Norfolk Commissioner Sharon McDonald has hired a PR person to work in her office in the position of Chief Deputy II. The mayor is none too happy about it.
Mayor Paul Fraim strongly criticized the decision to hire [Charles] Hartig, whom he describes as “a lifelong friend.” He said McDonald, with a staff of just 38 employees, can’t justify the need for a public relations specialist.
“I have great regard for Charlie,” Fraim said. “But the commissioner does not need a deputy to serve as a communications adviser. It demonstrates additional disregard for the public purse. It’s wrong.”
Yes, it’s wrong. But there’s a whole lot wrong about this, according to the article:
- Norfolk taxpayers will shell out more than $40,000 and Virginia taxpayers nearly $17,000 to pay for this
- The position was not advertised
- Hartig is not qualified for the position
It is as if McDonald is thumbing her nose at Norfolk’s hard-working citizens.
I want some proof on this:
McDonald protested the elimination of a license inspector, writing that it would cost the city $400,000 in revenue.
One person is costing the city $400,000? How’s that? And didn’t she say in this video that 5 vacancies were costing the city $500,000 per month in lost revenue?
But wait- there’s more:
McDonald told Williams that Hartig would help her office produce $1.4 million in new revenue.
Really? How? By ignoring the rulings of the state Tax Commissioner?
Or is she just making stuff up?
Mr. Mayor, you are an attorney. And you are the elected leader of this city. Put those skills to use.
And here I thought we’d get through a week without another OMG moment.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
She’s a Norfolk Democrat who won’t face the voters for more than three years, and only if she decides to.
What’s gonna happen to her?
Ok,where was the Virginian “Pile” last October & Novemember when she was up for reelection? Sorry Pilot–you have no credibility–defending Democrats as usual sduring election season. This rampage on the City of Norfolk (totally deserved however) s just a ploy to dig you out of the financial hole and get people to buy your newspaper. I buy it…at ripoff $12.00 per month auto debit because I need to for political reasons. I can read anything I need to know in 30 minutes (Hampton Roads section). Others with more than coffee time in the morning can get their news elsewhere.
I don’t disagree that the Pilot should have done this reporting during the run up to the 2009 election. Some of the stuff that has come out was known back then.
You have to ask yourself: besides McDonald, who benefited from sitting on this info? I have my suspicions.
While the Pilot can be criticized for sitting on information, please be aware that I also communicated with the Pilot before the 2009 election. I understood that nothing was done with the information I gave the Pilot because Sharon McDonald had apparently threatened someone there if the information I submitted went public. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE the power that Sharon McDonald has in her network.
“[Mayor Fraim] said McDonald, with a staff of just 38 employees, can’t justify the need for a public relations specialist.”
To be fair, Mr. Mayor, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that even with a staff of one, Sharon McDonald would probably find a way to entangle herself in some sort of public relations nightmare.
Now that’s funny!
Hilarious!
Sharon McDonald is the Carly Fiorina of Norfolk.