From the resolution to censure Ward 2 Alderman Sam Kooiker:
WHEREAS, the investigative report shows that the Transit Division Manager provided 110 pages of email correspondence with Alderman Kooiker dating back to 2003 to provide contest and in support of his complaint; and
WHEREAS, the investigative report shows that during the first 18 months of his tenure the Public Works Director reported more than 1000 pages of email correspondence with Alderman Kooiker; and
WHEREAS, Alderman Kooiker's extensive use of email to City employees far exceeds the amount of email correspondence of the rest of the Council combined; and...
THE TRUTH
The City has not produced the 1000 pages of email correspondence the Public Works Director reported.
The City has produced the 104 pages of emails in its packet of "evidence" provided by Rich Sagen, Transit Authority manager.
Between 2003 and the time of the censure, Alderman Kooiker pressed SEND a grand total of 37 times in seven years, and that was to Robert Ellis, Dirk Jablonski, The Rapid City Common Council, Rich Sagen and a private individual asking about bus routes.
Of the 37 emails Kooiker actually sent, 19 were sent to Mr. Sagen. That's 2.7 emails to Mr. Sagen per year average. Of the 19 emails he actually sent to Mr. Sagen, three were thanking him for answering his question, acting on a request and for inviting him to attend a meeting. So that leaves 16 emails that actually made a request for action or to answer a question. That is 2.3 emails per year average for the seven years in question.
I can certainly see why Mr. Sagen feels he's been harassed by a guy with whom he has not spoken for seven years. What say you, Forumpians? Anybody smell a set-up?
7 comments:
Mr. Sanborn:
I was a complete ass.
Please accept my heartfelt apologies; I am truly sorry.
It appears that Mr. Sagen has embarassed himself. Many of us are embarassed for initially giving credence to the bunch that he got his undies in.
Sagen has been treated fairly decent by the city council, a 10% salary increase on 01-01-09, from approx $68,000 annually to approx $75,000 annually, earning $48,000 more than the entry level transit driver's, some that are on a bus 6 hrs straight per day with-out a bathroom break! Sagen brags about having one of the lowest cost per mile transit systems in the U.S. No wonder, his driver's are some of the lowest paid in the U.S.
I think this only proves to show that we have a tyrannical, oligarchy for a "municipal government." The sheer audacity of silencing the people, by silencing our elected representative, is nothing short of a direct attack against the people. But as mentioned, this is the local government that brags about paying people little, being "employer" friendly, and openly engaging in wage-fixing deals with incoming businesses. Our city needs a Revolution of sorts, and this is just the incident to bring it on. If we continue to tolerate the oppressive tyrannical actions of these elitist any longer, soon enough they won't try to silence the representatives, but the people directly. This action is a zenith in the self-righteous actions of the self-made bourgeois towards keeping us silent and submissive. It is high time we start to fight for our rights and the freedoms, that our forefathers shed their blood for.
Mr. Kurtz:
Apology noted and accepted.
Jordon:
Have you posted before? Thanks for joining the discussion here. Welcome.
Mr. Sanborn,
No sir, I have not posted before this. I normally do not stand-up, gaining unneeded attention, but have felt the need due to the recent actions to do so.
To elaborate further as to the impetus of my writing, I took an oath in 2003 to "defend the Constitution of the United States against all foreign and domestic attacks." I have every intention of holding true to that oath, so long as I draw breath from my lips.
Because of the nature of the Kooiker-affair, if I so may call it that, I have felt that it is time that I and other veterans like myself stand-up to protect the Constitution that we vied to protect. I may be a "young-buck," but I am positive I know the difference between right and wrong. And this is, respectfully, simply wrong. There is no justification for these atrocious actions.
I would stand up, even if Mr. Kooiker wore a T-Shirt that had a silhouette of a hand making a middle-finger up in the air. (See Cohen v. California) The Freedom of Speech has been deemed by our society as nothing short of a categorically imperative right to the people, and is sanctimonious causa sui.
Jordan,
Thanks for posting. We share the same respect for the First Amendment.
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