tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post2832132499434315847..comments2024-03-15T05:45:01.402-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: TYC hit on unbudgeted office expendituresGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-58321448469503345422008-04-16T17:55:00.000-05:002008-04-16T17:55:00.000-05:00I am losing my juvenile corrections officer job of...I am losing my juvenile corrections officer job of two years due to a change in eligibility requirements last spring that prohibits the hiring of those with a past felony conviction or in my case a deferred adjudication. I plainly stated on my original job application that I had been subjected to a deferred adjudication; I survived the pre-employment criminal check and the post sex scandal fingerprint and background investigation last year. Recently I had two days off then all of the sudden I had to have a security escort to go to the HR office to find out what the emergency was. I thought working for the state of Texas meant something in terms of security and such. Aren't there measures that protect the well-being of "veteran" employees affected by these types of situations? It's not right that I should lose my benefits and my sole financial source because of a policy change from last spring. I haven't been excluded from employment eligibility completely, just the direct supervision classification, but so far there has been no alternative job offering.<BR/>Ms. Allen, TYC JCO IIIAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-24319650679844710912008-02-05T23:27:00.000-06:002008-02-05T23:27:00.000-06:00She is on the agenda to testify tomorrow. The hea...She is on the agenda to testify tomorrow. The hearing is scheduled to begin at noon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-20716093918272768282008-02-05T17:35:00.000-06:002008-02-05T17:35:00.000-06:00Did our gal testify today?Did our gal testify today?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-22590687584397243242008-02-02T15:28:00.000-06:002008-02-02T15:28:00.000-06:00I haven't been to Central Office since the takeove...I haven't been to Central Office since the takeover, but those of us from the field used to joke about having to wear oxygen masks when entering the rarified air of the Executive wing! I was once in Dwight Harris' office and it compared favorably to the office of the General (CGFMFLANT)who commands all Marines East of the Mississippi. I cannot imagine how it needed to be improved. Old SaltyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-39355255749857955902008-02-01T20:34:00.000-06:002008-02-01T20:34:00.000-06:00Hey, Senator Whitmire - where was the legislative ...Hey, Senator Whitmire - where was the legislative intent in this expenditure?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-70859145195284500532008-01-31T16:48:00.000-06:002008-01-31T16:48:00.000-06:00When did she tell the governor of this amount?When did she tell the governor of this amount?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-22098467423017979842008-01-30T22:35:00.000-06:002008-01-30T22:35:00.000-06:00nope she won't be there her boy toys and Mickey wi...nope she won't be there her boy toys and Mickey will be there. Oh yea and she said she told the Gov she didn't spend 550,000 she spent 1 point something million........Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-35214681087803832092008-01-30T21:57:00.000-06:002008-01-30T21:57:00.000-06:00I'm willing to bet she won't be there.I'm willing to bet she won't be there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-78662320120627960592008-01-30T19:26:00.000-06:002008-01-30T19:26:00.000-06:00Oh, she'll tell tales alright and it gives her tim...Oh, she'll tell tales alright and it gives her time to find a scapegoat! You all watch, she'll be blaming everyone but herself!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-45387174226360129942008-01-29T22:09:00.000-06:002008-01-29T22:09:00.000-06:00I am concerned that Ms. Pope has until 2-6-08 to d...I am concerned that Ms. Pope has until 2-6-08 to defend herself to the the oversight appropriations committee. What tales will she tell them -- how badly damanged the furniture was in that office? I seriously doubt that Dwight Harris was occupying an office that needed $26000 in REPAIRS!!! Her testimony in this one should be really good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-88128782260637441512008-01-29T19:48:00.000-06:002008-01-29T19:48:00.000-06:00Since Mr. N's not her sugar daddy like Whitmire an...Since Mr. N's not her sugar daddy like Whitmire and Owens, he might even like to see her investigated.