all local school systems to be the bearer of bad news. The real culprits in this are Parrish, Eberhardt, and Dunnagan.

#3.1 Mike Buffington, Publisher on 12/09/11 at 07:39 AM [Reply]

Perhaps, but it was the mayor who had it put on the agenda and who pushed it through without any supporting data. It would have never come up without his having pushed it. That other council members followed him without asking for hard data is certainly their fault. That they did not defer this decision until after Jan. 1 and allow the new administration to deal with it was the worst aspect.

#4 if on 12/09/11 at 07:41 AM [Reply]

it was not the RIGHT thing to do then the Three other members should have held fast and voted no, too many worry about the future elections and the Govt workers going out and gunning for them and not enough about the TAXPAYERS who have to work to pay for what spineless elected people do and excuse rather then take a stand, now we expect these wishy washy bunch to look out for the people that pay the bills in winder or just themselfs all of them seems only the Mayor elect had the courage here the rest should resign today!!!

#4.1 Anonymous on 12/09/11 at 07:55 AM [Reply]

I read several of these post and one thing I have found by your style of writing and entry is that you post a lot, at all times of the day, and on many subjects. My question to you is do you work, do you have a job, do they know that you sit on this site all day and run off at the fingertips? Just asking. TAXPAYER TAXOAYER.

#5 Anonymous on 12/09/11 at 08:43 AM [Reply]

Merry Christmas, Mr. Buffington. You have succeeded in again writing a self-serving editorial with bitterness toward one of the best mayor's the city of Winder has seen in years. I can't wait to read your comments when the do-nothing years of Buddy Outz are reiterated by the Maynard administration. You'll have a lot of fodder with which to work. Then, again, there may not be anything done to write about. I haven't had a raise in years, but I applaud the council for increasing the pay of city employees who have to deal with some of the fair citizens of this town. I'd love to see you and some of these negative bloggers spend one day serving the citizens of Winder and Barrow County, yet the employees of the city do so with compassion and class - something you know nothing about.

#6 Pinchin' pennies on 12/09/11 at 09:33 AM [Reply]

Of course the city employees deserve raises. They have waited a long time for a pay increase. The sad truth is, if the money isn't there, it isn't there and to ask the taxpayers to ante up more money so the city employees can get a raise, just isn't right.
I feel like my children deserve bigger & better Christmas presents this year, but I can only do what my budget allows. Governments should operate in the same manner....doing only what their current budget allows. All of this spending with abandon is what gets people and governments in financial trouble. Winder already has enough financial problems.
Mr. Thompson pushing this through without allowing for time to examine the consequences to the City budget just goes to show that he does not now, nor has he ever had the best interest of the City at heart.

#7 Charisse Lackey on 12/09/11 at 09:53 AM [Reply]

Mr. Buffington - Your editorial disgusts me. 5 city council members voted for the pay raise and yet you blame it all on the mayor. I will never spend a penny to purchase your paper because of you. Our city would be well rid of YOU and your paper.

#7.1 Mike Buffington, Publisher on 12/09/11 at 12:52 PM [Reply]

The facts are what they are.

#7.1.1 Winder Resident on 12/09/11 at 02:22 PM [Reply]

Mike, you choose to make up crap on how you feel the facts should be. Just like last week when you wrote a story about how Mr. Thompson was attempting to make the BCN the paper for Winder to use for legal Ads! Again you were wrong and have yet to apologize for your bashing towards Chip.

#7.2 Anonymous on 12/09/11 at 04:15 PM [Reply]

Oh come on Charisse. You will still be sitting up at the Dairy Queen every day reading the Barrow Journal, drinking a milk shake and eating some fries.

#8 I notice on 12/09/11 at 10:26 AM [Reply]

the polls lean against the spending the waste and the lazy shiftless elected persons and those they hire,
If you notice the polls here from people voting wre against this raise, against not letting folks buy beer, against the private use of county equipment has a benefit, yet the county and city workers attack anyone or groups that dare to question the orders they march on!!1 take from the taxpayer and fill our pockets!!!

