On Janesville City Council referendums get a 'no'
Posted on January 15 at 5 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Janesville is spending the money on the wrong things. I agree with those complaining about the recreational activities, the new garbage collection and even the sidewalks. However, there are a lot of employees that are making way too much money working over time. For example, the city bus drivers! The part timer are only allowed to work 29 hours a week. You always see ads for hiring part time drivers. There is a lack in the number of drivers so full timers are mandated and get to volunteer for over time.... So now, instead of paying a partimer 15 an hour, lets pay a full timer $30 ish or more in lots of their cases and hour to do the exact same job. Im sure this is a problem in other dept. of the city as well. Stop paying obscene fees in overtime and use that money else where. Also prioritize the needs of Janesville. Roads are a must! If you don't believe that, take a drive down River St. pass along the section by the bowling alley... pretty sure your vehicle will need new shocks. Fixing the roads will also help on the wear and tear of City vehicles... think of all the city vehicles that travel this crappy roads (buses, cop cars, water utility, plows, garbage trucks, etc.). The fees that are needed to repair those cars could be better spent too. Just sayin' creative minds can find creative solutions.
On Riding bus to Whitewater a 'no-brainer'
Posted on June 19 at 9:12 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
First off..... this article is pure BS. The funding for this bus route comes from numerous sources Federal Government, taxes, Generac, the employees/general public who use this service...etc. etc. This service is not only open to those who work at generac, ANYONE CAN RIDE IT. Currently, the routes time are set to run with Generacs hours because those are where the riders are going for the majority. Once more riders start, they will be able to fund more regular routes. The drivers wages and benefits are public information and can be found on the city webpage. The drivers driving this this route are part time drivers. They do not have any benefits. They are only allowed to work 29 hours a week due to union contract. In actuality wages and the cost for the month rounding up is 2,300 a month. The route runs 40 hours total in one week. You do the math.... the drivers don't make much given the amount of responsibility there is involved in transporting humans lives, using a government vehicle, and quite frankly watching out for other drivers... cause as a professional, you are expected to never have an error on the road. If they do, so help the driver, the whiney little daydreamers on the road will be sure to call the driver in. The cost is in insurance for the vehicle and the City of Janesville in the event they should need it because the world is so sue happy. The rest is in fuel, maintenance of the bus, mechanics wages to work on the equipment (not just anyone can fix these things, the worker must be skilled and have knowledge), passes, advertising the route, etc. etc. In order to move forward and attract new companies into the area, our infrastructure is a major part and needs to be efficent and accessible.
On Brunner undecided on Janesville City Council position
Posted on November 8 at 7:41 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Poor George! Please don't resign. In the heat of the moment, when a child is involved all control can be lost! I have experienced this. As a parent, when harm or something uncomfortable for your child is happening, you go to great lengths to protect them despite it being the police assisting the CPS person. I am sure, if this was any of you, the first thought on your mind would be "Oh, I am the former police chief and the president of the city council. I better be presentable before I protect someone I love." As for CPS not giving custody to the Mr. Brunner and his wife, maybe the childs mother lives in the house. Maybe george and his wife were unhappy with the care the mother was giving the child and called CPS themselves and it was going further then they intended... who knows, not I, Not you! We should not judge him based on the outcome of a very highly emotional situation. I would be more upset if he wasn't trying to protect the child and to advocate for the child.
On Mercy given green light for northeast side facility
Posted on September 20 at 1:44 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I use to work for Mercy. They are a non for profit facility. In order to keep that status, the have to invest a lot of money back into the facilites. Thus the reason you are seeing all these modifications and now the new building. Got forbid they invest that money into a program to help uninsured or low income people with medical costs for prescriptions or procedures.....Just a a thought.
On Schulte seeks 3 percent pay hike for school's non-union workers
Posted on September 20 at 1:37 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is a bad idea.... The family resource center people and the non union food service people without benefits are people who work on average 10-15 hours a week. There is a reason they have no benefits. However, that being said, they don't get regular raises because of not being in the union.... They generally stay at the same wage for a longer period of time. The administrators are over paid all ready. Secretaries do all the hard work for the, they are the ones who deserve that raise. Too bad there just is not enough money to do it....someone needs to remind Karen that money does not grow on trees!!!! I should hope this is not what they are teaching my kids!!!
