Talkin \’bout Progress Clerks

Source: Worcester Telegram (Original Article)

Swimming pool plan tops agenda

Nick Kotsopoulos City Hall Notebook

nkotsopoulos@telegram.com

Nick Kotsopoulos City Hall Notebook

nkotsopoulos@telegram.com

The City Council Youth, Parks and Recreation Committee will meet today to take up City Manager Michael V. O’Brien’s recommendation that it borrow $1.6 million to finance the first stage of the city’s aquatics investment plan.

The loan order, part of Mr. O’Brien’s five-year capital improvement program, is intended to address the aging and deteriorated condition of the nine municipal swimming pools, most of which were built between 1968 and 1973 and have had little money invested in their maintenance and upkeep.

“This year, we must make a significant move to address our aging pool facilities and their deferred maintenance over the last 30 years due to budget strife,” Mr. O’Brien said.

“An extensive and comprehensive review of our existing facilities confirms what we have long known; these aging structures are in need of significant and costly upgrades if we are to provide our community with safe and usable aquatics facilities,” he said. “We must look at history as a guide and we must rebuild only what we can afford to maintain over their useful life.”

In addition to recommending an unprecedented $1.6 million for the swimming pools in fiscal 2009, Mr. O’Brien’s five-year capital improvement program calls for subsequent recommendations of $2 million per fiscal year through fiscal 2013.

The manager said that would bring the total investment in the city’s pools and parks to $9.6 million over five years, with a vast majority of that money dedicated to the public pools.

After taking up the manager’s recommendation, the council committee intends to visit swimming pool The King of Queens dvd sites.

Also on the committee’s …continue reading

Source: Houston Chronicle (Original Article)

As Gay Pride Month comes to a close, we need to take stock.

It’s difficult to turn critical during an annual pride celebration, especially in this year marked by historic gains like the legalization of gay marriage in California.

But we should pause to acknowledge that the state of the movement is a good news-bad news situation.

First the good news: We are on the cusp of an epic shift in the public face of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the United States.

Same-sex couples are self-identifying in record numbers across the farm belt, according to census data analyzed by the Williams Institute at UCLA. Between 2000 and 2005, the number of same-sex couples jumped 71 percent in Nebraska, 68 percent in Kansas and 59 percent in Iowa.

These numbers indicate not an increase in the gay and lesbian population living in these states, but in the willingness of people to acknowledge their own identity, according to Gary Gates, the demographer who authored the study.

Gates is predicting that we’ll also see startling increases in same-sex couples in every ethnic, racial and geographical community in the United States when he’s finished studying the data.

Finally, people across a diverse cross-segment of communities are coming out. That is real progress.

But now the bad news: The LGBT movement is focusing on conservative issues like tax reforms, rights of inheritance and enacting state laws to approximate marriage for same-sex couples.

These fiscal issues appeal broadly to a cross section of the American public. They make gay rights more palatable to more people. However, they also leave significant sections of the LGBT population behind.

The problem with placing a conservative agenda at the heart of an LGBT movement in the midst of a demographic shift may not be readily apparent. But it is profoundly alienating to segments of the population who already credit card au feel outside of the mainstream LGBT …continue reading

Source: Fiji Times (Original Article)

NAVITALAI Gagalia sent his figure juggling skills to the backburner as soon his senses calculated he was a natural in the kitchen.

Decades later, he now considers himself a Jack of all Trades in tourism. He views all hardships and difficulties faced on the job as “just another challenge”.

Growing up, Navi, as he is known to friends, always wanted to be a banker. He loved accounting and mathematics throughout his school days.

But his career path took a change in direction while waiting for a response from the first interview for his dream job. To kill time, Navi decided to take up a few classes with the catering school in Suva. There was no turning back once he fell in love with the concept of pleasing the senses with food. By the time the bank called with a job offer, he had made up his mind and turned down the position.

Navi calls it his fairy journey into the tourism industry where he has made a significant contribution during the 20 years of his working life.

While studying at catering school, Navi carried out his practical studies at The Fijian (before it carried the Shangri La name) and Musket Cove resorts.

