Video: Mayor Dickert stopped for speeding in December

Video of Mayor John Dickert's traffic stop on Dec. 12, 2009 on N. Main St. 
Video provided by Racine Police Department.

A city police officer stopped Mayor John Dickert for speeding Dec. 12, 2009 in the 1200 block of North Main Street. Dickert was going 40 mph in a 30 mph zone at about 10 a.m. on a Saturday. He did not receive a ticket. There is no police report on the stop.

Video of the traffic stop, obtained with a records request to the police department, shows a brief, cordial encounter between Officer Bob Bojcic and Dickert near Jane Elementary School. Bojcic was conducting a speed wave near the school after the department received complaints about traffic.

Here'a transcript of the video:

Prior to exiting squad car: 

Officer Bojcic: 1200 block of North Main (indecipherable)

Talking to Dickert:  

Dickert: Hello, boss.
Officer: (indecipherable) You're the boss, aren't you?
Dickert: (laughs) Not always
Officer: Not always?
Dickert: What's going on?
Officer: Not much. We had a Speed Wave back here 40 in 30
Dickert: Oh (indecipherable) Sorry ... I was going to a radio show down in Kenosha
Officer: Yeah. Because of the school over there and the crossing guard always has fits over there so we come out here to do a speed wave out here to try and slow the traffic down it's like a race track out here, you know?
Dickert: It's actually a good idea.
Officer: Keep it down.
Dickert: You got it.

Sgt. Martin Pavilonis, spokesman for the Racine Police Department who had watched the video, said proper procedures were handled during the stop.

It's up to the officer's discretion on whether a driver gets a ticket, Pavilonis said. He said it was not unusual for a stop to take about 3 minutes when the officer does not issue a ticket.

There is no set policy on an officer's actions when they pull over an elected official like the mayor, Pavilonis said. If a police officer stops another police officer there is a policy to follow, he said, but that doesn't apply to the mayor.

As for the mayor's conduct, Pavilonis said he acted appropriately. "I don't think he asserted his rank as mayor," he said. "I don't think that's the case at all."

RacinePost requested video of the traffic stop after receiving a tip that the mayor was stopped. The city promptly answered a records request and provided a DVD of the stop from an in-squad video camera with audio collected from a microphone officers carry as part of their uniform.

Mayor appointing four new members to CAR25 commission

Mayor John Dickert is appointing four new members to the city's Cable Television Commission.

The mayor is appointing Mary Jerger and Kimberly Kane, and Aldermen Ron Hart and Ray DeHahn to the commission. They'll replace Gary Alvarado and Pamela Hoadley, and Aldermen Jeff Coe and Greg Helding.

The mayor's appointments go before the City Council on Tuesday night.

Jerger is owner of Copacetic hat store at 409 Main St. She's married to County Board Supervisor Monte Osterman; they both worked on Dickert's mayoral campaign. Kane is a former TV reporter and anchor who now works for The NOVO Group. This is also co-founder of Mediaspirits, a video production and development company. The mayor is appointing both to three-year terms.

Hart and DeHahn will reach receive one-year terms.

Here's a letter from Cable Television Commission Chairman Chase Hendrix about the new appointments:

The Mayor has the right to appoint anyone he wishes (with the approval of Common Council), and it is just unfortunate that the Cable Television Commission is losing two very dedicated professionals that have put so much time and energy into serving our city and CAR25. I was just made aware of the reappointments, and obviously would have preferred to be contacted directly by the Mayor and City Administrator to provide the Cable Commission's recommendations regarding these appointments. 

As the Chairman of the Cable Television Commission, I am here to serve the city and its residents without any personal interest or influence. I welcome any new appointments to the Commission, and am sure the other members of the Cable Commission feel the same way. I am disappointed that Pam & Gary were not offered the opportunity to continue to serve as volunteers on the Cable Television Commission, however I also understand that the Mayor can appoint whomever he wishes, and trust that the newly appointed commissioners will act in the best interest of the city and public access channel. Gary Alvarado in particular has donated so much of his time, resources and technical expertise to help serve the city and CAR25, and is one of the most experienced and professional video production experts in SE Wisconsin. Much of the success we have had in growing CAR25 with such a limited budget is due to his hard work.

CAR25 is one of the most positive, cost-effective and successful assets our city has, and should remain fair, equal and open to the public. So many residents watch CAR25 on a regular basis, and it provides a great communication tool for our local government, non-profit organizations and public producers. The channel was provided to Racine as part of our municipal cable television franchise agreement (and extended with the new state cable franchise agreement), and we have recently launched CAR25 broadcasting services on AT&T in addition to Time Warner, which broadens its audience throughout SE Wisconsin. 

