Sob story made the news!

[boiker]

yep.. that's me. cleaning out my office space.

should this be in the office thread?

:& :& :& :& :& :& :& :&

i told the photographer/staff writer to make sure you mention my wife, 3 yr old and expecting...let's try to really drive it in

 

[Planderella]

Reality hits home......whew. At least it should stir up some guilt in the area, the local press here could care less what happens to planners. How's the job search going? Any news yet?

 

[boiker]

Las Vegas - awaiting return call should get it today

Hoffman Estates, Illinois - just participated in first interview/questionaire.

Appleton, Wisconsin - interview next monday.

it's tough to find a job that will pay me enough. Most pay very low comparable to cost of living.

 

[Downtown]

boiker, that's tremendous. local celebrity in our midst. let us know how vegas shakes down.

 

[Dan]

Ouch. I could joke about having your own coffee maker, but still, it's not fun. I've done the house sale and cross-country trek before, and it's no picnic.

In communities that have a high cost of living, salaries for planners haven't kept up. I think it's assumed that somone working for the agency would have purchased a home before whatever real estate boom hit the area. You can live very well on a $45K salary in San Francisco ... provided you bought your house in 1990, and have a mortgage of $900 a month.

I like the Kansas City area; decent quality of life, and quite affordable. Large southwestern cities (Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas) offer decent salaries and affordable housing, as do most large metros in the southeast. Stay away from Pennsylvania; it has some of the lowest planner salaries in the US.

My thoughts are with you.

 

[Planderella]

Stay away from Pennsylvania; it has some of the lowest planner salaries in the US.

And all this time I thought it was Louisiana........

Good luck Boiker

 

[boiker]

Ouch. I could joke about having your own coffee maker, but still, it's not fun. I've done the house sale and cross-country trek before, and it's no picnic.

yep, i've heard it over and over... the coffee maker cracks that is!

it's ok though, because the coffee in the building is absolute crap. and the local coffee shop around the corner charges around $2 a cup.

I'll make my own

 

[smarty]

possible job

Boiker, you might want to check out McKenna Associates. They're in SE MI with other offices too. I've seen them advertizing for planners with a pay range between 40-70K. Try the APA or Planetzen websites.

Just trying to help.

We're sorta feeling a bit tight on the budget too..........little nerve wracking right now.

Good Luck.

 

[Dan]

And all this time I thought it was Louisiana........

Maybe, but aren't there those ... uhh, tokens of appreciation that public officials in Louisiana are known to get in great abundance?





JUST KIDDING!

 

[el Guapo]

Big MO

St. Joe Mo. is looking for an emergency preparedness/FEMA type planner at ~ 39k to start. The living is easy here in the big MO.

Good luck Buddy!

 

[Tranplanner]

I'm with ya boiker - I refuse to pay $1.50 for a cup of hot water and a tea bag. I brew my own tea (Tesco's Premium - direct from the UK).

Good luck with the job search - keep us posted!

 

[prudence]

Confused...

Boiker -

what's a City Urban Planner?? Is there a City Rural Planner??


All kidding aside, I wish you the best in your job hunt.


Oh, and to comment on the hijacked thread...I don't drink coffee.

 

[boiker]

Re: Confused...

Boiker -

what's a City Urban Planner?? Is there a City Rural Planner??


All kidding aside, I wish you the best in your job hunt.


Oh, and to comment on the hijacked thread...I don't drink coffee.

I think that it's pretty obvious... i plan urban areas in cities

the paper wanted to make sure that everyone knew that I worked for the city... hence.. The City (city of peoria) urban planner.

I don't even know why i'm replying...maybe cause i have too much free time.

 

[mike gurnee]

Any severance package? Are do the perks not filter down? In my last position (director) I was offered 6 mo salary to resign. I argued, and got six months to find something else. (political, not budgetary in that case). BTW, I have my coffee maker, 'cause no one else knows how to make it drinkable.

 

[boiker]

Any severance package? Are do the perks not filter down? In my last position (director) I was offered 6 mo salary to resign. I argued, and got six months to find something else. (political, not budgetary in that case). BTW, I have my coffee maker, 'cause no one else knows how to make it drinkable.

i read my 'union' contract before i signed up for the job, I didn't know about the little things that come back to haunt me now. No severence, Insurance stop immediatly at termination, no bargining available (since it was in the union contract). All us who got layed off got screwed. Now all i have is unemployment checks and I have to find insurance, as COBRA for my family is over 1,000 a month...unemployment is only 1400 a month.

Hopefully a job comes my way soon!

 

[mike gurnee]

Don't you love unions? As in your case, management does not see employees as persons--only as 'them'. Did anybody higher up than your office even say "we are sorry"? Or even say goodbye? You have just reminded me not to start a new career.

 

[boiker]

Don't you love unions? As in your case, management does not see employees as persons--only as 'them'. Did anybody higher up than your office even say "we are sorry"? Or even say goodbye? You have just reminded me not to start a new career.

my department was very apologetic. From the director to the guy who was hired along side me (who also got laid off). THey knew who they were losing. Everyone in the city staff is mad at council for their wild spending and ridiculous insentives to devleopers. Basically, thats what broke the bank.

 

[smarty]

Parting remarks

I've been holding on to a line from the movie, I think it was News Radio (not the TV program). But bunch of people get laid off and one of the upper management boys looks down at the old fella he just let go and attempts to say "I'm sorry" by saying, "If there's anything I can ever do for you......"

The old guy looks up and says, "Well, you could die soon.", and walks away.

Sounds like Boiker could use this one easily. Funny because I thought unions where actually supposed to HELP the employee. Appears the Union and Management/HR roll around in the same twin bed.