Straight after completing his education at catering school, Navi secured a position as butcher hand at the Hyatt Regency Fiji (now known as the Warwick Resort).

The lad from Wailoku in Suva worked hard making his way up the ladder into the larder section then into the kitchen main line where he started preparing meals for guests of the five-star property. He was not about to settle with what he was doing as he continued his progress by moving into the pastry section.

Willing to try everything out in the diverse tourism industry, Navi even took a dab at waiting tables in the Food and Beverage Department.

In 1990, he accepted the challenge of manning the hotel switchboard. It was during this period that his “big break” ultimately came through his voice.

“One evening SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS dvd while I was on duty, the …continue reading

Source: Worcester Telegram (Original Article)

O’Brien’s grade at ‘good’ level

Overall mark lower than before

By Nick Kotsopoulos TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

nkotsopoulos@telegram.com

By Nick Kotsopoulos TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

nkotsopoulos@telegram.com

WORCESTER—

The grades are in and City Manager Michael V. O’Brien has received another favorable overall evaluation from his bosses, the members of the City Council.

But his overall grade is a tad lower than previous years. Nevertheless, most city councilors feel Mr. O’Brien’s job performance of the past year consistently met expectations and often exceeded them.

Under the city charter, the City Council is required to evaluate the city manager annually through a two-step process. The first step is written reviews, in which each councilor grades his job performance in four categories: finance, economic development, management efficiencies and delivery of public services.

The grading scale is: 1 — unsatisfactory; 2 — needs improvement; 3 — satisfactory; 4 — good; 5 — superior.

The second phase of the process is the public evaluation, which takes place at tomorrow night’s council meeting. During the public evaluation, which is held each year on the last Tuesday in June, councilors have the opportunity to elaborate on their evaluations.

Mr. O’Brien’s average grade from the 11 members of the council was 4.03, compared to 4.2 a year ago.

According to evaluation grades filed with the city clerk’s office last week, six of the 11 members gave the manager an overall grade of 4 or better. That is down from a year ago when nine of the 11 gave him such a grade.

Mr. O’Brien received his highest overall scores from District 4 Councilor Barbara G. Haller (4.65), District 2 Councilor Philip St George Credit Cards P. Palmieri (4.56), District 3 Councilor …continue reading

Source: AllAfrica.com (Original Article)

The Lands department in the Ministry of Lands, popularly called "Lands", is an important office charged with land administration in the entire country.

At this unassuming office block in the Community Area of Nairobi, three technical divisions - Land Administration, Land Registration and Land Valuation - collectively manage registration of titles, leases, mortgages, cautions, caveats, transfers and prohibitions.

Applications are received there for consents, surveys, sub-divisions and allocation of land. Ardhi House is also responsible for alienation of Government and Trust land, resolution of land disputes, collection of revenue and the custody and maintenance of land records.

Since inception, the department has issued millions of titles and in any land conveyancing transaction, a member of the public has several interfaces with the Lands office. For example, before one can purchase a piece of land, one must do a title search at Ardhi House.

When one transfers a parcel, the seller must show that land rent has been paid by producing a land rent clearance certificate as well as a Consent to Transfer from the Lands Commissioner.

A valuer from the Lands office must assess the plot to ensure that it is not undervalued for tax purposes. And stamp duty (a transfer tax) is also paid at Ardhi House.

From its wide national mandate, it is clear that Lands is, as one author noted, a "big wheel in the country’s economic activity."

Its efficient, transparent and predictable operation is thus critical, not just for the private sector and the population at large. Yet concern is gradually turning to alarm regarding the inefficiency and corruption at the Lands office. A visit to the office is a trip back in time. Harried employees scurry up and down dark, unmarked passageways with peeling walls.

