Commentary: Robert Craig Sound-Off

Robert Craig

During the joint City Council – Roanoke City School System, Dr. M. Rupert Cutler, newly appointed member of the council, replacing Mr. Nash and bringing with him six, count them six years of previous council experience, asked how many employees of the school system would lose their jobs because he wanted to make sure the pain was being shared.

At the time the School System did not know what their bottom line, financially, would be and had repeatedly said 90% of their costs were personnel.  Dr. Cutler’s question, then ranks right up there with among the dumbest I’ve ever heard.

The amount of shared pain has now been determined.  For the Roanoke City School System it is 89 employees who will be without jobs next year.  For the Roanoke City Government it is 0 employees who will be without jobs.

Joyce Johnson may no longer be the Administrative Assistant to the Mayor (whomever he may be) but Ms Johnson will not be without a job within City Government, assuming she chooses to accept whatever position is offered  her.

I am sure the 89 employees of the school system would like to have that option.

While our esteemed Mayor David is for the little people, whatever that means, apparently he is not for shared pain if he feels it will personally inconvenience him.

My own personal feelings on the matter are since Mayor David would best serve the City by confining his efforts to leading parades, the City is better off with him not having an administrative assistant.  Furthermore, since he repeatedly refers to the City Manager as the City’s Chief Executive Officer it is clear he has abdicated the position. That being the case he doesn’t need an administrative assistant.

Sincerely

Robert R. Craig