Despite budget cuts, Council President Pugh avoids losing office staff

[cla1945]

http://www.freep.com/article/2012070...text|FRONTPAGE

After reading this article regarding the Council President and his staff, I now know why some call Charles Pugh "Charles PUKE" because I wanted to throw up. He made the statement that "Bing isn't the King of Detroit", but he is showing his true colors about himself wanting to be "King".

Detroit's "core" services are cut to the bone today. Firefighters are working with less equipment, less manpower, for less money, paying more in healthcare...and this clowncil president keeps a Chief of Staff, paying him $87,000.00 a year, not to mention the other staff members making more than a Police Officer, more than some firefighters! This is an insult to everyone who lives in Detroit.

The entire budget for the clowncil is over $10 million dollars and I have to ask WHY? Why does Puke need 8 staffers? These people on the clowncil are better protected, have personal drivers, have city owned cars, luxurious offices and are well-paid...all the while, the City of Detroit is burning because the arsonists are out in full force because they know that no one is out there to catch them. The citizens of Detroit are unprotected and being shot, robbed, raped, and threatened because they police protection is at a minimum.

How long are the citizens going to take this abuse, and the better question is why are they accepting this? Taxes in Detroit are higher than the average City and yet the citizens get nothing in return.

Yet, what I see at clowncil meetings are the citizens who disrespect the Mayor, show their anger at the State for trying to help, and throw out the race card. If Detroit is doomed, I pray that no firefighters or police officers are injured in the process, they certainly deserve better than the "card" that the City is throwing at them now.

[Meddle]

Well, there's one poster here who I'm sure will be along shortly defending the Clowncil and sucking up for them.


I say again.....

NO staff except maybe one low paid aid.
NO city vehicles.
NO expense account.

[corktownyuppie]

I say again.....

NO staff except maybe one low paid aid.
NO city vehicles.
NO expense account.

I'm with you on this.

[313WX]

Well, there's one poster here who I'm sure will be along shortly defending the Clowncil and sucking up for them.


I say again.....

NO staff except maybe one low paid aid.
NO city vehicles.
NO expense account.

"They" work as an office assistant for one/all of the Council Members. Why wouldn't that member defend their job and go out of their way to save it?

[mam2009]

Well, there's one poster here who I'm sure will be along shortly defending the Clowncil and sucking up for them.


I say again.....

NO staff except maybe one low paid aid.
NO city vehicles.
NO expense account.

I disagree about the staff;
agree about the vehicles;
and agree about the "expense account" [[though I'm not entirely certain what you mean by that nor am I even certain they even have "expense accounts").

How was that?

[Detroitej72]

"They" work as an office assistant for one/all of the Council Members. Why wouldn't that member defend their job and go out of their way to save it?

I see more benefits to the city having an extra firefighter or cop than any office staff for a bunch of over paid, over ego politicians.

[mam2009]

"They" work as an office assistant for one/all of the Council Members. Why wouldn't that member defend their job and go out of their way to save it?

No, 313WX. As you can see by the article, they couldn't pay me enough!

[313WX]

I see more benefits to the city having an extra firefighter or cop than any office staff for a bunch of over paid, over ego politicians.

I completely agree.

I think there's somewhere between 50-60 of them. That's way too many for only 9 council member, which BTW are also too many.

[313WX]

I noticed this in the article too...

[quote]The council authorized a $35,000 contract extension for one year for legislative assistant DeAndree Watson, who will now be a policy analyst for Pugh, and a $44,304, 20-month contract extension for legislative assistant Dawan Glover.[/quote]

Anyone wanna bet DeAndree is related to JoAnn Watson?

That has to stop too.

[Hermod]

I completely agree.

I think there's somewhere between 50-60 of them. That's way too many for only 9 council member, which BTW are also too many.

No, I disagree. There should be about fifty council members elected from fifty different districts. They should work out of their homes unless there is a council meeting. They should be paid $12,000 a year as part time legislators. The fifty of them should share in a single staff consisting of an office manager, three clerk-typists, and a receptionist.

[cla1945]

....who paid for the production of Pugh's weight loss video? He can't even pay his mortgage and has been sued on a number of occasions because of it and he has this stupid video. What a piece of work this man is...he has lots of nerve flaunting himself in front of Detroiters who need services and are not getting them. Keep talking "tofu" Pugh.

