Clayton Lloyd To Retire....
The city has released the media announcement, that long time department head Clayton Lloyd will retire at the end of 2007. The media announcement can be read here.
I know a lot of folks don't really care for anybody at City Hall. But if you know Clayton, you know a really good guy that has a great deal of integrity. Modest by all means, the guy brings his lunch to work every day and irons his own shirts. Modest, frugal and a hell of a runner. He is the proud father of two boys I believe, one presently serving in the Marines.
I am not sure the position "Director of Community Development" was the best fit for Clayton. But as a skilled bureaucrat, Clayton lead a department that oversaw a great deal of day to day responsibilities.
As local governments continue to trend more towards the expectations found with-in private organizations, folks like Clayton are highly needed. Understanding the function and responsibilities of government and helping the private sector relate is no easy task.
It will be interesting watching the replacement process. Since Malin has been with the city, department head openings have occured in Police, Human Resources, Legal, Finance and Parks. And in four of the five, he promoted with-in. And if you look at Bladel, he was originally with the DPD, so you could make a case for 5 of 5.
Personally, with the changes going on in D1 as well as QC Development, I believe it's a great oppurtunity to bring someone from the outside well suited for the emerging realities of a community of our size.
Congrat's to Mr. Lloyd, your a hell of a guy that will leave a significant mark on the organization and community at large.
George
posted by The Colonel @ 1/09/2007 01:52:00 PM
41 comments
41 Comments:
We should have seen this comming. It was only a little over a year ago, when Clayton applied for a job with Scott County, but wasn't selected.
Jim Pierce appointed Mike Bladel and was then summarily fired.
Colonel,
You forgot great hair to.
But seriously, say what you will about the function of the many offices and services he oversees, he is the consumate gentelman.
He doesn't look old enough to retire.
I'll be sorry to see clayton go. When the Col. put up the story yesterday, I was hoping that Redman Jones had been hired by the City of Clinton so we would be rid of him. That would have been one more position that wouldn't need to be refilled.
Being cited as a skilled bureaucrat is one of those backhanded compliments. It smells of self-preservation. Davenport could flouish if not for the oddled of lifer bureaucrats at city hall
Anon....
Actually no, Pierce did not hire Bladel. He was gone by then. Yerrington was Mayor, and I think Malin was just on the job. If it wasn't Malin, it was the acting CA.
To the Colonel
Bladel's hire date was 11-02-2000. Pierce was fired in December of 2000. His hiring of Bladel outside of the council-approved process was his final undoing. Kolwey was Acting CA and hired Frese as Fire Chief. Malin arrived in August of 2001.
I take you at your word. I stand corrected.
Clayton was the consumate beaurocrat, always fighting to protect the status quo at City Hall. If that is a good thing, then a monument to the man should be built outside of City Hall. If you think Davenport is debt heavy, with too much waste, management and staff abuse, then Clayton's retirment is the best thing to ever have happened to Davenport.
At the public input session for the new rental inspection program, the vocal and voting critics of the old system were nowhere to be found. Evidently Billy (the nutty professor)Lynn and Shawn (the Bill Lynn spawn) Hammerlink were too busy with Ronnie (I'll drink to that) VanFossen to bother with listening to public input. I guess they'll get the edited and slanted version from their CRPA plants that were there. Anyway, nice to see they care now that their dirty work is done.
Aside from that, Clayton will not be missed by anyone from the former NEO. His, can't we just all get along" attitude and spineless defense of enforcement provided the QCRPA with the opportunity to sabotage the department. Goodluck jellyfish.
Ouch, but the truth hurts. That last comment speaks volumes about the corrupt three and ladk of leadership at the administrative level.
Even Steen was a short hitter at the meeting? I so hear? Too much exposure at this juncture?
and speaking of the public officials not in attendance was there free scotch at a bar somewhere that night? I missed out darn it.
I was there and the poster is right. They weren't there. I find that interesting. Maybe at the one on Tuesday?
The QCRPAERS were there in full force though. They were kinda quiet. Probably at the advice of their lawyers. LOL.
QCRPers were quiet because they will do the deal in private as in the past.
You know, take a couple of public officials out for a fast food meal and the world is their oyster or crap sandwich, whatever...
Thanks a lot bildo...you're a true leader of... well you fill in the blank.
Clayton: the consummat middle-man. A true gentleman who never rocked the boat, gave an opinion (just the facts ma'am), backed anyone but his superiors, never bad-mouthed a soul; worked his ass off to gather the facts to remain nuetral, and understood the meaning of a "ninny".
YOu are sooo qring about you assessment of him. He was all of the above except neutral. He also backed the develop - always tried and true. If you are Foster, a Ruhl, a project involved remotely with either- or if Steve Schalk was involved - you got his support. The project happened.
If you were a tax payer who just livel modestly in a middle class or lower income area - he pretended to care, but the develop always won his support before council.
Follow through on the minor things always was delayed and for show. As a citizen you often needed to get other people involved to get a remedy.
My point is that for the regular guy - Clayton was no good. Just look at the conditions of our neighborhoods. This man headed up departments who were responsible to care for our neighborhoods, the rehabs, the housing. He failed in my opinion and I pray we get someone who will whip that staff into shape and take care of the lazy complacent staff we have.
Clayton is one person against 10,000 others with different interests. He has never made ONE VOTE on any project. His job is not to tell a developer yes or no. That is ultimately the Council's job. His job is to lead a department that provides a process and forum for making those decisions. Nothing more nothing less. He has done that with integrity, honesty and hard work well beyond 8 hours a day, forty hours per week.
