WOW!! BEAUMONT CITY HALL LOVES THE DINERS CLUB!!!!

Charles Ferrell December 9, 2012 at 08:29 pm

Just a thought, but maybe Tacos & Beer has other things on its menu than tacos and beer? Ya think???

Dan Perry December 9, 2012 at 08:50 pm

The Patch had a restaurant review of Tacos and Beer, just look it up. It says it only does serve beer, and just Mexican food. It doesn't say it takes Diner's Club at all. So, yes, I am interested now, too. This audit does not point out any reserves at all, and the auditor made a point that they don't know how Beaumont is going to balance its budget unless they make spending cuts or revenue increases.

BMF2012 December 9, 2012 at 10:39 pm

So Jeff Fox was there?

BMF2012 December 9, 2012 at 10:43 pm

Dan- you will see, as all residents of Beaumont will soon see, that the city is broke. Robbing Peter to pay Paul cannot last forever. Changing bank accounts and using CFD money cannot last forever. My perdiction is this audit will come to light and the city will have a shake up..... just like San Bernardino.... people leaving, things covered up in the past coming to light..... you must know that all things come to an end. Sad to say. Wonder how many concerts in the park will be summer of 2013.

BMF2012 December 9, 2012 at 10:46 pm

Funny Charles how you jump on Ms. Gall. Not a mention of the other council. But then again, they wouldn't ever speak up.... Fox couldn't get his advances, DeForge wouldn't get his payroll paid, Castaldo wouldn't get California St closed for his "event"..... and Berg.... well he may not have been "elected" Mayor if he didn't go along. Just my 2 cents.

Hopeful December 9, 2012 at 11:16 pm

The grand for Tacos and Beer was not on the Diner's Club Card. It was clear as day on the link Ken provided of the expenditures. Not to mention the hundreds spent here and there at local restaurants. I also saw $750.00 spent in June or July 2011 for a New Year's party it said. First thought.... at my place of employment we have to supply our own party goods. Second thought... June or July New Year's Party?? Also some crazy costs for electrical bills. Walmart bills to the tune of up to $1500.00 per month. Several different phone bills, some high and some low. Several different Pre-paid legal services when I thought the City had an attorney. A couple of payments to Fullerton Orthopedics?? Flowers Etc.. Etc... I am no expert, but it is good to know someone with expertise is coming in to check all of these things out. Oh yeah it also looked like some items had white out on them. I am still wondering what the Cash Out's are.... Anyone?? Anyone??

Ken December 10, 2012 at 12:45 am

Hey Hopeful!! Im thinking that it said "year end party" which of course would be the end of the fiscal year (June or Julyish) and Im sure a huge collective sigh of relief for some. And for some reason they are real big on flowers and such. I think the cash outs are when people retire, quit or for whatever reason leave the employment rolls of the City. they cash out the very generous accruals of sick pay, personal days, deferred pay, possible insurance value premiums etc. At that time tyhey are due in cash all their accrued monies. As an aside it was just a couple yrs ago when a police Corporal (of many yrs) cashed out to the tune of over $200,000. Another interesting read is the rewrite of the MOU agreement between the City and its employees, whether by coincidence or not, that corresponded with the hiring of City Manager as employee. It is contained within this post from June 2012. http://banning-beaumont.patch.com/blog_posts/beaumont-observations

Hopeful December 10, 2012 at 01:01 am

I did see a few that specifically said final pay on there. They were generous too. I would have to look back, but I thought one person specifically who cashed out is still working. But I spent one of my whole days off work looking at the first link you sent and it was interesting and exhausting at the same time. I for sure have to look back on it when I get more time because a few things keep jumping back at me. A payment of about $300 and some change each month made to a life insurance company was interesting for sure. Thanks for helping out with some of my questions here and sharing the links and information!

Judy Bingham December 10, 2012 at 01:03 am

Mr. Ferrell, why don't you just stop it. Where did you get this Wal-Mart fairy tale?
You alluded to that in another post. You do not know me. I only know you as Editor of the Record Gazette. Stop spreading untruths about me. I never opposed Wal-Mart. Your sources are incorrect. What are your qualifications to be counseling Roger Berg? I really don't see much difference between you two. It appears you both enjoy berating and belittling women who don't agree with you.

