Author Archives: Erik Brooks

Some more good news in South Milwaukee! And be sure to check out episode five of “Some Good News,” which dropped earlier this week.

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There are a lot of special birthday celebrations happening these days, and I was proud to be a small part of one last weekend, with dozens of people driving by to wish Princess Naty Santiago a happy sixth birthday, as she sat on her throne on the back of a pickup truck. Happy birthday, Naty!

Crusherfest 2020 is postponed, with a hope to reschedule later this year, event organizers announced this week. 

I support this decision 100%, as sad as it makes me. 

Everything that promises to make Crusherfest so special — thousands of people gathering to celebrate a local icon and all that he stood for, at one of the nation’s most unique events — are exactly why it should be postponed, to a time when we can do so safely.

I want to thank the planning committee for all of the work they have already put into this. It will pay off, when the time is right.

I echo those thoughts to organizers of other summer events. 

We have an amazing (and seemingly always growing) list of special events in South Milwaukee each summer. They are part of what makes our city, our city, and they are only as strong as the volunteers who power them.

Here is where some of them stand … 

• Large May events — including the South Milwaukee Little League Parade and opener, Rotary Food Truck Festival and Memorial Day ceremony — are postponed or cancelled. 
• The South Milwaukee Downtown Market is making plans to open May 28 as scheduled, but with safety measures, as advised by the South Milwaukee and St. Francis Health Department. 
• As to June, in addition to Crusherfest, the City of South Milwaukee is cancelling our Flag Day celebration on June 14. 

Decisions have yet to be made on large local July events, and beyond. Obviously, this is the focus of our festival season, with July 4th, Divine Mercy Fun Fest and Heritage Week activities. I and organizers of all of those events remain in close contact with the Health Department as decisions are made on their future.

I thank the volunteer organizers of these events for their patience and flexibility during their decision processes, and thank for them including health officials in conversations as they determine next steps. 

I hate that we’re being confronted with choices like this.

We absolutely know the impact these choices might have on the organizations hosting these events — and on the community that looks forward to them every year. For many, these events are huge fundraisers, and losing them for even one year is a blow. 

But the decisions made so far are the right ones. We must act in the interest of public health, recognizing that while the “Safer at Home” order may not be in place much longer, it’s likely that state and local guidance on social distancing and crowd sizes will be. 

Here is my promise, as mayor: We will not defy state orders. And we will live by the guidance of federal, state and local health leaders. We have to. 

I know there is an increasing push to reopen the economy and other aspects of normal life, and I want to see it happen as much as anyone. 

I want to see these special events happen. I want to see more businesses reopen. I want to see live sports, concerts, large family gatherings, community dinners, parades and street festivals. I want to see my kids back at school. 

And we’ll get there, together, eventually, safely. 

We have made progress in slowing the spread of COVID-19. The curve is flattening. But the worst thing we can do is reopen too soon and lose that momentum and give back our progress. We must remain diligent and focused on beating the virus for the long term, listening to our health experts and taking actions now to ensure we can actually hold these special events when we’re ready and when it’s safe to do so. 

This is hard on all of us. But we’re acting smartly, and doing the right thing, knowing there will be food trucks, fireworks, and festivals again.

I am excited for that day.

It’s a matter of survival for some small businesses during these unprecedented times, especially our bars and restaurants. We get it, and want to help. 

That is why I was happy to see the South Milwaukee Common Council unanimously support two measures at last week to reduce license fees for bars and restaurants. 

In short, the city is reducing the cost of Class B and Class C liquor licenses to $50 each (from $100 for Class B and $500 for Class C) for the 2020-21 licensing year. We are also reducing environmental health licensing fees by 50% for restaurants. 

In both cases, the city is making up the difference with contingency funds, with the expected budget impact estimated at $27,000.

This is important to do now because those fees must be paid in coming weeks, as business owners look for ways to reduce expenses during the pandemic. This does that, and may result in more than $1,000 in savings for some bars and restaurants.  

