NEW PLANNING BOARD MEETS
July 18th saw the new planning board get together since myself and two others replaced long time sitting members. Judging from what I experienced last night it promises to be an interesting board. The old and new members seem to have a good mix of knowledge and experience to rely on and of course the planning staff is still there to make sure we don't get out of line. The new Chairman and Vice Chair were named last night and the planning board members are listed below. The planning board meets every 3rd tuesday of the month at 7pm and the citizens are encouraged to attend.
Russell Whitehurst- Chairman
Dave Anderson - Vice Chairman
Gary Vaughn (new member)
Roy Lewis (new member)
Lee Godwin (new member)
Richard Harper
Patricia Cowan
William Medlin (alternate)
Brenda Evans (alternate)
John Quinn (new member and alternate)
posted by Lee Godwin at
1:21 PM
5 Comments:
As a self described concerned citizen and a new member of Indian Trail's planning board, doesn't it make you feel proud when you read article such as the one in Thursday's (7/27) Union Observer discussing the recent hat making contest at Town Hall. Don't get me wrong, I think it is good to provide a relaxed and joyful working environment, but shouldn't the town staff be held to a higher standard as stewards of the taxpayers in Indian Trail. Based on the article, one day each month is set aside for this. I am sure it is not the whole day and certain activities are entirely acceptable, but these people are paid with our tax dollars. I know some of the planning staff are paid from the "very high" review fees that developers must pay for plan reviews, but still these people are stewards of the town. This may seem innocent on the surface but, to me, it further puts the town of Indian Trail in a negative light. Face it, the town is on a self imposed 3 year moratorium, which has surely decreased their work load, but for some unknown reason they have felt the need to triple the size of the planning staff in the last six months, and asking for more. These people obviously have too much time on their hands. The town needs to quit worrying about Town Centers, connector roads that you can't afford (and developers won't pay for) and get to work. They can start by buying some decent equipment to make all these presentations with. Quit worry about how great Indian Trail can be and realize how great it is! No more crazy hats, please!
Anonymous,
I didn't see the article and I have to admit that part of me finds it peculiar that such activities occur. I have worked in a stuffed shirt environment and a more relaxed one. The employees do a better job and are willing to do more in a short amount of time when called on if they are happy in a current position. I understand that it can be deemed a waste of money and such activities should be monitored closely. People could have done this during their lunch hours and there would be no question...I don't know if that was the case. I think its very easy to become an overbearing, fuss pot, micro manager but if the work gets done then I have no real problem. However, if the staff has so little to do that they goof off all the time or a lot then obviously something has to be corrected...I am sure the new manager will be able to handle that in the future. I have to take exception to your reference to "very high review fees" I think they are right in line with surrounding towns and if not mistaken the fees are actually lower in some areas due to the fact they were so extremely low before. The planning staff the way I understand it is 11. There would have to have been 4 on staff 6 months ago for them to triple, I don't believe they have tripled...I also think some of the staff are interns that basically work for the experience than for the money...I could be wrong on that though. Just because someplace is great or good now doesn't mean you can't shoot for more. Why limit yourself or the community? There is always room for improvement unless magically stuck in 1950's. We all know thats not possible, so we all have to move on. The old saying ...nothing ever stays the same comes to mind.
In closing...I think the one day a month is acceptable provided its not all day...and the work gets done and so on. If you have a real problem with it though, I would call town hall and complain to the Manager and Clerk...and of course contact your council and Mayor.
I have never worked for the town but I am somewhat privy to the inner workings of the town staff and how they have evolved over the years. I will concede the fact that the "very high fees" are in line with other areas. With the higher fees and larger staff you would think that you would get better service, but I haven't noticed any improvement over times past. The average citizen wouldn't see this, but I have. I have learned to get used to it and adjust. Believe me, this is not the point of my post to gripe about this, but it factors into my opinions. I will also concede that the staff maybe hasn't tripled in size but it surely has increased considerably. A lot of these positions were needed, particularly the zoning compliance positions. The zoning compliance people are doing a very good job for the town. Also interns are gaining valuable experience for little pay. I agree that a positive work environment is benificial to all parties. As long as the activities are limited in time they should be okay. The article, which I hope you have read by now, doesn't give that impression. It gave me the impression that this took place longer than just over lunch. If I am wrong about this I apologize to you, the town, and the dear lady who is doing all she can to build the morale of the workers. The point, however, to this and my previous post was to draw attention to the fact that this is a government agency, not McDonalds or IBM. The purpose of a government agency is to spend the taxpayer's money wisely and the most effective way to ensure that the best interests of the taxpayers are protected. That doesn't mean the work day can't be fun and enjoyable. The town staff needs to understand that at the end of the day they don't work for the manager, mayor, council, or boards. They work for the citizens as a whole and their "employers" are watching every thing they do. If they recognize and respect that, then they will surely gain the respect of all the citizens in Indian Trail.
Anonymous,
Very valid points all of them...can't really argue with any of them. I will say however that town staff and the town in general should be run more like a business than a government entity. It is true that the staff ultimately works for each taxpayer, but they answer directly to the Town Manager. With the Board of Directors (Council) looking on and ultimately controlling the purse strings. With that said, the council is not in place to run day to day activities for the town. That is the managers job. It is the responsibility of the council to fund the staff for the job that is needed or will be needed. As we have seen government never really seems to shrink even when employees aren't pulling their weight. That mentality does need to be changed in government. I think it has somewhat started in the bigger picture and is trickling down, but as an entity government has to be watched at all times. A position in a government body should not be considered a position for life. If the taxpayers see abuses, they should report them to the appropriate people, just like if you went to McDonalds or IBM. Don't just accept a bad attitude. Unfortunately, I didn't get the paper with the article in it but I am sure one could take it as you have.
I liked your explanation on how the town should be ran like a business. You are very correct. I just hope everyone associated with the town; employees, mayor, council, and even appointed board members realize that they are being watched. They are being watched by you with this blog, by me, and many other shareholders (taxpayers). There is an accountability. In this business, as you described it, the board of directors (Council) are the most visible and carry the most responsibility. They are the ones voted on by the shareholders (taxpayers). As you saw with the recent council change, this had a big impact on middle management and may not stop there before its over with. They are some very good people with the town, both past and present. I respect what they do and what they put up with. I know this way too much attention paid to one article. Though very innocent and lighthearted, I thought it was interesting and I wanted to comment on how I felt it impacted the perception of town hall. I appreciate the opportunity!
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