Comments on: No Surprises in Northstar Audit http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/8813 Minneapolis + St. Paul Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:23:37 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: gerg http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/8813#comment-23404 gerg Tue, 07 Feb 2006 16:21:46 +0000 #comment-23404 <em>one thing I learned was agency people are masters of claiming all sorts of accomplishments for actually doing absolutely NOTHING.</em><br /> <br /> I hope you don't think that such crap is unique to government. I work in the corporate world, and to a degree, that's exactly what many of the people I work with are masters of as well. one thing I learned was agency people are masters of claiming all sorts of accomplishments for actually doing absolutely NOTHING.

I hope you don’t think that such crap is unique to government. I work in the corporate world, and to a degree, that’s exactly what many of the people I work with are masters of as well.

]]> By: Steve http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/8813#comment-23397 Steve Tue, 07 Feb 2006 15:51:41 +0000 #comment-23397 I worked for the federal government for a couple of years and one thing I learned was agency people are masters of claiming all sorts of accomplishments for actually doing absolutely NOTHING. So as they do nothing real, Government agencies scramble to spend all there money on anything just so their budget can increase every year. Money management at a government agency has nothing to do with spending wisely or saving money. The best "work" is to constantly talk about something, form committees, have roundtables, think up initiatives, hold meetings, go to conferences (in nice places) and never actually do anything. This Northstar Rail thing is a boondoggle that will just keep eating money and giving government officials something to put on their list of "accomplishments". I worked for the federal government for a couple of years and one thing I learned was agency people are masters of claiming all sorts of accomplishments for actually doing absolutely NOTHING. So as they do nothing real, Government agencies scramble to spend all there money on anything just so their budget can increase every year. Money management at a government agency has nothing to do with spending wisely or saving money. The best “work” is to constantly talk about something, form committees, have roundtables, think up initiatives, hold meetings, go to conferences (in nice places) and never actually do anything. This Northstar Rail thing is a boondoggle that will just keep eating money and giving government officials something to put on their list of “accomplishments”.

]]> By: srhcb http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/8813#comment-23393 srhcb Tue, 07 Feb 2006 15:32:10 +0000 #comment-23393 Although I gotta admit; getting the paper to devote space to $8,800 for meals on a $274,000,000 total expenditure was downright inspirational. I guess eating was the only part of the auditors report the "journalists" could really comprehend? Although I gotta admit; getting the paper to devote space to $8,800 for meals on a $274,000,000 total expenditure was downright inspirational. I guess eating was the only part of the auditors report the “journalists” could really comprehend?

]]> By: srhcb http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/8813#comment-23391 srhcb Tue, 07 Feb 2006 15:00:31 +0000 #comment-23391 These agencies are pikers when it comes to double talking the press concerning audits. Check out this example from today's StPPP from the real pros who work for the State:<br /> <br /> "The legislative auditor's report, which recommended a host of legislative and administrative changes, found Minnesota has the 15th least cost-effective program nationwide and had the second smallest caseload per child-support employee in the country in 2004. For all its bulk, however, it did better than most states on four of five federal performance measures."<br /> <br /> The article is a good primer for dealing with audits:<br /> <br /> 1. Point out that things could have been worse.<br /> 2. Pick out the good points and play them up.<br /> 3. Gloss over the problem areas, which you're already in the process of studying and adressing anyway.<br /> 4. Blame somebody else.<br /> 5. Ask for more money. These agencies are pikers when it comes to double talking the press concerning audits. Check out this example from today’s StPPP from the real pros who work for the State:

“The legislative auditor’s report, which recommended a host of legislative and administrative changes, found Minnesota has the 15th least cost-effective program nationwide and had the second smallest caseload per child-support employee in the country in 2004. For all its bulk, however, it did better than most states on four of five federal performance measures.”

The article is a good primer for dealing with audits:

1. Point out that things could have been worse.
2. Pick out the good points and play them up.
3. Gloss over the problem areas, which you’re already in the process of studying and adressing anyway.
4. Blame somebody else.
5. Ask for more money.

]]> By: Kevin from Minneapolis http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/8813#comment-23380 Kevin from Minneapolis Tue, 07 Feb 2006 04:56:48 +0000 #comment-23380 The meal reimbursement limit for me is like ten bucks. The meal reimbursement limit for me is like ten bucks.

]]> By: Dinah http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/8813#comment-23352 Dinah Mon, 06 Feb 2006 23:39:49 +0000 #comment-23352 Choo choo! Choo choo!

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