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Century Buys Hams; $495 Newspaper Holiday Greeting Ads
December 8, 2009
At their regular Monday night meeting, the Century Town Council voted to buy about $750 worth of hams, and $495 in holiday greeting ads.
The town will purchase 24 hams for employees and council members, plus one extra ham to be served at town hall just prior to Christmas. The hams are a holiday tradition; they are purchased each year as Christmas gifts for the town’s employees and council members. The total estimated cost will be $750 for the hams.
The council also voted to spend $495 for Christmas and New Year’s greeting ads in the Tri-City Ledger. The council will run a half page ad Christmas Eve ad with a photo of the council for $330 and an additional New Year’s Eve half page ad for $165. The council was presented with other advertising options by the weekly newspaper, including a quarter page ad for $165, a 3-column by 5-inch ad for $75 or a 2-column by 5-inch ad for $50.
Comments
30 Responses to “Century Buys Hams; $495 Newspaper Holiday Greeting Ads”
IMO — If the citizens do not care enough about their own town to go to the city meetings or call their council members to let them know what they want, why would you want to waste more tax payers money (at .42 cents a letter, plus cost of paper and envelopes) If the citizens DO NOT CARE???? I do not get it! We have a packed house in our meeting every time we meet so that everyone can voice their concers…>Why is it no one that lives there care??
All of that just goes to the whole “think before you type” motto!
This town counsel is a joke. We live in a community were more than the majority can’t catch a break and can’t afford a nice meal. Why don’t you use the money to try and bring industry or maybe a few businesses/jobs to the area. Or send some Christmas cards to the local businesses that are working hard to stay open.
Century town counsel should make national headlines as the biggest joke in the south. There ain’t one of you that can make a decision to save your life. And here is another fine example. Why don’t you use the $ to send a letter to all the residents asking what they want to see happen in the upcoming year and what you as a counsel can do for the community.
Or you can send yourselves a TRADITIONAL pig (coincidence) for your holiday. Or how about a pig and a raise because you’all deserve it.
Ripoff, Your late fees you pay don’t go to the ads honey, they go to pay the fees they incur on your NOT PAYING YOUR BILL! They are not a bank…They have already paid for the water you used, you are reimbursing them!
Tina, After cutting the benefits of the council you would complain that they get a simple ham???? Talk about greedy! You are mad they didn’t come to your house. How is the town going pick and choose who they give to “out in the town”? That’s a lose/win situation. At least a needy family would get something, but 90% of the folks would be mad THEY didn’t get it. Everyone thinks they are more needy than the other.
Trish, Are you the only one that sounds like you have a brain! Bless your heart! I am glad that I moved away from the shallow thinking of the Century minds.
Me-me—I do not think this spending (under $1000) would have saved the schools, heck that would not even pay 1/2 a month for 1 single teacher. Please think before you type!
Peter– you are so right about the hams! They are welcomed for the hard working workers and for the council which seems to get NO SUPPORT from the towns people., and are looked upon as scum. It is sad!
I live in a town about the size of Brewton in another state. We have a council that makes $1000 a month (whereas you only pay your poor council members a mere $200 or a little over, don’t forget NO INSURANCE) and you treat them like they do nothing and that they are scum of the earth. I feel sorry for the hard working council, I have served one term in our town, BUT stepped down because I was tired of being under the microscope every time I blowed my nose. And here at least we APPRECIATE the council, even when they make decisions that we may not fully agree with. All these complainers here are always out for blood–no matter which decision is made. This poor council (past, present and I am sure future) seems to be doomed to only lose/lose decisions. Is it because so many do not know what goes on in city government? How many have attended more than one meeting? I called my local paper here in town and to run an ad during the holidays (half page) was $850. And yes, Our water, electric, and gas was running and ad. 1/2 pages except our water which ran a full page. I asked our newspaper how they could justify the cost and was told “They have an advertising budget and the money has to be spent by the new year”
You wonder why it is the ones that have money that serve as doormats (I mean city council reps)….Because those that need a job for money would not work this high stress-no pay job! Quit acting like teen age kids bickering and learn more how towns are run!
why do they need a ham? be thankfull you have a job.
