CITY PERSONNEL DIRECTOR VALERIA JONES CONFIRMS OUR SUSPICIONS
7-12-07
We have had no use for or confidence in City Personnel Valeria Jones since she proposed a City wide pay plan in 2006 WHICH GAVE HER THE BIGGEST RAISE OF ANY OF THE CITY'S MORE THAN 350 EMPLOYEES. We have always thought that she was sneaky and deceptive and that action merely confirmed our suspicion...
In pushing for a City wide Pay Plan, Ms. Jones proposed that her OWN SALARY be raised from $41,204 to $52,000 a year .. a 22% increase; larger than anyone's raise! This was too much, even for the Crenshaw Block. The Council voted to raise Ms. Jones salary to a MERE $48,000 A YEAR.
Now we have a $48,000 a year Personnel Director who can not even gather applications to be Police Chief of the City. Ms. Jones and Mayor Perkins propose spending from $14,000-$40,000 to hire a firm to seek applicants for the position. Our question is, WHAT DO WE NEED VALERIA JONES FOR? (We know what Mayor Perkins needs her for, but why does the City need her?)
We urge the Council Members NOT to vote to hire a firm to do what Jones and Perkins SHOULD be doing. There are 2 reasons for our recommendations:
(1) As Councilman Cain suggested, there are competent business people in Selma who have hired hundreds of people who would be willing to serve on a Committee to find applicants and make recommendations to Mayor Perkins. THIS WOULD COST THE CITY NOTHING!
(2) Mayor Perkins danced around the question asked by Councilman Williamson Monday night and WOULD NOT SAY that he would hire one of the people recommended by the search firm. WHY SPEND ONE CENT on a search firm if the Mayor is not going to select from their recommendations.
This search for a new Police Chief has all the makings of another JIMMY MARTIN TYPE DISASTER! Remember that when Martin was hired, the Mayor was going to do a "nation wide" search for a Chief. Instead, Perkins hired a Police Sergeant and the DISASTER of the last 2 years followed with Martin as Chief.
We urge the City Council to use local business people who are experienced in hiring personnel as a committee to find candidates for Police Chief.
Remember, the choice for Chief is made by Perkins alone! He is solely responsible for the Jimmy Martin FIASCO! With Perkins and Valeria "overpaid" Jones in charge, we are probably looking at another FIASCO in hiring Martin's replacement!
