San Antonio City Manager Sheryl Sculley orders police to clear homess from her luxury condo. (Leon Valley: apartment, condominium)

[Azure110]

City Manager Sheryl Sculley has ordered the Police Department to devote officer manpower to a sweep of homeless people near her luxury downtown condominium, according to police records obtained by the Express-News.

More here: City Manager Sheryl Sculley ordered police to clear homeless from near her luxury condo, emails show - San Antonio Express-News

Stuff like this makes me loose faith in politicians. I never really had an issue with Sculley until now. This looks like abuse of her position to devote police resources to her own benefit.

Can the mods fix the headline? There is a typo and the word should read "homeless", not homess".

[ged_782]

Technically, the City Manager isn't a "politician", as she is not elected, but serves at the will of the Mayor and City Council.

FWIW, Jeff Coyle, of the city's Government and Public Affairs Department, disputes the Express-News' report that the City Manager ordered a homeless sweep for her benefit. He says she acted on behalf of downtown stakeholders, and that police stepped-up enforcement of panhandling and illegal camping ordinances, according to a report aired on KENS-TV.

[Bo]

As the article explains quite plainly, Haven for Hope was built to get the homeless population moved out of downtown, as that was a prerequisite for upscale downtown development.

If you like having nice things downtown, you need to understand it was made possible by the fact that there's not nearly as much doorway camping and panhandling downtown as there was 15 years ago.

[ashbeeigh]

I'd like her to act in the interest and enforcement of panhandling along 410 between Babcock and Ingram. I understand a bit of it is in Leon Valley proper (which may explain part of it) but there are wheelchairs, bags, clothing, trash, etc. all over the immeidate area of 410 in the area. I may not be paying $1500/mnth for an apartment downtown, but I'd like to have these people "swept" too. I just don't have the ability to call up the police chief and ask for it to happen.

[TXStrat]

It's just pretty ironic that she is tasking the SAPD to remove homeless from her building while she is simultaneously attacking their pay and benefits in contract negotiations. She must be pretty tone deaf to not recognize this presents an appearance of impropriety or unethical behavior.

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by Bo

As the article explains quite plainly, Haven for Hope was built to get the homeless population moved out of downtown, as that was a prerequisite for upscale downtown development.

If you like having nice things downtown, you need to understand it was made possible by the fact that there's not nearly as much doorway camping and panhandling downtown as there was 15 years ago.

I didn't see any mention of 'Haven for Hope' in the article that I linked.

Here is another quote from the article though:

A Sept. 7 weekly bulletin from the department's Central Substation told officers they have been "tasked with monitoring and clearing the homeless from the City Manager’s residence and surrounding areas."

The bulletin stated that officers are sweeping the area "every Monday through Friday until further notice.”

If the bulletin states specifically that the police are tasked with monitoring and clearing from the City Manager's residence and surrounding areas, then that seems like self serving interest and not the downtown area in general.

[Zone Read]

Originally Posted by TXStrat

It's just pretty ironic that she is tasking the SAPD to remove homeless from her building while she is simultaneously attacking their pay and benefits in contract negotiations. She must be pretty tone deaf to not recognize this presents an appearance of impropriety or unethical behavior.

Regardless of the situation between SAPD, SAFD and the City Manager, she is still their boss. And she's attacking their pay and benefits because they are out of line with what other PD and FD officers make as well as with what other regular city employees make. Their pay and benefits are consuming an ever increasing part of the City budget when other departments are requiring additional cuts every year.

[TXStrat]

Originally Posted by Zone Read

Regardless of the situation between SAPD, SAFD and the City Manager, she is still their boss. And she's attacking their pay and benefits because they are out of line with what other PD and FD officers make as well as with what other regular city employees make. Their pay and benefits are consuming an ever increasing part of the City budget when other departments are requiring additional cuts every year.

They are no more out of line with pay and benefits across the state than her salary. $250K per annum, until this past January when it increased to $400K (base salary). Add to that the bonuses of $65K a year, and other perks, and she's bringing in around $486K a year. Compare that to other city managers in the state and get back to us with your analysis.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by Azure110

I didn't see any mention of 'Haven for Hope' in the article that I linked.

It's in this version:

Haven for Hope, which is west of the downtown area, opened in 2010, with the promise that it would alleviate the city’s chronic homelessness problem. Homeless advocates often argue, however, that some homeless people choose not to go to Haven, and that the city is pushing too hard to divert the homeless out of the sight of downtown tourists.

[unintentionallyfunny]

LOL

This is some typical Fox News crap.

That the smallest of potential moll hills and blow it up into something incredibly big and beat it like a drum over and over again.

This is a none issue.