The South Milwaukee Common Council meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday night.
Among the items on the agenda:
- A resolution to amend the fee schedule and raise winter (December to March) on-street parking rates to $25 per month. It would also create a winter parking permit option. Designed for college students returning home for Christmas break, this $25 permit would allow for overnight parking on city streets from December 15 to January 15. This is a cost savings for these students and other interested residents, who would otherwise have to buy full-month permits for December and January.
- Various other changes to the city fee schedule, including one that would require all South Milwaukee residents to pay a $100 fee each time an ambulance responds to their home and administers basic patient care, but doesn’t transport that patient to the hospital. Previously, there was no charge for this service. I’d argue that such a fee is necessary. Transport or not, this medical service costs money, and it should be paid for.
- A resolution to amend the fire code, including language that would require the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in all commercial and multi-family residential units (three or more units). It would also require the installation of “10-year” smoke alarms with sealed batteries in all multi-family and mixed-use occupancies. The outdoor burning code would also be updated and tightened.
- A resolution to repeal and recreate the municipal fair housing code.
You can view the entire agenda here.
South Milwaukee Blog 
Parking Fee – Good, but it doesn’t go far enough. Why stop only for winter? People use the public street as their private parking lot all year – not just in front of their own homes, but the neighbors as well. If we have to pay taxes on our garages and drive ways, let everyone pay for parking.
On the other hand…
Ambulance Fee – This one I am against. We pay taxes so the ambulance is available and we should not have to weigh the possibility of fees in emergency situations. What’s next? A fee to call the cops because someone is breaking in? A few years ago I took a first aid class given by the SM Fire Department. As part of the training, they stated that in case of any question, call for help BECAUSE THERE IS NO CHARGE. You man want to check with the emergency medical professionals and see what that industry has to say about emergencies and possible charges. (Now I would have no objection to abuse of the system, such as multiple non-emergency calls. Maybe a compromise would be 2 freebies a year.)
I agree, parking permit year round. It would make people think twice about keeping there jalopies if they had to pay to park them. I don’t think that a minimal fee for ambulance use is out of line though, we pay a deductable to go to the doctor and if it keeps people from calling for minor issues it is worth it. I don’t know who/how you would selectively decide who would pay for minor calls so charge everyone a minor amount.