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In another great if long-delayed victory for honest frugal governance, for the Orange County taxpayer, and above all, for the crusading OC blogosphere, the Board of Supervisors looks finally ready to slash the Gordian Knot that binds the comical and parasitic Public Administrator / Public Guardian John S. Williams – probably the worst of our “public servants” – to the OC body politic.
That “Knot” was the spectacularly ill-advised Ordinance # 07-008 of 2007 which united the previously-supervised, elected, 5-figure job of Public Administrator (from which nobody can be removed without recall) with the previously-appointed, 6-figure job of Public Guardian. (For four previous years, the PA had also been appointed PG, but 2007’s ordinance made it automatic.)
The idea of the ordinance was to save the County money and bureaucracy – one of the side-splitting ironies of our era. The actual effect of the ordinance was quite the opposite – it removed JW from any supervision and made him untouchable, as long as he kept getting re-elected every four years. (No problem, between name recognition, GOP institutional support, and low-info voters who have no idea what PA/PG is or does and probably skip that part of their ballot.) And the abuses that followed from JW’s permanent fiefdom have been well-documented in the local blogosphere – first by Dissent the Blog, then by myself here since May, and most recently by the Register’s estimable Kimberly Edds:
- Unneeded six-figure managerial positions created for political cronies (friends of DA Rackauckas basically)
- Resulting understaffing, overloading, and disgruntlement among the deputies who do the actual work;
- Increasingly aggressive attempts to take over citizens’ estates to cover the agency’s bloated budget;
- And more, I’m getting tired of writing about it, but it’s all here.
Ah, I remember one sunny afternoon in Santa Ana last summer, when a ragtag gang of four – two anonymous whistle-blowers and two plucky bloggers (myself and Professor Roy Bauer of Dissent) met with brand-spanking-new Supervisor Shawn Nelson, to convince him to slash this Gordian Knot. The logic was impeccable: Remove his plum PG gig, and when all he has left is the dismal low-paying PA gig, the goofy grinning kleptocrat will surely bugger off to Orlando (where he already likes to spend half his time on the taxpayer dime.) Shawn was all, “You had me at hello.” But still the wheels turned so slowly…
And this Slashing of the Knot was no new or novel suggestion – It was recommended by 2009’s TWO Scathing Grand Jury Reports®, and embraced by County CEO Tom Mauk… but then defeated by the Supervisors 3-2, with Janet Nguyen, Pat Bates and Chris Norby all finding the special pleading of JW’s attorney, the ubiquitous and ethically-challenged Phil Greer, oddly compelling. Could this have had anything to do with Greer also being THEIR ubiquitous and ethically-challenged attorney? The idea is not far-fetched.
But after the tireless pestering of folks like us, the fireworks caused by the related and unwise firing of Todd Spitzer, ONE MORE confidential investigation by the County, and the eventual percolation of the blogosphere’s hard work up to the Register, enough peristalsis was finally worked up to slowly eject this painfully large load. And so at the next Board meeting March 1 the Slashing of the Knot will be discussed; March 15 it will be voted on; and by April 14 there will be a new Guardian in town and Johnny-boy will be left wearing a Public-Administrator-shaped dunce hat (if he’s still around.) I think the worthy Colleen Callahan should be made PA, as she did get the second-most number of votes last June, and has the honesty, expertise, and caring nature.
Of course, not going gentle into that good night, old John Williams, dopey enough to think himself in a position of strength, is trying to negotiate more of the mega-bucks he has become so accustomed to. Not happy with the triple-dipping pensions he already has coming, he would also like a few years’ more severance pay for his truncated PG career! Venerable county watchdog Shirley Grindle calls bullshit on that:
“It is clear that the Board of Supervisors is on record acknowledging they have the legal right to terminate John William’s role as Public Guardian, but not as Public Administrator (as an elected official only to that office, he must either resign or be recalled). By so doing, the practical result is that an unlawful gift of public funds is avoided by not paying John Williams the Public Guardian pro rata share of his salary and benefits for performing duties the Board has officially relieved him of.”
- T-Racks’ beloved P-Buff.
