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By Bryan Maersch
Friday, Oct 10 2008, 07:00 AM
Both Janet Evans pod-casts of the October 7th Common Council meeting and Jon Neville’s brief article “City may stream meetings on Web” refer to the beginnings of what I consider the road to E-Government.
The August 27th meeting of the Technology Commission included the item:
V. Development of Integrated Common Council Video / Audio Steaming & Distribution Systems and Budget Recommendations (Ald. Steve Olson).
Aldermen Sohns and Taylor voiced their strong interest in developing a system to implement an E-environment which would make it easier for the Franklin voter to stay informed with city government meetings available on the internet at this meeting. Potentially giving the opportunity for those who which to attend via their PC can do so from home or their office. Out of this meeting a sub-committee was designated to put together a plan to investigate Video & Audio streaming on the City of Franklin website.
This first meeting occurred on September 19th. Out of the meeting two recommendations were presented to the Technology Commission at their meeting on September 24th.
1) There is interest for Video Streaming, of Common Council meetings. The sub-committee agreed that the cost of implementing a plan should be in steps and should build upon technology that the city already owns (an example of this is using the current audio system that is in built into the council room for the audio portion). The subcommittee has members with expertise in video productions and have access to video recording equipment. In addition Alderman Olson committed his employer to lending the subcommittee (free of cost, with no conflict of interest), the hardware that compresses the signal to allow the meeting to be downloaded to the city’s Web server. To take advantage of those items, it was decided to attempt a pilot of recording a council meeting by members of the subcommittee, download it to the City’s web server and see if this is a feasible venture. Again these are baby steps. If the pilot is successful, a request for static web cameras could be requested as part of the budget process. It is the intention of the subcommittee that there will be no extra employment of personnel to run this equipment. It would be turned on for every Council Meeting and off at the end.
2) As the video equipment and hardware for item number one may be a long term budget item. An easier and more pressing issue was recommended. That is to replace the cassette tape recorder in the Council Meeting room and the portable cassette tape recorders used for commission meetings with digital recorders which could record a whole meeting without a meeting coming to a stop while they turn over the tape. The audio meeting minutes would be available as a podcast on the City of Franklin website as a link next to the meeting agenda and minutes. The cost of this technology is low and in addition could save time and the cost of the City Clerk’s office providing meetings on a cassette tape. Costs and equipment recommendations will be discussed at the next sub-committee meeting and make the recomendation to the Council for purchase.
What is important to note is that all the Commission Members are Franklin taxpayers and are attempting to keep the fact current and future budgets are under microscopic scrutiny by their fellow taxpayers and our own Franklin bloggers. The only professional politician among them is Alderman Steve Olson, who in his own right is extremely knowledgeable about the field of audio and video technology. Some bloggers do not care for Steve but it is his intention not to influence the sub-committee or the Technology Commission in the purchase of equipment for the City of Franklin, as we go forward with this project. He feels his involvement could be misconstrued, by some, as a conflict of interest.
PS - For those who say, why don't we just go out to Radio Shack for a couple of digital recorders instead of going to a TC subcommittee to make a recomendation, I ask why does anyone check the internet or consumer reports before they make a purchase? Why don't all city departments go and buy what ever they want from their local Walmart if they feel they need it?
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By Bryan Maersch
Wednesday, Sep 24 2008, 07:00 AM
This is nothing more than political grandstanding, was a common theme as several people spoke in reference to Item G2 at last nights Common Council meeting which was Alderman Steve Olson’s “Ordinance to suspend elected official’s expense and mileage payments authorized under §55-3. of the Municipal Code.”
This includes my friend Fred Keller (Bullseye), Mayor Taylor, and Alderman Wilhelm.
My response is similar to Alderman Sohns who said “Only Alderman Olson knows in his heart what his intention to introduce this ordinance is”. I further agree with Alderman Olson on this ordinance and would encourage our city leaders to find other small and large cuts for taxpayers. I would like to see a similar request put together for the Franklin School Board also. Last Common Council meeting (September 8th) Council President Steve Taylor proposed and received the abolishment of fee waivers to Franklin Non-Profits which was quickly vetoed by the Mayor on September 11th. A supposed $5,000 dollar savings to Franklin taxpayers. I guess there was no political grandstanding going on there!!!!
Frankly I don't care if Olson's ordinance was political grandstanding as it sounds like there is plenty of that going around city hall.
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By Bryan Maersch
Wednesday, Aug 27 2008, 12:00 PM
If you are bored tonight you can attend the dog and pony show that the Franklin School Board has for the electorate every year. Yes it is time for the always entertaining Annual Meeting of the Electors at 6:00 PM tonight in the Education and Community Center.
Here they will have staged people in the audience with motions to approve all the proposed budgets for the 2008 – 2009 school year.
The entertainment will include:
A) You the Electors, being given a chance to speak out about the budget, while most of the School Board Directors feign interest in what you have to say. Which is great for your ego, but from past experience, most of them won’t listen. (Well at least the two new members will listen to you.) Most likely Directors will use the state mandates as the reason for the increases. By the way, have any of them gone to talk to State Senator Mary Lazich, to get her to help reduce those mandates. I recently went to the Senators web site and don't see any legislation to that end and you know she is always willing to listen to you as she told us last year.