[Meddle]

For that matter, somebody else on another thread suggested the Clowncil go to part time. $20/hour for a maximum of 100 hours a year sounds like more than enough.

[mam2009]

If I recall correctly, each member [[except the President) gets enough in their budget for four FTE's. I think three is sufficient to get the job done. No matter how often the members tell people that their job is not to get their lighs turned on, get the grass cut in their area, etc., citizens will continue to call with those requests and members will continue to have a staff person assist with that. And then two to split up committee research and prep responsibilities.

The President's Office is a different animal. I've never worked in a Council Presiden't Office so I'm no sure how responsibilities should be divided there since the President has the added responsibility of administratively "running" the Council and its four [[really five) support divisions. But I know that it takes people whether its HR personnel, IT personnel, an office manager, a receptionist and then three or four full or part time legislative staff...I really can't say for certain exactly how many are absolutely necessary... But I think 13 certainly may be a bit much.

[Meddle]

administratively "running" the Council and its four [[really five) support divisions. But I know that it takes people whether its HR personnel, IT personnel, an office manager, a receptionist and then three or four full or part time legislative staff..

All bloatware.

Lets the Clowns answer their own phones and talk to the residents themselves. They don't need four staffers to do that.

[Meddle]

And if you really DO have their ear, tell them to sign up here where they can see what the people really think of them and they can defend themselves.

[Occurrence]

The city council doesn't accomplish anything. Why do they need a staff? Why can't they get unpaid interns who are eager to start their careers? I think I know of a university in the city................

[mam2009]

administratively "running" the Council and its four [[really five) support divisions. But I know that it takes people whether its HR personnel, IT personnel, an office manager, a receptionist and then three or four full or part time legislative staff..

All bloatware.

Lets the Clowns answer their own phones and talk to the residents themselves. They don't need four staffers to do that.

LOL! At the risk of being called "Joann" again, if you call her office, there is a great likelihood that SHE will answer her own phone if you call when she's not at the table. She has surprised more than just myself when calling and expecting a staff person to be on the other end of the phone.

[Meddle]

Why can't they get unpaid interns who are eager to start their careers? I think I know of a university in the city................

Hey, there you go. UofD or WSU or probably a couple of others. Even some business colleges if I recall. The Clowns want to help the youth of tomorrow --- maybe they should put their money where their mouths are.


Or spin it this way, they could be custom training their eventual replacements to continue their dynasties.

[Richard]

The council structure is going to be redone in January the existing council is supposed to be setting the transformation up between now and then ,so at this point they are kinda lame duck so it is to their benefit to leave things status qoe and delay the change over.

To me now they are going to be doing one of two things ,either setting them self up for after their time is up or figuring out how to gain the public's confidence in order to be elected in the next round,but of course they will actually have to live in the district that they will represent so they may even be house shopping.

[daddeeo]

I'm constantly surprised that people aren't rioting in the streets. Guess the whole city has despaired.

[cla1945]

I'm constantly surprised that people aren't rioting in the streets. Guess the whole city has despaired.

The summer isn't over yet. With the administration pushing the taxpayers and non-taxpaying public beyond the brink of despair, I wouldn't be surprised at anything happening in the City. I only pray that the people don't respond in violence, burning and looting their hometown, that will get them nowhere and only destroy whatever of value is left in Detroit. When election time rolls around, exercise your right to vote and get them the hell out of office.

[Motor City Sam]

I'm constantly surprised when people say they are "constantly surprised" that Detroiters are not rioting in the streets.

We had a big riot 45 years ago and none since, so why is it that people assume that the way Detroiters react to being unhappy about conditions in the City is destructive, violent, civil unrest? Seriously.

[kenp]

After reading this article regarding the Council President and his staff, I now know why some call Charles Pugh "Charles PUKE" because I wanted to throw up. He made the statement that "Bing isn't the King of Detroit", but he is showing his true colors about himself wanting to be "King".

As a compromise, couldn't we make Charles, The Queen of Detroit?

[Scottathew]

Well, there's one poster here who I'm sure will be along shortly defending the Clowncil and sucking up for them.


I say again.....

NO staff except maybe one low paid aid.
NO city vehicles.
NO expense account.

100% agreement here. I'd say don't even give them an aide. We pay council well enough that they should be able to get this done on their own.

I don't know too many people that are given company cars to get to and from work.

87K for a chief of staff, it does make me want to vomit.

[kenp]

Can you imagine what it would be like if Pugh didnt have some help?