Chapter 414

Lu Fan received the Municipal Party Secretary's "summons" and was about to get up when Municipal Political and Legal Committee Secretary Chen Zijun walked in.

"Zijun, what wind blew you here? Come sit, let me pour you some good tea!" Lu Fan greeted enthusiastically.

Chen Zijun smiled and said, "Come over to report work!"

"What kind of report is this with me? Say what's up first; let's discuss it!"

Then I won't beat around the bush: our Political and Legal Committee's deputy secretary Pan Shanglong is worth cultivating; he's relatively mature in all aspects, and see if this adjustment offers a chance to promote him. After freeing up a position, we can rotate within the Committee to boost everyone's enthusiasm—we haven't adjusted personnel in years, and the Committee feels like stagnant water.

This is the responsibility and duty of being the "big boss"—helping everyone settle matters; otherwise, the team is hard to lead.

Lu Fan thought for a moment and asked, "How about the Political and Legal Committee Secretary of Hongqi County?"

Chen Zijun hesitated and said, "Mayor, Pan Shanglong has served as the Municipal Political and Legal Committee Secretary for several years; he can shoulder half the burden in his unit. If possible, could we strive for a leading position in a municipal-direct unit?"

Lu Fan nodded and said, "That depends on the opportunity; I happen to be going to see Secretary Ruifang, where we should discuss personnel adjustments—I'll 'seize the gap' and let you know my news."

"Okay, thank you, Mayor!"

"Let's not stand on ceremony!"

On the way to the Municipal Party Committee, Lu Fan reviewed the city's vacant posts and felt that the Municipal Industry and Information Technology Bureau and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission could be contested.

Yao Qian saw Lu Fan and immediately came out, saying, "Mayor Lu has arrived; the Secretary is waiting for you." She then led Lu Fan to Li Ruifang's office.

After the tea was prepared, Yao Qian withdrew, and Li Ruifang smiled, saying, "How does it feel after going to the City Government?"

Lu Fan replied, "The work feels more concrete—just one word: busy!"

"If the executive vice mayor is idle, it means we have problems in Yingjiang! Zhao Tao just came to see me, discussed some work, and bears quite a grudge against you!"

Lu Fan helplessly said, "There are some differences in our views, Secretary. I firmly believe that the government going it alone no longer suits the new situation where the public's demand for diversified public services and increasingly complex social problems arise. Only through division of labor and positive interaction among government, market, and society can the economy be developed well. The government must maintain necessary restraint, outsourcing what it is not good at or cannot do well to society and enterprises, so that the effect will be better. For the 45,000-square-meter commercial development, I don't think the government has the capability to develop and operate it well; pursuing investment promotion is more appropriate, and the government can fully guarantee the business environment and supporting facilities."

Li Ruifang smiled slightly and said, "What about the sports center project? Some events of the National Games are to be held in Yingjiang, which we have strived hard to win."

Lu Fan replied, "I don't oppose this project, but I think we need scientific planning, acting within our means, and fully consider the scale, terrain, and post-event functionality and benefit maximization of the sports venues. If we simply spend over ten billion yuan just for the National Games and then leave those venues idle, that's 'slapping a swollen face to look fat'—putting the cart before the horse, the common people will curse, and fiscal funds cannot be wasted like that!"

Therefore, we must consider the post-National Games development and utilization of sports venues, letting a stadium become the center of the surrounding sports-fitness, living, and business circles—absolutely not just build and abandon! My personal opinion remains to pursue investment promotion; if the government were to operate those venues, I estimate it would likely lose money year after year, becoming a bottomless pit!

Li Ruifang nodded and said, "The current economic recovery still faces many challenges, with revenues and expenditures still tightly balanced; we should indeed manage the purse strings carefully, live through tight days, ensure every penny is spent on the cutting edge and critical points—especially on safeguarding livelihoods, helping enterprises relieve difficulties, and stimulating investment—truly achieving 'spend money and ask for effectiveness, no effectiveness and ask for responsibility.'"

Regarding these projects, the municipal government must reach a unified opinion before submitting it to the Standing Committee for study. Lu Fan, this year's wind power indicators have been issued; this work cannot be delayed, as the top leaders of the provincial Party Committee and provincial government are paying attention!

Lu Fan pondered and then spoke frankly: "Secretary, wind power indicators are precious; my view is that any enterprise wanting to obtain Yingjiang's quota must contribute to Yingjiang's economic development, must have supporting, sustainable manufacturing projects, must provide an investment guarantee, and must contribute tax revenue, output value, and employment to Yingjiang—absolutely cannot let them 'get something for nothing'!"

Lu Fan was speaking from the perspective of Yingjiang's people's interests; Li Ruifang found it hard to say anything, she weighed her words and said, "Your starting point is good, but superiors' directives and intentions must also be implemented. You must understand that without higher-level support and recognition, our work is like a castle in the air—meaningless."

Lu Fan replied, "Secretary, I have basically gotten to know the enterprises in the project planning pool; they are strong and already have many projects to implement. If we strive hard, those projects could land in Yingjiang and benefit Yingjiang. Please give me a chance, Secretary, to play the 'bad cop' and first talk with these enterprises. I will keep within bounds and strive to secure the maximum benefits for Yingjiang within the limited space. If it truly cannot be done, I will not cause trouble for you and Yingjiang."

