Generally, we don't post on a Thursday nor do we ever refer to "Explorer" articles. Today, however, we are going to make an exception. This is because yesterday, the "Explorer" got it wrong and we plan to set the record straight.The Explorer headline screams: "Mayor Hiremath accuses Councilman Zinkin of fiscal mismanagement in Oro Valley." The headline is a mark of sloppy journalism. The headline in no way reflects the Mayor's remarks.
Watch and listen the Mayor Hiremath's remarks.
The Mayor then diverts the discussion to comment on Zinkin's use of town funds for two activities: One is a trip to a major convention where Zinkin represented the Town; the other is trip to Gilbert to study how another town, similar to Oro Valley, operates.
Here are the facts that the Explorer failed to research and report:
Council Member Zinkin sought and received input from Kevin Burke, assistant to the Oro Valley town manager. He asked if it was proper for him to use his Council Member travel funds for a trip to Washington DC to attend a meeting the National Leagues of Cities and Towns. On February 5, Zinkin received the following reply :
"Historically, NLC participation has been a positive way for the Town to contribute to the national dialogue regarding municipal governance. Participation in this organization is a legitimate use of Council travel and training funds and has not raised concerns from the community in the past."Town Manager Greg Caton and Town Finance Director Stacey Lemos were copied on this message. They had ample opportunity to opine if they disagreed. They did not.
Zinkin had felt conflicted about spending funds on this meeting. He had written to Burke: "I have been really torn and conflicted about my appointment to the League's Committee on Community and Economic Policy and Advocacy. On one hand I guess I should be honored to be selected, on the other hand, it is a lot of money." He concluded, after receiving this communication from Burke and after discussing with the League, that attending the conference was a proper to use of his travel allowance. Zinkin did nothing wrong. In fact, he did everything right!
In deference to Mayor Hiremath, we will not surmise the intent of his comments. We have concluded that the Mayor did not do his homework. Instead, Mayor Hiremath chose to "shoot from the hip."
Regarding the Gilbert trip, which most certainly cost next to nothing, Council Member Zinkin and Council Member Garner invested their time to travel to Gilbert. Their goal was to identify areas of Gilbert town operation that could be useful to Oro Valley. They were looking for best practices on the wise assumption that Oro Valley doesn't know everything.
The Explorer got it wrong. Mayor Hiremath did not accuse Council Member Zinkin of fiscal mismanagement.
Mayor Hiremath got it wrong. Zinkin obtained counsel from Oro Valley town professionals before attending the National League meeting. Both he and another council member visited Gilbert on Oro Valley-related learning.
Neither the Explorer nor Mayor Hiremath did their homework. They both "shot from the hip."
So, we did their homework for them.
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11 comments:
The Explorer is a training ground for the Red Star & the NY Times. Perhaps Mayor & other silent Council members would like to share their trip reports so the taxpayers can judge for themselves how many of them are fiscally irresponsible.
On a separate note, the National League of Cities is heavily involved in furthering many George Soros socialist/far left policies - which ultimately increase costs to taxpayers. Watch the youtube video: search under George Soros and the league of Cities.
The mayor also criticized Mr. Zinkin's trip report, which was the agenda. Mr. Hornat stood up for Mr. Zinkin and said that's all he turns in after attending a conference.
Do you recall, the quick and costly boondoggle trip to San Diego taken by Mr. Hornat and Mr. Waters? I remember Mayor Hiremath, as he tried to support their trip, stating they would each turn in trip reports.
When I searched for the trip reports, guess what I found? I found only the agenda of the conference.
Something is certainly upsetting the Mayor and he sounds more angry each time he speaks.
It is obvious that the mayor lets his fear and loathing get in the way of productive town management.
Basic leadership dictates that you confront team members in private. A public meeting is NOT the place for such antics.
Shame.
I was also reminded of the resort trip that Hornat and Waters took and how their trip report consisted of only the agenda for the conference.