And those of you from the former NEO group who blame him for your demise should look first at the Council and then in the mirror if you want to see who is to really blame.
If these posts are representative criticisms Clayton has had to deal with, it is not surprising he chose to retire. When weighed against the successes of his career, the criticisms are petty and parochial.
Look, any father that has a son or daughter in the military at this point in time has my gratitude and respect forever. No matter which side of the political bronco they get thrown onto in this dirty little town. Clayton, I wish you the best, healthy, productive, gainful and longest retirement on record. My best to you and yours.
Well he failed period.We are not niave to how it works. Clayton helped the developers not the taxpayers. He served the developers, not the people of Davenport. Think what you want, I will think what I want. Whatever. It all depends on where you live I guess. He has done little for the average regular neighborhoods and people. But, he sure helped the pockets of a few.
I am sorry you are so insulted by people who have a different view of Clayton. I am insulted by his lack of knowledge and inplimentation of urban renewal. He didn't want to hear about it and he sure didn't want to act in the direction of revitalization for the central areas. Staff is hired in that department in part to advise council on development and Clayton rubber stamped and found a way to make every development happen no matter its opposition and no matter if it is good or bad for the area of Davenport is was proposed. I resent that and so do many people.
I also resent the beauracratic garbage he spewed when asked a simple darn question. I felt like shaking the answer out of him.. Bruce Berger is the same way, although his work with the HAPPEN program is commendable. Clayton's department is nor impartial by any means and they are not objective and they need training on true economic development and urban revitalization.
I hope and pray we don't get another beauracrat in the position, but someone who is energetic and knows how to serve the public properly instead of just the developers. You can bet that the real estate community and Davenport One is on the horn to city hall trying to get replacement that is appropriate to their needs. The public should keep a close eye on the selection process and make sure that a Little Clayton isn't being groomed by the Ruhls and the Fosters.
You can bet that the QCRAPers have already instructed Bill Lynn and Malin who to fill the position with.
You said it! Lynn is a tool for the special interests and takes his orders from them for peanut$ (he looks like a circus animal doesn't he?)This politician is one of the worst I have observed in the last 30 years and whom has caused much more damage than you can imagine. And yet seems to keep his foul operations under the radar. I wish the QCTimes (once a respected paper) would look into this dude. It would fill editions for weeeks and I might even buy a subscription again just to watch the his sweater unravel. How hard is it to track the activities of a public official with his limited intelegence.
Lynn is in bed with some bad bed fellows...and hurting all of the City as he goes along unscrutenized.
I call for help in stopping the ravaging of our City.
You know...it is the constant spewing of CRAP that you "former NEO" folks do that had the MOST to do with your demise! Not only when you were on the job abusing your power, but ever since they cut your jobs....your actions reinforce the councils action!
What on earth are you 11:08 talking about. That is stupid. The NEO needed help, but not the kind of help the Crapers advocated for. The city thank for Lynn is one big heaping pile of steamy garbage. Good job.
The ironic thing about lynn and the NEO is when MRS Lynn came to council 2 months ago to bitch about her neighborhood. She eats breakfast right across the table from the guy responsible.
There will never be a lack of things for Dporters to bitch about...that is the only thing for certain!
It took 6 votes to do what Lynn and the landlords wanted, even if some of them had no idea what they were approving. An election is coming up in a few months.
It is too bad that a few of the aldermen Davenporter's so much to bitch about. Seems like we never hear complaints about things that the Bettendorf, Moline, or Rock Island Councils are doing.
No horse in this race – not from Davenport
What is an NEO, Neighborhood Enforcement Officer? How does this relate to Clayton Lloyd’s job description, was the program under his area of responsibility as "Director of Community Development"?
In many cities, the Director of Community Development is charged to grow the economic base and generate new tax revenue through growth. The use of tax revenue and grants often is directed towards neighborhood renewal and stabilation among many other community based programs and services. Neighborhoods by themselves, do not have the tax base to pay for all of the services they use. The expenses are shared by the entire community tax base.
I realize this is a gross over simplification, but, you can’t spend money if you don’t make money. How the revenue is dispursed is based on the cities budget . Each ward is represented and participates in the process. If you feel your alderman does not represent your interests and does not understand how revenue is generated, you have the responsibility to be actively involved and voice your opinion.
The difference between the other Quad Cities and Davenport is that the other cities don't have all the Landlords that live in Bettendorf telling their councilmen how to vote.
To 10:43 - The "NEO" stands for Neighborhood Enhancement Office. Clayton was the chief staff person overseeing the NEO, and the boss of Mike Loos, who was the NEO Manager. Mike Loos is the manager that the QCRAPers went after, at a televised city council meeting.
and now he is suing the mofos
Is it true, Walter Skrovonsky(SP) just moved to the 5th ward to run against Bill Lynn in November?
Nineman out
Now that would be interesting to have Walter on council. WOW>
Walter might actually do a surprisingly good job. Sure couldn't be any worse than Bill Lynn is doing for us.
I may agree there for some reason I am uncertain about.
Is Wally really running for council??? If so, great news!! This guy is great. He throws it out like it is. If you are out there Wally, You have my vote!!!
My friends from city hall have told me that our friend from the first ward, Ronnie "I'll drink to that" Van Fossen is filing for divorce from his wife because he has moved in and is humping the hell out of the council's secretary....nice move ronnie
I love the council secretary. She is so friendly.
Sounds like she's getting too friendly with Van Fossen. Doesn't she know when to say NO! Is this against some kind of city code of ethics. Though she does have nice legs.
OK - Guys I am shutting down this thread as well. Way off point...
George
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