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Thursday, March 26, 2009

Personalized Service From The City Of Sandusky

On Monday March 23, 2009 city resident Mike Hacker addressed the Sandusky City Commission about cutting costs for the city by ensuring that city workers are not misusing city resources by giving preferential treatment to family members and friends. Hacker explained that he had dropped off pictures and videos to the commission that showed city vehicles parked in his neighbor's driveway for extended periods of time.

Hacker says that his neighbor frequently receives personalized service from city workers using city owned dump trucks and front end loaders. Said Hacker: "I'll watch [my neighbor] move his truck and within five minutes a [city owned] front end loader arrives to clear out the snow in front of his house."

Video exclusive:

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is outrageous! I am glad you guys are covering this kind of thing, it has been going on for two years and nothing has been done? Gotta love the GOB!

Anonymous said...

This is funny but so sad not to get a response from the city or the commissioners for two years. Where is the communication of handling complaints? We can't even get some of the side streets taken care of or some of the streets salted in town. Thank you Mr. Hacker for exposing this situation and 411 for providing a service. You think now the city will wake up and do something? The employees need to be suspended or possibly fired for treating taxpayer money in this fashion. The employees ripped of the taxpayer. Mr. Hacker needs to appear before the commission next meeting for a followup.

Anonymous said...

OH....MY....GOD.....

Wow, now THAT is some damaging video! !

Thanks 411 for posting this.

Well, Mr. Stall and Mr. Small (Klein...that's German for small...)
What are you boys going to do about this?

Hey I have an idea! ! ! How about another "Executive Session! ! !" Yeah, that way no one can know what you are discussing. And Mr. Stall, forget the coffee pot, I'm sure it will be a VERY SHORT meeting!

And you politicians wonder why WE THE PEOPLE (the tax payers and citizens) don't have any respect for you!

Although I do give Dan Kamann alot of credit for standing up against these numbskulls! Keep it up Dan, You've got my vote next election! !

Here's an idea for ALL politicians: SAY WHAT YOU MEAN, AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY!

Think about it.

Anonymous said...

wonder how often this happens around the City

bob zoellner said...

hey, where do I sign up? I don't own a snow blower, and at my age it's starting to get rough on my back!!!!!

Is this one of those sevices that's just put on my water bill?

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In all seriousness, what is going to be done about this? I know the commish's look at this site, so this is my official question?

Anonymous said...

It will draw the same answer as usual,ie. we didn't know this was going on, sorta like we never saw the pictures. What a fool we have for a city manager, this is going on right behind his back. I guess in his defense, when you spend all your time on this fiasco the MD you don't have time for anything else. Like Nero fiddling while Rome burned.

Anonymous said...

I don't have the answer but I am sure we will hear soon. There is always two sides to the story.
Dan Kaman

Anonymous said...

I would have to say that I would vote these guys for the first round of lay offs.

Anonymous said...

Ultimately, the city manager is responsible for this. His job is to manage the affairs of the city and these pictures and videos were dropped off to him repeatedly.

Anonymous said...

Well, Kline is too busy with development to fool with complaints. Anyone has time to do this should be laid off. The one worker had a surgical mask on like he didn't want to be reocgnized. I can't say that I blame him. Either that, or you find a worker who wears one of these masks while he works in the winter.

Anonymous said...

So, If Joyce received the information, why didn't she pass it along to the commissioners? What happened and why did she drop the ball? Where is the Register in all this that they are not running a story on this? I can't wait until the next commission meeting to hear what the explanation will be.

Anonymous said...

I talked with Matt Kline today. He will address it Monday night publicly. Dan Kaman

Anonymous said...

Dan, how will he address it publicly? Is he going to hold a meeting?

Anonymous said...

SCROLL DOWN AND READ THE NEXT BLOG ABOUT BOB WARNER. I LIKE WHAT "ANONYMOUS APPOLLO" WROTE ABOUT BOB WARNER. I THINK ANONYMOUS APPOLLO MIGHT BE ON TO SOMETHING!!!

Anonymous said...

It's pretty sad when a citizens brother comes over with city equipment and cleans his driveway. levels his yard. What about senior citizens who really need help. They don't get it. This man should be charged for all the work the city does for him and his brother shiuld be susppended

Anonymous said...

This man has been getting away with things for yrs. The neighbors complain the city does nothing. He is order to do things but the city doesn't enforce it. All the complaints get lost. Must be nice

Dan Kaman said...

Matt said he will address it publicly at our work session. Open to the public. Dan Kaman

Anonymous said...

Mr. Kaman: Why didn't Matt address it when it was brought to his attention in the first place? Why wait until people find out about it and then give himself enough time to come up with a typical Sandusky excuse? Are these guys EVER going to held accountable for what they have done to the city of Sandusky?

Anonymous said...

The only reason the city is addressing it now is because they HAVE to. They have no other choice because now it's been made public.

Anonymous said...

Just think of all the things over the years that the city was aware of but never bothered to address BECAUSE it was never made public. Scary thought, isn't it? A real shame what's been done to Sandusky.

Anonymous said...

This is not misuse of the taxpayers money----this is THEFT identical to the theft of tax dollars in the million dollar Nuesse case.

Anonymous said...

The city worker needs to be backed billed for what he did and then either suspended or fired for theft in office of taxpayers' monies. Why do we have to wait until the city commission meeting to be informed of how the investigation turned out and what action was taken? We wait for two to three weeks and allow the sugject to gain momentum. Kline should address it now in a news release.

