Chapter 378

After returning to the office, the three deputy secretary-generals came separately to report work; many matters required Secretary-General Lu Fan to make the final decision.

They had no objection to Lu Fan's arrival; rather, they were pleased to see him succeed, everyone hoping the "parent" would be formidable, so the three deputy secretary-generals were deferential toward Lu Fan, treating themselves as subordinates, each bringing tea.

Deputy Secretary-Generals Ma Xiao and Liao Zhou implicitly expressed their intention to "seek another patron," as serving as an acting vice mayor offered no real prospects.

Lu Fan did not refuse their request, saying he would consider it when adjusting responsibilities.

Next, seven section chiefs and twelve deputy section chiefs came up with various pretexts to report work to Lu Fan, mainly to "pay respects," at the very least to get familiar with the leadership.

Lu Fan had no airs of authority or arrogance; he interacted with a smile, treated people equally and warmly, chatted briefly with everyone, encouraging them to work diligently, speak with results, and win people over through effectiveness.

While everyone observed Lu Fan, he also gathered information about his colleagues through various channels.

March 23, Provincial Finance Department Party Secretary and Director Han Guishan came to Yingjiang City for research.

Lu Fan accompanied Mayor Li Ruifang as they waited at the Ganshui County highway exit; Ganshui County Party Secretary Guo Xiaopeng, County Chief Zhang Qianyuan, and Finance Bureau Director Huang Ruiqi accompanied them.

Watching Lu Fan in Ganshui and the Ganshui cadres chatting and laughing easily, Li Ruifang could sense that everyone respected Lu Fan from the heart.

Lu Fan called County Party Secretary Guo Xiaopeng aside and said softly, "Xiaopeng, I plan to recommend Huang Ruiqi for the City Finance Bureau and Zhou Jian of Stone Bridge Town for other counties; there may be some hope. Let's discuss this privately. You can make preliminary plans for the two vacant positions, and you need to recommend them to the Municipal Party Committee."

Guo Xiaopeng laughed and said, "Thank you, Secretary-General, for your integrity and constant concern for Ganshui; even when you benefit, you think of us. As for the two vacant positions, do you have any specific instructions, Secretary-General?"

Lu Fan replied, "If you're not in the position, don't worry about its affairs; just consider candidates from a work perspective."

Soon after, Han Guishan's vehicle exited the expressway, and Li Ruifang went forward to greet him.

"Welcome, Director, for coming to inspect and guide our work; we've been eagerly awaiting you!"

Han Guishan smiled and said, "Sorry to disturb Mayor Li Ruifang's work; Secretary Hong Tao assigned us the task of visiting each city."

Li Ruifang warmly replied, "Director, you're a distinguished guest we couldn't invite even if we tried; how could we call it a disturbance?"

Seeing Lu Fan, Han Guishan said, "Mayor Li Ruifang is capable and demanding; you must be diligent and responsible, serving the leadership well!"

Lu Fan hurriedly said, "Welcome, Director; please rest assured, I will be conscientious and fulfill my duties!"

Han Guishan went to the Ganshui Finance Bureau, inspected the grassroots financial office environment, engaged in deep exchanges with financial staff and workers, thoroughly understood the county's economic progress and cadre team building, and extended warm condolences to frontline financial cadres at the grassroots level.

Han Guishan pointed out that county-level finance is an important foundation ensuring the operation of grassroots governance, county economic development, improvement of basic livelihoods, and maintenance of social stability, playing a significant role in achieving long-term national peace and security.

Han Guishan demanded that the finance department, following Secretary Hong Tao's speech at the Provincial Finance Department, position itself for the broader development agenda, focus on its financial functions, and fully serve high-quality county economic and social development. It should concentrate on its core financial responsibilities, identify entry points, focal points, and points of effort, and exhaust all efforts to resolve government debt.

Saying this, Han Guishan smiled and said, "Ganshui's government debt has been cleared to zero, its financial situation is excellent, and its work experience is worth promoting province-wide; this is what Secretary Hong Tao especially emphasized, which is why I came to Ganshui County."

In the afternoon, Han Guishan researched the Yingjiang City Finance Bureau, held a symposium, mainly still focusing on resolving government debt.

The banquet was grand; Secretary Li Mingzhou specially came to keep him company, giving Han Guishan ample face, and everyone chatted and laughed happily.

After the banquet, Secretary Li Mingzhou and Mayor Li Ruifang went to Han Guishan's room, naturally to seek funding.

At ten o'clock, after the leaders left, Lu Fan went to Han Guishan's room.

"Uncle Han, I brought you two glucose drinks to sober up."

Han Guishan laughed and said, "You're thoughtful, kid! Are you also coming as a lobbyist to ask me for money?"

"Uncle Han, as a cadre of Yingjiang, I naturally need to help the Municipal Party Committee and City Government solve problems; Mayor Li Ruifang gave me a dead order, so you at least have to let me report to the leadership, even if it's just a little increase!"

Han Guishan laughed, "I knew you'd come, kid; just now I didn't loosen my lips with Secretary Mingzhou, deliberately leaving a loophole, and added another 50 million. How about that? Can you now report back?"

Lu Fangu said excitedly, "Still, Uncle Han thinking of me means the mayor definitely won't say I'm ineffective; thank you for your support, Uncle Han!"

"You've done outstanding work these past two years, especially last year when you brought Ganshui into the province's top ten, which exceeded my expectations; I think in a few years you'll dare to surpass me!"

