Insider's Information A Fortunate Circumstance

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Tuesday’s Janesville Gazette contained a story about a former council member’s string of fortunate events that led up to his employment as the city’s new assistant attorney. Of course, one of the things that needed to occur was the position to become vacant in the first place. In the hard copy version of the paper was this statement.

JG Excerpt:
Helen Hanau was the city’s former assistant attorney. She left the job Jan. 25.

That didn’t quite make sense considering the city was advertising for the job in October of 2007, about one month before the newly hired assistant attorney announced he will not seek another term as council member. The Gazette quickly changed that statement in their Web version to read….

JG Excerpt:
Helen Hanau was the city’s former assistant attorney. She left the job in late summer or early fall, Winzenz said.

Is that it? Did she retire? was she fired?, quit?, or was she caught breaking into the break room pop machine? Is that as good as it gets trying to find out what happened to the former city assistant attorney? The correction couldn't even place the time in the right season! Taxpayers deserve better than this.

This is what we’ve come to expect from the town's only daily paper. About half the story. By not reporting a clear and detailed story as to the circumstances surrounding the job vacancy, the Gazette plays hide-n-seek with the truth. They leave the door open for misinformation, rumors and false accusations to help dampen the hard facts. Their readers deserve better than this. But more importantly, the absence of a straight answer also appears as another stonewall job by the city administration following a recent city council meeting questioning new hires and fires during this period of major administration transition. The city manager, Steve Sheiffer, is in his final months of office.

Of course there is a lot more here to question than the Gazette’s brand of selective journalism. And I certainly don’t blame the former council member for taking the job, qualifications notwithstanding.

But, does it matter that a mid-level city employee was unceremoniously dismissed or pushed out of their job and left unreported in the news? Does it matter that soon afterwards a city council member with similar qualifications announces he would not seek re-election? Does it matter that over six months pass and no one is hired from a pool of six finalists? Does it matter that the new assistant attorney applied for the job soon after his last day serving on the city council? Does it matter that his mom is the city boss’s longtime assistant?

Uhhh.....not in Janesville.

Again, this posting is NOT an attack on individuals or beneficiaries of this series of unfortunate events. This is a criticism of the process, policies and the people who continue to betray the public trust.

I'll leave this posting on this most inspiring quote from the distinguished senator from Virginia.

Parade Magazine Excerpt:
Our challenges lie in improving the way we’ve been selecting our leaders. To the American voters, I offer this advice: Be as shrewd and ruthless in your demands on our leaders as the wizards running campaigns are in their strategies to get your vote. Do your part to send to Washington people who truly want to solve the problems of this country from the bottom up.
You won’t regret it. You will benefit from it. And the stakes could not be higher. – Sen. Jim Webb