Nazi Germany had “The Fuehrer”, Fort Lauderdale has George Gretsas.
Posted Under: Important Issues for Fort Lauderdale, Issues pertaining to City Manager George Gretsas
Even I did not think that our greedy, manipulative, City Manager could sink any lower than he has over the last several years. But he has. Several disgruntled City employees brought this to my attention last Friday. He decided to have all of our City Employees do this last week, which, by the way, YOU paid for!
Last week, City Manager George Gretsas decided that he needed to communicate with all City Employees. Did he send out a memo? No. How about an email? Guess again! George, in his infinite wisdom, decided he would speak to the employees directly.
He instructed all City employees to meet at the War Memorial last Wednesday, July 22nd at 2:30pm, or else on Thursday July 23rd at 10:30 am. This was a mandatory meeting. The meeting was couched as a discussion of the upcoming City budget. Since it was a mandatory meeting (and we have over 2,500 employees), you can imagine the number of City vehicles that swamped the parking areas off Federal Highway near Sunrise, both days. There were literally hundreds of City vehicles, from police cars, Public Works trucks, building inspection vehicles, fire vehicles, etc.
Several private citizens (local taxpayers mind you, who pay for the salaries of all these people), curious about what was going on inside, tried to get in. They were blocked from entering. “City employees only!” Apparently, neither our Mayor nor any of our City Commissioners were there (If they were, I would like to hear from them).
So what was this meeting about? According to several city employees who had to attend, it was nothing more than a “rah-Rah” fest for George himself! Rather than discuss issues important to City employees, or talk about the need for belt tightening, or have an open forum on ways the City could save money, George took the entire time (over one hour) to talk about himself and all the “good things” he has done for Fort Lauderdale and City employees. Several who attended were simply nauseated. Nothing was accomplished.
“Of all the things I’ve had to do as a City Employee”, one person told me in confidence, “this is the most disgusting waste of time I have had to deal with.” Another attendee said that, just like the Nazi pep rallies in Nuremburg, Germany in the 30’s, this event had “yes” men for Gretsas, admonishing the crowd to stand up to give a standing ovation to George when he finished his speech. Several police officers were furious.
How much did this cost you, as taxpayers, to fund this little “George Gretsas rah-rah fest”? Probably in the tens of thousands of dollars in lost employee productivity, fuel and other expenses.
To the Mayor and City Commissioners: Are you aware of this ridiculous behavior by this so-called “city manager”? How bad does it have to get before you make the decision to cut our losses with this guy? He’s an embarrassment to all of us.
Reader Comments
I do hope that the Mayor signed off beforehand on this completly improper and expensive exercise of power.
Otherwise one is left with the impression that the City of Fort Lauderdale is truly adrift in heavy seas.
I don’t expect much smart response from the Mayor–he seems to not answer his mail from concerned citizens.
Maybe this is the “straw” that the Mayor & Commissioners can get rid of George’s ass!
I would have loved to been a “fly on the wall” to hear the BS that George had said “the good things” he has done for our city. I would like to know of one?
Dear Earl:
I am not surprised that it is happening now and in the future. It’s pathetic. I’ve been looking at this same scenario for years right across the street from where I live. I’d like to know why the cars that my tax dollars are paying for sit in front of their house (as if it were decoration or something) for 1 week 2 weeks. whatever? I EXPECT THAT VEHICLE TO BE ON THE ROAD 24/7!!!!!!!
Is that too much to expect? I think not when we have these outrageous property taxes to deal with every year. It’s a constant reminder of the constant ripoff everytime tax month (November) rolls around.
Get rid of this guy. Get rid of Christ. Another idiot. I’m fed up with all of them!!!
One major concern though………have you thought about the future of this country. No, not just the county the entire country. Do you know that all small businesses will be out of business shortly if things continue on the path they are now? I am not a republican. I am a decmocrat but I believe this country has been gearing up for years to produce lots of cheap employees for the big corps. One big insurance plan to cover everybody as long as you work for the one big guy. The only kid on the block. You know something that imitates the Mafia in other words. I’ve come to realize this as I sit in my office and find it harder and harder everyday to make a living ligitimately. My husband and I both pound the pavement everyday only to come across obsticles. One right after the next. I wrote to the State Representatives office and also to all of our Commissioners. I guess they could see my pressing sitution and I actually received a phone call the very next day from the State Representative’s Office. Although, nothing was really accomplished. You know “The law is the law and it must be upheld until it is changed”?!
