Joplin City Employees Get Pay Raises…Again

While the city of Neosho has elected to freeze pay again this year (after reducing it 3.75% last year), the city of Joplin has found a way to give their employees a little more money.

From today’s Joplin Globe:

JOPLIN, Mo. — Joplin city workers will receive a 2.5 percent pay hike in the fiscal year beginning Nov. 1.

The increase, recommended earlier by City Manager Mark Rohr, was endorsed by the City Council on Tuesday night at a special meeting in which members also adopted a new, self-funded insurance program aimed at eventually trimming city costs for the benefit.

Council members adopted the pay hike on a 7-2 vote, after some questioned the decision in the current economic climate and others pointed out that the increase did little to address a disparity cited in recent pay studies.

This raise is on top of the raise approved in March of 3%.

The full article is here.

Plenty of Division to Go Around

Seems like the division in Neosho politics has extended to the classroom.

On Monday, the Neosho R-5 School board voted 4-3 to extend the contract of Dr. Richard Page for another year.  Voting against Page’s renewal was Cheryl Hawkins, Bruce Mahr and 1st-year member Mike Stauffer.  Page was in the last year of a three-year contract.

Earlier this month, Neosho received news that the district met all 14 performance standards set forth by DESE.  Neosho has already received the “Distinction with Performance” honor three years in a row.  Absent something unforeseen, Neosho’s exceptional performance should extend that trend another year.

Dr. Page is starting his 6th year as Neosho’s Supt.  He took over after Dr. Mark Mitchell resigned in 2005.  Prior to his current position, Page served the district as Asst. Supt. of Business and Finance.

Personally, if you take the name off the resume and look only at the accomplishments, Dr. Page has done what I feel is an exceptional job for the district.  Assisted by Dr. Jim Cummins and Mrs. Alma Stipp, the Neosho R-5 has one of the best leadership teams in the area.

Dr. Page has his Masters and Doctorate degrees from the University of Arkansas.

Curiousity Killled the Cow?

I spent the evening burning some brush that had accumulated in the fence row. I was surprised by the draw the fire had with the cattle. The calves were in front checking out the new event, but even the mama cows (one shown here) acted as if fire was a new concept.

My comment to the steer next to me - "This is just a warm up bud. Next time, it'll be 400f and you'll be medium rare."

How Much is not Enough

Neosho’s 2010-2011 budget is 1 step closer to being formally adopted by the city council.  Last night, in a 3-2 vote, the council approved on first reading a budget that continues forward with a 20% reduction in work force over last year, no monies for the Chamber of Commerce ED (economic development) contract and frozen pay for all city employees.  In total, cuts from the budget totaled around $1.7 million to get it balanced.

But despite new leadership both in governance (with our new CM) and finance (with our new finance director), despite cuts that make Neosho a much more streamlined operation, and despite a budget process and document that is clearest and most user-friendly document (not to mention transparent and available) I’ve seen from our city, that wasn’t enough to get past a 3-2 vote – a vote tally that only highlights the continuing division of the council.

Opponents of the budget expressed concerns over the pay of the city manager (which is controlled and set by the same council) and concerns about the capital projects list (a list required by our Charter to be prepared by the city manager.)

In reference to capital projects, Councilwoman Bowers was quoted in today’s Neosho Daily News as saying “All we’re approving is blank checks, and I don’t approve that,”.  For the record, that’s not what last night’s vote did.  Any bids for those proposed projects would still require approval by council before moving forward. 

Regarding an employee list of vacant and unfunded positions included in the budget, Ms. Bowers expressed concerns that those positions should not be filled without council approval.  For the record, since monies do not exist to fund them, any additional funding that comes available to fund them must BY CHARTER be approved by council. 

