The Energizer General

Robert Cerasoli

I seem to see Inspector General Cerasoli every time I watch the local TV news. He is unfatigued. He meets with bloggers and neighborhood groups all the time. He's everywhere and always seems to be in good humor.

My recent post about his jobs was either in error or a little too early.

The initial positions in the Inspector General's Office are now on the City Web Site. Cerasoli sent me the link. He also asked me to help get the word out.

I still can't figure out how to get there from the City Home Page.

• You can go to the Civil Service Commission,
  There at the top of the left column you find,
  
• A link to Employment Opportunities
  The fly out menu includes two links,
• Promotional Opportunities
• Original Entrance Opportunities

Unfortunately none of the jobs are listed there. I still can't find them without a guide. I guess I'm not smart enough to work for the City. If anyone can figure out how to get there through the web site, please let me know.

It also appears the State Department of Labor job site, LAworks, now has the jobs listed, although they aren't identified as being for the City of New Orleans or the IG's office, something I think would be positive.

Here are the current positions;

Deputy Inspector General of Criminal Investigations	Entrance Salary: $90,567
The Deputy Inspector General of Criminal Investigations (DIC) oversees the Chief of Criminal Investigations (CCI) in developing long and short term objectives for the division. The DCI develops and implements investigative plans approved by the, First Assistant for Criminal Investigations (FACI), and Inspector General (IG) and monitors these plans for their effectiveness. The DCI reviews ongoing cases, draft work projects and proposals and provides day-to-day supervision of investigators within the division. The DCI provides advice on investigative techniques, interviewing methods, and case development to investigators. The DCI continuously monitors the quality of work performed and actively participates in projects as appropriate. The DCI testifies as required in administrative and judicial proceedings.	Position Announcement Application Form Personal History Form Work History Form
Chief of Criminal Investigations	Entrance Salary: $80,987
The Chief of Criminal Investigations (CCI) assists the Deputy Inspector General of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in developing long and short term objectives for the division. The CCI develops and implements investigative plans approved by the DCI, First Assistant Inspector General for Criminal Investigations (FACI), and Inspector General (IG) and monitors these plans for their effectiveness. The CCI reviews ongoing cases, draft work projects and proposals and provides day-to-day supervision of investigators within the division. The DCI provides advice on investigative techniques, interviewing methods, and case development to investigators. The DCI continuously monitors the quality of work performed and actively participates in projects as appropriate. The DCI testifies as required in administrative and judicial proceedings.	Position Announcement Application Form Personal History Form Work History Form
Criminal Investigator I	Entrance Salary: $60,108
The Criminal Investigator develops investigative cases, including but not limited to evaluating complaints, developing investigative plans and handling cases according to Investigative Manual (IM) procedures. The Criminal Investigator interviews subjects of investigations, conducts field investigations, interviews witnesses, performs covert surveillance and reports results. The Criminal Investigator develops compiles, reviews, handles, and transports documents and evidence relative to investigations. The Criminal Investigator charts and reports case progress, issues status reports and closing reports, drafts subpoena and summons requests and closing memos when so assigned. The Criminal Investigator must give testimony before administrative hearings and in the courtroom when required; and related work as required.	Position Announcement Application Form Personal History Form
Deputy Inspector General of Audit & Review	Entrance Salary: $90,567