Charles Ferrell December 10, 2012 at 12:07 pm

I don't think the public ought to be paying for a "year end party" for city employees. I suggest looking deeper into the budget item to see if the "party" was something the employees personally paid for, through the city. If that was the case, if a city charge account was used to order the goodies for the "party" and the city was then reimbursed for the costs of the "party" by the employees' personal donations, that would be technically OK, but not a real good idea. I think if the city employees (this includes city council members) want to hold a social event, it is OK if the individuals involved personally pay for them. Otherwise, no public funds ought to be used to pay for a social event involving city staff. The exception could be if the social event was to honor city volunteers (folks including citizen volunteer police patrol members, appointed commission members, volunteers at parks and city-sponsored events, etc.), then it would be perfectly appropriate for public funds to be used. This is because as long as the public funds used for an event to honor volunteers, those funds are far, far less than the funds the city saves because of these wonderful volunteers, giving of their time, energy and expertise to help their fellow city residents. I would really like to give a shout-out to the citizen police patrol volunteers. They save countless hours of time and dollars that the city would otherwise be spending. All city residents should say "thank you" to them.

Charles Ferrell December 10, 2012 at 12:18 pm

I agree with the strong majority of Beaumont voters who on Nov. 6 voted for a change on the Beaumont City Council. For the most part, the discussion of the city on this particular Patch posting has been informative and interesting. I don't think Wal-Mart is a fairy tale. It is real. I see it often when I shop there or when I shop at Kohls or one of the other retail stores that opened there subsequent to Wal-Mart. I congratulate the Beaumont City Council members at the time who helped make this booming retail corridor happen in our city. My wife and I got up early this morning (Monday) and took a long, brisk walk at the city park near our home in Beaumont. After I take her to work this morning, I will probably pick up a few items at the Stater Bros. Market that is just a mile from my home. The market wasn't there when we moved to Beaumont, but it is there now, along with a Walgreens, UPS store, dry cleaners and other business that we frequent. I like our town and think our city councils over the years, starting with the Jan Leja-lead councils when I first came to this community to work in 1997, before moving here in 1998, have done a pretty good job on behalf of our community. I think the makeup of our new city council will continue to move the city into a positive direction. I wish all five of them the best, with an admonishment that I will be watching and commenting on what they are doing and how they are doing it. I will try to do this in a positive manner as best I can.

Charles Ferrell December 10, 2012 at 12:24 pm

Somewhere between "the city is broke and we are all going to rot" and "our city is the most shiny city of all American shining cities on that hill" is the real answer. Let's keep asking questions, keep those questions civil, as have been most on this particular Patch posting, but let's keep asking questions. If answers aren't coming, then let's demand them. But let's keep questions specific and expect/demand specific answers. For example: What was the event that resulted in the city expense at Tacos & Beer? I'm not setting up this particular business as a target; I am asking about this particular city expense of public funds. There was a reason; I just want to know what it was. After that question is answered, I will have a few more, as will others, as indicated by the interest this particular Patch posting has generated.

margaret bragg December 10, 2012 at 04:52 pm

Come on- shouldn't every citizen question every penny (of tax-payer money) spent on recreational diversions? We talk about government waste all the time. I resent buying my elected official as much as a donut. If they feel the need to recreate to relieve the pressure of their jobs, let 'em brown bag it in the local park that I help pay for. Furthermore, I really, really, really resent paying for alcohol (Tacos and Beer). I want my elected officials sober, thank you. A year end party to thank the workers? For what? Doing their jobs? It would be much more appropriate for them to privately fund a year-end party for the taxpayers for being the cash-cows we have become.

kim murphy December 10, 2012 at 05:58 pm

What is Wellness Reimbursment?

