Urrutia’s progress is all around
Reader Input
Numbers don’t lie. The city is saving lots of money with the arrangement Carlos Urrutia set up with his colleagues. So who is Elaine O’Deegan and what’s her real beef? (The Placer Herald, Feb. 25). She led the unsuccessful fight to stop Clover Valley owners from developing their property. Courts upheld the decades-old zoning. Nonetheless, the city — led by Carlos Urrutia — agreed to modify the development for fewer homes. But she and her buddies aren’t satisfied and never will be. So now the tactic is clear: Attack city officials, one by one, starting with Urrutia. She picked the wrong guy. Urrutia is arguably one of the most respected city managers in California. When I covered city hall for the The Placer Herald years ago, I saw how astutely he handled city business. If anything, he is fair to excess, always available to talk with anyone, including wacko environmentalists who can’t understand that private property is one of the most enduring qualities of American life. The people of Rocklin can look around and see the progress Carlos led in the last couple decades. City councilmen are likely worried about how to replace him. Several cops are likely grateful for the deal he worked out with senior managers. O’Deegan should grow-up and accept defeat — and stop attacking an exceptional public servant. Roger S. Peterson, Rocklin
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Mr. Peterson, (if you don't mind responding in this forum) what is your take on previous claims* that Mr. Urrutia pumped up his salary and the city council are rubber stamps. As a former reporter and privy to comperable salary levels what is your opinion of Mr Urrutia's compensation?
*3/4/10 at 03:27 PM, gracieo
Gromek:
gracio is Tony Rakojia one of Elaine O'Deegans running partners in the Clover Valley fiasco. He has been a constant critic of the city for years and jumps into any controversy that pops up, always with the intent of getting rid of the city manager or the city council. If you want to find out information go to the city and ask. It is public information. I suspect you will find the city manager salary is probably set by comparing it with cities like Rocklin around this area. That's what government seems to do most often.
Who set the standard for the salaries of these city managers. In my opinion, they earn way to much. What a bunch of crooks!!!! We allowed this to happen when we voted. We need to take our city back, and ask our council members to look for a better replacement, otherwise they (council members) are going to be replaced in the next election.
Sounds like Mr. Peterson is one of those PR people who help executives with writing problems (like the city of Rocklin??) Is he getting paid by the hour or does he have a contract - check it out - http://www.sacramentowriters.com/
"Even CEOs need writing help, said Roger S. Peterson, a freelance writer in Rocklin, Calif., who frequently coaches executives. ‘Many of these guys write in inflated language that desperately needs a laxative,’ Mr. Peterson said, and not a few are defensive. ‘They’re in denial, and who’s going to argue with the boss?’” The New York Times, December 7, 2004
Sounds like Mr. Peterson is one of those PR people who help executives with writing problems (like the city of Rocklin??) Is he getting paid by the hour or does he have a contract - check it out - http://www.sacramentowriters.com/
"Even CEOs need writing help, said Roger S. Peterson, a freelance writer in Rocklin, Calif., who frequently coaches executives. ‘Many of these guys write in inflated language that desperately needs a laxative,’ Mr. Peterson said, and not a few are defensive. ‘They’re in denial, and who’s going to argue with the boss?’” The New York Times, December 7, 2004
FYI - Roger Peterson's (author of this letter to the editor) daughter married Carlos Urrutia's Son - Check it out http://placerherald.com/detail/140830.html?content_source=&category_id=&search_filter=&user_id=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&event_ts_to=&list_type=most_commented&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=1&sub_type=&town_id=
Maybe this letter is a little bias.
Tony: How about cooling the personal attacks.
lanfranco - you've got the wrong person
Gromek. I really would like you to define fiasco. The reduction in planned homes from 933 to possibly 404 came, not out of the goodness of the developers heart, or the influence of the City Council, but by the efforts of a lot of Rocklin residents forcing two revised Environmental Impact Reports and a second Cultural Study that even the State said was inadequate. The fact that Prop "H" only lost by 800 hundred votes even with the developers spening almost 3/4 of a million dollars and members of the City Council seriously bending the truth on several issues,
If you haven't noticed there aren't any homes in the valley thanks to a rotten economy, a still pending law suit, and the fact that the Corps of Engineers hasn't signed off on the plans. It's too bad that the City or County couldn't come up with the money to buy the valley and keep it as a beautiful, historical, environmentally important, educational park.
Mr. Peterson: C'mon...you're not really an executive writing coach, are you? If so, please find and dust off a book you must have encountered in your training: THE ELEMENTS of STYLE by Wm. Srunk and E.B. White. This quick little read, written by two venerable writer/authors, clearly encourages would-be writers to avoid cliches.
"Wacko environmentalists....?" Pleeeze. Surely you jest. The group you spoke of was comprised of professional, law-abiding and dedicated folk who believed in the right and responsibility of citizens to get involved and challenge controversial issues. Issues that will ultimately affect the entire community: air quality, traffic congestion, loss of historical resources.
As I conclude, I am wondering if the city manager will be able to achieve some progress in Rocklin's sparse downtown corridor before he retires with his windfall. I'm reminded of last fall's near-state victory by the Rocklin Thunder and local media asking, "But where would they hold the victory parade?"
