Needed in Norfolk: More than a few good managers

"He has paid his debt."

This comment was concerning the felon whom Mrs. Williams gave the job too that create such as fuss.

As the poster says that color was the only issue in both the critique of Williams and this particular hiring, you should answer something for us. In his case, was murder not enough? Drug dealing on an organized level? Your suggesting that if I go out an commit crimes, I then should be considered an expert on the subject and those who commit them, thus entitling me to a high paying job.

Why don't we leave it to his victims to tell us if he has paid his debt?

Too funny. Everyone hates Regina because she is black? You have got to be kidding me. The race card is soooo old. Please find a new excuse to defend incompetence, criminal behavior, or lack of success. Heck, at least try to be inventive with your defense.

Incompetence is not a virtuous attribute.

Norfolks motto should be "When you don't meet your goal - lower your standards."

A legend in his own mind.

Speaking of attacks....have you reviewed your past posts?

"I'm amazed that anyone could grow that sort of ego in one lifetime. Must really be 108......or really insecure"

It's not ego, it's pride. I came from very humble beginnings, and feel if I can turn that around anyone can with hard work. Once again, let me say you really don't know anything about Ocean View. Your sole purpose in life seems to put people down, which says a lot about your own insecurity, and maturity level. These commens are off subject, and I won't respond to any more of your personal attacks.

Please don't be a hater because we have identified a problem with an individuals performance that happens to be a black woman. If this type of performance came from a white male my reaction would be the same. She has got to go, and go quickly. As for your racisist and sexist remarks in defense of an indefensible position it is clear you may be Regina Williams in disquise or at least a supporter that does not care about the welfare of the formerly great city of Norfolk. I wish you well and hopefully you will realize that not everything is race based.

"You would be amazed at what I have done in my life including the number of career's I've had."

I'm amazed that anyone could grow that sort of ego in one lifetime. Must really be 108......or really insecure.

You'd be bored with my "little life" George compared to your self image I am sure. After that amazing Forrest Gump life you choose to live in the Ocean View drug neighborhood?? ewwwwww. Shouldn't you be in Hollywood or somewhere more deserving of your presence?

Submitted by Always a Lady on Tue, 07/01/2008 at 1:04 pm.
It is funny how many people actually dislike Ms.Williams. You don't dislike her because she has done a horrible job. You dislike her because she is an African American woman in a high power position.

LOL Send me some of what you MUST be smoking. Regina is totally incompetent. As for being black, I wouldn't care if she were purple with yellow polka dots if she did her job well. Stop doing drugs, wake up and smell the coffee.

"George, I thought you were a "retired sucessful business owner, marched with King, blah blah blah blah. You must be 108 to have done all you claim"

Never said I retired from the city I said I had worked there for about 9 years. You would be amazed at what I have done in my life including the number of career's I've had. Each job/career led me to the next and better position. I retired from owning my own business, which was the last 12 years of my day to day working career, and for your information I am very active, and persue my dream and life long passion of buying and selling art, and very successfully I might add, which I started when I was 14.
Would you like to tell us about your little life??

"In a tight budget year, the vacancies are helping city leaders save money on salaries, Wright said." If you can get by without them, get rid of the positions alltogether. Seems you've proved you can do without the role just a well as with the role.
Why do we have these management roles that overlap with state and federal gov?? Environmental Control? Why have that at the city level? There are layers and layers of env control agencies at the fed and state level with more power. Fraim is an idiot. Let the managers of the individual disiplines regulate energy effeciency. If they cannot, they are not qualified in their role. How will an outsider know about the necessary functions of each disicipline.
To the writer who says Regina is hated because she is black and the others get free passes. Apparently you cannot read. Fraim, Wright, Hester, Riddick, and especially skirt chaser Winn all get their moments. Race is as usual, an excuse to cover for poor performance.
George, I thought you were a "retired sucessful business owner, marched with King, blah blah blah blah. You must be 108 to have done all you claim

I know just from the facts that the biggest problem the city of Norfolk has is the incompetent Regina Williams. But I stop there. There are plenty of BOZOs of both races to muck it up. Paul Riddick has had his share of embarrassments too and needs to resign with Williams

I guess Norfolk has it's own "Inconvenient Truth"

I think that will become my new tagline .... it has a nice ring.

and in an upper management, I can tell you who you know, and your race are tops on the list to get you hired.

