by:  Diane Benjamin

The employees of the City of Bloomington have no idea if their jobs are secure because of Steve Stockton, the City Council, and David Hales.  Managed Competition is nothing more than outsourcing.  It makes good sense if the private sector can do the job cheaper than City employees, but the way the City is handling the issue makes NO sense.

The problem is the City has been investigating “Managed Competition” for years! The issue was tabled earlier this year and City employees thought it was dead, but last night it was brought back again.  4 alderman didn’t roll over, a welcome change from the usual for all but Judy Stearns who supports Managed Competition, but not how the City is doing it.  Employees now have no job security, they could be the target Stockton and Hales are shooting at.

Meanwhile, citizen Alton Franklin spoke to the Council at the start of the meeting. He made some good points, but the best was his take on the BCPA hiring a “fundraiser”.  The City has been actively advertising for this position.  Instead of taking the opportunity to “outsource” an obviously easy to outsource position, the City is choosing to hire yet another employee.  Not only is another salary involved, but benefits and another pension.

The City is not capable of forming policies that make sense for the citizens.  Exactly who do they want to outsource?  Not a position pretty much everybody would agree with and one that wouldn’t hurt current employees!  City union employees now have to go back to worrying about if they will be victims of the Stockton and Hales policies.

Maybe this is why Stockton and Hales also want to hire a Communications person.  Selling the bull takes a professional.