The Deputy Inspector General for Audit and Review (DAR) has principal responsibility for advising the First Inspector General for Audit and Review (FAAR), and the Inspector General (IG) on issues related to the OIG mandate to prevent and detect fraud, waste, abuse and illegal acts. The DAR supervises the Chief and Assistant Chief of the Audit and Review division in the careful implementation of all audit plans and the proper execution of all audits and reviews under the Principal and Standards for Offices of Inspectors General and Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards. The DAR assists the FAAR and IG in defining the OIG goals and objectives, while setting long and short term objectives for the Audit and Review Division. The DAR implements audit and review plans, approved by the FAAR and IG, monitors their effectiveness, and adapts them to changing opportunities and obstacles. The DAR assigns projects within the Audit and Review Division, approves project plans, reviews draft work products, and assures the quality of the work performed. The DAR assists the FAAR in coordinating activities of the Audit and Review division with other divisions within the OIG. The DAR represents the IG in meetings and public forums when directed and advises the FAAR on training and resources needed by staff to ensure the effectiveness of the OIG.	Position Announcement Application Form Personal History Form Work History Form
Chief of Audit & Review	Entrance Salary: $80,987
The Chief for Audit and Review (CAR) assists the Deputy Inspector General for Audit and Review (DAR) in developing long and short term goals and objectives for the Audit and Review Division. The CAR has primary responsibility for developing and implementing audit and review plans and monitoring their effectiveness; reviewing project plans and draft work projects; and recruiting staff within the OIG to assist in these projects. The CAR provides day-to-day supervision and technical advice to auditors, analysts and other staff assigned to Division projects. The CAR analyzes all audit results, reports and reviews for recommendations to the DAR, First Assistant Inspector General for Audit and Review (FAAR), and Inspector General (IG).	Position Announcement Application Form Personal History Form Work History Form
Supervisor of Forensic Engineering	Entrance Salary: $92,845
The Engineer provides support through assessments of civil engineering, construction management, and contract administration related to the design and construction of government funded projects. The Engineer evaluates quality of design and construction through primary and secondary research, site visits and investigation and analysis. The Engineer evaluates contracts and contracting methods used to procure engineering, architectural, and project management services as well as materials and supplies procured and used in construction; and related work as required.	Position Announcement Application Form Personal History Form Work History Form
Forensic Engineer I	Entrance Salary: $70,643
Professional engineering and investigatory work providing citywide investigations to prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse of public engineering projects. Work includes conducting performance reviews and assessments of construction and design projects and programs involving the expenditure of public funds. Work includes evaluating the quality of design and construction through primary and secondary research, site visits and investigation and analysis procured to determine efficiency, effectiveness and productivity of government programs. Work also includes evaluating contracts and contracting methods used to procure engineering, architectural and project management services as well as materials and supplies. In addition, work includes recommending new systems to enhance and maximize performance; and related work as required.	Position Announcement Application Form Personal History Form
Forensic Auditor I	Entrance Salary: $60,108
Professional auditing work planning, managing and executing audits and reviews of projects and programs involving the expenditure of public funds. Work includes carrying out audits and audit related activities under the guidelines of Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS). Work also includes providing targeted forensic accounting in assistance with investigations, inspections and performance reviews conducted by the Office of the Inspector General to determine efficiency, effectiveness and productivity of government programs. In addition, work includes recommending new systems to enhance and maximize performance; and related work as required.	Position Announcement Application Form Personal History Form

