Author Archives: Erik Brooks

From the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and Root-Pike-Win Watershed Initiative Network …

You are invited to our Residential Stormwater Workshop & Planning Update! The event will be held Wednesday evening, April 26, 2017 in South Milwaukee and will include a brief informational update on the Oak Creek Plan from Laura Kletti Herrick P.E., CFM and Thomas M. Slawski, Ph.D. of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. Topics of their presentation will include a short summary of the stakeholder comments received at the August 2016 planning meeting and presentation of some of the field data collected to date. 

Recently, I had a chance to speak with Steven Broeker, a South Milwaukee resident who is making his city a better place by feeding the hungry. It’s a terrific story, and a creative approach to solving a real problem with too many of our local students.

I’ll let him take it from here. From Steven’s Go Fund Me page …

Growing up, my family was hit hard with the recession, making it difficult for me to have funds for food and clothes. Luckily, I was blessed with a very caring support system including my grandmother, friends and their family members, that would provide for me. Without these people I would be a different person today. I know my middle school/ high school experience would have been much more difficult.

When I was younger, I thought the only way that I was going to be able to help was if I was wealthy. Later I realized that this wasn’t the case. My help came from my grandmother, close family, friends, and friend’s families. It was a combination of people coming together that was able to help me throughout my life. I would like to provide help to these students and will need your assistance in doing so. Please help make a difference in a student’s life, from experience; it can make all the difference.

The hardest part of being a student and having to go through this was a sense of concentration throughout classes. As lunch would get closer, I would start to wonder if the lunch ladies were going to let through the line with an already negative account. If so, I would get the bare minimum, which would lead to more distractions throughout the rest of the school day. Luckily on days where my balance hit the max negative amount, a friend would step in and provide something for me, or they would borrow me money until a check would come from my grandmother. At times this would be embarrassing and I would try and keep my situation to myself. 

And he’d go hungry because of it – “some days I wouldn’t eat at all,” Steven said.

This is a story repeated every day in our schools today, as kids, even those who receive federally subsidized free or reduced lunch, “fall through the cracks,” as he put it.

Now a college graduate and a sales rep for Palermo’s, Steven wants to help solve the problem. He is helping those kids, because he can. We all can.

“You don’t have to be wealthy to do it,” he says.

Steven is working with South Milwaukee School District social workers to raise money to help students who don’t have money that day to eat or eat well. They might be kids who don’t qualify for the lunch program but still lack money for lunch, or students who do qualify but may want more than what the lunch program can provide. Or, perhaps most importantly, they may be kids who probably do qualify for the lunch program, but their parents haven’t signed up for it for whatever reason – maybe out of pride, like Steven back in his school days at Rawson Elementary and the middle and high schools.

To help, Steven has started a Go Fund Me campaign He launched the effort less than two weeks ago, and he raised more than $1,000 in the first 24 hours.

“It brought tears to my eyes,” he said.

The campaign has now raised more than $3,000, surpassing Steven’s revised goal.

My hope? We can keep resetting that goal higher, especially as Steven aims to eventually expand the effort to the middle school and the elementary schools.

There is no shortage of need. Around half of South Milwaukee students qualify for free or reduced lunch – across the district and at each local school. It’s a sobering statistic – one that Steven lived first hand. Now that he doesn’t, he wants to help those who do.

It’s an inspiring story. I just gave $50. How can you help?

Work is beginning this month on a We Energies project to upgrade natural gas facilities in a number of neighborhoods in South Milwaukee.

The project to replace aging natural gas mains and laterals will affect more than 1,800 customers in the city, and could lead to brief gas outages and minor traffic impacts. Customers/property owners directly impacted by the project will receive a notice (mailing or door hanger) of work to be done in their neighborhoods.

Here is a project overview from We Energies …

We will begin upgrading natural gas facilities throughout areas of South Milwaukee soon. This work will allow us to continue to provide safe and reliable natural gas service to our customers. We expect to complete the work in stages by the end of 2017.

