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Letters, 9/1: Why pay an outside firm?

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Friday, Sep 01, 2006 - 09:43:44 am CDT

I am amazed that the no one has responded to the city hiring Talent Plus to find our new fire chief. What do we pay all of the employees in the Personnel Department at the City of Lincoln to do?

Thirty thousand dollars a month to do the job we the taxpayers already pay a large sum of money to how many city employees?

Instead of taking a position away from the traffic department, just get rid of the personnel department, because they obviously can’t do the job of hiring a city employee and perform an assessment.

Why wasn’t this contract made public in advance so that we the citizens could make public comment? Oh, I forgot. No public comment allowed with this City Council.

Mary Herres, Lincoln

Time for a new assessor

All the fussing and fighting in the City Council over the budget has served a helpful purpose for Norm Agena, the county assessor. It has been totally overlooked that the county assessor’s evaluation of Lancaster County properties was wrong in about 63 percent of the cases appealed.

A 63 percent failure rate: Let’s be glad Agena is not in charge of Homeland Security!

Agena’s error rate leaves us with two alternatives: Norm Agena either purposefully attempted to overvalue the property in Lancaster County, or he accidentally did it. In one case, he is a scoundrel; in the other case, he is incompetent.

In either case, it is time to find a new assessor.

Melvin Moore, Lincoln

Slap to teachers, students

I don’t expect Michael Skube thought I would ever reach the dregs of the editorial section to read his distasteful diatribe (column, Aug. 26). If he had, he might have constructed a more convincing argument about legions of college students who apparently don’t know “basic English.” The crux of Skube’s lament involves a college student who was taken aback at the author’s use of the word “impetus.” The entire incident is clipped from context. One wonders if Skube’s question had anything to do with the student’s presentation.

Skube’s remarks are a slap in the face to any high school educator in the nation, public or private. Skube’s disdainful remarks indicate these noble men and women have surrendered their students’ well-being and educational fitness in the interest of molding “gilded GPAs.” If Skube had deigned to talk to any secondary educator in Nebraska, he would find teachers totally committed to the thousands of students who walk through their doors with open minds, creative intelligence and a desire to learn. And guess what? I would wager they are equally committed to the students who don’t.

Finally, I can’t help but question Skube’s teaching abilities. At Concordia University, I’ve had professors who encourage me to think critically and achieve, even if I initially don’t know the right answers or the most grandiose words. I’m sure professors at Nebraska’s other institutions of higher education are no different. We students thank you for your willingness to teach us, rather than damning us for “gilded GPAs” or “novel” ideas.

Jonathan Ripke, Seward

Take a lesson from SCC

After getting my B.A. and spending two years in a graduate program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, I decided to take a different course in occupations. To do this, I had to take some classes, both offered at UNL and Southeast Community College. I chose SCC due to the cost of classes. I have a month before the semester is done and I have to tell you, my experience with SCC has been one of sheer joy and elation. 

Not only does SCC offer cheaper classes, it also offers extremely professional staff that have a genuine concern about whether or not their students do well. Also, there are smaller classes than at UNL, which allows for a better relationship between staff and students. You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for parking at SCC — in fact, it’s free! The diversity on campus is magnificent. I have one class with five people from completely different continents around the world. 

Basically, SCC feels like a private college where diversity and student success is embraced and nurtured. UNL can’t even touch this atmosphere, with its huge classes, impersonal approach to students and overpriced books, fees, and tuition. Nor is there the diversity on UNL’s campus. I firmly believe that UNL could retain and recruit many more students if it relaxed on the money it gets and focuses on the education it gives.

Elizabeth Kennedy, Lincoln

Right has right-of-way

To get to my house, I have to take a few turns first through the neighborhood. Now, we all know that the law states: at a residential intersection, the car to the right of you has the right of way. I’ve noticed some people decide that it’s the car on the “road most traveled.” The first couple of intersections in the neighborhood are the ones that worry me the most because they’re the busiest. Turning into a neighborhood from a busy street that has a 40-mph speed limit, it’s hard to maintain a slower 25 mph for the first couple of blocks. 

People assume that since they’re on a “main road” that shoots straight through the neighborhood, they have the right of way all the way through. I think we should regulate this better by putting in a couple of yield signs. If we don’t, accidents are bound to happen and it will be harder to determine who’s at fault.

