Since last year’s election, all of the employees have known huge change was coming.
They just did not know the form. Still don’t.
Even after Mr. Fulwood made his historic announcement of the reorganization at last week’s City Council meeting, specific data remained as scarce as before he spoke.
Short on Specificity
Several aspects of this reupholstering of bodies and philosophy bear close watching.
Having gained a reputation for being the most private executive at City Hall during the past three and a half years, Mr. Fulwood, characteristically, has been parsimonious with the practical information he has dispensed in recent days.
The City Council only learned several days before the meeting of his intention to make his earthquake-level reorganization announcement last week.
5 Highlights
In describing the objectives behind this campaign to achieve greater human and fiscal efficiency, Mr. Fulwood made 5 major points, all with a financial sheen to them:
- The search is on for the city’s first Chief Financial Officer — due in early autumn — to coordinate all things fiscal at City Hall. He or she will be the second most powerful person in the city, answering to Mr. Fulwood.
- All departments formerly autonomous, notably the City Treasurer’s office and the City Clerk’s staff, will be subsumed. The title City Treasurer will vanish. The City Clerk’s position will morph from elected to appointed.
- In spite of the far-ranging shakeup, no person will go off the payroll or have his pay-rate changed. But responsibilities will be altered.
- Due to widely perceived job-overlapping, specialists will be trained to be generalists.
- Through attrition, the staff ultimately will be trimmed by about 10 percent, in a quest for efficiency, Mr. Fulwood said yesterday. To say it differently, some positions will not be filled when workers retire or resign.
On Being Vulnerable
Many key employees find themselves in vulnerable positions where their careers are concerned.
The response in each case is tied to the age, economic status and career trajectory of the worker.
Since employees don’t know how much the revamping will affect their jobs — just that it will — some are mulling their next professional moves.
Which Way to Go
Their conundrum:
Should they ride out the mental stress and see where they land?
Or should they take control of their working lives now and make plans to leave as soon as a favorable job opens up?
One well-known titled male told thefrontpageonline.com this morning:
“I anticipate there will be a parting of the clouds,” his artful way of saying he plans to catch the 3:10 to Yuma, or somewhere outside of Culver City.
Another longtime employee, who also packs a hefty title, shrugged. “I have been through this before,” she said. “I am going to ride it out.”
Another Perspective
Mr. Fulwood, who keeps germane details to himself on routine matters, is, you may imagine, even more guarded these days.
He said after yesterday’s Chamber of Commerce Public Safety Awards Luncheon he could not provide specific data until after he reports back to the City Council on the final Monday in March.
Naturally, the city’s 6 unions are concerned about the shape of the staff, their new duties and how those new duties will be parceled out and communicated.
Huddling with Unions
Mr. Fulwood has his second meeting scheduled on Monday with the bargaining units. “I have been explaining the plan to them, and I am getting feedback from them,” he said.
What is the feedback? “I am still meeting with them,” he said, cagily.
“I will be meeting with employees of the city, too, over lunches, so they can ask questions. There are a lot of questions, and communication is everything.”
Facts to Remember
Mr. Fulwood said the two most important facts about the re-organization are:
“No one will be laid off, and for some, this will be an opportunity for growth and for session planning.
“A lot of positive opportunities are built into the whole process — efficiency and sharing of resources.”
Fare Thee Well
The City Manager was asked what he will tell City Treasurer Crystal Alexander and City Clerk Christopher Armenta when he meets privately with them. By Charter, they will lose their perceived protected elective status. Actually, the Treasurer’s job will be vanquished. The City Clerk’s role remains clouded.
“I will thank them for holding the fort for the time they have served the community,” Mr. Fulwood said. “I will tell them I really appreciate everything they have done.”