Submitted by Tamara Shepherd on Thu, 2007/02/15 - 10:20am.
Ya know, during the many years I worked in accounting and finance in private industry, I was required to complete pretty thorough applications for bonding before my employers would consider issuing my paycheck, and the budgets I oversaw were certainly smaller than Knox County's.
Even in the years since I left the workplace, I've submitted to background checks by organizations like Girl Scouts USA and Boy Scouts of America, just to work without pay!
Commission's total and complete disinterest in researching candidates was unconscionable!
Submitted by Tamara Shepherd on Fri, 2007/02/16 - 12:58am.
To answer your questions, Thomas, about five years ago bond coverage of around a half-million ran just over $100 annually. Since the common practice in the field is to solicit candidates' credit reports before hiring, then act to bond the new employee immediately after hiring, I wouldn't think someone with bad credit would even be hired. Your question, then, about the increased cost of bonding someone with bad credit is really moot!
Actually, in the workplace, insurance coverage of this sort isn't sought for policymakers so much as it is for folks whose involvement with finance is more hands-on.
It isn't the insurance coverage per se that I believe should be applicable, just some sort of investigative process at the front end.
I wonder, since we are a home rule county, if KC could amend the charter to make the qualification process for candidates more rigorous than that required by state law *and* to create a qualification process for appointees? If so, it would also be necessary to rewrite those horribly vague state statutes to more clearly afford MacKay the authority to qualify candidates...
Have you noticed how every "fix" we seem to consider in these conversations seems to require the cooperation and support of a great many people beyond just the voters...
Ya know, during the many years I worked in accounting and finance in private industry, I was required to complete pretty thorough applications for bonding before my employers would consider issuing my paycheck, and the budgets I oversaw were certainly smaller than Knox County's.
Even in the years since I left the workplace, I've submitted to background checks by organizations like Girl Scouts USA and Boy Scouts of America, just to work without pay!
Commission's total and complete disinterest in researching candidates was unconscionable!
The questions to ask -
How much does it cost to have a County Commissioner or any elected official bonded?
Does a bad credit report / score cost the county more money to obtain this bonded status?
Just some things to think about...
To answer your questions, Thomas, about five years ago bond coverage of around a half-million ran just over $100 annually. Since the common practice in the field is to solicit candidates' credit reports before hiring, then act to bond the new employee immediately after hiring, I wouldn't think someone with bad credit would even be hired. Your question, then, about the increased cost of bonding someone with bad credit is really moot!
Actually, in the workplace, insurance coverage of this sort isn't sought for policymakers so much as it is for folks whose involvement with finance is more hands-on.
It isn't the insurance coverage per se that I believe should be applicable, just some sort of investigative process at the front end.
I wonder, since we are a home rule county, if KC could amend the charter to make the qualification process for candidates more rigorous than that required by state law *and* to create a qualification process for appointees? If so, it would also be necessary to rewrite those horribly vague state statutes to more clearly afford MacKay the authority to qualify candidates...
Have you noticed how every "fix" we seem to consider in these conversations seems to require the cooperation and support of a great many people beyond just the voters...
Lumpy is the new Cas Walker.
www.lesjones.com
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