Funny how that wasn't an issue for Hiremath when his buddies did it, but suddenly it's an issue when Mike Zinkin does the exact same thing!
Hiremath can never address a concern by a council member that he doesn't like without resorting to the old, "Let's look at what YOU did" trick to create a diversion from the REAL issue.
He's like a schoolyard bully, using ridicule and embarrassment techniques in an attempt to silence his "opponent" or undermine the credibility of anyone who dares to challenge him.
Nombe is right. THIS is not leadership!
Most of us have heard of yellow journalism at some time during our school years. Yellow journalism, in short, is biased opinion masquerading as objective fact. Moreover, the practice of yellow journalism involved sensationalism, distorted stories, and misleading images for the sole purpose of exciting public opinion. It was particularly indicative of newspapers founded and popularized in the late 19th century.
Chris Flora, a reporter for the Explorer Newspaper, practiced yellow journalism when he wrote an article with the headline: “Mayor Hiremath accuses Councilman Zinkin of fiscal mismanagement in Oro Valley”.
Chris Flora assisted Mayor Hiremath in the character assassination of Councilman Mike Zinkin by publishing a provocative innuendo headline. If Chris Flora had bothered to check facts a little closer he would have discovered that Councilman Zinkin made an extensive verbal council trip report at the March 20, 2013 Town Council Meeting on his Washington D. C. trip.
There is also significant precedence in using an agenda from a conference as the body of a written trip report instead of a long written dissertation. As far back as May 2008, Mayor Paul Loomis, traveled to Switzerland and Germany for a week as part of a Southern Arizona delegation that met with executives from Roche Holding AG and other companies. His trip report (for about $11,000) was the itinerary and agenda for the meetings and sessions he attended. Also, Councilman Joe Hornat, who playfully acknowledged he often disagrees with Zinkin, defended the trip report in the same town council meeting.
“His trip report (Zinkin) is the same trip report that I would turn in if I was doing that, (which) is the agenda,” said Hornat. “We’ve seen that before. There isn’t any reason for someone to write a dissertation unless somebody’s got questions.”
Perhaps Mayor Hiremath could gain some insight in practicing proper ethics and self-control instead of personal attacks by looking at the Marana Code of Ethics. Page 7, first paragraph.
“Personal conduct – Council and advisory board, commission and committee members are the public face of the Town of Marana, representing citizens and employees. Members should refrain from public conduct that results in personal charges or verbal attacks on the character or motives of other members of the council, boards, commission, committees, the staff or the public”.
John Musolf
Thank you AZ Moose for reminding us of the $11K European frolic by former Mayor Loomis. Brings back fond memories of the good old days.
I see former Mayor Loomis has joined the Pima County Hall of shame along with the former PCC chancellor, the TREO CEO and others by collecting $273,637 since 2010 for his "work" "monitoring" the Tucson streetcar construction project.
In April, Loomis was given a new 14 month contract that will pay him up to $121,000! (this contract extension was required because the actual streetcar will not be delivered until, maybe, well, we hope, kinda 2014, maybe - if we are lucky) One wonders what there is to "monitor" since the actual physical streetcar will arrive long after the tracks and other construction is long finished. (if, indeed, it is ever delivered)
The RTA gravy train is an exceptionally well funded gravy train.
Moose/Nombe......"Cud like". Wow....now we are chewing 2008 cud.
I agree the headline was very misleading.......but then what do you expect of the local fishwrap?
OVOT continues to defend the overpaid, under performing.
Can't wait until the present mayor joins them.
Cares....It has taken me some time to research your comment about the trip to San Diego by Messrs. Hornat and Waters. You are correct they did submit an agenda. However you failed to poin out that they also made an extensive verbal report to the Council regarding that trip. Zinkin made no such report.
I thought you might like to know.
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Though this is a bit off topic...Just to set the record straight...
Check the March 20 Council video minutes. Zinkin give a verbal report on the trip at that time.
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