The work includes replacement of natural gas mains within the road right-of-way as well as service laterals to individual homes. Michels, our construction contractor, will complete the work on our behalf.

Our activities will require traffic control and excavation measures, which we are coordinating with the City of South Milwaukee. Construction staging may require the temporary removal of on-street parking in some areas to accommodate a work zone. There also will be intermittent impacts to pedestrian sidewalk access throughout the project.

We will contact impacted residents through letters and in-person visits in advance of work being performed to provide project details, review the timeline and answer questions. A project contact number will be made available for follow-up questions.

We appreciate your understanding as our crews work to complete the project as safely and quickly as possible. Thank you for your cooperation.

Check out the full map of impacted neighborhoods here.

We continue to build the foundation for successful downtown redevelopment, taking the steps necessary to revitalize our city center for the long term.

The latest example: An application that was made today to the state’s Connect Communities program … “where the path to revitalization begins.”

Connect Communities is a statewide network providing a wide range of downtown resources to local communities, including expertise from Wisconsin Main Street. It aims to “help local leaders leverage the unique assets of their downtowns and commercial districts, providing access to resources and networking opportunities to local leaders interested in starting a district revitalization effort.”

From the Connect Communities website …

“Downtowns and historic commercial districts play an important role in their communities and in Wisconsin’s overall economy, functioning not only as prominent employment and business centers, but oftentimes as the historic foundation of the municipalities they serve. Successful commercial districts don’t just happen. They need to be planned and nurtured. Their prosperity requires interest and action from many stakeholders who share a vision for the community.”

Thankfully, we have that.

This is a joint application, between the city and Project ReStore, a subcommittee of the South Milwaukee Community & Business Association, and none of this could happen without the work of these dedicated local business owners and residents. I thank them for their work to date, and for their work to come on this critical issue.

The application follows months of study of with a consultant around ways to bring the No. 1 downtown strategy from the 2016 comprehensive plan to life: “Organize a downtown revitalization structure to build local capacity and credibility to conduct successful work over the long term.”

The key word is “long term,” and, indeed, this is just the start. ReStore is also exploring forming a business improvement district or similar downtown organization to serve as an “owner” for downtown redevelopment. Much more to come on that.

For now, we’re hopeful we’ll be accepted by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. into the Connect Communities program, and begin realizing the benefits of membership. The biggest one, to me, is education.

We are not reinventing the wheel here when it comes to downtown redevelopment. What we’re doing in South Milwaukee has been done before in dozens (hundreds?) of communities across the state. We will learn from them through our membership in Connect Communities.

And, with that learning, we’ll revitalize our downtown, together.

Here is the proclamation the city council passed last week in support of the application.

WHEREAS, the City of South Milwaukee and Project Restore, which is a subcommittee of the South Milwaukee Community and Business Association, have mutually agreed to apply for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Connect Communities Program; and

WHEREAS, the Connect Communities Program will assist the City of South Milwaukee and Project Restore in leveraging our assets and providing valuable resources to accelerate our efforts to revitalize the downtown district; and

WHEREAS, the Connect Communities Program will provide networking opportunities, on-site visits from WEDC staff, training for the downtown group, webinar training, and participation in Main Street workshops, to enhance the revitalization and economic development efforts downtown; and

WHEREAS, given the present condition of downtown South Milwaukee and recent revitalization efforts, this program will provide the City of South Milwaukee with much needed assistance.  It is in the best interest of the City to continue building momentum and expanding on the progress of the downtown district;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the City of South Milwaukee hereby authorizes the submission of the Connect Communities Application, hereby supporting the membership to the WEDC Connect Communities Program;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of South Milwaukee and Project Restore partner in the Connect Communities Program and further revitalization efforts for downtown South Milwaukee.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of South Milwaukee clerk transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Project Restore subcommittee.

From State Rep. Jessie Rodriguez’s office …

Don’t miss my listening session next week at the South Milwaukee City Hall to discuss the budget recommendations and other priorities related to state government. A member from the Joint Finance Committee will join me to help answer your questions.

