Late after 11PM, Councilor Storch posted on his blog that there will be two items added to tonight's agenda. Neither were discussed at last Monday's extra-ordinarily long agenda setting session, but both are not of emergency nature and should have gone through regular channels.
One more reason to go back to semi-monthly meetings.
The first item, The "Transit Village" study will be money well spent. I hope the entire railroad corridor is included in the study.
The second, is once again the creation of an IT position. I would have hoped that the Council's IT Citizens Commission would have had time to complete its study and make a recommendation before Council takes action.
There is no question that the city needs a functioning IT division. However this administration's record in the past suggest lack of planning and needed funds wasted. This may again be a cart before the horse boondoggle.
If I had a vote, I would not create a position until a written plan defining the goals and objectives is presented for approval. We must know what is expected from those that will be in this division. I fear that we are again writing a blank signed check.
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The IT thing has been a fiasco. What happened to "I'll get back to on that - Dashield" getting a plan memorialized prior to the adoption of anything? This administration has not handled anything correctly. It's no wonder the citizens can't get some sort of relief.
ReplyDeleteThey can barely get the tax bills in the mail!
I would vote "yes" on the transit visioning study and "no" on the IT director thing, since the city hasn't fulfilled its responsibility on that. I hope the council members who voted "no" before (Mapp, McWilliams, Storch and Burney--Burney only after much arm-twisting) remember that the administration owes the governing body and the public the plan PRIOR to creating a job ordinance. Any finagling and "yes" vote means that they are doing the administration's bidding and the "fix" is in.
ReplyDeleteYou're right about this IT ordinance, Doc. There is no reason to rush. If the administration has not met the minimal goals laid out by Councilman Burney in his blog post (see below) back in March regarding the IT position, he and the rest of the city council have the responsibility to the public who elected them to vote "NO" at this time on that ordinance. We must hold this administration accountable for everything they, as our representatives, have asked for from this administration. The IT committee has not received the information it needs, and neither has the public. I say that because I have not seen anything. Mr. Dashield has had five and a half months to pull together a comprehensible plan on IT. Also, the job search should be nationwide. There are scores of IT professionals all over the country who should know about this position, not just some crappy posting on the Plainfield personnel director' bulletin board in city hall, or buried online in the state's civil service listings. Posting the job in IT trade magazines, on Monster.com, and in venues that are truly open to the vast number of IT people will help us get a good person, rather than a patronage hire. Everyone is aware that this administration wanted to hire a specific individual for this job, so they owe it to us to make sure there is a real job search for a real professional. The IT committee is charged with making the public aware of the openness and fairness of a job search that will result in competence and professionalism, rather than cronyism and political "hackery."
ReplyDeletehttp://rashidburney.blogspot.com/2009/03/part-2-of-2-we-hired-it-director-now.html
The police division has created an IT Bureau staffed by a captain and sergeant. These positions are costing over $225k. So far, I am told that there has been a lack of progress with Information Technology. What is needed is to hire 4 people to actually do the work that is needed. The police division, not unlike the rest of the city needs to get out of the paper age. Of course the lack of computer technology is also a safety issue with police.
ReplyDeletePlease, we need more workers than administrators. Then maybe something will actually progress!
I can see the need for an IT administrator if they are going to accomplish something. What will they do besides update the website? Is there a plan in place with determined goals to accomplish? Yes? Than hire away.
ReplyDeleteAs to the transit study. So many other communities have already done this. What will we get for it? Who will provide it? Will anyone follow its recommendations? Will there be a redevelopment plan put in place to follow the recomendations? What developers will be included in this plan? Hopefully not Connoly or Landmark. They have neither the funds or the experience. Will the plan include reopening the Grant Ave and Rock Ave stations? If so, will those plans be initiated as well. If the study and its suggestions do not start at the North Ave redevelopment area, than we are wasting time and money.