Well, then, he at least wants to make sure his three “political appointees” stay in their cushy jobs – most notably his second-in-command, T-Rack’s fiancee Peggi Buff (who I think we should start calling P-Buff.) Howls erupt from within the agency at the thought of leaving P-Buff in charge – apparently she has been pretty much calling all the shots for these last few years, with Johnny Boy only dropping by the office to pick up his paycheck … and they have all been BAD SHOTS.
Thankfully, going by the latest Edds piece, this seems unlikely to happen either: Supervisor Bill Campbell assures us that the “three political appointees will likely be found positions in a different county department… ‘They would be lightning rods if they were still in the office and [Williams] had left.’ ” And you know what happens to lightning rods.
So! That’s one useless, wasteful, ethically shaky, incompetent “Repuglican” down. Let’s keep the momentum going, boys! Nest stop, Dick Ackerman and Dave Ellis! (Then T-Rack himself? A boy can dream, can’t he?)
Let’s end the way Roy began last night – with Grindle’s merciless epigram:
“He would do us all a favor if he would just resign.”
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PS I wonder if JW’s own Baghdad Bob of the Comments Sections will show up this time, and what could he possibly say now? I’ll be back later tonight with some of his/her choice quotes from past months…….
“Supervisor Bill Campbell assures us that the “three political appointees will likely be found positions in a different county department…”
Mr. Pathetic Non-conservative repuglican. Protecting do-nothing ripoffacrats by finding them income in different departments.
Hey Campbell how about firing the bastards!?
Amen, Tony. They’ve sucked enough off the public teat. Let T-Rack marry them all.
Vern, another great article! Too bad they put it as the last item on Tuesdays agenda or I would otherwise enjoy going to watch the house of cards fall.
I was told that last week Williams placed Peggi Buff in charge of the Public Administrator’s office, which she knows absolutely nothing about (the few deputies and supervisor report to her now instead of the Chief Deputy (who like Williams, is another disabled cop pension receiver, double dipping worthless employee.) This is a final desperate attempt by Williams to keep the D.A.’s fiancee employed.
It will not stand. The Board of Supervisors did not authorize any new positions and they control the budget. As chairman Campbell stated, they would be like lightning rods if they were to stay. Williams had the opportunity to fix things and he remained in denial. He is refusing to leave and he will be stripped of any and all dignity he thought he had left.
John, what comes around goes around. You got what you deserved. Vern, congratulations on a long fought battle. Your efforts have paid off and it has been a pleasure standing next to you along the journey!
Aw, I don’t deserve that much credit, it’s only been eight months for me. You, Roy, and a certain lady we know have been at it for much longer!
dream on,,,you guys will be stuck with williams for the rest of his term
There he is! That’s right, “Derrick Domino” here, “The 714” on the Register and Voice of OC. And, in all our minds, appearing thusly:
You would think a supervising county counsel attorney (AKA Derrick) would come up with a better response other than neiner neiner neiner!
Sorry to disappoint, but “Derrick” is not I. Always happy to debate based on facts. But facts are not your strong point, and this whole affair re: PA/PG has come completely unmoored from the facts. It’s now all politics, which has little connection to the truth.
That may be true – you actually use caps.
I’ll also note, as you did, that I appear consistently under the714 byline. This separates me from some, like the estimable Mr. C., who have so many guises I suspect he is actually Lon Chaney.
Perhaps someday the results of the County’s “review” of Williams’ office will be leaked. My guess is that it will silence Williams’ apologists forever. And it’s hard to believe that nothing of that review will ever come to light. Here’s hopin’.
Hello 5th Floor Denizens! Always looking for a few good leakers and whistleblowers here. Totally safe and anonymous! ChezVern@aol.com
neiner neiner neiner is all one has to say when one wins
Oh! You have won? What am I missing?
I fear you, sir, are neinering past the graveyard.
wiliams stays his entire term, collects his entire salary, all his staff stay and collect their salaries as well
Derrick, see you at the BOS meeting next Tuesday. Lets see who’s hand wins!
And really, what sort of person cheers on this sort of waste and abuse? Unless they’re profiting from it themselves.
