Mike Teater: Police chief figures out how to save city money while he’s away
Atwater seems to get a bad rep for bungling its finances, and rightfully so. After all, its budget has been in deficit for years and despite a gaggle of financial consultants it continues to slide deeper and deeper into debt. So, when a rare financial and organizational decision is made that has a positive impact, it’s only fair to give credit where credit is due.
Atwater Police Chief Samuel Joseph has managed to save the city nearly $40,000 with a great management decision. While Joseph is attending the FBI National Academy, the good ol’ boys at city hall wanted to hire retired police chief Frank Pietro to cover in Chief Joseph’s absence. (You know, they got to take care of their own.)
They were stymied when Joseph gave his senior staff clear lines of authority and negotiated mutual aid agreements with the Livingston police chief and the county sheriff to insure Atwater’s safety at no additional cost. Thank you Chief Joseph; you make Atwater proud.
Mike Teater, Atwater
This story was originally published February 28, 2017 at 5:57 PM with the headline "Mike Teater: Police chief figures out how to save city money while he’s away."