We are supporting businesses in other ways as well, including shopping local more than ever, where we can, as a city. Also … 

• We continue to offer basic sign printing to impacted small businesses. For more information, business owners can contact the Street Department at 414-768-8075.
• The special edition of the “Bridges” newsletter — focused on promoting small businesses with free ad space; more than 50 took part — arrived in mailboxes in the last few days. Here is an online version. Look for the first regular edition early this summer. 
• We’re reshaping the Economic Development page on the city website to add a number of resources for small business owners, and will continue to add updates in the days and weeks ahead.
• And we continue to lift up local businesses through promotion via the Shop Local South Milwaukee Facebook page, and MJ Media has launched the 53172.org website.

We are looking at other measures in coming weeks, and welcome ideas for how we can support our small businesses — the backbone of our local economy. Now, more than ever. 

While we continue to invest in key areas, South Milwaukee’s financial position remains strong. But don’t take my word for it.

Moody’s has reaffirmed our strong Aa2 bond rating, saying it “reflects the city’s solid financial position and favorable location within the City of Milwaukee (A1 negative) metropolitan area. Fixed costs are elevated given an above-average debt burden, though is mitigated by rapid principal amortization.”

Additionally, “We regard the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under our ESG framework, given the substantial implications for public health and safety. The coronavirus crisis is not a key driver for this rating action. We do not see any material immediate credit risks for South Milwaukee. However, the situation surrounding coronavirus is rapidly evolving and the longer term impact will depend on both the severity and duration of the crisis. If our view of the credit quality of the city changes, we will update the rating and/or outlook at that time.”

See the full press release here.

The rating was done to support $8.8 million in borrowing for capital projects, as part of the plan the South Milwaukee Common Council approved earlier this year, as part of our traditional two-year borrowing cycle. The list touches every department and includes $5.3 million inn local road and other engineering projects, such as alley and street repairs and reconstruction. 

I’m proud we can continue to make these investments in our infrastructure … while remaining responsible stewards of taxpayer (your) money. The bond rating — and an interest rate of less than 2% we received for our borrowing, thought to be the lowest in the history of the city — shows we are doing both well. 

Some big news this Arbor Day … South Milwaukee is a Tree City!

On this Arbor Day, I am proud to announce South Milwaukee has been named a 2019 Tree USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, joining more than 3,600 across the country and close to 200 in Wisconsin. 

It is a recognition of our “commitment to effective urban forest management,” and it’s really about the people, processes and programs we have put in place in the last five years that are truly making a difference. I thank those teams, led by our Street and Engineering Departments, for making this a reality and continuing to live this commitment to urban forestry every day. 

We’ve come a long way since 2014. 

That includes stepping up our fight against emerald ash border, which has unfortunately led to the removal of more than 500 dead or dying ash trees across the city, and hundreds of others due to health, growth conditions and inappropriate size. 

But here is the good news, and why we have received this designation: We have committed to planting programs that will see nearly 300 trees planted in the public right of way in the last five years. This is thanks to efforts like our Adopt a Tree program, our school Arbor Day efforts (which we hope to resume in the fall), and other city-sponsored plantings. Combined with the county’s planting of hundreds of trees in Grant Park and other areas, and we are making real investments in our urban forest. 

We have a lot more ground to make up, and we are, with dozens of more plantings coming with the Milwaukee Avenue streetscaping project, and beyond. 

Of course, this honor is also about managing that forest, and we are doing that more effectively than we ever have, now through our Street Department. 

“Residents of the City of South Milwaukee should be proud to live in a community that makes the planting and care of trees a priority,” Arbor Day Foundation President Dan Lambe wrote in a letter to the city. “If ever there was a time for trees, now is that time. Communities worldwide are facing issues with air quality, water resources, personal health and well-being, and energy use. The City of South Milwaukee is stepping up to do its part. As a result of your commitment to effective urban forest management, you are helping to provide a solution to these challenges.”

We can not let up in the years ahead. Now that we’re a Tree City USA, I want to stay one, and that takes continued investment in this work, every day. 

Here is the Arbor Day Foundation press release …

Arbor Day Foundation Names City of South Milwaukee Tree City USA®

Lincoln, Neb. (April 25, 2020) City of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was named a 2019 Tree City USA® by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management.

City of South Milwaukee achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

“Tree City USA communities see the impact an urban forest has in a community first hand,” said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. “The trees being planted and cared for by City of South Milwaukee are ensuring that generations to come will enjoy to a better quality of life. Additionally, participation in this program brings residents together and creates a sense of civic pride, whether it’s through volunteer engagement or public education.”

