A note from the city treasurer’s office and the South Milwaukee Facebook page …
Are you looking to see if your bank has paid your tax bill? Go to the City’s website at http://smwi.org/index.php/tax-bill-disclaimer/
City departments will be CLOSED on Tuesday, December 31, & Wednesday, January 1, 2014. The Treasurer Office (only) will be open from 8:00 am to 12 Noon for Tax Collection on December 31st.
Filed under City Services, South Milwaukee
I just got off the phone with our Street Department, and confirmed that cleanup continues from yesterday’s storm.
So, please be patient, especially considering that many plow and salt drivers have been working off and on since the start of the ice storm almost four days ago. And more snow is predicted a couple days this week … Christmas week.
In fact, I ask for more than patience. I say thank you to these dedicated city workers.
Our street department workers who keep our roads clear no matter when the storm hits. Our police officers and firefighters who keep us safe, 24-7. Our water utility workers who fix mains whenever they break. And the list goes on.
It’s something to keep in mind when we’re probably off from work and gathered with our families in the coming days.
Filed under City Services, South Milwaukee
Automated water meters are being installed across the city.
The project began this spring and will continue for the next several years.
Learn more on the city website. From it:
The Utility plans to replace or retrofit all of its water meters with automated meters. This will increase meter reading efficiency in addition to providing meaningful real time data for customers. South Milwaukee Water Utility will be able to remotely read all of our customers from one location without physically having to read your meter on site. The Utility will have the ability to catch a customer’s leak in a timely manner, instead of waiting until the next meter reading, helping conserve water and save customers from a potential high bill.
Filed under City Services, Water Utility
Property tax bills are arriving soon, and may have arrived for some.
If you haven’t received your bill yet, you can view it online via the city website.
Check out the tool here.
As I’ve written about, with the 2014 budget passed by the South Milwaukee City Council and other taxing entities, it is likely your tax bill will go down next year — likely, but not guaranteed.
See for yourself online … and post your comments below.
My bill? It looks like it will be falling from $4,288.25 last year to $4,209.83, or a decrease of 1.8%. I’m proud to support a budget that allows for this.
Filed under 2014 Budget, City Council, City Services, South Milwaukee
A property tax levy and rate decrease.
It’s not often you read those words in the same sentence, but that is just what the 2014 South Milwaukee budget passed Tuesday night calls for.
I am proud to support the budget, especially because we are able to reduce the amount of taxes levied (and the tax rate) while still funding city services at adequate levels. For more details, you can check out my previous post on the budget here.
So, what will this mean for your tax bill?
The 2014 tax rate for city purposes was set at $8.85 per $1,000 in assessed valuation, about a four-cent decrease, or 0.42%, from the 2013 figure. The total tax rate for 2014 (including all government entities) will be $26.93 per $1,000, down from $27.29 a year ago. So, for the owner of a $150,000 home, your taxes may also go down next year, from $4,093 to $4,039. I say “may” because it’s impossible to predict the tax bill on a specific property.
That said, delivering a decrease in property taxes year over year is rare – and a sign of this council’s (and my) continued commitment to responsible budgeting.
Filed under 2014 Budget, City Council, City Services, South Milwaukee
Our employees do a terrific job of delivering our services … and it’s nice to see them recognized for their work.
With that in mind, here is an email I received from Hilbert Hayslett, a Fourth District constituent, about a recent experience with three of our department heads …
As your constituents, we have experienced your interest in and willingness to help resolve issues over the years. We also have come to respect the quality of services provided by the City of South Milwaukee and the dedication of its employees.
During the past seven weeks while coaching the South Milwaukee Middle School Rockets Robotics First Lego League (FLL) team, we called on Wastewater Treatment Facility Superintendent Andy Bakalarski, Health Department Administrator Jackie Ove and Water Utility Superintendent Doug Fischer to help the team fulfill the FLL research requirements. That included studying disaster situations, such as flooding, and its impact on our community’s water-processing facilities, property damage and disaster preparedness. Each of these city officials talked to our 6th and 7th grade-team members about their areas of expertise, and answered questions.
Andy’s detailed explanation of wastewater treatment and the impact of flooding was clear and useful to the team. Jackie gave an interesting presentation on disaster preparation, and demonstrated an emergency-preparedness kit and provided individual handouts with extensive information about home and personal disaster preparation. Doug took the team on a virtual tour of the Water Utility via his laptop computer and brought a large filter to demonstrate how our water is processed.
In addition, Jackie and Doug’s schedules permitted them to attend the dress rehearsal of the team’s skit on Nov. 14 that demonstrated its completed project, which they presented at the FLL Regional Qualifying Tournament on Nov. 17.
We and the team were impressed by the expertise, cooperation and gracious manner with which Andy, Jackie and Doug helped our team understand the complex issues and equipment involved in the delivery and safety of our drinking water in preparing for and during times of disaster.
The City of South Milwaukee can be proud to have such excellent representatives as these outstanding officials.