The listening session is open to all residents of the 21st Assembly District. Additional details are listed below. Hope to see you there!

I had a great time at tonight’s inaugural South Milwaukee Community & Business Association Spotlight Awards at the South Milwaukee Yacht Club.

It was a high-energy and fun event for an organization that is as energized as I’ve seen it in my time in politics. It’s exciting to see.

A strong chamber of commerce makes for a stronger South Milwaukee.

Donn Powers was the star of the show — the roast, actually — and for good reason. This business and community icon leaves quite a legacy as he heads into retirement, something we celebrated with a proclamation.

The two business award winners were also perfect choices: Sorce Martial Arts as Business of the Year, and Scrappy’s BBQ as Newcomer of the Year.

South Milwaukee’s past, present and future are built on a foundation of small businesses, and we celebrated that tonight. Congratulations to all of the winners!

Check out these South Shore headlines …

• South Milwaukee Junior Has Had Long Journey to Becoming Triple Jump Athlete (Fox 6)
• Aerotropolis Efforts Continue with Launch of New Development Plan (BizTimes)
• Area Fire Departments Conduct Training at Wauwatosa High-Rise (NOW)
• Cudahy Police: Juveniles Arrested for Suspected Arson at Former Tannery (CBS 58)
• Meet the Mayor: Oak Creek’s New Top Official Discusses Past and Future (NOW)
• Georgie Porgie’s in Oak Creek Expands Dining Room and Adds Craft Beer (OnMilwakee.com)
• Caterpillar Will Move Forward with Aurora Closure (Peoria Journal Star)
• Joy Global Renamed Komatsu Mining as Acquisition Closes (BizTimes)

And NOW has published a new police blotter.

From the Cudahy Police Department …

Cudahy, WI – On 04/05/17 at approximately 11:50pm, the Cudahy Police Department received a 911 Milwaukee County Sheriff Transfer reporting a robbery in the 2400 Blk E College Ave. The victim, a 48 y/o man, sustained a non-life threatening gunshot wound during the encounter. The victim was treated at the scene and conveyed to an area hospital for treatment. Neighboring police agencies assisted the Cudahy Police Department with a search for the suspect; however, the suspect was not located. The investigation is ongoing.

I’ll keep you posted if and when I learn more.

Update: Check out coverage from Fox 6 and CBS 58.

82% of votes cast for mayor. I’m so appreciative of all the support, and I thank everyone who has helped me along the way.

That starts with my family. I do this for them, and could not do this without them.

I truly believe we’re just getting started in delivering positive change in South Milwaukee, and I can’t wait to build on our momentum in my second term.

Let’s do this, together.

Full local election results can be found here. 

Today is election day, and I ask everyone to get to the polls, do their duty as citizens and vote.

Of course, I ask for your vote for mayor. Fueling economic development, driving downtown revitalization, charting a course for Oak Creek watershed restoration, delivering efficiency, improving communication, investing in critical infrastructure — my priorities haven’t changed from my successful election bid three years ago. This is by design.

I want to continue to build on what we’ve started, build on the strong foundation of my first three years as mayor. I ask for your support in continuing to drive that positive change.

It was an exciting couple of days for South Milwaukee small business this weekend.

On Friday, there was the grand opening for C3 Designs, our exciting new, award-winning custom jeweler at 2110 10th Ave. Then, on Saturday, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of Azteca Restaurant, 901 Milwaukee Ave., including with a proclamation.

South Milwaukee’s commercial future, downtown and otherwise, is rooted in sustainable small businesses like these. And I’m proud to say it’s brighter now than it has been in years. My pledge: to continue to do all we can to attract and retain these types of businesses, and help them grow … like the two we celebrated this weekend.

In other words, I’ll keep the big scissors handy. They’ll be getting a workout.

From the South Milwaukee Community & Business Association …

Please join us on Thursday, April 6, for the SMCBA Spotlight Awards Banquet. 

