Sentinel and OD both miss the real story

[frankcor]

This story has been kindling within me for many weeks now:

Oneida County hires Republicans in disproportionate numbers

Both of our local advertising vehicles covered this story as if there were some sort of scandal in the fact that the county hires more republicans than democrats.

I started reading the articles with mild interest, expecting to find the obvious conclusion that the numbers were the result of the fact that there are more republicans than democrats living in the county.

But then I found this interesting tidbit buried near the end of the article:

The list
The list, provided by Oneida County Personnel Commissioner Paulette Nickerson, included all individuals who were hired, promoted, or transferred to fill vacancies for full time jobs between Jan. 1, 2007 and May 5, 2008. Civil service positions and appointments not subject to that law were both shown.

About 500 people were hired or changed jobs at the county in that period.

500 PEOPLE HIRED IN LITTLE MORE THAN 17 MONTHS!!!

What is this? The county's plan to reduce unemployment???

Are they tired of hearing about how the Oneidas are the largest employer in the county?

And why didn't either newspaper express any shock that the county has hired 500 people in 17 months? Does anyone know how many total employees there are in the county?

[dgriffin]

I guess I'd want to know how many of the 500 were those that changed jobs. And why.
Still, even if there were only 50 real or additional new jobs, you gotta wonder why they were needed.
New York State has too many towns (including mine, down here) where government is the largest employer.
That includes the schools, who continue to enlarge the employee parking lots here.

[frankcor]

It still means there were 500 openings. Although many may have been promotions or position upgrades. Ouch.

[dgriffin]

Oct 16, 2008 10:22:53 GMT -5 frankcor said:

It still means there were 500 openings. Although many may have been promotions or position upgrades. Ouch.

I hadn't thought of it that way. I guess I was thinking that some employees could have transferred into positions being vacated by retirements, others leaving, etc.
But you're right, it still doesn't mean all the positions are necessary.

Tell me something, since you've participated in the newspaper forums.
Does it often happen that a person commenting on a story is successful in getting the reporter to go back for more info?
E.g., "Dear Editor, why didn't your idiot reporter, Horace Greeley, ask the mayor if the new building everyone is complaining about was built of brick or balsa wood?" And the newspaper responds, "Good question, Sir! Our intrepid hack got back to the mayor and hizzoner said the building is made of driftwood."

[frankcor]

I can say without qualification that not once have I seen any evidence that one my suggestions for improviing the reporting at the Utica OD (and there have been many) has ever been utilized.

At one point, I even suggested to the editor that he purchase OCR software so that his reporters wouldn't have to waste so much time typing in all those press releases coming from government offices and maybe have some time to ask a follow-up question or two. I don't recall ever seeing a response.

Driftwood can fetch a pretty penny in the right market.

[dgriffin]

Silly me. I was only hoping.

[Ralph]

And I have tried the same approach as Frank on ALL the OD forums from their very inception.

Same result.

You can lead a horse to water and even hold their head under the water..............but they usually die of thirst before they either drink or drown.