After reading the article, Veer clarifies former city managers salary, my immediate reaction was of disbelief.
To think our mayor would expect the overtaxed citizens of Red Deer to accept her so-called explanation of why we are stuck paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to the retired city manager, disappoints me.
I have seldom witnessed such an example of obfuscation aimed at hoping taxpayers will accept what she is saying, as it’s too much trouble to search out the real facts.
Just as Tara Veer’s explanation of the $1-million-plus “Welcome to Red Deer highway sign,” I have to ask myself once again, what has happened to common sense in this city?
There is no way in the world to justify these ridiculous charges, other than we have a dysfunctional council that truly does not understand the serious economic situation we are in.
After all, weren’t most of the present council members responsible for negotiating the former city manager’s salary, and why did we not hear about the cost of the sign until it was in place?
Now we have a new city manager, and Veer seems to think council has redeemed itself by getting a bargain at more than $20,000 a month with benefits.
I am sure we will hear that to get the best people we have to compete with the rest of the country, but I wonder if that is fact or fiction.
I wish Allan Seabrooke all the best in Red Deer. I just hope he understands the constraints on spending in Alberta’s “new” economic reality.
Thank you to the Advocate for keeping the public appraised of what elected officials are up to.
George Croome, Red Deer