2009-12-15 Oral Communications SubmittalMadam Mayor and city council members, thank you for this opportunity to make my
concerns public.
I'm coming to you as a concerned citizen who sees something alarming in the process of
Aameda's government. My problem is not really about any one issue, but more about the
way the big issues facing the city are being handled by the city staff and what that will do
to the future of the Island.
The world and the economy are in a real turmoil and the cost of government is, in my
opinion, becoming a burden and a problem for tax payers and voters. In the business
world people are being laid off, and losing their houses. But in Alameda the Interim City
Manager, is doing better and better. I wonder hove this can be.
I've done a little research on the internet and it is easy to find controversy surrounding
the acting City Manager, who is now making a quarter of a million dollars per year. Her
career path makes me jealous. She has gone from job to job (7 positions in around 10
years) and her salary keeps growing. Many of her jobs ended in controversy, questions of
procedure and a big payout by the city where she works.
-e
I looked at htt :11 ocrov.c 7
on�ldhsne� s g rts.htm and it ready shocked me. If this
published information is true, she has gone from job to job to job in a very short period of
time. This kind of leapfrogging; can not be in the best interests of the citizens of Alameda
and so I just want to call your attention to the string of problems which beg to be
investigated. I said to myself, how is it that nobody is looking into this? How can it be
that she just keeps getting bigger jobs with this record?
-w4h-
o e web sites an d eas y end it ormat
In 2007 several web pages state her employment as City Manager of Desert Hot Springs
ended with a $119 000 severance package after a controversy. T Q
www.thevalley
The Desert Dews, 8/15/2007
http :11 ww desertlocalnews. com/print this story. asp ?smenu l sdetail 2605
But that's not the first time:
From California Anti SLAPP (a whistleblower advocacy site)
From: .nett cases/ Gall ant/` 20v �20Cii� /a2Oof� /�20Carson.htn
Ire th fall of oo3, �h oss} Groo_r n s (with the ity Cod i 's appf va
tbrrr� r �ted G I nt s erg o r t. P w f r �iin t rr flied =�o err r t port
V C[a 1 wi ihe City goo et s s e q.), �s �a te��e�ected.
"Accordin to the Dail Breeze., "Gallant was hired b Carson three y ears
a She had previousl worked as deput administrator of the Los An
Redevelopment A g enc y but a to step down, accordin to several Los
An Times articles in 1999 and 2000 Gallant was accused of
misleadin board members on a propert appraisal and suspended over a
disputed expense account, accordin to one Times report, which also q uotes
an attorne for two emplo who were fired b the a and later
awarded $580,000 for wron termination...4" 2"
I'm for small g overnment and private enterprise. To see Alameda becomin reliant upon
a ke emplo without respondin publicl to these g larin g facts seems odd to me. I
wonder if these details are on her resume,, or if her resume was ever looked at.
I think the council would be wise to take a look at these issues before makin Ms. Gallant
a permanent fixture in g overnment, at such a critical time in Alameda's future.
Thank y ou for y our time.