Many credible politicians make it a point to accomplish a list of goals during their first 90 (to 100) days in office. Well, it looks like Alderman Wogen is inept at something else folks: first managing his finances and staying employed, then telling the truth, and now leading the community. Should we be surprised? Not really. If you read the "Reports - Communications" section of the council minutes for May, June, and July, then you will see that Wogen has said very little about the Third Ward (with the exception being the meeting on inauguration night, May 14). Where is the much-needed action he claimed would distinguish him from Steve Kapitan? One would think that if you were taking the initiative and working on projects (like his supporters claim), then you would share this at each meeting - especially since the council convenes every two weeks (which is more than enough time to finish a project or two).
The following quote from his website is rather ironic: "...many 3rd Ward citizens have shared concerns about a twelve year city council incumbent who fails to care for the ward...fails to follow through..."
The following quote from his website is rather ironic: "...many 3rd Ward citizens have shared concerns about a twelve year city council incumbent who fails to care for the ward...fails to follow through..."
42 comments:
What? You are implying that Victor should do everything himself huh?
Thats the way I took it when you said something like "Two weeks is plenty of time to finish a project or two"? Who are you kidding? Most of the time when a project has to be done, it has to go through others that are also employed by the city (such as code violations) Victor just can't go around doing what he wants to do! It does have to be ok'd with the city too!
If you want to constantly complain about everything, get off your behind and do something! This is the whole problem... You dont want to do anything, instead you blame Victor for everything! You are not in reality. If you are so un-happy, you're welcome to run for Alderman in 4 yrs.
Tell me what Steve Kapitan accomplished during his entire 12 yrs in office, or what he did in his first 90 days?
I cant remember a single thing!
You've built, what is called in argumentation circles, a "straw man". You're making an argument that the original poster never made.
No one said that Mr. Wogen should do everything. But, he has done nothing to LEAD people. Leaders inspire others to action. Leaders create a vision and a plan, and they gather together the resources necessary to implement that plan.
Where is the plan? Where are the resources? Who should be called? When are the meetings? Who has stepped forward needing help? When is the next fix-up day? Where is it?
See what I mean? As a leader, Mr. Wogen should already have done the following:
1) Recruit folks to be on the fix-up teams. These folks would then be expected to recruit others.
2) Contact Lowe's, Menard's, etc., soliciting donations of supplies, lumber, paint, and so on. Why should Mr. Wogen do this? Because an alderman's voice carries more weight than someone like mine. It's also a great way to build relationships with local businesses.
3) Announce the first fix-up day at the City Council meetings, and post an announcement on the TV message board, as a public notice or something in the Chronicle (in the Community section), by going on the radio and discussing the program. In other words, if he truly believes in the project, he needs to be out beating the bushes as often as he can.
When people see that he's more than a lot of hot air, people will get on board. Not saying that I, personally, will be doing so. But those who are waiting to see some passion from Mr. Wogen, directed toward his own ward, before they'll commit to anything.
Mr. Wogen didn't so much as participate in the rather heated discussion on 7/23 regarding the Class A liquor license issue. How can you claim to want to represent your fellow citizens and not even utter so much as one comment, either for or against the proposal.
At least Mr. Polvsen and Mr. Baker showed some passion about the issue. They at least cared enough to express their thoughts and concerns.
Until Mr. Wogen shows that he cares more about the citizens of the Third Ward than he does about being alderman (and whatever perks that brings in the local community), he'll never prove to anyone (least of all, those of us who saw him for what he is) that he is fit to lead.
Brien
Brien- you make sure you run for alderman in 2011. you seem to have all the answers to the 3rd wards problems.
The only reason a city council member is supposed to comment is if they do not understand or have a question regarding an issue. Victor Wogen always picks up his mail from the city way in advance & he already knows the subject matter fully BEFORE the city meetings even start.
On the other hand, Baker does not even pick up his packet of mail until an HOUR before all of the city council meetings! So, yes, if a council member has NOT read all of the information beforehand, they will end up getting involved & asking a ton of questions. For future reference, just because a council member asks questions, does not always mean they are concerned or know what they're talking about.
Brien- if you had listened to Victor at the past council meeting, you'd know who to call, you'd know what project he's working on etc...
You really don't care, that's my point.
If you really wanted to find out all of this info to help volunteer, you'd call him up yourself. Plain and simple.
I bet now that people wrote something here, Slick Vic will make a ward report at the end of each meeting. Brien is correct, Wogen has not made a ward report at every meeting, when given the chance. Who cares if they say anything during the meeting or not, it is the ward report that counts. That is when aldermen are supposed to say something. The Greek Row Dude from Glen Ellyn made more reports than Wogen (until the Mayor told him to quit), and he does not even live here!!!!
By the way, are we ever going to find out the truth as to why Wogen missed the meeting a few weeks ago? Having a "family emergency" is one of the oldest tricks in the book because the person giving it thinks that no one will pry. Well, based on Wogen's track record of lying, where is the doctor's note? Where is the obituary? What is Wogen's definition of a family emergency?
P.S. This is not about Kapitan, this is about Wogen. Wogen promised a lot of things.
Wrong! An alderman is welcome to comment whether they have a question or clarification or not. They are allowed to go on the record as being for or against a proposal, and their reasons for doing so.
That way, when they vote no, there's a record of why (so that, come election time, there's a record of why an incumbent voted the way he did). Same thing if they vote yes.
Sitting quietly does NOT indicate intelligence, nor a clear grasp of the issues. It may indicate confusion, lack of understanding, ignorance, apathy, disinterest, et al.
Don't confuse any alderman's silence with complete understanding of an issue. It could be the opposite.
I also don't know why you continue to post as "anonymous", when the only handful of people who would know when Mr. Wogen picks up his mail would be Mr. Wogen, Mrs. Wogen, or members of the city staff.
In which case, if the anonymous posters are city staff, and they are posting in support of Mr. Wogen, then they should be very careful of violating quite a few ethical and conflict of interest statutes.
So, you might as well identify yourself ... you've all but given away your identity with the sharing of inside information such as Mr. Wogen and Mr. Baker's mail pickup schedules.
Brien
Let me get this straight.
The alderman comes up with these "great ideas", then communicates where he's going with these ideas only at City Council meetings (which I may or may not be watching, depending on what I'm doing in life).
So, if I want to know what's going on in the ward, I have to call my alderman? Why isn't my alderman updating me and the other citizens via his website? Isn't that how an alderman communicates with his constituents?
That's how our congressmen do it. Why can't Mr. Wogen update his website with information and updates on what's going on in the ward?
Why is it incumbent upon the citizens to have to call the alderman to find out what's going on? Denny Hastert's office mails out stuff all the time, outlining recent legislation, and stuff going on in the district.
He can't get the Chronicle to run a community article updating the entire city about what's going on in the ward? Wait ... he's refused to talk with the Chronicle ... I forgot. Well, that turned out to be a brilliant tactic.
You ever hear of programs like AYSO? They run stuff in the papers all the time, looking for volunteers, coaches, referees. They announce clinics, registration, etc.
How successful would their program be if they waited for people to discover them, and then call them to find out all this information? How successful IS the program, BECAUSE they communicate OUT to the parents, not the other way around?
Simple, basic, communication skills. Simple, basic marketing skills. Simple, basic civics skills.
And our alderman doesn't even know them.
Brien
Maybe Wogen's invisible "backers" will be up for producing another postcard, this time extolling all of his accomplishments!
Pardon me, while I go laugh!
Now, what in the world is someone doing rummaging around in Alderman Baker's mailbox to know that he picks up his mail only one hour before the meetings? Tampering with someone's mail is a federal offense.
Oh, I bet lots of people will be running for alderman next time. I certainly hope that Wogen is smart enough not to try to run again.
I almost forgot Wogen's one major accomplishment! With Clerk Donna Johnson's sanitizing the citizen comments, leaving out their complaints about him while exaggerating what little he did say, the people woke up to her tricks. Now her actions are being watched, too. This site could be renamed the Wogen and Johnson Watch.
Wogen got his long-time family friend Donna Johnson in the hot seat right next to him.
Good job, Wogen!!
conan (aka Tim S.) I presume?
Man, Brien, you sure know how to talk a lot!
Have I hit a little too close to home? I sure hope so.
If the best retort is that I have too much to say ... then you haven't got much to say about your boy Wogen.
And you're not denying a single claim I've made.
And that says more than anything I could.
"Anonymous said...
conan (aka Tim S.) I presume?"
You are not even anywhere in the neighborhood of the ballpark with that wild guess. What makes you think that only a handful of people who wrote to the newspaper are angry? What makes you think that only a handful of Kapitan supporters are angry? Some of the most angry people are those who voted for Wogen because that was supposed to be an improvement but within 48 hours of the election, thousands of us realized that we were out of the Kapitan frying pan and into the Wogen fire. (That is a cliche, but an apt one.)
Before anyone writes a smart mouth remark about "thousands" in my last message, that meant all over DeKalb. Yes, I know only hundreds of people bothered to vote that day.
Brien- We don't make it a habit to argue over nothing like you do. Replying to you would be a total waste of our time.
But you are arguing. By posting in support of Wogen, you're arguing with us about "your boy".
The reason you have nothing to say is that you have no logical, not to mention truthful, response to the issues at hand.
There is no reason on God's green earth why Wogen cannot update the ward on upcoming events on his website. There is no reason why he cannot beat the bushes to gather support for his programs and proposals.
Instead, we get some tripe about how we're lazy. That Wogen is out there, actively trying to do good, but that no one will help him.
There's a reason no one, not even his so-called supporters, will help him, and you know exactly why, so stop feigning ignorance.
Your continued posting only contradicts everything you say ... that you have nothing to argue about.
But contradiction is Wogen's middle name. So I'm not surprsied that his supporters are the same way.
Brien
"hypocrite" is your middle name!
Your "mature" retort would carry much more weight if it weren't written by a coward.
It's easy to hide behind the keyboard, Sparky.
i've heard that same ole' song and dance before!
i agree, you are a hypocrite, brien!
This message:
"Anonymous said...
Brien- We don't make it a habit to argue over nothing like you do. Replying to you would be a total waste of our time."
just copies ideas from other people from days ago. Just like Wogen, whose whole campaign was borrowed from the ideas of others. He has no originals ideas of his own (other than the lies he tells).
Now that sounds like something Kaye Shelton would say!
Hey Mark and Christine! What are you doing for the 3rd ward? (besides spending all your time on this blog of yours?)
We'd really like to know! Please enlighten us-
" Anonymous said...
Now that sounds like something Kaye Shelton would say!"
So, is that admitting that Wogen stole ideas?
The comments by "Anonymous" just get funnier by the minute!!!!!!!!!
Hey, since when do Mark and Christine have a job in which they are supposed to help people in the 3rd Ward? Only Wogen has that job!
He can't do that job right because he has no credibility. Anonymous obviously is not learning that the fallout of lying is that no one trusts him and no one wants to work with him.
What do you mean by admitting that wogen stole ideas?? what ideas? If you're talking about fixing up the 3rd ward... Do you honestly think that Kaye Shelton invented that idea or something? You seriously believe that she's been the FIRST & ONLY one that has ever mentioned that statement? You people are cracked! There have been plenty of people that have said they want to fix up and/or houses in the 3rd ward LONG before Kaye Shelton ever came to DeKalb!! There were people that wanted to start a neighborhood watch over 20 yrs ago in the 3rd ward! & we all had glorious other ideas as well. So, what did Kaye have to do with that? She wasn't even living in DeKalb at that time! You are the ones that are getting funnier by the minute! Talk about being out of touch with reality!
to: p.s from admission of guilt?: thats not what they told others quite awhile ago. they (mark & christine) said they were going to get a group of people together to do things in the ward. if you dont know what your talking about, dont comment on the issue.
p.s to you I am not the only "anonymous" poster on this blog either!
p.s to you I am not the only "anonymous" poster on this blog either!
No, but you are the one with the worst grammar. And given the grammar of the "anonymous" posters as a group, that's saying something.
I asked a question and Anonymous went to a lot of trouble not to answer it, change the subject, and blame others. How stupid do you think we are when you write like that?
Someone who is a proven liar is more likely to engage in lots of other deceptions. Anonymous should choose to think (for once) about what "more likely" means before responding.
to admission of guilt:
You are not very attentative. I did answer your questions in my post I wrote on August 10th!
You are the one that fails to answer my question:
Do you honestly believe that Kaye Shelton is the FIRST & ONLY person to come up with the phrases,
"I want to fix up old homes" etc...? or "I'm going to start a neighborhood watch"?
You really think no one else has ever muttered those same exact words? Get real!
I have heard those exact phrases from neighbors, friends, relatives for years now! So that means they, too also stole Kaye's ideas? I guess Kaye should get a patent on her phrases so no one else can repeat those same words! You are sounding a little overboard to me. Heaven help all of us that live in the 3rd ward!
"Heaven help all of us that live in the 3rd ward!"
Yep, out of the Kapitan frying pan, into the Wogen fire!!!!!
Call it what you will Conan, that's your choice. Whether you know it or not, you get lied to every day. Get used to it. I'm Not making excuses for anyone but...can you really believe that any politician is completely truthful? Gosh, I hope not. If you are a voter, which I assume you are, you have been lied to by plenty of people you have voted for. Political races come down to the "lessor of two evils" for me. In Mr. Wogen's case, I voted for him because I was so tired of Mr. Kapitan's lack of involvement in our ward and I knew Mr. Wogen would, certainly do a much better job attending to the needs of our residents.
sean, you'd have much more credibility if you'd stop with the link that goes nowhere.
Anonymous said...
Hey Mark and Christine! What are you doing for the 3rd ward? (besides spending all your time on this blog of yours?)
We'd really like to know! Please enlighten us-
Well I hate to break it to you Anonymous, but we have not been involved with the Wogen issue since the night he was sworn in. Both my family and Sarah's have had more pressing personal issues to contend with the last couple of months. If you were within the circle of folks who had been in contact with us regarding the our plans to help the community, then you would know that Mark's job may soon be transferring him to Michigan. I had asked others to take over the project because I felt it inappropriate for me to start something I may not be able to finish (i.e. it's not right to leave people hanging).
Maybe you should get your facts straight before jumping all over everyone else. As for the blog-site, believe me when I say that we would proudly add our names to it, if it were us running it. You may remember that www.citizensforwogenresignation.com even had links to our email. Unlike the Citizensforabetter3rdward, we choose not to hide behind pseudonyms.
Well, Sean replied with the usual if everybody is doing it response.
Being lied to is wrong at every level. The AG Gonzales lied and he's now out of the job. Karl Rove did not tell the truth and he is out of a job. Senator Craig from Idaho lied to a cop, and he should be out of a job very soon, too. He already lost some committee seats. Rep. Mark Foley lied about what he wanted to do with a congressional page and he is out of a job, and made Hastert look bad. Senator Bob Ney lied, and he is done. Scooter Libby lied, and he was going to jail until Bush let him off. Jim Oberweis got in trouble the last time he ran for political office and he thinks he can run again for Hastert's seat. Former Gov. Ryan is headed to jail.
Let's be equal opportunity and pick on some Democrats--Rep. William 'Dollar Bill" Jefferson lied and his political career is done. The woman alderman from Chicago (forgot woman's name) lied about not taking kickbacks for land deals and the FBI raided her office and apartment. She also 'allegedly' said the white powder that looked like cocaine was really baby powder. I don't believe that garbage. Former Rep. Dan Rostenkowski went to jail for lying (technically, mail fraud).
Eventually, the lies catch up to those who tell them. It's just that Wogen's lies tripped him up just hours after the election and because he is local, it is a lot easier to get his attention.
Now, do you think I don't know what is going on with politicians? Lies in politics are wrong, no matter at what level. It is people who just look the other way that make politicians think they can lie and get away with it. If the people would stand up and say no more lies or else you are out of a job, then more politicians would start telling the truth.
It takes two for a lie. One to tell it and another to look the other way. It is time to stop looking the other way.
Update: Lying Senator Craig turned in his resignation.
This is to Christine Kalhe
You had told several people that you were removing the citizens for wogen resignation site after the election was over. And you did, as promised. However, you also stated that you and Mark were going to create ANOTHER site AFTER the election as well.
Please tell us what is the name of your newly created site then?
Please tell us what is the name of your newly created site then?
What about Christine's comments that she, Sarah, and their families have been too busy with family issues to be involved in anything didn't you understand?
Did you not see that she said that she has passed the baton to others because, with her husband's impending job relocation, she didn't want to start something she could not finish?
You really should take a course out at Sylvan Learning Center to improve your reading comprehension, because Christine couldn't have been more clear that she hasn't had time for any of this.
If you're going to try and ask intelligent questions ... it helps to have a good base to begin with. When you get a good base, come on back.
Until then, thanks for playing our game, we have some lovely parting gifts for you.
And to add to Brien's comments, the Kahles are private citizens, beholden to NO ONE whereas Wogen is an elected official, although a laughing stock.
Thank you Brien and the other commentor, your points were appreciated. If anyone really has to know the depth of the situation beyond the potential job transfer, here you go, though we stand by the fact there is no need to explain our actions.
Though neighbors, the Corrigan and Kahle families are quite close as friends. The Corrigan children at times even call us "Aunt" and "Uncle".
In April Sarah learned that she was pregnant with their third child. In June, the Corrigan's closed their downtown store due to fading interest from local shoppers. This of course put quite a burden on them financially as now they were down to a single income. Not long after, at about 18 weeks into the pregnancy (second trimester), Sarah and Pat found out that their unborn child had died in the womb. Twenty-four hours later, Sarah was rushed to the hospital with severe hemorraging (the ER staff was amazed at the amount of bloodloss).
Needless to say, this has been a hectic and traumatic summer for us both. If Anonymous would like to take over the project, feel free, I will provide you with the Yahoo group information and you can contact the others who were interested in assisting. If you, yourself are not willing to selflessly give to your community in hopes of making it a better place, then respectively "can it". Obviously it is you who needs to find things better to do with your time.
As to again address the comment regarding us owning this blog, #1 I refuse to spend money hosting a website where we will be personally attacked for standing up for our beliefs and acting in a constitutionally afforded manner. As citizens of DeKalb's 3rd Ward, we believe it was our duty to call attention to Mr. Wogen's character in the days between the election and his swearing in. Secondly, I happened to stumble across this page when I had googled my own name and Sarah had not even known of it's existence until I informed her.
Furthermore, Mark Kahle has asked for information/assistance from Mr. Wogen twice this summer regarding 3rd Ward issues. So again, please don't think that we are sitting idley by. We are constantly watching the actions of our newest Alderman, just ask the Mayor, Mark has been in contact with him as well.
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