#8.1 Anonymous on 12/09/11 at 10:48 AM [Reply]

#8 did you see my comment above on #4.1

#9 Anonymous on 12/09/11 at 01:32 PM [Reply]

It's interesting to watch some of you floks attack Mr. Buffington and the Barrow Journal.

At last, a paper willing to take on the city of Winder. In the past, they were able to get away with anything they wanted and have it swep under the rug. The citizens of Winder have been kept in the dark for ages and now that the light is shining on the "city"...some don't like it.

This kind of crap has been going on for years but now that there is a "new paper in town", things might change. These clowns on the council will know that somebody will actually report their stupid actions and all the public will know what they voted on.

By the way, you can pick out the posters that work for the city of are a family member or a close frind of an employee...they are the defensive ones or the ones attacking the messenger. You sure as hell don't hear from many taxpayers in support of this effort in this poor economy.

Way to go Buffington, I agree with what you wrote 100%. Keep up the "light source" so the rats can't hide in the corner any longer. I sympathize with Maynard, the job will be hard enough with slow revenues, let alone, more money going out than coming in.

#9.1 Anonymous on 12/09/11 at 03:29 PM [Reply]

Taxpayers? What city do you live in? Winder has no city taxes. If I was thinking of moving to Winder and read only the BJ, I would think twice. They aren't bringing anything to light. They are digging for something to call news, and when they can't, they editorialize and present it as facts. Why would citizens be kept in the dark? If you are truly concerned about your government, run for office. And, I am neither a city employee nor relative. This type of statement could be turned back on you. Your comments make you look like you work for the BJ, but I know some who work there, and you don't seem to have the knowledge they do. Have you read the financial report for the city? What slow revenues? People pay their utility bills.

#9.1.1 Mike Buffington, Publisher on 12/09/11 at 03:38 PM [Reply]

To clarify, the Winder city government does have taxes.

#9.1.1.1 Anonymous on 12/09/11 at 09:09 PM [Reply]

My apologies to blogger #9. My reply was directed toward #6 and now Mr. Buffington in 9.1.1. There is no city property tax in Winder; there is a county property tax. There is no city school tax; there is county school tax. Funding for the operations of the City comes from the following primary sources: sales taxes,fines and forfeitures, licensing and permitting activities and utility profits. Please don't mislead the public into thinking their "taxes" will be raised to fund the employee increases.

#9.1.1.1.1 Mike Buffington on 12/09/11 at 09:25 PM [Reply]

There is a 3 mill tax in winder andsales taxes and business taxes are taxes. Don't mislead people into thinking winder doesn't have taxes....

#9.1.1.1.1.1 Robert Lanham on 12/09/11 at 11:26 PM [Reply]

Mike, you are absolutely right - those of us who live in Winder do pay property taxes to the city. And I am pretty sure that our utility rates, especially our natural gas rates, are higher than they would be if we lived somewhere there was competition in the marketplace. The city has a monopoly in those areas, and they use the profits to fund the operations of the city. I'm not necessarily complaining, but those people who scream and shout about the fact that the city doesn't have a "property tax" should take a look at what it is really costing them.

#9.1.1.1.1.1.1 Anonymous on 12/14/11 at 02:05 PM [Reply]

Please refer to the City of Winder's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and specifically pages 114 and 115. This can be found at www.cityofwinder.com. The City of Winder has not assessed a property tax since 1977. All sales taxes are levied county-wide and collected by the State of Georgia. The State then distributes the various local option sales taxes to the local jurisdictions. There is no sales tax levied directly by the City of Winder. The City receives a portion of local option sales taxes based on a negotiated distribution formula. Can sales taxes be increased without a referendum? The blogger seems to indicate that our taxes will be increased to pay the increases for city employees.

#9.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Mike Buffington, Publisher on 12/14/11 at 02:09 PM [Reply]

Winder levies a 3 mill property tax. See page 78 under Revenues where it says "Fire District Taxes." That $922,715 is from a property tax levied by the city.

#9.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Anonymous on 12/14/11 at 02:22 PM [Reply]

Yes, that is a Fire District Tax which covers less than 1/2 of the budgeted expenditures for the Winder Fire Department. I still don't see how it can be used to pay for City of Winder employee pay increases.