My only concerns regarding CAR25 are whether it has the full support of the Common Council to provide the funding it needs to continue to grow, and that the allocation of resources support both public and government fair and equally (and in accordance with PEG and FCC regulations). In November, Common Council voted unanimously to approve the 15% cable television franchise fee allocation to CAR25, however this additional funding was reallocated to Professional Services, and since the proposed consultant withdrew, that funding has since been recommended by Ald. Helding to be removed from CAR25's budget in order to pay the lawsuit settlement with Sandy Tingle. So the additional 5% funding has never really been made available to CAR25 to update its equipment. It has also been suggested that the 15% allocation would be decreased back to 10%, leaving the channel severely underfunded, with outdated equipment. 

The mayor's other new appointments to city boards and commissions, include:

* Doug Nicholson, owner of the Ivanhoe Pub and Eatery, to the Redevelopment Authority.

* Former alderman Robert Anderson to the RDA.

* Wally Rendon to the Affirmative Action Human Rights Commission.

* Alderman Jeff Coe to the Community Development Committee, which distributes the city's Community Development Block Grant money.

* Mark Kowbel to the Board of City Review.

* Mark Kowbel to the Transit and Parking Commission.

* John Heckenlively to the Traffic Commission.

* Rod Lipor to the Board of Zoning Appeals.

* Chris Flynn to the Landmark Preservation Commission.

* Alderman Eric Marcus to the Landmark Preservation Commission. (Marcus served on the commission before being elected to the City Council in April.)

* Alderman QA Shakoor II to the Community Development Committee.

City Notes: Alderman Shields off Finance committee

If you fight with the Mayor's office, you better be ready to take some lumps.

Alderman Michael Shields appears to be learning just that when he was yanked off the city's powerful Finance and Personnel Committee and reassigned as the junior-most member of the Public Works Committee.

Mayor John Dickert determines City Council members' committee assignments.

Finance is a plum assignment because it reviews any city issue involving the spending of money. That amounts to just about any major issue that comes before the council.

Dickert added two new members to the Finance Committee. City Council veteran Ron Hart and City Council newcomer Dennis Wiser were each given one-year terms on the committee.

Former Alderman Bob Anderson sat on the committee before leaving the council in April. Anderson declined to seek re-election.

Other Committees

City Council newcomer Eric Marcus was assigned to the Public Safety and Licensing Committee. He replaces Alderman Sandy Weidner, who moves to the Public Works committee.

Two city agencies may lose money hung up by disputes

Two city agencies may lose tens of thousands of dollars after reaching an impasse over how to spend the money.

Alderman Greg Helding put in two communications for Monday's City Council meeting to take $30,000 from the Racine Public Library's budget and $40,000 from the city's cable-access TV budget. Both the library and CAR25 have failed to spend the money despite support from the City Council and mayor to do so.

Mayor John Dickert wanted to spend $40,000 to hire an internationally renown TV journalist to revamp the station. Dickert's plans were thwarted by the station's board and eventually by the City Council. Despite the consultant's credentials, the mayor was criticized because he didn't take bids for the job and was friends with person he recommended for the contract.

The council voted last fall to give the library an additional $33,000 to open on Sundays during the school year, but five months later the library has yet to add the hours. The issue now appears dead. The library just reached a contract with a union that did not include Sunday hours, and it appears the Library Board is reluctant to reconsider the issue.

Helding's communication requests transferring the $40,000 from CAR25's professional services account to the city's "Judgement and Claims" account, which took a hit earlier this year when the city agreed to pay Sandra Tingle $50,000 to settle her case sexual harassment claim.

As for the library money, Helding wants to move $30,000 of the funding to the city's "Contingency" account, which is typically used for unexpected expenses. The money could also be carried over into the 2011 budget, which is already looking tight.

Race the major issue during Mayor Dickert's first 'Community Conversation' (with video)

About 60 people attended Mayor John Dickert's first "Community Conversation" Wednesday night at the Tyler-Domer Community Center.

Dickert seemed a little disappointed in the turnout, saying at one point that he'd hoped to attract between 200 and 300 people. The crowd was largely filled with familiar faces in the city's political scene. Several city officials, aldermen and community organization representatives were in attendance.

