This has me concerned--from js online

[dembotoz]

i am concerned that the state might be wanting to move contracts to organizations who are buddies with walker.
curious as to how this develops.....
I smell some faith based bullshit in the works--hope i am wrong....



Milwaukee County
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Ultimatum surprises Social Development Commission
e-mail print By Georgia Pabst of the Journal Sentinel
Sept. 26, 2011 |(17) Comments

Some Social Development Commission board members said Monday they were surprised to learn the state has threatened to terminate part of the agency's $24.8 million Wisconsin Works contract if it doesn't correct continuing problems and complaints in providing emergency assistance to needy families.

The special board meeting was called Monday after the Journal Sentinel reported last week that the state informed the agency earlier this month that it must submit a plan by that day "that identifies specific steps SDC will take to immediately come into compliance with the emergency assistance requirements."

If the plan does not satisfy the state, or if there are any more complaints, the emergency assistance portion of the grant will be terminated, said the Sept. 12 letter from Kristiane Randal, administrator of the state Division of Family and Economic Security.

The issues outlined by the state include "repeated failure to take applications, process them in a timely fashion, make the correct decision, and record cases correctly into the emergency assistance tracking system."

The emergency assistance program provides money to needy families with children who meet poverty income guidelines, especially families facing eviction and possible homelessness because of a financial crisis.

The letter from the state said that since the agency received the two-year contract in 2010, the state has been working with SDC on compliance issues and offered training and technical assistance, but that complaints and problems continue.

"I don't like surprises," said Commissioner Bobbie Webber, a former City of Milwaukee firefighter who represents the office of the governor on the anti-poverty agency's board.

Later on Monday, he said he was surprised "by the magnitude of the subject" in the letter. He said he believes commissioners should get such information "immediately, if not sooner" so that they can be kept up to date on any problems.

Former Democratic legislator Shirley Krug, who represents the City of Milwaukee on the commission, said she was aware there were problems with the W-2 program, but not to that extent. "The intensity of the letter was a surprise," she said, adding that she first read about the letter in the newspaper.

C.J. Kim, who represents the United Way on the board, questioned SDC CEO Deborah Blanks about the timing, saying the board in July was told there were no problems, but that it appeared from the letter that "problems had been brewing for some time."

Wallace White, the African-American Chamber of Commerce representative, said the board had a responsibility to oversee the public money.

"The board needs to work a lot closer with staff to do what we have to do to help poor people," he said.

Blanks said she's been working to improve the emergency assistance program and that it's been "a challenge." She said from April 2010 to Sept. 23 of this year there have been 23,000 applications for emergency assistance. Of those, 10,000 were approved.

An estimated $5.2 million in grants were made to those families in need, she said.

Blanks said she believes the program can come into state compliance. The program has suffered from staff shortages. Of the 16 vacancies, four have now been filled, she said.

Staff is also undergoing more training on the program, and there's also now a pre-screening system to more quickly identify those who are not eligible for assistance because they've received it within the past 12 months, she said.

Workers are taking more time to know the process and to explain when a person is denied emergency assistance.

[mojowork_n]

1. Fits the pattern.

The SDC has a few too many "community organizer" and "social service/social worker" types.

Just like the Public School System.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/MPS-Educator-and-social-agency.html

Those types of organizations also tend not to be notable for mendacious, well-connected, "what's
in it for me?" Movers & Shakers at the top. (The guys from the Blue Blazer Brigade, who know how
to network and schmooze at the high-dollar watering holes and clubs where the really
Big Money deals are made.)

But when the "model for success" that's being held up by Gov. Wanker only emphasizes those kinds
of "from the top, down" (from the apex of the pyramid, down to the base) organizational profiles,
what else can be expected?



But here's one that really has *me* worried. A bill to change the hours when liquor can be
sold in Wisconsin grocery stores:

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2011/related/proposals/ab63

So they can stay open later at night, and open early in the day -- 6:00 am -- when the roads
are already chock full of lunatic amateur-racer types having fun with the Daily Get-2-Work-Grand-Prix.

Doesn't that seem like a terrible idea, add the still-drunk-in-the-morning-gotta-get-another-
bottle-posse to that already-existing organized chaos?

Wonder how many drinks had already been consumed, when the lobbyists successfully pitched
that idea?