The Canadian as well as the rest of the world's economies are imploding, and the City is hiring a "Communications Manager". Amazing.

Wow. Where do I start?

Of course Mr Rogers would come out swinging in support of Mr Davis, he wants a spin doctor on staff to try and make some of his blunders not look so bad.

The fact of the matter is Mr Rogers is in way over his head as mayor, if it were not for the "20 years in the broadcast and advertising world" there is no way he would have been elected. People remember Dan doing the sports on tv, name recognition.

"Mayor Rogers is not concerned with the accuracy issue"

That quote concerns me the most. Mr Rogers comes from a past of makeup and lighting, telling stories to try and attract peoples interest. Of course accuracy wouldnt be an issue.

Anybody else wish we had a mayor with some buinsess background? Somebody who has a clue about what it takes?

One other thought, anybody else concerned about what goes on behind the scenes that reporters dont dig up? Seems to me there is a one man band doing what he wants, not a Mayor with the best interests of the city in mind.

From my personal experience with Mr Rogers in his past I know one thing, the man has an EGO as big as the whole out doors. A superiority complex that is really starting to show through.

Of course he knows his ideas are better than anybody else's.

Rogers has no choice in this, does he?

A quote from him taken from the story: "I think Mike will fit in well with the team here and do an outstanding job for us building the relationships that we want him to help us with as our Citizen Engagement Manager ..."

We have lift off. We is engaged. This is our first indication how the City will manage that engagement and it ain't heaven.

BTW, does anyone hear anything from the City Manager? It is HIS hire, not the Mayor's unless he is being micro-managed by Council.

Fix the potholes!

Rogers claims they have hired a "a great candidate who will serve the community for many years.” Yeah, or until he gets a more lucrative offer somewhere else and bails after 6 months like he did at the airport.

Something smells big-time about this hiring; keep up the good work digging Ben. Completely agree that a superior candidate could have been found for $30-40K more had he/she known what the REAL salary band was. Most of the quality candidates that Rogers claims to have been looking for wouldn't have even thrown a resume into the hat for 70-grand. City management just needed a patsy in its back pocket who was going to print what he was told and not ask too many questions.

As for the Airport Authority and local politicians using outright lies to continue to blow smoke up our collective arses in trying to justify the white elephant on the hill, that's just a red herring. Whether it's IPG, Mike Davis or Oscar the Grouch...the fabrication of stories about that massive waste of taxpayer money has gone on for years now, and I suspect will continue for years to come as we grow old awaiting the arrival of the first 747.

First question to the Engagement Manager.

Tell us, why are the potholes still not being filled.

Tell us who to talk to to get them filled.

There are several in the middle of Tyner that have been there for some time and are getting worse.

ANYONE MISS KINSLEY NOW?!?!

Anyone know what Davis was getting paid at the airport?

Unbelievable! Rogers and most of council should resign as soon as possible. How much will our taxes increase again to pay for this needless incompetence. Is this Communications Manager going to try to sugar coat and warp the truth to the taxpayers of Prince George? Skakun is the only council member trying to obtain facts related to the spending of our tax money. City Hall is plagued with a totally incompetent burearcracy that is blocking all attempts to obtain the truth. There is no leadership anywhere in this City.

I have been here for just over 36 years. The downtown was bustling, despite some street people. The worst thing that the Mayor of the day (Harold Moffat) did was call the planned new library a warehouse of books.

Chester Jeffery was the City Manager. His name was well known in the community. The City was growing. Among other things, Plaza 400 was conceived in 1977.

Here is a link to Hansard of the day, January 14, 1977, when Harold Moffat, Ernie Obst and Chester Jeffrey were mentioned and Prince George projects were highlighted.
http://www.leg.bc.ca/HANSARD/31st2nd/31p_02s_770114a.htm

After 1981, we never recovered from the economic downturn. Recently, we have a leadership downturn to add to that. We have no one with the know how to select the best ideas and implement them.

I didn't even read this story because I don't have to. It is way to much money and if I have anything to say about it this is going to change. I will be at next city meeting dudes

There are a number of things wrong with this scenario.