Circuit Court Judge candidate Georgia Herrera was there and received a nice acknowledgement from a Hispanic member of the audience. Racine Unified Superintendent James Shaw also attended the meeting. Neither Herrera or Shaw spoke publicly.

The 90-minute meeting included several displays by community organizations, a presentation by Dickert and then questions from the audience. The mayor initially took submitted questions, which included questions about city spending, the city's community center and extending I-794 into Racine County.

Dickert used the questions to talk broadly about how the city evaluates programs and its spending decisions and the need for the community to work together to solve problems.

"We're either going to get better or continue on the path we're on, which, in my opinion, is unacceptable," Dickert said.

On the 794 question, Dickert said he favored a regional transit system over continually expanding roads the bypass the city. He noted right now there's no public transportation to get city residents to 200 jobs Bucyrus is adding in Oak Creek. Meanwhile, the state is spending a billion dollars to add lanes to I-94, which will have little impact on creating jobs in Racine.

The forum turned a little confrontational when the mayor opened up the floor to questions. Five speakers addressed Dickert on race. Three people said the city needs to do a better job of listening to and working with minorities.

Alphonso Gardner brought the most pointed attack against the mayor, saying the city wanted to give land away to a white business owner with a criminal record, but refused to allow an African-American businessman with no criminal record the opportunity to buy land to develop.

Gardner's accusations involve Jeremy Bloom, the owner of Treasures Media, and Brent Oglesby, who wanted to build a mixed-use development on State Street near the proposed KRM commuter rail station.

Dickert responded with a strong defense of Bloom, saying he had atoned for the mistakes in his past. The mayor noted Bloom hires ex-criminals to work at his growing business, and that the only reason he couldn't build a new plant in the Southside Industrial Park is because he expanded too quickly.

Oglesby, meanwhile, wanted to buy land near the transit station that wasn't for sale, Dickert said.

Jameel Ghuari, who is running for the City Council, followed up Gardner's question by asking about city claims there was a moratorium on the property. Dickert said four other developers had asked to buy the land, and the city told them no.

Maria Morales asked the mayor to create a safe place for local Hispanics to approach Racine police when they're in trouble. The mayor said it was a good idea.

Dickert will hold a similar meeting from 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday, April 8, at the MLK Community Center.

Here's some video from the forum:

Mayor Dickert's first 'Community Conversation' is Wednesday at Tyler-Domer Community Center

Mayor John Dickert will hold the first of two Community Conversations on Wednesday at the Tyler-Domer Community Center, 2301 12th St.

The second Community Conversation will take place the following week on April 8 at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 1134 Martin Luther King Drive.

The events are being held in an effort to build upon Racine’s greatest asset: its diversity. Both events are open to the public and will take place from 5:30-7 pm.

The purpose of the meetings will be to discuss issues facing the city and present information regarding programs and initiatives that address the minority and low income population of Racine.

Organizations like Community Economic Development Corporation, African American Business Professional Association, Hispanic Business Alliance, Hispanic Business and Professionals Association, Racine Vocational Ministries, First Choice Pre-Apprenticeship Program, Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation, Racine County Workforce Development, Racine/Kenosha Community Action Agency, Inc., Racine Unified School District, and the 2010 Complete Count Census Committee will be on hand and be set up at tables with information for attendees.

City Department heads and representatives from the Racine Police Department will also be on hand to answer questions.

Dickert: Treasures Media needs a bigger site to expand

Treasures Media is abandoning plans to build a new distribution center in the city's Southside Industrial Park because the company needs more space, Mayor John Dickert said on WRJN-AM 1400's Sound Off program Friday. (You can hear the report here.)

Dickert said Treasures Media bought another company over the holiday season that expanded its needs.

"They're growing so fast that they may not have time to build there," Dickert told WRJN. "They may actually have to get another site that's even bigger. We're working with them on doing that in Racine."

Treasures had planned to build an 80,000 square-foot distribution center where the former Jacobson/Textron industrial plant was located.

WRJN reported Treasures' new site may create up to 45 new jobs. Dickert declined to say what sites Treasures was looking at, but said it would be bigger than the South Side Industrial park location.

Dickert also said on Sound Off that the city was working with two other companies about moving to the city, and the city is finalizing a contract with American Tire and Recycling to open a new plant on South Memorial Drive.

The American Tire deal is moving forward after a court decision in January kept things in track. American Tire had planned to open sometime in the first quarter of 2010. They plan to create up to 88 jobs at the site.

