WCM really needs your help

Here's the latest. Kerry met with the city manager yesterday, who continues to perpetuate the repuation of being an @$$%0!e. He said that given all of the information that he will still recommend to the city council to cut Kerry's position. Not only that, but he is now having the city attorney look at Kerry's job as a "conflict of interest" as he also gets paid by our team. I cannot tell you the expletives that came out of my mouth. I am far beyond disgusted. What it comes down to are two things: the guy is the aforementioned expletive, and he wants WCM to fit the model of all other city programs. He doesn't care that this is the only city program that runs in the black and is therefore self-sustaining. He wants it to be mediocre like everything else. Instead of modeling the mediocre programs after the one Kerry has built, he will destroy Kerry's. We don't know what we will do as a team at this point. Several options have been tossed around, and none of them are ideal. I am extremely sad that someone like Kerry, who showed up to work day in and day out for 30 years, and built a program that is a model for the rest of the country, is being relatively dismissed. Please write letters to our city council, as they are the only ones (being the city manager's boss) that can save Kerry. mayor@walnut-creek.org I've already written two, my hubby has written one and posted on Claycord.com, and I will write another one today (it will NOT be pretty, I assure you). Some further background info on our city mgr. He is trying to get this thing called a 'white letter' sent to all of the city mgrs. in CA. Basically, what it does is screw all public employees. How? He is trying to get all cities to make the same massive cuts, and by everybody cutting, then the employees can't leave their city for a better paying job in another city. For example, several years ago many police officers left for better paying jobs in other depts. This yo-yo is trying to make it so there is no better place to go! Mind you he already collects full retirement and benefits from a city that he used to work in, plus his current salary of about $180K.

Instead of modeling the mediocre programs after the one Kerry has built, he will destroy Kerry's. I am extremely sad that someone like Kerry, who showed up to work day in and day out for 30 years, and built a program that is a model for the rest of the country, is being relatively dismissed. Mind you he already collects full retirement and benefits from a city that he used to work in, plus his current salary of about $180K. Typical of someone who knows the cost of everything but the value of nothing. I've been a "public employee" for almost 18 years now (am I gettting that old???) and I've always been a budget/finance manager. I hate guys like this - first one at the feeding trough, but is only looking for ways to cut out others to make himself look better. If anyone has a conflict its him - collecting a city pension and working a public sector job, must be from out of state or you need to change your pension laws. I'll bet he's angling for a big bonus/raise if he reduces the city budget enough - you should FOIA his job performance goals. The ramifications will come in the out years - 3-4 years down the road and they will be masked by increases in revenue as the local economy gets better - but the quality programs no longer exist. I would think his actions regarding the "white letter" border on collusion, at a minimum ethically questionable. Is there an underlying feeling that the mayor-council can be swayed to look at the value of the program versus the "cost"?? Is it a matter of time before the manager just starves the program and Kerry out??

DPC- Here is a little more information on city doings: A few years ago the city council (and I don't think these are the same council members now) wanted to build a new library. The then-city mgr told them that financially they couldn't do it. They told him to go back and try again with the numbers. Since numbers are what numbers are, he went back again and said they couldn't do it. (I had his son in my class). Even the voters voted twice not to build this library. The city council fired that city mgr and brought in this new guy whose background is in performing arts. He told them they could build this library (shocker). The interesting thing is that to get rid of the old city mgr they paid him off for his remaining 3 years at $180K/year !!! All to bring in a new guy who would give them the answers they wanted. Nice use of taxpayer money. I know I appreciate it :confused: In CA it is "normal" for people to retire from one agency with a pension and go work for another agency. I know of a police chief who "retired" from WCPD for a 3rd time- he already had 2 other pensions as chief from 2 other agencies! What a racket huh? He's now making FAR more retired than he ever made working. I find myself daily now wondering at how the completely stupid are making decisions for the rest of us. (I guess they're not that stupid if they got elected though, huh?) Sigh.

