Suisun City employees do more with less

Letter to the Daily Republic Editor // March 1, 2006

What vision comes to mind when you think of government employees? I'll bet it's not a flattering one. Let me shatter some of your perceptions in the mighty little city of Suisun City. I had the privilege of working side by side with these devoted civil servants for 10 weeks and was amazed at the work ethic and dedication to their jobs.

In general, Suisun City has to try harder in everything it does. It is over-shadowed by big and bustling neighbors of Fairfield and Vacaville where their coffers are spilling over with sales tax revenue. Lacking this, Suisun City makes do with it's limited resources by the sheer perseverance and commitment of city employees. These people are the underdogs that toil away without much fanfare and recognition, but manage to come out on top. A good example of this is the handling of the recent New Year's Eve storms. The tireless Public Works employees of Suisun were out there in the storm, clearing storm drains, flood channels and preventing major disasters that struck its bigger neighbors.

With this underdog tenacity, the employees serving the City of Suisun, work for a higher purpose than money; they haven't had a COLA increased in over 3 years and their salary schedules are significantly lower than that of the surrounding cities. Definitely, they deserve to be paid fairly and this may happen as Suzanne Bragdon has taken the reins of city management with her team of Assistant City Manager, Ron Anderson and Community Development Director, Jake Raper.

Hence, through my first hand experience in working with each member of the city staff, from Public Works, to Engineering, Finance and Administration, the residents of Suisun can be assured that the City is working diligently on their behalf to build a better city and add to their quality of life. With the efforts of these faithful employees, Suisun City will one day be recognized for what it is; a jewel of a small city, tucked away on a vibrant waterfront, in the heart of Solano County.

Thus, the next time you think of "government employees," I hope what I've shared may give you that flattering perception the employees of Suisun City deserve.

Jeffrey Bertany
Fairfield