Mayor Dickert fully recovered from 'extreme vertigo' caused by ear infection

Mayor John Dickert had a brief scare last Friday when he was hospitalized with "extreme vertigo" caused by an inner-ear infection.

Dickert said he went into the hospital after becoming unable to walk. "I literally could not sit up," he said. "That's why they call it extreme vertigo."

Doctors prescribed antibiotics for the inner-ear infection and the vertigo is gone, Dickert said. They suspected recent airplane travel compounded the inner-ear infection and led to the vertigo.

After going into the hospital on Feb. 19, Dickert was back in the office on Monday, Feb. 21.

He said there are no lingering effects from the illness, and the vertigo presented no long-term medical concerns.

Mayor Dickert moves to give local contractors the inside track on jobs

Mayor John Dickert is prodding local contractors to apply for the $3.1 million the city has available to renovate homes in foreclosure.

Surrounded by union leaders, Dickert announced the city was sending letters and forms to 300 city contractors who may be eligible for the renovation work, which is being paid for with state and federal money.

The city plans to buy 29 homes in foreclosure, tear down five of them and renovate the rest. Homes that are torn down will be replaced with new construction.

News about the "Neighborhood Stabilization Program" isn't new; the city has been talking about plans for the money for at least six months. But Dickert's effort to recruit city contractors was a new idea that the mayor is hoping pays off in additional work for Racine workers.

The program itself is little more than sending a letter to the local contractors encouraging them to file a "Request for Qualifications" form with the Department of City Development. After filing the letter, qualifying contractors will be eligible to bid on renovation work to the homes in foreclosure.

While the city can't prevent outsiders from bidding on the work, Dickert said he hopes local businesses will overwhelm the process and make it all but certain they come out on top.

Tuesday's announcement was an important moment for the mayor. After months of talking about plans to rejuvenate the city's housing stock, Dickert, a former Realtor, stepped forward with a concrete proposal.

Along with creating local jobs, he has a plan to sell the homes and recycle the money into additional homes. City Development is focusing on buying homes on the "Towerview" neighborhood on the city's near south side. The hope is to make a big splash in the neighborhood by increasing home ownership, which should reduce crime, Dickert said.

Dickert said he'll rely on his background in real estate to sell the city-owned homes to families. While Dickert can't sell them himself - he turned in his Realtor's license - he's relying on his experience to motivate local companies to move the homes instead of letting them sit on the market.

The city will bid out the listings, but won't make a decision based solely on the low bid, Dickert said. One agency may be willing to cut its commission to 3 percent to land the homes, but may not be willing to do the work to find a desirable buyer.

To combat this, Dickert said, he plans to list out a series of specific actions any bidder will have to take to get a city listing. In return, they can get their usual 6 percent commission. But they'll have to aggressively market and sell the home to get the city contract.

Dickert, who worked for First Weber, said the city will select the top three bidders to sell city-owned homes. The properties will rotate through the agencies as they come on the market. The rotating system will help prevent charges of favoritism, Dickert said.

Selling the city-owned homes is the key to Dickert's plan. Not only does it get a family in a home that was in foreclosure, it brings in money needed to fix up and sell additional homes. Dickert said he hopes to turn over the first round of homes within two years and move on to the next neighborhood.

Analysis: It's time for the mayor to sweat the small stuff

Mayor John Dickert isn't interested in the small stuff. If asked, he'd probably put that a little differently. He'd say there are so many big issues and projects before the city that he doesn't have time for small-time local issues like CAR25 contracts.

It's a sympathetic argument (really), but it's also the source of his problems. Ignoring local issues, or at least not giving them his full attention, has allowed them to blossom into ready-made attacks for political opponents. If the mayor is going to turn things around, he needs to take the "small stuff" seriously.

A good example is the weeks-long fight over a $40,000 no-bid contract to revamp CAR25. The mayor did a couple of things well. He was right in recognizing CAR25, being the only Racine-centric TV station on the planet, could be a significant source of local information and entertainment. And, he was right in identifying Sandy Petrykowski, with her extensive background in national and international TV journalism, as the person to do it.

Where Dickert went wrong was how he approached the Cable Commission and City Council. Instead of laying out what Petrykowski would do if awarded the contract, he simply said she should get the deal and she'll work out the details later. It's a classic "cart-before-the-horse" situation.