Charles Ferrell December 10, 2012 at 06:55 pm

Margaret Bragg make an excellent points. I agree. To answer another question, a "Wellness Reimbursment" is probably when a city employee doesn't use his or her available sick pay, they get the money "reimbursed" to them. The reason is that when an employee calls in sick, the company (in this case the city) must not only pay the sick employee's salary for the day (the sick benefit) but often has to pay an additional amount of money for somebody else to do the job of the absent employee. Therefore, when an employee doesn't use his or her "sick pay," it actually saves the city money. More and more private companies, including the newspaper from which I retired more than five years ago, no longer separates "sick pay" with "vacation pay." The paper has just one category of accrued benefit time and it is called "paid time off." I disagreed with that policy, because I felt when an employee schedules time off (for a vacation or just for a day off for personal reason), the time off has to be scheduled in advance, giving the department head time to properly re-schedule other employes or in some other way be able to get the department's job done with the particular employee not there. However, if the employee just calls in (sick), there are at times a mad scramble to fill the gap of the absent employee. I would never want to "punish" employees who miss work for being sick or having to take care of a sick loved one, but I would want to reward employees who seldom take unplanned days off.

Ken December 10, 2012 at 08:13 pm

Sorry Mr Ferrel but you are incorrect
Vacation Accrual: The City offers employees a minimum of two weeks vacation (10 days) to start and up to a maximum of five weeks (25 days) based on length of service with the City. Holiday Accrual: The City allocates fourteen (14) eight-hour days per year (one hundred twelve (112) hours per year). Sick Leave Accrual: All full-time City employee's shall accrue 2 weeks of sick leave. The City agrees to unlimited sick leave accrual. (WOW!!!!) Wellness Reimbursement: An employee who voluntarily joins a health or fitness clus, or purchases prior approved exercise equipment, visits a chiropractor, or frequents a masseur shall be eligible for reimbursment of fees up to but not exceeding fifty dollars ($50) per month for any combination of the above. It will be the responsibility of the employee to submit requests for reimbursement.

Ken December 10, 2012 at 08:43 pm

And for the City Manager............
Annual BASE Compensation $218,920 Salary adjustment: 2.5% per yr. Council can increase to 5% (NOT using the Fiscal year but a calendar year. So hired on July 1st 2011. Jan 1st 2012 minimum 2.5% raise and possibly 5%. I dont know) Deferred Compensation: City contributes 10% of Managers Salary Vacation: 5 weeks per year Sick Leave: 3 weeks per year Holiday Accrual: The City allocates fourteen (14) eight-hour days per year. (its hard to tell with the wording left ambigous for actual deferred compensation) Here is the wording. "4.3 Other Benefits: city agrees to give Employee (City Manager)all other benefits that are given to other employees generally." ..Generally?? Well that could mean that the City may be matching his deferred compensation WITH $2 for every $1 and since the City already agreed to 10% of salary... http://www.ci.beaumont.ca.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/2795

Nancy Gall December 10, 2012 at 08:49 pm

And Charles there is noone on that council that will question Kapanicas. Noone is ready to ask the hard questions. The community must now do it. Why are Kapanicas and Akufi and Urban Logic still there? The California Court of Appeals has ruled that Beaumontgate
is true. Akufi asked and got on a 4-1 vote a council approved conflict of interest so noone will know what really went on with RDA money. And Kapanicas rules over it all. The audit will be out soon and will undoubtedly say what the previous ones have--that Beaumont doesn't meet the accounting standards of the USA. This has been very costly to the citizens of Beaumont.

margaret bragg December 10, 2012 at 11:52 pm

As I sit here in my ill-lit, cold garrett, trying to shave pennies off my PG&E bill so that I can afford my taxes and still buy food, I realize that my ideal public servant would be doing the same...sitting in an ill-lit, cold office trying to figure out ways to save the taxpayer pennies, dollars, et.al. But No! Welcome to the "We just don't get it" club of public servants. They have convinced themselves that public money is free for the taking, unlimited, and worst, THEIRS to spend. It is our money folks, we unquestioningly donate it to buy ourselves police, fire, schools and other public services to improve our communities. ANY money that gets spent that doesn't reach the entire community is government waste. The word we are looking for here is 'austerity'. "Diner's Club? If I don't get to go out to dinner tonight, why should they?

