Shake hands with Slick Willy - Besthostingplanever.com
Shake hands with Slick Willy - Besthostingplanever.com
Shake hands with Slick Willy - Besthostingplanever.com
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Jim Smith’s budget siesta<br />
BY DAN WALSH<br />
I GUESS DEPUTY MAYORS, LIKE SUSPECTED<br />
CRIMINALS, ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO LEAVE<br />
TOWN.<br />
“What is Jim Smith doing taking vacation?”<br />
one trusted City Hall source fumed.<br />
“Especially at budget time.”<br />
I don’t know why anyone is singling out<br />
Albro Lake-Harbourview rep Jimbo, as I<br />
understand no fewer than five councillors<br />
missed the budget vote, thanks to a rescheduling<br />
at the 11th hour.<br />
While I understand both Gloria Mc-<br />
Cluskey and Steve Adams were unavailable<br />
and tending to prior medical appointments,<br />
Reg Rankin’s resurfacing from a<br />
period of personal leave (Frank 608) was<br />
duly noted by the Chronically Horrid<br />
fishwrapper.<br />
Instead of crunching the final numbers<br />
and representing his constituents inside<br />
the council chambers (how thrilling — ed.),<br />
Lucky Jim was relaxing across the pond,<br />
enjoying a two-week long Spanish siesta.<br />
“It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime<br />
vacations,” Jim confides, adding, “It’s hard<br />
to take a break when you’re a public official.”<br />
Jim, who took a leave of absence in<br />
BY DAN WALSH<br />
WHILE I’M HEARING NURSES ARE NONE TOO<br />
HAPPY WITH NSGEU CZARINA JOAN JESSOME<br />
AFTER TALKS BROKE OFF BETWEEN THEIR LOCAL<br />
97 AND THE CAPITAL DISTRICT<br />
HEALTH AUTHORITY, THE<br />
UNSPOKEN QUESTION IS: ARE<br />
THEY MAD ENOUGH TO WALK<br />
AWAY FROM THE UNION?<br />
Some solidarity sources<br />
believe the nurses can mobilize<br />
a radical enough force<br />
to bid goodbye to the Nova<br />
Scotia Government & General<br />
Employees Union, if lastminute<br />
negotiations can’t<br />
keep them off the picketline.<br />
Any move towards decertification<br />
by Local 97 would be<br />
seen as a rejection of Joan’s<br />
leadership, and leave the<br />
NSEGU shaking in its boots,<br />
fearing the risk of depleted<br />
Deputy Mayor Jim Smith and friends<br />
(not exactly as illustrated).<br />
2009 to run for the provincial Liberals and<br />
lost to maverick MLA Trevor Zinck, tells<br />
me he had planned his trip “for over six<br />
months,” and notes he meant to return for<br />
the originally scheduled budget vote on<br />
May 9.<br />
Lockeport native Jim was appointed<br />
HRM Deputy Mayor in November, and<br />
earns 10% more than his council colleagues<br />
for the one-year gig, which pays<br />
$78,326-per.<br />
dan@atlanticfrank.ca<br />
Joanie may get bitter pill<br />
coffers.<br />
Local 97 represents more than 2,500<br />
nurses, who hand over the mandatory<br />
1.25% union dues, in exchange for a plastic-wrapped<br />
lyric sheet of<br />
Kumbaya, among other<br />
perks.<br />
The numbers I’m hearing<br />
suggest Local 97 nurses<br />
contribute more than $1.75<br />
million annually to the<br />
NSGEU — if, the average<br />
salary is around $60,000,<br />
and individual dues average<br />
$700.<br />
Having rejected a 1% pay<br />
raise (What’s wrong <strong>with</strong><br />
that? We’re broke. — ed.),<br />
the nurses of Local 97 may<br />
be eligible to strike by mid-<br />
June. They have been <strong>with</strong>out<br />
a collective agreement<br />
since Oct. 31, 2009.<br />
dan@atlanticfrank.ca<br />
Getting Jack<br />
on the grid<br />
BY DAN WALSH<br />
DESPITE THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS<br />
IMPOSED AFTER EDUCATION MINISTER<br />
RAMONA JENNEX SLASHED SCHOOL BOARD<br />
FUNDING, STRAIT REGIONAL SCHOOL<br />
BOARD NINNIES HAVE APPROVED A 4%<br />
RAISE FOR SUPERINTENDENT JACK BEATON.<br />
“Mr. Beaton will be accepting the increase<br />
offered by the Strait Regional<br />
School Board,” mouthpiece Deanna<br />
Gillis informs me via email, after I asked<br />
if the super intends to set an example<br />
in these austere times and refuse the<br />
<strong>hands</strong>ome raise.<br />
After his latest annual performance<br />
review, Jack is in line to pocket an extra<br />
$5,000 or so even as teachers are being<br />
laid off left and right, unionized silly<br />
servants are handed only a 1% pay-hike,<br />
and Finance Minister Graham Steele<br />
is forecasting the 2011 provincial deficit<br />
at $389 million.<br />
Last year Jack’s salary topped<br />
$123,238, making him the second lowest<br />
paid super in Nova Scotia, ahead<br />
of Annapolis Valley Regional’s Margo<br />
Tait (Frank 602).<br />
Demonstrating an admirable flair for<br />
bureaucratese, Deanna says Jack’s<br />
new increase “reflects four steps up on<br />
the provincial <strong>com</strong>pensation grid for superintendents.<br />
The increases places<br />
Mr. Beaton at 98% on the provincial grid.”<br />
The Education Department has no<br />
jurisdiction over the pay-raise issue,<br />
dept. spokesthingy Peter McLaughlin<br />
clarifies, and it has not officially advised<br />
supers to refuse raises or implement<br />
a wage-freeze.<br />
“They’re the employees of the<br />
boards,” he explains.<br />
The May 4 Strait board vote on Jack’s<br />
hike was not unanimous. Boardies<br />
Richelle McLaughlin and Kim Horton<br />
opposed the motion, and I understand<br />
Frank Machnik, a constant thorn in<br />
Jack’s side, was so disgusted by the<br />
proposal, he inadvertently endorsed the<br />
wrong side.<br />
While I’m unaware of the situation at<br />
the other boards, Halifax board<br />
spokesthingy Doug Hadley tells me<br />
Super Carole Olsen is not due for a<br />
raise this year, and last year collected<br />
only the standard 1% offered to public<br />
servants.<br />
dan@atlanticfrank.ca<br />
MAY 24, 2011 FRANK MAGAZINE 21
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