12/15/11
Two meetings ago, Shorewood's Council directed staff to assist a resident to send out a petition they had developed asking the City to extend water to their area so as to resolve a local well issue with arsenic. Further, staff was to include an invitation to a public meeting during which the petitioner and staff could present facts about such extension. So, what actually happened?
Staff prepared a mailing list and labels for properties that might be passed by a water mail extension. So far, good. Then, staff used City resources to provide copies of the petition and accompanying literature (propaganda from the NRDC, a lobbying group) including, the mailing envelopes. Then, staff used the City postage meter to meter and mail the petitions. Last two not good.
Also not good was that the invitation to the public awareness meeting was never developed or sent out.
From what the Insider hears from various sources, some residents who've received the mailings are very unhappy about misuse of City resources and the information supplied.
It appears the City is now in damage control mode.
The real question and problem seems to surround the fuzzy direction given to staff by Mayor Lizee in the motion that approved City involvement. It's the Mayor's job to make certain that motions are clear and understood. She did not do this and it's not the first time.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Ok, I cannot help myself: So the mayor's motion was unclear, is staff incapable of asking for clarification? Have they never handled this type of thing before? Do they not know their boundaries? And who is this "mysterious" staff anyway? Start naming names so the residents know what's going on. Give me a break.
ReplyDeleteIs Council also incapable of asking the questions or don't they really want to know? Lizee pontificates that we have the best staff, yet they can't seem to get these simple issues resolved -- but yet, she appears willing to "hire out" these same planning and engineering professionals to other cities? Seriously!!
ReplyDeleteThey can't do their job here, but have enough time to be "hired out" --- perhaps Shorewood is over-staffed.