The sheer volume of paper being pushed is mind-boggling. One female clerk comes into degrassi the next generation dvd the registry with a big carton …continue reading

Source: Toledo Blade (Original Article)

In what is becoming more the rule than the exception, the Lucas County commissioners sparred again - this time during their meeting yesterday on their competing plans to spend $350,000 in county economic development funds.
Lucas County Commissioners Tina Skeldon Wozniak and Pete Gerken voted down a plan from fellow Commissioner Ben Konop that would have used the money, which the county got from selling some of its land, to put 40 people to work part time at $7.50 an hour for local non-profit organizations.
Along with pay for the part-time positions, money also would have been spent to employ a temp hiring agency, and about $9,000 to pay for a part-time clerk to handle applications for the positions.
Mr. Konop claimed the pro-posal would have helped rejuvenate the county’s economy by putting people to work while aiding needy charities.
But Ms. Wozniak and Mr. Gerken claimed it would have wasted taxpayer dollars by creating temporary, low-paying positions rather than investing in sustainable jobs through training or economic development.
Accusations of politics and corruption flew during yesterday’s testy debate.
“Once again, we’re putting politics ahead of progress. That’s why we’re seeing business loss in Lucas County,” Mr. Konop said after the vote.
Ms. Wozniak, the president of the commissioners, said she’d rather see the money used for job training, and proposed giving $10,000 to Assets Toledo, a local nonprofit organization, to help train those hoping to start their own businesses.
“We need to create sustainable jobs - jobs that can last for a long time,” Ms. Wozniak said.
Mr. Gerken said he would rather see the money used to support projects, such as the effort to reopen the Maumee Stamping Plant, and to fund Rocket Ventures, a venture capital fund run by the Regional Growth Partnership.
He said the idea was a “noble attempt,” but would only provide a temporary benefit.
And he objected to $93,000 that would have gone to THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE dvd the temp agency to cover workers’ …continue reading

Source: San Diego Union Tribune (Original Article)

It's been 60 years since the California Supreme Court struck down a ban on interracial marriage despite overwhelming public opposition to such unions.

Nowadays, the sight of a black-and-white married couple would faze only a tiny segment of society.

For gay couples – who began getting legally married last night and will flood the offices of county clerks statewide today – the hope is that a similar court ruling in their favor will be the beginning of their national acceptance.

Associated Press
Lesbian rights activists Del Martin (left) and Phyllis Lyon married yesterday in San Francisco.

NANCEE E. LEWIS / Union-Tribune
Eric Danel (right) and Anita Voorhees waited to be married yesterday at the County Administration Center, the day before same-sex couples are expected to flood
the office. Danel and Voorhees were joined by her daughters (from left), Cindy and Shayna, Shayna’s boyfriend, Anthony Smith, and his son Chris.

“It really does feel like fairness and equality has won the day,” said David VanGilder, 55, of Encinitas, who plans to marry his partner of 27 years this afternoon. “We're finally going to have the respect that a normal married couple gets, and that feels really good.”

The celebrations may be premature, as opposition protests and legal action continued yesterday.

But more than 200 couples – most of them gay – are scheduled to get married in San Diego County today after the court's May 15 ruling struck down a statewide ban on same-sex marriage.

County Clerk Greg Smith plans to open his office doors at the County Administration Center along San Diego Bay at 7 a.m. – an hour earlier than normal – to accommodate the influx.

That will be earlier than most clerk offices statewide, but the county won't be able to claim the first legal gay marriage Frequent Flyer Cards in California.

Graphic:

Marriage license …continue reading

Source: Jerusalem Post (Original Article)

Many of American Jewry’s largest religious and advocacy groups have lashed out in the past few days at the Presbyterian Church USA for a new document published by the church that warned against anti-Jewish bias in the church’s pursuit of Israeli-Palestinian peace.

The new document “does more to excuse anti-Semitism and foster anti-Jewish motifs then it does to dispel them,” according to a strongly worded letter to church leader Rev. Cliff Kirkpatrick, the stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church, from Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism; Rabbi Jerome Epstein, executive vice president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism; and Dr. Carl Sheingold, executive vice president of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation.
The new version of “Vigilance Against anti-Jewish Bias in the Pursuit of Israeli-Palestinian Peace,” placed on the church’s Web site last week, replaces a previous version presented in May, which was welcomed by Jewish leaders and groups. It comes just days ahead of the June 21 opening of the 2008 Presbyterian Church General Assembly in San Jose, California.
Questioning with “deep suspicion” the “motivations” behind the new document, Yoffie, Epstein and Sheingold noted that the revision had dropped, among other things, the “acknowledgement of [the church's] complicity” in anti-Jewish bias, and replaced it with “a statement that is completely unbalanced in its appraisal of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which contains veiled threats of ‘divestment,’ and which completely undoes much of the positive language and progress that were presented” in the earlier document.

