Some are suggesting a consultant in line for a $40,000 contract to rework the city's cable-access TV station worked on Mayor John Dickert's campaign.
A review of Dickert's campaign finance records and interviews with high-level campaign officials suggest Sandy Petrykowski, vice president of the Racine-based Soura Films, had no role in the campaign.
Petrykowski and her husband, Hossam Aboul-Magd, did not donate to Dickert's campaign and neither was a paid member of the campaign staff, according to the finance records.
Two campaign workers who worked closely with Dickert in last year's campaign said in separate interviews that Petrykowski wasn't involved with the campaign. One of the workers is still close with Dickert, but the other has moved on to other jobs and is no longer attached to the mayor.
Both said Aboul-Magd filmed extensive footage of Dickert on the campaign trail for a documentary about the race. None of the footage was used in campaign spots and the documentary has yet to be edited, they said.
"She didn't work on the campaign, she didn't volunteer and she wasn't paid," one of the workers said.
The campaign worker who is no longer close to Dickert said the issue wasn't a matter of the mayor giving a campaign staffer a job. It's a matter of the mayor giving a friend a no-bid city contract worth $40,000.
"That's the real story," the campaign worker said.
City ordinance requires departments to request bids for contracts over $25,000, unless contracts are for "professional services." The CAR25 consultant contract is classified as professional services and is not required to go out for bid.
Alderman Terry McCarthy has asked City Administrator Tom Friedel to review the city's policy on bidding out contracts and to consider dropping the exception for professional services. That review is under way, McCarthy said.
Showing posts with label Sandy Petrykowski. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sandy Petrykowski. Show all posts
February 8, 2010
City committee puts off vote on CAR25 contract; Consultant sees Racine TV as 'destination viewing'
The Finance and Personnel Committee tonight will consider paying an Emmy-nominated videographer $40,000 to work, on average, 20 hours a week over the next year rebuilding CAR 25.
Mayor John Dickert is recommending Sandy Petrykowski, vice president of Soura Films, be given the one-year deal to overhaul CAR 25, the city's cable-access TV station. Petrykowski has worked for ABC News, CNN, NPR, the Discovery Channel and National Geographic.
Read the proposed contract here. Petrykowski's duties, under the contract, include:
* Create a programming grid for CAR 25
* Oversee development, shooting and editing of programs to air on the station
* The videos will showcase the people, places and events going on in the city
* Submit recommendations for new CAR 25 equipment
* Develop and recommend new look, style and internet format for CAR 25
* Develop, produce, shoot and edit feature stories about matters of publicPet concern
* Make progress reports to the City Council and the Cable Access Commission
Petrykowski appears to have the chops for the job. Here's her own website listing her credentials, and here's a transcript of a report she did from Egypt for CNN.
If approved, Petrykowski would be paid $3,333 a month for 12 months. She would work a maximum of 1,040 hours under the contract (20 hours per week), and either she or the city can terminate the contract with 30 days notice.
If the city needs Petrykowski to work more than 1,040 hours the contract would need to be amended to included additional money.
Update: The Finance and Personnel Committee put off a vote on the contract Monday night to allow the city's Cable Commission to take a further look at the proposal.
The meeting drew a large crowd, which included Mayor John Dickert.
Alderman Michael Shields, who attacked the mayor's hire of a public information officer, again challenged Dickert's request. He questioned why the city appeared to be giving someone a contract without hearing specifics on what they do if they received the contract.
Paul Ancona, who presented the request, said he was confident Petrykowski would improve the station without sapping resources set aside for CAR25. He noted the station is in the process of hiring a part-time employee to work on CAR25, and is also planning to buy new equipment for the station. Petrykowski, working with CAR25's full-time employee Scott Nelson, would be the third piece in revamping the network.
The Finance and Personnel Committee voted to send the proposed contract back to the Cable Commission for further discussion. It will also be taken up by the City Council meeting as the Committee of the Whole.
Following the meeting, Petrykowski said her experience working at national and international networks qualified her to work on CAR25. One basic improvement would be to create a programming grid so viewers can know when to tune in to watch a show.
"My hope is to make it destination viewing," she said.
Petrykowski added CAR25 has a real opportunity to fill a niche. Chicago and Milwaukee TV stations now serve the area with little attention to Racine. CAR25 is an opportunity for Racine to broadcast its own stories on TV and on the Internet. Petrykowski said her background working in TV around the world made her a good fit to create a high-quality Racine TV station.
"Telling a story is telling a story anywhere," Petrykowski added. "Production values are the same. A dedication to quality will go with you anywhere you go."
Mayor John Dickert is recommending Sandy Petrykowski, vice president of Soura Films, be given the one-year deal to overhaul CAR 25, the city's cable-access TV station. Petrykowski has worked for ABC News, CNN, NPR, the Discovery Channel and National Geographic.
Read the proposed contract here. Petrykowski's duties, under the contract, include:
* Create a programming grid for CAR 25
* Oversee development, shooting and editing of programs to air on the station
* The videos will showcase the people, places and events going on in the city
* Submit recommendations for new CAR 25 equipment
* Develop and recommend new look, style and internet format for CAR 25
* Develop, produce, shoot and edit feature stories about matters of publicPet concern
* Make progress reports to the City Council and the Cable Access Commission
Petrykowski appears to have the chops for the job. Here's her own website listing her credentials, and here's a transcript of a report she did from Egypt for CNN.
If approved, Petrykowski would be paid $3,333 a month for 12 months. She would work a maximum of 1,040 hours under the contract (20 hours per week), and either she or the city can terminate the contract with 30 days notice.
If the city needs Petrykowski to work more than 1,040 hours the contract would need to be amended to included additional money.
Update: The Finance and Personnel Committee put off a vote on the contract Monday night to allow the city's Cable Commission to take a further look at the proposal.
The meeting drew a large crowd, which included Mayor John Dickert.
Alderman Michael Shields, who attacked the mayor's hire of a public information officer, again challenged Dickert's request. He questioned why the city appeared to be giving someone a contract without hearing specifics on what they do if they received the contract.
Paul Ancona, who presented the request, said he was confident Petrykowski would improve the station without sapping resources set aside for CAR25. He noted the station is in the process of hiring a part-time employee to work on CAR25, and is also planning to buy new equipment for the station. Petrykowski, working with CAR25's full-time employee Scott Nelson, would be the third piece in revamping the network.
The Finance and Personnel Committee voted to send the proposed contract back to the Cable Commission for further discussion. It will also be taken up by the City Council meeting as the Committee of the Whole.
Following the meeting, Petrykowski said her experience working at national and international networks qualified her to work on CAR25. One basic improvement would be to create a programming grid so viewers can know when to tune in to watch a show.
"My hope is to make it destination viewing," she said.
Petrykowski added CAR25 has a real opportunity to fill a niche. Chicago and Milwaukee TV stations now serve the area with little attention to Racine. CAR25 is an opportunity for Racine to broadcast its own stories on TV and on the Internet. Petrykowski said her background working in TV around the world made her a good fit to create a high-quality Racine TV station.
"Telling a story is telling a story anywhere," Petrykowski added. "Production values are the same. A dedication to quality will go with you anywhere you go."
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