I called Mayor Dickert a month or so ago, shortly after he took office. I had hoped to speak with the mayor about a range of issues, mostly relating to economic development. The mayor was out of town, I was told, attending conferences etc... and he would get back to me. Fine, I thought, we have a new mayor, everyone wants his ear, he is busy. A few weeks later I left a message asking if I might be able to set up an appointment with the mayor. A week or so passed when I received a call from a gentleman from the mayors office who apologized and chalked up the mistake to inexperience. The mayor was out of town with family and he would get back to me soon. A few more weeks have now passed and I have yet to hear from the mayor or his office. I could call again but then I would feel like a stalker.
I am not all that keen on private meetings with public officials anyway, so I will share with readers some of what I had hoped to discuss. There was a businessman interested in purchasing a prominent (and empty) downtown building. He wanted to renovate it and had talked to me several times about my own experiences in rehabbing a downtown building. Like any sensible person risking his own money, he was exploring said risks, some of which involve the city and their approach/attitude toward development. I thought it might be wise for him to meet with Mayor Dickert. Of course no meeting with Mayor Dickert took place, the building was not purchased, I haven't heard from the businessman and I now wonder what might have been. Presently I am trying to help another family start their business in downtown but the game is rigged such that his venture is now entirely dependent on approval by our politicians. I am referring to the Chun family who hope to move to Racine and open a convenient store that also sells beer.
Meanwhile, news is that the mayor is busy attending conferences and hoping to bring businesses to Racine. That is all well and good I suppose, so long as some time remains, to return calls from the businesses that already exist, and to meet with folks eager to open businesses in Racine.
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About Me
- Denis Navratil
- I love Racine Wisconsin. But I am not naive about the challenges we face. I have chosen the name Free Racine for a reason. For Racine to realize its great potential, we must free ourselves from our own failed policies, from high taxes, failing schools, and self serving politicians.
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14 comments:
It is always easier to focus on what "isn't" - there don't have to be any goals - than on what "is". Besides, why try to help local people develop business and technology when there are so many trips to be had, to Madison, China, Jordan, and God knows where else, in order to "attract" business?
good luck with that. Many people have experienced the same problem with our new mayor.
Accessibility and communication is virtually non-existent. I've left 3 messages and have yet to even get an apology for the lack of response.
Its been over a month now.
Perhaps he is busy fund raising for his next election... ahhhha, ahha.
I saw the mayor walk into your business on Main St last week, during the week - maybe you were otherwise occupied and missed him?
anon 6:24, perhaps he did stop in as you said but this is the first I am hearing of it. He has been a customer over the years.
The odds that the mayor would have stopped at Denis' place without leaving a message with staff that he had been there AND that anon 6:24 knows about this blog and reads it AND that anon 6:24 saw the mayor walk into Denis' place: approximately 0
I have received similar reports. Our new Mayor needs some time management training.
I can relate to you Dennis. I put a call in to President Obama shortly after he took office. I'm still waiting for him to return my call. These darned elected officials. Shame on them for taking care of all the problems the previous office-holder dumped in their laps before addressing my issue. Goodness knows, my problem is more important than their problems.
I just spoke to the mayor's secretary. He is just plain rude. I'm a senior, I pay his salary, I am sorry he has no time for me.
Anon 4:39am - Your blog makes no sense. There are a lot of people downtown, a lot of people walk around downtown, and I happened to be one of them last week when I watched Mayor Dickert and it looked like one of his staff, walk into Dimple's on Main St. How clearer can it get?
OK - why didn't he leave a message that he was there and wanted to get back to Denis? Of course, I didn't think of it until just now - maybe his staff isn't so great in relaying messages.
I am a downtown business owner, near Dimple's store. Mayor Dickert stopped in to my store one day last week (or the week before, don't recall the exact date). He said it was his vision to visit each of the downtown stores and speak with the owners. I told him it was a pleasant, welcomed surprise and thanked him for his interest in our neighborhood. I also told him this is more attention than any other elected official or community leader, including DRC has ever given each business owner. I can't give witness that I saw Mayor Dickert enter Denis's store but I can say that he was nearby with the stated intentions of visiting with everyone. Truth is, Denis, Mayor Dickert does care. I don't know his agenda but I'm certain he is planning his work and working his plan. Goodness knows it's not like he walked into a plush job with nothing better to do. He is already a great role model which is far better than we've ever had before, and this is in addition to all the experience and accomplishments he has for the seat of the mayor.
Denis, I'm sure you know of the 'Peter Principle'. This is where the City of Racine is at this point in our history. Not just with our Mayor, ut also many of our department heads and managers. Sad, but true.
For those unaware, this is the definition from wikpedia: The Peter Principle is the principle that "In a Hierarchy Every Employee Tends to Rise to His Level of Incompetence." While formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull in their 1968 book The Peter Principle, a humorous treatise which also introduced the "salutary science of Hierarchiology", "inadvertently founded" by Peter, the principle has real validity. It holds that in a hierarchy, members are promoted so long as they work competently. Sooner or later they are promoted to a position at which they are no longer competent (their "level of incompetence"), and there they remain, being unable to earn further promotions. Peter's Corollary states that "in time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out his duties" and adds that "work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence".
On the other hand...
Being one of the folks behind the Urban Gardening efforts and trying to get control of the old Homeward bound site for a large community garden.
I too stopped by the Mayor's office and talked to the Mayor's staff about an appointment to talk about this (gardening effort) this was after an exchange of Emails (Myself and others to include the Mayor)at least two high ranked members of the mayor's campaign for Mayor. Bonus a letter of surport to the Mayor from Rep Robin Voss, not including but the mayor has letters of support from two county supervisors and an councilman.
Staff told me third week in July. We sent follow up emails about the date. Still waiting
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