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-68865246072571477132008-01-29T08:06:00.000-06:002008-01-29T08:06:00.000-06:00How do you know they aren't? Or, I should say, wh...How do you know they aren't? Or, I should say, what makes you think they aren't already investigating her?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-18051646096463327762008-01-28T20:14:00.000-06:002008-01-28T20:14:00.000-06:00Back to the spending. All planned construction at ...Back to the spending. All planned construction at the institutions is now on hold while they figure out if the money is still there to carry out the tasks mandated by the legislature. Perhaps the OIG should be tasked to investigate the Pope!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-46862107863180313452008-01-28T18:00:00.000-06:002008-01-28T18:00:00.000-06:00If an ED is the highest executive, then he would b...If an ED is the highest executive, then he would be the only person that had authority for a final say because there is no one higher. Presently in TYC that person is the conservator. One can always take that decision to the courthouse.<BR/><BR/>Howard A. HickmanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-48656000562728024282008-01-27T22:32:00.000-06:002008-01-27T22:32:00.000-06:001/27/08 @ 5:56 Howard Hickman-I have a question f...1/27/08 @ 5:56 Howard Hickman-<BR/>I have a question for you. As you stated the ED doesn't get to resolve grievances against themself, why did Dwight Harris get to resolve his own grievances?<BR/>When copies were sent to the Board they wanted nothing to do with it? The end result- Dwight ruled in his own favor (shocking) and never even spoke to the grievant about the issue(s).<BR/><BR/>Just Curious. Thanks for your time.<BR/><BR/>Grace Under FireAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-1776696524155729202008-01-27T19:56:00.000-06:002008-01-27T19:56:00.000-06:00It just gets funnier and funnier.It just gets funnier and funnier.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-71668247060837833242008-01-27T18:09:00.000-06:002008-01-27T18:09:00.000-06:00So that means that if you were there for Dimitria'...So that means that if you were there for Dimitria's snake speech and it created a hostile work environment or you felt threatened then you should file a grievance asap. Right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-6733635637796367662008-01-27T17:56:00.000-06:002008-01-27T17:56:00.000-06:00Under TYC policy a grievance concerning the execut...Under TYC policy a grievance concerning the executive director would be resolved by her supervisor - the conservator. Remenber that the conservator is the chief executive of TYC until such time as e is replaced by the executive commissioner, who under SB 103 is to yet be appointed. No grievance ever goes to SOAH or is decided by TYC attorneys(except those within the Office of General Counsel. <BR/><BR/>Howard A. HickmanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-47793078571141755942008-01-27T15:58:00.000-06:002008-01-27T15:58:00.000-06:00I was not among the groups to which Pope gave her ...I was not among the groups to which Pope gave her little speech. But I overheard part of it. She said that her husband had informed her about the article. (Remember, she doesn't like to read the newspapers. She'd rather keep her head buried in the sand). <BR/><BR/>She said that there were people who were trying to paint <I>TYC</I> in a negative light (no, I think the article painted <I>Pope</I> in a bad light). And that the press omitted some other dollar figures that would have been more flattering toward TYC -- such as funds that were allocated toward youth. And that there were barracudas and snakes and pythons in her midst. I didn't hear the part about her "smoking them out." But I didn't hear the entire speech. <BR/><BR/>Yes, I too felt sickened by what I heard. What lack of professionalism. The silver lining was the tenor of her voice. It was one of a frightened, threatened individual who has finally seen that she is at the end of her road. Her efforts to (finally) talk to people suggest that the story really hit a nerve. She's ignored her troops for months, sent nary an email, and <I>now</I> she wants to chat?! <BR/><BR/>I really don't know why she didn't issue an agency-wide email to give her side of the story. Usually, when people don't put something in writing, they are ashamed of the message they are delivering. They do not want to commit a hasty and rash response to a permanent record. Either that, or the person cannot write well. I think either alternative is plausible here. <BR/><BR/>And if she actually said that she's outlasted two conservators and that she wasn't going anywhere--Damn! What hubris!