Author Archives: Erik Brooks

Happy to see the city continuing to step up its game around communications. We made it a priority when I was mayor, and that continues today.

The newest platforms: Two new city-produced email newsletters. Sign up today!

• City Hall Update. Stay informed about the latest happenings at our Common Council meetings.
• South Milwaukee Business and Development Newsletter. A newsletter dedicated to promoting and enhancing South Milwaukee’s downtown and community-wide businesses.

There won’t be one in 2024. Back again in 2025!

From the Crusherfest Facebook page …

If you haven’t seen South Milwaukee’s student musicians perform recently, you’ll be impressed when you do. The South Milwaukee School District is becoming a leader in this space.

See for yourself at two upcoming events.

• First, check out the “Music to Move us Forward” show on February 29 at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center.
• And sign up to attend Jazz and More, a new fundraising gala event on April 16 at the Bucyrus Club.

Details in the flyers. Purchase tickets for April 16 here!

South Milwaukee will shift to the 20th Assembly District effective January of 2025, after Gov. Tony Evers signed new legislative maps on Monday.

We remain in the 7th Senate District.

Current 21st Assembly District (includes South Milwaukee)

New 20th Assembly District (includes South Milwaukee)

While the change doesn’t officially take place until the new year, South Milwaukee ballots will have residents voting in the 20th Assembly District this August and November, city officials said.

Democratic State Rep. Chris Sinicki currently represents the 20th District, which also includes Cudahy, St. Francis and parts of the City of Milwaukee under the new maps. She told me today she is excited to begin representing South Milwaukee in the legislature, and she plans to run for a new two-year term this fall. Sinicki has been in the Assembly since 1999.

Meanwhile, the 21st Assembly District boundaries shift to add parts of Milwaukee and Greenfield to a district that still includes Oak Creek.

The partisan impact is significant. The Marquette University Law School offers a really good analysis of the overall changes, showing South Milwaukee moves from being part of a Republican district (+4.8% Republican) to a strongly Democratic (+25.2 Democrat) one, under the new maps. Meanwhile, the 21st District shifts from +4.8% Republican to +8.1% Democrat, per the Marquette analysis.

Read more in the Journal Sentinel and Associated Press.

Well done, South Milwaukee Police Department. From their Facebook page …

On Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at approximately 11:04AM, the South Milwaukee Police Department was called to the 100 block of N. Chicago Avenue for a report of a dead body in a garbage cart. This incident was determined to be a homicide and the victim has been identified as Alex Stengel, 55 years-of-age, of Cudahy, Wisconsin. On Sunday, February 11, the South Milwaukee Police Department made an arrest of a 31-year-old Milwaukee man in connection with this case. The investigation is ongoing and charges will be referred to the Milwaukee County DA’s Office in the coming days.

The South Milwaukee School District is proposing a $2 million referendum on the April 2 ballot.

From the district …

The School District of South Milwaukee takes great pride in its role as a core community asset. Our community expects high-quality opportunities for its students—something our school district has delivered for generations. On Tuesday, April 2, 2024, residents will vote on a new $2 million five-year, non-recurring operational referendum to ensure our students continue to have access to the high-quality educational experiences they need and deserve. … An approved referendum will enable the district to exceed its revenue limit by $2 million per year for the next five years.

Learn more on the district’s website and at information tables at a number of upcoming school events and locations, including from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at the Bucyrus Club. Get the full schedule of events with information tables on the website.

And here is more on what the referendum would fund, from the district …

• Prioritizing security upgrades at our schools is key. Additional cameras, door locks requiring electronic keyfob swipes, and taking measures to improve traffic safety on 15th Avenue will increase safety for our students.
• SDSM needs to address projected budget deficits and ensure we retain staff so we can provide consistency for our students.
• Enhanced career exploration starting in elementary school will give students exposure to more career-specific skills. As they move through the school system, students will have access to intentional planning to ensure they are taking advantage of all the courses we offer to prepare them for their choice of college, career, or the military.
• Technology investments will ensure students have the latest tools to learn and prepare for life after high school.

From the South Milwaukee Police Department …

Here is the South Milwaukee Police press release …

And check out coverage from the Journal Sentinel, CBS 58 and WISN.

A key component of the $10 million Bucyrus Foundation legacy grant from 2021 was the Civic Grant Program — an opportunity for the city to pay it forward and help local nonprofits put the foundation money to work on efforts that “address a community need, improve community support, solve a problem, or enrich the people of South Milwaukee.”

The application period for 2024 grants is now open. Get more details here. From the city website …

This annual program allows for nonprofit organizations to apply for up to $25,000 to address a community need, improve community support, solve a problem, or enrich the people of South Milwaukee. Submit a Letter of Interest to the city’s economic development staff to receive preliminary approval.  The letter should be a brief, typed, one page summary that outlines the project, who will benefit, and a budget estimate.  Applications will not be accepted prior to preapproval. 