Anonymous said...

I personally think that Kline should also address his RESIGNATION in a news release.

Dan Kaman said...

I won't speak for Matt but I am guessing he wanted to review the newest pics and talk to the dept head again. Dan Kaman

Anonymous said...

Why doesn't your city hire a visiting retired judge or a Cleveland lawyer to look into it?

Anonymous said...

Get rid of Baxter and this new clown Kline and your city might stand a chance but I doubt it. I think it's too late.

Anonymous said...

WAY TO GO MIKE. THE CITY NEEDS MORE EYES LIKE YOU. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!

Anonymous said...

The more of this site I read the less credibility it has.About this subject anyway.
You people will gobble up anything without even knowing if any of it is true,like starving fish in a bucket.Its pathetic, being that way your no better.If they would have done a little more research they would have found out the city does answer to citizens calls.All the time,thats what you pay for.
For instance...If they get a call that the 800 block of Madison has moved all there cars a plow truck will come by to clean it up.Sound personalized?
Or just 2 weeks ago I saw 2 guys picking up about 20 bags of leaves on Division street with the loader and a small dump truck.The citizen called in and asked, and the city took care of it.If you call in and its reasonable, the city would do what it could for you.Try to know everthing before you start pointing your little finger. Sound personalized? IT IS...ITS CALLLED TAKING CARE OF OUR CITIZENS.ITS YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK!!!!
You only know about Hackers neighbor because those two are having a little CHILDISH private war of their own.Thats a whole other story in itself.

Anonymous said...

Sure, you can dissect and come up with an explanation of how the city worker's behavior isn't favoritism. But can you answer these questions? A city front end loader sitting in the driveway for 23 minutes. That's acceptable?

Taking 50-some minutes to clean up his brother's house? That's acceptable?

His brother piling snow up in the street behind Hacker's truck - so his brother can come and clean it up with city owned front end loaders? That's acceptable?

Not responding to the complaints for years? The city manager blowing it off as if the claims have no merit? That's acceptable?

I'm sorry, pal. But if a front end loader sits running in a driveway for 23 minutes, that's a problem if only because it's wasting fuel. (Not to mention it's wasting the taxpayer's time.) Economic times are tight and if citizens have to be more careful about how they spend their money - city workers will have to be more careful about how they spend our money.

Anonymous said...

1st question, about running in the drive for 23 minutes, I agree not a good idea.
2nd question, Taking 50 minutes to clean it up...it takes what it takes.
3rd Question, Piling snow on the street...Drive around after a storm, you couldnt throw a stone without hitting someone blowing their snow into the street with their snowblowers.It happens everywhere.
4th question, Not responding...Probably not the best route either.
Im not trying to be all for the workers. Just trying to see both sides.

Anonymous said...

I appreciate that, but the city hasn't handled this situation professionally. Even if the claims were absolute hogwash, which I don't think they are, what kind of professional organization takes two years to respond to a citizen's complaints? That's your city manager and the commission who hired him. Again, even if the complaints were not valid, the city's failure to respond is an indication of their quality of customer service: They don't care.

Mr. Hacker. said...

Mr. Anonymous April 11, 2009 8:52 am. Your comment about a private war between neighbors is childish, than you must either be his brother or a city worker. WHICH IS IT? You seem to know alot about this matter but it still does not explain the reason the city is blowing this off like it never happened. You also said 'The city is just taking care of business" if this is so, than I,m going to rack my leaves and snow into the street. Than I will call the city to come and take care of it. OH, I'm Sorry I Forgot! That I would be braking the law according to the cities ordinance. By the way who lives in the 800 block of Madison St. another family member that needs tended too? I would also like to add that I would gladly change my choice of neigbors with you that way I would'nt see this taking place. By the way my name is Mike Hacker.. What's your name? Mr. Anomyous..

Anonymous said...

Hey genious, you dont have to be a brother or city worker to know these things. You just have to open your eyes and ears a bit wider,Mikey. The 800 block was just an example, but you may read what ever your little heart desires into it. Makes no difference to me. You probably werent taken too serious, because your well known for having less than perfect behavior towards city engineers, foreman and police. But again...thats yet ANOTHER story in itself. You could be quite the blog subject yourself. Have a nice day Mike.

Anonymous said...

I have noticed that the responses to Mr. Hackers claims have been shot down.. But, there is still something more to this story..and it has nothing to do with his less than perfect behavior. Also this should be taken serious, because if infact this is taking place then we all need to open our eyes. I would like 411 to post as many pictures and videos as they have. Also, the Sandusky Register reaches more people than the internet and channel 81. The readers/citizens need to respond to this so they can draw thier own conclusions.. Show it all!!

Wendy said...

I'll tell you something anonymous. Apparently you must know Mikes neighbor or be a city worker to know anything that is going on with him and Mr. Dix. As far as I'm concerned his treatment towards the city engineer was well deserved and as far as the police I think they have more important issues then the petty calls they get by Mr. Dix. There is no personal war between neighbors its a childish game by Mr. Dix and I know I've seen it first hand so you need to find out the facts before speaking!

Rick Lynch said...

Thank you Mike Hacker for bringing this corruption and waste of citizen's tax dollars to the attention of the public. It is courageous and admirable of you.

It is sad that the city commissioners and city manager have ignored your complaints. They are guilty by omission - as a public official, you cannot absolve yourself of responsibility by ignoring a problem or avoiding a response to it.