Tell us what you really think
The Salt Lake City planning division — turning over five directors in eight years – spawns a pervasive attitude of fear and has turned its staff into burned out cynics. At least that's what a new audit reports.And that's the good part. Here are the review blurbs:
"It is fast becoming a permit center with little or no focus on planning."The Citygate Associates report will be presented to the City Council today.
"...the ineffective process feeds on itself and then continues to degenerate into ever-increasing dysfunction..."
"Sadly . . . in far too many cases, residents are viewed as 'the enemy' by both management and staff."
"There was a general feeling of hopelessness and uneasiness among the planning staff, a malaise due to a failure of leadership."
1 Comments:
Ralph Becker had better get on with hiring a new director. It's been months since Louis Zunguze was dismissed and over a month since George Shaw was let go. (Notice how quickly he was snatched up by South Jordan?)
This lack of leadership leaves citizens and developers out in the cold. Many will continue to lose money on projects that can't get through the system.
Currently the person in charge of the planning division is Becker's senior advisor, Esther Hunter, a member of the angry activist group from the avenues, "The Coalition for Orderly Planning." She has no formal planning or development education or experience. Does Becker really think she is the person to get the department back on its feet?
This sounds reminiscent of the problems that plagued the rocky Rocky Andersen administration-- allowing buddies to work in positions for which they are not qualified. I thought Ralph Becker would do better. He's been in office 3 months already.
If he really thinks he can fix this problem in months, he needs to find a qualified director quickly. Or, he needs to roll up his sleeves, get in there and do it himself.
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