CM PRESS # 587

Costa Mesa Adjusts Outsourcing Process

Responding to concerns raised by the Costa Mesa City Employees’ Assn., City Chief Executive Officer Tom Hatch has formed Contracting Committees that will include employee association representatives to research the viability of outsourcing of some City services.

In a letter sent today to the employees’ association, Hatch said three Requests for Proposals (RFPs) that have been recently sent out—for video production services, animal control services and building inspection services—will be withdrawn and the newly formed Contracting Committees will explore the benefits of outsourcing each particular service.

If contracting is a viable option for any of these services, the committees will finalize the Requests for Proposals for City Council approval.

Hatch also will have a Contracting Committee review an RFP for jail operations prepared by Police Department staff.

To date, four out of the initially proposed 18 RFPs have been released. All were prepared with significant input from members of the Costa Mesa City Employees’ Assn. regarding scope of services, level of expected service, and the affected stakeholders.

The new procedures announced by Hatch are aligned with a council policy passed in 1999 that provided guidelines for potential outsourcing and is among the existing policies and regulations referenced in the employees’ association contracts with the City.

The council policy states that the City Council approves the RFPs, views the submitted proposals and “makes approval accordingly.”

“The Aug. 1 letter from Association President Helen Nenadal brought up some valid concerns that the City felt should be addressed as it explores outsourcing, and I thank her for it,” Hatch said. “Now that we’ve made the adjustments, we look forward to completing this process in a timely fashion.”

The policy calls for the Contracting Committees to be formed from three segments of the City’s workforce: “Project Responsibility/Facilitator,” which can include finance director, administrative services director, budget and research officer, personnel manager; “Department Representative” (a department head, manager and/or supervisor of service being evaluated and “representatives from the service area … with technical expertise and qualifications to knowledgably discuss the contracting proposal”); and “Employee Representative” (“representatives designated by the appropriate employees’ association to evaluate and provide input regarding the specific service being evaluated”).

In his letter, Hatch said the six-month layoff notices issued to 213 employees whose jobs may be outsourced will remain in place, though no layoffs were anticipated on Sept. 17—six months from when the first notices were issued.

“I hope we can all take this opportunity to do an honest assessment of existing service delivery and options of improving that service at a lesser cost,” Hatch concluded, “whether it be through contracting out, ‘contracting-in,’ or restructuring.”

In July, an Orange County Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction to stop the City from outsourcing services to private companies until a lawsuit filed by the Costa Mesa City Employees’ Assn. to halt the process is heard.
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Feds Called In To Curb East St. Louis Violent Crime
Article blames schools, liquor stores, housing, poverty, clubs.  No mention of race.  Wonder why? Are you fooled? 

Never mind, we looked up the demographics for you. LINK

The City is 97.70% Black and 1.20% White.
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HOW CAN THE CMPD REGAIN THE RESPECT OF CITIZENS OF COSTA MESA?

The most important thing CMPD officers and their unions can do is to stay out of our politics. Period.

To be seen as professionals you have to act like professionals.  No more political mailings.  No more A-Frame signs.  No more smear campaigns.  No more giving money to shills you want elected to the Council.
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OUT OF TOWN EMPLOYEES SQUIRM AT HAVING THEIR NAMES AND SALARIES REVEALED TO THE PEOPLE WHO PAY THEM

Be sure to check out the comments from the presumed out of town union employees after this Daily Pilot article on their compensation HERE.

See the pattern?  Most are whining because citizens of Costa Mesa are being told who makes what.

Now, aren't these some of the same people who have been calling for transparency?

HERE's the employee compensation report.  Keep it handy.  If you can't get proper service from one of your employees, or if you are treated rudely, you can look up what you're paying the person.  This will make the processes of our local government more real for you.
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