While everyone else was at the Philosopher’s Stones yesterday, this was happening at the City-County Building
Yesterday I was going to go to the rally, but stayed at work to finish something I was working on and was about to go up and join the group, when Phalen came in to my office. He told me the county took everything that was at the City-County Building and threw it in the trash and crushed it. That was the word on the street.
I went up to the city-county building. I ran into Justin the maintenance guy and he told me the same thing. So I went upstairs to talk to Carlos Pabellon, the Director of Administration and we had a polite but disturbing and uncomfortable discussion. He said he didn’t know where the things were, he wasn’t involved in the details and that I needed to talk to Dan Lowndes, the Risk Manager who is in charge of some issues in the building. The office lights were all off and most of the employees gone, but he said I could walk down the hall to his office. When I got there, the office was locked and when I knocked no one answered. I went back to talk to Carlos and explained that nothing good comes next . . . that we need to find the stuff. He said he could make some calls, but he wasn’t really involved in the situation. He told me to do whatever I had to do. I went back outside and was facebooking and thinking and trying to decide what to do when I overheard Justin talking to what I presume was Carlos, Justin said he’d go look and he came back out with this.
Clearly, something was wrong. As I was sitting there, Bob grabbed a phone and called 9-1-1. You can see part of his call on the video. A cop going to get some lunch/coffee walked by. After we explained what was going on, he called Captain Gloede. Captain Gloede did what he does and got Justin to go climb in a dumpster and dig everything out. Yeah, I just said that. I asked Justin later, why he did it, because I wanted to know what Captain Gloede said to him. His answer was not what I expected. He said he did it for the woman who had all her diabetes medication thrown out. He did it for her.
If you see Justin in the halls, thank him.
I sent emails to the county board asking them to make this stop. They have little control over what the administrative branch does, but they could pass a law that is similar to the city’s, requiring county employees who find property to keep it for a minimum amount of days if it is of a certain value or important papers or papers with sentimental value. Tell them we need their help! county_board_recipients@countyofdane.com.
I also sent emails to the city council. Asking them to make their ordinance apply to all city property, regardless of if it is a city employee that finds the property. We also need their help. allalders@cityofmadison.com.
Tell our elected officials we need their help from executives gone mad. County Executive Joe Parisi and Mayor Paul Soglin weren’t elected to bully homeless people. Make. it. stop.
AHEM . . .
P.S. Here is the state law, again . . .
Wis Stat 170.105 Chattels found by public officials, employees or agents.
(1) Notwithstanding ss. 170.07 and 170.08, if an official, employee or agent of the state or of a county, city, village or town finds $25 or more or any goods having a value of at least $25 while acting within the scope of his or her official duties, employment or agency, he or she shall transfer custody of the found money or goods to the agency in the city, village or town where the money or goods were found that is designated by the city, village or town governing body to receive found money or goods. That agency shall post a notice of the found money or goods in 2 public places in the city, village or town.
(2) If the owner of lost money or goods appears within 90 days after the notice is posted under sub. (1) and makes out his or her right to the found money or goods, he or she shall have restitution of the money or goods or the value of the money or goods upon paying all of the costs and charges on the money or goods. If no owner of lost money or goods appears within 90 days after the notice is posted under sub. (1), the found money or goods become the property of the state or county, city, village or town whose official, employee or agent found the lost money or goods.
History: 1995 a. 263.
and
Wis. Stat. 66.0139 Disposal of abandoned property.
(1) In this section, “political subdivision” means a city, village, town or county.
(2) A political subdivision may dispose of any personal property which has been abandoned, or remained unclaimed for a period of 30 days, after the taking of possession of the property by an officer of the political subdivision by any means determined to be in the best interest of the political subdivision. If the property is not disposed of in a sale open to the public, the political subdivision shall maintain an inventory of the property, a record of the date and method of disposal, including the consideration received for the property, if any, and the name and address of the person taking possession of the property. The inventory shall be kept as a public record for a period of not less than 2 years from the date of disposal of the property. Any means of disposal other than public auction shall be specified by ordinance. If the disposal is in the form of a sale, all receipts from the sale, after deducting the necessary expenses of keeping the property and conducting the sale, shall be paid into the treasury of the political subdivision.
(3) A political subdivision may safely dispose of abandoned or unclaimed flammable, explosive, or incendiary substances, materials, or devices that pose a danger to life or property in their storage, transportation, or use immediately after taking possession of the substances, materials, or devices without a public auction. The political subdivision, by ordinance or resolution, may establish disposal procedures. Procedures may include provisions authorizing an attempt to return to the rightful owner substances, materials, or devices that have a commercial value in normal business usage and do not pose an immediate threat to life or property. If enacted, a disposal procedure shall include a presumption that if the substance, material, or device appears to be or is reported stolen, an attempt will be made to return the substance, material, or device to the rightful owner.
(4) Except as provided in s. 968.20 (3), a 1st class city shall dispose of abandoned or unclaimed dangerous weapons or ammunition without a public auction 12 months after taking possession of them if the owner has not requested their return. Disposal procedures shall be established by ordinance or resolution and may include provisions authorizing an attempt to return to the rightful owner any dangerous weapons or ammunition which appear to be stolen or are reported stolen. If enacted, a disposal procedure shall include a presumption that if the dangerous weapons or ammunition appear to be or are reported stolen an attempt will be made to return the dangerous weapons or ammunition to the rightful owner. The dangerous weapons or ammunition are subject to sub. (5).
(5) A political subdivision may retain or dispose of any abandoned, unclaimed or seized dangerous weapon or ammunition only under s. 968.20.
History: 1979 c. 221, 222, 355; 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 203; 1991 a. 269; 1993 a. 90; 1995 a. 157; 1999 a. 150 ss. 35, 324, 325; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0139; 2001 a. 103.
