MATC Director Response...
I sent an email to the MATC PR person on July 30th seeking information about former superintendent Victor Rossetti's continued membership on the MATC Board of Directors.
I mentioned that I was aware that Mr. Rossetti had vacated his home in Germantown. I also asked, that since he had moved and since he was no longer the superintendent of Germantown Schools, if he would be removed as a Director.
Kathleen Hohl, MATC Public Relations Director sent her response to me today:
"Mr. Campbell,
Thank you for your July 30, 2008,inquiry. Milwaukee Area Technical College does not have knowledge that Dr. Rossetti has moved outside the District boundaries, nor has he resigned from the District Board of Directors."
I have since learned that he moved to the Madison area which I know is "outside the District boundaries". It would seem that MATC could've made that determination by this time, as well, if it were interested. I wonder if there will be any change in the Directors prior to June, 2009 or if the District and Germantown will remain unrepresented.
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Change in Village Investment Advisors...
I received an email from a Germantown resident raising several questions about the announced change in investment advisors that saw RBC and its local representative named to replace the existing organization. The resident was concerned as to whether or not other entities had been interviewed, or whether an RFP had been issued and competing bids received. His concern was that this might represent too cozy (my words) a relationship.
I emailed Dave Schornack, the Village Administrator and received his response promptly.
He advised that the local person had made an unsolicited approach to the village through Kim Rath, Village Finance Director/Treasurer. That led to the proposal he made being reviewed by the General Government and Finance Committee which approved the proposal and submitted it to the full Village Board. The Board approved the proposal with three dissenting votes.
Mr. Schornack said that the village is not required to go to bid and that this proposal represented better value than was being received. Apparently the service being received left something to be desired according to Ms. Rath although no formal requests for proposal had been generated.
I feel sure there was nothing untoward involved in this change. I am concerned, however, that there seems to be some precedent being established that may be difficult to follow in the future.
Another recent matter involved a Germantown businessman who sought a meeting on the website redesign only to learn, after interest had seemed to wane, that the existing relationship with the Ruekert & Mielke engineering firm had been expanded to encompass this redesign effort without having been put out to bid. This was done, apparently, in order to consolidate all such activities in one vendor relationship for the Village.
Beyond this, there have been instances where committee efforts with bids taken were superceded by direct action on the part of a village official. This involved actions where vehicles were purchased by the village for the Police Department and for the Senior Center. I am not privy to the financial aspect of these arrangements and, again, have no reason to believe anything improper was involved.
I certainly would favor residents and local business owners being favored with village business provided that everything was fully transparent.
My concern is that things handled in this manner can cause consternation that might have otherwise been avoided had they been handled differently.
