2 takes on Jodi Schwann: JRo and Rant-a-bit
I was asked below under a post's comment where my take on this was. Frankly, I'm kind of disinterested.
I travel between Pierre and Brookings weekly. Why does the SF chief of staff matter? It's not going to affect my travel plans to Sioux Falls, nor my usual avoidance of KELO news. And it's not as if Jodi is known as a force in politics.
Now, don't get me wrong. It's not because of any animosity, because I think Mayor Munson is one of the nicest politicians, and people, I've ever met. He's always remembered my name (a plus in my book) and without exception is as gracious as can be whether I've been just a low level political scut, or interacting with him as part of my job.
For this post, I'll just hit two opposing views and let the readers fill in the blanks.
First, Joel Rosenthal over at SD Straight Talk loves the reporters as administrators:
I travel between Pierre and Brookings weekly. Why does the SF chief of staff matter? It's not going to affect my travel plans to Sioux Falls, nor my usual avoidance of KELO news. And it's not as if Jodi is known as a force in politics.
Now, don't get me wrong. It's not because of any animosity, because I think Mayor Munson is one of the nicest politicians, and people, I've ever met. He's always remembered my name (a plus in my book) and without exception is as gracious as can be whether I've been just a low level political scut, or interacting with him as part of my job.
For this post, I'll just hit two opposing views and let the readers fill in the blanks.
First, Joel Rosenthal over at SD Straight Talk loves the reporters as administrators:
Ms. Schwan brings to the Chief of Staff’s job skills that may be overlooked in the hubbub of where is her administrative experience?
Successful reporters (which Jodi is) must be good listeners and dispassionate in their analysis of issues. They are required to pay attention to details and they are on time and on task because they are deadline oriented.
A very important aspect of a reporter covering government issues is to have a strong sense of what the public is feeling and saying. This is invaluable in a political or government situation – where so many people have agendas. The Chief of Staff’s job is not for those with a tin ear to public opinion.
And Scott Hudson over at Rant-a-bit... well, let's just say he's less enamored:
The story begins shortly after I got off work Monday night. I headed home and just seconds after hitting the bachelor chair for my nightly nap the phone rang. And then it rang again. Then my cell phone rang.Only time is going to tell who's view is going to hold out. In the interim, thoughts?
I logged onto the computer and found a handful of emails from friends, relatives, and even a former city council member. They all wanted to know the same thing – have I heard the news?
Obviously, the news wasn’t that, to quote a classic 50’s rock and roll song, “there’s good rockin’ tonight” (although there was probably some boots knockin’ in one local household). This was a different kind of news – an announcement so obscenely silly that nobody, and I mean nobody, would have dared predict.
If you haven’t figured out what I’m talking about, I have four key phrases: Dave Munson, Jody Schwann, Chief of Staff, $98,000.
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Comments
The chief of staff to Omaha mayor makes $80,000. According to KELO - Schwan's former station, the chief of staff in Fargo (comparable sized to Sioux Falls) makes $73,000.
This is your tax dollars at work. Munson says SF has to raise fees. It's easy to see why with him in charge.
Munson deserves to get skewered for this one. Not only did he pick someone w/o any experience, but he paid her $26K more than the starting salary. He needs to start learning from his mistakes.
Yeah, didn't think so.
In the past few years the City Hall folks with tons of "experience" have given us an audit mess, a flood disaster, a street construction nightmare, etc. etc.
Give the girl a chance, City Hall needs new blood.
How soon we forget. Rosenthal also hired a TV reporter with no experience in her new field to be his chief aide! Do you think that experiment was a success?
No wonder he thinks Munson made a good choice.
The city had a chance to elect new blood, and chose not to. What makes you think that a reporter w/ no experience will add anything other than another "that's a great idea, mr. mayor" to the equation?
Comparing her to Herseth? really? Stephanie got elected. At this point, Schwann couldn't get elected dogcatcher (if that were an elected position). Herseth has popular support. Schwann doesn't - at least at $98,000.
Anon asks, "Is she worth that kind of money? Now she has to be." Great logic.
Here's my logic: "Is she worth $72,000 (bottom of the pay scale)? Now she has to be."
It's easy to throw around money when it's not your own. Ask any taxpayers what they think about this and the response in Sioux Falls is virtually unanimous. "What the @#$% was Munson thinking?"
For those who think government should be run like a business, close your eyes and pray that Munson finishes his term without doing any more violence to your bottom line.
First off her name is spelled Jodi SCHWANN. You could at least spell it right. You could also spell "young" and "representative" right as well.
You obviously work in TV.