Willmar, Minn., mayor opposes filling 3 vacant city employee positions
July 12, 2012 at 7:00 pm in West Central Tribune
WILLMAR Mayor Frank Yanish told the City Council’s Labor Relations Committee that he opposes filling all three employee vacancies that have occurred in the assessing department, at the new wastewater treatment plant and in the engineering department.
Continue Reading
I applaud the Mayor’s decision to not “automatically” fill such positions. The role of government is not to create jobs, it is to lead our communities and one area of that is infrastructural, another is in handling our budget. If our utilities can be possibly managed in a more cost-effective manner, than local government is doing their job by saving the customer (i.e. the tax payer) money. If it doesn’t work out, the position will be easy to fill. It’s always easier to hire more, but as the Municipal Utilities fiasco taught us, not so easy to let some go.
Hot debate. What do you think?
31 
17
The U.S.A. needs more and more people like this Mayor(cut cost by over 33%) . Lets pray we get EM this Nov. and straighten this Country out from all the failures of presz b o’s give-a ways. Be sure to vote. TUIT
Hot debate. What do you think?
22 
31
In a world where hiring more government employees is a way to help unemployment numbers, the Mayor has stood up to take a stand.
Hot debate. What do you think?
25 
23
This is about filling VACANT positions, not adding more. These are already budgeted positions. Doing more with less is good, but there is a point where you cannot cut anymore.
Hot debate. What do you think?
35 
28
I respectfully disagree. Even if the position is budgeted, if it is not filled, the money will not be spent…resulting in a surplus in that area. That’s a net positive. If the plant manager steps up and is willing to put his neck on the line and say there is no way they can operate without those positions filled, fine. But that obviously isn’t happening here (which isn’t a surprise, being the plant is NEW and technologically superior) and presumed more efficient. Gov’t is no where near the point where they cannot cut…the private sector is, but the government…not close. If small to mid-sized cities across the nation would do more of this, we might start to see slow and steady progress.
Hot debate. What do you think?
25 
31
Regarding the wastewater vacancy, the committee voted to fill the position.
“I understand budgets are tight but we have three essential jobs,’’ said Reese.
ESSENTIAL to the City of Willmar and its residents.
Hot debate. What do you think?
28 
19
Then the question should immediately be: “If the positions are currently vacant, how and why is the plant still operational and if it is, what makes those positions so vital”. To credit the Mayor, he did say that some of the positions may ultimately be filled. I would assume that’s if proven absolutely necessary.
Hot debate. What do you think?
23 
25
Does the wastewater plant permit require an operator to be on duty 24/7? If so, then I’d assume it continues operating because the remaining operators are working overtime.
Like or Dislike:
15 
8
Mayor, good job!! Save every wasted tax dollar possible!!
Hot debate. What do you think?
15 
19
More cost savings, eliminate the mayor’s job!!
Hot debate. What do you think?
15 
16