If Dickert and Petrykowski made a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation to the Cable Commission and Finance Committee laying out what, exactly, they intended to do to improve CAR25, I have little doubt the contract would have passed easily. But they left the specifics a mystery, which left committee and commission members to fill in the blanks. The result: Petrykowski had to withdraw her name, Dickert racked up an unnecessary political loss and CAR25 doesn't have its $40,000 investment.

Then there's the collateral damage from this "small" issue. Dickert gaveled down Alderman Mike Shields at a City Council meeting, which turned into a major issue because it was recorded on video. Shields, president of the local NAACP, used the video to attack the mayor for silencing critics. (Nevermind that Shields was speaking out of turn, it's the gaveling everyone will remember.)

The mayor also opened the door for a review of all of the city's no-bid contracts. City ordinances now give an exemption for professional services contracts, and at least one alderman has requested a study of removing that exemption. In other words, the CAR25 contract isn't going away. Hopefully the mayor learns from this. Spending a couple of hours on the front side will save weeks, even months, of aggravation on the backside.

Another example is, after getting elected, Dickert put together a support team that, while talented in many areas, couldn't write a press release. That left the city struggling to communicate with the public and required the need to hire a public information officer. (The PIO will do more than write press releases, but Mark Eickhorst will fill a glaring need in the Mayor's office.) It seems like a small detail, but the mayor has struggled to communicate with the public since taking office. He should have considered that early after taking office.

The PIO issue has metastasized into questions about Dickert's efforts to hire friends and supporters into city jobs. Tom Friedel, the city administrator, is a family member; Greg Bach, his assistant, was a campaign manager; Eickhorst is a long-time friend; and Petrykowski was a friend. All together Dickert spent, or tried to spend, over $200,000 in city money on people close to him. Every person hired is qualified for their job, but it doesn't take much imagination to envision the criticism.

Lost in all of these small issues is Dickert is trying to do some good things. He's working to create an international freshwater research lab in Racine, he's working on a deal to attract Chinese investors to the city, and he seems to realize job creation is a top priority. But his inattention to detail, and the local political landscape, is burying his larger efforts and making him look out of touch.

Sure, in the scheme of things, a small contract for a cable-access TV station is a dumb local issue. But CAR25 means something to the people involved, and it's the mayor's job to honor their commitment to this one part of the city by being open and honest with them from the beginning. The same goes for all aspects of the city. The mayor can't ignore anything.

Fortunately for Dickert, he's got a year to turn things around. Talking with city political insiders, he could help himself by reaching out to the City Council and other officials for help. But that's a challenge because:

1.) Dickert really isn't interested in the small issues; he's working for something bigger. (Kinda like the power-hitter in baseball that will gladly strike out three times to hit one home run.)

2.) Dickert doesn't know who's planning to run against him next April. The race could easily see two or three City Council members and other local officials jumping in to contend for the four-year term. It's tough to reach out when there's so many potential opponents.

3.) He's dug a deep hole. There may not be that many people willing to help him out.

SC Johnson CEO attending fundraiser for Mayor Dickert

Mayor John Dickert is holding a fundraiser with some heavy-hitters in the local business community.

SC Johnson CEO Fisk Johnson and Johnson Outdoors Chairman and Helen Johnson-Leipold and her husband, Craig Leipold, are scheduled to attend the fundraiser on Feb. 18 from 5-7 p.m. at the home of Porter and Maggie Venn.

According to an invitation to the event, others scheduled to attend include:

* Dottie Metz, owner of McDonald's Restaurants
* Jeff Neubauer, president/owner of Kranz Inc.
* Ed Lonergan, president/CEO of JohnsonDiversey
* Dick Hansen, CEO of Johnson Financial
* Jane Hutterly, Executive VP of worldwide corporate & environmental affairs for SC Johnson
* Ken Buser, President, Wheaton-Franciscan South Market
* James Dickert, Realtor
* Jim Eastman, Merchant's Moving and Storage
* Jerry Franke, president of WisPark
* Dave Perkins, president of Racine Federated
* Tom Burke, president and CEO of Modine
* Al Ruud, president of Ruud Lighting
* Chip Brewer, director of Worldwide Government Relations for SC Johnson

The invitation asks invitees to join the above guests to hear Dickert give an update "on the city's progress."

The event is being organized by Dickert's mayoral campaign. The mayor is up for re-election in April 2011.

Consultant had no role in Dickert campaign; Review of city's no-bid contracts underway

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.

In City Hall's basement, mayor's portraits wait to be hung

The portrait of Capt. Gilbert Knapp hanging in the City Council chambers may qualify as a "historic artifact" under a proposed ordinance. Will former Mayor Tom Friedel join him on City Hall's walls?

