...so you are saying that while non-managers took pay cuts, managers got raises?

A classic example of a wolf in sheep's clothing. The ugly politician Mr. Holmes has morphed into is discusting, although I bet it pleases the man behind the curtain who controls the puppet strings. The Supervisors had several options relating to the raises they rubber stamped for the high paid Generals, or rather managers, the time line of the approvals alone shows deceit. Lies, questionable pressure techniques and a wimpy union representative in Chuck Theils has allowed the heart and soul of the County and its employees to be trampled on, while the good ole boys have a big chuckle. Mr. Holmes should be embarassed and ashamed of the sleaze he has participated in the last couple years, and looks to contiue. Spin, smoke and mirrors or other political tactics can not hide the ugly truth. Mr. Holmes needs to take a long look in the mirror and start geting back to where he came from, which is far cry from the slick politician we see today both in actions and words.

The jist of Mr. Holmes poorly written column is that the county supervisors are powerless figure heads and everything is on automatic pilot e.g. "they can only approve deputy sheriff pay increases and have no other options." If this is the case why do we need county supervisors? Why not eliminate them and save the money. When they meet it is like the Tuesday morning gong show. Mr. Holmes should give strong consideration to resuming his old position changing tires for a living. That is good honest hard work providing a much needed service.

BubbaGrump: Regarding the Deputies pay raise, that pay raise is directly linked to Prop 'F' that was voted on and passed by the citizens of Placer Co. years ago. Therefore it is a legal binding law that the soups cannot dievate from that voter approved proposition.

Sorry correction... Should have been... Deviate

Generally, those 'upper management' personnel make more in 1 hour than most county staff make in a day! Go figure!

Mitchell, soups is also spelled supes, but I digress.

Mike Holmes is one of the most honest men I have met. He took an interest in his employees endeavors to better their situations. He truly has the best interest of our county in mind.

Something stinks at the BOS but it is not Mike Holmes.

ChuxxR you mean Jim Holmes? Mike Holmes is aor Mayor.

Mr. Holmes is far from the man he was when he operated a family business and was first elected to public office. It is very sad to see the transformation. Deputies, or county employees are not what people are upset about, it is the ugly raise to senior puppets and the way it was done, some were retroactive several months, had they approved those raises when due, it would have created an uproar as the core of employees were being led down the path of how bad things are and the sacrifices they needed to make as part of the team. Those non union, management positions creating the uproar are under control of the County CEO and Board of Supervisors, they could have voted no, they could have negotiated, they could have done the whole process in a much more respectful and honest method.

It was not until the late 1990's that the County got it's first helicopter, a used military unit was provided and worked just fine, now we need a brand spanking new special order unit. DeWitt Center sufficed for decades, while not as fancy, spacious and luxiourious as one may like it worked, now in the few years millions of dollars are being spent on new facilities, topped off by the purchace of the new Justice Center in Roseville, as vacancies were on the rise, and property values were just beginning to slide, this purchase only benefited the builder. Fancy Helicopters, Fancy Offices, Fancy dinners lead to layoffs, furloughs, hiring freezes, decreases in services, and more to come

Observer

Both groups got step and merit raises as per normal process and both groups took a hit on furloughs. Rank and file also has COLA's in the 2010-2011 budget I don't know about the exec's. If I recall correctly in the normal structure the execs get less steps than the rank and file.

If the BOS would have tried to get out of the steps and merits for the execs there was real potential for some legal complications.

Sorry CA04_Voter, unless you can provide details as to why they could not negotiate, freeze, or otherwise deny raises for non-union at will managers, or contract employees, I do not feel your point carries any weight. In fact the CEO could lay these people off or offer pay reductions without serious legal worries. Remember this is America, working is a priveledge not a right. These are not union employees. Personally I feel they should be offered a pay cut or layoff and hire some of the millions of qualified individuals who lost their jobs and are willing to work for much less than these managers are. In the private sector that is what is happening all over the place, sales are down, profits are down, pay is going down or people are getting layed off. Again it is not only the raises, but how they went about approving them and the time line. Some of these raises should have been approved many many months ago, but politically that was not a good time to do that.

asphaltjungle, yes I meant Jim Holmes. Sorry!

ChuxxR: I intentionally used the word SOUPS instead of SUPES for a particular reason. There are many ingredients in vegatable soup and one only see's those items they like in the soup or those that they dis-like in the soup and forget to see the whole bowl of soup is actually a complicated multi-faceted list of ingredients that are there for a reason and each ingredient comes together to make the soup. To blame the carrots because you do not like the cabbage is like blaming the Unions for the county's budget problems or blaming the same problem on the CEO etc.. All are in the same bowl of SOUP and all played a part in our current budget situation.