If ever there was a time for trees, now is that time. Communities worldwide are facing issues with air quality, water resources, personal health and well-being, energy use, and protection from extreme heat and flooding. The Arbor Day Foundation recently launched the Time for Trees initiative to address these issues, with unprecedented goals of planting 100 million trees in forests and communities and inspiring 5 million tree planters by 2022. 

With Tree City USA recognition, City of South Milwaukee has demonstrated a commitment to effective urban forest management and doing its part to help address these challenges for City of South Milwaukee residents now and in the future.

More information on the program is available at arborday.org/TreeCityUSA

About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a million member nonprofit conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information is available at arborday.org.

I love this! From the South Shore Chamber of Commerce …

The chamber wants to help South Shore businesses as best as we can. We’ve developed BINGO cards!

THIS IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!

The rules of BINGO are: five across, five down, or five diagonal. Four corners does not count. Pick a card or play off of both. Once you get BINGO once or as many times as you can, mail in the card(s) and the receipts for the corresponding BINGO to the following address: South Shore Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 100183, Cudahy, WI 53110. Please include your full name, address, phone number, and e-mail (if possible) with the mailing.

There is not a minimum purchase price required for each space, but please be sensible with this. We’re here to support!

The receipts must be dated between April 22, 2020 – May 31, 2020. Receipts cannot be back-dated as we would like you to shop again, even if you’ve already visited the business before!

The number of BINGO’s achieved will be the number of entries into a drawing to win “Chamber Bucks”! If you fill up the entire sheet, you will get 20 entries to win! The drawings will occur in June.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO BE SAFE AND PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING WHEN INTERACTING WITH ANYONE AT THESE BUSINESSES!

We have twenty (20) Chamber Bucks to reward to winners, worth $25 each, plus other possible prizes! When the winner receives the Chamber Bucks, it can be redeemed at a local business. The list of businesses that will accept the Chamber Bucks is to be determined. More information about redeeming the Chamber Bucks will be provided to the winners.

Below is two BINGO cards to work off of. We tried to find the most bars, restaurants, and a few businesses that, after research, are open. We apologize if we missed some! The phone numbers were obtained from the main page of a Google search for each.

Let’s have fun and play a game while supporting local businesses in the South Shore!

Any questions, please email infossccwi@gmail.com. 

On Tuesday, I was humbled and honored to be sworn in for a third term as South Milwaukee’s mayor. Especially now, in these unprecedented times, it is a privilege to lead this city, working together to invest in key areas and continue to build our promising future, leading a great team, and partnering to navigate through a pandemic. 

We are stronger, together — a fundamental belief I also want to take to the State Capitol. 

That is why I am proud today to announce my candidacy for the 21st Assembly District, with a plan to remain as mayor if and when I win in November. 

You can learn more on my campaign website and Facebook page. 

I am running for Assembly to unite, not divide — as someone who sees compromise as the solution, not the problem. 

I am running as someone who has done just that as South Milwaukee’s mayor.

Madison is broken, more polarized by partisanship than ever before. From the partisan games played with every biennial budget … to lame duck session power grabs … to the inaction on key issues like transportation, education and health … to the lack of leadership shown as we voted amid a pandemic, and the discord we’re seeing as we look to reopen the economy … our legislature is not working for you. Often, it’s not working at all. 

It doesn’t have to be this way. 

South Milwaukee, Oak Creek and Franklin deserve better. You deserve someone who will build bridges to address the big issues facing our state, especially now, as we navigate through a health crisis and begin to assess what the “new normal” should look like in Wisconsin.

It’s simple: Again, we are stronger, together. I have brought that philosophy to life as South Milwaukee mayor, where we have united people to move our city forward in many ways, with an even more promising future ahead. 

It’s my job to work with others to get things done, and I will bring that to the Capitol. 

I run as a moderate candidate who will stand for you and have the courage to move beyond partisan talking points toward real positive change.

I will stand for you as a husband, father of two, youth basketball coach and local leader with strong roots in the Milwaukee area and South Shore. I will stand for you as a small business owner, community volunteer, and lover of this state.

I will stand for investments in schools and cities, making sure they have what they need to invest in the services that touch people every day. A lot of times, that means getting the state the heck out of the way, and restoring local control the legislature has taken from communities in big and small ways for more than a decade. 

