Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Dickert's trip to Mexico....something is missing in the JT's article.
In the discussion in the JT of Mayor Happy Hair's trip to Mexico on the No-streetlight-having-taxpayer's dime it mentions one person who went along as "a Unified High School Teacher". Not once but twice in the same story. Why name all who went on this little vacay except the teacher? Did the teacher use vacation time? Were they still getting paid by RUSD? Why the secrecy?
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I wondered the same thing. Did they want to be anonymous so they aren't associated with the mayor? Was this invitation open to anyone from Racine to go, or only the politically connected?
While not condoning tax money spent, which i believe should be made public record, along with the list of attendees, I spoke directly with the teacher who attended. From what I heard, her time was spent working on student exchange programs with teachers from that area, which would benefit RUSD students and the Racine area. I didn't ask if she used vacation days.
That seems like a good enough reason, but I don't get the veil of secrecy?
I know that there is an RUSD teacher on the Sister City Council based off the Sister City Commission roster on the City's website. Not sure as to the accuracy. But she is not a spanish teacher, which I had assumed the person would be.
It's the complete lack of transparency by the Dickert Administration and the failure of City Administrator Tom Friedel to do his job that is most troubling.
Duties of the City Administrator:
Sec. 2-538. General description of duties and responsibilities.
The city administrator shall be responsible for planning, organizing, coordinating, and supervising the day-to-day city operations, programs, and activities under the direction of the mayor and pursuant to the legislative and policy decisions of the mayor and common council; coordinating and supervising the preparation of the annual city budget; developing budgeting procedures; monitoring budget expenditures; preparing and making such reports as necessary to keep the mayor informed regarding any variations in the operation of the city budget; directing and controlling, through appropriate organizational channels, the efficient performance of all city employees; conducting performance evaluations of administrative managers who report to the mayor and recommending salary adjustments to the mayor based on performance.
Simply put - honest people don't behave in that manner - and the Dickert Administration treats taxpayers like rugs to be walked on and Dogs to be kicked.
Here is the text of the article from the Zapotlanejo website, which conducts it's business with greater transparency and respect for taxpayers than Racines does.
According to the article, the Delegates were:
Al Guetzlaff: Chairman of the Sister Cities Committee
Linda O'Connell: Second Committee Member Sister Cities
Rebekah Dobke: RUSD Spanish
Teacher
Scott Gearting Barragan: Entrepreneur
That is the list of Official delegates. Others may have attended.
What is most troubling is that while the Mayor plays, he leaves a legacy that will force the next generation to default upon employee benefits he has promised City Employees today.
From the 2012 Audited Financial Report for the City of Racine.
The net position in the governmental activities decreased by almost $19.1 million during the fiscal year. The primary reason for the decrease is as follows:
1. The governmental activities estimated annual required contribution for post employment benefits exceeded the contributions made during 2012 by almost $18.5 million.
2. Tax Incremental Districts received over $2.0 million in tax increment that was unspent in anticipation of a larger project in later years.
3. Health Insurance costs exceeded revenues by over $2.5 million in 2012.
For those who may have missed it - a poster, who has knowledge of the visit and the area responded on The JT's article.
The comments:
From the news center,
Mayor John Dickert gave a speech at the Puente de Calderon, old battle place, celebrating 203th anniversary this morning, followed by Zapotlanejo's Council meeting session.
His Itinerary is as follows:
At 1-3pm lunch@ La Laja Restaurant, where they will serve traditional local dish "birria"-lamb or goat meat.
5pm return to hotel, staying at Los Portales plaza hotel.
6pm return to Puente de Calderon (Calderon's bridge), for fireworks show.
8pm Dinner with Mr. Jose Davalos,
person that also traveled with mayor Fco Pulido during visit to Racine. Note, this person is a wealthy business man that wants something in return always. Mayor Fco's wife is related to him. (He owns a money exchange store)
11pm, return to hotel.
Saturday 18
8am Breakfast at Hacienda Los Coyotes
11am Visiting Beccar Bus Manufacturing company
Noon - Free time
5pm, travel to the Gdl's Int'l airport
Going back to Wisconsin!
Yesterdays Itinerary was good with cash, of course.
8am Breakfast at "Oui" french restaurant in Guadalajara
11am travel to Tequila city, it was planned to take the train, but according to the logistics committee, it was too expensive, so they decided to continue the journey by bus, which is sponsored by the city govmnt.
Keep in mind that there's nothing wrong to have a Sister City, but, the question among citizens is: How do we benefit from it??
Zapotlanejo has not much to offer, and there are no jobs. Minimun wage is $ 57 pesos x day, approx $3 bucks. Mostly local people are uneducated, its majority didn't finish high school, and barely can spell in spanish. Very much is the mecca for money laundry, most of the business owners are breaking the law, govmnt knows it and cover their asses. Local business entreprenuers are importing clothing from China, or the U.S. (L.A.) and relabeled items with their own brands, and some of them exporting back to the U.S.
Aeropostale, Hollister, etc you name it, takes a few minutes to re-make a t-shirt with a registered mark and sold it, cheap and by thousands.
DEA should come and visit this town, they'll be amaze for what they can find in here.
