10/27/12
James Landini, City Engineer since 2007, has resigned. The reports received by the Insider did not give any reason nor indication of what the City plans to do about the opening.
Stay tuned.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
South Shore Center Budget - Latest
10/25/12
The Center budget discussion got really interesting Monday night. So interesting that it consumed about half of the one hour work session. See: http://lmcc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=737 and the work session link at the end of the list for the video.
Suddenly Zerby has gotten interested in the financial debacle that's happening. So interested that he suggested re-looking at the budget killing contract he and the other friends of Lizee awarded to Center Director Anderson at the beginning of this year. Near the end of the discussion he even suggested asking for proposals from others who might be interested in running the center. Maybe there's some hope of sanity yet.
Meanwhile, Mayor Lizee talked about a group (no specifics as to who) at the Center which is interested in developing a strategic plan for the Center and involving the other cities that own a piece of it in the plan. Could this have legs? Maybe. Lizee also mentioned, yet again, her desire to bury the center's financials in the City's parks budgets. Great idea if the objective is to stick one's head in the sand and avoid scrutiny. Fortunately, no other council members seemed to agree.
The budgeting isn't over. The next work session should be on November 13th. Stay tuned.
Happy Raeding!
The Insider
The Center budget discussion got really interesting Monday night. So interesting that it consumed about half of the one hour work session. See: http://lmcc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=737 and the work session link at the end of the list for the video.
Suddenly Zerby has gotten interested in the financial debacle that's happening. So interested that he suggested re-looking at the budget killing contract he and the other friends of Lizee awarded to Center Director Anderson at the beginning of this year. Near the end of the discussion he even suggested asking for proposals from others who might be interested in running the center. Maybe there's some hope of sanity yet.
Meanwhile, Mayor Lizee talked about a group (no specifics as to who) at the Center which is interested in developing a strategic plan for the Center and involving the other cities that own a piece of it in the plan. Could this have legs? Maybe. Lizee also mentioned, yet again, her desire to bury the center's financials in the City's parks budgets. Great idea if the objective is to stick one's head in the sand and avoid scrutiny. Fortunately, no other council members seemed to agree.
The budgeting isn't over. The next work session should be on November 13th. Stay tuned.
Happy Raeding!
The Insider
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
City Administrator Search Is On!
10/24/12
Shorewood has launched a search for a new City Administrator. The opening was posted on the League of MN Cities website (see: http://lmc.org/page/1/city-jobs.jsp).
What caused this to happen now? There's no public information available to answer this. Maybe outgoing Mayor Lizee is trying to make a change while she can affect the choice?
Stay tuned.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Shorewood has launched a search for a new City Administrator. The opening was posted on the League of MN Cities website (see: http://lmc.org/page/1/city-jobs.jsp).
What caused this to happen now? There's no public information available to answer this. Maybe outgoing Mayor Lizee is trying to make a change while she can affect the choice?
Stay tuned.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Council Candidate Engagement and Experience
10/24/12
The Insider's been contemplating the City engagement shown by the council candidates and the experience they might bring to the council. So, after asking questions of some who have long-time experience being in council meetings and knowledge of council history, the following are the Insiders observations.
Neither Sylvester nor Sundberg have any relevant experience with Shorewood's operations and the council. The Insider discards Sylvester's early 2012 appointment as the council rep to the LMCD as not bearing on City experience. Woodruff, on the other hand has a six year track record as a contributor and council member. The Insider recollects, and confirmed by others, that prior to becoming a council person, Woodruff, as a Planning Commissioner for two years, attended many council meetings, especially leading up to and after the election he won.
Neither Sylvester nor Sundberg have been attending council meetings recently except for Sylvester making one report on LMCD activities. Meanwhile, council has been setting budgets, working on trail plans, discussing extending city water and other long-term issues that will be up for ongoing discussion and action in 2013 and beyond. The absence of these two candidates seems to speak volumes about their commitment to being productive council members.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
The Insider's been contemplating the City engagement shown by the council candidates and the experience they might bring to the council. So, after asking questions of some who have long-time experience being in council meetings and knowledge of council history, the following are the Insiders observations.
Neither Sylvester nor Sundberg have any relevant experience with Shorewood's operations and the council. The Insider discards Sylvester's early 2012 appointment as the council rep to the LMCD as not bearing on City experience. Woodruff, on the other hand has a six year track record as a contributor and council member. The Insider recollects, and confirmed by others, that prior to becoming a council person, Woodruff, as a Planning Commissioner for two years, attended many council meetings, especially leading up to and after the election he won.
