State Policy for Local Government

In recognition of the fact that a representative government of the American type is dependent upon an informed electorate, it is declared to be the policy of this state that the public is entitled to the fullest and most complete information regarding the affairs of government as is compatible with the conduct of governmental business.

Budget Ideas

The Council’s goal has historically been to maintain a stable levy and level property tax rate. From 2000 to 2004 the City’s property tax rate was very flat, changing only hundreds of a point. The property tax cap and strong growth in the equalized assessed value started the drop in the property tax rate in 2005 and has dropped a full point. The change in the housing market is evident in this chart as equalized rates are affected by assessed value.

The Political Reality

Trying to develop authentic relationships in this profession is a hazardous activity.

What are You Looking?

What do you want to hear? What's important to you? Are you here for the good or the bad?

And the Definition Is ...

Integrity - adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. The opposite of dishonest.

RFQ

Received 16 engineering proposals. The proposals have been distributed to committee members with a preliminary review date of 8/3.

And The Motion Is

With a brief prepared and submitted to the Court. It is now about the information contained in the brief regarding the facts of the case, the legal issues to be decided, how the law ought to be apply, and the decision desired.

Twilight

In that space between light and shadow, science and superstition, I now feel I live. I have filed the 2012 budget under Apocalypse. The strange realities that work their way into the fabric of my life seem so out of place that it takes time to fully comprehend the new expectations.
Is this the new norm or will there be a swing in some other direction and will there be some level of stabilization eventually?

How Long is Too Long?

An employee who believes that a supervisor or appointing authority has initiated or administered, or threatened to initiate or administer, a retaliatory action against that employee in violation of s. 230.83 may file a written complaint with the division of equal rights, specifying the nature of the retaliatory action or threat thereof and requesting relief, within 60 days after the retaliatory action allegedly occurred or was threatened or after the employee learned of the retaliatory action or threat thereof, whichever occurs last.

How's This Work?

The City will maintain and ensure a working environment free from any form of employee harassment, including sexual harassment and intimidation. Harassment is a form of discrimination and if based upon a person's protected status, may violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act, and these policies and procedures. Harassing behavior shall not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Harassment consists of unwelcome conduct, whether verbal, physical, or visual, that is based on a person's protected status, such as sex, color, race, ancestry, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, or other protected group status. The will City not tolerate any form of harassing conduct that unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance, or that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.

Harassment may include, but is not limited to: (1) verbal harassment, including epithets, derogatory comments, slurs or ethnic jokes; (2) physical harassment or physical interference with movement or work; or (3) visual harassment such as derogatory or sexist cartoons, e-mails, writings, drawings, or posters.

People watching People - Transparency

As more Wisconsin cities start to use contracting for areas that they have never contracted before, the criminals will start to take advantage of such environments and to change such environments to optimize them for crime. Cities’ must establish effective controls which are essential to limiting procurement abuses. Most cities’ will have inadequate personnel, controls and other practices that will make the environment prime for abuses.

A Little Hot Today

It’s been said that the harder a man strives to stand on principle the more he is bound to face personal attack. In my line of work, public administration, this has certainly been true as attacks can come literally from out of the blue. A longtime colleague can take you on with a laundry list of complaints after years without a word. The next day, an attack might come from a person whose child received a parking ticket. Neither may be a real attack but perception is reality and when someone disagrees with us, we can’t help but to get worked up. The key is in choosing the appropriate response for each workplace moment of inevitable stress.

Self Evaluation

CHARACTER, INDIVIDUALITY, PERSONALITY refer to the sum of the characteristics possessed by a person. CHARACTER refers especially to moral qualities, ethical standards, principles, and the like.

“Many a man's reputation would not know his character if they met on the street.”
Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915)