To Bob: If you’ll email me (link is on my blog) I can put you in touch with a local church that is sponsoring a family for Christmas. I’m sure they would welcome your help!
I intend to bring this before the council, but I’ll post here as well in case any of our council members read this. I will not fault the council for the money spent on advertising or hams. However, we do have 2 playgrounds in our city (one at Showalter Park and the other at the Old Carver Community Center) Which are in need of repair. With volunteer help from the community to do the actual labor, I’m sure $500 would go a long way to purchasing the needed to make these repairs. Just something to think on.
Compare the readership of the Tri-city Ledger vs that of Northescambia…it’s a no brainer as to where the advertising dollars would be best spent! Not many people seem to read the newspaper ads. Times are changing!
U people have got to be kidding! The employees of Century take a boat load of “….” from customers in Century. You use water, sewer, and gas then complain about the bill and swear that you didn’t do it! I suppose there are “white ghosts” that are running up your tab! Hilarious! Get a life! Get a job! Pay you bill!
Maybe Ms. Laugh’em outta town Tina should realize pensacola just changed their Government because they wanted a ” BOSS HOGG” type mayor. The Employees certainly deserve a Ham for christmas. They might make a mistake sometimes but they are there when we need help!!!
I can’t stand seeing so many selfish people in one town. You people complain that you have to pay for water in which you use to bath and cook and for gas in which you use to keep warm and also use to cook with. This town can not win for losing. If you packed your bags and moved away from Century, I can almost guarantee that you will return, because compared to all the surrounding areas you would not be able to make it. How would be able to survive anywhere else, when most of you complain about what you are paying here in Century, when we have the lowest utility rates here in Century. If your work place offered you something for your appreciation for working for their business, I am pretty sure that you would take advantage of that offer. If you or any of your relatives worked for The Town of Century and was offered a free ham, then I do not think you would be complaining about receiving that free ham. I do agree that the ad the council is wanting to purchase is too much, when they claim that they are trying to watch their budget.
sound like the good ole boys has won again.let the town buy the hams and misread your gas meters.but they had no say in keeping our schools open for our children oops sorry most of the employee in century doesnt have children going to school in florida.
I agree with Century resident. Christmas is Christmas and a little something from employer is nice. Save the $495.00 for next year it will draw a little interest [maybe]
Give me a break! People are not seriously complaining about employees getting a stinking ham for Christmas? They are probably from the honey baked ham place. It’s Christmas …..
good grief
While the bickering goes on and on I have a point to make. Three days ago my family decided to forego any christmas for ourselves in lieu of giving to a needy family. I started to make some calls to inquire who could have taken the initiative to compile a list from Atmore,Century, Flomaton. To my utter amazement this list does not exist. Surely this should be a wake up call for some civic group to take the lead in future years to see that this does not happen again. As for the hams for Century, who could resent such a gift for these people.Not many of you people that complain the most would trade places with any of these folks.
Ya’ll need to get a grip on reality!
MD – Rent a billboard – have you ever priced one? You better have a heck of a lot more than $495. Several thousand is more like it. Call a phone number on an empty billboard and find out.
As far as advertising. Show me a town/city that does not do something similar. And yes, Pensacola does it, look at Energy Services of Pensacola. What better way to promote what you are selling than to advertise. It is what makes the world go around.
Give outs! There are so many programs to give away food, heaters, blankets, etc. How many families out there hit everyone of these charities and get every last thing they can cart home? Some believe they are due it. I believe in giving to someone who is truly in need.
i bought a nice sized ham, spiral sliced for $12 at walmart….wow! wonder what a $31 ham looks like and wonder if it tastes any better????????????
