Open Letter to the Mayor and City Council
Dear Honorable Mayor and City Council Members:
The recent retirement announcement by City Administrator, Tom Sykes, most certainly comes at a time when the City of Commerce is seemingly understaffed in several crucial areas. As a business community, we expect our local government to stand ready to handle any and all needs of the community. With the many personnel changes that are occurring in the City of Commerce, the Commerce Industrial Council would like to remind the City Council that their first priority should always be the well-being of the community; not only its residents, but the businesses that contribute so greatly to the local economy.
In these days which are marked by corporate greed and governmental abuse of taxpayer funds, we must create an environment in City government that not only promotes efficiency, but does so in a fashion that provides the controls necessary to prevent abuse by those who may be tempted to exploit the system.
We believe the City of Commerce is obligated to its citizens, businesses, and taxpayers, to put in place those programs, procedures, and controls necessary to ensure this cannot happen.
While we realize it is sometimes necessary to temporarily fill vacancies in City staff with paid consultants, we believe it should only be temporary, and that the community is best served by filling the vacated posts with regular, full-time people as quickly as qualified applicants can be found.
It is no secret that consultants often have agendas that compete with those who retain their services, particularly when it comes to aspects of a plan or project that directly impact their level of compensation, (i.e. timing, implementation, follow-up, cost, etc.) It is widely known that the over-use of consultants can, and has, created environments where those in control can abuse the system for personal gain.
The Commerce Industrial Council must insist on your assurances that business in the City of Commerce will continue in a timely and consistent manner. In addition, we believe that staff positions that are vacant, or soon-to-be vacant, should be filled with regular, city employees as opposed to paid consultants. We are anxious to hear what transition plan you have for replacing Mr. Sykes and the other open Department Head positions.
Thank you for your dedication to the City of Commerce. Let’s continue to move forward together!
Respectfully,
Marki Leonard
Executive Director