Phuong Phan, Lincoln

No more support for NET

I wonder who decides what programming is appropriate at NET Radio. Saturday “Metropolitan Opera” and “St. Paul Sunday” suddenly are no good, but inane jabber by a bunch of silly whippersnappers is good? Which public sector are they trying to court? Certainly not me and many others, who have been the ones who donate to the station year after year.

I have heard from a good many of my friends. I have been waiting patiently now for a few weeks to see if the gods of NET Radio would come to their senses. They have not.

So, you silly bunch at the top, I will not support NET programming anymore. It is hard enough sometimes to listen to the unimaginative day programming, but if you start taking the best things away, which were there, you lose me.

Louis I. Leviticus, Lincoln


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UNknown wrote on September 1, 2006 12:55 am:
" Mary: You are so right. We are the bad guys cause we say something. Yet we go ahead and spend, or should I say the city goes ahead and spends thousands of dollars to find one person when we pay many employees to do nothing. Lets outsource everything and do it privately then we wouldn't need all of these high paid employees asking someone else to do their job. Wow, makes me kinda wish I could get hired by the city. Nope don't want the job, would not be to my liking too much of too little, or too little of too much or something like that. "
connie wrote on September 1, 2006 6:20 am:
" My oldest son took an engineering degree at UNL and went on to get his masters, but when it came to filling out some missing areas of practical knowledge he felt necessary to his employment, he took some classes at SCC to 'fill out' his education. He was easily able to work these classes into his schedule, was impressed with the quality of the instruction, and the atmosphere on the campus. He recalls, with much chagrin now, his smug attitude as a university student regarding the students of SCC. He says that while SCC doesn't have the cachet of a four year college, it has it all over UNL for quality of education. "
connie wrote on September 1, 2006 6:36 am:
" I'm sorry Mr. Ripke, but I have to agree somewhat with Mr. Skubes's lament of the lack of vocabulary in today's students! Those boring, endless vocabulary lists we had to complete in school served their purpose! I also blame the fact that kids don't read for fun much anymore. Mine did, and do, because I was evil, and limited their computer and video time, so that it was reading, or staring off into space. I don't share his horror at the fact that their favorite authors are contemporary ones. There's nothing wrong with that. Ask my 13 year old that question and he'll very likely answer "D. J. MacHale! oh, and that jack london guy is O.K. I guess" We didn't have J. K. Rowling or Mr. MacHale when we were young, or we would have answered the same! As long as they are reading, does it matter what? Reading is the greatest strengthener of a child's vocabulary, but,teachers, those boring vocab lists have their place too! "
Slewzer wrote on September 1, 2006 7:38 am:
" Melvin, It's not fair to call the Assessor's record a 63 percent failure rate without taking into account the property owners who did not protest. If approximately 10 percent of property owners appealed, the correct figure for failure rate would be more like 6.3 percent. "
Jeremy wrote on September 1, 2006 7:42 am:
" A degree from SCC doesn't hold a candlestick to a University degree for employers, unless you are doing something like cleaning lab dishes, electrician, auto tech, etc... SCC is good for somethings, but lets not compare it to UNL. As for diversity, my experience teaching at SCC a few years ago consisted of classrooms full of small town types from only here in NE. If you look at the latest SCC continuing ed. brochure that came out to everyone last week, it shows where the students come from, and about 90% are from NE. I don't know who you saw on campus there. "
Driver wrote on September 1, 2006 8:24 am:
" Actually Phuong, the "right-of-way" goes to the person who gets to the intersection first... and if two cars approach the intersection at the same time, only THEN does the person on the right have the "right-of-way". "
Jason wrote on September 1, 2006 8:34 am:
" Louis, to me there is no difference between the hours of classical music played during the day and the "select" music played on the weekends. The news programs and feature programs on NPR/NET give me a perspective on our increasingly shrinking world I couldn't get listening to old EUROPEAN music. I enjoy classical music, that's why I have iTunes. I applaud NET for moving ahead and diversifying their programming, and now you have MY support. "
Been There, Done That wrote on September 1, 2006 8:36 am:
" Mary and UNknown are wrong. Hiring Talent Plus is a wise move by the City and good use to tax monies. Not only is Talent Plus searching for a Fire Chief but is also working with the fire department to improve operations at the management level. The City has too many internal problems that they need to work on. "
