Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/52994
6A Daily News – Wednesday, January 18, 2012 Opinion RBPD morale D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Editor: I would first like to say Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer's home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 that I was not asked to write this letter on behalf of the men and women of the Red Bluff Peace Officers' Associ- ation. However, I feel the need to do so because I believe they are not able to openly discuss or voice their feelings and opinions without fear of retaliation or intimi- dation by their current administration. On Saturday Jan. 7, the Red Bluff City Council met for a budget planning meet- ing. At this time, the council requested input from the citi- zens and employees regard- ing ideas for the upcoming fiscal years' budget. The association did their part and presented an idea to the city. The association informed the council that by eliminating the Interim Police Chief's full time position and making the Chief of Police position a part-time position, it could potentially save the city an estimated $50,000 per year. The association knows all too well the impact the cur- rent state of the economy has had, not only on the city, but on the police department and its officers. The association has taken a 15.75 percent pay cut for the past three years. This pay cut has had more than just a financial impact on its officers and their fami- lies, but also a huge impact on the morale of the depart- ment. In an attempt to do their part, the association round tabled cost savings ideas and ultimately the body of the association chose to present their cost savings idea to the council. When the associa- tion chose to provide their input, they never imagined their efforts to help the coun- cil with ideas would lead to Interim Chief, Captain Paul Nanfito taking their idea as a personal attack. The members of the Asso- ciation now feel that they are in a tough position. The members want to assist the council with their request to provide input; however, it is now clear that if they contin- ue to assist the council they will be scrutinized by their current administration. Although brief, I can only hope that this letter has shed a little light on what is taking place within the walls of the Red Bluff Police Department. I hope that the council will be compelled to ensure associa- tion members are being treat- ed properly by their adminis- tration. The council conveyed at Saturday's meeting that the morale and the high rate of attrition in the police depart- ment was a great concern to them and that it needed to be addressed. I whole heartedly agree and I thank the council for taking the time to make this severe problem their pri- ority. The members of the police department and the commu- nity as a whole are the ones who will ultimately suffer from the negative behavior that is taking place inside the department by police admin- istration. Regan Ortega, Red Bluff Closing the RBUHS campus at lunch Editor: The Red Bluff High School administration is considering clos- ing the high school campus at lunch time beginning the 2012-13 school-year. If the plan goes forward, the campus would close one grade level at a time starting with next year's freshmen class — the Class of 2016 — and would follow that class through its senior year in 2015-16, at which time the campus would be closed to all grade levels. The incremental approach would allow the high school to more easily adjust to the circumstances created by having more students on campus at lunch time. If we do decide to close campus, we may determine that campus should be open at lunch to seniors who have met certain academic, atten- dance and behavioral stan- dards. There are several reasons for why closing campus is now being considered, but the primary are as follows: 1) Recent changes in school nutrition laws have eliminated students' on-cam- pus access to soda, caffeine and most sweets. As a result, more students are leaving campus to obtain those prod- ucts at local stores. The increase in students leaving campus at lunch is a safety concern. Your Turn 2) Red Bluff High, like most North State high schools, has seen a dramatic drop in enrollment and projects this trend to continue. With the lower enrollment, administration believes the campus can now meet the needs of the entire student body during lunch. In considering the possi- bility of closing campus, the administration is interested in hearing the opinions and answering the questions of anyone who may be impacted by such a change. If you are interested in providing your point of view on the issue or if you have a question, you may contact us via the fol- lowing methods: 1) Send an email to: closeme@rbhsd.org 2) Call Associate Principal Miguel Barriga at 529-8710. 3) Schedule an appoint- ment with Associate Princi- pal Miguel Barriga by calling 529-8710. After receiving input from a variety of sources, the administration intends to take its recommendation on whether or not to close the campus to the Board of Trustees for further discus- sion and potential board action. Patrick Gleason, RBUHS principal Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2595 Cean- othus Ave., Ste. 182, Chico, CA 95973; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Desperately digging for Romney dirt Commentary The name is Spade. Sam Spade. I've been a private investigator a long time, but my last assignment was a dud. I was hired to find "scandalous" actions or personal failings com- mitted by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Here's what puzzled me at first: I was hired by a Romney supporter. It was often boring digging into the private lives of Republicans —- particularly clean-living fellows, such as Romney — but I needed the dough. According to his official biogra- phy, he hails from humble origins. His father started off as a lath-and- plaster carpenter, then worked his way up to heading American Motors and eventually became governor of Michigan. The old man had the dough to send his son to fine schools. Mitt Romney earned dual degrees from Harvard's law and business schools, then became a business consultant. Failing companies paid him to turn them around. In 1984, he founded an invest- ment firm, Bain Capital, to buy struggling companies and fix them. He must have had some aptitude for his work, as he became a very rich man making broken compa- nies work. I talked to old business col- leagues and scoured old financial records. If there were improprieties, they aren't obvious. The worst thing I could pin on Romney was the alleged use of a company phone to make a personal long-distance call to his wife. That's right, he allegedly stole a $1.28 call. I shifted gears to his personal life. Surely a man with all that money could afford to keep a girl or two on the side. I began shadowing the guy from morning until night, at home and on the road, campaign- ing. No luck. He appeared to gen- uinely care for his wife. He met her in elementary school. He spent all his free time with her, their kids and grandkids. But one night as I shadowed him, he woke at 3 a.m. I hoped to catch him sneaking out to a lady friend, only to discover him sneak- ing a cookie as he went into the kitchen to get his wife a glass of water. Still, I wasn't buying it. It's the upright, clean-living types who often have skeletons in their closets. Gambling. Drinking. Prescription drugs. There had to be something. I dug harder. I looked through more records. I talked to more people. The time came for me to report back to my client, the Romney supporter. "Please tell me you got some dirt on Rom- ney," he said. "I hate to break it to you, but Mother Theresa had a more colorful social life than this guy," I said. "What about the dog story?" That one is making Tom Purcell the news — again. In 1983, Romney secured his dog — in a special cage -- to the roof of his station wagon for a long vacation drive. "The dog survived the trip OK," I said. I could see the disappoint- ment in my client's face. "He hired illegal immigrants?" he asked. "Romney hired a landscaping company that had hired illegal immigrants. He never directly hired illegal immigrants." The Romney supporter was beside himself. "We have to find something bet- ter than dogs and landscap- ing companies!" he said. "Pollster John Zogby says Romney comes across as too perfect and wooden to voters. Zogby says a scan- dal would make him more human and relatable." I nodded. "Don't you see," the client continued. "With such an uninspiring Repub- lican field, it appears that Romney is our best hope of unseating President Obama — our best hope of tax, entitlement and spending reform, which we need to keep our country from going over a cliff. Please tell me you found some other Romney dirt!" "In the sixth grade, he aban- doned his station as a school-cross- ing guard." Tom Purcell, a freelance writer is also a humor columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Email Tom at Purcell@caglecartoons.com.