So glad you bought this up. As another witness, I, too, saw it was a calculated effort by Caspar and Salvatore ( I'm sure there are more involved) to humiliate Imker. Mark Caspar was overly enthusiastic about telling Mr. Imker that he didn't know what he was talking about.
The fact that it is state law is information that was easily available to Mr. Imker. It was clearly stated in the Agenda packet that street sweeping is required on a monthly basis. It also states further from which account the funds come from. It's still there, for anyone to see. Trust me, if I can find it, anyone can. Which, unfortunately, leads me to conclude that Mr. Imker did not read the agenda item details. Let's attribute that to a rookie mistake. I also saw Ms. Plunkett's smirk and rolling of the eyes when this discussion was going on. I also saw her facial expression when the vote went 4-1, she clearly did not care that Mr. Imker voted no.
This is the beginning of the changeover. City staff know the agenda these new members were voted in on. Cut expenses with as little damage as possible to services. City staff, obviously, will attempt to find ways to avoid these cuts. Let's remember these people report to Bernie McMullen, who has had more than a professional friendship with Logsdon. This smugness on the part of city staff will be obvious to all of us if it continues. And to the new council.

All in all, it was, I agree, unprofessional on the part of city staff. Let's see if they can do better come January.

We messed up.

Thanks for the words Flip, but instead of an apology I'd rather have saved the city $50,000 by doing street sweeping perhaps only twice a year instead of monthly. That was the whole point of my action. I was not looking for a new street sweeper for the city. I was looking for ways to save the city money. $60K pays for an average full time city employee with benefits. And we're looking at having accumulated about 25 net additional heads over the last 4 years without actually lowering expenses elsewhere or raising taxes to pay for them. So the choice by all city staffers should be, save $50K and $50K there or who gets let go? That should be plain talking enough for everyone.

Sometimes it just isn't possible to save another dollar on a project or contract. I understand that premise. However, could you make an effort to ensure we are getting what the city paid for those contracts?
For example, the city's website could publish a schedule for street sweeping. Because I can tell you, without a doubt, my street has not been swept on a monthly basis. It used to be city workers, now it's the contract landscaping company but they don't remove leaves. They only blow them off the easements. A little wind later and the leaves are back in the streets. If I don't go out and clean those gutters, rain will back up and divert across the street. If a street cleaner came down my street in the last 6 months, it must have happened just hours after I cleaned the gutters. It sure is not happening on a monthly basis.

It was obvious from anyone who understands government that Salvatore and Casper weren't aware Imker would make a federal case out of a simple contract.

Mr. Imker you'd have scored more points if you'd have researched what other ATL cities are getting in their streetsweeping contracts and showed us whether PTC was getting a good deal or not. 2 bids is not a lot and perhaps it would've been worth Mr. Imker finding out why others didn't bid, etc.

Imker is COMPLETELY RIGHT that if savings aren't found, they will have to cut staff. But for Flip and Goil to insinuate that city employees would rather spend themselves out of a job ... that couldn't be less true.

If you saw the looks on the staff's faces when the public works and building department employees were cut, you would know I'm speaking the truth.

I don't think Imker made a federal case. I think he had good intentions, wanting to save money, but did not do his homework thoroughly enough, as you point out and as I did in my post.

As far as spend themselves out of a job, I feel that there will naturally be resistance by certain staff to some cuts coming that they might not agree with. Not necessarily in their jobs, but in expense cuts that might affect them doing their jobs in a manner they have been accustomed to. I would assume none of them, like most of us, are in a position to be unemployed right now, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

I would like to see staff show patience going forward with this new Council. There will be a real learning curve for the new Council. We all know that other than Mr. Haddix, they all know less than staff right now about how our PTC govt. and budget works. And, there are some (many?) who have never worked with/for another Council prior to this outgoing council. Another learning curve for them, too. There has been no indication thru the election, from Mr. Haddix, that he wants to see any more jobs cuts.

to Mr. Sturbaum. I was referring to the NEW council members.

I hate to say anything here, but with Public Works moral so low from unsurity I have to say there is no talk of more cuts. Not even mentioned.

Councilman Stuarbaum and I are the only ones with elected position backgrounds.

We are at the beginning of the new Council. There is a learning curve.

Don Haddix
Mayor-Elect

Did you mean unsurety?

Look, we can't avoid the problems with the economy. Public employees like everyone else suffer from insecurity.

The question is what will the new council do to chinch up the budget, drive some savings into the running of the city and save the taxpayers money by demanding more from employees and vendors alike.

We need some strong action and leadership by the new council and city manager. The key word here is "action".

It has nothing to do with "elected position backgrounds". It has a lot to do with plain old common sense.

When the house is burning you don't throw on gasoline to put out the fire. This is exactly what I think when I read stuff like Imker's comments. Almost breakeven, indeed! Come on get with the program Mr. Imker or get out.

The citizens of the city demand that the new council get a grip on this when you take office.

We’re mad as hell and we aren’t going to take this anymore.

My hope and reason for voting the way I did in this past election is that you new members will fix some of these staff wrongs....it time for an overhaul in our city departments...have at it council....

Caspar and Salvatore...both of them acted very disrespectful and totally unprofessional in my opinion at this last meeting on Thursday...

And we won’t even mention the snide comments from our outgoing Mayor during the photo shot with our new mayor elect…real class Harold!!