The Waupun union resolution and the story that just won't go away.

Union people are unhappy with the latest Waupun Council resolution.

The following appeared in the Fond Du Lac Reporter today, April 17. 

http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20110417/FON0101/104170428/Union-says-Waupun-Council-resolution-will-accomplish-little?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|FRONTPAGE

According to the mayor, "The wrong information was purposely sent out in the community, which only served to tear it further apart." She went on to say "what's very disturbing is that a copy of that resolution, which was working draft for the Council, was passed around town and to the Republican Party in Waupun. The Council didn't even get the final draft until the Saturday before the April 12 meeting."

Not so fast mayor.

In the same article, city administrator Kyle Clark said the original intent of the resolution was to recognize that the process of collective bargaining had been a part of the city's municipal operation for years.

He would be right about what was intended. Let's take a look at the timeline of the events that took place with this resolution.

This is an e-mail that was sent out on March 23, 2011 from the city administrator to the Mayor and Council members. It had the proposed resolution attached. I purposely altered portions of the e-mail addresses so these people would not get hammered with spam mail.

From: Kyle Clark <****@cityofwaupun.org>
To: Jodi Steger <*******@cityofwaupun.org>
Cc: ****@accsuccess.com; Dan Ganz <*****@cityofwaupun.org>; Steve Bastian <************@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wed, March 23, 2011 10:57:11 AM
Subject: resolution

Mayor Jodi and Alderpersons:

 Attached is a resolution regarding the impact of the State budget deficit and

Community wide impact on the City of Waupun including employees, businesses, and residents.

 It also addresses local control regarding collective bargaining and local decisions regarding tax dollars.

 A Resolution is scheduled for consideration next Tuesday at the COW meeting.

 Let me know of your input.

 Kyle Clark

City Administrator

City of Waupun

My alderman forwarded that e-mail to me with the resolution attached. I then blogged about the proposed resolution on the weekend of March 26 and 27. Then the committee of the whole meeting was held on Tuesday, March 29. This is a link to a story about what happened at that meeting.

http://www.wiscnews.com/bdc/news/local/article_5e9dd5cc-5a7a-11e0-bcdc-001cc4c03286.html

Now, take a look at the actual proposed "be it resolved" portion of the resolution.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the city of Waupun supports local city employees and the approximately 10,623 public workers in Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties and the city of Waupun supports the principals of collective bargaining and requests that the city of Waupun retain local decision making with its employee unions regarding good faith collective bargaining and decisions associated with local tax dollars.

Ald. Steve Bastian said "I'm against any resolution. It's not necessary." Ald. Dan Ganz agreed. Ald. Mike Johnson moved to change some of the wording and vote on it at the April 12 Council meeting.

This whole story is just not adding up. In following the timeline of this resolution, it appears that the original resolution was what they intended to vote on, however, word got out and a lot of people complained and they ended up having to rewrite it. I had made contact with City Hall on Monday, March 28. I asked if the proposed resolution was posted anywhere and was told it was not. I was told we proposed resolution would be available for people to pick up just before the meeting on March 29. So, some of our city leaders didn't have any intention of letting anyone see that resolution before it was voted on, at least not with any respectable notice.

This is the actual "be it resolved" portion of the resolution that was passed on April 12.

"Now therefore be it resolved that the city of Waupun recognizes the differences of opinion that exist and wishes to acknowledge the value of our local public and private sector employees, our local businesses, our local service organizations, and the citizens of law upon that together make this great community."

That is quite a change from the original proposed resolution. How we actually arrived at this point is somewhat uncertain. The mayor has one version, but the timeline of events seems to make that version just seem a little strange.

In my opinion, that original resolution is what would've been passed had word not got out about what was actually in it.

Mayor, the only information that was sent out to the community was the resolution itself. How is that the "wrong information?"

Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it?