Councilman Wright was opposed to the budget based in part on the salary of the city manager.  He was quoted in the Neosho Daily as saying “what do we have to do to lower the city manager’s salary?”  Since the council sets the city manager’s salary, the correct answer is the council would simply have to do it.  For the record, the CM’s salary is the same as when he was hired – that hiring occurred in April by this same council on a vote of 4-1 with Councilwoman Bowers voting ‘no’.  It is also close to $20,000 less than the salary of the former CM in last year’s budget.

Despite my hopes that this budget would be the first step in getting the entire council (and eventually the public) behind our city’s new leadership, it appears that will not be the case. 

Cessna Aircraft cuts 700 jobs saying economy hasn't improved as expected

From the Winnipeg Free Press:

WICHITA, Kan. - Cessna Aircraft announced Tuesday it will cut another 700 jobs, saying it has not seen the growth and recovery that it expected this year.

Cessna CEO Jack Pelton told workers in an email that the company's performance mirrored the "lacklustre economy."

"While cancellations have slowed, the recovery and growth we expected to see throughout the year have not materialized, and the timing of any recovery remains uncertain," Pelton wrote. "This requires additional adjustment to our production schedules."

The latest round of layoffs comes on top of 8,000 jobs Cessna has shed since late 2008 as it cut its workforce by half, Cessna spokesman Doug Oliver said.

Most of the layoffs have been at the firm's Wichita facilities, where 6,200 people now work compared with 12,400 in late 2008.

It is uncertain when the 60-day notices will start going out, Oliver said. The layoffs would be company wide.

The full article is here.

Record-Breaking Enrollment at Community Colleges

From the Missouri Community College Association:

Jefferson City, Missouri – September 20, 2010.  Over 8,000 more students are taking classes at Missouri’s community colleges this fall compared to last fall.  This represents an 8% increase in enrollment, and reflects growth at each of the state’s twelve community colleges.

This increase is part of a five-year trend of increased enrollment at community colleges.  Community college leaders attribute enrollment growth to a number of factors.  “Students are telling us that community colleges are the best place to improve their skills and marketability quickly.  We also offer a tremendous value – the average per-credit-hour cost at a community college is about a third of the cost at the state’s public universities, and less than 15 percent of the cost of a private college or university,” said Dr. Hal Higdon, president of Ozarks Technical Community College and chair of the Missouri Community College Association’s Presidents/Chancellors Council.  “Missourians are facing unprecedented financial challenges, so cost is a major factor in students’ decisions about where to go to college.”

These factors have led to a shift in enrollment patterns.  Today, Missouri’s community colleges educate more in-state undergraduate students than any other sector – a change from the past, when public universities had the largest numbers of such students.

Last Chance for Federal Funding of Police and Fire Dies in Jefferson City

Despite their best efforts, Republicans in the House were unable to override a veto by Gov. Nixon that impacted $209 million in funding from the feds for medicaid.  The funding was promoted by the Obama administration as a way to save police and fire jobs, but did not contain provisions requiring the funding be used that way.

With the failure, Nixon will go ahead with plans to put the $209 million into a fund for use in the 2012 budget.  The end result with be –0- police/fire jobs saved (at least in Missouri) with that funding despite its intent to do so.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a supporter of all the bailouts, but if you’re going to send it to the states with a purpose, designate it appropriately and ensure the funds are used for the intended purpose.

http://edlabor.house.gov/newsroom/2010/08/house-passes-emergency-legisla.shtml

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/05/politics/main6746361.shtml

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:H.R.1586:

On the final bill from DC, MO Senator McCaskill voted for the bill, Sen. Bond voted against it.

All Missouri Republicans in the house voted ‘Nay’ with the exception of Roy Blunt who did not cast a vote.

Can Bruce Lee Protect Me? 我想是这样。

After seeing a few Porsche’s in the parking lots of Chinese hotels, this article from the Washington Post was rather timely.

BEIJING - Perhaps the most visible sign of the explosion of private wealth in China tries hard not to be visible at all - the private bodyguard.

