Giving them "the finger"...

I don't know Fred Collins, or any particulars regarding this situation other than what I have from reading this article. That said, I wish more public employees had the courage and opportunity to give you Trumpery/Tea Party types "the finger" and walk out the door and let you deal with the mess you create.

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Paris code officer resigns citing negativity

Erin Place Staff Writer

Friday, August 19, 2016 at 6:25 pm

PARIS — Code Enforcement Officer Fred Collins is the fourth employee in eight months to cite the negative political environment as a reason for leaving office.

At the Aug. 8 selectmen meeting, interim Town Manager Bill Guindon announced Collins' resignation. His last day is Friday, Aug. 26.

Guindon read Collins' resignation letter in public and commented about his departure.

“I can tell you – working with a lot of code officials – it is going to be a big loss to the town,” Guindon said. “It's not going to be an easy position to fill.”

Collins a lifelong resident of the Oxford Hills and built his home in Paris in 2004, planning to be code enforcement officer until he retired, he said.

“For me, the stress last year wondering if you're going to have a job comes alive,” he said. “Nobody should have to work under those conditions.”

He cited the recommendation from the Paris Budget Committee to reduce his hours to part time as another reason for resigning.

“This person through the Budget Committee believed the only thing I do is sign building permits," he said [obviously another uneducated, white, male Trumpery supporter]. "That's not the case, it's only a small part of my job.”

He said, “One of the taxpayers [Trumpery supporter] stood up (at town meeting) and said, 'There is no building going on in Paris,'  and that's just not true. It made me pretty feel insignificant.”

“I see where the current selectboard, where their agenda is – to make continuous cuts – so I can foresee not much of a future for me. When an opportunity came close to my home, I accepted the job,” he said. “I am really kind of disappointed. I really like Paris, I think there’s a lot of potential here. It's sad to see what's happening. The town is going in the wrong direction, it appears to me.”

“I understand we all need to be frugal and the town needs to be as well. I have been at just about every department head meeting for four years. I have seen nothing but professional department heads trying to save money for the town –  they work hard,” Collins said. “There's a group of taxpayers that think there is waste and that's not so. … We have state auditors here. They would let the town know.”

He predicted other employees will continue to leave Paris “until the Selectboard and Budget Committee understand what their role is.” [Trumpery/Tea Party types are capable?]

“They certainly don't respect us as employees. … They're trying to micromanage their entire town – that's not their job,” Collins said. “Their job is to ask the questions to the town manager – they're trying to do his job. They don't have the qualifications or the understanding or the education.”

SJ Link

Paris fire chief latest to leave; cites negativity

Erin Place Staff Writer
 
News | Sunday, August 28, 2016 at 6:20 pm

PARIS — After 53 years in the fire service, Chief Brad Frost will retire.

Frost becomes the latest department head who cited lack of support from the Board of Selectmen and negativity in town as reasons to take jobs elsewhere, or in his case, to retire. His last day is Wednesday, Aug. 31.

“I can remember that years ago the selectmen used to come by and see how they could help, see what was going on, work as a team," Frost said. "It's been a long time since people have come here and asked questions or done anything like that.”

He added, “There certainly used to be a lot of respect for the employees back then. There is absolutely no respect for the employees now, none whatsoever.”

“I am truly saddened to see the lack of support and respect from our selectboard for town employees," he wrote. "It appears that there could be personal agendas involved that have gotten this town off course, which is creating a hostile work environment for all employees.”

“One thing that really brought the morale down was any pay raises for employees was off the table this past year,” Frost said, “and the new town manager gave himself a pay raise after six months. That really upset people.”

“Yes, this board has made me retire a little bit earlier than I wanted to," he said. "I can't put up with this bashing and negativity anymore. Working with this type of dysfunctional government here is not good. It's counterproductive.”

SJ Link