Privately, many call her “Triple M” and criticize her management style that led to painful job cuts and fear among employees, but Town Manager Marianna Marysheva-Martinez says she has dealt with the major financial issues of the Town as best she could and now focuses on employee and citizen relations.
At the last Town Council meeting, Martinez stood up to say that Mammoth “has an excellent staff.” She said issues in the Town of Mammoth are the same as those in very large cities. Martinez pointed to the economy as the underlying problem, not the employees. Critics of Town government have pointed to what they see as high salaries and an expensive bureaucracy. Martinez said once the economy improves, “we won’t have these discussions.”
The Town Manager defended her decision to hire a Community and Economic Development Director. She said, “We can’t sit on our hands.” She said the Community and Economic Development Director will come to Mammoth with experience on how to keep existing businesses and attract new ones. Martinez said the money to pay the $226,000 cost for the new director will come from the unfilled Assistant Town Manager position. She also pointed to the expanded internet service under Digital 395 and the fact that Mammoth has private land that could be used by business.
Martinez said she believes what is lacking is “communication with businesses. Based on comments I have heard,” she said, “it’s clear that it’s a mystery what’s in our budget.”
The Town Manager said she has made it her “personal responsibility to walk business to business and get their ideas.” She emphasized that it is not helpful to question and criticize what the staff does. She said, “This doesn’t help morale. Everyone has taken salary reductions of 10 to 20%. We need to celebrate them.”
In response to an admitted and serious morale problem among Town employees, Martinez has made it a point to bring workers for introductions at Town Council meetings and to defend their efforts. Another human touch from Martinez at the last meeting – her 3 1/2 year old twins, Tolik and Marisha, led the pledge of allegiance. Community members, she had said, would take part in that meeting ritual in the future.
Just more us against them Government.will continue as long as you keep putting the same guy in the right side chair of our counsel.Has anyone noticed how John Eastman never rotates his chair? HMMM The godfather only gets older and the towns agenda continues to Follow. Look at the 2… Read more »
it seems like she creates a huge smokescreen while all the issues that are immediatly important to mammoths well being are sidelined,mammoth is a wonderful ski area and a beautiful place to fish and visit during the summer,build on that
@ Big Rick of course she didn’t take a cut in pay,,,,, only the little people got cuts. It is amazing that no matter how broke the city of Mammoth is the people at the top always find money for what they want, but make all the employees take pay… Read more »
Pssssst! Hate to break your bubble, but most people don’t know just how much money exists in this town. Megabucks in fact. Unfortunately what is slowly happening is that the town is headed towards a Carmel, Tiburon, or Los Altos scenario where sooner or later only the wealthiest can afford… Read more »
Dance on The Volcano…
People have forgotten the cluster earthquakes and threat of volcanic eruption. I remember when I could buy a place in Mammoth for $25,000 and I didn’t want it.
Mother Nature (1), Millionaire Mecca (0)
smirk… 😉
That 226,000.00 could have paid for 2 more cops for an entire year. It is a sad situation when a broke community will pay out that kind of $$$ to advise them how to bring in more $$$. Robbing Peter to pay Paul…and BTW, did MMM take a 10,20% pay… Read more »
“did MMM take a 10,20% pay cut along with the rest ?”
Nope