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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

LVEDC Announces the Return of Summer Hours

Last year, a Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) tweet about Friday Summer Hours ignited a firestorm.

"We start summer hours today. That means most of the staff leave at noon, many to hit the links. Do you observe summer hours? What do you do?"

The notion of a publicly-funded economic development engine hitting the links in the midst of a recession is a tad insensitive.

Not only did the tweeter take the heater, but LVEDC CEO Phil Mitman eventually resigned, too.

Guess what?

Fore!!!

Pete Reinke, LVEDC's VP of Regional Development, just sent this email blast out to all LVEDC staff, public employees and numerous LV Movers and shakers:
It’s that time of the year!
Friday afternoon golf. Starts this week.
This year’s theme: 19 courses,19 weeks, plus the ever important post round 19th hole.
Each course can only be played once, so suggest a course and a week to play it, or I will pick.

This Friday-Beth Muni: 136,144,152.
Who wants in!
Tell me who to add to this list or tell me if you want to be removed

Seve Melnick, VP of Entrpreneurial Development at LVEDC, has already responded, "I'm in".

These guys just don't get it, do they?

If you want to see your tax dollars at work, drop by Bethlehem Municipal Golf Course on Friday to see how many public employees are working on their handicaps.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Phil Mitman left not because of the controversy at all. He left of his own free will. How's Panto's committee doing finding the next leader?

If Panto is trying to help select a leader moving forward why haven't you blasted him for being pro-LVEDC?

You'll know who the front runners are before anyone else... Wonder who will tell?

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Phil Mitman left not because of the controversy at all. He left of his own free will."

Sure.

"If Panto is trying to help select a leader moving forward why haven't you blasted him for being pro-LVEDC?"

this question makes no sense. By the way, Panto ill have little to do with the new CEO. That will be determined by the LV Partnership.

Anonymous said...

Why the Hell is Panto even involved? Is this a political thing? That Is just wrong!

Anonymous said...

What credit card was used to book / reserve the tee times on the non secure bethlehemgc.com site?

Personal or LVEDC issued?

Lisa Burns said...

I'm sure they are merely on an inspection tour to insure quality for our citizens

monkey momma said...

19 weeks??? Does that mean they have 19 weeks of summer hours????

Anonymous said...

maybe i missed it, but yah know you can golf, on a friday, AFTER work...

Anonymous said...

You've got to be kidding. Summer Hours. Ask unemployed Valley residents if they'd take a job there and work all day Fridays.

Anonymous said...

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Phil Mitman left not because of the controversy at all. He left of his own free will."

Sure.

Ditto. Wall Street Custom.

Anonymous said...

Please post their salaries.

Anonymous said...

Guess what?

Fore!!!

Pete Reinke, LVEDC's VP of Regional Development, just sent this email blast out to all LVEDC staff, public employees and numerous LV Movers and shakers:

It’s that time of the year!
Friday afternoon golf. Starts this week.
This year’s theme: 19 courses,19 weeks, plus the ever important post round 19th hole.
Each course can only be played once, so suggest a course and a week to play it, or I will pick.

This Friday-Beth Muni: 136,144,152.
Who wants in!
Tell me who to add to this list or tell me if you want to be removed

Talk about being out of touch. This guy should visit CareerLink and see folks desperate for work.

Anonymous said...

Bernie -

The arrogance - after the bad press last year - is astounding.

Where does their funding come from?

AMOrlando said...

Seriously, I don't see the issue here Bernie. I understand that most people have a "punch the clock" view of work - with set hours, lunch break, coffee break and that sort of thing. If somebody has that kind of job, there is nothing wrong with it if that's how their business gets done. I can tell you that I have seen countless people punch in and punch out on-time every day, every week in both the public and private sector. Oh, they are physically there. But they aren't really productive. They do the minimum necessary and count down the minutes till quitting time. Many are even lauded because you can count on them coming to work - they please the time cops out there. What you are missing here is that real productivity is not tied to hours spent in a cubicle and for many of these people I think their jobs are more than that.
I also think you are discounting the value of get-togethers on the golf course. The criticism also does not take into account that many of these folks attend numerous work-related evening meetings throughout the month. You're out at a lot of them and I know you see them there. The golf course has traditionally been a place where networking happens, friendships are made, and many deals come together. Political and business - I have seen it happen first-hand. The real question is whether or not the individuals who will play - be they in the public or private sector - have had a productive week come Friday afternoon. The issue is more than time sheets. For those of them employed in the private sector, I think this is absolutely a non-issue. For public-sector employees, if any of them are actually there, as a taxpayer I just want to know I got my money's worth out of them that week and they were productive - not how many hours they spent at a desk.

Bernie O'Hare said...

AMOrlando,

I don't think an "It's that time of year" email blast, with references to 19 weeks of Friday golf, is a particularly good idea from anyone at LVEDC. I have nothing against networking or taking it easy on Fridays, but I am not employed by the public or with public dollars.

Having said that, you might be right and i might be wrong.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"maybe i missed it, but yah know you can golf, on a friday, AFTER work."

Sure you can, but the sheer number of email recipients tells me this will start earlier in the day than after hours. I was also offended by the large number of public employees being invited.

Anonymous said...

And remember, this is the same organization whose board endorsed the NIZ. Need I say more!

Anonymous said...

They golf on Friday afternoons while I struggle to break 100 because I work half days (6:00 AM to 6:00 PM) to make ends meet and haven't the time or money to play.

Anonymous said...

Summer doesnt begin until June 20 Petey. Get a calender.

Anonymous said...

It really depends what business you are in. I work in sales. You call people friday afternoon in the summer to leave messages on their voice mail. On the rare occasions that you get someone to answer, the secretary suggests that you call back on Monday or "should I put you through to his or her voicemail?" Such is the real world. Most have already left for their shore house. I doubt that Friday is productive at all. They actually may make it more productive if they can attract people to the game that have similar business interests.

Anonymous said...

Oh please those apologists who try to claim the weekly golf outings are just means of conducting business or some kind of compensation for evening hours or meetings. In this economy it is the height of audacity for a publically-financed organization like this to run a golf league on company time.

Anonymous said...

So anyone employed using public dollars' job must suck by statute? Sign me up!

Agree with the other guy too. Just because you guys punch a clock doesn't mean everyone does. It's called being an exempt employee. No overtime an you can work as much or as little as your job allows.

Anonymous said...

C'mon Bernie! Public Sector employees get vacation, too. And no one can control who this email was sent to. Don't beat up the public sector people who received this.

zoid said...

where the hell did you get that picture??

Bernie O'Hare said...

Mitman.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Reinke sounds like he desperately wants to get fired.

Anonymous said...

that Pete should be fired!! even if was a joke or not!!

Anonymous said...

They are all Republicans, that is how business is done. Don't
hate on the job creators. You should carry their bags you peasants.

Bernie O'Hare said...

" And no one can control who this email was sent to. Don't beat up the public sector people who received this."

That's fair and is why I named no names. But the email would not have gone out like that if there were no takers.

Anonymous said...

we the people(tax payers)should be up in arms(guns if needed) over all this golfing"GOOFING" during biz hours if they are getting paid by WE THE PEOPLE(TAX DOLLARS)