Here's an aside to last week's story about the Landmarks Preservation Commission's efforts to preserve city artifacts.

Portraits of Racine's former mayors are sitting in the basement of City Hall, waiting to be re-hung. The portraits, which used to hang on the second floor behind the City Council chambers, were taken down as part of extensive, multi-year remodeling at City Hall.

Given recent events in the Mayor's office, that process will come with some interesting choices for the city. City officials will have two big questions to consider for its portrait collection:

1. Should Tom Friedel's portrait be included? The current city administrator was officially Mayor of Racine for 91 days last year. He served after Gary Becker resigned until John Dickert was elected.

2. Should Becker's portrait be included? Becker served six years in the city's top office, but resigned after being arrested, and later convicted, of attempting to hook up with a 14-year-old girl at Brookfield Square Mall. The "girl" turned out to be an undercover state agent.

City officials will have some time to think about the portraits. The pictures of Racine's past leaders aren't scheduled to be re-hung for another year or two.

One city official said of the record they supported hanging both portraits. Friedel was mayor, they said, and, for better or worse, Becker is part of the city, they said. "We're not Stalinist Russia where we just make history disappear," the said.

As for the historic artifacts ordinance, it's heading to the Finance and Personnel Committee for further consideration. The thrust of the ordinance is OK, an official said, but a few more details need to be worked out.

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."

NAACP, led by Shields, fires at Mayor Dickert

Two days after Mayor John Dickert gaveled down Alderman Michael Shields at a City Council meeting, the local NAACP fired off a press release accusing the mayor of "cronyism."

Shields is president of the NAACP's local chapter.

Here's the press release:

RACINE BRANCH NAACP OBJECTS TO THE
MAYORS HIRING PROCESS: PROCESS SMACKS OF CONTINUED CRONYISM

Since last May’s Mayoral Election, our present Mayor and his activities related to the governance of Racine have been closely monitored by the Racine Branch NAACP. The need for this monitoring is based on the dark night this City has recently emerged from. Couple this with the inherent goals of the NAACP to “ …ensure equal rights, treatment, and access to government for all people regardless of race, creed, color or sexual orientation monitoring the Mayors actions is view not only as wise but responsible as citizens and taxpayers. In this light, the NAACP views the Mayors most recent action in hiring a questionable PIO (Public Information Officer) as an unwarranted repudiation of inclusive and responsible governance.

By bypassing the hiring process in place, the Mayor seems to convey a growing parental view of his responsibilities. Whether it’s the granting of access to Public Land to individuals of questionable backgrounds; or the decision and then hiring of a political ally to burnish Racine’s image. This Mayor has demonstrated again his distaste for the rules and regulations of fair, open and honest government.

Gaveling down reasonable questions does not remove the fact: This Mayor and his group of associate’s grand plan contain the provisions to further the divisions within this city. Be those divisions racial, economic or social, the message being conveyed to the public is clear: “Unless you agree with us, we don’t care what your input is, we know what’s best for you," The NAACP asks the question, what is the difference from the last administration?

The Racine Branch NAACP in keeping with its historic traditions of opposition against racism, sexism and backroom government goes on the record as firmly opposing the manner in which the PIO position was filled.

Dickert said at Tuesday night's City Council meeting that he wanted to hire a local candidate for the new PIO position. Mark Eickhorst, a former newspaper reporter, City Council member and current radio show host, met the qualifications for the $25,000 contract, Dickert said.

While Shields challenged the mayor's hiring decision, he was the only one. The council voted 14-1 in favor of hiring Eickhorst.

Chinese city invites Racine delegation for spring visit

Zhenyang Street in Sheyang, China

Mayor John Dickert's meeting with representatives from Sheyang, China in December ended with a request from the Chinese delegation. "We'll see you in the spring - in China," Dickert recalled them saying.

The invitation, which was also part expectation, was a sign of the speed at which Sheyang business and government leaders are hoping to build ties with the Racine community. The China SINB group, led by Wanming Chi, bought 54 acres of land in Mount Pleasant to build a 600,000 square-foot Eco-Business Park. The land cost $850,000.

Dickert said in a recent interview that he's attempting to put together a Racine delegation of business leaders and government officials to visit Sheyang, though nothing is definite at this point. Cost is a factor, he said, but business leaders have offered to help pay for the trip. Sheyang is located along the Yellow Sea about 150 miles north of Shanghai.