It means giving communities more flexibility to fund our first responders, public works crews, public health workers, libraries, and other services — and increasing our ability to fix local roads and invest in utilities and other critical infrastructure. It also means giving our first-class South Milwaukee, Oak Creek and Franklin schools the tools and funding flexibility they need to educate our kids and serve the community in these incredibly challenging times.

I will stand for smart investments in areas like public safety, public education, health, economic development, transportation, a strong safety net, and more. We’ll do that while ensuring the state is a good steward of taxpayer (your) money, just as we’ve done in South Milwaukee for years. And as a career communications professional, I will stand for transparency, making sure you are engaged every step of the way. 

I will also stand against business as usual in Madison, where politics has become a zero-sum game, and “if I’m right, you are not only wrong, you must also be shouted down and ridiculed because of it.” I will stand against lawmakers looking to score political points — sometimes, and shamefully, in the middle of a crisis — instead of actually moving our state forward. 

Those days of dysfunction must end, and it starts in the 21st Assembly District. It starts November 3.

Our best days are ahead of us. There is a better way. Let’s deliver it, together. 

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“Some Good News” is plentiful around South Milwaukee these days. Here is a sampling, inspired by John Krasinki’s SGN. Episode four just dropped.

• Chris McIntosh is home!
• Teachers and staff from local elementary schools are parading in the streets, saying hello to their students. I had a chance to check out the E.W. Luther parade on Monday — awesome.
• The South Milwaukee Human Concerns fundraiser has topped $8,400 … let’s get it past $10,000! More details here.
• And don’t forget about the in-person donation dropoff from noon to 6 p.m. on April 29 at the high school. Details here.
• We also had a chance to thank our dispatchers last week, which you can see in the images with this story. I’m proud to recognize these too often unsung employees, whose importance is only magnified during times like this. Thank you!
• The South Milwaukee Library is opening curbside checkout soon, more details to come. Very happy to see that. Follow their Facebook page for updates, and other fun virtual offerings.

And keep the mask donations coming! A thanks this week to St. Thomas More High School (my alma mater). From the South Milwaukee Police Department: “As our first responders work to keep everyone safe, there are teachers who are providing us with much needed protective equipment. These masks and 3D printed clips were made and donated to our officers. Please join us in a heartfelt thank you to Ms. B and Ms. Pirkl of St. Thomas More High School for being so generous with their time and talent!”

And a shoutout to all of the beautiful heart artists around town. The school district posted dozens of pictures of them last week.

You’ve probably seen the news about Governor Evers’ extension of the “Safer at Home” order. See it here.

And here are statements from me, Health Administrator Jackie Ove and South Milwaukee Police Chief William Jessup …

Statement from South Milwaukee and St. Francis Health Administrator Jackie Ove and South Milwaukee Mayor Erik Brooks

We stand behind today’s decision by Governor Evers to extend the “Safer at Home” order. The revised order — as with other rules, guidance and recommendations issued during the COVID-19 pandemic – are being put in place to slow the spread of the virus and improve public health. They are working. We are “flattening the curve.” However, cases continue to increase, and we need support from the community to ensure we continue to make progress in fighting the virus. Please read the order, and act accordingly, and responsibly. Let’s be safer at home – the health and safety of you, your family and other South Milwaukeeans depend on it. 

Statement from South Milwaukee Police Chief William Jessup

We thank the vast majority people who have voluntarily complied with the “Safer at Home” order. We need to abide by the revised order. We will continue to work in concert with our Health Department to ensure orders are followed. If violations arise, law enforcement will take note and educate and inform those individuals. Enforcement has been and will be a last step.

And I’ll add this … I absolutely sympathize with our small business owners and the hardships they are facing. As a small business owner who is being impacted by this, I understand the push by some to reopen the economy quickly. But we must make decisions guided by our health professionals, and they are clear: Now is not the time to let up, or we risk giving back the gains we’ve made in slowing spread.

As we make decisions like this, I also try to remember for whom we are doing all of this. People like my stepfather and my son.

So, I ask, continue to shop local, as much as possible, including ordering carryout or delivery from a local restaurant. Learn more on the Shop Local South Milwaukee Facebook page and 53172.org.