So, mayor Dickert wanna have a foreign student program, how that will be possible, if the same mexicans(people that are originally from Santa Fe,a small town located about 10-15 mins away from Zapotlanejo) which they're from the country, dairy makers. They lived for many, many years in the States, and still they haven't learn English, they don't integrate to american culture nor society, and some of them are living illegaly and over use medicaid or social services, having many children, so they can claim'em during income taxes, and don't play me with that because unfortunately, as a result, mostly americans think that all mexicans are the same, but, no, we're not. English is the official language in the U.S. and they don't have to translate everything into Spanish to make'em comfortable. They must leave their comfort zone. So, you guys think that in Mexico are gonna give you any type of form in English, of course not. Why do you have to celebrate Cinco de Mayo(May 5th) in the U.S ?? Money, that's all. In Mexico they don't celebrate 4th of July, so that's my point. Back into the students, will be difficult to see students around here learning Spanish, maybe they gonna get away drinking or smoking at an early age, ha ha as Zapotlanejo is numero in alcohol consumption in the entire state of Jalisco.
That's all folkso!
Mr. Head,
Thanks for the info. Ms. Dobke is not a member of the commission but I can see why she went.
Just to be clear, I am only confused why the JT had to hide the name of who went from RUSD. I do not know anything about the named teacher, and have no ax to grind with her.
The JT hid the names?
Perhaps - but more than likely City Administrator Tom Friedel failed to perform his duties as required by City Ordinance Sec. 2-538.
Alderman Michael Shields has repeatedly requested to audit former Mayor Gary Becker's expense account - and City Administrator Tom Friedel has denied it.
Concerning the France trip - there was no accounting given.
There are funds coming in from the Sewer Enterprise and the Water Utility that don't go into the general fund and are in essence, the Mayor's play money. Millions of $$$ - that are ??????
Does it seem that something funny is going on with Team Porters? Well, just look at the financing methods.
Page 19:
This Plan is not meant to be a budget nor an appropriation of funds for specific projects, but a framework within which to manage projects. All costs included in the Plan are estimates based on best information available. The City retains the right to delete projects or change the scope and/or timing of projects implemented as they are individually authorized by the Common Council, without amending the Plan.
Page 22: Utility Revenue Bonds
The City can issue revenue bonds to be repaid from revenues of the sewer and/or water systems, including revenues paid by the City that represent service of the system to the City. There is neither a statutory nor Constitutional limitation on the amount of revenue bonds that can be issued, however, water rates are controlled by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission and the City must demonstrate to bond underwriters its ability to repay revenue debt with the assigned rates. To the extent the City utilizes utility revenues other than tax increments to repay a portion of the bonds; the City must reduce the total eligible Project Costs in an equal amount.
Dickert was handed a blank check in an administration that has ZERO transparency and NO accountability.
More here:
March 8, 2008, from The JT:
Racine adds Zapotlanejo, Mexico, as a sister city Location is Racine's 6th; option for a 7th remains
RACINE - Racine has added another member to its international family of sister cities.
On Thursday, Zapotlanejo, Mexico, joined the family which includes Fortaleza, Brazil; Aalborg, Denmark; Montelimar, France; Oiso, Japan; and Bluefields, Nicaragua.
A delegation left Racine early Wednesday morning to sign papers of intent with Zapotlanejo, one of two Mexican cities that "wanted to twin with us," said Al Guetzlaff of Racine's Sister City Committee.
The 11-member delegation included Mayor Gary Becker and Sister City Committee member Sandra Tingle. The group also carried a gift for the residents of Zapotlanejo.
Wow, there's plenty more sister cities for lying John and his pals to vacation in. Just take down some more streetlights and party on!
Sorry to get back to you so late, some of us work for a living... hahaha
The teacher who went was recommended by the teacher on the Racine council because it was more appropriate to have a Spanish teacher attend. I can confirm that Ms. Dobke is dedicated and not just someone who went for a "free vaca." From what was told to me, the teachers that she interacted with were on the sister city council there, and were even more enthusiastic in expanding interaction with our students here through skyping, written emails, and possibly through an online course or summer exchange program.
Diversity is a good thing for any area. I feel like I must dispel some very negative stereotypical things that were said in comments above about the Mexican population. It is ignorant to define a whole race or country by the actions of some. This teacher said the area was clean, nice, the people were educated... etc. She felt safe at all times.
I'm not giving this carte blanche, I do understand the question of funding this travel, especially at a time when finances are so tight, ie: cutting of jobs, plowing, streetlight issue. I can only speak for what I know, and our students will benefit from her interaction with the teachers in this city.
Thanks to everyone here who was able to provide more info then the JT ever could (And still work....)
I feel like I must dispel some very negative stereotypical things that were said in comments above about the Mexican population.
Let me dispel some more ignorance here - those aren't my words - but the words of someone who posted them on The JT article - likely in response to a letter I sent to the Municipality where I included the link to The JT article.
Those words, given the detailed information, were likely written by a local citizen of Zapotlanejo.
Keep in mind that there's nothing wrong to have a Sister City, but, the question among citizens is: How do we benefit from it??
There are simply some people in Racine who can't fathom the sacrifice and expense that is placed upon the impoverished locals who must provide the funds to host the Dickert delegation and stroke his ego.
White female privilege has it's benefits in America - and has no feelings for the true working poor.
Since rudeness is what you understand.... here goes. If I am indeed ignorant in your mind, Richard, it might be due to the fact that you don't properly quote or clearly cite the multitude of cut and paste material you post. I must also admit to sometimes skimming through your diatribe.
Again, I claim ignorance on your reference to "white female preference. " Where, but in your narrow view does that come into reference? To whom are you referring? Me? The teacher delegate? One can point out information without going to the dark side.
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