Filed under City Services, South Milwaukee
Wondering if and when those piles of leaves will be removed? I asked our assistant street superintendent, Dan Ratajski, and he said crews are working hard to get them off the streets.
From his response …
The last day to rake leaves into the gutter was November 15th. After that date, we will make one final pass throughout the entire city, so, whatever streets we were on yesterday was our last run down those streets, whatever we do today is final also and so on.
After final pass of streets they will have to bag any remaining leaves and take to the Self Deposit Station.
In the past we have gone back after final run and picked some stray piles here and there but that all depends on the weather. Once we get snow, the leaf brooms come off the trucks and the plows go on.
The department strives to have three crews out daily doing leaf removal, in addition the normal workload of garbage pickup and other services. Learn more here.
Filed under City Services, South Milwaukee
Tuesday night’s South Milwaukee City Council meeting started off with some fun — and some big money for the Susan B. Komen for the Cure — but also included some newsworthy business items. On the agenda …
Filed under City Council, City Services, Community
Trees are shedding their leaves quickly these days, so here is a quick reminder on protocols from the city website …
Residents are permitted to place leaves in the gutter for collection from October 1 to November 15. NO YARD WASTE OR PLANTS WILL BE COLLECTED. Yard waste and plants must be taken to the Self-Deposit Station at 1106 Blake Avenue for disposal. There is no charge for disposal of yard waste, although there is a $2.00 per day user fee to use the facility. Do not place leaves in the gutter after November 15. They may not be picked up.
Check out the Street Department web page for more information.
Filed under City Services, Community, South Milwaukee
Are we better as three or one?
That’s the question we’ll have to answer in the South Shore when it comes to fire consolidation.
The Public Policy Forum weighs in on the issue in a detailed study commissioned by South Milwaukee, Cudahy and St. Francis released this morning. Here is the press release. From it …
Three consolidation scenarios are presented for consideration, which differ based on minimum staffing levels at each station location. It is assumed that under each scenario, the consolidated department would have identical governance, command and administrative structures, as well as the same apparatus and equipment. In addition, it is assumed that one of Cudahy’s two fire stations could be eliminated under each of the scenarios, so that the three cities collectively would be served by three stations – one each in Cudahy, South Milwaukee and St. Francis.
“Our fiscal analysis estimates that the impacts of a consolidated department could range from a collective added annual operating cost of $67,000 for one of the three staffing models, to annual operating savings ranging from $248,000 to $890,000 for the other two,” says Forum President Rob Henken. “In addition, under each of the scenarios, we estimate that the three cities would save more than $1.7 million in vehicle replacement costs over the next seven years because of the ability to shrink the size of the collective vehicle fleet.”
Obviously, this is a very complex issue that requires further additional examination and debate before any action is taken — or not taken, for that matter. Should we consolidate at all? If so, what should that look like?
My take is consistent: I am open to consolidation, as long as we can save money while also delivering the same level (or an enhanced level) of service. These options may deliver on that … but the devil will be in the details.
I promise to continue to get as informed on possible on this issue and act in the best interest of the city. I also pledge to think about this holistically, not forgetting that we also did a dispatch consolidation study a year ago with its own set of recommendations.
Whatever happens, I will keep you informed along the way. The community must be involved in this debate, and I encourage you to make your voices heard.
Filed under City Services, Cudahy, South Milwaukee
It’s the most important thing we do as the South Milwaukee City Council — and here are some important dates to keep in mind as we prepare the 2014 South Milwaukee budget …
All of these meetings are public.
Here is the official notice. Of course, I’ll keep you posted throughout the process on South Milwaukee Blog.
Filed under 2014 Budget, City Council, City Services, South Milwaukee
If you’re paying property taxes in installments, Wednesday, July 31, is an important day: It’s when final tax installment payments are due.
Learn more on the city website. You can pay via mail, depository or in person at City Hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Filed under City Services, South Milwaukee
Last fall, you may recall the city applied for, and received, a $23,000 matching grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for combating the emerald ash borer.
Well, that work is set to begin soon.
The South Milwaukee City Council voted 7-1 last week to seek bids for work on the effort, which includes:
I’m happy to see we’re moving ahead here and at least gaining the baseline of information we need as a City Council to make informed decisions about how to best address the EAB.
At this point, even though I’m no arborist, I’m going to assume the EAB is in South Milwaukee. It’s been reported to be in communities all around us, most recently in Greenfield and Greendale. It’s been in Oak Creek for some time.
Soon, the question in South Milwaukee will become: What role should the city play in fighting it, and how aggressive should we be? It’s a debate many communities are having, and I welcome it here.
We’re a bit late to the game, but at least we’re in the game.
I’ll keep you posted.
Filed under City Services
A few items on today’s snowstorm …
Of course, I’d like to know what you’re experiencing. Post your comments below!
Filed under City Services, Community
Here are a few odds and ends from around the city …
With that, I’m going to take a few days off from blogging, barring significant breaking news from South Milwaukee. I ask that you keep my grandmother in your prayers. She’s 96 and nearing the end of her long, rich life. A wonderful woman — she’ll be missed.
Filed under City Services, Community
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