1. The position of Communication Manager has been vacant at City Hall for over a year and a half.

2. Why would the City post this job at $70,000.00 per year?. When they didnt get any qualified applicants, they were then able to go to other options, one of which was to hire who ever they wanted, and to increase the Salary to $94,000.00

3. What was the reason for Mike leaving the job at the Airport Authority. Was the City job so much better that he couldnt refuse, or was there a possibility of some downsizing at the Airport, and this was an opportunity to get out.

4. Will his job at the Airport Authority be filled. Seems like the PGAA said something to the effect that they will look at the responsibilities of the other Management positions before any decision is made to fill this position.

5. Contrary to what the Mayor says Mikes degree in psychology, his work at the Cougers as a media person, and his work at the local YMCA, doesnt necessarily qualify him for this position. Especially at the salary range offered.

6. I beleive that Mike has been at the Airport for just over a year, and if we can beleive what the Mayor has stated, he has done the following.

(a) Worked with Splash Communications, who designed and developed the 2008 Annual Report. (This report was not available until quite late in 2008)

(b) Was the Airports Enviromental Co-ordinator. (What ever that is)

(c) Was building partnerships with Airlines. (Could this be the Horizen Air fiasco)

(d) Aboriginal relationships through the Airport. (Not sure what this would be)

So we have a situation where we are filling a position that will cost us in excess of $100,000.00 per year,with a person who doesnt seem to be fully qualified, to fill a position that doesnt appear to be necessary.

Mike will not be able to communicate with the Citizens of Prince George because we have been struck **speechless** by this crass disregard for tax payers dollars.

With over 750 employees at the City you would think that there would have been some way that they could communicate with us without hiring anyone.

What we need is not more Managers, and Staff, but reductions in the number of Managers and Staff at City Hall. Its time that they start to become responsible for the expenditure of tax dollars.

palopu wrote: "2008 Annual Report. (This report was not available until quite late in 2008)"

I am assuming you meant 2009. When was the AGM? That should have been in mid year or earlier. Was this report ready? When did the new web site look go on line?

How about some specifics? Actual projects, actual outcomes? Especially with "working with Aboriginal Relations through the Airport Authority..."

How about defining "rigorous?"

This statement - "I don’t think we would have gotten any better result if we had used any other method" - blows my mind. You mean doing the job right the first time - job posting with $94,000 salary and benefits - couldn't possibly have been better?

We need to find out where career ads for this job were placed - I could only find one on the internet (that's not from a scraping site):

http://cli.gs/jXXnnN

If career ads were placed in publications like the Vancouver Sun, Calgary Herald, Winnipeg Free Press and online at Workopolis.com, then they were a waste of money because they clearly undersold the opportunity for a top performing professional.

Did we even place career ads in top publications? How far did we cast the net on the first round? It appears that while in the second round the net should have been cast further, it was narrowed to the local vicinity

Also, I wonder how Dan's former colleagues at Concept Design and CKPG fell about this statement:

“After spending 20 years in the broadcast and advertising world the practice of recreating stories is done all the time, usually to save money.”

Especially because the context is the practice of creating deceptive and misleading stories.

How about some specifics? Actual projects, actual outcomes? Especially with "working with Aboriginal Relations through the Airport Authority..."

How about defining "rigorous?"

This statement - "I don’t think we would have gotten any better result if we had used any other method" - blows my mind. You mean doing the job right the first time - job posting with $94,000 salary and benefits - couldn't possibly have been better?

We need to find out where career ads for this job were placed - I could only find one on the internet (that's not from a scraping site):

http://cli.gs/jXXnnN

If career ads were placed in publications like the Vancouver Sun, Calgary Herald, Winnipeg Free Press and online at Workopolis.com, then they were a waste of money because they clearly undersold the opportunity for a top performing professional.

Did we even place career ads in top publications? How far did we cast the net on the first round? It appears that while in the second round the net should have been cast further, it was narrowed to the local vicinity

Also, I wonder how Dan's former colleagues at Concept Design and CKPG fell about this statement:

“After spending 20 years in the broadcast and advertising world the practice of recreating stories is done all the time, usually to save money.”