Inside the Puzzle Palace, Again.

The Seal of the City of New Orleans

A couple of week ago we got a new property tax bill from the City of New Orleans. Like all of the previous ones it was wrong. It was a little better, it had the correct 2008 tax. Our homestead exemption had been applied to 2008 but not to 2007. The 2007 taxes were still wrong. No one could explain why one correction had been made and not the other. The only response was that it's only been three months since the last attempt to correct the records, wait two our three more months. Apparently when the records are updated all of the penalties are removed and you can simply pay the correct amount.

Since there were only a few days left before the February 1 deadline we hurried down to City Hall, property tax bill in hand to pay the now undisputed 2008 taxes.

When we got their we discovered their records had changed again. They now showed the 2008 property tax bill had been paid, but they couldn't tell us who paid it.
They could only tell us it had been paid by personal check. They kept asking why we had made a partial payment implying that it was somehow our fault their records were incorrect.

This left us dazed and confused, to quote the Led Zepplin song. We couldn't determine whether the error was on the part of the city applying someone else's payment to our taxes, a gift from Ray or Erroll, or if in the worst of all possible worlds our mortgage company had taken it upon itself to pay the taxes, creating yet another controversey we will have to fight about.

Every since the incorrect tax bill had shown up we have been fighting with out mortgage company over paying the taxes. Our taxes are not escrowed, we pay them ourselves, so the mortgage companies only interest is in preventing a tax seizure. We have explained to them over the phone and in writing numerous time that the bill is in error , the bill should not be paid and that we were diligently working on it. They are dumber than a box of rocks.

Returning home Tuesday (Mardi Gras) someone purporting to be from the mortgage company left us a long message saying they they had paid our taxes.

Great, they have now overpaid my taxes by several hundred dollars, probably enough to pay next years taxes. Good luck getting any of it back.

Math is Necessary

Somewhere, someone, not long ago, in a blog not far away, and wrote something about teaching useless math. I wrote this comment in response. Because it was late at night and I wasn't sure I was being fair. I hope I pulled it. I pasted it here. I lost the original reference so here it goes.

As an Architect I use all of that stupid math stuff all the time. I even occasionally use the Calculus I learned. That is the least important result of my education in mathematics.

I have discovered over many years that knowing math is important in every day life. It teaches people organized, abstract thought. People with good math understanding are much better at problem analysis and problem solving.

I wish people understood better the relationship between real world problem solving and the ability to think at the higher levels of abstraction necessary for basic mathematics (as opposed to arithmetic which way too many people don't understand).

Maitri has expressed her belief that the Scientific Method should taught more rigorously. I learned a similar, more general more intuitive method of problem solving, called The Design Process. Everyone needs to learn these kinds of abstract process. They are all versions of critical thinking and analysis. I'm all for that.

A related thought I see often expressed is that teacher's have to "Teach to the Test".

I had the benefit of an upper middle class upbringing with both parents at home. All of my father's family were college educated.

It was simply expected in my family that after High School (public - Hahnville) we would go to the college of our choice. Finances weren't a problem in those days because state colleges were much less expensive than they are now. That is a tragedy and a subject for another day.

I wonder how we are to achieve a responsive education system if there is not some form of testing. If we applied the modern methods of quality control pioneered by W. Edwards Deming, we would be testing continuously, providing feedback into the education process.

According to George W. Bush;

There are some who will say, well, we can't have the test because all they'll do is teach the test. Well, I went to a writing class here in this school, and they were teaching the children to write, and therefore, they were able to pass the test.

The issue to me is more of appropriate testing. If testing isn't predictive of results, then the testing is flawed. If the testing predicts poor results and are validated, then the process is flawed. There needs to be continuous feed back into the testing and the educational process. Testing is Quality Control.

Again George W. Bush;

You teach a child to read and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test. I don't buy teaching the test as an excuse to have a system that doesn't hold people accountable for results.

I find it hard to dispute these statements. What I find hard to accept is the assumption that any standardized testing is bad. I've never been in an academic setting where some kind of testing isn't conducted. In the real world people are continuously tested and evaluated on their performance, except perhaps in some insular areas of government and academia where life tenancy is the norm.

No one, for example, gets into Law School without and LSAT. No one gets into a graduate program without a GRE. There is the MCAT for Medical School.

Again George W. Bush:

"Teaching a child to read, teaching a child to comprehend, is not teaching to a test, it is teaching a child so the child can pass a reading comprehension test."

I've read a lot about testing inhibiting teachers ability to teach. There are a lot of opinions by the professional educational establishment that testing is Baad. I've found very little scientific evidence to back those opinions up. Posting links to valid statistical studies of the results of standardized testing in welcomed.

In New Orleans there has been very little evidence that teachers were actually teaching. It has been widely acknowledged that our public school system was dysfunctional for years. I remember several years ago (before there was mandatory testing) that the Times Picayune published standardized test scores for New Orleans Public School students. What those tests showed was that upon entry the students were at the nation average and every year they were exposed to the New Orleans Public Schools every cohort fell behind.