Neither Sylvester nor Sundberg have been attending council meetings recently except for Sylvester making one report on LMCD activities. Meanwhile, council has been setting budgets, working on trail plans, discussing extending city water and other long-term issues that will be up for ongoing discussion and action in 2013 and beyond. The absence of these two candidates seems to speak volumes about their commitment to being productive council members.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Monday, October 22, 2012
South Shore Center - 2013 Budget
10/22/12
The Insider's been reading the proposed 2013 South Shore Center budget and the associated notes which are on the agenda for tonight's Council work session. Since many readers commented on the previous post on the Center's financial issues, here are observations about the 2013 draft budget.
Rental and class fee revenues are budgeted at $77,500, the same as the 2012 budget. As mentioned in the last post, there is a severe revenue shortfall so far in 2012 and no announced plan to make a recovery. So, how does Ms. Anderson plan to achieve revenues in 2013 that she is not achieving in 2012? We don't know.
Ms. Anderson gets $60,000 in fixed compensation and 20% commission. So in 2013, her total budgeted compensation is listed in tonight's materials as $76,000 assuming meeting the revenue objectives ($80,000 of total revenue).
Total expenses, including Ms. Anderson's compensation, for 2013 are listed as $125,900. This expense level results in a budget shortfall of $32,200. But, there's more. In the revenue line is a $13,600 transfer in from the general tax fund. So, the real 2013 deficit is $45.600. The subsidy budgeted for 2012 was $13,600 and that budget showed a $300 surplus
Will Lizee/Zerby and friends accept subsidizing the Center when the proposed budget calls for needing $45,600 of subsidy? The Insider's guess is yes since they don't want to make any waves before the election.
Interested readers should look at the budget proposal at: http://weblink.ci.shorewood.mn.us/weblink8/0/doc/161535/Electronic.aspx See the Finance Director's memo end of page 1 and top of page 2 and the budget page for the Center on page 5.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
The Insider's been reading the proposed 2013 South Shore Center budget and the associated notes which are on the agenda for tonight's Council work session. Since many readers commented on the previous post on the Center's financial issues, here are observations about the 2013 draft budget.
Rental and class fee revenues are budgeted at $77,500, the same as the 2012 budget. As mentioned in the last post, there is a severe revenue shortfall so far in 2012 and no announced plan to make a recovery. So, how does Ms. Anderson plan to achieve revenues in 2013 that she is not achieving in 2012? We don't know.
Ms. Anderson gets $60,000 in fixed compensation and 20% commission. So in 2013, her total budgeted compensation is listed in tonight's materials as $76,000 assuming meeting the revenue objectives ($80,000 of total revenue).
Total expenses, including Ms. Anderson's compensation, for 2013 are listed as $125,900. This expense level results in a budget shortfall of $32,200. But, there's more. In the revenue line is a $13,600 transfer in from the general tax fund. So, the real 2013 deficit is $45.600. The subsidy budgeted for 2012 was $13,600 and that budget showed a $300 surplus
Will Lizee/Zerby and friends accept subsidizing the Center when the proposed budget calls for needing $45,600 of subsidy? The Insider's guess is yes since they don't want to make any waves before the election.
Interested readers should look at the budget proposal at: http://weblink.ci.shorewood.mn.us/weblink8/0/doc/161535/Electronic.aspx See the Finance Director's memo end of page 1 and top of page 2 and the budget page for the Center on page 5.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Thursday, October 11, 2012
South Shore Center - Financial Disaster Coming?
10/11/12
Two weeks ago, at the end of the council meeting, the Finance Director made an offhand comment about some financial difficulties in the South Shore Center vs. the budget and that the budget was never adjusted to reflect the additional cost of the new contract Lizee and friends gave to center director Kristi Anderson at the beginning of the year.
The Insider noted that council did not comment then on the Finance Director's report.
On Monday night, Ms. Anderson appeared to report on the Center. The Insider expected Ms. Anderson to at least mention the financial issue and possibly comment on how she was addressing it. Instead, the report was about how great Oktoberfest was, that it looked like it paid for itself and how much great publicity a local magazine gave it by putting Ms. Anderson on the cover. You can watch Ms. Anderson's performance at: http://lmcc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=712 and agenda item 6A.
Two observations:
First, the report Monday night seemed nothing more than a way for Ms. Anderson to get TV time supporting her run for Orono council and the magazine cover with Ms. Anderson's picture served more to promote her than the Center.
