This Just In...
Kevin Fischer is an award-winning veteran broadcaster who has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for nearly three decades.
Kevin, who is a legislative aide to state Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, “InterCHANGE,” on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
RFP = Ripe For the Picking
By Kevin Fischer
Friday, Aug 22 2008, 02:00 PM
By Guest Blogger J. Gravelle
The City of Franklin has their "Community Calendar" online, allowing you, the concerned citizen to monitor the activities of the people you've hired to spend your money.
Next Wednesday, August 22nd, your "Technology Commission" is getting together. Their published agenda is online [HERE].
I'm bringing this to your attention for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the evening's itinerary includes a discussion of a "Request For Proposals". A government RFP is to tech contractors (like me) what the Country Kitchen Buffet is to Gilbert Brown. There's a reason Uncle Sam gets charged $640 for a toilet seat... he'll pay it.
Well, you'll pay it.
If you bothered to open the agenda (and you really should have) you'll note that the RFP item and everything else of interest is denoted with one or two astarik-- astrasix-- asstorisk-- um, starry-thingies. The footnote indicates that all the details are in the attachments which (darn the luck) aren't available online.
Those attachments contain all the meat and potatoes from the aforementioned buffet. It could be filet mignon with Gratin Dauphinois, or a burger and fries. There's no way of telling.
(I know... I can spell "Dauphinois" but not "asterisk". Weird, huh?)
In any event, you're in luck because agenda item #4 is "Website Development - Phase II", which MIGHT give you the opportunity to pipe up and say "Hey! I want all the starry-thingy items online from now on!" I say "might" because item #4 itself refers to offline attachments which could very well indicate that the only thing being considered in "Phase II" is a tribute to the beloved American that the City of Franklin was named after who, I'm embarrassed to discover, isn't Aretha Franklin after all.
Turns out, it's Bonnie Franklin. Man, do I feel stupid. But at least I'm not buying $640 toilet seats.
Are you?
J. Gravelle
[ Gravelle, normally of the DailyScoff blog, is apparently off his meds. We've been assured he'll be fine as long as we allow him to keep typing. If he makes eye contact with you, just smile and nod...]
