City OKs $10,000 for bash

Eron Ben-Yehuda

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Taxpayers will be footing the bill for a $10,000

holiday bash for city employees this year.

The City Council on Monday unanimously approved the party -- and the

expense -- to boost employee morale.

“Happy workers will be productive workers, I guess,” City Councilman Dave

Sullivan said.

The event will be held Dec. 9 at the Huntington Beach Mall, said

Assistant City Administrator Melanie Fallon. It will help the city’s

1,000 employees “get to know one another and become a part of a cohesive

team,” according to a memo dated Monday.

The matter appeared on the council’s consent calendar, which is usually

reserved for routine issues that normally aren’t considered

controversial. The party passed the vote without any discussion.

At an average cost of $10 per employee, Mayor Peter Green said he

considers the bash a reasonable expense, especially when compared to the

price of parties thrown by large private companies.

But residents expressed alarm at coughing up dough for city workers to

have fun.

“Where I come from, people toss in [their own] money, and then they have

a party,” said 39-year-old Craig Sorensen, who lives in Huntington Beach.

The city’s scarce resources shouldn’t be squandered this way, said

Jennifer Woodward, 27.

“It seems like there are better causes to put our taxpayer dollars

[toward],” she said.

And Damon Roberson, 29, doesn’t buy the excuse that city employees need

to build esprit de corps.

“They should do a good job regardless,” he said. “We shouldn’t have to

give them a party as an incentive.”

QUESTION

PARTY FAVOR?

Should the city use taxpayer money to throw a party for its employees?

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