By Ronnie Lewis
As Odessans were preparing for their July 4th celebrations, getting the boat ready, planning barbecues, trips to the mountains or deciding to stay in town to attend this year’s incredible Downtown Firecracker Fandango, the Mayor and the City Council seem to have pulled a fast one on our City. Odessa citizens were promised wizardry like results from T2 an unknown personnel search firm hired for $338,000 to find a qualified city manager that met certain requirements laid out by the Mayor and City Council. At the end of June, lo and behold the “qualified” candidates were narrowed down to a few. After careful consideration from our Mayor and Council, a manager was hired with absolutely no qualifications and by all accounts from a LinkedIn search, an unremarkable work history.
I have a few questions:
1. Why would a person apply for a position knowing they did not meet any of the qualifications required for the job? At some point in most of our lives we’ve looked for jobs, but how many would actually send a resume knowing you were terribly unqualified for the position.
2. Why did the Mayor and City Council that came up with the necessary requirements then completely disregard those requirements and vote for an unqualified candidate?
3. How can a personnel search firm being paid $338,000 present an application to the Mayor and City Council while knowing full well the applicant is completely unqualified? Why didn’t T2 immediately disregard this resume that failed to meet any criteria set forth by the mayor.
4. Either T2 failed miserably at the expense of Odessa taxpayers. Or T2 was just an expensive charade to help the “good ol’ boys club” get their buddy hired.
What are the odds that after reviewing dozens of qualified applicants, the chosen candidate just so happens to be good friends with Mayor Joven, Tisha Crow and the rest of the power hungry activists that are trying to take over our city governance?
“Cronyism is the appointment of friends to positions of authority without proper regard to their qualifications.”
How do you gain respect from City employees when you are just handed a job simply because of who you know. Odessa deserves better. Odessa should demand better.
Ronnie Lewis is a longtime Odessa resident and businessman.
