HH gets a salary from the city as do other local officials who have attended these events. Did they use their vacation time or other PTO? Or did they take a cut in pay to attend?

Thanks

Also, their health and other benefits were covered during this trip - did they reimburse the City for their healthcare costs during this time?  Did they use their city provided vehicles (if they have one) to drive to the airport, etc...

One last thing - Any quid pro quo here for Mr. Hall?

Harvey Hall missed no council meetings to attend the trip. Yes, his health insurance persisted during the trip. I kept my health insurance last weekend, too, but that doesn't mean the Bakersfield Californian paid for my trip.

Quid pro quo? As in, is Hall giving people something in exchange for getting to go to India? Or do you think Hall is getting something in exchange for going?

No council meetings? Who cares. Is that all we pay him for? If so, then we are wasting money. He does no work during the day? I know that Bob Price at least sat in his office and watched TV.

What does your health insurance have to do with it? You are a reporter that is your job. Ugh.

 

I am just telling you that the local budgets (County and City) will be tight in the coming years. I hope they prepare by not being so wasteful. I am 100% against a bigger and more wasteful governement.

The city charter says that's what we pay him for.

"The Mayor shall be the official head of the City for all legislative policy and ceremonial purposes, and shall execute all legal instruments and documents, and shall preside at all meetings of the Council. The Mayor shall not be vested with administrative authority and shall not in any way interfere with the activities and authority of the City Manager, nor shall the Mayor use the authority of that office to direct the activities of any department head or any employee of any department of the City. As one of the duties, the Mayor shall promote and increase the economic and industrial base of the City, in cooperation with any existing economic development agencies or organizations. The Mayor shall not receive additional compensation, from the City or from others, for the performance of the duties outlined above, except for the regular salary paid to the Mayor by the City."

He does work during the day — he cuts ribbons, gives speeches, answers phones and is the public face of the city.

My trip was my vacation time. If I'd been run down by a car while out of town on vacation, my health insurance would still have covered me. That's how it works.

Please give me one specific example of how the city benefited from this - and not some PR bull? Its obvious you are in tight with these guys so I won't ask anymore questions after this since you don't seem to answer my questions directly. Who is the reporter here?

Thanks!