The county council recently voted to pay Vicki Conlin $38,500 a year to stay home and do nothing instead of paying her $40,000 a year to work full time.

Question:
Was this decision in the best interest of the county tax payers?

Choices:
Yes
No

 

At least we would have gotten something for the money rather than paying her to stay home.

well if b hollis and jackie dickman voted to get her out there couldn't be anything shady about it. Could there?

One option that should be considered for the survey is "would the taxpayers have been better just to pay her $1,000 and nothing more". That was an option that the council could have explored. The Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) said the County had this discretion to pay her only $1,000. In Floyd County, the council rejected giving Barbara Sillings another job or her continued pay. This issue is an issue that is occurring in many counties in Indiana. Clark was not alone on this issue. The Clark County Council could have asked the Attorney General to way in and give an opinion prior to just paying the money. From what I have seen, the alternatives were not discussed and intelligently reviewed and pursued. What were the risks in litigation? What were the facts and winning chances of success if a law suit were filed against the County? What are other counties doing? There is no reason why Clark County should have paid this kind of settlement when other Counties are not. I think the survey's two options is just how the council viewed it, as if it only had two options. The other option that may have been the best for the taxpayer, that of paying only $1,000, got little attention even though that was all the DLGF said was actually owed.

Concerned taxpayer, this was discussed, among other options, in the executive session. If $1000 was all that was paid there would have been a lawsuit filed. The Governor did not make it clear what to do with the salary, and no one else in the state was clear on the matter. You state the DLGF did take a stand but this is the first I've heard of it. The council's attorney stated that if a lawsuit was filed Conlin would have better than a 50-50 chance of winning. If she won, the council would also have to pay the legal fees estimated to be over $20,000. The council just got over a lawsuit with the judges and did not want 6to risk another one. This seemed to be the cheapest way out, but not the best way out of a tough decision. Politics won over sane decisions. The taxpayers lost.

What are other counties doing? Are they paying like Clark County or are they taking a different posture? Was the Attorney General's office contacted for their opinion? You say you have not heard of the DLGF letter that MS. Conlin received from the DLGF saying the county had the discretion to pay her no more than $1,000. It was reported in the newspaper twice. If the newspaper articles were not factual, please let the public know the real facts. Frankly, I think there was a rush to a decision before exploring what other counties in this state are doing with the exact same issue. Clark County acts like it was in isolation on this one and this is one of my concerns. The county took the easy quick way out and I agree with you the taxpayer was the loser.

concerned taxpayer why don't you go to the meetings yourself and get these questions answered. Don't come on here with an opinion of how things should have been done, when you don't know what the hell is hoing on. All of these questions you are asking you could find out if you went to the meetings yourself. Is it true your a friend and neighbor of vicky Haire? What a JERK!

vicky is gone, too bad, so sad, get over it, time to move on...

quote:

Frankly, I think there was a rush to a decision before exploring what other counties in this state are doing with the exact same issue.

I don't know how other counties in the state dealt with the problem. If there was a "rush to a decision" on this, my guess is the council wanted to decide the issue before January 1st and that was the last council meeting for the 2008 year.

If the council had taken the advice of the DLGF and voted to pay only $1,000, there would have been a lawsuit filed against the county. There is no "case history" in Indiana they could have used to form an opinion, and the council's attorney did recommend staying away from a lawsuit. I'm not sure, but I think I have been told of 1 lawsuit filed in Northern Indiana on this same issue. If so, it will be interesting to see the outcome of that suit. Our council wanted to "put a cap" on the cost for next year.

Correct me if Im wrong but wasnt Vicki Conlin a city council member a few years back? If so did she do a decent job in that position, just curious.

Correct me if Im wrong but wasnt Vicki Conlin a city council member a few years back? If so did she do a decent job in that position, just curious.



As I recall Conlin was city council during Galligan's first term and that was when Jeff really got things done. The little league park is the best of their accomplishments in my opinion but they did the swimming pool and got the riverfront development going.

Conlin was part of the best administration Jeff has had in recent memory and she has always been generous with her time by volunteering on numerous community boards and committees. Her roots are deep in Jeffersonville and she's been a fine public official. I know her to be smart, honest and a hard worker. Wish Clark County had a couple dozen more like her.

quote:

Originally posted by bluedogdem:
Correct me if Im wrong but wasnt Vicki Conlin a city council member a few years back? If so did she do a decent job in that position, just curious.



As I recall Conlin was city council during Galligan's first term and that was when Jeff really got things done. The little league park is the best of their accomplishments in my opinion but they did the swimming pool and got the riverfront development going.

Conlin was part of the best administration Jeff has had in recent memory and she has always been generous with her time by volunteering on numerous community boards and committees. Her roots are deep in Jeffersonville and she's been a fine public official. I know her to be smart, honest and a hard worker. Wish Clark County had a couple dozen more like her.

I'll second that, Conlin has always done a good job!

So why is she working for the county.Im aware she was elected however now that she is unemployed maybe we need to get her back working for the city in some capacity.

quote:

Originally posted by Allucrybabies:
So why is she working for the county.Im aware she was elected however now that she is unemployed maybe we need to get her back working for the city in some capacity.

Sounds Good. Can we fire Tom and hire Vicki?

quote:

Originally posted by NOT SUPER BUT HONEST MIKE:

quote:

Originally posted by bluedogdem:
Correct me if Im wrong but wasnt Vicki Conlin a city council member a few years back? If so did she do a decent job in that position, just curious.



As I recall Conlin was city council during Galligan's first term and that was when Jeff really got things done. The little league park is the best of their accomplishments in my opinion but they did the swimming pool and got the riverfront development going.

Conlin was part of the best administration Jeff has had in recent memory and she has always been generous with her time by volunteering on numerous community boards and committees. Her roots are deep in Jeffersonville and she's been a fine public official. I know her to be smart, honest and a hard worker. Wish Clark County had a couple dozen more like her.

I'll second that, Conlin has always done a good job!

If she's so great and full of integrity, then why did she threaten to sue the county if they didn't pay her for a job the people voted to eliminate? Remember that in two years when she comes back and runs for election in that same county she bilked. Trust me, she has her best interests at heart, not the county's.