Nepotism

[foiaokc08]

I've got a new subject for everyone to gnaw on: NEPOTISM in the City of Oklahoma City. For starters, Susan McNitt, City Auditor (THE AUDITOR of all people!), is married to the Police Chief, Bill Citty. Dianna Berry, Personnel Director, is married to Assistant City Manager, MT Berry. There are many more high profile examples, but I will save those for later and see how many you all can come up with.

What does everyone think of this? Honestly - the City is rife with nepotism. And, we all know -- when nepotism flourishes THINGS go unchecked.

[andy157]

I've got a new subject for everyone to gnaw on: NEPOTISM in the City of Oklahoma City. For starters, Susan McNitt, City Auditor (THE AUDITOR of all people!), is married to the Police Chief, Bill Citty. Dianna Berry, Personnel Director, is married to Assistant City Manager, MT Berry. There are many more high profile examples, but I will save those for later and see how many you all can come up with.

What does everyone think of this? Honestly - the City is rife with nepotism. And, we all know -- when nepotism flourishes THINGS go unchecked.

Regarding Nepotism within our Local City Government (OKC), I do not believe there are any higher profile cases than the two you mentioned. Yes there are policies regarding Nepotism, and yes they do get around them.

[kevinpate]

Working in different departments, with different reporting lines of authority and supervision.

I'm not really seeing this as nepotism, unless I'm way off track and the city's peeps policies states no kin anywhere, anytime. I would imagine though, there's language more along the far more common prohibitions about no kin get hired in to serve under under one's direct authority/supervision.

[foiaokc08]

No - NO - No. There are checks and balances. City departments must collaborate all the time. The Auditor audits all city departments - including PD. Can we trust her to rat out her own husband if she finds corruption? NEVER!

[Karried]

Did they meet on the job?

Or did he help her or vice versa get the job after they were married?

[jbrown84]

Did they meet on the job?

Or did he help her or vice versa get the job after they were married?

That's an important question to ask.

[Midtowner]

No - NO - No. There are checks and balances. City departments must collaborate all the time. The Auditor audits all city departments - including PD. Can we trust her to rat out her own husband if she finds corruption? NEVER!

It's a good thing police are never corrupt and never do anything wrong.

Otherwise, we'd have a lot to worry about there.

[foiaokc08]

how bout this. Two departments heads in the City. (I won't say who YET.) They both had sons. The sons were given internships (paid? unpaid?) in each others department. The problem with NEPOTISM is that career opportunities become a birthright. Was anyone else given the opportunity to apply for those internships? It's highly unlikely.

[foiaokc08]

how bout this. Two departments heads in the City. (I won't say who YET.) They both had sons. The sons were given internships (paid? unpaid?) in each others department. The problem with NEPOTISM is that career opportunities become a birthright. Was anyone else given the opportunity to apply for those internships? It's highly unlikely. But, hey - BETTS doesn't care WHO is in office - as long as things go well for her. GIVE ME A BREAK. When we quit caring about whether statesmen/women are appointed or elected, we start electing the STIPES and HALLS of the world.

[solitude]

You said in another thread you "made a living off the freedom of information act." What do you mean? How do you do that? Maybe I'm in the wrong line of work!

[Patrick]

I think it's the same in any field. It's usually who you know that gets you the job or gets you off the hook. People are more likely to help their friends in any given field. I see it in medicine.....students that are sons of doctors usually don't have a problem getting into medical school. That's not to say there's any bias, because those students have to meet the same admission requirements, but if you have two students with the same stats, and only one spot to give, who would you give the spot to?

[OKC PATROL]

Props to a minor league baseball player for even knowing what Nepotism means. lol

Bottom line is.....Its just an ignorant/angry excuse to not vote yes on the Ford Center Improvements.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

lol...Nepotism is everywhere. Not just in this city.

Heck, look in the oval office sometime. That man certainly didn't get there on skill.

[bornhere]

I think the city's nepotism policy says two relatives can't work in the same division of a department.

The instance of the police chief, who reports to an assistant city mgr, and the auditor, who reports directly to the council, was specifically approved by the council in advance. And neither helped the other get the job. They were already in those positions when they got engaged.

I think it's unfair for a department head to ask another department head to find a job for a child. If the new employee (or intern) doesn't work out, it's hard to deal with that appropriately if you know it's going to starin your working relationship with another dept.

[Kerry]

Heck, look in the oval office sometime. That man certainly didn't get there on skill.

Relax OGTS, Hillary isn't elected yet. She still needs to win the nomination. Be careful calling her a man though. I don't think she likes that.

[Midtowner]

how bout this. Two departments heads in the City. (I won't say who YET.) They both had sons. The sons were given internships (paid? unpaid?) in each others department. The problem with NEPOTISM is that career opportunities become a birthright. Was anyone else given the opportunity to apply for those internships? It's highly unlikely. But, hey - BETTS doesn't care WHO is in office - as long as things go well for her. GIVE ME A BREAK. When we quit caring about whether statesmen/women are appointed or elected, we start electing the STIPES and HALLS of the world.