OK. I thought it may have another angle. Thanks for making it clear.

Jim, I find this article misleading to say the least why aren't you talking about the 5% increase managment the highest paid employees in Placer County recieved some of which make $150,000. Why didn't the board ask top management to take a cut, "maybe one for the team!" out of all the employees I think they could afford it. The MTO'S are like a vacation day for them no hardship there. However the board has been going after the easy target the County employee basically by saying either take the pay cut or get fired or don't get payed at all. Jim moral is an all time low with County employees because the board has not been up front and when management sits fat dump and happy and it obvious they don't have to take the same hits as their staff. To add misery to the whole situation Ceo Tom Miller takes away are 9/40 leaving families with more hardship dealing with extra day care expenses and turning more house hold up side down. The board is out of touch and does not care about Placer County Employees. Oh I've got a question what about all those NEW SUVS for the Sheriff's as far as the eye can see 23 and Lincoln Continentals at the Placer Garage.. I heard they don't even need them whow! It's nice to know you are watching the budget!!!! Jim I think the board might find re-election difficult .

Forkidssake - if you're going to make a blanket statment like "the Sheriff's Department doesn't need new cars" at least back it up with some facts...otherwise you're just spreading rumors. Any moron can surmise that the Sheriff's Department needs cars to do their job. Do you expect them to ride bikes to each and every call? Perhaps scooter? Two-wheel drive cars are fine down here but in Colfax, up I-80, in Foresthill, and definitely in Tahoe, the deputies are going to need 4X4 SUVs. I'm pretty sure when they replace the old cars they are going to replace them with NEW ones. I don't think they are going to go out and scour the want ads looking for serviceable used vehicles they can modify for a police car! Use your head for more than a hat rack! If you are going to be doing police work and possibly driving code 3 to a shooting, a family disturbance, in pursuit, backing up another officer? You need a vehicle that is fairly new and in serviceable condition that is not going to breakdown, overheat, get stuck in the snow, mud, etc. If the cars are sitting in the county yard for 'as far as the eye can see' (as you put it) they are probably waiting for the county garage employees to get off their MTOs and install all the needed equipment so they can put the cars online. From what I understand there are not enough servicable vehicles for the deputies on patrol right now.

Forkidsake, I challenge you to find even ONE Lincoln Continental in the Sheriff's fleet or anywhere in the county's fleet for that matter. Where do you make up this information? By the way, if you think the CEO is making only $150,000, you are way off. He makes well over $200,000.

Proposition F was a local initiative sponsored by the Placer County Deputy Sheriff's Association (PCDSA) and passed by the voters of Placer County, effective in 1977. It was set-up to match salaries with El Dorado, Nevada and Sacramento. " The Sacramento Sheriff's Department will be sending out 370 layoff notices within the next week, according to Sheriff John McGinness. Of those 370 pink slips, 300 will be sent to deputy sheriff officers." What reductions have taken place in Placer County?

Members of the Placer Deputy Sheriffs Assn have been without a contract for over three years. Detectives and assigned school resource officers have turned in their assigned take home cars, deputies have reduced overtime, and members have worked with their respective departments to reduce costs. The voters have voted on Measure F three separate times, each time they have overwhelmingly approved it. The last time they voted on it was about three years ago. It's not an outdated mandate. Both El Dorado and Nevada Counties are both much smaller counties than Placer, yet El Dorado county deputies are paid more than Placer deputies. The pay scale is fair and equitable.

A climate of "fiscal crisis" is not the time to do a blanket fleet exchange of vehicles. Modern Day vehicles reliably and confidently can easily obtain mileage of 100,000 or more. In the real world, maintenence has been building as it is clear that is the most cost affective way to provide reliable transpertation, where in a more flush time replacing vehicles seems more palitable. Lincoln Continental, Crown Victoria from a distance you tell me the differencel, and does it really matter - a police interceptor Crown Vic is an incredibly reliable vehicle, numerous private security services use them for many many miles after fat police and sheriffs departments get rid of theirs. Buster, an appropriate name based on your comments, please advise some clear facts that the Placer Sheriffs are optimizing their fleet, and making the decisions that make the best fiscal sense? It is well known that the Dept. will get what ever it wants, for example a brand new helicopter? Somehow the surplus helicopter previously used was not good enough, I guess now we will be buying new helicopters every few years.

