strongernow
05-15-2004, 07:28 AM
Higher-ups are protected by even higher-ups
Rick Latarski
A slight bump in the road at the State Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Mike Sullivan, titled as the clemency director, has been demoted since it was discovered that a bunch of files representing individuals who had been approved for parole were found sitting on his desk awaiting action.
Even more astonishing, Sullivan also had his pay cut when he was demoted. This is practically unheard of in state government.
In the twisted world of privileged positions, it is generally believed that the embarrassment of a demotion, and the loss of power and prestige that comes with it, is sufficient punishment so you seldom see someone fired or actually take a financial hit for failing to do their job.
Ideally, in government, once you have been there for awhile, you can keep your regular paycheck just by being inept enough to be demoted, but not so lousy that you get fired.
If a parole officer had sat on even five cases without doing proper supervision, you can bet that person would have been sacked faster than the third turn at Daytona.
But credit Parole Board Chairman Milton “Buddy” Nix with forcing the issue and demanding some punitive action be taken against Sullivan. Had Nix not pressed the matter, Sullivan would have likely received no more than a letter of reprimand, which you can frame and hang on your wall for all the impact it has.
Some can argue Sullivan should have been fired, and they are probably right, but at least in this rare instance the powers-that-be saw fit to not only demote Sullivan but actually invoke a real penalty.
Even with the pay cut, Sullivan is still well oiled by the government and will not have to look under sofa cushions for his milk money. And I’m not certain how you can have someone who did not do their job be responsible for managing other people. He probably should be pushing a mail cart, but there are certain niceties that must be observed in state government.
This incident, however, is just the tip of the iceberg that represents a greater problem that is not limited to Pardons and Paroles but is endemic in many state agencies.
We have far too many people in high-paying, high-level positions in state government who are seldom held accountable for their job. Their titles, and the authority and power that come with those titles, often even prevent them from being exposed to critical review by the people who are supposedly their boss.
In some cases, the higher-ups are not scrutinized by the even-higher-ups because the even-higher-ups don’t want to take the chance of finding out one of their chosen is a boob.
If you have promoted someone to an important position, the last thing you want to find out is that they are a lazy, slack-jawed, mountebank, because someone may get the idea that you didn’t know what you were doing when you gave them the job in the first place.
The primary job of an underling is to not make the boss look bad, and at the highest levels of government too many managers don’t want to take hard looks at the people around them. In government, this is the ultimate don’t-ask-don’t-tell scenario.
We have many people in top positions in government who have been dedicated public servants and done their jobs well for years. Sadly, these are the people we seldom see.
But others have been flunkies who have lapped at the public trough. They have been given positions as a result of favoritism, nepotism or because they happen to fit the right profile for what someone believes the current image of the position needs to be. Skills, abilities and qualifications become moot.
And in some cases, people simply hit the wall. They burn out and get tired of their jobs, but because of the perks that folks with nice titles get, they will not quit or retire but hang on forever. They draw good salaries and try to stay below the radar while doing the minimum work they can do to get by.
Sullivan’s situation may be the extreme, an aberration or the status quo, who knows. The fact it was discovered, addressed and at least something punitive was done gives hope to the rank and file throughout Georgia agencies that, although rare, if the right person is in charge there are times when even the highest-ups can be held accountable.
We need more scrutiny at the top, not less, but unfortunately the accountability is far too rare. But even the longest journey starts with the first step.
Rick Latarski
A slight bump in the road at the State Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Mike Sullivan, titled as the clemency director, has been demoted since it was discovered that a bunch of files representing individuals who had been approved for parole were found sitting on his desk awaiting action.
Even more astonishing, Sullivan also had his pay cut when he was demoted. This is practically unheard of in state government.
In the twisted world of privileged positions, it is generally believed that the embarrassment of a demotion, and the loss of power and prestige that comes with it, is sufficient punishment so you seldom see someone fired or actually take a financial hit for failing to do their job.
Ideally, in government, once you have been there for awhile, you can keep your regular paycheck just by being inept enough to be demoted, but not so lousy that you get fired.
If a parole officer had sat on even five cases without doing proper supervision, you can bet that person would have been sacked faster than the third turn at Daytona.
But credit Parole Board Chairman Milton “Buddy” Nix with forcing the issue and demanding some punitive action be taken against Sullivan. Had Nix not pressed the matter, Sullivan would have likely received no more than a letter of reprimand, which you can frame and hang on your wall for all the impact it has.
Some can argue Sullivan should have been fired, and they are probably right, but at least in this rare instance the powers-that-be saw fit to not only demote Sullivan but actually invoke a real penalty.
Even with the pay cut, Sullivan is still well oiled by the government and will not have to look under sofa cushions for his milk money. And I’m not certain how you can have someone who did not do their job be responsible for managing other people. He probably should be pushing a mail cart, but there are certain niceties that must be observed in state government.
This incident, however, is just the tip of the iceberg that represents a greater problem that is not limited to Pardons and Paroles but is endemic in many state agencies.
We have far too many people in high-paying, high-level positions in state government who are seldom held accountable for their job. Their titles, and the authority and power that come with those titles, often even prevent them from being exposed to critical review by the people who are supposedly their boss.
In some cases, the higher-ups are not scrutinized by the even-higher-ups because the even-higher-ups don’t want to take the chance of finding out one of their chosen is a boob.
If you have promoted someone to an important position, the last thing you want to find out is that they are a lazy, slack-jawed, mountebank, because someone may get the idea that you didn’t know what you were doing when you gave them the job in the first place.
The primary job of an underling is to not make the boss look bad, and at the highest levels of government too many managers don’t want to take hard looks at the people around them. In government, this is the ultimate don’t-ask-don’t-tell scenario.
We have many people in top positions in government who have been dedicated public servants and done their jobs well for years. Sadly, these are the people we seldom see.
But others have been flunkies who have lapped at the public trough. They have been given positions as a result of favoritism, nepotism or because they happen to fit the right profile for what someone believes the current image of the position needs to be. Skills, abilities and qualifications become moot.
And in some cases, people simply hit the wall. They burn out and get tired of their jobs, but because of the perks that folks with nice titles get, they will not quit or retire but hang on forever. They draw good salaries and try to stay below the radar while doing the minimum work they can do to get by.
Sullivan’s situation may be the extreme, an aberration or the status quo, who knows. The fact it was discovered, addressed and at least something punitive was done gives hope to the rank and file throughout Georgia agencies that, although rare, if the right person is in charge there are times when even the highest-ups can be held accountable.
We need more scrutiny at the top, not less, but unfortunately the accountability is far too rare. But even the longest journey starts with the first step.