It is funny how many people actually dislike Ms.Williams. You don't dislike her because she has done a horrible job. You dislike her because she is an African American woman in a high power position. What about Mayor Fraim all the eras he has made in his career you never see anyone bashing him, because he is white. Get over it people, she was put in her position for a reason and she is still there. When Alphonso was put in his position you weren't mad because you felt he couldn't do the job you were mad because he was an African American man in a position making more than what most of you make. Be real with yourselves. He has paid his debt. You can have a felony and have a state or federal job. There are doctors and lawyers that are here in Hampton Roads that have felonies that do well in their positions. People make mistakes stop hating and start working together so you may have a wonderful city.

While the water is low in the pool, clean it. If some of these positions remain open for as much as two years, why fill them. Re-evaluate whether some of these positions are valid and trim the fat while the dollar is tight. I'd suggest they start at the top where the highest paid positions are and see if we can't save a million or two a year.

I thought the City Manager hired by the city council. If Ms. Williams is doing such a poor job, why don't you folks change the folks who hired her. A change in City Council is most likely the fastest way to change who the city manager is. But I guess if you continue to vote for the same city council people then you're satisfied with their choice for city manager.

I was going to apply but my wife reminded me that I have no felony convictions. Perhaps I can convince them that I meant to have one but it didn't work out? It's always something.

The city of Norfolk has a brand new employment center and quite a few management level vacancies. Given City Manager Regina Williams' track record, these positions will remain vacant for months, probably years. She has stalled on making hiring decisions on many key positions and when she finally gets around to hiring someone, they turn out to be poor choices. When will Norfolk finally rid itself of this incompetence????

What competent professional wants to be used as a scape goat? when problems arise with city operations blame is always passed on to lower minions who are comletely controlled by the city manager and city council. WE have plenty of examples, plenty. within this professonal community the grape vine is alive and well and the word is out amongst the porospective candidates. The Professional Headhunter Employment Office is called and informed of the City employment opportunities and that Headhunter community is the grapevine. The City of Norfolk is a Fifedom and is ruled as a Fifedom and the blames always rolls downward, Here one day and gone the next, who is their professional mind would ever accept that method of management, the first question of an applicant, 'what happened to the last dept. director?, Professional differences is always the city aswer. Also - as long as these much needed positions remain vacant the city manager has the perpetual easy excuse for mission failures.

Maybe the City of Norfolk should hire everyone whose been fired from upper management positions in Suffolk. Since a number of ex-Suffolk upper managers are looking for employment. Ms. Kattmann would be a good candidate for the Assessors Office. She does have experience in assessing real estate value. Ooops!

From the headline through the article I found myself chuckling...then I hit the comments!

The Good ol' Sister network

Poke a stick in yer eye

Everybody Hates Regina

Ha ha ha ha Man what a good laugh this morning! Thank you all and please keep 'em coming!

I know someone very close to me who applied for the animal control manger position. This position has been in the news a lot because of the mismanagement in the department over the past few years. You would think that the city would be very eager to fill this position. However, after submitting his resume and calling the city many times he was finally granted a three minute interview. Then, he never received any response from the city, yes, no, maybe. That is so unprofessional and rude. It is no wonder the city has so many open positions. It seems they are intent on not filling them. Completely randomly six months later a different city department called him and asked him if he would be interested in another management job. After applying he got the position. I think the failure lies solely with the HR department and the city manager for not pushing her people to make the necessary hirings. What would you prefer - for the city to save money by not filling key, vital positions or for the city manager to do her job and staff the city?

Looking at these comments, perhaps Norfolk should produce a reality TV show for their little gov't channel called "Everybody hates Regina."

The single most pressing problem facing the City of Norfolk's government is Regina Williams. She is an unmitigated disaster for our city and her judgment is impaired, as proven by her many costly mis-steps including hiring a murderer and then defending her disgraceful actions.

Save yourself some time getting the same experience. Get a stick, sharpen it, and poke it in your eye.

What a waste of space, she needs to go.

If the city wants these positions filled, they need to "Clean House" of the present hiring system and people in the Human Resources Deaprtment. I know of people who applied for jobs with the city multiple times, well qualified, probably over qualified and never get any return calls, letters, nothing. When you call the HR dept you have to send your resume to, they act like they dont want to talk to you, dont give you any status on the position, and simply hate the fact that you are trying to make them do there job. Its worst than the Good ol' Boy network, its the Good ol' Sister network.

some of the 'comp time' she built up working all that overtime.

Sounds like a job for some olds Navy Chiefs. They are use to getting major things done with no money, everyone being upset and with massive flustration. But they still make it happen.

The very first position to be filled should be a new city manager to replace Regina Williams. Anyone notice how she has not been heard from for a while. Shes been laying low hoping people forget about her errors that resulted in a great deal of lost time, money and effort. She has got to go. Who is really going to trust her to fill positions of responsibility after her fiasco hiring a killer! Get real, her time is up and she should know it is her time to move on!