Reading the nepotism statute, that's not illegal so far as I can tell.

Best of luck tilting at those windmills.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Relax OGTS, Hillary isn't elected yet. She still needs to win the nomination. Be careful calling her a man though. I don't think she likes that.

LMAO.

That's no lie. But it does help to hammer home the point that there has been a Clinton or a Bush in the White House in some capacity since 1981.

[bombermwc]

Personally, I only find nepotism to be an issue in different situations. My company has a LOT of people that are family in it. It has helped to create an atmosphere unlike most companies where people hoenstly do care what happens to each of us...and with 500 employees, that's a big deal. What has made it work is how it's handled. Family members can't for FOR one another, and generally stay out of each other's department's all together. We interact all the time, but the door swings both ways. Sometimes being a family member means you don't treat a person as nice...not just treat them better. It can hinder communication as much as foster it.

So if we have people in offices across the city that are related, I don't really have an issue as long as they do their job. We just have to rely on normal checks and balances to make sure things work right. Honestly, who's to say that if a different person was in one of these positions that they wouldn't play favorites with their friends instead of their spouse???

[okcpulse]

foiaokc08, you bring up a lot of good points about the direction our government is taking, and you are not wrong for being concerned, but you have to realize that our entire government system has problems, top to bottom. It is run by people who aren't perfect and it's a fallacy to believe that some utopic government exists out there.

You can't use this as a reason for voting against Ford Center improvements. If you have a problem with the way city government is organized, vote the person or persons responsible out of office. Don't vote against something that people on the street are excited about. You're taking an indirect action against city government, and at the end of the day when the election is over, the same people will be in the same office.

This is why I don't believe in skepticism and conspiracy theories. Every skeptic I've ever dealt with only pays attention to the dark side of any issue. Look at the skeptics of the first MAPS plan. Every skeptic claimed the city would fail to complete MAPS, and the money would just go to the politicians. Those same people are still trying to wash the taste of their feet out of their mouth. And conspiracy theories have been here since the beginning of time, they are her today and they will be here for a long time to come. You have to be a realist about life. Certain people will always try to corrupt any system, whether or not they succeed. To constantly try to turn this into an 'US AGAINST THEM' situation will only get this city in trouble. It has before with our schools. Everyone harped and whined about the failure on the 1989 bond issue and how government is screwed up. But no one took any action directly against the city government. They only took indirect action by voting against school bond issue elections. Ultimately, only the children suffered with crumbling schools.

I care about what happens at city hall, and if any official abuses their powers, I'll vote them out. But I WILL NOT vote down a public project just because a few people I will probably never meet rub me the wrong way. I will only vote against a public project that doesn't make sense. And let's face it, voting against Ford Center improvements is foolish knowing that it's only a bare-bones arena.

What you point out happens EVERYWHERE in our economy, not just city government. Heck, even here in HOUSTON of all places, the only way I got into the IT field was from knowing someone on the inside. Short of that, no one would have anything to do with me.

[hipsterdoofus]

I agree you have to be careful about nepotism, but also agree that you are more likely to hire someone you know...just how it works...like the saying says...its not what you know...

[jsenter]

Relax OGTS, Hillary isn't elected yet. She still needs to win the nomination. Be careful calling her a man though. I don't think she likes that.

I think he was referring to Bush, the worst president we've ever had.

[solitude]

I think he was referring to Bush, the worst president we've ever had.

While I agree with you about Bush - Kerry was just being funny. I even laughed.

[foiaokc08]

Ok - So, OKCPULSE has given me something to think about. But, I'm still voting no. But, that's OK. My wife is voting yes and so we're cancelling one another out.

I have much more to post about nepotism, but it will have to wait for another day. I'm researching the City phone directory now, cross referencing it with public records. About 4,000 people work for the City. I'll let you know just how many I turn up that are related.

And, yes, the policy cited by others is correct, and yet, in one department I have discovered a manager in an elite field of study who is engaged to a subordinate IN HIS DEPARTMENT. Rich.

[bandnerd]

What's with the witch hunt, anyway? It sounds more like a personal vendetta than anything else. Did Daddy not hire you?

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I think he was referring to Bush, the worst president we've ever had.

I don't know about EVER...Lincoln's bookends James Buchanan and Andrew Johnson (who sided with Confederates after the civil war) were pretty freakin' bad. But he's definitely up there in my rankings.

Ok - So, OKCPULSE has given me something to think about. But, I'm still voting no. But, that's OK. My wife is voting yes and so we're cancelling one another out.

I have much more to post about nepotism, but it will have to wait for another day. I'm researching the City phone directory now, cross referencing it with public records. About 4,000 people work for the City. I'll let you know just how many I turn up that are related.

And, yes, the policy cited by others is correct, and yet, in one department I have discovered a manager in an elite field of study who is engaged to a subordinate IN HIS DEPARTMENT. Rich.

You have either been personally burned by somebody's sister/brother/wife/fiance or you have entirely too much time on your hands. I mean really. Cross referencing the phone directory?