There’s nothing new or inspiring in it. A sample line:
“Commitments were made to employees in the 1990’s, such as free lifetime healthcare for a retiree and dependent, but no funding for these benefits was ever identified or set aside.”
A veiled swipe at Dwane Milnes, city manager 1991-2001? It doesn’t matter perhaps. Fact is fact.
At the risk of digressing, City Hall has a chip on its shoulder towards Milnes. It’s not merely that he bears a great measure of responsibility for this mess. Milnes made the mistake of publicly saying current leaders don’t know what they are doing. A statement so remarkably impolitic for the leader of a retiree organization that must negotiate with city leaders it can only be attributed to Milne’s arrogance.
Since then, City Hall has made sure that Milnes’ every misjudgment as city manager has been made clear to the public. He shot himself in the foot and dealt retirees a setback.
Back to the letter. Its overall tone is factual and lifeless. Stockton could use an orator or two who rally the civic spirit.
This ain’t that ”The City of Stockton has been in business for over 160 years, and we will continue to be in business.” I know they’re preoccupied, but they missed an opportunity. Or maybe this is prose by committee. One writer, all writer. Two writers, half a writer. Three writers, no writer at all.
