TBD Response to Pension Debacle

June 4, 2013

After discussions by members of the group ‘Take Back DuPont’, the following statement is made:

As citizens of DuPont we are increasingly alarmed by the financial crises that continue to pile up into a staggering debt.  In addition to the Civic Center Debt interest payment due in the weeks ahead, we have been levied a fine of nearly $600,000.00 for poor hiring decisions made in years past.  But recent events also identified the need to repay the ‘loan’ taken via an intra-fund transfer (from the equipment maintenance funds) to the tune of $700,000.00. 

We don’t wish to dredge up what led to the financing of the Civic Center, or the practice of bringing consultants on staff and failing to properly classify them or report their classification to the State Department of Retirement Systems, nor the decision to ‘borrow’ from one fund with the intention of paying it back sometime in the future. 

We have a clear trail of poorly made decisions that have widespread and very costly implications.  These decisions are certainly bad decisions when viewed in hindsight.  We would hope our city staff making these wide-reaching decisions would have more forethought and consider the serious implications their actions, or inactions, will have on the citizens that rely on them.  We expect, and deserve, better decisions made by those in which we entrust with our city be they elected, appointed or providing contracted services.

But we do wish to remind everyone that one of the goals the mayor set for his term, the one where city staff would have detailed job descriptions, performance oriented goals and targets and clearly defined responsibilities.  Without those in place how can any employee be held accountable for their actions, inactions or their poor decisions?  We urge the mayor and the human resources director to make it a priority to put these basic management tools in place.  Then, a policy of holding staff accountable should be immediately put in place.  While the staff is accountable for what they do, and don’t do, the mayor is, and always will be, held responsible. 

With those thoughts ringing clearly, we, the members of Take Back DuPont have started researching what is necessary to initiate a recall. 

takebackdupont@gmail.com

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