While affirming the legitimacy of “denunciation of injustices the State of Israel has committed or may commit,” the May ANZ Rewards Credit Card version included a warning against “demonization …continue reading

Source: Motorsport.com (Original Article)

ENTHRALLING PRODUCTION VEHICLE BATTLE ON TOYOTA 1000 DESERT RACE

Gaborone, Saturday - The opening day of the Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race, round four of the Absa Off Road Championship, which started here today produced an enthralling battle in the Production Vehicle category.

When the dust had settled, and there was plenty of it, provisional results at the overnight stop in Hatsalatladi saw the factory Castrol Toyota Hilux crew of Mark Cronje and Chris Birkin in a slender 17 second lead over reigning South African champion Duncan Vos and Louis Weichelt in a Sasol Nissan Navara. It was a tremendous drive by Cronje and Birkin who started 12 in the Production Vehicle category.

“We had a great run but I was a little surprised to find we were leading,” said Cronje. “It was a tough day in a tough race and tomorrow is probably going to be even tougher.”

Apart from a slight overheating problem towards the end of the punishing first day, Vos and Weichelt, standing in for Ralph Pitchford who has an overseas commitment, also reported a trouble free run. Just 90 seconds behind the Nissan crew were two-time winners Neil Woolridge and Kenny Skjoldhammer in the factory Ford Racing Ranger, with the veteran pair looking ominous.

“It was a very hard day and you could not afford to relax for one second,” said Vos. “It is going to be the same tomorrow and it is just so easy to make a mistake.

Behind the leaders Chris Visser and Japie Badenhorst (Castrol Toyota Hilux), former SA Special Vehicle champions Alfie Cox and Hennie ter Stege (Motorite Ford) and circuit racing star Anthony Taylor in the second Castrol Toyota Hilux, were locked in a tremendous battle. Just on three minutes separated the three crews and, as with the leading trio, anything can happen on the gruelling 500 kilometres that will make up the final day.

Not yet out of the picture was multiple winner Hannes Grobler, partnered by Frequent Flyer Juan Mohr in a second factory …continue reading

Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution (Original Article)

Clayton County residents will have several opportunities to question the 32 school board candidates before the July 15 primary.

The Chamber of Commerce is hosting a candidates forum Monday at 6 p.m. at the county’s Performing Arts Center on Mount Zion Parkway, Jonesboro. Candidates will give a brief overview of their qualifications before taking questions from the audience.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and WSB-TV will host a forum at Clayton State University on June 22 at 5 p.m. Starting Monday, citizens may submit questions for school board candidates at www.ajc.com/metro/clayton. Some of the questions will be asked at the June 22 forum.

Winnie and Will Thomas, parents of a rising Lovejoy High School senior, are also hosting three forums at the Jonesboro United Methodist Church on South Main Street. Each will start at 7 p.m.

Candidates will be given about three minutes to speak, but no questions will be taken.

“With all that’s going on in Clayton County, we wanted people to really have a chance to see what these candidates are all about,” Winnie Thomas said.

Attending the church forums will be:

• Candidates for sheriff and school board districts 2 and 3 on June 26.

• Candidates for county commission chair and commission districts 2 and 3, along with school board districts 4 and 5, on July 3.

• Candidates for district attorney, clerk of Superior Court, solicitor general and school board districts 6, 7 and 8 on July 10.

Superintendent John Thompson also will take questions from parents Saturday about the district’s progress in saving its accreditation. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools gave Clayton until Sept. 1 to meet nine mandates or lose accreditation.

The superintendent’s forum American Express Platinum will be held at 10 a.m. at Lovejoy High School.