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
I guess in The Insiders world the only experience that matters is government experience and the only way to learn about city issues is being physically present at council meetings. Since The Insider is "the insider", they most likely forgot that meetings are online and on tv to watch.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, has The Insider reached out to Sylvester and Sundberg to personally here about their positions on issues and/or relevant experience? Or, are you just passing judgment based on what you think you know?
I would like to reach out to Sylvester and Sundberg and ask why they chose not to attend the voter's forum.
ReplyDeleteYou don't just wake up one morning and say, "Hmmm, I think I'll run for council today." Certainly not in this city.
ReplyDeleteAny one running for office is interviewing for a job working for the people.
ReplyDeleteThat means the applicant provides the resume to the future employers and does a sell job on qualifications.
The overused corporate term of "reaching out" should come from those who want the job.
Let's get real: The entire council knows about this blog, as does the city hall staff, in fact some are or have been followers.
ReplyDeleteSo, the assumption can be that the candidates know about it too. They could take this opportunity to, without much effort and zero cost, tell us about themselves.
Why has that not happened?
Perhaps the council candidates feel their five minute LMCC video and the profile they submitted to the Sailor is adequate information as to why we should vote for them. Unfortunately, because of their decision not to attend the voters forum, we don't know how they will conduct themselves in a public forum, or what their position is on city water expansion, subsidizing the Center, or anything other than 'walkability' and AIS until after they've been seated at the table.
ReplyDeleteClearly, we know now the S&S twins will be Zerby clones. That's why they didn't attend the forum-Zerby told them not to. Dick would have eaten their lunch.
ReplyDeleteWell, I don't know if I would call them "Zerby clones" yet.
DeleteI would like to give them all a chance to say their piece. At least one seat on the council will go to one of them. However, I do think that Woodruff would have "eaten their lunch."
And at this point, the only person I even want to vote for is Woodruff. That leaves one more vote that could go to one of them. Or it could not be cast and that is the direction I'm leaning.
And if Scott Zerby was running against Chris Lizee I would vote for Zerby. I say give the guy a chance. It can't be any worse than it has been.
Fair comments.
DeleteA candidate “event” was held at Al & Alma’s earlier this month, right in Dick Woodruff’s backyard. Though the two council candidates were invited, Woodruff was not. There’s a lovely photo of them with “Mayor” Zerby, Lizee and Woody Love…whom it seems, never left the council.
ReplyDeleteDoes this tell us the new candidates are naïve about the way things work around here, or are they exclusive and do not embrace (represent) all residents?
I'll go with exclusive. Appears Zerby and his other candidate choices, who were too busy to attend a candidates forum so WE could meet them, appear to
Deletehave no problem making time for social events and photo opps.
Only vote I will be casting is for Woodruff.
Yes, vote for Woodruff. But write-in Pat Arnst for Mayor, and Laura Turgeon for the other city council seat.
ReplyDeleteNo.
Delete