Male Bureaucrats Foul Human Resources Office

Re “Officials Seek Scrutiny of O.C. Personnel Office” (Feb. 7):

Once the smoke clears, the record will show that the allegations have been raised by a small group of primarily male bureaucrats who have waged a campaign of verbal terrorism against the female leadership of the Office of Human Resources. From conversations on golf courses to the hallways of county buildings, salacious comments made about the leadership have included discriminatory remarks and gender-bashing. The damaging gossip and verbal bullying have been persistent and pervasive.

What has motivated these deliberate and retaliatory attempts at character assassination? In addition to varied personal agendas, this band of bureaucrats has balked at and attempted to undermine every effort to reduce red tape and engage a philosophy of accountability throughout the work force. Speaking of bureaucrats, a proposed Human Resources Oversight Committee is just another example of red tape.

Why is taxpayer money being wasted on a grand jury investigation of Human Resources while the Planning and Development Services Department requires substantial scrutiny? As a matter of comparison, the $300,000 contract overrun mentioned in the article occurred in conjunction with implementing an employee pay-for-performance program that focused on accountability as well as rewarding exceptional performance. These are ideas that are being proposed by the Bush administration in an attempt to change the civil service entitlement philosophy within the federal government. A one-time overrun with a large long-term benefit seems paltry when compared with an $18-million deficit occurring over a three-year period.

Jean Gottschall

San Juan Capistrano