yoshiki wrote on September 1, 2006 8:57 am:
" Mary, I disagree with you there because if it were the city or the mayor who held the selection process, you'd (or at least someone in this city) be griping that the whole process is rigged towards one candidate... kind'a like what happened with the last Fire Chief's hiring. Talent Plus is a good choice to do the selection process because they are a neutral entity and have no bias one way or the other. The mayor's smart on this one - learns from history ^_~ ..... "
jaime wrote on September 1, 2006 9:00 am:
" Perhaps hiring talent + would be a smart move-- if the city had budgeted money for it! And you wonder why she waited until the last minute to announce it! "
Tod wrote on September 1, 2006 9:17 am:
" In fact, Melvin's percentage is too low. If the Assessors office was too high in 63% of the cases, chances are they are too low in similar proportion. Also, if you've ever worked in a public service job, you'd know a fair number of people complain just because they want a lower valuation, right or wrong. My guess is the protests are a pretty good mirror of correctly & over-valued properties in general. According to my math (2*63/(63+63+37)), that means 77% of valuations are wrong. "
Terrance wrote on September 1, 2006 9:24 am:
" I'm sorry but i have to disagree with BTDT, you may think that $30K a month is just but the main problem is that if the city personnel department can't handle this then we should get rid of that department. It is a double whammy to have to pay two personnel depts. You may like spending that money because you support the mayor, but if the Mayor's people are not qualified it only speaks of her incompetence. The next chief should come from within the department or within Nebraska. The city's and State of Ne continually overlook well qualified people in our state and give millions of dollars to other state enconomies. I was a head hunter for many years in California, structual engineers, and i never met an agency qualified to do what the mayor is asking. I think she should be investigated to see who it is that she knows there and why she is giving them the business verse another agency. Remember, the mayor is the one who pushed hard for EDM to provide fire trucks to the city, which everyone seems to have looked over, yet she isn't being investigated. What friend or family memeber of hers works for them? "
Here we go again wrote on September 1, 2006 9:25 am:
" 30,000 dollars a month to find a new chief for 6 months? How in the world could it cost $180,000 to find a new chief. This administration is the biggest joke in the world. Anybody wants some land in Arkansas? "
peb wrote on September 1, 2006 9:39 am:
" Most businesses, agencies, etc., hire a "headhunter" for a top "executive" position. Tell me how the city could have budgeted for this expense when no one knew this was happening. "
Sean wrote on September 1, 2006 9:41 am:
" 180K to find a new Firechief and to figure out what's wrong with the personnel hiring and promotion standards of the Fire Department. Let's all say that figure again. $180,000.00. Lots and lots of zeros for an expenditure foisted on the voting public at the last minute being paid to a company with an unproven record. I have seen nothing, absolutely nothing, concerning Talent Plus's previous clients and successes. The only information given was that the Talent Plus employee involved in the Lincoln Fire Dept. project is a retired Lincoln Fire Dept. officer who was employed there when the problems started. Not a really good recommendation for a company involved in determining the criteria for future hiring processes eh? "
ELECTION wrote on September 1, 2006 11:00 am:
" $180k more than pays for a special election. Candidates for the job should have posted their resumes in the LJS and then the voters of Lincoln could decide who should run the LFD. Actually, we'd have money left over and only ourselves to blame if the person was a poor choice. A lot like electing our public officials! "
respond to Jonathan's comment wrote on September 1, 2006 12:01 pm:
" Sounds like the same old garbage from people like Skube. I am old so consider the source on this but in 1970 I came to the University from one of those little towns in the rural part of Nebraska (for those of you residents in Lincoln and Omaha there really is life beyond Interstate exit 20). I was appalled at the lack of English skills of my contemporaries from the big city. I want you to know that I was only temporarily appalled at their lack of skills as I soon made a nice chunk of change editing their papers. Somehow the same discussion of teachers not teaching and caring has now transcended 35 years and we are faced with the same inane diatribe. Like any profession there are worthless practitioners, like any profession there are highly talented and energized practitioners. As any potter knows however, the finished art will be as much about the raw material as the potters skills. Jonathan-you are right on target and I am with you. "
