June 14, 2007

Ravenstahl Asks for Resignations of Top City Officals

Caught this on Channel 11 before switching to The Daily Show (WTAE is my news channel of choice, with KDKA as my next choice). My Mom called me too. (Good Mom!)

I couldn't find anything at the Post-Gazette's website (or WPXI, WTAE) but I see that The Burgh Report had the link to the story on KDKA:
(KDKA) PITTSBURGH Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is asking for the top officials within the city to either step down or reapply for their jobs.

In a press release, the mayor asks for letters of resignation from the departmental directors in the city along with the board chairs of the Pennsylvania Water and Sewer Authority, the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Pittsburgh Parking Authority.

Ravenstahl wants the employees he didn’t appoint to go through the application process to prove they are the best for their position.
At least this time he's going to let them serve in an acting capacity unlike the way he got rid of Dick Skrinjar with still no replacement in sight

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised to see Costa go.

EdHeath said...

Does this include the fire and police chiefs? Is conducting a series of national searches a way to save money? Can a bankrupt city afford to pay relocation costs, and who would we get to serve in a bankrupt city? Is this going to help morale, for city workers to know that they could never get their bosses job because they have to compete with the whole nation? The press release was not on the city website as of 7:00am. Well, the Mayor has given the Burghosphere something else to buzz about…

O said...

Yikes

EdHeath said...

The PG now has the story:http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07166/794433-100.stm

Anonymous said...

The Luke meltdown meter is at 10. By doing that, he's just managed to piss of all of Bob's supporters.

He thinks he actually won the Democratic nomination on his own. But the truth was the support of Bob's supporters is what put Ravenstahl over the top.

Pretty soon, the only person he'll have left will be Jim Motznik.

Anonymous said...

I think Chairman Opie believes he actually won something. By withdrawing, Peduto helped propel Opie to a full term. I wonder what the quid-pro-quo was.

If Opie wants to know why city government is inefficient, maybe he should look at things like wasting money on a hockey arena, having wealthy streets in Squirrel Hill paved while Penn Ave by the busway in East Liberty is essentially a series of ditches, paying for car-sharing services to try to replace to the City fleet, while maintaining the city fleet.

I wonder how much he costs us in gas. If bus service is so great, why doesn't he ride it?

Regardless, I'm sure he was criticized by one of the department heads and is instituting the purge to ensure that "right-thinking" people are around him. God forbid someone challenge his cult of personality.

Anonymous said...

well well well things sure don't seem to be at all well on the 5th foor these days. NOTE TO ANYONE who may be close to the Mayor. Please sit down with him and explain the art of governance to him.

I wonder how inspired the workers are these days? I don't think those (just about everyone in charge) on the bubble are going to break their necks trying to please his honor.

Anonymous said...

Imagine what this looks like from the outside? Does he really think the well-qualified will be chomping at the bit to come work for his Mad Hatter's tea party? My advice to the 10 directors: run for your lives. Let a new set of directors deal with the tantrums and bi-polar whims of the B-Team on the 5th floor...

Anonymous said...

No, Peduto's withdrawal did not give Luke a full term. Luke will be finishing O'Connor's full term. There will be another election in 2009.