• Letters of Interest are due March 1, 2024, emailed to elang@smwi.org
• Applications are due April 31, 2024

Eligible grant items, from the Program Guide …

• Existing program improvements or program expansion to reach a unique audience.
• New innovative programs that address an unmet community need.
• New fixed assets to improve organizations capacity to serve the community with consideration given to other system improvements.
• Capacity building efforts that benefit existing nonprofit organizations.
• Vibrant art and cultural amenities and other activities that offer experiences for residents and visitors.
• Programs that encourage collaborative partnerships that employ comprehensive strategies to strengthen community systems.
• Programs that empower individuals or groups of people with the skills they need to effect change.
• Organization’s planning needs related directly to how they might achieve their mission through strategic planning, merger conversations, and similar efforts.
• Community initiatives that advance solutions to community’s greatest challenges using innovative strategies and a collaborative spirit
• New projects that sustain a healthy local community and provide opportunities for outdoor entertainment and recreation.

See the 2023 recipients here.

As a fellow Rawson Elementary family, we came to know Jolene Waldref over the years as incredibly kind, caring and helpful. And we were not alone.

Jolene passed away on Jan. 15, possibly freezing to death after falling in the bitter cold near a bus stop outside her job in Milwaukee. Learn more about the sad and tragic circumstances from Fox 6 and TMJ4. From a Journal Sentinel story …

Waldref leaves behind two daughters, ages 14 and 21. Her longtime partner, Kevin, died about six months ago, said former neighbor Jodi Pelczynski. Waldref had served as the caregiver for her partner, who was disabled.

Pelczynski and Waldref lived across the street from each other for about 17 years until Pelczynski moved away from South Milwaukee in October. She has fond memories of their children playing in Pelczynski’s pool and roasting marshmallows in the summertime.

Waldref “adored her daughters,” Pelczynski said, and was a generous and joyful friend.

“She’d give her shirt off her back if you needed it,” Pelczynski said. “Always had a smile, always had a story. Always just loved life.”

Her supervisor at the home health care agency, Deborah Johnson, said Waldref was friendly, outgoing and a hard worker. She had been a caregiver with Life Touches Home Healthcare for much of the last decade and had switched to receptionist work in the last year and a half.

Clients and caregivers alike loved Waldref, Johnson said, and would drop off Christmas gifts for her.

“She was exceptional in this position,” Johnson said. “We should all just be pleasant the way she was.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to help her two surviving daughters. Donate here. From it …

Hi, my name is Shannon and I’m fundraising for Jolene’s daughters Kevina and Kaleia.

On Monday January 16, 2024 Jolene passed away. She had finished work and was waiting for the bus, she slipped on some ice and fell face forward into the snow. She tried calling 911 but the call was dropped. They called back, but she had gone unconscious. She was found over an hour and half later. She died of hypothermia. Her girls have a long road ahead of them. They are still reeling from the loss of their dad 6 months ago.

The funds that are raised will be used to cover the costs of funeral arrangements and things that will be needed for the girls. Kevina (21) will be taking guardianship over Kaleia (14). These kids have had to grow up much too fast. Let’s help make this transition a little less stressful for them.

Did you know Jolene? Post your comments.

If you haven’t yet seen this terrific local attraction, now is a great time to do it.

Museum Days run through January 28, with 30 museums across the area offering discounted admission. See the full list here, with stops from Sheboygan to Racine.

More information on the museum here. It’s open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This have been years in the making … and I am so glad to see this get to the finish line.

The city service will be even better because of it. And I hope we continue to look for even more ways to partner with our neighbors on services where it makes sense. Governments need to do more of this stuff, not less. Hopefully this partnership spurs more.

From the city press release …

The City of Oak Creek’s commitment to providing exceptional emergency dispatch services expands as they welcome South Milwaukee into their collaborative partnership. Approved by both Oak Creek and South Milwaukee Common Councils in December 2023, the intergovernmental agreement solidifies Oak Creek’s role in offering emergency dispatch services to South Milwaukee, beginning in 2025. Oak Creek also renewed its agreement with the City of St. Francis through 2035.

The Oak Creek Dispatch Center offers capacity and resilience that South Milwaukee could not afford on its own. The partnership addresses challenges such as staffing shortages due to medical leave, where South Milwaukee had to redirect police officers to dispatch duties. Further, Oak Creek’s capability to directly handle cell phone calls eliminates delays caused by the current transfer process through Milwaukee County.

The partnership aims for cost efficiency and increased staffing levels, with designated dispatchers for each jurisdiction’s channels and shared resources. Committees with representatives from each jurisdiction will be created to provide input and recommendations to encourage additional collaboration.