A rather light agenda at Tuesday’s South Milwaukee City Council meeting …
- The council voted 8-0 to authorize the issuance and sale of up to $5.64 million in sewerage system revenue bonds — raising funds, in part, for the ongoing upgrades at the Wastewater Treatment Facility. The interest rate on the borrowing is 2.625% over a 20-year loan, which will be paid back in part using funds raised through a sewer rate increase in 2012. I recently toured the facility to learn more about the improvements this borrowing will fund, and from what I saw and heard, it’s money very well spent. The upgrades will give us a more modern facility with significantly more capacity, helping ensure our independence in this area — independence that I count as a strength for South Milwaukee.
- The council gave final approval to the series of charter ordinance changes around terms for elected officials, and the shift of city clerk, treasurer and attorney from elected to appointed positions. All were approved 8-0, except the aldermanic terms issue. I was the single “no” vote on this one. Learn more in this previous post.
- We granted permission to Spirits Bar & Grill to run their Summerfest shuttle later this month, another positive sign that the bar damaged by fire will reopen soon. It’s good to have it back.
- The council also voted to authorize the advertising of bids for upgrades to Drexel Avenue from Nicholson to 15th Avenues. The work includes pavement patching and striping along that stretch. We’ve already installed more and bigger 25 mph speed limit signs and have solar-powered “your speed” signs on order. The goal: Improve safety on this busy stretch, one that is busier than ever after the opening of the Drexel Avenue interchange on Interstate 94.
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