Larry,

With the understanding that transitions and management are not my
strength, I suggest that you have nothing to loose by ignoring Peggy's
stupidity.  Either with an air of innocence, or directly
confrontational, you should probably demand an appointment with Peggy
to discuss the transition and to present your transition plan, for the
good of the community.  Then implement your plan.  If necessary, set up
a temporary office in the lobby.  Those folks will be working for you
soon enough.  You might want to demonstrate what a great leader you are
right from the start.  The folks who want to keep their jobs are in a
very stressful position, be kind, but dismiss the ratz on day one.

Or...you could set off the sprinkler system.

-jc

On Nov 11, 2004, at 6:26 AM, Lawrence Kestenbaum wrote:

> My opponent and predecessor as County Clerk and Register of Deeds,
> Peggy
> Haines, is invariably described as a nice lady, and the headline in the
> Ann Arbor News after the election was "Haines gracious in loss to
> Kestenbaum".
>
> I had imagined a transition in which I would have some time to study
> the
> office, get to know the staff members and vice versa, choose the chief
> deputies, etc.
>
> But that was too optimistic.  Instead, she has instructed the staff
> not to
> talk to me, and has told me to stay away until January 1st, the day I
> take
> office.  I only learned about this on Monday.
>
> I have heard that the staff is terrified.  Peggy herself says the
> staff is
> "devastated".  Obviously she is doing all she can to fuel this.
>
> Deprived of any opportunity to learn about the office directly, I have
> been meeting with the other county officials, every member of the
> county
> board, the circuit, probate, and district judges, the head of the
> Board of
> Realtors, the heads of personnel and finance for the county, and so on.
>
> These folks generally seem glad to meet with me, even a little
> surprised
> that I would favor them with a private interview.  I have avoided
> whining
> about Peggy's behavior to the other officials, but maybe that's a
> mistake.
>
> Meanwhile, in Northfield Township (located north of Ann Arbor), the
> defeated incumbent township supervisor has announced a very similar
> no-transition policy.
>
> I suppose this is what happens when there is a change in party control.
> When Democrats gained control of the Michigan House in the 1970s, the
> outgoing Republicans gathered up and burned every record, so that the
> other party would have to start over from scratch.
>
> But during the campaign, Peggy said she was not a politician ...
>
>                                Larry
>
> ---
> Lawrence Kestenbaum, [log in to unmask]
> The Political Graveyard, http://politicalgraveyard.com
> Polygon, the Dancing Bear, http://potifos.com/polygon
> Mailing address: P.O. Box 2563, Ann Arbor MI 48106
>
> --
> To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the
> uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to:
> <http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>
>

--
To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the
uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to:
<http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>