Taxpayers in California were outraged when they discovered that the city manager of Bell was collecting a salary of $750,000. Members of the city council--supposedly a part-time job--were pulling down almost $100,000 a year. Since then, it has been revealed that officials in other California towns are earning similar salaries. Overall, the state pension fund is underfunded by roughly $500 billion. That's "billion" with a "b." And people wonder why the Golden Satate is teetering on the edge of insolvency.
But if it's any consolation to the citizens of California, at least their over-paid public employees showed up for work. Officials in Norfolk, VA have learned that a municipal worker collected a paycheck (with benefits) for 12 years, without spending a single day on the job. From the Virginian-Pilot:
City officials Friday identified the Community Services Board employee who collected a salary with benefits for 12 years without spending a day at work. City Attorney Bernard Pishko said the employee’s name is Jill McGlone. He wouldn’t divulge her salary.
”Jill is the person who wrongfully received the payments,” Pishko said.
Pishko said the executive director of the Community Services Board is “just about finished” with an investigation on the matter. When her investigation wraps up, the police will receive the case, he said.
The disclosure came after officials initially refused to name the employee. How Ms. McGlone managed to draw a check without showing up for work--for more than a decade--has not been revealed.
Tomorrow's article in the Pilot ought to be a doozy.
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ADDENDUM: WVEC-TV in Norfolk caught up with the former city official who ran the community services board for 22 years, before retiring last year. The official, Dr. George Pratt, expressed shoch at news of the "phantom" employee, who fell under the director's office. However, a Norfolk city attorney says that Pratt was aware of an "incomplete" termination some twelve years ago. The employee who was never completely dismissed--and kept drawing a check for 12 years? Jill McGlone.
Another Norfolk station, WAVY, aired pictures of Ms. McGlone on its 11 p.m. newscast Friday, so she does exist. So far, the former city worker has not spokenly publicly, and her husband declined comment when reporters visited their home.
2 comments:
As you no doubt must be aware, in many situations of this nature Jill's manager/supervisor either collected her pay, or split it with her, if she actually exists.
Also, the city auditor was either not performing his/her job, or the city had decided there was no need for a real auditor, and gave the title to another sit-on-his/her-butt cronie.
This story is far from over, because there are loads of real auditors in Norfolk.
Vigilis--Jill exists; another Norfolk stationed aired pictures of her on its 11pm newscast last night. And, you theory is almost certainly correct. For someone to linger on the payroll for 12 years (after supposedly being fired), multiple people had to be in on the scam. When all is said and done, Jill may have some company in the state pen.
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