B) Having Jim Milzer the Franklin School District Business Manager try to explain the District budget and the Rec department budget in plain English. Janet Evans has blogged about Linda Witkowski getting shot down on that! (See School Board Meeting 07/23/08 link below)
C) Some lucky person will be selected to read off a card to make the motion to approve the tax levy for the Franklin Public School General Fund, Franklin Public Schools Debt Service, and Community Education and Recreation. (What was that increase again, oh yah 3.77% and what was the increase the electorate approved at last years meeting, if you guessed 5.6% you were right. And what did we end up with, ahhhhh 11.7% increase)
D) And I wonder who will be picked to make the motion to approve the School Boards salary and expenses. Maybe it will be you…..
Lastly I want to apologize to School Board member Linda Witkowski that I ever doubted her tenacity to keep the budget in line. I understand she and David Works were important motivators for keeping the increase to a proposed 3.77%. Please ... Please -- Please ... Don't forget to listen for Mary Karolewicz to say at least once the phrase "Education for the 21st Century"
I know that my fellow blogger Janet Evans will be there, as she has been great at covering the School Board meetings of the past. I on the other hand will be listening to the proposal for the $640 toilet seat by City of Franklin’s Technology Commission that “rent a tech” J. Gravelle (the Daily Scoff) talks about as a guest blogger on “This Just In, when I am on WISN”. By the way “J” the Technology Commission meeting is on Wednesday August 27th not Friday August 22nd but I guess that is why you are just a fill in for Kevin Fischer out of boredom!
OTHER READING:
* Agenda for the Annual Meeting of the Electors
* Janet Evans - Franklin School Board Meeting 07/23/08
* Janet Evans - Franklin...Future Shock: $9,700,000
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By Bryan Maersch
Thursday, Aug 14 2008, 06:00 AM
I was on vacation in relaxing Door County on Wednesday, when the news hit FranklinNOW readers; Development leader resigns key city posts. Apparently Ted Grintjes is seeking to avoid future conflict-of-interest entanglements, so he resigned from the 27th Street steering committee, as well as positions he held on the Franklin Economic Development Commission and Community Development Authority .
FranklinNOW blogger Kevin Fischer said of Grintjes in his posting Ted Grintjes is leaving.....now what? Who can admirably replace him? I honestly don’t know.
Well Franklin has many eager, competent people and as the city of Franklin has done before Grintjes got involved with these high profile, high powered, Franklin Commissions. The city will find some other qualified person and move on.
I also believe Kevin Fischer once said of Greg Kowalski, former Environmental commissioner: I would venture to guess most people in Franklin have no idea there is an EC. Most of those that are aware of the EC probably don’t know who the members are. Giving un-elected, unaccountable volunteers greater authority would be a mistake.
Ted Grintjes is-non elected citizen who was making multi-million dollar decisions for the City of Franklin on three powerful commissions and is now just realizing a threat that he may have a “conflict of interest” due to his wifes real estate business.
Kevin I agree with you!
Especially in the case of the commissions that Ted was appointed. To giving this kind of power to spend the money that is passing through the commissions that Ted was on should not be in the hands of non-elected, unaccountable volunteers like Ted Grintjes and Jim Rhiner. Especially multiple high profile and powerful commission that the two of these men are/were members of.
This is why I would like to see the Mayor move to install himself or one of the aldermen to replace, (Yes Ted is replaceable) with a new member which would better represent the city in decisions made on an important commission such as the 27th Street Corridor.
As Sprawled Out blogger John Michlig states in his blog about the subject "It's time for new blood".
Ted, thanks for all the time you dedicated to the city of Franklin, but I think your decision was correct given those possible conflicts of interest.
DATELINE: AUGUST 14, 2008
Steve Olson voted to replace Ted Gringes on 27th Street Committee. Read all the details in Janet Evans posting - Franklin Economic Development Commission Meeting 8/13/08
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By Bryan Maersch
Tuesday, Jul 1 2008, 04:20 PM
Consider this …. In a time when people are struggling to keep their houses, pay for increasing gas prices, food prices, and virtually the cost of everything, while praying that their business or employer does not go belly up due to the increases in all of the above.
Milwaukee Area Technical College President Darnell Cole will get a 5.2% increase in his total compensation package and a two-year contract extension under a plan which the MATC board of directors passed on Monday.
Under this plan set forth by the "we can always spend more" MATC Board, Cole will take home $223,675 in base salary, plus a retirement supplement, travel allowance and stipend that bring his total pay to $259,131, starting June 30, 2008.
This little surprise package comes a mere week after MATC approved a 4.9% increase in its property tax levy, mostly to cover all the added salaries and benefits.
With three members absent for the vote, the only dissenting vote was Board member Rep. Pedro Colón (D-Milwaukee) who questioned the president’s long-term commitment due to Cole’s application and finalist position, for the top job at Lansing Community College in Michigan this year.
Some of Cole’s extra benefits he will be seeing is his retirement supplement bumps up 6.7%, to $16,000, reflecting two consecutive 3.25% increases because the due to lags in adjustments since 2006 which Cole can use the supplement to contribute to his personal retirement plan, this is above and beyond the state retirement system retirement plan he is eligible for.
Cole’s annual travel allowance gets bumped up 44%, to about $15,500 to cover Cole’s car mileage and maintenance within the district.
WOW – Show me where I can sign up to get that kind of job, especially in times like these where employers like Midwest Airlines are asking their pilots to take a 45 to 65% pay cut and we will be getting the "best care in the air" from flight attendants that will be making just above the Wisconsin minimum wage of $6.50 an hour.
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