IF Williams and his odious crew remain, their presence will be a very large emblem of corruption to which many of us will refer repeatedly and routinely. I’d rather not have that opportunity, but, if I get it, I will surely take it, as will others.
Since the 1970’s the two offices were assigned to one person, the Public Administrator elected and the Board of Supervisors appointed the same person as the Public Guardian. Jim Heim, then Bill Baker. These two men operated the department in a stable, non-controversial and non-partisan manner for decades. They were career public servants, not politicians.
When Baker retired, the political parties saw an elected position they could capture for the first time, and the Republicans went after it with zeal. The result was Williams and the Republican power structure behind him won the position.
The County’s top administrators, including the CEO, saw the very real potential for political corruption that had appeared and pleaded with the Supervisors to not make the combination of these two offices permanent – in other words do not adopt that Ordinance. But, the Republican power structure prevailed, and the Board did it anyway.
A few years later, we have the very predictable incompetence of Williams as a manager, an operation that grew with unneeded political appointments to 6 figure jobs that never even existed prior to Williams’ tenure, and scandal as perceptions abound that these cronies were exploiting the estates of those entrusted to their charge.
Now, the Supervisors apparently vote to undo the mess they created, finding other jobs for the political cronies in Williams’ shop. Welcome, folks, to the world of the administrative incompetence and political favors of the people we so-often elect to the Board of Supervisors. It is their feet that should be held to the fire about this mess, Williams and his cronies are but a symptom.
Instead, the overall cost of operating the county will rise by hundreds of thousands of dollars as a new administrator is added to the payroll, Williams will apparently continue to draw his 6 figure salary for a few years, and people who did not compete for their jobs via the county civil service-merit system but were instead political appointees will be handed jobs elsewhere in the county structure without even having to compete for them (again).
Next time any of you are enthralled with a chance to rub elbows with one of the Supervisors, attend a swearing in ceremony, or other pomp and circumstance contacts, I hope you will remember the true nature of these corruptible leaders. And, also remember this waste of money when the Supervisors say they lack funds for the county budget and yet can finance political cronyism and waste like this.
Too bad the creep will keep his mega-salary and keep driving up his pension.
AND FOR THOSE WHO FAIL TO SEE THE POISON OF OC REPUGLICANISM AND ITS EVIL EFFECTS, PLEASE TAKE NOTE.
We’ll see over the coming month how badly Williams will manage to keep ripping us off. We should learn a lot this Tuesday. I’ve never been to a Supes meeting – I hear they’re a real snoozer – but I will make this one.
(Wiley Drake and CPS corruption is the second reason I’ll be there – Mega-TEASER)
if williams is corrupt and incompetent then so are county counsel and the courts. everything williams has done has been approved by county counsel and the courts. is the conspiracy that large. also, williams has never been sued for any of his actions and never been sanctioned by the courts. finally, according to the ceo, if they split the offices, it will cost the county an additional two million dollars a year. lot of money for john moorlach to make a political point.
if winning is passing a motion that creates another bureaucracy and costs millions is a win for the county, then on tuesday the county will “win.” if winning means that williams and his people keep their salaries and benefits for three more years, then williams wins
Class Title: DEPUTY PUB ADMIN/PUB GUARD II
Class Code: 0367CS
Salary: $23.82 – $32.11 Hourly
$1,905.60 – $2,568.80 Biweekly
$4,128.80 – $5,565.73 Monthly
$49,545.60 – $66,788.80 Annually
do you see what a deputy pub makes and they whine about 2 much work how many of you will take the job look at the schematics at the OCHR page I am sure some work their butts off while others cry
remember what you wish for people
really where can I apply..gotta go the happy meal is ready for the customer
March 2 update – The Register this AM reports the Supervisors yesterday took the first step by voting to strip Williams of the Guardian job. The story also says Supervisor Moorlach apolotgized for originally pushing for appointing Williams to both jobs, saying he was let down etc. Seems that Moorlach may lack skills inselecting good staff – he is the one who brought us Chris Street too. His errors in personnel judgement have cost county taxpayers a lot of money!
Yeah I was at that meeting – I’ve been meaning to post a little update here.
Where are the Baghdad Bobs?