What citizen would dare question why our mayor did not put a big fat note on the town manager's desk - upon the manager's return from a pre-planned (at hiring) vacation - notifying the town manager in big, bold letters that, no, just because the recently approved budget contained a line item for a cost-of-living, across-the-board pay increase, this increase was not to be implemented "Milton Mayor, Manager Must be Accountable" (Cape Gazette opinion letter; Dec. 7) and article, "Milton Council Calls Foul Over Employee Raises"?
Gosh, our Mayor Newlands knew full well his council had no intention of granting such a raise. In fact, council had in place a mechanism involving employee performance reviews, convening the personnel committee and only then awarding one-time merit pay amounts - a far cry from an across-the-board pay raise! Good golly gosh, so much for Councilperson Lester's and Newland's oversight and checks and balances on financials - and what could be more "financial" than socking it to we taxpayers by allowing such a raise to go through and all in direct opposition to council's wishes? What happened?!
Where does the buck stop in Milton? Appearing dumbstruck, witnessing the mayor's humminuh-humminuh at the suggestion he was in any way at fault; meanwhile, the town manager appeared incredulous that the mayor wasn't accepting responsibility (the buck stops where?!), and as for Councilperson Lester, I don't recall he had much if anything, to say.
Hey, neighbors, "Where does the buck stop in Milton - the greatest little town in the universe?!" But before you answer, am I to understand there is a mayoral candidate by the name of Marion Jones who would never pass the proverbial buck or run from it? Clearly, she knows where the buck stops; she's taken our illustrious mayor to task often enough to prove it, and thank goodness for it!
Come voting day in Milton, Saturday, March 2, Milton's future might once again be, oh, so bright - like these happy holidays!
Jeff Dailey
Milton
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