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So, in Chris' thread where he is giving away $250 million and tyrannical power to mold the city of the future for Charleston WV, I complained, pretty heavily about the management issues with the Civic Center. I pointed out the lineup for the next 18 months would have been the same line up if the TAXPAYER had not been asked to go into debt for 120 million dollars on the renovation.
I present further evidence to support my assertion and irratation:
The newly renovated Charleston Civic Center had its Grand Re-Opening on October 19, 2018 after roughly 18 months of renovation. Construction on the grounds and exterior started in June of 2015.
Go to the Charleston Civic Center and Convention Center website:
For those not wishing to hyperlink, I will show you the primary photo on the page that is top and right when you open it:
It is now June of 2019 FOUR YEARS since construction started and that photo was relevant. On the primary website for people wishing to come to Charleston to use the Civic Center as a venue for their industry. It is just laziness and a lack of caring that allows this sort of thing to happen. Who does the city pay to keep this sort of thing up to date? Who is responsible? Well, this guy is:
John Robertson, Civic Center General Manager:
I have hyperlinked his story from October 17, 2018 about the grand opening if anyone wants to dig any deeper:
When I complain about the issues of this city it is these sort of EASY things to fix that boil me the most. I was never allowed to not have stuff done before it was needed, much less past a due date. But, and many here counter my belief, civil servants are the laziest, most over paid workers any society has had to come to grips with.
Look at the guy. He is O L D. Old in and of itself is not a bad thing, quite the contrary it can be a huge asset, as it suggests wisdom and experience. But this guy, like so many in government in our area, is as old in the brain and his appearance suggests, maybe more so.
We need help. We need vision. We need someone that will do their job. Frankly, no one I have ever encountered in City, County or State government was worth a damn at any of those qualities.
Last edited by Caden Grace; 06-18-2019 at 10:20 AM..
This guy may need replaced. You can make a valid argument that it is hard to replace civil servants that need replaced. I will not disagree. It does not mean all civil servants are lazy. It means nothing of the sort.
In many cases the lazy do end up rising to the top because they would rather suck up than work. The same thing happens though where I work, in private industry.
This guy may need replaced. You can make a valid argument that it is hard to replace civil servants that need replaced. I will not disagree. It does not mean all civil servants are lazy. It means nothing of the sort.
In many cases the lazy do end up rising to the top because they would rather suck up than work. The same thing happens though where I work, in private industry.
You are right, it is not all of them. Nothing is everything or always. I learned that in grade school. But it can 'seem' to be that way when dealing with a government institution. I spent a spring one year out of boredom pulling a 90 temp job at the IRS return center in Cincinnati, Ohio - actually in Covington, KY.
There were a few good people and many that it was just a paycheck, having checked a long time ago on caring about anything at work. But the good ones were blocked from advancement - too valuable in their role or too smart to move up to the pressures of becoming too stupid to live, which seemed an entry requirement for upper levels. It was these upper levels that had the deepest pool of arrogance about their value and production. They had the reaction I do about working in the private sector, how it was all peaches and cream and the paychecks were huge and life was milk and honey for those lazy, undeserving SOBs. Of course they say that, never having worked a day in the private sector.
Having been in both, like some here, I see it a bit differently and my opinion is that people that do not care about their workplace make up the bulk of civil servants. It is a check and they CHOSE that job because while it is sometimes a lesser paycheck, it is there no matter what happens in the economy. They do not have to do much to keep their job and in fact it is really hard to dump them. They have great benefits although every person I know on PEIA claims they get the blood drained from them on a paycheck basis. I have a family member on PEIA, it may not be the best coverage in the world but it is the best in West Virginia for the middle class worker. Then when these people retire, they have a SWEET package.
Others are bad apples all around and they can be removed but most managers are lazy and realize it is easier to transfer that individual then to go through the documentation process. So, the bad apples stay.
Then there are the Kool-Aid Kids otherwise known as managers, that think God placed them on Earth to save us unwashed heathen. They spend all day talking about their job with people that do not care or listen. Then then write down they did this to validate their paycheck and drive home to their nice houses because at this level they do get paid WELL. They then spread the gospel to the lessers both in and outside of the governmental body to which they are attached. I am surprised they don't all get Company Pope-Mobiles to ride around in.
This guy at the Civic Center is the problem with local government. But it is not just Charleston. South Charleston is even worse, because mostly it is smaller and the people there have been entrenched in these jobs for 40 years. They are getting retirement, pensions and still working full time, raping the tax base and being a first class sexual organ about it. I know, because I have dealt with them. Frank is no different. He comes across like Mr. Haney from Green Acres with the aspirations of Tony Saprano.
I need to stop ranting, but I can't help myself. I do not have all the answers, maybe even none. But I do not lack passion or love for this city, this county or this state. We all do here, or we would not be on this website.
