February 15, 2010

Mayor's pick withdraws, city posts part-time CAR25 job

Update 2: Here's a report from Monday night's meeting:
After approving the previous minutes, the Cable Commission opened up the meeting for comments from the public, which is the usual procedure. An Alderman and two citizens spoke giving comments that were at times pointedly against the idea of a consultant, and at other times more vague, but seemingly meant to oppose the consultant. Then Mayor Dickert dropped the bombshell of the evening saying that Sandy Petrykowski had withdrawn her name from consideration, and he was then opening up the whole process to the Cable Commission for their input.

This was like throwing the ball into the air and having it explode into a hundred pieces. The Mayor wants an RFP process with the stipulation that if anyone presently on the Cable Commission wants to apply, then they have to resign from the commission. There was a long, far-reaching, usually cordial, discussion that followed, even though a couple of exchanges between the Mayor and Alderman Coe and Alderman Shields might be called animated.
The Mayor scored the point that the $40,000.00 had always been for a personal services contract and that if the Cable Commission did not want a PSC then the money would have to be legally moved. Most of the commission members wanted additional part-time city employees to assist Scott Nelson, the only CAR 25 employee. There was some disagreement in the math about the cost of additional city personnel. Chase Hendrix, Chair of the Cable Commission, said that a consultant is an impossibility, because of the legal definition of contract workers and the requirements of the position.
The atmosphere was very electric considering that this committee labors mostly in total obscurity. Five aldermen, the Mayor, three founding members of CAR 25, a couple of media personalities, and a county board candidate all firing facts, opinions, and hyperbole around the room like a bad game of beach volleyball. After a non-stop hour of discussion some got a little sand in their face even when they had come just to sit in the bleachers. And as with every step of this process, the Cable Commission will convene in two weeks to sort out the twists and turns of the evening. It's going to take them that long to get the sand out of their teeth. They will then give their recommendation.

Update: The consultant withdrew her name for the $40,000 no-bid contract to overhaul CAR25.

Original post: We're a bit late on this, but here's the job posting for a part-time job working for CAR25, which was posted earlier this month. The Cable Commission met tonight to discuss the $40,000 contract Mayor John Dickert hopes will go to Sandy Petrykowski, a professional TV journalist who worked for ABC News, CNN, National Geographic and others. If you were at the meeting, we'd like to hear what went down.

Here's the CAR25's open job posting, which is entirely separate from the $40,000 consultant's contract:
The City of Racine will be accepting applications and resumes for the position of Cable Communications Coordinator with the Cable Access Racine channel (CAR25) until filled. This part-time position is approximately 10 to 15 hours per week and reports to the City of Racine's Information Systems Director. Responsibilities include bulletin board announcements, program playback editing and video content program production. Salary for the position is $16.30 per hour. A complete job description can be found by clicking here and an application can be found by clicking here. A resume without an application may not be considered. Interested applicants should send both a resume and a signed application to:

The City of Racine Attn: Human Resources Department
730 Washington Ave.
Racine, WI 53403
or FAX 262-636-9585
or e-mail jobs@cityofracine.org

28 comments:

  1. Dickert must not have had a friend who wanted that job.

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  2. Good News.......

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  3. 15 hours a week @ $16.30 hourly equals less than 13 grand a year, why wasnt this the pay to start instead of 40k?

    When will the Public Information Officer position be posted as well?

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  4. This is a real shame. The community lost a great opportunity.

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  5. So the cable commisssion had to make a decision in front of some people?

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  6. I hate Dickert even more for screwing this up. Sandy is an excellent professional that didn't deserve to be dragged through the mud.

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  7. Dickert is a complete moron. Now, will he apologize to the taxpayers and admit he was pulling some sneaky stuff?? And why the discrepancy in pay compared to the original 40K for the job?? This should be investigated fully.

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  8. Is there anyone in the area who can do a complete investigation on John Dickert??? He likes women. He wants a friend to be the public information officer so only information he wants out, gets out. He wanted a friend to be a part-time CAR25 consultant for $40,000 the City could use elsewhere. He wants to have complete control over the City and within the City government. There are skeletons in his closet. Find them and bring them out before we go through another embarrassing incident like Gary Becker has put us through.

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  9. Dustin, you'd better check your facts. The posting you included doesn't look like the same work as the $40,000 consultant would have performed.

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  10. "This is a real shame. The community lost a great opportunity."

    Yes to enrich a Dickert Crony/Campaign worker, and for Racine to have the John Dickert Channel.
    Dickert knew his scam never would have passed cable commission or the Committe of the Whole.
    Bonus points what Alderman ran after the Mayor like a good boy?

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  11. Much like dying flowers his political aspirations are begining to decay!

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  12. Pete and Dustin, please start investigating why Dickert had I know for sure 1 secret meeting concerning this matter (once I get a confirmed attendance list I'll email it to you). I know for sure that there were some members of the board that WERE NOT INVITED.

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  13. I should have made this clearer. This is a posting for a part-time job that was planned in addition to the $40K consultant's contract.

    This person will be a city employee working at CAR25. The consultant would have been outsider. They're two separate positions.

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  14. I think the mayor should publically apologize to Sandy for this.

    How about press release from the mayor or interview addressing all of these things? It seems strange to just let all this negative stuff add up and not say anything about it.

    Oh yeah, I forgot....he's having a meeting with the rich and famous this week and giving the state of the city address.

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  15. The winner in this - the union hacks. Now the City can fill the position by an applicant whose experience is watching cartoons on Saturday. Actually, that might be an upgrade from the current programmer.

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  16. In the end John Dickert will always do the right thing. He always has been devoted to making Racine a better place to live. The longer he's Mayor the better things will get.

    Management always needs a little nudge now and then to keep them think straight!

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  17. 8:08

    Please quit drinking

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  18. Dicket, go away.

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  19. The right choice by Dickert would have stopped the process and use the $40,000 where there is real need. Now that his buddy isn't going to take the job stop the process.

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  20. Our city government has proven over and over they are a bunch of morons.

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  21. 6:58

    Helding?

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  22. This smells so shady! I mean is it that Dickert asked her to withdraw because he knew his relationship with her was about to be exposed? THAT makes sense! No comment as to why she supposedly withdrew? HAHAHA. Folks be smart and read into this and use your common sense!

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  23. Again, who cares? We really NEED this? Someone's gonna watch Racine cable access over American Idol? Not likely. Save the money and spend it on something better.

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  24. Please delete ANON 9:27.

    Or do you allow personal attacks?

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  25. Maybe we can take our new charming, crook Eichorst to do both jobs - then garnish his salary to pay back taxes.

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  26. Eichhorst's position is being run through RAMAC so the city does not garnish his wages. The city pays RAMAC and RAMAC pays Eichorst.

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  27. Someone should garnish them. Better yet Mr. Racine, pay your back taxes before you take the job - that would be good PR, but then what the hell do you know about PR? Have you ever gotten a job that was not handed to you?

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