Hopeful December 11, 2012 at 12:26 am

Margaret, you tell it sister! Today I saw my paycheck cut a hundred dollars a month for dental and vision for my family. Sadly they take out for the new year beginning in December. Yes, right before Christmas. I sat there broken hearted with tears in my eyes trying to figure out how I am going to get by the next year with a hundred dollars less a month in my paycheck. I was already struggling as is. I can't get another job because I already work full-time and hardly see my kids as it is. So it kills me to see how my family struggles while there is waste going on. I am tired of people living easy off of my sweat and tears. Anyone who has ever wasted one cent should feel shame straight through their bones and I hope the guilt haunts them every night when they close their eyes!

margaret bragg December 11, 2012 at 04:31 am

Thanks, Hopeful, I appreciate the kind words. I really don't think "guilt' is a concept most of these people have much of a handle on! A friend of mine used to say, "Some people eat well, some people sleep well, I sleep well." If elected officials don't start to get the concept, then we all have to do something to make it a fact of their lives. We have to quit sitting around hoping they'll develop a conscience.

Charles Ferrell December 11, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Thanks for the clarification on the city of Beaumont's "reimbursment" policy. When I worked for a city as the Public Information Officer in the 1990s, we accrued "sick" pay, but if we didn't use it, we were "reimbursed" for most of that pay in our December paychecks. That was the policy of the city for which I worked then; I guess each city or government agency can have its own policy. To Margaret: I am less concerned about government employees feeling "guilt" over their wasteful spending or developing a "conscience" regarding their wasteful spending. I just want them to spend our tax money in an efficient and non-wasteful manner. That's all. I don't care so much "why" they do it; I just care that they do it. I am tired of hearing the liberals cry that Americans need to pay more taxes, more fees, increase the size and strength and power of government, etc., but never seem to call on government (government workers) to spend our money more efficiently. Why should I or anyone, even the so-called 1 percenters, pay more taxes when those taxes aren't spent wisely and efficiently? Still, can't wait to see for what the city of Beaumont spent $1,000 at Tacos & Beer. What was the event?

Charles Ferrell December 11, 2012 at 12:02 pm

Note to Margaret: I just read where you are trying to save on your PG&E bill? Isn't that Pacific Gas & Electric? I didn't know they served Beaumont or anywhere near the Pass Area.

margaret bragg December 11, 2012 at 12:54 pm

Yes Charles, I understand your point, but if there is no morality involved in their decision making processes why would they take care of us? Even law doesn't seem to make them behave properly in a lot of cases. How do we get the message across and make it convincing?

kim murphy December 11, 2012 at 08:38 pm

Wow Thanks for the answer Ken!!

Lifer in Bmt. December 11, 2012 at 08:40 pm

But Obama will take care of you ????????????

BMF2012 December 12, 2012 at 10:38 am

Not to mention the cell phone that the city pays Kapanicas & his wife to have, the billed hours working on the CFD's and such. He is making a lot more than $218K a year. In 2010, he billed over 300K. Look at the warrants and add it all up. WOW is right!

Lifer in Bmt. December 12, 2012 at 12:32 pm

Maybe she's not really from Beaumont, you think??
...

Judy Bingham December 13, 2012 at 07:53 pm

http://banning-beaumont.patch.com/blog_posts/city-of-beaumont-internal-audit-preliminary-findings

Mark C December 13, 2012 at 09:12 pm

Excuse me, Mr. Ferrell, but quite a few people wanted reassurance that there was enough water to build before going ahead with these box stores. There wasn't, and now we have to ship water in, and have seen our water bills, and property tax bills increase. We are also going to see more and more taxes, and increases in fees to pay for the infrastructure to support all this new development. You are lucky if you are appeased by the convenience of strolling around some new stores, for there are many others who fall under the Gift of the Magi category. Before paying more for services due to development, they could have afforded to shop at stores like these. Now, since they are paying more out of pocket because they are here, they cannot.