There is no reason for the Sheriffs to have a new contract, as they already have salary guarantees, the only thing they can negotiate are percs, which at this time are better than any other employee of the county, be it PPEO or non-union employees. Any negotiation you will do will have to include take aways, which obviously you are not wanting to do. Continued.....

I feel bad for the Sheriffs who had to turn in their county paid vehicle they used to be able to take home, oh and cutting back on that overtime pay that the private sector looks so highly on, and further tears away at the overall budget, breaks my heart. I think everyone appreciates the job Sheriff's do, as they do teachers, firemen, or for that matter animal control and public works. It is an honest career, that can save lives and more. But it is a career one chooses to go into, and is very well compensated. Overtime has been abused by public safety agencies for years now, but the cat is out of the bag and it needs to end. You have a solid union, virtually untouchable and you job security is safer than any one else's in the county. But you are also being watched, and elections and times will change wrongs that have been allowed to continue unchecked during the last decade or so during the massive growth of this county and it's bank acount. I thank all the Sheriffs for helping to keep me safe, and choosing to pursue and take the job they did, it is a vital part of our community, but not the only part. If there are not clerical staff, judicial staff or probation staff etc...the system will break down quickly. No I do not think a fleet of new vehicles at this time is necessary or appropriate.

Forkidsake - Before you put your fingers on the keyboard then hit send why don't you actually make some phone calls and do some research instead of just typing some nonsensical garbage that makes you sound like a psychotic who's off your meds? Who told you that the Sheriff's Office was doing "a blanket fleet exchange of vehicles"? The vehicles are replaced individually when they are mileaged out. There are emergency vehicles in use that are 2002 models with up to 125,000 miles on them. There are vehicles in the maintenance yard that have been purchased that are there having computer, scanner and radios installed, cages installed, etc. so they can be ready when a vehicle mileages out. It actually takes some time to get all that done. The helicopter the Sheriff's Department has had for many years is a 1969 Bell that was Army surplus from the Vietnam War....how does that qualify as "buying a new helicopter every few years?" Your comments do not even make sense. All they sound is angry. All the deputies' percs are not better than the rest of the other employees. Other employees get more tuition reimbursement than deputies. Other employees get paid time and a half for all hours worked on a holiday and deputies only get paid time and a half for 8 hours even if they work 10 or 12. Other employees get to carry more CTO hours over into each fiscal year. Other employees get paid overtime if they get called back without getting an 8 hour break and deputies don't.

Continued = Before you become angry and just start spreading hate and more anger go to the county website, pull up the MOUs, read the County Code, call some people, do some research, do a ride-a-long, etc. Saying that some agencies and employees are 'fat' and get 'whatever they want' is simply true. The Sheriff's budget has been cut and Sheriff's employees have worked hard to save money for the county also. The loss of cars for detectives resulted in a delay in response to a recent homicide case by 2 hours.

correction = should read - Saying that some agencies and employees are 'fat' and get 'whatever they want' is simply UNtrue.

Yes....before people post it would be nice if they could verify their statements. Making blanket statements just to get a rise out of people isn't really cool. If we are going to have half way decent discussions the facts...just the facts ma'am....would be nice.

Thanks Buster. I'm a bit confused by forkidsake's comments too. He calls police and sheriff's fat and then thanks them for doing a good job. Forkidsake, as far as the crown vic goes it is a good car and I've never been a fan of FORD. Here's the deal, they don't come into the office at the end of a 101 degree day, get turned off, and then rest for the night. As soon as it comes in, it goes right back out. They pretty much never stop running. And they can get run pretty hard. I personally know one SWAT guy who had to jump on his personal motorcycle to make it through weekday rush hour traffic to respond to a hostage situation. I wonder if his insurance company would have dropped him had they seen him drive. Yeah, it was nice to have a take home car but I think your impression of why they were nice are skewed. TIme delayed getting to a scene increases loss or conatmination of evidendce, suspect escapses, and most importantly, tragic loss of life.

You may have a hard time believing it, but cops want to get to the crisis as quickly as possible to prevent harm to innocents and suspects, as well as protecting the crime scene and when the tool to accomplish that is taken away it can be frustrating.

Instead of all the county employees bickering over who has what they should band together. Remember....you don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.

I had a hard time trying to figure out the point Forkidsake was trying to make. His facts seem very suspicious though. Seems more like he was trying to validate his opinion with facts he made up. I imagine a police officer is going to drive different that a security guard. What is no longer feasible to drive in a high speed pursuit would be perfectly fine patrolling a parking lot or parked next to a firework stand at night.