A resolution to remove DPW logs from packets distributed to city council members before each meeting wasn’t meant to keep the information from anyone.
That’s the word from Clarkston Mayor Steve Arkwright, who wrote the resolution and argued for its passing at a July 13 meeting of the city council.
‘The current method of disseminating information was a waste of time,? Arkwright said. ‘Since I’ve been back on council, there’s never been any action taken or conversation on information in the logs’except when they weren’t in the packets.?
The expense and time of putting the logs together, he said, was considerable, noting the effort took City Manager Dennis Ritter away from other obligations for ‘half to three quarters of a day.?
‘It doesn’t seem like good use of resources,? Arkwright said. ‘Anyone who wants the logs has absolute, total ability to get them. This is not an effort to make it more difficult. We’re just trying to make it a little more reasonable.?
Arkwright also said providing the logs to council encouraged ‘micromanagement? of city operations by some members.
Instead, he said, the council should allow Ritter to do his job.
‘The city council is not charged with day-to-day management, Arkwright said. ‘The city charter very clear on that. Dennis is doing his job, and I’m satisfied with his work. The micromanagement makes us extremely ineffective, and deteriorates employee moral. I don’t think it serves any positive purpose.?
The resolution passed by a 5-2 vote, with councilmen Chuck Inabnit and Cory Johnston opposed to having the logs removed from the twice monthly information packets.
I wanted to keep getting (the logs),? said Inabnit. ‘I believe it’s important for the council to have the information we need to make decisions about how the city is run.?
Johnston told the council it was ‘votes like this? that prompted his decision to not seek reelection.
Later, Johnston outlined his opposition in a letter to City Manager Dennis Ritter, but also provided The Clarkston News with a letter he’d sent previously.
In the first letter, dated March 16, Johnston noted logs indicate two DPW employees spent Feb. 10 washing and drying the loader, and Feb. 13 greasing the loader. The two employees also went together for salt and asphalt patch Feb. 17, and both started a fire in the park to dispose of police evidence Feb. 18 (which Johnston claims is against park ordinance). On Feb. 19 both employees took gas cans to Independence Township, and both salted Rudy’s parking lot Feb. 26.
‘The most bothersome entry was Feb. 5 when 16 total hours were spent to wash, dry and wax the pickup truck and change two grease fittings,? Johnston wrote. ‘That is the entire work entry for both the entire day.
Refuting the idea that no action was ever taken based on the logs, Johnston delivered a second letter this week, claiming:
‘The logs were used to discover DPW employees were regularly paid overtime for being on duty during Concerts in the Park and other special events. The issue was reported at a council meeting and DPW overtime
‘The Logs were used to discover DPW employees either do not take a lunch or are paid for lunch, as they regularly work from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., which constitutes a 7 percent to 14 percent raise over council approved straight pay, he said.
‘It certainly seems like it would be a concern, as public employees in other municipalities are asked to take pay cuts and unpaid furlough days,? Johnston wrote.
‘The logs showed certain private properties, or properties adjacent to private property, were being maintained by the DPW and snow was removed from some sidewalks adjacent to private property while not at others.
‘The logs continue to show instances of two employees going to locations that do not require two people and doubles payroll costs for these activities, he said.
‘The Logs indicate over 40 hours of DPW time spent to move furniture the city purchased from Independence Township, which Johnston said added ‘at least 50 percent? to the approved purchase price.
‘Contrary to the opinion of the council and mayor, the DPW Logs do serve a purpose? Johnston concluded. ‘But they need to be used to make that happen. This is not micro-managing, as the Mayor likes to call it, it is an elected council member and taxpayer complaining about the observed and documented wasteful practices of city employees. I am sure many other taxpayers would greatly appreciate something being done about it other than making it more difficult to discover.?
But City Manager Dennis Ritter disagreed with Johnston’s claim that the councilman was not over-involved.
‘Cory isn’t the one running the day to day operations in the city,? he said. ‘He’s micromanaging and it’s been going on since the first day I arrived here.?
Ritter said the practice is disruptive to operations, noting Johnston’s frequent ‘demands? for detailed information from city administrators. Although he was out of town part of last week, Ritter said he had received and read Johnston’s most recent letter, and planned to look into the ‘allegations.?
‘I have every intention of reviewing the letter and responding accordingly,? he said. ‘If there’s something inappropriate going on, we’ll do what’s necessary to correct it and improve the situation.?