Li Ruifang nodded and said, "Mutual benefit makes good cooperation; I will also communicate with those enterprises. Ah, wanting to get things done inevitably involves friction and offending people. Lu Fan, you must keep your measure—some people really don't need to be offended. Without some backing, the former Yongjiang secretary and the previous Hua provincial governor won't easily buy into it!"

After discussing the project matters, Li Ruifang brought up personnel adjustments again, saying, "At the next provincial Party Standing Committee meeting, they will study the municipal Party secretary-general, the Zibei County Party secretary, and the county head; there should be no surprises. Next, we need to fill the vacant posts in the city properly. Now we need to consider who will let the municipal People's Congress serve as vice chairperson, ideally adjusting everything at once. Do you have any suggestions?"

Lu Fan replied, "The age structure of the county and district teams is already reasonable; we should select from the leading positions of municipal-direct departments, and I will follow the secretary and the Municipal Party Committee's decision."

Li Ruifang asked, "How about the director of the Commerce Bureau?"

Lu Fan after a brief consideration said, "He has served as a deputy at the county/district level and has been the Commerce Bureau director for some years; he is a suitable candidate."

Thus, the vacant posts are: chairman of the Disabled Persons' Federation, deputy head of the Organization Department, director of the City Highway Station, deputy director of the Development and Reform Commission, deputy secretary of the Hongqi County Party Committee, and the four top leaders of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, Industry and Information Technology Bureau, Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, and Commerce Bureau; plus, some posts in the Standing Committee departments need adjustment, which is also a considerable adjustment. The Disabled Persons' Federation is recommended by Si Daiqiang; the Organization Department lets Ziqiang decide; the City Highway Station director is to be Liu Ning, deputy county chief of Anbao County; the deputy secretary of the Hongqi County Party Committee is to be Yang Minghao; then the Political and Legal Committee Secretary of Hongqi County and the deputy county chief of Anbao County become vacant again. Lu Fan, do you have any suitable cadre recommendations?

Lu Fan thought and said, "The Political and Legal Committee's deputy secretary Pan Shanglong has solid political qualities, superb business ability, and a down-to-earth work style; Secretary, could you consider placing him in the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, Industry and Information Technology Bureau, Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, and Commerce Bureau for training? As for the other posts, I can't think of any suitable candidates at the moment."

As long as it's a bureau chief, Li Ruifang can accept; she then said, "Let him go to the Commerce Bureau to get some exposure to economic work."

November 15, Yingjiang Municipal Government convened an executive meeting, earnestly implementing the provincial Party Committee and provincial government's meeting arrangements, analyzing and researching the city's economic operation, deploying and arranging current key work, and making every effort to consolidate and strengthen the momentum of sustained economic recovery and improvement. Mayor Zhao Tao chaired the meeting.

At the meeting, the Municipal Development and Reform Commission and the Municipal Industry and Information Technology Bureau respectively reported on the city's economic operation, conducted a penetrating analysis of major indicator trends, and put forward work suggestions; each county and district likewise reported on economic operation and indicator assessment, clarifying the key points and supporting measures for the next steps.

Zhao Tao pointed out that we must spare no effort to secure a strong finish to this year's various tasks, put in greater hardship, strive for more indicators to rebound quickly, spare no effort to achieve the best results and deliver a qualified answer sheet, realize the annual economic and social development goals, and Yingjiang must enter the provincial first echelon; this task is to be led and overseen by Comrade Lu Fan!

Lu Fan, as the executive vice mayor in charge of economic work, naturally could not shirk responsibility, and straightforwardly took on this 'thankless task'.

The third agenda item: study the special action to rectify non-coal mines. This is routine work proposed by Lu Fan, and no one would raise objections.

The fourth item: study the request document titled 'Application for the Municipal Public Security Bureau to Recruit 130 Detention Care Personnel.'

Vice Mayor Ye Chen detailed the current status and needs of detention care work, emphasized the importance of detention care personnel in maintaining social stability and ensuring judicial fairness, and reported the number of recruits, post requirements, salary and benefits, etc., for this recruitment.

After Ye Chen finished reporting, Lu Fan directly stated, "Detention care work is heavy in responsibility and arduous in task; the municipal government should provide strong personnel support for high-quality development of public security work, and I personally express my agreement."

Next, the Standing Committee vice mayors Yang Shaokai, Bian Jide, Li Xiaoya, and Gao Ke all expressed agreement, while Zheng Kai and Wang Wenfu had ambiguous attitudes.

Zhao Tao, seeing this, said, "Since all comrades support it, let it pass. Please have the Public Security Bureau strictly follow the relevant regulations, organize and implement the detention care personnel recruitment according to procedure, and after revising and improving the recruitment methods, costs, and implementation measures, submit it to the Mayor's Office Meeting for study."

The fifth agenda item: heard a report on the situation regarding the pricing scheme for Yingjiang City's urban-rural public bus fares and taxi operating rates.

Zhao Tao pointed out that taxis are an important means of daily travel for the broad masses of citizens and also a window of urban civilization; the Municipal Transportation Bureau should further strengthen market supervision, strictly implement fare adjustments according to the plan; it should also strengthen law enforcement supervision of the taxi industry, enhance industry self-discipline, further improve taxi drivers' civilized service awareness, and create a good operating atmosphere.

So far, the meeting has proceeded harmoniously, with all agenda items passed unanimously.