Dickert said traveling to China could result in business deals for local companies. He's also hoping to present development opportunities in Racine to investors.

Chinese companies have made a push into southeastern Wisconsin in recent months. The BizTimes reported last week that Wanming was one of a handful of Chinese businessmen to purchase property in the Milwaukee-Racine area in 2009. The story also provided interesting background about Wanming and his connection to the Racine area:

The driving force behind SINB North America is Wanming Chi, the president and chairman of the board of SINB Group Co. Ltd. The company does business in manufacturing (particularly structural steel fabrication), real estate development, port construction, financial investment and international trade.

After the U.S. real estate market collapsed and the economy plunged into a deep recession, Chi became interested in investing in the United States because he saw an opportunity to do so at a discount.

Chi’s business relationship with William Osborne, the president and chief executive officer of Racine-based LGO Global Sourcing LLC, led him to Racine County. LGO assists American businesses with outsourcing manufacturing operations. The company has two China offices in Jiangsu and Beijing. Osborne makes 8 to 10 trips a year to China.

Racine's Sister City Committee has begun to explore a relationship with Sheyang, which, despite a population of over 1 million people, is still considered a mid-sized Chinese city, Dickert said.

The mayor and the Chinese delegation signed an agreement to consider talking about a Sister City arrangement.

Al Guetzlaff, chairman of Racine's Sister City Committee, described the two cities as being in the "dating/courting process."

Any relationship with Sheyang likely will differ from Racine's other Sister Cities because of the economic incentives underlying the partnership, Guetzlaff said. While the U.S. has a history of treating Sister Cities as "citizen diplomacy," the Chinese Sister City organizations are based in business and more like our Chamber of Commerce, Guetzlaff said.

Based on his experience working with Racine's six Sister Cities - four which are active - Guetzlaff said Racine needs to find a local resident who can "carry the torch" of a Sister City relationship with Sheyang, he said. Wanming's emerging business connections in the Racine area may be the connection needed to seal the Sister City bond, he said.

Guetzlaff also said customs and traditions will come into play on the cross-cultural exchange. For example, the Chinese can be insulted if you do not thoroughly examine a business card they give you.

"There are protocol things that are very important," Guetzlaff said. "Just like when you're courting, there are traditions you need to be aware of."

Mayor Dickert files $6,700 in expenses; Committee says spending is 'clean'

Mayor John Dickert's expense reports aren't raising any eyebrows in City Hall.

The Finance and Personnel reviewed the new mayor's spending habits Monday night and gave him a pass.

The only item that jumped out to the committee was a $1,139 hotel bill for a conference in Providence, R.I. Alderman QA Shakoor II questioned the expense, but City Administrator Tom Friedel explained the mayor simply stayed at the hotel where the conference was being held. It was also noted the June conference - the 2009 U.S. Mayor's Conference - was booked before Dickert was ever elected.

Dickert filed expenses for three meals at the four-day conference. He paid for other mayors' meals at the dinners, which is a common practice when doing business between cities. In exchange, other cities' mayors bought Dickert dinners.

Other trips Dickert expensed include:

• the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, Quebec, June 16-19;
• the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Conference in Seattle, Oct. 1-3;
• lobbying trip to Washington D.C., Oct. 14-18;
• Alliance of Cities Conference in Appleton, Oct. 14-15;
• U.S. Mayor's Conference, Boston, Nov. 18-20;
• Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, Chicago, Dec. 10-11;
• U.S. Mayor's Conference, Jan. 20-22.

Dickert's expenditures on the six-month report totaled $6,731.49.

Alderman Jim Spangenberg, chairman of the Finance and Personnel Committee, said Dickert's report was "clean." He added the committee was largely reviewing the mayor's expenditure reports because of some "questionable" spending decisions by former Mayor Gary Becker.

The Finance and Personnel Committee will again review Dickert's expenditures in six months.

You can read a breakdown of the Mayor's expenditures here.

You can read the raw data file here.

Dickert: Mass transit is a regional issue

Talking with Mayor John Dickert this week, he offered a couple of important points about the regional transit authority proposal announced Tuesday.

1. The proposal's ultimate goal is to allow people to move around SE Wisconsin without a car. Right now, that's impossible. You can barely get around Racine on mass transit, much less get to Milwaukee, Kenosha, Chicago, etc. "You need a car," Dickert said.

