Jackals From Elk Grove at the Door of New City?
New city of Eastvale faces several challenges, including those in photo (next page) WildomarVoice.com has for some time now provided EGN ...
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2010/07/jackals-from-elk-grove-at-door-of-new.html
New city of Eastvale faces several challenges, including those in photo (next page)
WildomarVoice.com has for some time now provided EGN with interesting updates on the political situation of the relatively new Southern California city in Riverside County.
You could say Elk Grove and Wildomar share some common DNA when it comes to professional management of our cities.
Several people in Elk Grove will recall a few years back that the Elk Grove City Council belatedly fired city manger John Danielson and city attorney Anthony Manzennitti. Danielson wasted little time though finding another honey pot.
Aside from walking away from Elk Grove with a sweetheart severance package, Danielson landed firmly with both feet on the ground in Wildomar. The newly incorporated city hired Danielson as their first interim city manager.
It wasn’t to long before another of Danielson’s lieutenants from Elk Grove worked his way down to Wildomar. With Danielson’s and former Elk Grove assistant city manager Terry Fitzwater already at the helm of the fledgling city, former Elk Grove assistant city manager Frank Oviedo was hired as the permanent City Manager for a cool $217,000.
What was amazing was that Oviedo was hired from a pool of 30-plus candidates. Then Wildomar Mayor Scott Farnam called Oviedo a “shining star.”
“In every question we asked him, almost without any hesitation he was able to give me a very well thought-out, educated, awesome answer,” Farnam said in story published by the Elk Grove Citizen.
Coincidental hire?
More Shared DNA
Since the hiring of Oviedo and with Danielson in the background working for the city on special projects, the City of Wildomar was recently the recipient of a scathing report from the Riverside County Grand Jury.
In this report, two city council members were criticized for participation in a vote where they should have recused themselves for having a financial interest. Does any of this sound familiar?
Perhaps the strangest aspect of the report was the criticism of the fact that in a so-called cost saving move the city hall reduced its hours of operation from five standard business days to four 10-hour days a week.
While no employees were furloughed, the supposed reduction in hours would save on operating cost. The Grand Jury reported that the reduction to a four day operation saved a whopping $500 annually.
In reality, the reduction in days of operation made city government less accessible and less transparent.
Tentacles reaching in Inland Empire
What happened in Elk Grove and is developing in Wildomar ought to be a lesson for the people and newly elected city council members of Eastvale, California. Although the final vote tally of the ballot initiative allowing formation of the new city in Riverside County has yet to be certified, the jackals are already waiting at the door.
From left to right: John Danielson, Paula Willette, City of Wildomar Community Services Director and Julie Biggs, Wildomar City Attorney attend an unofficial meeting of the presumptive Eastvale City Council.
While what happened in Elk Grove and Wildomar hopefully stays there, there is a lesson to be learned and it is this:
When the time comes for the city council of Elk Grove, Wildomar, or Eastvale in particular [or any other municipality] to hire or fire a city manager or any of their several minions gorging themselves at the public trough, elected officials have a responsibility to thoroughly vet candidates. With the wonders of the internet, public comment and information on this growing class of marauding public administrators’ it is easy to track down who is good for your city and who is not.
If you don’t you could be left with a sad legacy created by the likes of Danielson and company. Eastvale, beware of the jackals at your door.
WildomarVoice.com has for some time now provided EGN with interesting updates on the political situation of the relatively new Southern California city in Riverside County.
You could say Elk Grove and Wildomar share some common DNA when it comes to professional management of our cities.
Several people in Elk Grove will recall a few years back that the Elk Grove City Council belatedly fired city manger John Danielson and city attorney Anthony Manzennitti. Danielson wasted little time though finding another honey pot.
Aside from walking away from Elk Grove with a sweetheart severance package, Danielson landed firmly with both feet on the ground in Wildomar. The newly incorporated city hired Danielson as their first interim city manager.
It wasn’t to long before another of Danielson’s lieutenants from Elk Grove worked his way down to Wildomar. With Danielson’s and former Elk Grove assistant city manager Terry Fitzwater already at the helm of the fledgling city, former Elk Grove assistant city manager Frank Oviedo was hired as the permanent City Manager for a cool $217,000.
What was amazing was that Oviedo was hired from a pool of 30-plus candidates. Then Wildomar Mayor Scott Farnam called Oviedo a “shining star.”
“In every question we asked him, almost without any hesitation he was able to give me a very well thought-out, educated, awesome answer,” Farnam said in story published by the Elk Grove Citizen.
Coincidental hire?
More Shared DNA
Since the hiring of Oviedo and with Danielson in the background working for the city on special projects, the City of Wildomar was recently the recipient of a scathing report from the Riverside County Grand Jury.
In this report, two city council members were criticized for participation in a vote where they should have recused themselves for having a financial interest. Does any of this sound familiar?
Perhaps the strangest aspect of the report was the criticism of the fact that in a so-called cost saving move the city hall reduced its hours of operation from five standard business days to four 10-hour days a week.
While no employees were furloughed, the supposed reduction in hours would save on operating cost. The Grand Jury reported that the reduction to a four day operation saved a whopping $500 annually.
In reality, the reduction in days of operation made city government less accessible and less transparent.
Tentacles reaching in Inland Empire
What happened in Elk Grove and is developing in Wildomar ought to be a lesson for the people and newly elected city council members of Eastvale, California. Although the final vote tally of the ballot initiative allowing formation of the new city in Riverside County has yet to be certified, the jackals are already waiting at the door.
From left to right: John Danielson, Paula Willette, City of Wildomar Community Services Director and Julie Biggs, Wildomar City Attorney attend an unofficial meeting of the presumptive Eastvale City Council.
While what happened in Elk Grove and Wildomar hopefully stays there, there is a lesson to be learned and it is this:
When the time comes for the city council of Elk Grove, Wildomar, or Eastvale in particular [or any other municipality] to hire or fire a city manager or any of their several minions gorging themselves at the public trough, elected officials have a responsibility to thoroughly vet candidates. With the wonders of the internet, public comment and information on this growing class of marauding public administrators’ it is easy to track down who is good for your city and who is not.
If you don’t you could be left with a sad legacy created by the likes of Danielson and company. Eastvale, beware of the jackals at your door.
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1 comment
The term "professional management" is interesting because these people belong to a "club" of their own and follow each other around city to city. Same formula, same outcome. They enrich themselves and pad their resumes, then move on to the next one. I understand that they are in business to succeed and to profit, but the ones who do it in the way that leaves a bad taste are the ones who disparage all those who are hard working and honest.
There is a fine line between serving the community and serving their own best interests and some seem unable to recognize the difference or they choose to ignore it and become indignant when anyone questions their motives.
Unfortunately, Elk Grove has suffered more than most from this and we are still suffering to a certain extent because we have not yet gotten rid of all of them.
Remain vigilant, educate yourself, and work on improving our community. None of the five original council members had a clue about running a city. And then they were all "trained" by members of this "club" who evidently made it okay to enhance themselves rather than the community they are supposed to represent.
Interesting how the parallels are lining up: Grand Jury, in-fighting, etc.
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