In regards to this story, and not general government over/inappropriate spending, they got a rate of $85/night! Clearly the resort needed to boost their occupancy rate - that seems like a win-win. Also, it should be common knowlege that when budgets are set, the money must be used in that catagory in a use it or lose it manner. The fact that they then had to fly all of these people in, well....yes, the event is going to be geographically inconvenient to some and they will need to fly in. The reporter mentioned flying folks in from Hawaii...imagine the backlash had they had the conference in Hawaii!! And lastly, a web conference cannot substitute for face-to-face interaction. Face-to-face interactions are part of the human emotion that is unique to us. While I do not support unconscionable spending, one must assess the value proposition and opportunity that you gain from having all of your managers in one place at one time. This really does not seem as outrageous as the reporter made it out to be.
Sue, that's a cop out ($85.00/NIGHT). Seriously, if you have this information you work for SSA and YOU KNOW that SSA managers are terrible so WHY A CONFERENCE? SSA management needs a total overhaul not waster luxury "training" conferences - that's just a means of encouraging their continued poor and insubordinate job performance
Re A#2's Comment to the effect that, "Social Security Managers are terrible." SSA management needs a "total overhaul not waster [sic.] luxury training conferences...." And, "...training them is just a means of encouraging their continued poor and insubordinate [sic.] job performance."
I don't think Spellcheck offers a remedy for the problems shown in this brief writing sample. Glass houses.
I agree with training conference needs, but not at luxurious resorts. I'm sure SSA wanted to find a special location as a "thank you" for the employees, but we have to remember that this is taxpayer money financing the "thank you" and more empahsis should be place on the appropriateness of how taxypayer money is used rather than the "thank you" to employees.
Most governmental agencies and private business cannot afford to spend on high cost "thank you's" yet they are functioning quite well. I think SSA could forget high cost spending, yet functional rather well.
Wow they're not very subtle about being a right-wing propaganda network. One of the biggest organizations in the country had a national conference at a hotel where they got a far below average rate (you'd be lucky just to get a room at an average hotel at that price), costing only a miniscule portion of their budget. And then they try to act all indignant about it and imply that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. Which is exactly why they deserve to be call Faux News.
If SSA had held the same conference with the same attendees in the same city at a standard, non-resort type hotel, it probably would have cost about the same. Seems that they are paying the standard government rate based simply on locality.
Now THAT piece of information is left out of the report. I suppose that's why most thinking Americans call it the Faux News network.
Maybe the rooms were a good deal at $85.00 a night, but would like to see a break down of all the expenses for the conference and how much to was spent working compared to time at the pool.
When they say managers was this MOD and Field Office managers or Regional and Deputy Commissioner types.
If it was Regional Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner types, my question would be would does SSA need 700 of them.
The report was certainly sensationalized, and over-the-top snarky, but the facts were fairly incontrovertible. When employees are forced to endure video training on a regular basis, why are managers somehow entitled to person-to-person contact? They are admitting that it is better, thus putting the lie to not only the basis of employee video training, but the entire teleservice/internet claim propaganda that is being rammed down everyone's throats.
The training forum was held in the cheapest location available (it was 106 degrees during the week of the meeting -- clearly not a peak period for the middle of the desert). The training agenda required full days of work so there was no lounging by the pool or any other way to take advantage of the facilities. The attendees included front line supervisors, office managers, and some staff -- they are not really executives at the GS-12 level. The last time this kind of conference was held is 8 years ago and it is certainly not excessive for employees to meet and learn from their leadership every 8 years. Faux news misrepresented the entire affair to fit their preconceived sensationalist story based on their own agenda.
