Let's have lunch
on Elk Grove taxpayers!
City employees eating it up From time to time, EGN requests documentation on city expenses. Our most recent request show that city employ...
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2011/01/lets-have-lunch-on-elk-grove-taxpayers.html
City employees eating it up
From time to time, EGN requests documentation on city expenses. Our most recent request show that city employees sure like having lunch on the taxpayers dime, or make that our C notes!
Date: 10/26/10
Place: BJ's Brewery, Elk Grove
Who paid: Kara Redding
Who chowed: Kara Reddig, Becky Craig, Pete (last name undecipherable)
Stated Purpose; Discus priority projects for 2012
Cost to taxpayers: $52.64
Couldn't this have been done at city hall while on the clock?
Date: 11/5/2010
Place: Hoppy Brewing, Sacramento
Who paid: Suzanne Kennedy
Who chowed: Susan Burns Cochran, Officers Joe Payne and Pat Snelski and "RedFlex representative."
Stated purpose: Lunch recess during trial of People v. Brooke Hauschild.
Cost to Elk Grove taxpayers: $103.70
Date: 11/9/2010
Place: Paesano's, Elk Grove
Who paid: Laura Gill
Who chowed: Laura Gill, then-Mayor Sophia Scherman
Stated purpose: Meeting with Mayor Scherman
See documents below
From time to time, EGN requests documentation on city expenses. Our most recent request show that city employees sure like having lunch on the taxpayers dime, or make that our C notes!
Date: 10/26/10
Place: BJ's Brewery, Elk Grove
Who paid: Kara Redding
Who chowed: Kara Reddig, Becky Craig, Pete (last name undecipherable)
Stated Purpose; Discus priority projects for 2012
Cost to taxpayers: $52.64
Couldn't this have been done at city hall while on the clock?
Date: 11/5/2010
Place: Hoppy Brewing, Sacramento
Who paid: Suzanne Kennedy
Who chowed: Susan Burns Cochran, Officers Joe Payne and Pat Snelski and "RedFlex representative."
Stated purpose: Lunch recess during trial of People v. Brooke Hauschild.
Cost to Elk Grove taxpayers: $103.70
While it is customary for employers to pick up the tab for meals when an employee is out of town on official business, does the 15.9 mile distance to the Carol Miller Justice Center in Sacramento really constitute out of town travel?
Date: 11/9/2010
Place: Paesano's, Elk Grove
Who paid: Laura Gill
Who chowed: Laura Gill, then-Mayor Sophia Scherman
Stated purpose: Meeting with Mayor Scherman
What random check of lunch bills wouldn't be complete without the obligatory monthly lunch on the taxpayers for former Mayor Sophia Scherman? We actually feel sorry for city manager Laura Gill who has been obliged to these lunches.
Why does Scherman find it necessary to spend taxpayers dollars on these monthly feedings, er, briefing with the city manager? Can't they be done in city hall over a brown bag lunch? Also, as a supposedly devout fiscally conservative Republican, why does Scherman find it necessary to eat at the public trough?
Why does Scherman find it necessary to spend taxpayers dollars on these monthly feedings, er, briefing with the city manager? Can't they be done in city hall over a brown bag lunch? Also, as a supposedly devout fiscally conservative Republican, why does Scherman find it necessary to eat at the public trough?
With the taxpayers of Elk Grove facing another difficult year, city employees really need to tone down their chow down sessions and remember it is us they serve - not the other way around.
See documents below
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7 comments
Time to get these questions answered! No one ever explains these! Good job on this, Dan. Why aren't the citizens up in arms after all the times this has been done?
These meal reimbursements are not for "average" employees. These top executive employees are some of the highest paid in the region. These meal reimbursements are for employees who make over $125,000 a year plus benefits. This article isn't talking about the "little people." It isn't referring to the "average" State worker who has had to suffer. The average State worker pays the price. Please don't confuse the two.
I venture to guess if one had the choice to be paid $125,000 a year plus full benefits, car allowance, nice 401K, cell phone service plus a BlackBerry, expense account, you wouldn't mind a few days with long hours.
The article is making a point that everyone is cutting back, with most have cuts levied on them. Why not go to Mimi's and have a cup of soup and a sandwich for $9.00. Why a lunch for $25.00?
And besides, how many firefighters and police officers have expense accounts? Wouldn't be a bad idea. They certainly deserve a free meal or two. The CCSD firefighters have to pay for their own meals at the stations as do EGPD while on duty protecting all of us.
Very good points Sarah & Sally.,,, why would you opt for lunch more expensive than what you would pay-out-of-pocket. Because it's on the taxpayer's account? Why do these meetings have to be held during lunch hours when you're surrounded with the public in a restaurant...nothing private there!! Business is better served in a quiet office, not with a mouth full of food & drink. Time for the expense accounts to be axed or better oversight. Ms Scherman, have you ever thought about how many people that would have helped through the Food Bank, just by your stepping into Ms. Gill's office and having your conversation? Time to clean it up!!!!
At least two out of three were spent locally...should count for something, no?
Scherman's lunch with Gill would have likely been the opportunity Ms. Scherman chose to tell Gill that her good friend Roy would be naming her 'Women of the year" because ... well... Ms. Scherman takes care of those who take care of her and do as she says... and Ms. Scherman appreciated all those things Ms. Gill did for her and if Ms. Gill was Ms. Scherman's women of the year ...well, that was good enough for Roy.
Gosh, I'm really surprised Ms. Gill submitted the expense report for that friendly get-together. DId Ms. Scherman submit a mileage reimbursement request, I wonder?!
Two women of the year (Roy elevated Sophia at least once) having lunch on the back of the tax payer... one a resident... one not so much. Both poor examples of what a women of the year really ought be.
Thanks Dan for these two pieces, brought the spunk back. EGN is back to "gotta check daily" status.
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