#9.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Mike buffington on 12/14/11 at 02:38 PM [Reply]

Nobody said it would or could that I'm aware of.

#9.1.1.1.2 also on 12/09/11 at 09:38 PM [Reply]

It isnt profits from the water and gas soley first off those are not the CITYs they are the citizens unfortunatly when the Govt has the monopoly and in Georgia not bound by rates like non Govt providers they do tax as in raise the rates of current customers and that may be the choice to whether future business decides if it is to be levies increased prices for resources or if they go to other area where the rates are not up to Govt but regulated by Govt

#9.1.1.1.2.1 Anonymous on 12/11/11 at 07:00 AM [Reply]

Just remember though Winder gas an Winder water are sold outside of the city limits of Winder. So you have county residence who are helping to pay the bill for the City operations as well.

#9.1.1.1.2.1.1 not just Barrow on 12/11/11 at 07:47 AM [Reply]

iT IS SOLD OUTSIDE THE COUNTY ALSO.

#9.2 K Smith on 12/09/11 at 05:01 PM [Reply]

I agree 100 %. You hit the nail on the head.

#9.3 mark my words on 12/11/11 at 06:53 AM [Reply]

I agree! Keep up the good work Mike and BJ!

#10 Anonymous on 12/09/11 at 03:56 PM [Reply]

David can easily remedy this situation. Just lay off enough city employes to make up for the raise. The city could easily get by with less workers.

#10.1 lost your mind on 12/10/11 at 09:50 AM [Reply]

Our city services are sorely lacking as is..from road repair to not enough police to patrol town and leaf and other pick up. People who could work all the big machinery have all been downsized.

#10.1.1 I on 12/10/11 at 12:05 PM [Reply]

can take you and find CDL holders to run Vacum trucks for the leaves, the truth is the city is paying too much for trash and road crew workers Roberston san doesnt pay near that much, these workers were already making 30 percent more and yet they cry for more!

#10.1.1.1 nah on 12/10/11 at 12:45 PM [Reply]

...and the police patrols? There is never enough working when neded.

#10.1.1.1.1 there on 12/10/11 at 12:48 PM [Reply]

are more then enough Police, unless you need personal one to follow and protect you, Police can not be everywhere and we could not afford to have them every where.

#10.1.1.1.1.1 so full of it on 12/10/11 at 08:47 PM [Reply]

If you need one on the weekend or at night..see how long it takes. They will tell you they are short handed. The crack abput being followed around really let us know the intelligence factor to you blog. Grow up and converse as an adult.

#10.1.1.1.1.1.1 Anonymous on 12/10/11 at 10:07 PM [Reply]

If they would stay out of the Waffle House we would have more cops on the street. It's a good thing we don't have a donut shop.

#10.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 wrong on 12/11/11 at 07:45 AM [Reply]

Federal employment laws gives these officers a break...just like you have. Sorry you begrudge them theirs. They have to let communications know when they are out of the car, so their break time and lunch tie is recordable. Is yours?

#11 yay on 12/09/11 at 03:58 PM [Reply]

so true layoff some of these people, let them see what raping the citizens gets them.

#11.1 Anonymous on 12/09/11 at 04:02 PM [Reply]

I agree. We sure haven't missed them and nothing has changed since Chips big lay off a few years ago.

#12 Anonymous on 12/09/11 at 04:09 PM [Reply]

Chip has certainly ruined his reputation in this town. I don't see how he can show his face in public.

#13 Anonymous on 12/09/11 at 09:53 PM [Reply]

Mr. Buffington,

What happened with mayor Chip Thompson trying to take the city legals away from your paper? You had a story about it online but then there was not a followup online or in the paper Wednesday.

#13.1 Mike Buffington on 12/10/11 at 08:34 AM [Reply]

They discussed some data the city clerk compiled but took no action. It fizzled.

#13.1.1 I was there too on 12/10/11 at 10:34 AM [Reply]

Buffington you COWARD! Admit you were WRONG. The incoming Mayor ask for that to be added to the agenda not the current Mayor. It was nothing like what you reported!

