Dayhoff Soundtrack: Dean Minnich: Two gone in 'restructuring' victims of politics

Friday, February 04, 2011

Dean Minnich: Two gone in 'restructuring' victims of politics

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011

Two gone in 'restructuring' victims of politics http://www.deanminnich.com/2011/02/two-gone-in-restructuring-victims-of.html

If you think the decision by the new board of commissioners to fire Carole Hammen, director of human resources, and Kathy Rauschenberg, county clerk, is a purely fiscal decision to keep their promise to restructure county government, here's a little background to consider.

Hammen's ouster is illogical, in fiscal or operational terms. She worked with the 2002 board to improve the predictability and essential fairness of salary scales -- prior to that, some employees had received no raises in years, while others (perhaps with better political connections) had jumped up the salary ladder. She guided a team of staffers through development of a more efficient and less costly insurance program, and an improved and more businesslike pension plan. County salary expenditures are second lowest in the state, numbers of employees was also at the bottom, and the cost per taxpayer was the envy of every other subdivison in Maryland: so, what's to improve?

Rauschenberg was a clerk to former board president, Julia Gouge, before becoming county clerk. Hammen was a professional, but it was feared that both she and Rauschenberg were too close to the former board, especially Julia Gouge... http://www.deanminnich.com/2011/02/two-gone-in-restructuring-victims-of.html

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