JMK wrote on September 1, 2006 12:19 pm:
" This company, Talent Plus must either be run by our "dear" mayor or it must be a friend or relative of hers. $180,000.00? no wonder our taxes keep going up! "
SCC Student wrote on September 1, 2006 12:37 pm:
" Okay first of all, UNL doesnt offer Respiratory Therapy program and so that is why I'm stuck at SCC. And RT is a major job in the health care field and couldnt live without us. As far as SCC, I have had nothing but trouble with admissions, FINANCIAL AID (terrible problems), and registration etc. I and other classmates have nothing but troubles. I enjoy the teachers in the RT program but not the other staff!!! So less money, more troubles, but awesome program and a degree that I will never have a hard time finding a job with......would way prefer SCC! "
6MONTHS? wrote on September 1, 2006 1:27 pm:
" Be serious folks, you REALLY believe that TALENT+ is only going to take 6 months to find a replacement? At six months, they won't have one and the mayor will have to decide whether to retain them for longer, costing us more $'s. Mark my words, this $180k was WASTED. "
While wrote on September 1, 2006 1:42 pm:
" I seldom agree with this mayor or her administration I do agree that contracting Talent Plus was a good move. Mary Herres tries to make it look like the only thing they will be doing is assisting with the hiring of the next fire chief. That is far from the total picture. According to an article printed in the Friday Aug 18th edition of the Journal-Star (http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2006/08/18/local/doc44e635e517572366652210.txt) I quote, "Talent Plus will assess the department’s administrative positions and policies and establish a management and leadership program." Judging by the things going on at the fire department under former the former Fire Chief this is sorely needed. That said I think the fire fighters, the men and women on the front lines, are doing a great job day in and day out. "
anotherdriver wrote on September 1, 2006 2:09 pm:
" S E C T I O N 4 Rules of the Road Applicants are required to know and be able to apply the rules of the road when driving. 4A Right-of-Way There are rules to aide in determining when drivers must yield. 4A-1 For right-of-way at an uncontrolled intersection where signs or signals are not used, watch for vehicles coming from the right and yield the right-of-way. Car A --+--Car C | Car B For example: ♦ Car "A" yields to car "B" if car "A" is going straight ahead. ♦ If car "A" turns left, car "A" yields to both "B" and "C". ♦ Car "B" yields to car "C". ♦ Drive defensively, other drivers may not stop even if you have the rightof-way. 4A-2 At intersections with "Yield" Signs: ♦ Check for cross traffic before reaching the intersection. ♦ Yield the right-of-way to any cross traffic close enough to cause conflict. ♦ When turning onto a street or highway, yield to any vehicle close enough to cause conflict. ♦ Check for a gap in traffic, merge, and adjust your speed. 4A-3 At intersections with four-way stops: All drivers have a duty to stop followed by a duty to use ordinary care as they proceed through the intersection. Common courtesy is that the driver who stops first should be permitted to go first. If in doubt, yield to the driver on your right. NEVER insist on the right-of way and risk a collision. "
Zed wrote on September 1, 2006 8:20 pm:
" When I first moved to Lincoln, I was appalled at the number of uncontrolled intersections. Can't a city of this size put in traffic signs at every intersection like most places? What I'm never sure of is how to determine whether or not an intersection is uncontrolled or not. If you were to follow the rules of the road, you'd have to get your brakes replaced every month, as you would always be slowing down for each intersection deciding whether or not you have the right of way. "
Peggy wrote on September 2, 2006 12:09 pm:
" Two of my children have attended Southeast Community College. I am enormously impressed with the quality of the faculty and curriculum. "
Bob wrote on September 2, 2006 1:09 pm:
" I agree with Mary Herrs. This city mayor just heaps one study on top on another and so on. If the personnel department is so incompetent why pay them when you have to contract another company to assess the employees? Wouldn't happen in my company!! "
Lisa wrote on September 3, 2006 7:42 am:
" My child attends UNL and we extremely impressed with the whole process, financial aid, his advisor (she is a gem!) and his class instructors. Sometimes people like to beat the Big Dog down, but we've been so pleased. "
Dick wrote on September 5, 2006 3:52 pm:
" I don't think people are really knocking UNL, but I worked with 2 young ladys, one went to unl and one went to scc. They were both taking a psycology class that used the same book. I think if you can get the same credits and classes for cheaper, then go for it. not everyone can afford to be extorted by the U. "

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