So here I sit with yet another letter to someone in hopes that someday my words, like others, will be heard and actually have someone do something about it.
Sincerely,
Gladys Garcia
All City Expenses are public Record and the cost of this King George Rally should be made public.
UPDATE ON THIS ISSUE REGARDING THE GRETSAS-FEST! It now appears that none of our elected officials were even aware that this meeting took place until afterwards! According to one source, “No one on the 8th floor (meaning the Mayor and Commissioner’s offices), were invited to attend. We were not aware of these two meetings until Friday afternoon”.
So apparently, our City Manager feels he can act with impunity, scheduling events where he can talk about “how great he is”, charge it to the taxpayers and not inform our elected officials.
I think we are getting close to having a protest at City Hall, to get rid of this guy!
Have the newspapers been notified? i would think they would be interested in reporting this story to the public, and perhaps the publicity would spur an investigation or at least shed some unwanted publicity on King George.
Our problem is not George but the rubber stamp commission. Our city works in reverse of what it set out to be. George tells them what he wants and they approve it, simple as that.
Calvin Howe (Director of Building and Zoning-(Retired))
The tax payers in Los Angeles are stuck with the bill for the Michael Jackson “sendoff”. I guess we are stuck with the bill for the “rally for George” and he’s not leaving.
Friends, Romans, Country Club-Men,
This is surprising news???
Welcome to the conservative, bumbling, backward, bureaucratic, self-congratulatory, progress-thwarting, white-boy club that is Ft. Lauderdale - a truly stunning place to live, NOT WORK.
It only took me seven years of leading by example, city commission meetings, historic preservation board meetings, and “Pioneering Change” business experience to realize that the outlandish notion of building a multi-cultural city and thriving, culturally sophisticated downtown/beach community would come to exist only in Palm Beach and Dade Counties. A thriving and fiscally progressive Ft. Lauderdale is a pipe dream; a conundrum stuck in the greased palms of Broward County leaders who are in large part back-seat driven by dated, affluent, special interest group puppeteers.
This particular event sounds Naugle-inspired.
The Gretss Reign illustrates the need to examine our system of government.
Ft Lauderdale is the only city of its size in Florida which operates a City Manager form of government and not a Strong Mayor form of goveernment.
As the mayorm of a small cubruban Village near chicago, I had not only much greater authority and responsibility than the Mayor of our city. More importantly, the citizens of my community could and did hold me accountable for my decisions and acts as Mayor.
When I moved here, the city had just removed its City Manager, accusing him of rash acts which endangered the financial health of the city. Eventually, after a long and arduous search during which several qualified candidates rejected the job, we got Mr Gretsas. hired under a very favorable contract which granted him more money and more authority than his ousted predecessor.
Our Mayor and our commissioners are part timers wholly depemndent on the City Manager for information and guidence, which he spoon feeds tham.
Give me, and my city, a Strong Mayor, full time and compensated well, whom I can reach to express my concerns and whom I can fire every four years, if necessary. Give me full time Commissioners, well compensated, who can respond to my concerns without direction from a City Manager, who appears to be answerable to no one.
Al Imgrund
2232 sw 15th st.
Ft. Lauderdale, fl
I agree with Al that we need to have a full time Mayor and City commissioners that have the best interest for the residents of Fort Lauderdale. The extra salary can come from the City Manager position and the extra assistant city manager positions. The Mayor and City Commissioner need to inform Mr. Gretsas that the City is not going to renew his contract and the other assistant city managers that he brought with him. We can hire a city manager making much less that Mr. Gretsas and review all of the assistant city manager positions-maybe we only need one assistant city manager.
We don’t need to look far for a new City Manager-there are plenty of qualified City of Fort Lauderdale residents.
Strange isn’t it that none of this team of commissioners and Mayor ever indicated they viewed the task as a part time position.
They were all brave enough to outline their goals when running for office. The “new” ones seem to be hesitant about even answering their mail from citizens. Sad, isn’t it.
Earl, I appreciate the information, but when you compare the City Manager to Adolph Hitler, you come off as nutty. He’s more like Benjamin Linus from the TV show Lost.
As for calls for a strong Mayor form of government, we’re far better off being able to hire and fire a City Manager as necessary than being stuck with a potentially incompetent politician at the helm of our City for a full term.