Spend an evening of fun and good humor roasting Donn Powers, bidding on locally sponsored silent auction items, sampling a variety of delicious heavy appetizers, trying our PowersAde signature drink, and honoring two outstanding member businesses. 

The event will be held from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the South Milwaukee Yacht Club, 101 Marshall Avenue in South Milwaukee.

More information and get tickets here.

Literally the first thing I did when I was elected in 2014 was to create a new system for recruiting members to our boards and commissions.

It is a simple application process designed to introduce people to the opportunities we have available and to introduce me and city staff to a broader network of people who may have a passion or skill that we never knew.

It’s working. We’ve had dozens of applications in the past two years, and we’ve placed some of those applicants in key positions. Some of these people I had never met before they applied.

My continued ask: Apply. We regularly have openings to fill and, when we don’t, we want to keep a good list of interested candidates at the ready.

We currently have openings on these board and commissions …

• Board of Health
• Housing Authority

Interested? Learn more and apply here.

Our newest downtown business has its official grand opening on Friday, although C3 Designs is no stranger to the South Shore.

Chris Jensen has moved his custom jewelry business, C3 Designs, from the Marketplace in Oak Creek to the former Donn Powers Jeweler location at 2110 10th Ave.

More details on Chris’ grand opening below. I’ll be there at 4 p.m. for the ribbon cutting.

I have met Chris several times, and I’m impressed with his commitment to his craft, his family and to the place his business calls home. We’re lucky that’s now South Milwaukee, as the new business momentum continues in our city center.

Chris replaces a legend, of course. I wish Donn well in his retirement and thank him for his lasting contributions to our city and downtown — they were significant.

Chris and C3 Designs will blaze their own trail — and build their own business. They’ve already started. Please join me in welcoming them to South Milwaukee!

If you haven’t noticed, we continue to make improvements to our city website, in an effort to improve communications with residents and others.

For starters, we’ve redesigned the front page and menu structure to make it more user friendly and easier to read and navigate. It’s also more visually appealing.

I’m most excited about one recent upgrade: a partnership with General Code that has made our municipal code much easier to navigate, and improved the presentation of our archived meeting minutes and city budgets.

The code improvements are the most significant.

Gone are the days of navigating PDF documents hoping to find information on city ordinances. Now, it’s all easily searchable, printable and shareable on email and social media, among other enhancements.

Here is a release from the city clerk’s office …

South Milwaukee, WI – As part of the City’s overall efforts to improve services to its citizens, South Milwaukee has put its complete municipal code online. To use the new electronic version of the Code, visit the City’s website at http://www.smwi.org.

The new online Code provides convenient access to the City’s ordinances in a feature-rich format that has been specifically designed for optimal viewing on desktops and laptops as well as smartphones and tablet devices. Partnering with General Code, the innovative leader in municipal codification, the City’s online Code offers the most flexible access for its citizens from any location – at home, at work or on-the-go.

Designed to be easy-to-use and search-friendly, the user experience is intuitive, elegant and highly functional. By simply entering a keyword or two, search results will provide the information needed within seconds.

“Our new online Code is one more valuable tool for our citizens to gain access to the information they need, when they need it,” says Jim Shelenske, City Clerk. “We upload minutes and budgets going back to 2011, and will be adding agendas, resolutions, ordinances and other public documents for easy searching and public access. Convenient, free access to our Code of Laws benefits our citizens, our officials, business leaders and others who want to do business in our city.”

General Code is a Rochester, NY-based company whose technological innovations are designed to support municipal efforts to deliver service excellence in an increasingly digital and mobile world. The City of South Milwaukee joins with more than 1,900 other municipal governments providing technologically advanced online Code access via General Code’s exclusive eCode360® service in order to offer more effective and efficient constituent service.

Access to the City’s eCode is available at http://www.smwi.org.

There is also an eCode app you can download on Apple and Android devices.

Thanks to City Clerk Shelenske for his work on this. As mayor, I will always get behind efforts that improve how we communicate with our residents. This is the latest example.