July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Suit shows no respect (08/01/06)
Letter to the editor
To the editor:
One year ago the city of Portland lost a wonderful employee and dedicated public servant. The untimely and unexpected death of Barbara Blackford, Portland city clerk-treasurer, sent waves of grief throughout Jay County and across Indiana in July 2005.
Barbara was an awesome woman. A lifelong Portland resident, Barbara and her husband Gary raised their daughter Lezlie in Portland while Barbara worked as an employee of the former Jay Garment Company. Barbara worked in the courthouse as Jay County Recorder for eight years and later worked in city hall as the city clerk-treasurer for another 9 years. Yet, Barbara got along well with everyone and was professionally and personally well respected.
Barbara Blackford never had a negative word to say about anyone. She always maintained a calm demeanor and was rarely, if ever, without a smile. Barbara was a loving and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and personal friend. She always thought of others first while her own needs came second.
As a family friend, I was impressed by the respect shown by city employees as they met and sat as a group at Barbara's funeral services and attended the burial. Politics and prejudices were set aside to honor the life and legacy of this great lady. I learned later, but was not surprised, that Mayor Hosier had coordinated the attendance of his staff by making her funeral services mandatory. However, city offices were closed and employees were given the afternoon off with pay, in order to compensate them for going to the calling and funeral.
Unfortunately, the anguish felt by the passing of Barbara one year ago, has recently been magnified by the lawsuit filed against the City of Portland and Mayor Bruce Hosier. The lawsuit is by wastewater plant employees, who refused to attend Barbara's funeral and/or calling services, and their supervisor who refused to reprimand them for not attending. Hosier and the city of Portland Board of Works reprimanded these wastewater employees for choosing to ignore and/or enforce orders to attend the funeral services honoring Blackford's life.
Asking that all employees attend the funeral services for a public servant is not an uncommon occurrence. I'm certain that Mayor Hosier made the request of his employees to pay their respects to Barbara Blackford by attending her services as a group, because it was simply the right thing to do. Not honoring her life would have been disrespectful to the deceased and her grieving family, friends and co-workers. But refusing to follow the mandate issued constitutes insubordination and indicates a lack of respect for the clerk-treasurer, mayor and city government of Portland. In addition, it seems to indicate a lack of commitment and respect to the employer as well.
Perhaps an appropriate alternative to a public lawsuit against the mayor and the city would have been for these employees to express their disagreement via a written letter to Mayor Hosier to be placed in their personnel files next to the reprimands. It seems ludicrous to me that any employee would file a lawsuit over their own willful denial to complete requested job duties. Since when is it OK for employees to disobey their supervisors mandated expectations and not reap the consequences of their actions?
It saddens me to know that there are individuals at work in the city of Portland with such self-serving motives. It is a disgrace that the need to make a point, (whatever point it is that the litigants are trying to make), is so important to these individuals that they are willing to cause such pain and anguish to those still grieving Barbara's loss.
Their legal actions are not only disrespectful to their supervisors in city government, but are disrespectful to the memory of the deceased as well. Additionally, these actions are painfully inconsiderate to the still-grieving family, friends and co-workers who remember the wonderful character of this loving and generous woman.
Finally, if the situation were somehow reversed and Barbara Blackford had the opportunity to attend the funeral and/or services of one of her fellow employees, I am confident that she would have attended willingly, respectfully and without complaint. May her memory live on and may she rest in peace.
Sincerely,
Connie S. Landers
West Lafayette[[In-content Ad]]
One year ago the city of Portland lost a wonderful employee and dedicated public servant. The untimely and unexpected death of Barbara Blackford, Portland city clerk-treasurer, sent waves of grief throughout Jay County and across Indiana in July 2005.
Barbara was an awesome woman. A lifelong Portland resident, Barbara and her husband Gary raised their daughter Lezlie in Portland while Barbara worked as an employee of the former Jay Garment Company. Barbara worked in the courthouse as Jay County Recorder for eight years and later worked in city hall as the city clerk-treasurer for another 9 years. Yet, Barbara got along well with everyone and was professionally and personally well respected.
Barbara Blackford never had a negative word to say about anyone. She always maintained a calm demeanor and was rarely, if ever, without a smile. Barbara was a loving and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and personal friend. She always thought of others first while her own needs came second.
As a family friend, I was impressed by the respect shown by city employees as they met and sat as a group at Barbara's funeral services and attended the burial. Politics and prejudices were set aside to honor the life and legacy of this great lady. I learned later, but was not surprised, that Mayor Hosier had coordinated the attendance of his staff by making her funeral services mandatory. However, city offices were closed and employees were given the afternoon off with pay, in order to compensate them for going to the calling and funeral.
Unfortunately, the anguish felt by the passing of Barbara one year ago, has recently been magnified by the lawsuit filed against the City of Portland and Mayor Bruce Hosier. The lawsuit is by wastewater plant employees, who refused to attend Barbara's funeral and/or calling services, and their supervisor who refused to reprimand them for not attending. Hosier and the city of Portland Board of Works reprimanded these wastewater employees for choosing to ignore and/or enforce orders to attend the funeral services honoring Blackford's life.
Asking that all employees attend the funeral services for a public servant is not an uncommon occurrence. I'm certain that Mayor Hosier made the request of his employees to pay their respects to Barbara Blackford by attending her services as a group, because it was simply the right thing to do. Not honoring her life would have been disrespectful to the deceased and her grieving family, friends and co-workers. But refusing to follow the mandate issued constitutes insubordination and indicates a lack of respect for the clerk-treasurer, mayor and city government of Portland. In addition, it seems to indicate a lack of commitment and respect to the employer as well.
Perhaps an appropriate alternative to a public lawsuit against the mayor and the city would have been for these employees to express their disagreement via a written letter to Mayor Hosier to be placed in their personnel files next to the reprimands. It seems ludicrous to me that any employee would file a lawsuit over their own willful denial to complete requested job duties. Since when is it OK for employees to disobey their supervisors mandated expectations and not reap the consequences of their actions?
It saddens me to know that there are individuals at work in the city of Portland with such self-serving motives. It is a disgrace that the need to make a point, (whatever point it is that the litigants are trying to make), is so important to these individuals that they are willing to cause such pain and anguish to those still grieving Barbara's loss.
Their legal actions are not only disrespectful to their supervisors in city government, but are disrespectful to the memory of the deceased as well. Additionally, these actions are painfully inconsiderate to the still-grieving family, friends and co-workers who remember the wonderful character of this loving and generous woman.
Finally, if the situation were somehow reversed and Barbara Blackford had the opportunity to attend the funeral and/or services of one of her fellow employees, I am confident that she would have attended willingly, respectfully and without complaint. May her memory live on and may she rest in peace.
Sincerely,
Connie S. Landers
West Lafayette[[In-content Ad]]
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