Having your sister-in-law sitting on the Board of Directors setting compensation policies? PRICELESS......

John,

I asked Chief Price about Jennifer Price. He said she is married to his brother, who is also a firefighter in the SRVFPD.

People who run for Special Districts usually know someone in the District, or might be related to an employee, or have some other interest in what the District does. It's good to get candidates who know what a District does, even if it is through a relative or spouse.

Gordon Dakin won a seat on the SRVFPD Board last November. Dakin's cousin is in the Firefighter's union in San Ramon and Dakin is a Fire Chief in Alameda County. So Dakin knows both sides of union negotiations. Being related to someone doesn't mean he will take that person's side, as most people know from our own family histories.

There's not much glamour being on the Fire District Board of Directors (and less being a Director of the sewer district), but knowledgeable people need to show an interest in Special Districts and more people should run for them. So if anyone reading this wants to change that, run for office yourself.

I have put my money (yes it costs $$ even to file) where my mouth is to run for a Special District with little or no glory for it. I have no desire to be on the Fire District Board. I know very little about it, and I like to know what I'm doing when I'm doing it. So that's why we get Directors and candidates with relatives or spouses in the Department.

For those who want to learn about the SRVFPD, or keep an eye on those who were elected, attend the meetings and study the meeting packages and minutes instead of assuming that all relationships result in preferential treatment.

Roz

Roz, you are very sweet and innocent. I like you. I hope you can someday take a critical view of the costs you continue to defend. Chief Price may be a nice man but his employment is NOT priceless. All city employees come at a price. Unfortunately, even though he has been paid a handsome salary and excessive pension benefits those benefits still aren?t paid for. The Price is still going up even though his employment has ended. We will effectively be paying for two chiefs?two firefighters (employed and retired) etc? Money will continue to come from the general fund, for years or decades, to cover the unfunded pension and health care liability owed to Mr. Price and others; for past work.

While you seem to support just about every tax increase that isn?t really fair when you consider the increased taxes are going to support six figure pensions and lifetime medical benefits (for the employee and family). When will the cycle of increasing compensation that isn?t affordable, followed by the city looking for ways to increase revenue by raising taxes and fees to support the irresponsible deficit spending, going to end?

Roz, we wouldn?t need to continually be looking for new revenue if we managed our finances appropriately. If you spend more than you have who are you going to tax to cover your deficit?

Of course we now know the nepotism, it was all so discreetly covered up for years...shame on the past fire board members and CONGHRATULATIONS to the retirement classes of 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Hard to fathom you get free healthcare insurance until you pass away. We will pay for YOUR benefits and expenses for probably the next 35 years....much longer than you ever worked for us
Seems unfair...
John

Kevin,

Thanks for the nice comment, but the SRVFPD is an independent District covering Alamo, Danville, Blackhawk, San Ramon, and Tassajara Valley. It isn't part of the San Ramon City government. So Price's pension isn't paid by the City.

Also CALPERS pensions are prorated based on years of service in each District where the individual work. Chief Price worked at the SRVFPD for about 6.5 years and for San Mateo County for the other 27 years. So most of Price's pension will come from San Mateo and not here.

As far as San Ramon's City pensions, Mayor Wilson and the City Council issued bonds to cover those pensions about five years ago; so our City Government has an established pension fund. Some of your political friends were critical of it at that time, but it's fortunate our City Council was forward thinking and planned ahead.

Roz

I feel a musical number coming on, "Don't cry for me, San Ramonnnnn!"

Before we get all choked up about Chief Price's altruistic service for a dollar, it might be worthwhile to read this older posted article from early in 2012:

Web Link

For those who want the Cliff's notes, here is a key paragraph:

"A small correction to the article -- my math shows that Chief Price will receive 96 percent (32 years times 3 percent) of his last spiked year of salary, overtime, hazard pay, etc., which equals an annual pension of $249,994/yr ($260,410 times 96 percent). That?s $46,000 over his working wage (see the dictionary for spiking). That doesn?t even include his medical benefits, which will be paid in full until he is 65 years old.

"If he collects his pension for 40 years, he will receive $10 million! Are you kidding me!!"

(Back to my own comments, now.) Without knowing for sure, my speculation is that Chief Price realized that the anti-spiking provisions were going to reduce his lifetime pension to being "only" 96 percent of his un-spiked salary, whereas if he retired before the anti-spiking provisions kicked in, he'd be able to get 96% of the "spiked" amount, possibly in the range of an additional $45-50k per year. So, by going early, his lifetime pension payouts were likely increased by $1-2 million (additional). (And he's still quite young, at least based on the photo.)

That said, he could have just retired completely. Maybe he was feeling some guilt pangs over his fully-legal bit of "retirement planning" expertise. I don't blame Chief Price for this. I DO blame an overly-friendly board, various state and local govt. officials (elected and otherwise), and the voters who keep electing them. But let's not get too choked up about it....

Just to clarify something from the above post. The article I linked was just one of the first ones that came up from a quick Google search, and I had nothing to do with it (and in fact quoted from it without permission). The rest of the comments are mine, however.

C. R. Mudgeon,

You are correct that Chief Price took advantage of spiking in 2011. I asked him about that.

Me: "The Other category is for unpaid Overtime and Vacation. This looks like what is called, 'spiking,' and potentially adds $50K to your annual pension. I plan to write a favorable blog, but I will have to explain this. What do you have to say about it?"

Price: "Yes, the Other category is for leave not taken, but paid out instead. This practice is not allowed any more for new employees. Other also includes differential pays such as longevity."

But once again he had choices about what to do with the additional money. He could have bought a villa in Mexico and retired like a King, or he could work as President of PulsePoint for nothing. He took the money but he is still putting in time for the community, and in this case, the World.

Roz

Roz...why do you keep continually toadying up to the power elite in San Ramon? They are ripping us off. We will not elect you to some esoteric sanitation board. Tell the truth. Their unbridled theft is the subject of a grand jury investigation. Price's brother's wife is on the Fire Board that sets compensation.

John,

You have a limited perception of the "truth." I try to expand my knowledge of individuals and motivations for a more in depth perception of "truth." I don't consider myself "toadying up to the power elite," but I don't immediately attack public servants without finding out more about what they really do.

Roz

Roz, are you really willing to expand your "knowledge of individuals and motivations for a more in depth perception of the "truth."". I would very much like to challenge your perception regarding the above comment, as well as your previous comments to myself.

I do not agree with your statements.