Allison Miller
Rocklin resident
Mr. Peterson used an interesting set of words in his original letter. He said “The city is saving lots of money with the arrangement Carlos Urrutia set up with his colleagues”. First of all, I’m not convinced the taxpayers will really save any money with this deal. Second, he didn't say his colleagues (City Council) came up with the idea. It sounds like it was HIS idea and City Council went along with it. I don't think that it is the employee’s prerogative to set pay, which is what it sounds like. Governments in general, don't seem to understand that all the money they spend came from taxpayers and they have a responsibility to spend it as wisely and efficiently as they can. What is being done is probably legal (I think) but so were “derivatives” and “credit default swaps” and look where they got us..
daperera I did not use the word fiasco, that was lanfranco.
just to keep the record straight I don't think it changes your entry
Astutely handled city business? Progress? Rocklin is over-developed. There are more vacant storefronts in Rocklin than anywhere in Placer County. All Urrutia did, just like the rest of the City Council, is pander to the developers, at the expense of Rocklin's remaining open space. Many others have endured furloughs, pay cuts, and layoffs, and he is supposed to be retired!! It's just business as usual. What about job creation? Why not get a new person i n there? Rocklin could use some new ideas, new ways of thinking and doing business. And a new person at the helm would probably start at lower pay, saving the city some real money. Yes, it's legal what Urrutia's doing, but is it right/ethical?
Urrutia had nothing to do with lowering the # of homes in Clover Valley. The developers purposely high-balled the number that they knew wouldn’t fly (rubber stamped by the good ol’ boy council). Only citizen action and a lawsuit threat brought it down to still unacceptable levels—that’s why it’s still in the courts.
Progress? Just look at the pickle Urrutia and his puppets have put Rocklin in—too many bedrooms and no worthwhile revenue sources, such as well-planned commercial/retail centers with easy access. To try to fix the problem, Rocklin’s idiotic decision to put mega stores on the outskirts near a creek has cost them big time (Rocklin just LOST in court). That’s indicates how incompetent and listen-only-to-campaign-contributors Urrutia and the council are.
A CM must be available to talk to anyone. It’s his job—as a public official he can’t discriminate, although the door to his office is always more open to devs than citizens.
Private property rights, aptly known as PRIVATE PROFIT RIGHTS (often at the expense of communities—pollution, sprawl, etc.), is about as dead as the Tea Party mantras will soon be. No, you do NOT have the right to do whatever you GREEDILY want to your property.
Bottom line: Rocklin is so corrupted that it’s systemic, and they will never “get it.” They have no clue as to how democracy is supposed to work. One can only hope the Attny General will investigate, and a “hot and a cot” will be in our …
...officials’ future. But darn, taxpayers will be stuck again, paying for their upkeep behind bars as well.
Cl;early, Mr. Peterson needs to go back to JC and take some critical thinking classes. He engages in two common fallacies, ad hominem and straw man. These tactics are common for those who to chicken to argue a point. The main premise of Ms. O'Deegan's letter was that it is an employer's market right now. Rocklin would have been better served to put the job out to bid with a lower salary. There are people out there who are highly educated with great experience who would jump at such a job, even at a drastically reduced salary. I looked far and wide for Mr. Urrutia's resume and could not find anything. I would like to look at his level of education and work history. It is stunning to me, given there 76 lay off notices going out to Rocklin's teachers that Peterson would cheerlead for the bloated salary of Mr. Urrutia. This is not to say that Mr. Urritia does not have accomplishments. So what if he does. In times like this, the City of Rocklin should greatly tighten it's belt and not dole out a high salary without first trying to go the competitive bid route.
richthink says - " The main premise of Ms. O'Deegan's letter was that it is an employer's market right now."
NOWHERE in her letter does it say ANYTHING like that. Nowhere.
And placing the teachers salary in the mix? What is that about? The RUSD does not obtain their funds from the same pot as the city, so why bring it up except to cast mud on the walls?
And looking for Mr. Urritia's resume? How many years did he work for Rocklin? My guess is it is far more than 15 years (yes I could look it up but I have things to do) and after 15 years on the job why would he need a resume to work for the city of Rocklin?
It seems like many people involved in Rocklin politics have known each other for a long time and have a lot of hostility towards each other, and it scares some of us that are relatively new to the area (ten years for me).
It is stunning to me that Gromek does not consider the fact that Mr. Urrita's total take for the year could break $307,000, $77,000 more than he made working full time last year. Lets have some fun and look at the salarys of some elected officials. The current salary for the Governor of the state of CA is $206,500. The current salary for the Vice President of the United States is $227, 300. I am sorry, but Urrita should not be paid anywhere close to the Governor or the Vice President of the United States. There are tons of people out there, despite Urrita's claim to the contrary, who are beyond qualified for his job, who will work for around $100,000 per year. Did Urrita graduate from an ivy league school with an MBA? I want his resume. Why wont he share it? The fact that Urrita has worked for Rocklin for 15 years does not justify the outrageous salary. As for O'Deegan's letter, her inference was clear. Try connected the dots. I share her view. Also, who cares how long someone has lived in Rocklin! What is the relevance of that? Are newcomers not allowed to question the stupidity of the Counsel? The point of raising the teacher issue was to bring the light the fact that the city of Rocklin needs to tighten it's belt, not cut new holes to make it bigger.
WOW! You call that connecting the dots?
Your illogical response is a prime example of misleading that is bringing our country, our state and our communities to the fiscal, educational and social failures that should be clear, even to you.
Your statement is not worthy of any other response that should be made here, but I will be talking about it over a beer later.
Besides the raise Urrutria got, and the 2 extra years of retirement credits purchased by the City, and paid for by the City, there is the little item called cc$40,000 per year in the pension increase that he gets. This doesn't come directly out of Rocklin funds, but taxpayers will pay for it. I sure wish I could swing a deal like this. Don't we all!!!
Gromek:
You remind of the plethora of dolts in our country who can't argue a point and are weak thinkers. Thanks to people like you, we are stuck with President Obama. But I digress. What was misleading about what I said?