#13.1.1.1 so on 12/10/11 at 12:07 PM [Reply]

it is the new mayor and council that is selling us, new man same as the old one!!!

#14 Not a Dime's Difference on 12/10/11 at 08:05 AM [Reply]

Don't You Get It...

Really Don't you Get IT...

The Economic Loss of Increased Government Spending. "If the Law (Government) takes from some persons what belongs to them (taxes / your money) and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime." Frederic Bastiat

Increased Government spending takes the MONEY you would have spent on YOUR MORTGAGE, STOCK FOR YOUR STORE/FARM, GAS, FOOD, HEAT...

You stand up and say how bad Obama is... Ho, he's increasing taxes, inciting class warfare, Gona take away what mine to give it those lazy good-for-nothings on the dole...

What did the Winder/Barrow GOB (NOT GOP) party just do?

Social Democrats... Social Republicans...

both want to run your lives by driving off the resources for Private Enterprise...

Make you dependent on the Government Check...

If they really cared...

they would stop threatening your economic welfare every election cycle and attract private enterprise so you would have somewhere better to go...

When the cut that government spending (WASTEFUL) election BS comes back around...

#14.1 Michael Robinson on 12/10/11 at 08:23 AM [Reply]

There are plenty of soapboxes where this is completely on-topic and welcome. You don't need to commandeer someone else's.

#14.1.1 to Micheal on 12/10/11 at 08:34 AM [Reply]

just because you do not find number 14 on topic does not mean number 14 is off topic, the story is about Govt spending so comments in regard to this are on topic.

#14.2 Anonymous on 12/10/11 at 08:46 AM [Reply]

I think what you are saying is, we should fall the the politician promising to cut the wasteful spending of the local government. True, the county just wasted another $290,000+.

And here you have an outgoing politician sticking it to the newly elected replacement.

Sad that our elected officials have no morals and no principals.

#15 half on 12/10/11 at 08:55 AM [Reply]

of the revenue "lost" is just one govt program pauing for another, also the Govt should get out of this service or just provide it free rather then the jobs program i is, Medicare and medicaid are funds taken by taxes so this program is tax funded employees are Govt employees Emt paramedic and billing dept mechanics etc.
so the numbers are inflated on the front end anyhow as to real payments vs billed amounts, then the overhead of having all these folks and the STATE people involved in this I say turn it over to private service like other counties let them worry about pay bennies etc or lack there of, boy then all the county and city folks working for them would be crying!

#15.1 Anonymous on 12/10/11 at 09:47 AM [Reply]

What do you do, sit around on this site all day so you can comment or complain while your spouse is out working.

#15.1.1 oh my on 12/10/11 at 12:09 PM [Reply]

Goodness gracious my Bruciey does work so hard as do I, the nail salon business isnt what it used to be yes Bruciey works hard but me and the gals just work as hard Tommie Rai.

#16 Enlightened on 12/10/11 at 09:42 AM [Reply]

Check out the City of Winder's website to get financial information from prior years and the budget for 2011-2012. Interesting reading.

#17 my on 12/11/11 at 07:01 AM [Reply]

Condolences too Mr Jack Legg even though we disagree I feel for the loss he has right now in his Family, just because I disagree does not mean I have any ill wishes and I hope we can take a moment and wish Mr Legg to find some help in this his time of need. God be with you and all who are with you Mr Legg sorry for the loss your family is going though

#17.1 Mike Buffington, Publisher on 12/11/11 at 10:12 AM [Reply]

The Legg family involved in the tragedy you refer to is from Commerce, not Barrow County.

#17.1.1 Jack Legg on 12/13/11 at 10:32 AM [Reply]

Indeed , we are of no relations.

Add Comment

Name
Email
Homepage
In reply to
Comment: E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.
To leave a comment you must approve it via e-mail, which will be sent to your address after submission.

To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.

Enter the string from the spam-prevention image above:
Phone*

What is eight minus six?
: Remember Information? Subscribe to this entry

Thompson’s final act: Stick it to Maynard

Barrow Journal

Thompson’s final act: Stick it to Maynard

Recent Stories

Recent Comments

This Week's Poll

Sister Sites

Archives

Community

Keyword Tags