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If moving out of your own house isn’t bad enough, try following the drama surrounding the Berkeley Housing Department. This stuff was going on for years, but now it seems people are suddenly dropping off like flies. City Manager Phil Kamlarz better watch out.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has called Berkeley’s own department “troubled” for years now. And it’s not getting any better.
First, 22 people from housing authority got the boot. Then the director of the department resigned. Now the city manager’s getting hated on.
You know what, if Berkeley continue up this ladder, it may finally impeach Bush.
Yeah, don’t count on it.
As city manager, Kamlarz is responsible for all of Berkeley’s departments and relies on department heads to help him inform his decisions. But many City Council members, including Mayor Tom Bates, don’t think it’s fair to put Kamlarz’s job on the line.
The Oakland Tribune has council members speak out:
bq. “I think Phil Kamlarz has been a very good city manager,” council member Gordon Wozniak said Thursday.
bq. “He’s working hard to clean it up. He may have made a wrong call, but if an umpire makes a wrong call, you don’t necessarily fire him. I give him the benefit of the doubt. I think he takes it seriously.”
No, you don’t fire the ump, but you give him a helluva ass-whoopin’ in the parking lot.
We did not just say that. That’s completely inappropriate.
So what’s the other side of the story?
bq. “The fundamental problem is that the city manager has never been reviewed,” (Councilmember Kriss) Worthington said. “I’ve brought it up a half dozen times. I also submitted a council item saying he should be reviewed, and it was approved, but it hasn’t happened.”
Despite Worthington’s concerns, though, Kamlarz appears to be okay. He’s still not in the clear, but it seems unlikely he’ll lose his job over this. Much of the City Council seems to be very supportive.
Well then. Onto impeaching Bush, shall we?
Official Latest to Feel Heat On Housing [Daily Cal]
Berkeley city manager may survive scandal [Oakland Trib]
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