We will get this through, together. But it will take time.

South Milwaukee Human Concerns needs your help!

Here is a message from Director Deb DeBoer …

We are very low on monetary donations and if we look into the near future we will be running low on food donations. The national postal drive that normally brings in up to 17,000 pounds of food has been postponed until possibly September. We have plenty of meat and peanut butter but are running low on condiments, hamburger helper, Mac and cheese, soups, canned spaghetti-raviolis, personal hygiene.

As always, South Milwaukee is already stepping up, led by a GoFundMe campaigned organized by the McCarty family. Details here. From it …

Come on Rockets! Please join us in raising money to benefit South Milwaukee Human Concerns with a cash donation to help support purchases of fresh food  and non-perishable items for their food bank. Due to recent circumstances regarding the COVID-19 virus, there has been a decline in food and donations made to South Milwaukee Human Concerns and any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much in the SM Community. Go Rockets!

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If you haven’t seen John Krasinski’s “Some Good News” videos the past few weeks, check them out.

They’re incredibly inspiring, and fun. Pants optional.

I don’t have his permission, but who cares? I’m starting an online (for now) “Some Good News” affiliate in South Milwaukee — SGNSM!

I’m starting on the blog, but if someone wants to take this information to produce some local “newscasts,” go for it!

Here we go …

• Let’s start with the Shelenske and Blaha families, aka the “Easter Bunnies” this past Sunday. Together they handed out almost 600 bags of goodies to local kids, as they drove by homes across the city. Donations and help also came from PyraMax Bank, South Milwaukee Lions Club, Friends of the Mill Pond & Oak Creek Watercourse, Diamond Vision, Walmart, and Pick ‘n Save. I love this! Happy Easter, indeed.
• I want to thank everyone from the South Milwaukee School District who joined the vehicle parade this afternoon, as they drove by City Hall and the Police and Fire Departments to thank our city employees. Very cool, and much appreciated.
• Hospital serenade. If you haven’t checked out what South Shore fire departments did on Thursday to thank health care workers at Advocate Aurora South Shore Hospital, please do. Awesome stuff, and thanks to South Milwaukee Fire Chief Knitter for organizing it. Check out the video.
• Our Police and Fire Departments also helped deliver a special birthday last week for a South Milwaukee 13-year-old.
• Masks! We have so many people stepping up to make cloth masks for family, friends, health care workers, first responders and others, and I love it. Please keep it up!
• Feeding kids young and old. I love what the Grobschmidt Senior Center is doing to make sure seniors are getting daily meals during the pandemic. And South Milwaukee schools are stepping up, too, with meals for all local kids. Details on our website.
• Speaking of our schools, they are doing some great work on Facebook, offering lighthearted ways to get through the pandemic. For example, who doesn’t love pictures of pets and stuffed animals?
• Speaking of feeding families, how about a shoutout to those helping South Milwaukee Human Concerns? They are still stepping up to serve local families in need, with fewer volunteers and a growing demand. Neighbors are helping neighbors, as they serve between 100-125 families per week, which is up around 20%. There has been a small but most welcome outpouring of monetary donations to SMHC. Many thanks to those who have recently provided much needed monetary help. If you can give, please go to their website  and click “Donate Here.”
• There is also a GoFundMe campaign underway for Human Concerns … please help!
• Small business. Folks across the community are also stepping up to support small business, and I love to hear about how many people are ordering carryout or delivery to lift them up during this time. It looks like that continued on Good Friday!
• I’m also proud of the work the city is doing to support small business, including our Street Department signage program and production of the Bridges magazine special edition focused on shopping local. More than 50 small businesses will be featured in this edition! It should be in the mail soon.
• We recognized our Health Department during National Public Health Week. Here is the proclamation we did.
• MJ Media is also producing “Heroes” yard signs, for $11 each. To order one, click here.

Have a story to share? Send it to me at brooks@smwi.org.

Results are in from the pandemic election of 2020, and I want to start by saying thank you.

I am excited to serve a third term as mayor, and look forward to building on the positive momentum we’ve established the last six years, and to continue to lead the city through the coronavirus crisis.

We have a lot of work to do, and we are doing it, every day.