If the testing is inappropriate, don't eliminate the requirement for testing, modify the testing to conform to verifiable results, not to the wishful thinking of some. This fallacy is demonstrated by the High School Diploma fetish. Years ago some economic studies indicated that if a person had a High School Diploma, they had significantly higher lifetime earnings. "The powers that be" decided that if more people got High School Diplomas, those people would do better economically. Unfortunately "the powers that be" confused the "earning" of a diploma and the education that required with simply "awarding" a diploma. As a result a High School Diploma lost any credibility as a mark of accomplishment.

I realize that children without the advantages I had face steep and daunting obstacles to achieving a mainstream lifestyle. We should be honest with their parents about the work necessary to achieve their goals. We should support these families at risk. We should not lie to them with false promises or false expectations.

I don't know if the current education "system" in New Orleans will succeed. I do know the ancien regime wasn't working. Something new and radical was necessary.

Cerasoli 's Jobs

I decided to check out the City web site to see if the City is advertising for the positions recently approved for the new Inspector General's Office.

I went to the Cityofno.com and looked up the Civil Service Commission. This is what I found;

Welcome to the Civil Service Website . . .

The Civil Service Commission is the policy-making body that exercises oversight of activities of the City Civil Service Department. It is a quasi-judicial body with the power to make rules which have the force and effect of law. It decides employee appeals of disciplinary action and adopts rules and establishes polices that regulate the conduct of labor and management in the merit system.

The Civil Service Department is responsible for the overall administration of the personnel function in city government.

Office hours:
Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Department of City Civil Service
Room 7W03 City Hall
1300 Perdido Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
phone: (504) 658-3500
fax: (504) 658-3599

Applications for Employment in Civil Service positions with the City of New Orleans are taken for specific positions for which we anticipate vacancies. The announcements for these positions are posted outside of our City Hall office. Persons wishing more information on how to apply and on which applications we are currently accepting should contact our Recruitment Division at 504-658-3516.

Lisa Hudson, Personnel Director / William R. Forrester, Jr., Commission Chairman

I wonder how anyone except insiders finds out about the jobs. I checked the Louisiana Works web site and found a number of governmental jobs, but none identified the City of New Orleans as the employer.

I have not yet begun to fight.

John Paul Jones charging from "Bonhomme Richard" to the British "Serapis"

Recently there has been much consternation about the ruling of U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval, dismissing the class-action lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over levee breaches after Hurricane Katrina.

Judge Stanwood, as reported by AP also had some choice words for the corps saying

... the agency "cast a blind eye" in protecting New Orleans and "squandered millions of dollars in building a levee system ... which was known to be inadequate by the Corps' own calculations."

But, Duval said, "it is not within the Court's power to address the wrongs committed. It is hopefully within the citizens of United States' power to address the failures of our laws and agencies."

Duval agreed that legal and bureaucratic change is required.

"The byzantine funding and appropriation methods for this undertaking were in large part a cause of this failure," the judge said, referring to the politics-riddled process Congress has for funding Corps projects.

The Flood Control Act is counterproductive, Duval said, because it negates incentives for good government workmanship and creates an environment where "gross incompetence receives the same treatment as simple mistake."

He is inviting higher courts to find a way to fix this. Whether they will on not is "over his pay grade". Hopefully they will.

The legal battle has just begun.

Pretty much every lawyer I've talked to has said that the only real hope is to get a higher court to find a reason to rule that the Flood Protection Act is wrong, flawed, unconstitutional or interpreted improperly.

That is the job of the higher courts. Maybe this judge has done us a favor by dismissing on those grounds now, leading to a speedy appeal.

If the case were tried it would take years and the same appeal would still be filed by the Corps. If we're lucky the appeal will succeed and the case remanded to the lower court to try.