2. It's really a county-wide plan. It connects Racine to Union Grove, UW-Parkside and Kenosha and Burlington to Milwaukee. This makes sense and gives people outside of the city a reason to support paying for an expanded mass transit system.

3. The state is investing billions of dollars into expanding I-94 between the Illinois state line and Milwaukee. Racine will receive little, if any, benefit from this expansion. It will only help people drive by Racine faster, Dickert mused.

4. Improving mass transit, including the addition of KRM, opens up avenues of bringing people to Racine. This will help the city.

5. The federal government is demanding a comprehensive mass transit system in SE Wisconsin, Dickert said. It won't support KRM without an improved bus system, and it won't support high-speed rail in Wisconsin without commuter rail (KRM). So, basically, the region works together on improving its mass transit system or it isolates itself from economic centers that can actually help the community.

RDA passes option for West Racine grocery store, restaurant and gas station

A crowd packed Monday's Redevelopment Authority meeting to see what would happen with Tom Tousis's request for an option to build a grocery store, restaurant and gas station in West Racine. His request passed on a unanimous voice vote. So many people packed the committee room Mayor John Dickert, left-foreground, stood for the discussion and vote.

A proposed grocery store in West Racine cleared the first of several hurdles Monday evening.

The Redevelopment Authority voted unanimously to grant developer Tom Tousis an option on land at the corner of Washington Avenue and West Boulevard to build the grocery store, along with a restaurant and gas pumps.

Tousis's request now heads to the full City Council on Jan. 5 for final approval on the option. It's a positive step forward for Tousis, but the approval process is far from over.

If the City Council finalizes the option, the city's Access Corridor Review committee and Plan Commission will review the specifics of Tousis's proposal. Both committees will take a close look at the project's layout, traffic impact and the overall fit in West Racine.

Monday's meeting went relatively smoothly for a project that's proven controversial in recent months. The meeting opened with RDA member Pete Karas asking the proceeding be held in open session. No one objected and the meeting proceeded with the understanding that it could go into a closed session, if needed.

Tousis and developer Ray Leffler sat at the table along with the RDA members and City Development Director Brian O'Connell. Mayor John Dickert, Aldermen Terry McCarthy, Aron Wisneski, Sandy Weidner and Mike Shields watched in the audience. Alderman Jim Spangenberg sits on the RDA.

There was little debate on the proposal and once Karas made a motion to accept Tousis' option, with Scott Terry seconding, the proposal passed on a unanimous voice vote with no further discussion.

Despite taking a step forward, Tousis's proposal is far from finalized. Along with passing city committee and the City Council, it needs to come back before the RDA to finalize a developer's agreement. Tousis must also secure a liquor license and financing for the $5 million project.

The option approved Monday by the RDA would sell RDA-owned land at Washington Avenue and West Boulevard to Tousis for $250,000. Tousis would receive $50,000 of mortgage relief every year for five years - or $250,000 - if he creates at least 24 jobs.

Leffler, a prominent local developer who is working with Tousis, said the project would create more than 24 jobs.

"We want to over-deliver, which is what our intention is," Leffler told the RDA.

American Tire and Recycling closer to delivering jobs to Racine

It's looking more and more like Mayor John Dickert is going to deliver his first new major employer to Racine.

American Tire and Recycling is close to a deal to move into 2301 S. Memorial Drive, where it will collect old tires, cut them apart and send the products to its processing plant in Niagara, Wis. (located on the Wisconsin-Michigan border).

The Racine operation will employ up to 88 people over three shifts, according to City Development Director Brian O'Connell. If approved by the City Council, operations would start in the first quarter of next year, he said.

The building on Memorial Drive is perfect for the operation. It will serve as a transfer point for old tires collected within a 100-mile radius. Trucks will carry the tires in, drop them off to run through a machine that will separate the side walls from the treads, and then another set of trucks will drive them to Niagara.

The company has a similar operation going in New London, Wis. that's having success, O'Connell said.

The Redevelopment Authority reviewed a proposed deal to use sewer revenue money to pay American Tire's lease for 18 months to help the company get established. The deal would cost $39,600, O'Connell said. It also includes a clause requiring American Tire to hire its employees form the city of Racine, which has the second highest unemployment rate in the state.

RDA member Pete Karas asked about the environmental impact of the business. O'Connell said it would be minimal, with no piles of tires or really any waste product left behind.

The RDA unanimously approved the deal for American Tire.

It was the second bit of good news for the company this week. On Tuesday night, the Niagara City Council voted to allow American Tire to setup its recycling operation at a former paper plant.