How much longer will the City Council accept City Manager John Blair’s lies, cover ups and manipulation?
Blair knew the audit would be late, but once again, tried to hide this information from the Council and public.
It’s time for Blair to be terminated.
The Council is showing how weak it is and how little they care about the City and it’s residents. Let’s see if Amanda Chavez and Jamie Cassut will actually stand up for their constituents or were just lying to everyone during the last election cycle.
TERMINATE JOHN BLAIR.
Comments from the New Mexican:
- A lot of talk from Blair about transparency and priorities. Blair cited addressing the city’s string of late audits as a top priority. “For me it’s fundamentally important that our audit be on time,” he said. “This is one of the easy things that helps the public understand or believe that their government is doing what it’s supposed to be doing.” If he can’t successfully address this “top priority,” how many other lower priorities aren’t being addressed? And we’ve already seen examples of Blair’s “transparency.” If he hasn’t been transparent about the “easy” things, what else is he obscuring?
- You all do remember that Oster and Blair pushed the 23 audit off until “the beginning of legislative session” in October I believe. When I heard that I knew the audit would be later than projected. I am not sure the 5 month deadline is realistic given the song and dancing away Oster does every time she is asked about meeting a deadline. And why does the external auditor bear this news? Too hard for Oster to open her own mouth? Or is she in the dark as she alleges? Either way time for Blair and Oster to go IMHO
- Blair and Oster have no “regard for city authority” they do as they please and if the council doesn’t agree or like it—-Too Bad!!!!
- Maybe during the next Council meeting Blair and Webber can again give nice little speeches their commitment to transparency. Webber can only be held accountable at the next election, but Blair should get no more chances. He should be shown the door. It will be a real test for the new Councilors, and will be a chance for Cassutt to demonstrate whether her commitment is to Team Webber, or to her constituents.
- Now the council can see and feel how the public does about being treated on a need to know basis.
- You can bet Signe, Jamie, Carol, and of course Webber, their benefactor, knew about this long ago, and kept it secret due to the election.
- Michael Garcia has the right idea. Fire this guy and get someone who is going to get the audit done now. 3 day suspension will not get anybody’s attention. If this city audit fiasco is delaying $150 million dollars (!) in capital outlay funding Santa Fe needs now, surely it would be a pittance to hire a few CPA’s to work around the clock to get the audit done immediately. Hello!!!! What in the pits of Hades is going on?! Michael Garcia for mayor of Santa Fe!! I am definitely looking at every elected official sitting on their hands with this audit fiasco.
- Our tax dollars at work.
- At the VERY least, Jamie, Amanda Chris, Renee, and Michael MUST side with Lee in voting to suspend John for at least three days. If they don’t see that, especially with Chris and Renee on their way out, my trust will further erode. I wrote Jamie and Amanda. Amanda never responds so no surprise there. Jamie told me she would email me soon with her thoughts on the Blair issue. When I do write her, she’s always detailed, professional, and respectful, whether I agree with the position or not. I will say this, by her not responding with a “yes I will be voting to suspend John”, I’m not hopeful, but we’ll see. In any case, Alan’s administration and his loyalists continue to remind me of a clown car.
- “Late audits have been a problem for the City for 13 out of the last 20 years,” — I ask that The New Mexican look into this and report on it. If that is true then we should be able to see the evidence. When has this happened before? Please elaborate. And I do agree with some other commenters – Emily Oster has been put into the unenviable position of trying to correct 20 years of problems.
- The city keeps looking for more tax dollars but can’t manage what they currently bring in. The dysfunction continues but who ultimately will hold the city officials accountable?
- “Typically, one audit takes eight months to complete. Completing three audits in eleven months is an extraordinary accomplishment and demonstrates the City’s deep commitment to correcting our history of late audits and ensuring the timelines are met moving forward, starting with FY2024,” City Manager John Blair said in a statement.” This is the kind of BS from John and Alan that I have a problem with aside from the obvious overall incompetency. Personally I see it as arrogant spin. John can make this statement (lie), be supported again by the council and Alan, and continue to treat the citizens of Santa Fe like we are stupid? 3 audits have not been completed in 11 months. There are 3 audits in question. Not all 3 have been completed. When all is said and finally done it will be WAY more than 11 months. Our Councilors could at the very least listen to the voters and suspend Blair for 3 days. It’s a pittance of his salary but come on Carol, Renee, Michael, Signe, Amanda, Jamie, Lee, Chris, give us a sign you hear us. I think it should be 2 weeks not only for his dishonesty but his arrogance.