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The Cameron Park Community Services District manager asked the board Feb. 20 to hire a full-time front desk person at a salary of $27,310 and $16,390 in benefits. That’s a total expense of $43,700 for a front desk person.
That’s a rather highly compensated “front desk person.” Indications from the board discussion are that the budget situation is sketchy and the community center is not paying its own way.
The front desk has been staffed by temporary workers who have not stuck with it for more than a few months at a time, despite annual compensation that the general manager estimated at $29,000-$34,000. That’s quite a spread. Nevertheless it doesn’t include benefits.
A more prudent approach would be to hire a permanent part-time person and keep the hours limited enough to avoid paying health and pension benefits. If the district can afford it, hire two part-time desk clerks and lower the pay. Paying $27,000 to start at a front desk is a little rich. Better to have longevity step increases to recognize experience on the job. Start the position at 20 grand.
If only one part-time worker can be hired, then the Recreation supervisor and sports coordinator can backfill. And skip the usual bureaucratic government panel interview. Pick some likely looking resumes and let the recreation supervisor hire the person he has to work with. If that person makes a hiring mistake it can be corrected by dropping the mistaken hire before the six-month probation period ends.
Keep it simple. Keep it affordable.
The Mountain Democrat does not necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy
NancyMarch 01, 2013 - 1:23 am
Yes, how about all American workers be hired part time so that they can be cheated out of pension benefits and health insurance. Make sure that applies to state and federal workers too including the Governor.
cookie65March 01, 2013 - 6:22 am
This is one person. Multiply it by 500,000. And double the salary for half of them.
CherylMarch 01, 2013 - 9:39 am
Sounds like the editor has gone to the school of Walmart. Keep everyone at low wages with no benefits so the taxpayers end up paying for food stamps, medical, etc.
MelissaMarch 01, 2013 - 9:55 am
Does no one understand that the district simply does not have the money to justify the hiring of a full time person with benefits? The main reason for the HUGE turnover at the front desk is Mary Cahill, the GM. We have heard from former employees that she continually harasses them and will not let them do their job. GET RID OF MARY CAHILL - PROBLEM SOLVED!!!
cookie65March 01, 2013 - 10:22 am
Cheryl, walmart is an entry level job with a fog a mirror hiring policy. If you can fog a mirror you are hired. The offer people with no marketable skills an opportunity to enter the workforce, gain work experience and job skills. They are not a career they are on opening. The cost of employment is a of supply and demand. The more people looking for a job the less it costs the employer to fill the position. Of the endless problems with the public sector one of them is this. There are no market forces involved in compensation. Which means, as long as the taxpayers are paying the sky is the limit. Every job has a value, paying someone to fly a multimillion dollar airplane is more costly than paying someone to direct phone calls or push shopping carts. I really wish some people would grow a brain and learn to think rather than just repeat the nonsense they have been trained to believe.
Gerald LillpopMarch 01, 2013 - 10:28 am
I was at this meeting and have spoken out against this new position at prior meetings. No one is against a full time front desk person. What people have expressed is the need to get a handle on the CSD’s unfunded liabilities and pension obligations before we take on anyone new who will be eligible for benefits and retirement. It’s not mean spiritedness that is driving this position it is the current economic reality of the Cameron Park CSD. We have to stop hemorrhaging red ink and soon. If you look at the payment schedule of the Community Center’s bond you will see that it goes from being a yearly obligation of over $4,000,000 in 2010 to a little over $1,000,000 in 2030. Each year our obligation increases while tax revenues remain flat. This is reality. This is what we have to work with like it or not.
Gerald LillpopMarch 01, 2013 - 10:31 am
Sorry I meant $400,000 in 2010 not $4,000,000. The payments go up from four hundred thousand to over one million.
cookie65March 01, 2013 - 10:38 am
Mellisa, very common to the public arena are little ceasars who become intrentched into a position where they cannot be removed. The have an authority complex that develops because of an untouchable sense of job security. They are usually the people who have coexist stickers on their prius. Our state and federal government is full of them. They have created the job security they have because most of them know they aren't employable in the private sector. It is one of those areas of life where you just have to believe karma is real and paybacks are a beeeeach.
Dink LaneMarch 01, 2013 - 12:33 pm
OH MY Heavens!.... "She" (I presume it's a woman...they will take lower pay) She...might end up with a $150,000 annual + personal Truck + cell phone + Two PERS accounts + FULL retirement & health care package + a contract that takes 4 out of 5 board members to make ANY CHANGES to her package.... OH, NO.... I forgot.... That's a General Manager who can't figure out how to type a letter or work more than 2 hours without a break........ "HE" is supposed to be PAID a good wage...... "She" isn't.....
CherylMarch 01, 2013 - 12:47 pm
Wow, I wish some people would grow a brain before they reply to someone's comment! Walmart is an example of what many businesses are doing. The taxpayers ARE paying for low wages in the form of benefits. For someone who has constantly commented on their loathing of all things liberal and freeloaders, I would think that person would agree that taxpayer dollars are being spent because of this.
cookie65March 01, 2013 - 2:10 pm
The government does not owe anyone a living at the expense of the taxpayers. How did people ever survive without the government paying them to exist. If someone doesn't like the pay for the job they have they are free to find another job. If they can't find another job, maybe they should quit voting for people who stomp on the private sector but give away lots of handouts.
cookie65March 01, 2013 - 2:21 pm
Another thing about walmart, I realize the lemmings have been trained to believe how evil and greedy they are but they have a profit margine that averages just over 2%. That is 2 pennies for every dollar. In addition to that because they do what they do millions of Americans in the obamaeconomy have the ability to make their monthly income meet their monthly needs. As for me I don't shop at walmart but I don't have any kind of irrational hatred for them either.
rodMarch 02, 2013 - 7:58 am
It's an employers market, jobs, any jobs are in high demand. Hire seasonals. That is the current standard with the State of Calif, very difficult to get permanent position by design. Even with high turnover so what, someone eventualy gets it and fits in. Can also have one or two year positions called 'limited term' which is a step up from seasonal and is gateway to full benefit position. wise up out there.
Mr. Ed.March 02, 2013 - 1:10 pm
Mellisa, very common to the public arena are little ceasars who become intrentched into a position where they cannot be removed. The have an authority complex that develops because of an untouchable sense of job security. They are usually the people who have GEORGE BUSH stickers on their PICKUP TRUCK. Our state and federal government is full of them. They have created the job security they have because most of them know they aren't employable in the private sector. It is one of those areas of life where you just have to believe karma is real and paybacks are a beeeeach.
MelissaMarch 02, 2013 - 3:50 pm
This district cannot support a full time employee at the front desk at this time. Since Mary Cahill has been GM at the CPCSD (about 18 months), there have been 8-10 front desk clerks. Ms. Cahill has intimidated & harassed these people to the point that they quit rather than deal with the tension. Until Ms. Cahill is gone there will be no change in the turnover, whether they are part timers or full time employees. TIME FOR MS. CAHILL TO MOVE ON!!!!!!
cookie65March 03, 2013 - 2:30 pm
Must have hit a little too close to home for Mr. Ed.
stalinMarch 03, 2013 - 5:15 pm
Cookie65, "How did people ever survive without the government paying them to exist"? Holodomer. Ooh, but with a name like cookie65......
StallemMarch 03, 2013 - 5:50 pm
Cookie65, "How did people ever survive without the government paying them to exist?' Holodomer. Ooh, but with a name like Cookie65....