They work as drivers or nannies, or blend into a businessman's coterie looking like a secretary, a briefcase carrier or a toady. Unlike bodyguards in the United States, they are generally not tall and imposing; in fact, many are women, on the theory that females in the retinue attract less attention.

And also unlike in the United States, they are never armed, since private citizens in China are largely prohibited from owning firearms. Rather, Chinese bodyguards are martial arts experts, trained to disarm or subdue an attacker with a few quick thrusts, jabs and hand chops.

"In China, we don't need people who know guns," said Michael Zhe, president of Beijing VSS Security Consulting Ltd, which started in 2002 and counts itself as the country's oldest private security firm. "Bodyguards can use one or two blows to stop an attacker."

The full article is here.

Gen. Powell Not Hopeful on Afgan War

General Colin Powell commented over the weekend that the US is only moving the Taliban around the country vs. winning the war.

Can we really win such a war with rampant corruption in the highest ranks of the Afgan government? Can we afford to give the Taliban (and possibly al queda) another place to grow and train by not staying there and fighting?

Cessna strike would have had ripple effect on Wichita economy

From the Wichita Eagle:

The Wichita area dodged a strike and the economic impact it would have had on the city when the Machinists union at Cessna Aircraft rejected a work stoppage on Saturday.

A strike would have had a ripple effect in the community, said Wichita State University professor of economics Martin Perline.

"You're talking quite a few employees with pretty good wages," he said.

The union rejected Cessna's seven-year contract but didn't have the two-thirds vote required for a strike.

The full article is at: 

http://www.kansas.com/2010/09/19/v-print/1501690/cessna-strike-would-have-had-ripple.html

Chinese Translation 1

You can't travel China without seeing a number of English translations that don't quite convey the appropriate meaning. This sign was at the train station in Shanghai conveying the standing area for coach/economy travelers.

Enjoy.

Speaker Richard Says Spend The Money

I have had a few conversations with Speaker Richard regarding the $209 million in Federal funding promoted by politicians in DC as a way to save police and fire jobs. As a follow up, this is from today's Joplin Globe:

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri House Speaker Ron Richard says the state should spend - not save - a $200 million influx from the federal government.

The Republican speaker said Monday he wants to highlight the Legislature's role in spending decisions by overriding Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of a bill creating a special fund for the money.

Richard believes the House hasn't been included in discussions about using the money.

At issue is $209 million Missouri expects to get in enhanced Medicaid payments in 2011. The payments are an extension of the federal stimulus act.

Nixon plans to save the money for the 2012 budget. Richard said the money should be spent during the current budget year - perhaps to prop up Medicaid payments to doctors.

The Marco Team in Shanghai

Jun runs our China operation.

Mr. Jun Li poses with Lenny and Clem in front of the Ramada Shanghai Airport Hotel. From here, it's on the Mag Lev for a ride downtown for dinner.

Go Cats!

In addition to a great home opener last night, the pre-game crowd was also entertained by a group of young cheerleaders from K-6.

Go Wildcats.

Water Myths Clarified

In addition to working through a number of budget questions last night, there were also a couple of points clarified that will hopefully put to rest some mis-information regarding water use at the golf course and commercial sewer billing.

Myth 1 – The golf course is getting free water because there is no meter on the lines used to keep the course watered.

Fact 1 – The golf course uses treated water from the waste streams of the Crowder sewer plant.  This water would otherwise be sent to the Shoal Creek plant and put back into Shoal Creek.  By using this waste water, the city golf course saves an estimated $50,000 per year vs. using tap water to keep the course watered. 

Myth 2 – Some commercial businesses are getting discounts on their sewer rates that ordinary homeowners are not getting.

Fact 2 – Commercial businesses pay the same base rate as a homeowner.  The discounts that may apply are for ADDITIONAL charges that some businesses pay if their discharge requires additional treatment by the city to remove excess contaminants.  These additional fees are not charged to residential users.