Lu Fan laughed and said, "How could that be? Everyone in the city is saying you're going to the Provincial Government. Uncle Han, give me a hint; otherwise my heart is in turmoil!"

"I'm not in a hurry; what are you anxious about?"

"But it's different; if you go to the Provincial Government, I'll work with confidence and vigor—who would dare to bully us?"

"You kid! Secretary Mingzhou should also be leaving soon, right?"

"Hmm, it's said to be adjusted in June."

"Pretty much; I didn't expect you to serve Li Ruifang—this step went well, but it's hard for most people to make it through; your luck is truly good, so be sure to seize the opportunity and keep pressing forward!"

The next day, Lu Fan reported his work results to Li Ruifang.

Upon hearing that an additional 50 million yuan in transfer payments had been secured, Li Ruifang beamed with joy and lavishly praised Lu Fan.

March 25, the Municipal Party Committee held a five-person group meeting to specifically study personnel adjustments in the City Government Office.

March 26, the Municipal Organization Department inspection team came to the City Government, conducted organizational assessments of Hu Kemian, Huang Yuan, and Duan Yongjiao, intending to appoint them as deputy division-level leaders in municipal directly affiliated units. At the same time, Ganshui County Finance Bureau Director Huang Ruiqi was slated for promotion to deputy director of the City Finance Bureau, and Ganshui County Stone Bridge Town Party Committee Secretary Zhou Jian was slated for promotion to deputy county chief of Xiuyan County.

After the dust settled, the section chiefs gave up, everyone refocused on work hoping to win the secretary-general's favor. They had already inquired in Ganshui and learned that Lu Fan's personnel style values only work, so they naturally sought to cater to that.

The ancients said, "Impartiality brings clarity; bias brings darkness." Lu Fan deeply understood that a righteous person must first rectify himself; leadership with integrity, staff with morale, and units with vitality! Using an upright and proper style to select and employ people requires holding a fair heart and harboring righteousness, so as to produce a clean atmosphere, staff enthusiasm, and public satisfaction.

Currently, the focus of the government office is the eight vacant section chief positions; once the section chiefs are in place, more than ten deputy section chiefs still need to be promoted.

Lu Fan's principle is to start from the actual work of cadres, select people according to the task, emphasizing virtue and talent, performance, and public opinion; adhering to the standard of choosing the best from the good and the strongest from the best, placing the most suitable person in the needed position, and objectively and fairly discovering, cultivating, recommending, and using cadres.

April 3, the three deputy secretary-generals completed the public notice period; the Municipal Organization Department issued documents, and they officially took up their posts, after which Lu Fan initiated the section-level cadre adjustment procedure.

April 4, while Lu Fan was reporting the section chief and deputy section chief selections in Mayor Li Ruifang's office, the director of the Internet Information Office, Wu Minye, rushed in anxiously and said, "Mayor, online public opinion has arisen: citizens and netizens complain that our city's parking fee standards are too high, parking space allocation is unreasonable, and fees are chaotic, etc.; now the video's likes and comments remain high, attracting nationwide attention and heated discussion among netizens."

Before Wu Minye could finish reporting, Municipal Party Secretary Li Mingzhou called, indicating that Secretary Hong Tao was monitoring the matter and demanding that the City Government immediately handle the public opinion incident and reduce the impact to the lowest possible level.

After hanging up, Li Ruifang opened her phone, found that video, and saw its views had reached several million, with some self-media already starting to steer the narrative.

Li Ruifang frowned and said, "Yingjiang's special status makes it prone to attract foreign media attention, leading to negative guidance; we have profound lessons in this regard. How to properly handle public opinion crises, enhance the guidance capability of online public opinion, and resolve public opinion crises is a major challenge in the government's public opinion response. Lu Fan, do you have any good suggestions?"

Those who have served as county party secretaries generally can handle changes without panic and respond calmly; Lu Fan immediately replied, "Mayor, public opinion comes in sudden, reporting, controversy, stray bullet, and complaining types. Different types have different characteristics; if the handling methods are inappropriate, the outcome will miss by a hair and be off by a thousand miles."

For this public opinion incident, I believe attitude matters more than ability; rather than covering up, it's better to be open and honest, grasp the source of the crisis, properly handle the event, be transparent, respond to skepticism with facts, and avoid 'small issues blowing up, big issues exploding.'

At the same time, public opinion response must adhere to the principle of immediate handling, not procrastinate; when responding, one should speak substantively, with a clear attitude, not be ambiguous or noncommittal, otherwise it only gives others more ammunition.

Li Ruifang nodded and said, "Lu Fan, you will take the lead in handling this; if necessary, the City Government can hold a press conference, and I can publicly apologize to netizens and the masses. When dealing with the problem, if action is needed, do not hold back; if there are illegal or disciplinary violations, they can be directly removed! The Internet Information Office will fully cooperate with Comrade Lu Fan's work."

Lu Fan fully understood that at critical moments one must be able to "step up"; without hesitation he accepted the task and said, "Mayor, matters should not be delayed; I will first go to the scene to have a look, and if media are present, I may issue a statement."

Li Ruifang instructed, "First clarify the problem and see if you have confidence in handling it properly; otherwise, when facing the media and making statements, leave room for maneuver, avoid overpromising, lest you give others a handle, fall into greater public opinion passivity, endure greater public opinion pressure, and pay a higher cost."

"Okay, Mayor, I will handle it as appropriate and keep you updated at all times."