Laboring through the notebook while wondering if it wouldn’t be more expedient to furlough the state legislature rather than the state workers …

And speaking of labor, wasn’t it odd that the Auburn Police Officers Association (APOA) dropped its lawsuit against the city all of a sudden?

Because the ploy was all part of ongoing negotiations between the city and the APOA, neither side wants to talk openly about the matter.

Well, that’s not quite correct. Truth is, the city refuses to discuss the matter, and the APOA and its parent union refuses to return phone calls.

Still, as the late Mafia boss Carlos Marcello lamented: “Two people can keep a secret only if one of them is dead.”

So we hear things, such as the wailing over the way the city was doing the work schedule for its police officers. Could it be that it was really more to do with the opportunity for an officer to pick up a cushy second job as a police science teacher at a local college?

We’ll probably never know for sure, because the city is completely closed-mouthed, and the unions contact me as often as the Sacramento Kings win an NBA title.

One thing we do know is that local union honcho Stan Hamelin recently approved the concept of the APD’s sergeants leaving the APOA and forming their own bargaining unit.

This is good for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that the mid-level management (sergeants) now remove themselves from the bargaining unit containing the very same people they supervise.

What’s weird here is that it was just a few short weeks ago that one APD sergeant was completely ostracized by his contemporaries for suggesting this very idea. It got so bad that the APOA even removed his union-sponsored legal liability coverage.

Meanwhile, the city has thrown a lifeline to the two junior patrol officers who were recently laid off, a pair of exits which could have been avoided had the APOA done the right thing and accepted some minor cuts in order to protect those jobs.

According to Mayor Mike Holmes, a resolution was passed at last Monday’s City Council meeting, one which places those two officers on reserve status.

“It will save the city money when, and if, they are rehired in that by doing it this way, we won’t have to re-do background checks on them,” Holmes said.

He added that the move also gives the pair “full police powers and provides for unbroken service on their records.” ...

Redecorating the poorhouse: In economic times such as these, one would think that the last thing on the mind of any elected official would be to spend beaucoup bucks on redecorating working spaces, especially if that pile of cash could have been better spent elsewhere.

But we’re told by two internal sources, neither of whom want their identities revealed, that the local County Office of Education has become Winchester House North.

It reportedly began with minor touches for the flora and fauna outside the Auburn office, including several garden makeovers until it was just right, Then efforts moved indoors, and we all know how costly that can be.

We’re told there’s no major project being done. Still, our sources say there’s been enough work to provide for an episode on the Home & Garden channel

“I’m no expert, but I would not be surprised if close to $50,000 has been spent on remodeling here in the past two years,” one source said.

The second source confirmed the work, but refused to guesstimate the price. However, that very same source did say that money was spent on an ill-advised moving of walls, only to see that project quickly redone after the new hallway was deemed too narrow.

With the educational world taking a lot of hits lately, having a story such as this making its way through the village is hardly helpful. ...

Without peer: Some feel that the Placer County Peer Court was wasting money, while others pointed to the number of youths it scared straight. Still, one has to wonder if the recent closing of the program has anything to do with the money misused by a former courthouse executive.

Forget the unanswered questions involving executive pay raises and performance payments. There are still unexplained items such as just how many times did the historic Courthouse have to have its roof fixed and new flooring had to be installed.

We also wonder just why a presiding judge was knocked down, and what will be the results of an investigation into hints of missing operating funds.

Stay tuned!

Reach Jim at jimruffalo@yahoo.com.