Hams for employees and for a Christmas dinner $750 Dollars. Ads for a newspaper that cost .50 cents $495 Dollars. Total cost 495.50 Dollars..Priceless I think not… Take that money for the ads ang go to the store buy some canned goods and give it to the people that needs it…
WHY NOT take this money, find a few needy families and provide them a nice CHRISTMAS MEAL and maybe a nice jacket for some children, how about some warm blankets for some elderly people, how about a nice care package for some homeless people?
If I were a receiver of one of these hams, I would donate it to a needy family!!
Shame on you all for taking such an expensive gift!!
And even more so for AN AD?? WHAT??
This Town Council is a bigggggggg JOKE, I’m so glad I don’t live there, I would cause such a ruckus with this “council”
this council would be laughed out of their seats in Pensacola
Almost reminds me of the “dukes of hazzard” with BossHog being the mayor, banker, sheriff, town council………
I don’t think the hams are a problem. But the ads? $495 to advertise on two days when few people probably look at the paper? People do other things on Christmas and New Years day.
Why not advertise on northescambia.com? The ads could run over several days and sure reach a lot more people? We know more people look at northescambia every day than reads the paper on a holiday.
I noticed Century Pharmacy ran ads and pictures from their open house this weekend and they had a great even because everyone saw the ads.
This is a shame that people have to complain over the City spending 31.00 a ham and giving to the employees. Most hams are between 12 and 15 pounds generally. That is approx. $2.00 per pound.
Many employers buy things like turkeys and hams and give to their employees during the holidays.
Why not argue and bicker about something that merits the arguing and bickering. If they want to advertise during the holidays it would probably be cheaper to rent a billboard, everyone entering and leaving the town would catch a glimpse.
This Century Town Council is a joke. . . .just glad I don’t live there!!
Ham’s OK. $495 ads is not spending money wisely.
Does no one else think that $750 for 24 hams is a little excessive? That equates to a little over $31 per ham.
Now given that the average ham given to employees at Christmas time in my past experience weighs around 10 pounds, these hams would cost over $3.00 per pound. Last time I was at Walmart, Smithfield hams were selling for around $1.50 per pound for a end cut and .99 per pound for shank portions. So it appears that a little frugal shopping could either purchase twice the number of hams and provide the extras to the needy, or they could spend half of the proposed $750 to purchase hams solely for the employees and save a few tax dollars.
Sounds like CTC is bending ya’ll over the proverbial pork barrel.
This is what all of those late fees you get on your water bill pays for.
I for one still read the Tri-City Ledger. It’s kind of like history compared to north escambia. I get all of my real news from north escambia, but I read the Tri-City Ledger every week to find out what bad thing has happened Janet Cooper. It’s hilarious.
For $330, you could mail a Christmas card to every resident, and everyone would see their card. Or do an insert in the gas and water bill. I don’t know too many people that still read the paper.
Wouldn’t $500on the tri city ledger be better spent helping a needy family?
$330 to buy an ad in a section of the paper with letters to Santa on Christmas Eve? How stupid is that.
Running an ad in a section of the paper with letters to Santa is bad. Nobody will look at the ad, just the cute letters. The letters are way too cool. It’s Christmas Eve too. How many holiday traditions include looking at the weeky rag on Christmas Eve? People won’t look at it until after Christmas. Plus, if they do look at the ad, do you think they will remember it? People are in a hurry on Christmas Eve and won’t ever remember seeing that ad.
Unless they get mad about using their TAX money to publish council pictures so they can see themselves. Guess you’ve got to toss some money toward the media to keep em happy.
Maybe the are buying $500 in ads from the newspaper so the newspaper will give them better coverage.
Just remember folks — when your gas is cut off on cold night because you could not pay the bill — your town gas company spent $500 buying newspaper ads instead of help you.
shame, shame.
You’ve got to be kidding me!!! $495 to run ads in the newspaper? That’s what I pay my taxes and my high gas bill for? So they can see their pictures in the paper?
I don’t have a problem with the hams. People deserve something at Christmas.
But why the ad in a paper? Who still reads the paper?