Especially because the context is the practice of creating deceptive and misleading stories.

I wondered about that comment myself, Bohemian. Dan Rogers' credibility was already shot with me long before this issue...but to then basically suggest that broadcasters invent stuff all the time is icing on the cake and a huge slap in the face to every beat reporter or anchor with a shred of integrity that works hard to get the truth out there.

I went back to the YXS web site to find the dates of the AGM, installing the new web site, etc.

Web site was launched July 15, 2009

While reading that, I read this:

"A new and revamped website was officially launched today by the Prince George Airport Authority, offering passengers easier access to flight information, PERSONAL TESTIMONIALS FROM CUSTOMERS .... "

http://www.pgairport.ca/Airport_Info/press_releases/july_15_2009.php

I did a double take when I read the last part and went back to the Authority's Board Chair's comment on this site which I thought said they were not testimonials.

Here is what he is reported as saying:
"Blake says the stories are not meant to be “testimonials” rather a collection of events which happen at not only YXS but likely every airport in the country."

http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/14384/3/airport+authority+board+chair+apologizes?

So which is it? Are they testimonials or are they not testimonials. Can someone straighten this out?

Maybe Mike Davis, with a degree in Psychology, is smart enough to figure out how to manipulate our perceptions once more.

I know, I know. They are just words. They are all just words. What people really want to say and what the real story is ... well that is just left to us to figure out. No big deal. Just move on. Take it from here. All water under the bridge. Let's move forward.

I'd like to see Ben and the other newsrooms ask for a response from Concept Design and CKPG regarding the "practice of recreating stories."

I'd also hope they could get in touch with the local Aboriginal bands and find out how they liked partnering with Mike and what, specifically, they accomplished together.

I'd like them to ask Rae Anne Emery how she/they blew it by $20,000+ a year when the initial salary range was being determined, especially given the nice pubic sector salaries database created by the Vancouver Sun:

http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/features/public-sector-salary-database/advanced-search.html?appSession=171142731961079&RecordID=&PageID=2&PrevPageID=1&cpipage=5&CPISortType=&CPIorderBy=

The LAST person on that list of Communications people was paid $75,093 and that was for the 2006-2007 Fiscal Year. (note: some positions are for telecommunications so pay attention to the title).

And finally, (until the fine people on this forum think up more), I'd like to have those responsible for hiring tell us from what geographical areas were people directly recruited from.

Correction above - I used the second last person for the database list above as it is relevant to this position. That was for the 2007-2008 Fiscal Year.

Gimme $95 thousand and I will "fit in with any team". Guaranteed!

Stompin Tom.........I must agree with you - Mr Rogers is a one man show. Sadly he thinks he has fooled us all - ........what a huge disappointment he has turned out to be. If he could only be impeached........

Tombstone...you're flirting with libel. Ever heard of the Libel & Slander Act of BC? Get your facts straight before posting defamatory comments about someone in a public forum. Mike Davis has been with the airport since March 2008 when he vacated his previous position; no matter how you "spin" it, that doesn't equal 6 months.

I'm sick of the negative conspiracy theories fostered in the online environment. Based on the comments here, the new Communications Manager will certainly be earning his salary.

Jezebel ...... her Biblical account depicts her as a scheming, manipulative woman .....

nice name ... :-)

Jezebel...erroneously reporting that an individual spent 6 months with a company versus 18 is not libel or slander. While a real newspaper might opt to issue a correction to deal with that factual error, to suggest they would be guilty of defamation (even if they did not clarify the numbers) is a real stretch and you know that. Perhaps to illustrate my point I just "recreated a likely scenario that happens all over the world all the time", like people jumping ship after only a short time at one employer to earn more cash elsewhere. Apparently that's fair game in Mike and Dan's world.

And you can be as sick as you want about negativity, but there is no "conspiracy theory" here...merely simple and effective questions that Meisner and various posters are seeking answers to. Questions that relate directly to the competence, honesty and transparency of the people who spend our tax dollars!! And you have a problem with THAT??? What's your agenda?

Good luck Mike!