DOWNPOUR OF LAWSUITS EXPECTED
Submitted to Shelton Blog by Tom Davis Mason County Progressive
It’s raining lawsuits in Mason County again, and the most recent downpour could wind up soaking taxpayers for as much as two million dollars:
Legal clouds started gathering back in 2009, when the County suddenly ducked out of a labor contract with Teamsters Local 252, after it had been ratified by union membership. Ironically, the conditions from which commissioners were trying to escape were largely of their own making.
So the union filed a complaint, and Hearings Examiner Joel Green ruled that the County had failed to bargain in good faith. The matter then went before PERC (Public Employment Relations Commission), which affirmed the Examiner’s findings.
Meanwhile, monies that should have gone toward salaries and benefits of County employees were accruing interest at an alarming rate (12%). Regardless, the commissioners chose to enter into a lengthy appeal process. And on July 11, 2012, three years and two months after walking away from the agreement, Thurston County Court of Appeals upheld PERC’s decision, and put an end to the County’s round-robin attempt to thwart the original ruling…maybe.
With a boatload of money and an election on the line, the County has but two options: negotiate a settlement with the Teamsters, or file an appeal with a higher court and hope for the best.
But if the commissioners choose to gamble against the odds, they will be doing it with public money. And if the County loses again, cost to taxpayers will be in the ‘how high is up’ category.
Now, I know what you’re thinking, Commissioners: Do we roll the dice or cut our losses? Well, that depends on if you’re feeling lucky.
So how about it, Commissioners, are you feeling lucky? Well, are you?
Because we’re not...
Graphic: www.123rf.com
Pathological gamblers gambling with other people's money have no morals, inhibitions or conscience.
ReplyDeleteLeft with a choice between groceries, rent or betting it all on red 7 they will take the bet every time. In our case it's a bet on high crime, no one to police the streets, no place to put criminals, a multi-million dollar settlement on an already lost case, or betting on a legal precedent. If I were a betting man I would take odds on Tim "Riverboat" Sheldon and "Ace" Lynda Ring em up Erickson throwing the dice on double or nothing to lose it all.
Our only hope is to attend the big Gambler's Anonymous meeting November 6th, admit we have a problem that we can't control and remove these irresponsible addicts before they drag us all under.
Anytime you hear an amateur tell you that "law suits are part of doing business" you know you are talking to someone who 1. is clueless and getting poor legal advice, and 2. is in total denial and playing high stakes with your credit card.
It's last call....time to close the card room.
Better order your martini now before they clean us out.
With their arrogance, which knows no bounds, I would bet these brilliant folks will choose to appeal again... with the interest, as Tom noted, accruing at 12%. It's their favorite childhood game: Kick the can. Kick it down the road and hope it becomes someone elses problem in the future.
ReplyDeleteHow much more of this can we take as a county?
Talk to your neighbors and friends about this latest over the top arrogance by our "elected" officials, and suggest to everyone you know that we NOT re-elect any of these bone-heads!
There is reason to believe the Commissioners are negotiating with the Teamsters, though with what leverage I don’t know. The push is on to get a new HR director on board to straighten out their mess, or maybe they just want someone else to blame. One thing is for sure, they’ll be kicking all our cans down the road till after the election.
ReplyDeleteYes, and exactly how can the taxpayers afford this new, pretty expensive HR director???
ReplyDeleteHave the commissioners decided to take a cut in pay?
Or just no raises for the worker-bees for another election cycle?