Your first link leads to the City's subpage for the Civic Center, not the actual Center's website, which can be found at: https://www.chaswvccc.com/ . That's the first link that comes up when you search for "Charleston Civic Center." While I agree the City's page should be updated, it also shows (admittedly a now defunct) webcam of construction progress. So it isn't as if they ever highlighted the expansion and renovation.
I don't know enough about Robertson to say one way or another, but a fresh approach to things is probably needed in some capacity.
The image and link in the OP is from the city's website. Surely an unforgivable oversight, but I don't think John Robertson is the city's webmaster.
I don't necessarily disagree with the main point of the post, but let's not throw stones the wrong direction in the process.
ETA: elewis7 beat me to it.
When you have the primary function of being a source of information and hosting of convention and visitors in the digital age, an oversight is not having every website predated before events actually take place. Your job is selling the future.
The website is still an official website and it comes up 4th on Google ahead of the one you listed here by three spots. That website should at the very least be crowing about the upcoming renovation with perhaps a few still shots and a link to the presentation. Everything that can be done to sell a potential customer on the city should be used to transmit the idea that Charleston is not only open for business but that we are spending great sums to remain state of the art.
The Civic Center looked like that shot on the website in 1981 when CTC was under construction. I think it is not an oversight to update it more than once in 40 years!
John Robinson is the GM, I am a retired hotel GM, it is his job. Everything that happens to the property under him is his responsibility. EVERYTHING.
So, in Chris' thread where he is giving away $250 million and tyrannical power to mold the city of the future for Charleston WV, I complained, pretty heavily about the management issues with the Civic Center. I pointed out the lineup for the next 18 months would have been the same line up if the TAXPAYER had not been asked to go into debt for 120 million dollars on the renovation.
I present further evidence to support my assertion and irratation:
The newly renovated Charleston Civic Center had its Grand Re-Opening on October 19, 2018 after roughly 18 months of renovation. Construction on the grounds and exterior started in June of 2015.
Go to the Charleston Civic Center and Convention Center website:
For those not wishing to hyperlink, I will show you the primary photo on the page that is top and right when you open it:
It is now June of 2019 FOUR YEARS since construction started and that photo was relevant. On the primary website for people wishing to come to Charleston to use the Civic Center as a venue for their industry. It is just laziness and a lack of caring that allows this sort of thing to happen. Who does the city pay to keep this sort of thing up to date? Who is responsible? Well, this guy is:
John Robertson, Civic Center General Manager:
I have hyperlinked his story from October 17, 2018 about the grand opening if anyone wants to dig any deeper:
When I complain about the issues of this city it is these sort of EASY things to fix that boil me the most. I was never allowed to not have stuff done before it was needed, much less past a due date. But, and many here counter my belief, civil servants are the laziest, most over paid workers any society has had to come to grips with.
Look at the guy. He is O L D. Old in and of itself is not a bad thing, quite the contrary it can be a huge asset, as it suggests wisdom and experience. But this guy, like so many in government in our area, is as old in the brain and his appearance suggests, maybe more so.
We need help. We need vision. We need someone that will do their job. Frankly, no one I have ever encountered in City, County or State government was worth a damn at any of those qualities.
You nailed it, Caden. That's partly I wish the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center could land a corporate sponsor.
Most corporations would stay on top of stuff like this if there is that much money on the line. It's an incentive for the venue to keep up the sponsor's standards.
If my business was paying for naming rights on the building, I'd make sure my logo and updated photos were on everything.
I agree. I've emailed the Charleston City Hall a few times about the lack of a naming rights sponsor and received replies about how there wasn't a company 'that's a good fit' or 'not enough money was being offered', which I'm sure both are just feeble attempts at making an excuse for not doing their job.
I agree. I've emailed the Charleston City Hall a few times about the lack of a naming rights sponsor and received replies about how there wasn't a company 'that's a good fit' or 'not enough money was being offered', which I'm sure both are just feeble attempts at making an excuse for not doing their job.
I am totally on board with the naming rights of the Civic Center. If I am not mistaken we have been over this ground in a cavalier fashion in the past, mostly with corporations we would like NOT to see splashing their company name on the side of the Arena. United Bank is probably the one sponsor we wold be happy with as a name that sounds like a good place, but that company has moved to Washington D.C. and out of Charleston, even though they maintain the pretense of having TWO head quarters.
Not sure how I feel about BrickStreet Colosseum. I certainly do not want one of the law firms or coal companies up there and Gino's is a cute but definite non-starter. When you start down the list, not much is left to pick over.
The sponsor doesn't have to be a local business or have their headquarters in WV. For example, Taco Bell used to be the naming rights sponsor for the basketball arena at Boise State University. Taco Bell is still based in California. Also, US Bank is the naming rights sponsor for the arena in Cincinnati. US Bank is headquartered in Minneapolis.
So, if a local company wants to be the sponsor, great, sign them up. However, that criteria shouldn't limit the search. Besides, the state isn't home to that many large businesses or corporations, so any sponsor will most likely have to come from out of state. If the company is willing to write the check, what does it matter at the end of the day?
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