4/3/12
Thanks to Brett Stursa and the "Lakeshore Weekly News" for reporting on the cost and details of Shorewood Administrator Heck's departure. The article is at: http://www.weeklynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=10&SubSectionID=10&ArticleID=10057&TM=44111.94
Ms. Stursa lists costs at over $50,000 and this does not include unemployment insurance costs that could go on for a year or more.
The article goes on to report on Mayor Lizee's rant about information getting to this blog. Obviously, Lizee is furious that she can't control information flow and manage what you, the readers, know about how she operates as Mayor.
The Insider pledges to keep reporting to you..
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Squeaks like a mouse in the corner, or squeaks like a deflating balloon?
ReplyDeleteBy what stretch of the imagination is the March 7 Insider post a violation of anything other than the First Amendment right to free speech? Oops, maybe Squeaky never heard of that?
ReplyDeleteWe can only thank the mayor for free blog publicity. I believe she has violated almost every tenet of political crisis management!
ReplyDeleteInsider, I am fearful that the Lizee-Zerby shenanigans all relate to the "powers that be" wanting to merge Shorewood with Excelsior. Lizee is just carrying on the unfinished business of former Mayor Woody Love.
ReplyDeleteIs this an unreasonable fear?
With the residents of Excelsior added in with residents of Shorewood, it would be far, far easier for developers to push through huge projects like the hotel, a lakeside pavilion, and a parking ramp. The Shorewood push for city water and trails would fit in with this.
Insider, what would it take for this merge to happen? Would Shorewood need a referendum, or could the four-vote block on the current council be enough, along with the approval of the Excelsior council?
Thre's one sure way to stop this: vet some new candidates and vote them into office in November.
DeleteI'm disturbed by Lizee's tantrum. I read the posts on this blog regarding Heck's departure and could not find anything that could not be learned outside of Council's executive session. Most of the information consisted of Mr. Heck's announcement to the city staff and subsequent blog posting. The costs of his departure posted here were clearly speculative (although quite accurate). Lizee's accusation that one of her colleagues's violated "a sacred trust" (give me a break!), is a direct attack on their integrity and completely out of line. It's hard to tell whether this is just a manifestation of her inherent mean streak or Nixon-like paranoia. She owes the rest of the council an apology.
ReplyDeleteHow about an apology to the constituents for making a foolish unfounded decision and then trying to cover it up with a public tantrum?
DeleteOr better than that mayor, when you are in a deep hole, quit digging!
Lizee states only council and the atty. attended the Mar. 5 Exec Session. So one has to conclude that since Mr. Heck was not in attendance his dismissal was done outside the "privilege" of that session. Now Lizee in an attempt to cover up a poorly handled situation, and avoid accepting responsibility, starts making unsubstantiated accusations of wrong doing? Perhaps she should go look in the mirror. I can't help but use Hotvet's quote .., "it's very disappointing an adult would behave like that". Seriously, the moral compass of this council is questionable.
ReplyDeleteI assume you were questioning the moral compass of the council four years ago. If you weren't, shame on you.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part I think Lizee is getting thru this with relatively little damage, just as the majority did four years ago. Lizee was in the minority four years ago and saw little outrage in the check writing that was done to push aside a 7-year city manager. Now she's using the same tactics Woodruff and company did, the difference is that there was no small group of dissenters complaining about it online four years ago. Most people didn't care four years ago that the city spent nearly $100,000 for Dawson to have a long vacation... most people don't care that Heck is getting a paid vacation, either.
And that's the bottom line.
Interesting comment... Are the votes that were cast to oust Dawson public information? I would have thought that type of decision would take place in Executive Session. If so, I would expect, once again, an outraged statement from Lizee about another violation of "a sacred trust". Or is there a double standard depending on whether you are criticizing or defending Lizee and gang.
DeleteGoing back even further in history, Lizee and Zerby as one of their first official acts in 1999, dismissed Administrator Hurm who had been employed by the city for almost 10 years. Perhaps the issue is not tenure.
DeleteIt is troubling when someone chooses to marginalize those who disagree with the status quo, i.e., "a small group of dissenters."
DeleteUnderestimating can be foolish.
After all, the Arab Spring and Tunisian Revolution began with a single fruit vendor who spoke out against....mmmm...the status quo.
You're really reaching with that, Lomah. Us Shorewood Insiders can read between the lines without much difficulty. Lizee can cry about sacred trust... I read between the lines.
DeleteHeck's ouster is history repeating itself, something this blog doesn't seem to acknowledge.
And no, two wrongs don't make a right. You can't live in the past, but where was the outrage four years ago?
It's OK to write checks if you support the majority. When you oppose it, it's an outrage!
On a human level, the dismissal of two employees should not be based on revenge. Lives are being changed, perhaps careers ruined. Team LizZerby should be ashamed of themselves. But I don't think they care. And that's the problem.
DeleteSo Woodruff's majority cared when it did the same thing four years ago? Doubt it. You think Woodruff was the least bit concerned about ruining a career when he was on the prevailing side of Dawson's dismissal. Don't kid yourself.
DeleteHow do you know Woodruff was on the prevailing side? Wasn't that action part of the 'sacred trust' of exec. session? Therefore, your statement can only be based upon the fact you were there? Or provided privileged information?
DeleteTired argument.... Ask this blog admin that you trust so desperately. Or do you dismiss everything s/he writes, too? You take an anonymous blog at face value, but want to question if Woodruff was in Dawson's corner and demand proof? Hilarious and hypocritical.
DeleteTroubling?
ReplyDeleteThe city has a history of political volleyball with its administrators and city attorney, and you're troubled by the characterization of a handful of people who make comments on a blog?
To each their own. It takes a lot more to trouble me, but if it does trouble you, more power to you.
I would find politics in general troubling and avoid them at all costs if characterization of a faction of the population was an issue to me.
Four years ago showed me that most people don't pay attention, or care. It's not different this time, no matter how desperately you want to think there's a huge groundswell of anger about the most recent serve in the political volleyball game.
Neither you nor I can count noses, so we can't know what the true number is. All I know is I can't find the energy or time to be troubled by every characterization I disagree with. Life is too short.
I really don't have a problem with any of the dismissals of the various Administrators that have taken place. It's an occupational hazard that they all should be aware of and presumably accept. City councils change. Priorities change. Sometimes the Administrator needs to change also.
ReplyDeleteThere will always be some criticism when these events take place. The reaction by the council to these criticisms is very telling. In this case, Lizee chose to lash out publicly at her colleagues on the council over a perceived violation. A more clear thinking and mature leader would have kept their mouth shut and this would have faded away. This type of behavior only increases the mistrust that many have over ANY decision made on Lizee's watch.
I don't know and don't care what issues factored into the decision to dismiss Heck, but the fact that it occurred while Lizee is mayor gives me pause.
Bottom line: I don't trust her as leader or decision maker.
Wisely said, and your "bottom line" sums it up.
Delete