The story was also picked up by a local Arizona station: http://www.abc15.com/content/news/investigators/story/Social-Security-spends-700K-on-Phoenix-conference/RrHYWi4IRka1mC7wJTm4uQ.cspx
In regards to this story, and not general government over/inappropriate spending, they got a rate of $85/night! Clearly the resort needed to boost their occupancy rate - that seems like a win-win. Also, it should be common knowlege that when budgets are set, the money must be used in that catagory in a use it or lose it manner.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that they then had to fly all of these people in, well....yes, the event is going to be geographically inconvenient to some and they will need to fly in. The reporter mentioned flying folks in from Hawaii...imagine the backlash had they had the conference in Hawaii!! And lastly, a web conference cannot substitute for face-to-face interaction. Face-to-face interactions are part of the human emotion that is unique to us. While I do not support unconscionable spending, one must assess the value proposition and opportunity that you gain from having all of your managers in one place at one time. This really does not seem as outrageous as the reporter made it out to be.
Sue, that's a cop out ($85.00/NIGHT). Seriously, if you have this information you work for SSA and YOU KNOW that SSA managers are terrible so WHY A CONFERENCE? SSA management needs a total overhaul not waster luxury "training" conferences - that's just a means of encouraging their continued poor and insubordinate job performance
ReplyDeleteRe A#2's Comment to the effect that, "Social Security Managers are terrible." SSA management needs a "total overhaul not waster [sic.] luxury training conferences...." And, "...training them is just a means of encouraging their continued poor and insubordinate [sic.] job performance."
ReplyDeleteI don't think Spellcheck offers a remedy for the problems shown in this brief writing sample. Glass houses.
I agree with training conference needs, but not at luxurious resorts. I'm sure SSA wanted to find a special location as a "thank you" for the employees, but we have to remember that this is taxpayer money financing the "thank you" and more empahsis should be place on the appropriateness of how taxypayer money is used rather than the "thank you" to employees.
ReplyDeleteMost governmental agencies and private business cannot afford to spend on high cost "thank you's" yet they are functioning quite well. I think SSA could forget high cost spending, yet functional rather well.
Wow they're not very subtle about being a right-wing propaganda network. One of the biggest organizations in the country had a national conference at a hotel where they got a far below average rate (you'd be lucky just to get a room at an average hotel at that price), costing only a miniscule portion of their budget. And then they try to act all indignant about it and imply that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. Which is exactly why they deserve to be call Faux News.
ReplyDeleteIf SSA had held the same conference with the same attendees in the same city at a standard, non-resort type hotel, it probably would have cost about the same. Seems that they are paying the standard government rate based simply on locality.
ReplyDeleteNow THAT piece of information is left out of the report. I suppose that's why most thinking Americans call it the Faux News network.
what a pathetic piece of journalism. There are plenty examples of waste in govt but this is a poor example.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the rooms were a good deal at $85.00 a night, but would like to see a break down of all the expenses for the conference and how much to was spent working compared to time at the pool.
ReplyDeleteWhen they say managers was this MOD and Field Office managers or Regional and Deputy Commissioner types.
If it was Regional Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner types, my question would be would does SSA need 700 of them.
The report was certainly sensationalized, and over-the-top snarky, but the facts were fairly incontrovertible. When employees are forced to endure video training on a regular basis, why are managers somehow entitled to person-to-person contact? They are admitting that it is better, thus putting the lie to not only the basis of employee video training, but the entire teleservice/internet claim propaganda that is being rammed down everyone's throats.
ReplyDeleteThe training forum was held in the cheapest location available (it was 106 degrees during the week of the meeting -- clearly not a peak period for the middle of the desert). The training agenda required full days of work so there was no lounging by the pool or any other way to take advantage of the facilities. The attendees included front line supervisors, office managers, and some staff -- they are not really executives at the GS-12 level. The last time this kind of conference was held is 8 years ago and it is certainly not excessive for employees to meet and learn from their leadership every 8 years. Faux news misrepresented the entire affair to fit their preconceived sensationalist story based on their own agenda.
ReplyDeleteThe story was also picked up by a local Arizona station:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.abc15.com/content/news/investigators/story/Social-Security-spends-700K-on-Phoenix-conference/RrHYWi4IRka1mC7wJTm4uQ.cspx
Now I know where the award money goes. Casino Night and dancing? Pete Spencer should be fired!
ReplyDelete