Wednesday, October 24, 2001
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Wednesday, October 24, 2001 |
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Faulkner: PTC's secret 'bonus' rewards In 1997, Peachtree City's public safety employees voiced a need for early retirement benefits. They were told that although the city understood the consequences of having 67-year-old firefighters and police officers, there were no funds available. That same year, however, while my opponent was the financial advisor for the city, a special senior management retirement plan was secretly orchestrated and implemented. Records indicate the purpose was to retain senior management. The irony was that there had not been a single resignation among senior management for more than a decade; yet we faced retention problems among the public safety employees, which had the potential to critically impact the safety of our community. Records also show that it would cost $60,000 to provide early retirement benefits to public safety employees. Last year, the senior management retirement plan provided a total of $45,000 to eight employees. A large portion of the senior management retirement fund is dispersed at the discretion of the mayor and city manager, with no input from City Council. For a detailed breakdown of these "bonuses," visit my website at www.nancyfaulker.com. It is interesting to note that shortly after receiving his bonus, my opponent was the first member of senior management to resign in many years. I am running for office because I believe we need to improve community information and open government. We need to do a better job of keeping our citizens informed and making sure that City Council has access to accurate information to make intelligent decisions. Open government is the single most important factor in holding our elected officials and the administration accountable for their actions. My 29-year residency and 17 years of experience in public service has given me a good sound knowledge of our city's history and government operations; however, I am not an expert on any subject. What I offer is a combination of fortitude and flexibility. I have weathered life's storms and overcome many challenges by having a deep-rooted sense of purpose and understanding that no one has all of the answers and life is in a constant state of change. It has been said, "Experts often possess more data than judgment." The experts in the world may have much to offer but they often become complacent and unable to see the big picture. We can learn from them but we should not mistake their knowledge for wisdom or an ability to exercise sound judgment and provide effective leadership. Your choice for City Council Post 3 on Nov. 6 will be between two agendas. My agenda is to restore proactive and effective leadership through open government. Nancy Faillo Faulkner nfau@bellsouth.net
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