This morning, Stew Rieckman makes a good point about Council Member statements and what is discussed during those statements. It has long been used as a method of getting a discussion on the agenda that citizens are not allowed to comment on. The rule is that if it appears anywhere on the agenda, it cannot be commented on during citizen statements. And of course citizens are not allowed to comment anymore once the Council Members take over.
It was done before, during the process of dismissing Mr. Wollangk, and now we see it again for them to look for his replacement. Although they don't vote, they make decisions based on "consensus" of the Council. My question is; What is the difference? "Consensus" or "Vote". The only difference is that one is formal with a roll call and the other is a head nod.
Now Oshkosh appears to have some quality legal advice from our Acting City Attorney Lyn Lorenson. She has some issues with this method of discussion and she should. It is being used to skirt around the legality of citizen input. I am quite sure that isn't the intention, but it is certainly doing just that.
So far, they haven't hit a topic that had a real impact. Should the citizens wait until they do? OR should we do something about it now?
You decide.
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I think Brian Bain should put the following notice on EVERY Council agenda.
BEWARE! I reserve the right to talk at length but say nothing, waffle on every issue, micromanage, and pander to EVERYONE on BOTH sides of the issue.
If he did this, he would be safe in the eyes of the law!
Bryan is not the only one that is guilty of this. I didn't specify a Council Member on purpose because there are many instances that other Members have done the same thing. And in addition, any Member that goes along with it and doesn't object is just as guilty (not the best word for it) as the Member that put it on the agenda in the first place.
Let's not point fingers. My question was is it right or wrong from the public point of view.
OK, but please tell us which other councilors are guilty?
Another self-serving “guest commentary” piece appears in the 12/17/07 edition of the Northwestern.
Jeff Gilderson-Duwe (Director of the Winnefox Library System and the Oshkosh Public Library) laments the budgeting process and how his area of responsibility had to “take-one-for-the-team”.
Yes Mr. Duwe, budgets are tight. The economy in Oshkosh is not having the much anticipated trickle down effect. Many in Oshkosh are far worse off than they were 8 years ago. Many home owners, property tax payers and rent payers are not reaping the rewards of this “robust” economy. In case you didn’t notice, hundreds of people stood in line for hours at the last two Oshkosh Truck Job Fairs. Many, many people thought that a $12.00 per hour ($24,960.00 per year) job was a big enough improvement for their situation that they stood in those lines to apply. The wage and benefit that Oshkosh Truck provides is far superior to what many of those that applied are currently receiving.
The City passed a budget with a 3% tax increase. I personally know of many who have not received a 3% wage or benefit increase at their jobs for years. many in-fact have actually stepped backwards as their employers require they pay for the ever increasing costs of healthcare insurance.
I understand your personal displeasure with the current situation. As your department is not one that is highly critical to the welfare of Oshkosh property tax payers (compared with police and fire) you do wear a target on your back in budget cut times.
Here is the situation:
Oshkosh taxpayers continue to fund and pay for 95% of city employee healthcare coverage. This amounts to millions of dollars each year. If this ratio was adjusted to be an 80% payment, the city would have excess money to assist with additional labor for your area, as well as other quality of life improvements in Oshkosh.
An 80/20 payment sharing ratio is very common in most business and industry. The employer pays 80% and the employee pays 20%
In Oshkosh City Government, the taxpayers (you and me) pay 95% and the city worker (blue or white collar) pays 5%
Just by change that 95/5 ratio to a 80/20 ratio, we would be able to fund many more projects, without placing an even higher burden on the taxpayers in Oshkosh, many who could only dream of having a healthcare plan as gold plated as the city provides.
So Mr. Duwe, in closing you state:
“I hope that the Oshkosh community is willing to invest in a library that can deliver the type of collections, programs and personalized service that help to strengthen and enrich our lives.”
I’d like to add that if the city employees would be willing to bargain for a much more standard 80/20 healthcare cost sharing ratio, there would be much more money available to invest in the library system.
8:59. BRAVO!!!
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