Political boo-boos

[Zoning Goddess]

We're having a lot of laughs in Central Florida. One of the t.v. stations was tipped that 12 staff and 5 board members from our local transit agency were headed to a conference in Las Vegas (on 22k of public money). With hidden cams, they got footage of these guys gambling and drinking during conference session times, getting out of limos rented by potential consultants, etc. This after they just slashed bus routes due to "budget cuts". Now all the governments that fund the agency are calling for investigations.
Anybody else's planning agencies get into silly situations like this?

 

[Jeff]

Jeez,

Anything associated with the Mayor's Office in Philly. You couldn't even call it a boo boo, just blatant corruption/abuse of taxpayer money.

 

[giff57]

With hidden cams, they got footage of these guys gambling and drinking during conference session times,

Crap, now you can't even skip sessions.

 

[Repo Man]

I have heard stories around where I work that some elected officials did something similar (I think it was in Hawaii) and that is why nobody can ever go to any conferences or anything on the City's time or with the City's money.

Around 7-8 years ago one of the local news stations would fly helecopters over sites where public workers were supposedly working. They would catch them napping, standing around, etc. At the time I worked for a local county park system and anytime we took a break, we feared that the helecoptor would fly over at that moment.

 

[Jeff]

Around 7-8 years ago one of the local news stations would fly helecopters over sites where public workers were supposedly working. They would catch them napping, standing around, etc. At the time I worked for a local county park system and anytime we took a break, we feared that the helecoptor would fly over at that moment.

They should do a flyby of my old job. Christ this one guy comes and goes as he pleases, to go hunting, buy tractor parts, meet with the stock broker....

And when he is there he's about as useful as a Flowbee.

 

[Chet]

Ouch. A few years ago in the small town I was working for, the local paper suspected such things were happening (they were NOT). They didnt follow the crew, but skimmed over the receipts that were turned in - headline then read "Engineer Rents Limousine for Junket".

Turns out that the airport shuttle - a 15 person Dodge Van - was called a limousine service.

The retraction was sweet!

 

[Mastiff]

Re: Re: Political boo-boos

Crap, now you can't even skip sessions.

Just CLEP out of them like I do...

Hey boss, I know all that stuff, I'm headed for the lounge!

 

[Chet]

Re: Re: Re: Political boo-boos

Just CLEP out of them like I do...

Wow. A phrase I havent heard since Freshman year at UW-Zero, 1986.

 

[Mastiff]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Political boo-boos

Wow. A phrase I havent heard since Freshman year at UW-Zero, 1986.

Heh heh heh...

You know, I used to go to the Muni League conference every year. My boss, the CA, NEVER went to ANY sessions. And he came home with more knowledge and contacts than anyone...

 

[Repo Man]

If they want to catch someone in the act of not working, they should look at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Student Union. During my tenure on the "set up" crew I witnessed (or participated in the following activities while punched in:

1. Watched movies at the union cinema
2. Watched Packer games at the Union Cinema (while it was closed)
3. Played Sega on the Union Cinema screen
4. Slept
5. Drank beer and/or anything given to us by catering staff or food service staff
6. Went home to watch a WI Badgergs game.
7. Did homework
8. Skateboarded
9. Played football in the union ballrooom.
10. Hung around backstage at concerts/comedy shows and drank beer and ate food intended for the performers.
11. Watched concerts

Despite all of this (and only getting caught a few times) I was promoted to shift leader.

Best job ever!

 

[donk]

CLEP?

 

[Chet]

CLEP?

A college level exam to "test out" of a required class:

"I clep'd out of English dude! It da bomb!"

recently used coloquially by Mastiff in regard to conference sessions where he knows the topic by heart and will waste an hour by sitting through.

 

[OhioPlanner]

A collegue told me a story about a planner in their agency that is trying to sneak in a new build porn shop. That's one that needs some news coverage.

 

[Dan]

Anybody else's planning agencies get into silly situations like this?

Where I used to work ... my budget was zero. Zilch. Nothing. My day-to-day spending for mailing, stationery and so on was lumped in with the Town Clerk's budget.

Napping? You bet! During lunch, in the car, with the AC on full blast.