Time Clocks – “A Slap in the Face” to the Employees … In Reality, Taxpayers Getting Hosed …

Commentary by Gloria Roemer

  We, the people, the taxpayers who finance the operations of Trinity Bay Conservation District (TBCD) are seemingly nonexistent when it comes to financial accountability to one TBCD board member.   The majority of the Board and interim general manager know that due to mismanagement, deep cuts in the budget have to be made across the board to prevent TBCD from running out of money the next fiscal year. At the TBCD regular meeting held last week, agenda item #9 (a) stated “entering into an agreement with vendors on providing time clocks for employees and vehicle tracking systems”.  Director Greg Turner literally screamed at the other board members, “Using a time clock is a slap in the face to our employees.  Instead, we need to send a survey to all our employees, and ask them these questions…are you happy with your job?  Do you think the board members are concerned about you?  Do you feel that you can retire from this company?  What do you think of your supervisor…are they qualified and know their job?  Do you think the TBCD Board of Directors are concerned about your safety?”  Turner then screamed, “How are we going to pay for it?  What about the inconvenience of having to drive from Anahuac to Stowell for our employees?”  Director Cody Bauer replied, “Time clocks will pay for themselves.”  Turner also dismissed as absurd putting vehicle tracking systems on TBCD trucks.  He feels that it is a “safety issue” that employees take the TBCD trucks home “in case they may be needed on a call”.  Well, there are 50 trucks in the TBCD fleet and at any given time, TBCD cannot account as to their whereabouts.  For instance, on Wednesday, August 5th, at 3:30pm, a TBCD truck was spotted in the parking lot of Quilts, Etc, in Sour Lake.  Hmmm…  Limiting the number of trucks going home with employees can cut down on fuel costs and wear and tear on the vehicle.  After further discussion, the item was tabled and sent to the personnel committee for further study.

We, the people, the taxpayer, and how services can be improved for the taxpayer, should be the primary focus of TBCD.  Cleaning ditches, maintaining the ditches, preventing raw sewage from coming up through showers and bathtub drains should be the primary focus.  Providing safe, clean drinking water should be a primary focus. The budget needs to focus on how TBCD can provide these services first and foremost.

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