Second and more troubling is the following analysis of the Center's finances.
Through August, revenue was $39,656 and expenses were $85,347. This is about 50% of total year budgeted revenue, but 90% of total budgeted expense. If one does a simple forecast, one concludes that, unless a miracle happens, the Center could lose over $50,000 against a budget that has it breaking even.
So who's watching the store? Apparently since former Administrator Heck left in March, nobody. Maybe this is by plan since the Insider recalls several times that Zerby said he wanted to eliminate any separate financial reporting for the Center calling it just another park.
The big questions are, here in mid-October, can the situation be saved? and if not, how do Lizee, Zerby and friends plan on covering up a $50,000 hole?
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Two weeks ago, at the end of the council meeting, the Finance Director made an offhand comment about some financial difficulties in the South Shore Center vs. the budget and that the budget was never adjusted to reflect the additional cost of the new contract Lizee and friends gave to center director Kristi Anderson at the beginning of the year.
The Insider noted that council did not comment then on the Finance Director's report.
On Monday night, Ms. Anderson appeared to report on the Center. The Insider expected Ms. Anderson to at least mention the financial issue and possibly comment on how she was addressing it. Instead, the report was about how great Oktoberfest was, that it looked like it paid for itself and how much great publicity a local magazine gave it by putting Ms. Anderson on the cover. You can watch Ms. Anderson's performance at: http://lmcc.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=712 and agenda item 6A.
Two observations:
First, the report Monday night seemed nothing more than a way for Ms. Anderson to get TV time supporting her run for Orono council and the magazine cover with Ms. Anderson's picture served more to promote her than the Center.
Second and more troubling is the following analysis of the Center's finances.
Through August, revenue was $39,656 and expenses were $85,347. This is about 50% of total year budgeted revenue, but 90% of total budgeted expense. If one does a simple forecast, one concludes that, unless a miracle happens, the Center could lose over $50,000 against a budget that has it breaking even.
So who's watching the store? Apparently since former Administrator Heck left in March, nobody. Maybe this is by plan since the Insider recalls several times that Zerby said he wanted to eliminate any separate financial reporting for the Center calling it just another park.
The big questions are, here in mid-October, can the situation be saved? and if not, how do Lizee, Zerby and friends plan on covering up a $50,000 hole?
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Candidate Videos - AIS
10/11/12
Some good comments on the LMCC candidate videos are arriving at the Insider. Keep 'em coming.
One comment regarding AIS is worth some Insider comments.
All three council candidates mentioned AIS as an issue. The Insider thinks it was worthy of mention if only because of all the press it's gotten in the past few years. Interestingly, only Woodruff had a position on how to pay for AIS programs, regionally and at the state level. The other two candidates just spouted the Lizee, Zerby and Osgood party line. Also, Woodruff is the only one who has hands on AIS experience as a LMCD AIS Task Force member.
Yes, AIS is a serious problem, but who is really affected and who has a real stake in the game?
Affected are lakeshore property owners, boaters, fishermen and of course, those who derive their living from serving those who use the lakes. The majority of Shorewood residents may be concerned, but don't see this issue as the most important in their lives.
What's interesting to the Insider is how the local newspapers and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District have allowed two homeowners associations and some local business people to co-opt them into making AIS the headline story on a weekly basis. The LMA's Executive Director, Dick Osgood, whose column seems everywhere, doesn't write just for altruistic reasons, he gets paid to lobby and has a consultancy that benefits financially from pursuing AIS management.
Next week, Shorewood is getting a Watershed Heros award for implementing the boat inspection on Christmas Lake. Arguably, the inspection program has some merit and is being mostly financed by the homeowners association. But an award for Shorewood? Seems odd that one person who was material in getting the DNR to agree to the inspection, former Administrator Brian Heck, was asked to leave just after getting the DNR agreement. Also seems strange that Mayor Chris Lizee went to work for the Watershed just after the inspection program was started and now will be the one accepting this award. Maybe this is a parting gift for Lizee who is not running again for mayor?
The real hero here is Herb Suerth of Woodland who for years labored with AIS as a LMCD Board Member and chair of its AIS Task Force. Herb refereed the discussions about AIS and put up with the attacks from Osgood and others. Herb's getting a well deserved award too and the Insider congratulates him.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Some good comments on the LMCC candidate videos are arriving at the Insider. Keep 'em coming.
One comment regarding AIS is worth some Insider comments.