I’m also proud of my wife, Sarah, who recorded the most votes of the five candidates for South Milwaukee School Board. Well done, honey!

Other winners of contested races in South Milwaukee were Joe Biden, Jill Karofsky, Chris Larson, Brett Blomme, and Rebecca Kiefer.

Joining Sarah on the School Board will be Patrick Hintz and Augie Vega, who finished second and third, respectively. I want to thank John Haslam for his decades of service to the district — he leaves a strong legacy.

Both referendum questions — supporting Marsy’s Law and non-gerrymandered district maps — passed easily.

Check out the full results here.

The biggest headline, however, may be the turnout — below 50% of registered voters, down 15 percentage points from four years ago. There were almost 2,000 fewer votes cast in this election vs. 2016 — disappointing, but not surprising, given that we were asked to deliver an election in the middle of a health crisis.

It’s clear: Many voters sat this one out, and I can’t blame them. You can read my thoughts on that reality here.

That said, our people stepped up. I want to thank everyone who helped execute this election, led by our clerk’s office and poll workers, including all of the city employees who worked to process absentee ballots, staff the polls, and count votes. The teamwork was impressive, and appreciated.

They delivered a safe election in the face of an unprecedented situation. That will never be taken for granted, and long remembered.

A pandemic is not slowing down several major infrastructure and economic development projects in South Milwaukee.

Bucyrus Club

A lot has happened since the city acquired the property at 1919 12th Ave. in February, including hiring a property and project manager to serve as our day-to-day connection with project partners Skyline Catering and the South Milwaukee Industrial Museum, and to lead our efforts in hiring an architect and eventually general contractor. We also continue to explore funding sources to reduce the city’s contribution to the project. We expect to have a recommendation on the architect to bring to the Common Council in May, with renovation work to begin later this summer on this game-changing downtown development. Our commitment to this project remains as strong as ever … as do our continued thanks to the Bucyrus Foundation.

Public Space

The pandemic has slowed progress a bit on planning for the public space redevelopment at 11th and Madison. But Saiki Design — our landscape architecture and design partner — is ready to roll once we can more easily seek stakeholder and other public input into the project. Much more to come on that this summer and beyond.

Milwaukee Avenue Streetscaping

You may have noticed the construction crews near 10th and Milwaukee — a very visible sign that we have restarted work on this big investment in our city center. This includes the full or partial closure of stretches of Milwaukee Avenue in coming days and weeks for street reconstruction, including the full closure of the 1000 block of Milwaukee starting on Saturday. More details in this letter, and you can get updates on this page on our city website, and by joining the Facebook group we’ve started.

Memorial Drive, Pine and Hawthorne

The city is also moving ahead with the conversion of Memorial Drive from a one-way to a two-way street, as well as work on Hawthorne and Pine Avenues. The Common Council on Tuesday approved a contract with Payne & Dolan for $433,574.01 for the job, to be completed in time for the 2020-21 school year. Due to the curb and road condition, and extent of work at the intersection, reconstruction of Pine Street from the east side of Memorial to Chicago has been included with the project. The project bid package also included base patching and resurfacing of Pine Street (Fairview to Memorial) and asphalt patching of Pine from Lake Drive to Fairview.

Polls are closed, and I want to thank everyone who stepped up today to deliver a safe and effective election in South Milwaukee amid almost impossible circumstances.

We will let history judge if we should have voted at all in the middle of a pandemic.

But no matter how that story is written it should clearly note the efforts of our clerk’s office, city employees and other poll workers, led by City Clerk Karen Kastenson.

Without them, we never could have pulled this off. Their contributions will long be remembered, and never taken for granted. Heroes, all of them.

I am told things went smoothly, as I knew they would. Turnout today was very low, with 1,212 voting, out of more than 11,000 registered voters. Of course, more than 5,000 people requested absentee ballots, including the approximately 600 people who voted early the last two weeks.

We’ll add up all the numbers and share them in coming days … but it looks like we will fall short of the 7,485 ballots cast in the 2016 presidential primary. (And potentially well short, depending how many absentee voters did not meet today’s deadline for submitting or postmarking ballots. We will see what comes in the mail the next couple of days.)

Whatever happens, this historic election is done, and counting is underway. Results will be announced on Monday.

I know one winner already: Our team. And I’m proud to lead them.