On Janesville teachers union says no school board's offer
Posted on September 13 at 10:28 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Realist, You must not be from around here! We here in the Janesville area are good to our educators. If they conceede now, and give a little, when the economy is better, we will be all about providing for our educators again. It is the history of this city to provide for our educators. LOOK BACK! This is the reason Janesville teachers are known to have the "cadilac Contract" in the state. Its because we the public have always supported them. It is there turn to support us durning this economic crisis. The money is just not there to maintain the "cadilac contract" so they should conceede just a little. MAYBE THAT IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUT SOCIETY! EVERYONE IS OUT FOR THEMSELVES. WE NEED TO HELP EACH OTHER DURNING THIS HARD TIME.
On Janesville teachers union says no school board's offer
Posted on September 13 at 8:44 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I really think they ned to open up to the idea. Everyone is having to take cuts these days to make our economy sustainable. I work for the government. As of Jan 1st my cut will be on the average of 6-12% depending on the health insurance. My husband, He recently took a 5% paycut in order to keep his job in the private sector, on top of the 3 weeks a year furlough they have been forced to take for the last 2 or 3 years. We have four kids in the school district. I agreed to the higher school fees! I want my kids to have an education. I serve the public in my position as well. I serve the kids in my position. However, I do not expect that my fellow tax payers should pay for my families health insurance and my retirement. I should have to contribute to my own future! The teachers should too. Its time to buck up and take the little cut like the rest of us in the public sector and in the private sector have. Help us in this economy now, and we will help you when the economy is better. Teachers here in Janesville have it way better than anywhere else in the state. Be greatful! I have been in the classroom and I do it for the lousy 10.83 an hour they pay us subs. I don't want to hear that excuse!
On Report: Rock County services need improvement
Posted on August 20 at 8:51 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Having worked in both crisis intervention and in diversion services here at the county, I can say that Rock County is in the lead compared to other counties. We are a step a head and offer more services in both areas. I am proud of where we are at when comparing to other agencies. The problem is that there are many gaps in our system. Its not just our system, either. This gap is every where. We need to implement a system here that solves a few problems. We have a program that helps with housing. Where we have no help is in the court system. We need to have an intercept between the police and the courts. We can keep a lot of the mentally ill out of jail by having intercepts and training police to recognize the mentally ill or addicts before they are arrested and placed in jail. This holds very true because once the mentally ill are placed in jail, they loose benefits, they go off meds, loose housing, and then become a revolving door in the CJ system. Prevent them going to Jail, prevent the cycle. The county should look at the SIM Model!
On WEAC won't join education task force
Posted on July 22 at 9:46 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Teachers aren't thinking only about themselves. They happen to be protecting the kids from little Hitler and his deception. THe man is not honest! What he portrays to us, is not always what his intentions are. This is walkers own fault. Lord only knows what he is really intending to do with the education accountibility program. Thank you WEAC for standing up to him! I appreciate you! Yes, I am a mother with more than the average number of kids in the schools per family. Yes, I have special needs kids. Yes, We have I.E.P. and 504. Preach elsewhere!
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On Janesville City Council referendums get a 'no'
Posted on January 17 at 8:12 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Its not a matter of there not being people willing to do the job. People are hard of for jobs, right now. Its that the union blocks the positions by limiting the number of hours one part-timer can work. It would be cheaper to add a lot of part timers (there are part timers willing to work more hours, even if benefits are not included but can't because of the union contract not allowing it)... or pay the extra benefits to add a few extra full timers and pay them straight time and not the OT. Right now, the problem is getting through the hiring process to get the drivers in. It take entirely too long to get through the application process, interview and actual start date for a person. So there are remedies for every problem. Futhermore, I agree with all your other comments. This is not a popularity contest and some people have no idea what it takes to run a city... I am not saying I know. The point in mention the bus drivers was to show how creative you have to be to find solutions... they must look at every nook and cranny. If they can even save some tax payer $5 by shaving cost somewhere else in the city.... its better. With the area being one of the highest areas in the state for unemployment, we must consider that people are NEEDING to be frugal and not wanting to be. In the past, Janesville tax payers have always been willing to have increases as needed to maintain the city and more importantly the schools....but when jobs are lost... and companies leave.... it has linger effects that we have to deal with.