If the head of the fish is rotten, is the body safe?

 

If the head of the fish is rotten... is the body safe to consume? No. It wouldn't be safe.

This same logic applies to the current City of Ukiah leadership issues. If the head of the fish is rotten... would the body be unaffected? Of course not. The body would inherently be as rotten as the head. It would not be "safe".

The Ukiah Police Department has "issues"; issues with top management that have trickled down and corrupted the body, and issues from inadequate management, supervision, oversight, and issues with a long history of protecting Ukiah city employees, including police, at all costs until they can no longer be defended rather than holding employees accountable for bad behavior. You have recently observed real-world examples of this phenomenon with the Waidelich termination: the city defends until it can't, and then it goes silent, hiding behind "it's a personnel issue" and the subsequent NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) to keep the truth away from the general public, about the city failures. You can see this same pattern from the UPD in any of the recent UPD conduct issues, from Rasku to Siderakis, to Murray, etcetera.

Rot this bad in a government entity usually never starts at the bottom, working its way to the top of the "fish". Rot this bad in government would not begin with the janitor. It would begin in the Executive offices. In the case of the City of Ukiah, the head would be the City Council, City Manager, City Clerk, and perhaps the Ukiah Police and Chief. Those are the positions most responsible for the rot plaguing Ukiah right now.

This specific rot markets itself as penicillin; the cure. Here is an example of this rhetoric, from your City Manager Sage Sangiacomo. I quote,

"There is no better individual to lead the Ukiah Police Department forward than Chief Waidelich". - Sage Sangiacomo, 7.5 months ago announcing Waidelich's promotion to Chief.

"It is with great conviction that I uphold the city of Ukiah’s values of service and professionalism as I make the decision to terminate Mr. Waidelich from the agency... Recent events have transpired, illuminating the fact that this individual is not a good fit for the city. Our community deserves better; the good men and women who do this work every day with integrity deserve better.” - Safe Sangiacomo, now.

It was with "great conviction" that Sage notified us that he promoted Waidelich. Now, with the same great conviction, Sage fires the guy. Notice how Sage portrays himself as the cure. The penicillin. The leader. Sage isn't the cure to the rot. He is part of the problem.

Mr. Sangiacomo made bad personnel choices. Several bad choices. He had other options, as he acknowledges. Many other options. His best judgment said that Waidelich should be elevated to the position. NOW, Sage is the hero who realized the Waidelich was "not a good fit for the city".... give us your badge and gun... I am in charge... making command decisions... for the betterment of the city...

Bullshit. You can't create a condition, acknowledge the injury, abate the condition, and then be the hero for abating the condition that you caused. Life doesn't work that way. 

I question the judgment of Mr. Sangiacomo. If he is getting the small stuff wrong, what makes you think that he is getting the big stuff right? Do you really think that he has your best interests in mind, or his own? Government service used to be reliable employment with modest salaries. Now, service means MASSIVE compensation for the Chief Executive and cronies. Do you really think it is all being done for YOU?

This isn't McDonald's. The burgers suck. They don't do it all for you. Would you like fries with that?

The folks (City Council) who need to replace Mr. Sangiacomo need to see the truth, to enable them to make the right decisions. I urge everyone who has had recent issues with the UPD involving officer misconduct, write up your story, print copies for all of the Ukiah City Councilmembers, and send them to the City Council via regular mail. Post your sent letters on social media. Speak out.

Ask your prospective City Councilmember... before the election... if they support the immediate replacement of the City Manager. If they do not, perhaps you should vote for someone who does think that a new City Manager is warranted.

This Sangiacomo-suckerfish is rotten. Let's make fertilizer and move on.

Mike Geniella posted an OpEd on MendoFever online complaining that Waidelich was being effectively lynched. Hardly. The OpEd offers no counter-argument to the firing, and only complains that the public doesn't know the specifics yet, prior to the firing. The article is filled with pro-"Nobey" references, and no meat. What does being from Potter Valley have to do with his job performance? Do you think he should get a little leniency because he grew up in the area? No? Then why mention it? The article is utter absurdity.

In order to fire former Chief Waidelich, the City Manager had to have convincing evidence that Waidelich violated the law or departmental/city policy, and that the violations were SO serious, he had to be immediately disarmed. The City Council had to see all of this. It is probable that the City Attorney had to sign off. You mean, all of these people got it all wrong... because after all, he is from Potter Valley? Jesus.

People... it is pretty clear that the Waidelich issues and host of police misconduct issues that have resulted in $1.3M+ in settlements and climbing, have a common element: lack of oversight from the City Manager.

In other words... the City Manager is not doing the job. 

Replace the City Council and demand that these governmental failures are corrected... so that it doesn't result in additional deaths (Adelman).