Dear Cicero residents,

Responding to Carol Marin's semi-annual attacks masquerading as investigative "stories" on the Town of Cicero has become a ritual. The conclusion by Carol is always the same, it is simply the target of her Jerry Springer-like sensationalism that changes.

If the Dominick administration did nothing to inform residents via the Town News, mailers, the town's websites and the like, Marin would be screeching "Fortress Cicero" and complaining about the town doing things behind closed doors. Because the Dominick administration has devoted the resources to keep residents informed every step of the way, on a daily basis, of important happenings in the town, now the administration is accused of being spendthrifts on public relations.

That's Marin's game: heads we lose, tails we lose.

Since my media firm was the target of her latest collection of false assertions and ridiculous innuendos in a "story" that recently aired on NBC-5, I wanted to set the record straight in lieu of the rumor-mongering sure to follow from political opponents of this administration.

As you know, Town President Larry Dominick is committed to transparency in government and he demands that employees and town vendors share that commitment. The explanation below is in furtherance of that commitment.


Carol Marin lie #1: Same old Cicero.

Carol Marin wants to do the work of Dominick's political opponents and try to convince you not to believe your own eyes.

Carol Marin doesn't live in Cicero. She visits a couple times a year to do her hatchet jobs and than scurries back to her Chicago mansion. But she presumes to tell you about your business and your community.

She wants to convince you that nothing has changed in Cicero.

Carol Marin wants you to believe that 20 acres of new parks (18th & Laramie and 35th & Laramie) aren't real.

Carol Marin wants you to believe that the town's 40,000 square foot Community Center isn't actually there.

Carol Marin wants you to believe that gang-related shootings aren't down 60% in Cicero under President Dominick.

Carol Marin wants you to believe that President Dominick hasn't cut your property taxes by more than $1,100 per year starting this fall and running through the year 2020.

Carol Marin wants you to believe the new municipal complex and the new developments coming on Ogden Avenue, 31st & Cicero, 16th & 54th, aren't real.

Carol Marin wants you to believe that President Dominick didn't bring in Kerasotes Theater, FAMSA Furniture and a collection of new businesses and new jobs.

Carol Marin wants you to believe that all of what you have seen and experienced in the town over President Dominick's short 3.5 years in office really hasn't happened.

Who do you believe, Carol Marin or your own eyes?


Carol Marin lie #2: Dan Proft failed to respond/the town failed to disclose request documents.

In fact, I agreed to an on-camera interview to answer any questions Carol Marin had and provide any documents she desired (the same documents I provided to the Chicago Tribune as the Tribune noted I did in their story).

In fact, I confirmed a scheduled interview with Marin's producer, Don Moseley, for 10:00am on Thursday, September 25. Instead, on 4:00pm the day before (Sept. 24), Moseley called me and said they were running with the story that night and effectively cancelled my interview and, thus, the opportunity to respond to their questions.

Marin didn't want answers as highlighted by the fact that it was more important for her to get her pre-packaged story on the air with no context, no evaluation of work product (in other words, what is Cicero getting for what the town is paying), and no opportunity for the kind of detailed responses needed (and for which I was happy to provide) from the central target of her "story".

And, oh by the way, I have the e-mail to prove up what I say to be the case. I was contacted by Moseley on Monday, September 22. We spoke on Tuesday, September 23, about setting up an interview. On the evening of Tuesday, September 23, I also spoke to Marin directly on the phone and reiterated to her that I was happy to sit down with her and that "I looked forward to it" (doing so). On Wednesday morning, Moseley and I agreed to a sit down interview for Thursday at 10:00am as I outlined above.

So who really ducked who?

Carol Marin is a bully. Like schoolyard bullies, she doesn't like to be challenged. She preys on fear. I am not and was not afraid to confront any issues Marin desired to raise.

Evidence of this is that I freely spoke at length to both the Tribune and to Univision, answering all of the questions posed by these outlets and providing all requested documents.

The Tribune got their math wrong, incorrectly attributing pass through costs of subcontractors to my firm among other things, but I nevertheless explained in great detail the monies spent and the work products received for the monies spent.

In contrast, Marin displayed her cowardice and lack of journalistic ethics--as she did in the "story" about the Town's legal fees that she ran last year--by choosing to run with factually inaccurate suppositions rather than living up to her commitment to get my side and the town's side of the story.


Carol Marin lie #3: The contracts are with Dan Proft, Dan Proft makes all the money provided in the contracts with the Town.

In fact, it is my firm, Urquhart Media LLC that is the town vendor.

In fact, in addition to myself, I have four other individuals in my employ (who I compensate) who do work on our contract with the Town of Cicero. For example, after his first year in office, President Dominick correctly decided that it was cheaper to outsource the town's public relations department. So, my company manages all the printing for the town, the centralization of which has saved Cicero taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars.

This is in addition but not limited to: producing the Town News magazine; managing and producing content for the Town's website; designing and placing print advertisement in the town's local newspapers; acting as the town's liaison to utilities like ComEd, Nicor, Comcast, and AT&T; acting as the town's liaison to the many social service providers in Cicero and that serve Cicero families; working on a range of policy issues such as the day laborers' situation at Home Depot or working with representatives from the Latino community on a "Safespace Resolution" and the like; working on programming with various town departments like the town's Waggin' Tails animal shelter; and assisting with the development and programming of special events and festivals in town.

Marin wants you to believe I serve only as a mouthpiece, sitting around throwing cards in a hat waiting for her to call. Responding to press inquiries is perhaps the least time-consuming aspect of the work that either I or my firm provide to the town.

My firm is paid a fair market hourly rate if you broke down the number of man hours devoted in service to the Town of Cicero and assessed the tangible work products provided.

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As the principal of my firm, I have worked in and out of state and local government for 14 years. I brought a significant amount of experience to the table when I came to Cicero beyond just an understanding of the media and public relations.

I have also run successful referenda campaigns for community colleges in the Chicagoland area so I have some experience with that sector as well.

Furthermore, my firm represents a number of different clients, public sector and private sector, which have nothing to do with and have no connection with Cicero. Cicero is a client, an important client to be certain and a client I am honored to have with Larry Dominick at the helm. But those numbers bandied about by Marin as my "salary" highlight only her lack of understanding the difference between a salaried town employee and a firm (with multiple employees) that serves as a town vendor.

I offer this additional background just to provide the context that is routinely discarded by reporters like Marin who want only to report on one half of the equation, the money, without examining the money relative to the goods and services provided.

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There's an old saying that you don't pick fights with anyone that buys ink by the barrel, meaning you can't fight the big media outlets.

The approach of the Dominick administration has been different. This administration refuses to let itself get beat up in a back alley by people or outlets that distort the truth. Carol Marin and Channel 5 have repeatedly demonstrated themselves to be such an outlet when it comes to their coverage of Cicero.

The facts are on our side so we're happy to report them and let Cicero residents make up their own minds.

And so we have done precisely that in this case once again.

If you have further questions, concerns, or comments about Carol Marin's story or anything else in the news, I personally encourage you to contact me at your convenience and I would offer you the same courtesy I offered Carol Marin: I'd be happy to answer any questions and discuss any matters at length.

I can be reached via e-mail at dproft@thetownofcicero.com. You can also call my office at (312) 575-9500 or you can call my personal cell at (312) 446-6488. I welcome any and all discussions that any concerned Cicero resident would like to have.

Sincerely,

Dan Proft
Principal, Urquhart Media LLC