Alderman Terry McCarthy is proving to be a thoughtful member of the City Council's Finance and Personnel Committee - arguably the council's most powerful committee.
On Monday, McCarthy raised questions about a collective bargaining agreement with the city's public health nurses. At a glance, the contract seemed straight forward. The nurses agreed to a 1 percent raise in 2009 and a 0 percent increase in 2010. That adds about $4,100 to the 2009 budget and zero dollars next year.
But McCarthy spotted a provision that would allow city nurses to be paid for unused sick days if they're laid off or their job is outsourced. The clause in the contract is relatively minor. The city rarely lays off or outsources employees, and the payouts for sick days are actually credits for health insurance, not cash payments.
But McCarthy also discovered the nurses would be the first employees in the city to receive this benefit, and the contract could possibly set a precedent for other city unions. Uncomfortable with that possibility, McCarthy voted against the contract.
The contract still passed 2-1 with Alderman Q.A. Shakoor II and Mike Shields voting in favor. Alderman Jim Spangenberg, chairman of the committee, didn't vote because there wasn't a tie. Alderman Bob Anderson, who sits on the committee, wasn't in attendance.
McCarthy's questions, while unsuccessful from his perspective, brought the provision to the public eye and opened it up for debate. Without his inquiry into the contract, it would have passed without consideration. His attention to detail, and willingness to act on that attention, seems to be a good fit for a finance committee that's in charge of taxpayer dollars.
We know the Post likes McCarthy. '
ReplyDeleteStorm Racine has another view.
Terry is a good man. He listens to his neighbors and that is what he was hired to do. He also returns my call, not like some others.
ReplyDeleteTerry is a lap dog of the Mayor, I believe he thought the slum project was a good idea and loves the Gas Station. My next guess is he calls himself green and wants to sell Lake Michigan water to hell with the Great Lakes Compact
ReplyDeleteDid you forget about the four IT employees that were out-sourced?
ReplyDeleteMcCarthy has actually opposed a number of the questionable things this mayor has tried to push through. The Tire debacle is one, this nurses contract is another.
ReplyDeleteIs McCarthy the only one who reads this stuff that comes in front of the council?
What's up with his picture though? Wesneski reads too; when he ain't profiling with the mayor.
ReplyDeleteFive bucks says Terry will back down when Spangenberg beats on the table during discussion. Otherwise he will have to listen to Jim complain about him to everyone at Wilson's. I doubt that Terry wants to take Jim on in a screaming match. Kind of hard to make good decisions when "Big Jim" is keeping his eyes on you.
ReplyDeleteWhat you people don't know would fill a book. Probably more than one.
ReplyDeleteBetter big Jim Then Tom "little Vegas"
ReplyDeleteGood he spotted the potential problems. But shame on these guys for ignoring it. We need to get smart about getting the best for our city. Lazily passing contracts that could be better is junk.
ReplyDeleteThan not Then! Was third grade tough?
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