I sincerely hope a less inflammatory and factually based follow-up article hits the old fashioned news racks as well as online editions soon.
The important issue remains what Sam originally highlighted: work ethic and accountability —- he (Sam) shined the light on a version of less-than-acceptable output from city employees. Instead of being confined to the archaic channel of communication — chatter at the local coffee shop — he utilized an effective blog that casts a large net.
I don’t doubt that his comments made some people very uncomfortable. I, too, was ashamed when my father discovered that my brother and I failed to meet his realistic expectations regarding our yard maintenance duties.
Thanks, Sam, for publicizing what many of us have been observing and thinking in the solitude, “safetyâ€, and isolation of our automobiles when we pass an inactive group of workers —city, county, DOT, or others contracted by our publicly funded government agencies. I credit the city workers that have been carrying the additional burden created by their less-responsible fellow employees. I know many of them and thank them via an annual organized employee appreciation program.
In addition, if I personally encounter one of the workers (not observers) in a park or on the side of a road, I introduce myself and tell them “thank you†for their application of labor. These people are more often the silent heroes, and I suspect they will continue to give more than the typical “40-hour work week†and because of peer pressure. They will suppress their affirmation of Sam’s remarks. For those that do feel uncomfortable, I hope they evaluate their role as a public sector employee and commit to achieve appropriate performance goals.
Brian Spencer