<BR/><BR/>And why didn't she speak to every group? I think maybe she delivered her speech to groups she thought would be sympathetic to her. Or perhaps she wasn't worried about the opinion of some of the omitted groups. Elitism and favoritism all over again. But we've all seen that from her on other occasions. <BR/><BR/>What struck me is that she actually believes her audience was on her side. That they didn't see, with their own eyes, her extravagance and misappropriation of funds. How hard it must have been to swallow that bullshit and keep a straight face!<BR/><BR/>If all of her actions and expenditures were above-board, sound, and not ethically questionable, then she shouldn't feel threatened by their being brought to light in the press. (Remember that "transparency" notion?)<BR/><BR/>She shouldn't attempt to supress the flow of information. In fact, she should <I>encourage</I> watchdogs within the organization. She shouldn't threaten retaliation. Wasn't that part of the problem with the former administration (allegedly)-- that they supressed reports of abuse? <BR/><BR/>With respect to a grievance: Now, I haven't boned up on the latest policy (it changes too often), but I'm pretty sure the target of a grievance cannot also be the decisionmaker on that grievance. That's just a violation of due process. If anything, the TYC attorneys will make the decision, or will forward the grievance to the State Office of Adminstrative Hearings if those TYC attorneys are in a position of conflict. <BR/><BR/>But no, Dimitria doesn't get to be the decision authority on grievances against Dimitria. This is not a dictatorship, contrary to her opinion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-87805652947109485342008-01-27T14:08:00.000-06:002008-01-27T14:08:00.000-06:00Let's not forget Gibbs and Hawthorne on that list....Let's not forget Gibbs and Hawthorne on that list.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-57201986211543167902008-01-27T07:29:00.000-06:002008-01-27T07:29:00.000-06:00One more example of d'Pope's arrogance and ego. Am...One more example of d'Pope's arrogance and ego. Amazing how she can get away with threats, gross fiscal mismanagement, lies, and incompetenance. But then these are the quals for getting promoted in the field so they can carry on her management techniques. Just look at Wallace Brown, Ayo and the countless others she has placed in positions of authority. No wonder the ill will is prevalent. Mr. Conservator, you have your work cut for you, please do the right thing!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-30641391593792408542008-01-26T22:38:00.000-06:002008-01-26T22:38:00.000-06:00The "find you" you comment was said a group or gro...The "find you" you comment was said a group or groups of people and did not single out a specific person.<BR/><BR/>Several of the employees felt very threatened so I would say that the statement definitely created a very hostile work environment. The problem with filing a grievance on this particular incident is that according to current policy and procedure the final decision on all grievance go to the Executive Director. This has many folks feeling like their hands are tied because they need their paychecks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-91831439977239026992008-01-26T21:21:00.000-06:002008-01-26T21:21:00.000-06:00When she said she would "find you" - you being the...When she said she would "find you" - you being the "sharks, snakes, and barracudas" - did she not openly create a hostile working environment??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-88705119428720686732008-01-26T20:33:00.000-06:002008-01-26T20:33:00.000-06:00She told staff at Central Office and the Annex tha...She told staff at Central Office and the Annex that they were sharks, snakes and baracudas. She also told them that they were snakes in the grass and she would sniff them out and destroy them. <BR/><BR/>If Central Office folks are afraid to talk trying checking with the staff at the Annex.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-50117255906777320552008-01-26T20:30:00.000-06:002008-01-26T20:30:00.000-06:00On the Tuesday after the Sunday Dallas Morning New...On the Tuesday after the Sunday Dallas Morning News article, Pope went to each division, called people together, and made basically the same speech to each division. The general effect of the speeches were -- "I came here to talk to you because I didn't want to send an email. I'm here to stay, I'm not going anywhere, I'm applying for the job, I've outlasted two conservators already. I know that alot of you are dedicated, but I know that there are some barracudas out there and I'm going to smoke 'em out."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com