All three council candidates mentioned AIS as an issue. The Insider thinks it was worthy of mention if only because of all the press it's gotten in the past few years. Interestingly, only Woodruff had a position on how to pay for AIS programs, regionally and at the state level. The other two candidates just spouted the Lizee, Zerby and Osgood party line. Also, Woodruff is the only one who has hands on AIS experience as a LMCD AIS Task Force member.
Yes, AIS is a serious problem, but who is really affected and who has a real stake in the game?
Affected are lakeshore property owners, boaters, fishermen and of course, those who derive their living from serving those who use the lakes. The majority of Shorewood residents may be concerned, but don't see this issue as the most important in their lives.
What's interesting to the Insider is how the local newspapers and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District have allowed two homeowners associations and some local business people to co-opt them into making AIS the headline story on a weekly basis. The LMA's Executive Director, Dick Osgood, whose column seems everywhere, doesn't write just for altruistic reasons, he gets paid to lobby and has a consultancy that benefits financially from pursuing AIS management.
Next week, Shorewood is getting a Watershed Heros award for implementing the boat inspection on Christmas Lake. Arguably, the inspection program has some merit and is being mostly financed by the homeowners association. But an award for Shorewood? Seems odd that one person who was material in getting the DNR to agree to the inspection, former Administrator Brian Heck, was asked to leave just after getting the DNR agreement. Also seems strange that Mayor Chris Lizee went to work for the Watershed just after the inspection program was started and now will be the one accepting this award. Maybe this is a parting gift for Lizee who is not running again for mayor?
The real hero here is Herb Suerth of Woodland who for years labored with AIS as a LMCD Board Member and chair of its AIS Task Force. Herb refereed the discussions about AIS and put up with the attacks from Osgood and others. Herb's getting a well deserved award too and the Insider congratulates him.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Candidate Statements Available On-Line
10/9/12
The LMCC has placed candidate statements from the three candidates for Shorewood council and the one candidate for Shorewood mayor on-line at: http://www.lmcc-tv.org/lmcc-election-shorewood.html
Happy Reading!
The Insider
The LMCC has placed candidate statements from the three candidates for Shorewood council and the one candidate for Shorewood mayor on-line at: http://www.lmcc-tv.org/lmcc-election-shorewood.html
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Monday, October 8, 2012
Running Out Of Money?
10/8/12
Tonight's council work session is about capital budgets. These are the ones that fund major improvements and new equipment buys.
Staff is reporting that the Parks Fund runs out of money in 2014, the Equipment Replacement in 2016 and the Trail Fund in 2020. These events are based on spending that's in the proposed budgets for each of these funds from now through 2021.
It'll be interesting to watch council have to deal with the very real choices between priorities in different areas (parks vs. trails, for example), the spending levels proposed and the very real prospect of needing tax increases if spending and priorities aren't adjusted. Over the past two years, Lizee, Zerby and friends have showed disinterest when it came to controlling spending. They can't dodge the issue now.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Tonight's council work session is about capital budgets. These are the ones that fund major improvements and new equipment buys.
Staff is reporting that the Parks Fund runs out of money in 2014, the Equipment Replacement in 2016 and the Trail Fund in 2020. These events are based on spending that's in the proposed budgets for each of these funds from now through 2021.
It'll be interesting to watch council have to deal with the very real choices between priorities in different areas (parks vs. trails, for example), the spending levels proposed and the very real prospect of needing tax increases if spending and priorities aren't adjusted. Over the past two years, Lizee, Zerby and friends have showed disinterest when it came to controlling spending. They can't dodge the issue now.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Candidate Forum - Canceled
10/2/12
The City just sent out a bulletin announcing the League of Women Voters candidate forum planned for Wednesday night is canceled. The City's notice did not explain why. As soon as the Insider gets some detail as to why it was cancelled, you can read about it here.
Candidate information will be available on the Star and Tribune's website and in the Sun Sailor soon. Additionally, the LMCC is video taping individual candidate statements. These should be available on cable TV and on-line within one week. Watch the Insider for more details.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
The City just sent out a bulletin announcing the League of Women Voters candidate forum planned for Wednesday night is canceled. The City's notice did not explain why. As soon as the Insider gets some detail as to why it was cancelled, you can read about it here.
Candidate information will be available on the Star and Tribune's website and in the Sun Sailor soon. Additionally, the LMCC is video taping individual candidate statements. These should be available on cable TV and on-line within one week. Watch the Insider for more details.
Happy Reading!
The Insider
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