Since numbers are what numbers are, he went back again and said they couldn't do it. (I had his son in my class). Even the voters voted twice not to build this library. The city council fired that city mgr and brought in this new guy whose background is in performing arts. He told them they could build this library (shocker). In CA it is "normal" for people to retire from one agency with a pension and go work for another agency. I know of a police chief who "retired" from WCPD for a 3rd time- he already had 2 other pensions as chief from 2 other agencies! What a racket huh? He's now making FAR more retired than he ever made working. Uggh!!!!! That's the adage about figures don't lie, but liars figure. Numbers are what they are - it all depends on who is looking at them and through what lens (this one is probably green). In MA if you retire from a city/state job with a pension you can only work a max of 960 hours per year and still collect, and you further can't make a total of more than what your salary would have been(IIRC) Some tried to skirt the issue by becoming "contractors", but this activity is getting a lot of attention now. Seems like your new city manager wants to build a monument to himself. Keep up the good fight - remember the ballot box can be a powerful voice.

Mr. Ninny- I don't know the exact demographics of our team. I don't have a roster with me that lists everyone's complete address. I could find out. I know in the past, that glancing down our roster, most of our team does live in WC. We have about 440 registered swimmers. I know of about 30, personally, that do not live in WC, myself included. (My mom still lives there and is a voter). I'm sure there are more, as I don't know everybody on the team. Most of the people I don't know swim at 5:30am! And if I have to go to that workout to meet them, well, I'm sure they are nice people... To swim for WCM, all total with pool fees and dues it is a little less than $1000/yr. I don't think it's the mayor who doesn't care, it's the city manager. And property taxes are through the roof. I would venture to say that the average home price in WC is about $500-600K. And that is with the market crashed. My mom's home (about 2000 sq ft recently appraised at $750K). Real estate is nuts here. And with all of the "stuff" going on in our fair state, I'm giving serious thought to moving in three years when my husband retires. I don't want to move as I was born and raised here (and love the weather, the landscape, and the people) but things are just literally crazy here. And things don't show any signs of improving anytime soon. :badday:

Our dues are less than $300 I think. Has anybody suggested doubling your dues? If a study was done about comparable fees in other masters programs it wouldn't favor your case. How many members are residents of the City of Walnut Creek? Perhaps that is why the mayor doesn't care. Non-residents can't vote. Since local property taxes are probably paying for the pool, he can make an argument about being fiscally tight. You have a tough battle.

Kerry has had vacation time, sick leave, all of it as an employee. Our dues are less than $300 I think. Here's the latest thought: we just found out that nearby, state-of-the-art Cowell Pool in Concord, CA will now be closing for the three cold months this coming year (Dec-Feb). That effectively eliminates the Terrapins USA-S program. They now need to find a new place to train. Some of us are thinking, and I said this originally to my husband when all of this started, that the City of WC is trying to close down our pool. If you take away the most successful program at the pool (WCM) you will lose about $200K/year- a huge loss of revenue. Then you would surely have a reason to close the pool. I think they are just using this "your program needs to be the same model as everyone else's" as an excuse. I really hope I am wrong, but I'm kinda thinking they are after the pool to close. Our best, last hope is to convince the city council to tell the city mgr. that he is way off base. Luckily, some of us know the city council members. I hope that helps.

I still don't get this. I'm confused that you are so up in arms, but don't seem to know what's going on. You say that you KNOW that the program runs in the black, yet you don't know your team membership numbers, your team dues amounts, nor your team or facility overhead. Without actual facts it's hard to make a cogent argument to the city. "Kerry's a great guy" and "Walnut Creek Masters is awesome" isn't going to cut it. If you have actual data we could use PLEASE share it! BTW, how do you not know what your team dues are? Think of it this way. If you have approx 440 members and they are willing to pay approx $1000 each per year you are CRAZY not to rent space and have the team pay Kerry! You could rent all the pool space you could want for less than $150k a year. That would leave $250k for coaching salaries and benefits. How is this not a self sustaining business? Kerry should take over the program and begin making $200k a year including benefits! Separate yourselves from the fiscal headache that is (and will continue to be) the city of Walnut Creek! If you stay with the city they are only going to want more and more money and leave you with less and less control. Also, you will want to tone down the rhetoric and vitriol against the city and the city manager. Calling him an A$$#@LE on a public website, and mentioning people's kids, doesn't do anyone any good. I would expect them to get wind of this discourse and not be too happy about it. You're going to end up sending poor Kerry into an ethics investigation due to taking money from a private group to do city work. This is seriously frowned upon! Remember, you can catch more flies with honey....

As much as it pains me, stinkwater makes some valid points in his post.

I understand your points. Although I still don't see the ethics investigation. We will just have to see how all of this pans out. I must say that I do appreciate you taking the time to discuss this. While it probably doesn't matter to a lot of people about a "swim coach", it does matter to our team. Thanks guys. :angel: