Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Deja Vu: Blogs at City Hall?

Davenport city workers' access to blogs is questioned -QCTimes

Once again, folks are wanting to make sure city employees aren't blogging on the clock. This was the topic of the first QCOnline article about Fly's blog back in 2005 or whenever that was, as Craig Malin had DDP banned from city computers. Blogs also came up during the Webb controversy, when the city hired folks to make sure no city employees were doing the posting about her.

As I've said before, it depends on what these employees are posting. If they're posting anonymously saying who to vote for, etc, that's clearly not work-related. If a city employee clarifies a procedure or answers a question, then how is that different from answering a citizen's question in the office? Some of this is outdated pre-internet thinking, while concerns about employees posting politically-motivated comments may be valid.I've previously suggested they ban the blogs, after all. I hate to see the city spend a lot of time and effort combating blogs though.

One thing the article doesn't address is how the QCTimes.comments fits into this? Would access to the QCTimes website be monitored as well? Are there times when posting something work-related on city time is ok?

53 comments:

Anonymous said...

What I don't get is why the QC media jump every time Lynn decides he needs some attention? He brought this up at the COW meeting last week. The City Administrator said he would look into the issue, and there is proof that he directed staff to do that-a week later Lynn goes running to the media when staff is doing exactly as he requested.
Of all of the tech issues that the IT department should be focusing their attention on-online property inspection reports, easier access to documents, web pages for neighborhoods-staff gets to go on another wild goose chase for Prof. Lynn. Great. QCI, I liked your comments. I have always appreciated Dee Bruemmer and Darrin Nordahl's clarifications and notes to your readers for information-BTW, always using their names with their posts. I have noted that they do occur after hours-meaning that they are looking at the blogs and responding to business related questions on their own time. Lynn's micromanaging providing yet another reason to look for new leadership in the 5th Ward.

Anonymous said...

I agree Shelly. We have so many other pressing issues to be dealing with in the IT Dept. How about that program to track better rental properties.

Bill Lynn perhpas is trying to sidetrack that like he did the new DFD programs.

He needs to go.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know if Cunnigham has a web site? I live in the 5th and would love to view other candidates

Anonymous said...

City employees posting on blogs should be at the direction of their immedioate supervisor for work related comments or posting of information requested by a blog comment.

Monitoring blog comments could be assigned as an assigned task of an employee from time-to-time as directed by the supervisor.

Once again Lynn is campaigning by sound bite.

Unknown said...

These politicians need to realize that these things were being said about them long before the blog was invented. It's just now it is docuemnted and out in public. They need to get thicker skin if they want to be politicians.

Anonymous said...

I personally know some of the IT department and they have been way understaffed for about 10 years.
My question is this request from Lynn rehashing old headlines or does he think he has staffers at city hall out to get him?
I would want a staffer to read the blogs just to see what was going on and seeing if the council has missed something.

Unknown said...

By the way, nice quotes in the article.

Anonymous said...

I really think employees posting on internet blogs is just plain inappropriate since they are public servants.

Anonymous said...

I think anyone doing non-work at work is wrong. That said find a place it doesn't happen. This is a bit better than employees that look at porn at work isn't it? Seems a fire fighter bit the dust for that not too long ago. There are also fire fighters that run their secondary careers from work. They are making a profit off of city time. Isn't that a little worse than GASP giving an opinion? I normally don't agree with Shelley on a lot of things but I do agree Lynn has got to go. His true persona is coming out more and more. He is not a representative of the people. He represents some Bettendorf auto-dialing landlords and predatory lenders and the heck with the rest of us.

Anonymous said...

So, does this give anyone an indication of how Lynn has and will continue to handle issues as an alderman? This guy is nothing but a back-door, shady, politician. Thank god he did not run for mayor or we would have more secretive dealings in our city politics than ever before.

Anonymous said...

Is Lynn really worried about lies and inuendo, or is he more worried about the truth?

Anonymous said...

BTW, I posted that last comment from work!

Anonymous said...

I would suggest that he is more worried about the truth. For instance he moved the rent to own ordiance through in such a way that even people attending the meetings didn't catch what was happening. The first it became known to the public was a couple of weeks after it had passed its third reading. Could it be a city staff person that put it out on the blogs? Is that why Bill Lynn is so upset? Getting the facts from city staff is helpful to the community. I think that part of city staff assignments should to occassionally moniter the blogs and correct falsehoods.

Anonymous said...

I posted mine from work too - first line was tongue in cheek. Even "public servants" get breaks ya know ;>P

Anonymous said...

Let me tell ya - the word is that Bill Lynnis upset that the new rent to own ordinance was exposed ont he blog. He helped Dan Lubell get this passed without much to do. It is bad policy and Lynn is mad that certain people who post on the blog found out about it. I doubt they were employees of the city who posted, but so what.

Lynn has a large debt to Lubell and Lubell wants paid. So they are just sitting around conspiring about how to get people in trouble. They will also run a really nasty campaign. Just watch.

Anonymous said...

Where do you find this "blog"? I would love to read it.

Anonymous said...

Man, there are a bunch of conspiracy theories on this blog! Crap like Lynn owes debts to Lubell, and Lynn dosen't want things posted by city staffers etc. I watched the meeting, and Lynn made it clear he had NO trouble with staff posting, but not on city time. Alan Guard is known to sit on blogs all day long. Is that what we pay our tax dollars for? Lynn has done nothing but good for this City, the guardian angels being the prime example.

Anonymous said...

7:55

Mr. Cunningham knocked on my door last night, and left a flyer with a campaign number (563)323-3127 and a website address of www.dougcunningham.org. He did say that his website was still in development, he's working with volunteers to complete it, but it is up on the net.

Anonymous said...

Actually, there is a young guy who actually brought the GA's to Davenport. Not to say that Lynn didn't help, because he did, but....

To be really effective on crime issues, he should also change his ways when it comes to the slumlord group the QCrapers. Just think if he advocated the GA's and cracking down on bad rentals. He would be KING.

Anonymous said...

gina,

I bet you don't have a job. Otherwise you would understand the issue of using the phone or computer while slogging away at work.

Anonymous said...

I think bill is just trying to cover for his inability to lead and suggest good policy for the City as is the duty and business of any council member. Instead he mires himself in day to day business trying to coerce favors for people in hopes of gaining political support. It is quite clear that lynn is not the sharpest tool though he is a tool, in the shed.

Anonymous said...

Bill couldn't run for mayor because no one is supporting him and he has political debts to pay. He is politically bankrupt. Same for phil and his crowd of shady characters.

Anonymous said...

Hey 5:28 pm. Can I have a hit of the crack your smoking?

Anonymous said...

Hey 5:33 PM
Would you know about crack? I guess you might...

let's see what comes out during the primary.

Anonymous said...

DA da dunnnn! getting interesting is the voting public getting more educated by these blogs?

Anonymous said...

was that Philly and Billy?
arguing? Oh well im goin to watche the tv.

Anonymous said...

Lynn's accomplishments on the council are a series of public comments to gain publicity. I can't see any constructive accomplishments from his time on the council. I have heard enough from him, there has to be a better choice.

I listened to Cunningham last election when he ran at large. I heard enough from him then to rule him out as an option for the 5th.

How about taking a look at Scott Ryder? Maybe it's time for someone fresh. His profile sounds good. Need to hear more from him, but I would give him consideration.

Anonymous said...

How about some of you that post run? You seem to know everything.

Anonymous said...

I have talked to Scott Ryder, he has some good ideas, but he too is a landlord.

Anonymous said...

Outside Looking In said...
6:40

I try to know enough to make good choices with my vote.

6:54

There are good landlords and then there are the others. Being a good landlord could be an attribute on the council, keeping an eye on the bad ones.

Which kind of landlord is Ryder? It's a fair question.

Anonymous said...

Ryder is a member of the Quad City Landlords group. His properties aren't as important as the question of who he represents.

Anonymous said...

What didn't you like about Cunningham? I thought he was fairly well balanced. I think he is propably the best choice the 5th has.

Anonymous said...

I am a proud memeber of the QCRPA. They care about the community, and have been instrumental in supporting the Guardian Angels and cracking down on slum landlords. Any member of the QCRPA would make a good alderman.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, too bad none of them live in Davenport.

Anonymous said...

12:53

My problem with Cunningham is that he talks about what needs to be fixed, not how to fix anything. I would like to see his position paper and see him talk about his goals and objectives and the type of programs and funding sources for implementation.

He could change my mind, but not without specifics.

Anonymous said...

To 4:01pm, Do you really mean Tony Lahood would be good?

Anonymous said...

First of all, Tony LaHood did nothing but good rehab work, getting new permits, putting in new plumbing, etc. Secondly, it does not matter anyway, he no longer lives in the Quad Cites.

QuadCityImages said...

I kind of wish that you "You suck Dan" "No, you suck Wally" guys would just start your own blog where you could just argue for eternity without the rest of us having to read it.

Anonymous said...

Why did LaHood run back to Peoria? If you want to see some of his work you should drive by 1108 Arlington, 1522 Gaines, 301 E. 15th, and some of the other properties he supposedly rehabbed. They have since been sold, but there are still remnants of LaHood's shoddy work.

Anonymous said...

I have seen some of LaHood's work, and overall it is pretty good. The permits tell the story. Every property you mentioned underwent extensive re-wiring and re-plumbing, often with new roofs and windows etc. The one thing I will agree on is that his cosmetic work was not the greatest, but the important things did get done. If a property looks cosmeticly ugly, the new owner should slap some paint and carpet in it. The expensive things that most people would never do, LaHood did in spades. He also took on areas and projects that nobody else was willing to take on.

Anonymous said...

Check again my freind. No new wiring, plumbing, or furnaces in these dives. I remember when LaHood went round-and-round with the ispection department because he was stapling screen fabric to the exterior of the house so he could say his houses had screens. His places never had cover plates on the light switches or outlets. He covered 3-tab shingles that were leaking with rooled composite roofing and blackjacked around the edges. If you don't want to believe me, go check the files of these addresses. They're public record, with pictures. His rental properties were in constant violation. I'm glad they chased him out of town. Now if they can just do the same to his other QCRPA buddies.

Anonymous said...

Actually you might be right that those three addresses did not have a lot of work done on them, but all you need to do is talk with Mike McGee at the building department and he will tell you that LaHood pulled tons of permits. Usually on stuff that was set to be torn down and was off the tax rolls anyway, and it is now back on, in excellent shape and producing income.

Anonymous said...

Me thinks thou dost protest too much...

Do you really think that anyone believes that LaHood was a gift to rental properties in this city? Come on, it's getting really old.

Anonymous said...

Can you really maintain that LaHood was such a bad guy in the face of the head building inspector for the City saying otherwise? Talk about getting old fast....

Anonymous said...

This Blog is getting old fast!

QCI, How about some new stuff.

Maybe even something positive about the QC?

;)

Anonymous said...

I don't think QCI has anything nice to say about the QC or anyone in it.

Anonymous said...

It sure seems that way. QCI is the band leader for negitive.

QuadCityImages said...

Yeah, that must be it.

Anonymous said...

QCI, pretty short response, but with tongue-in-cheek, it would be hard to say much more.

Of the local blogs, I find QCI topical and positive. He is definitely a Quad City Booster, especially for Davenport.

Anonymous said...

WHAT WAS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PHIL YERINGTON AND THE FEDERAL GRAND JURY WITH LITTLE JOE?

Anonymous said...

Looks like Gluba is more interested in selling real estate than campaigning
http://hometown.aol.com/Bill%20Gluba/

Is this someone we really want as our mayor?

Is he going to be a part time mayor/full time real estate
or will he be full time mayor/part time real estate.

Well Bill we would like to know

QuadCityImages said...

Are you attacking him for having a good job now or what?

Anonymous said...

I am searching and reading on all candidates. I am not attacking any of them I do not know any of them and was asking a question.