So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work.
Peter Drucker
Interesting changes are being made in San Bernardino County’s Transitional Assistance Department’s (TAD) management structure. Unless Assistant Administrative Officer Linda Haugen and TAD Director Nancy Swanson are even more stupid than we already know, they have to be very nervous about the new head honcho in town, County Administrative Officer (CAO) Greg Devereaux. Linda Haugen was able to . . . um “charm” . . . her way out of trouble with former CAO Mark Uffer but those who have worked with Devereaux say he cannot be “persuaded” by the same means. We know that neither Linda nor Nancy are capable of producing anything resembling a well-thought-out and intelligent work product, so they have a lot to worry about.
Before being devoured by TAD, the Jobs and Employment Services Department (JESD) was considered one of the best departments to work for in the county. Employment Services Specialist positions were highly sought after. The department was known for treating its employees and the public very well. It had a positive work environment for employees and did an awesome job of helping the less fortunate in our community. (more…)
- Written by Administrator
- Posted February 7, 2010 at 2:01 am
It seems San Bernardino County Supervisor Paul Biane would like all of us to drink his flavor of “Kool-Aid”.
However, in Biane’s case it’s either a bottle of Kettle One vodka or a few bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Biane, who himself has apparently been a subject of focus by District Attorney Michael Ramos is attempting to woefully spin a ridiculous story that no one believes.
The District Attorney has made a referral to the California Fair Political Practices Commission related to a trip the two-term county supervisor and incoming county administrative officer Greg Devereaux took with two West Valley businessmen in September 2008.
While Devereaux appears to have made an honest attempt to comply with state law regarding such travel by public officials, Biane did the opposite. (more…)
With the pending arrival of newly hired San Bernardino County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux, we are pondering some points:
- Will Assistant County Administrative Officer Dean Arabatzis now be required to work 40 hours a week at the County Government Center? Five days a week, every week?
- Will the Fifth Floor continue to be a ghost town on both sides of the isle on Fridays?
- Will CAO Devereaux also work five days a week?
- Will County Counsel Ruth Stringer and her deputy county counsels be allowed to continue to accrue millions in leave balances?
- What will replace our beloved “Service First”?
- Will Chicken Man show up to board meetings in a chicken suit?
- Will Board of Supervisors staff follow Devereaux’s lead and start working five days a week, 40 hours a week?
- Will department heads caught lying and cheating have consequences similar to line staff?
- Will David Wert be required to work 40 hours a week, five days a week, every week?
- Will department heads who go on vacation be required to green-slip their time?
- Will non-elected department heads be allowed to continue bonking their line staff?
- Will anything be done about sexual harassment and racial discrimination in the work place?
- Will anything of significance ever get accomplished by the Fifth Floor in a timely manner?
“Cautiously optimistic” and “nervous” are two of the phrases I have heard repeatedly about San Bernardino County’s new head honcho, County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux. Even before assuming office, Devereaux has ended a decades-long policy of 9-80s for county management, a move that makes line staff very nervous as many depend on “flex time” to survive in these hard economic times. But it is also a sign that Devereaux is not going to be afraid to lead.
After six years of despot leadership by former County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer and his band of thugs, it is easy to understand why line staff are wary of our new leader. I’ve been asked my opinion repeatedly by everyone from the lowest level employee to managers to newspaper reporters. Here is my standard response:
Seeing Devereaux’s close, personal relationship with the Fourth District makes me nervous on a personal level, especially when considering what the Fourth District recently did to me. That being said, I have two friends who are long-term city of Ontario employees who have nothing but respect for Devereaux. They are rank-and-file and are allowed to work 9-80s. Ontario employees, most of whom are represented by San Bernardino County Public Employees Association, have the best contracts of any governmental agency in San Bernardino County.
From what I hear from those that know Devereaux, he is tough but also fair. I also hear he will not take the crap from county managers that Uffer not only tolerated, but encouraged. He will not play the games Uffer played and will not tolerate bad managers. Unlike Uffer, he is consistently described as a ‘professional.’ (more…)
- Written by Administrator
- Posted February 1, 2010 at 7:00 am
InlandPolitics.com has learned that incoming San Bernardino County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux is looking at outside talent for key positions in his new administration.
Which positions are being looked at by Devereaux is not clear, but county supervisors appear to be allowing the incoming chief full authority to manage and get the house in order.
By all accounts Devereaux is doing just that.
(more…)
At the last court appearance former Assistant Assessor and Chief of Staff Jim Erwin made in front of Judge Duke Rouse, arguments were heard to have an evidentiary hearing to recuse the District Attorney’s office from Erwin’s case. During those arguments, the deputy Attorney General assisting in the prosecution suggested to Judge Rouse that Erwin wants to be given “special” treatment. This particular statement highlights the ignorance of the Attorney General’s office in reference to the political corruption in San Bernardino County. (more…)
As more statements from those involved appear in local newspapers, and other information is gathered related to the travel activity of County Supervisor Paul Biane and incoming County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux, it is becoming very apparent that both men are on opposite sides of the coin.
In 2008, both men accompanied local businessmen to West Viriginia for a football and golf outing.
However, their stories in local newspapers diverge from here out.
Devereaux appears to have made an honest mistake in his reimbursement for the travel.
Devereaux was apparently unaware that the rule for reimbursement of private charter travel had been changed some 45 days before the trip.
The old rule, commonly referred to as the “Southwest Airlines” rule mandated the reimbursement for any private charter travel must be done so at the lowest available common carrier flight to the same destination available to the public. Devereaux complied.
(more…)
County Supervisor Paul Biane has broken his silence. Now his statements bear some analysis.
A leisure trip to West Virginia that occurred in September 2008 was reimbursed out of Biane’s campaign funds. Did the reimbursement occur in September 2008 or when the amended disclosure form was filed in March 2009, just 8 days before the arrest of Jim Erwin, former Chief of Staff to Supervisor Neil Derry?
Erwin was charged with ten counts of perjury and filing false documents related to a trip and gift he received in January 2007.
Erwin resigned from his job and was made to post $220,000 bail.
The bet is on March 2009.
The costs were also under reimbursed.
(more…)
I can write about this since it was mentioned to me both during group and outside of group. One of the group members, who I had never met before last week and who is not a county employee, was out somewhere this past weekend. He happened to eavesdrop on a group of people who were sitting nearby. He heard them mention me by name and mention the blog. I can’t remember what all he heard now, but he told me that I have a huge support group out there. (more…)
I had a chance to meet with Cheryl Ristow, the claimant in the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s sex scandal, yesterday and she showed me her documentation. One of things the newspapers seem to have forgotten is that the report does not clear District Attorney Michael Ramos of lying to the public nor does it suggest that he DID NOT have an affair with Cheryl or any number of other subordinate employees. All it states is that the District Attorneys office did not create a hostile work environment for Cheryl.
Cheryl has the proof, which leads those of us close to the situation to believe that the more-serious hanky-panky is between San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gary Ovitt, along with his Chief of Staff, Mark Kirk, and the law firm investigating the accusations. Helping along with the deceit is likely Human Resources Director Andrew Lamberto and County Counsel Ruth Stringer. (more…)
