Negotiation update

Why dont you guys pull tatics that other cities have done and drive your point home.
1. Respone to calls for service only (no proactive stuff) then at your own speed no rush to get there. Then when people complain tell them due to your lack of pay you guys are short x# of officers and more are leaving everyday.
2. Blue Flu were whole shifts call in. You may have to check how legal that is here in Florida

Why dont you guys pull tatics that other cities have done and drive your point home.
1. Respone to calls for service only (no proactive stuff) then at your own speed no rush to get there. Then when people complain tell them due to your lack of pay you guys are short x# of officers and more are leaving everyday.
2. Blue Flu were whole shifts call in. You may have to check how legal that is here in Florida

Thanks for the tip. 'preciate the support. But we got it handled. Thanks.

Florida freezes state investment fund
Posted on Fri, Nov. 30, 2007
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BY GARY FINEOUT
gfineout@MiamiHerald.com

TALLAHASSEE --
In a decision that could disrupt the finances of dozens of cities and counties across the state, Gov. Charlie Crist and other top officials on Thursday froze the assets of a $15 billion investment fund used by local governments.

The move comes in the wake of cities and counties and school districts across the state, including Broward, Miami-Dade and the cities of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, withdrawing $10 billion they had in the investment fund during the last two weeks.

The financial troubles also cast a spotlight on the agency that handles investments for the state, which lost more than $300 million during the collapse of Enron in 2001 and made a controversial decision to bankroll the purchase of a for-profit company that operates schools.

The fund, known officially as the Local Government Investment Pool, was created 25 years ago as a way to provide a place for cities and counties to invest cash over a short period of time and operates like a money market fund. In the last two weeks, roughly $10 billion has been withdrawn from the fund -- including $3.5 billion Thursday morning -- most of it coming in the wake of revelations that state investment managers had money in companies rocked by the housing slump and nationwide credit crunch.

The decision by the State Board of Administration means cities and counties cannot withdraw cash from the fund until next week at the earliest. The board is made up of Crist, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Attorney General Bill McCollum.

''There comes a time you have to do what you think is right and be guided by what the facts are and what the current events are and try to stop a bad situation from escalating further,'' Crist said.

The vote to block governments from withdrawing their money from the fund came over the objections of the board's executive director, who recommended the board instead approve the use of the massive $140 billion Florida Retirement System as a backstop for losses.

''If we don't do something quickly, we're not going to have an investment pool,'' said Coleman Stipanovich.

But Sink, the board's lone Democrat, questioned the legality of pledging money that is intended for retired state employees, school teachers and county employees. Sink instead called for outside financial managers to evaluate the idea and report back to the board by next Tuesday.

When asked whether or not she was had lost faith in the board staff, Sink responded that cities and counties have had a ''crisis of confidence'' by withdrawing billions from the state run fund.

This is not the first controversy to rock the State Board of Administration during Stipanovich's tenure. Stipanovich, who is the brother of J.M. Stipanovich, an advisor to Katherine Harris and manager of Jeb Bush's first bid for governor, came under fire by Democrats and the state's teacher unions back in 2003 who questioned why the state came to the rescue of Edison Schools Inc.

Some local officials sharply criticized the decision of Stipanovich's bosses to reject his recommendations.

Bob Inzer, the clerk of the court for Leon County and former city treasurer for Tallahassee, said the investment pool is used as a ''checking account'' by many smaller cities and counties and that the decision could wreak havoc with their finances.

''We need leadership in this state today, and we didn't get it,'' Inzer said.

Cities and counties across the state have pulled out of the investment fund in the wake of reports showing that it had invested in companies that could be hurt by the credit crunch and mortgage problems, such as Countrywide. Bloomberg News reported Thursday that most of the investments had been sold to the state by Lehman Brothers, the massive investment firm that recently announced that former Gov. Bush had joined its private equity board.

Among the cities and counties that have pulled out in the last two weeks: Miami-Dade and Broward County as well as the cities of Doral, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Miramar, Hollywood, Homestead, Pembroke Pines, Davie and the Broward County School Board.e

''We pulled our money out when we first got wind that there could be some issues,'' acting Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry said. ``We're just following the market.''

Fort Lauderdale pulled out about $259 million from the fund early Thursday, said Ted Lawson, a city spokesman. The transaction was completed by 10:30 a.m., just hours before the freeze was approved.

''I think we were right before the wire,'' Lawson said.

Miami city officials said the city -- over the past two weeks -- withdrew its roughly $20 million investment from the fund, prompted by concerns the fund could be negatively affected by problems in the nation's subprime lending market.

''We've taken the money away, we have it in the bank,'' City Manager Pete Hernandez said.

Pembroke Pines pulled all of its money from the fund in a $63 million withdrawl just before 11 a.m. Monday, said René González, the city's finance director.

''We felt that we need to safeguard the city's money,'' he said. Pembroke Pines has used the state-managed investment fund for more than 25 years with good results, González said.

But Pembroke Pines investment committee was worried about what all of the recent withdrawls would do to the city's investment. ''They have done a good job in the past, but I think there was panic,'' he said.

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THIS WAS POSTED ON ANOTHER SITE. DOES THE CITY HAVE MONEY FOR YOUR CONTRACT NOW?

259 million ought to cover what we need!

They'll just buy more big plant bowls for the station.........

Jack!!!!! how about a real update!!!!????

Why are we so secretive? I have never known negotiations to be kept from members like it is now. If our concern is the city having spies in our ranks then what difference would it make to let members know what our proposal is to the city? Can someone please explain?

Why are we so secretive? I have never known negotiations to be kept from members like it is now. If our concern is the city having spies in our ranks then what difference would it make to let members know what our proposal is to the city? Can someone please explain?

Make a note of guest7. He asks to many questions. Back into the shadows my ninja brothers!!!

Why are we so secretive? I have never known negotiations to be kept from members like it is now. If our concern is the city having spies in our ranks then what difference would it make to let members know what our proposal is to the city? Can someone please explain?

Make a note of guest7. He asks to many questions. Back into the shadows my ninja brothers!!!

He's right! I say we find out who "Guest 7" is and oust that FED! That was seriously funny, nice one Ninja Master, who ever you are you dark hooded secret throat slitting master.

I've heard that there is already a FED in our ranks. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE :snicker: