South Milwaukee Blog

It’s one of the most important things we do — and this year, it was perhaps the most difficult.

The South Milwaukee City Council unanimously voted to pass the 2017 city budget on Tuesday night. It’s a document that again shows our commitment to being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, your money.

I shared a lot of context in a previous post. Here are the final, updated details …

• Expenditures increase 1 percent to $19.7 million.
• Revenue falls 0.8 percent to $8.95 million.
• The tax levy increases 2.3 percent to $10.76 million.
• The city tax rate increases 3 percent from $8.82 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to $9.09 per $1,000. So, for my house (assessed at $160,000), that means the city portion of my tax bill will be $1,454.34, or $43.44 more than my 2015 bill.

The biggest change from the budget published last month is a 3 percent (or $88,000) increase in health insurance costs for the city — a figure that we brought down, with increased out-of-pocket costs and switching providers, from an initial 25 percent renewal. To fund the added cost, we cut from a number of areas, including $20,000 in seasonal help from the Street Department.

In the end, we found a way to work, once again, within the significant constraints put us on by the state and deliver maximum value for your tax dollar. This is getting harder and harder, and continue to make the case for legislative remedies.

Residents have come to expect a certain standard of city services, and it is my job as mayor to make sure we deliver on that expectation, while also driving innovation and efficiency around how we deliver those services. And we’re doing that.

This budget delivers on that promise.

Adding even more events to make South Milwaukee merry, highlighting the big events next weekend … hope to see you around town!

• Saturday, November 26: Downtown Tree Lighting. Meet Santa, purchase the SMCBA’s annual ornament, donate to the Human Concerns food drive and listen to live music and grade school choirs. 4-5:30 p.m., Heritage Place (10^th and Milwaukee).
• Sunday, November 27: South Milwaukee Old Fashioned Christmas
  • 1 p.m. South Milwaukee Lions Christmas Parade from 12^th and Milwaukee to City Hall.
  • After the parade at City Hall: Pictures with Santa, arts, crafts, food and more.
  • 4 p.m. Enjoy a free show by South Milwaukee High School a cappella groups Delta V and the Pop Rockets, as well as the madrigal singers, and a special guest to light the tree.
• Saturday, December 3: South Milwaukee Christmas Market. Enjoy more than 100 vendors and live music, and meet Santa.9 a.m. to 3 p.m., South Milwaukee High School, 801 15^th Ave.
• Sunday, December 4
  • Breakfast with Santa. Santa will be at Pat’s Oak Manor, 1804 15th Ave., giving out stockings for the kids. Feel free to bring your camera. Reservations please at 414-762-4660. Cost is $8.75 for adults, $5.25 for children 3-1o years and $2 for children 2 and under. Breakfast starts at 8:30 a.m.
  • Christmas Choir Concert. 4 p.m., Sts. Peter & Paul Polish National Catholic Church, 1308 15th Ave.
• Thursday, December 8: Cantus: “We All Will be Together.” The premier men’s vocal ensemble in the U.S. comes to South Milwaukee. 7:30 p.m., South Milwaukee PAC, 901 15^th Ave.
• Saturday and Sunday, December 10-11: Ye Old Christmas Feaste. Pre-dinner music at 4, dinner (prepared by students) at 4:30 p.m., South Milwaukee High School. More details here.
• Saturday, December 10
  • Live reindeer visit and photos. 10 a.m. to noon, South Milwaukee Ace Hardware, 1009 Marquette Ave. It’s one of a variety of activities Ace has planned for the Christmas season; other activities include tree sales, a “Letters to Santa” mailbox and a giant stocking giveaway. More details here, as Ace goes all in on Christmas — I love it!
  • South Milwaukee High School’s National Honor Society presents Santa’s Workshop in the Heritage Hallway at the high school. The free event for preschool to elementary school-aged kids includes cookie decorating, ornament making, crafts and more. 9 a.m. to noon
• Sunday, December 11: Breakfast with Santa. 9 a.m., American Legion Post 27, 920 Monroe Ave.
• Thursday, December 15: South Milwaukee Library Holiday Party. 6-7:30 p.m. Family fun for all ages.

Did I miss anything? Please contact me!

South Milwaukee’s busiest downtown street, 10th Avenue, is getting 50 new trees.

From the memo by our city engineer …

As part of various public works projects starting in 2008, 54 tree grates were constructed around existing green ash trees planted circa 1988. Given the age, size and condition of the trees, and EAB, replacement has been contemplated for several years, with the exception of 2 oak trees, 2 ginkgos, and 1 maple. Removal was considered earlier this year, however the dry weather conditions hampered any planting. Asplundh Tree Expert Company was able to proceed much quicker than expected to remove trees and perform stump grinding.

A contract has been authorized with Johnson’s Nursery for installation of 50 trees within the existing tree grate locations. Seven varieties of trees have been recommended by Johnson’s. (State Street Maple, Autumn Fantasy Maple, Kentucky Coffeetree, Tuliptree, Japanese Tree Lilac, Cathedral Elm and New Horizon Elm.) …

Planting a variety of species is common practice so all trees are not affected if a disease or insect becomes prevalent (such as ash borer). Planting during the dormant period is also common practice, and trees are scheduled to be planted by the week of November 28th.

I am happy we’re able to make this investment in the look and feel of our downtown — and this investment in our urban forest.

Our current budget includes funds for continued removal of trees affected by emerald ash borer, and others that are dead or dying, and  the proposed budget — the subject of a public hearing tonight and more council debate on Tuesday — includes $25,000 to develop a plan for an improved  urban forestry program.

This downtown planting is a good start. I wonder when the last time the city planted 50 trees at once — if ever.

I never experienced this before last year, at my 40th birthday party, and now I’m hooked.

Professional wrestling is part of our proud past. Remember Da Crusher?

This continues that tradition. It’s good, clean fun. Emphasis on “fun.”

From the South Milwaukee Fire Department …

At approximately 11:01PM last evening (Nov. 17, 2016), SMFD received a 9-1-1 call from a female caller stating that her upstairs apartment was on fire and two children were trapped.  SMFD responded and, upon arrival, discovered a fire in the kitchen of an upstairs apartment at 1300 Manistique Avenue and that all occupants had evacuated the 3-family dwelling.  The fire was quickly extinguished and extensive overhaul ensued as the fire had extended into the attic of the building through an above-range exhaust fan and duct system.  As a precaution, all power was shut off to the building as the fire exposed parts of the electrical system.  The cause of the fire was accidental as the occupant left a pot of melting candle wax on an active burner as part of a candle making process that eventually ignited and caused the surrounding cabinets to ignite and extend upward into the attic area. No one was injured and the American Red Cross was contacted to assist the 10 occupants of the three apartments.

Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers.

We heard you, and we’re acting. Here is the note we’re sharing on the city website and social media channels …

We appreciate your continued patience with leaf collection.

Our Street Department crews have been working as hard as they can to collect leaves, and will continue to. We are also announcing changes to help in the collection process.

• First, through the end of the year, we will be waiving the $2 usage fee for our self-deposit station for residents disposing of leaves. If you are disposing of items other than leaves, you will still have to pay the fee. There is no per-bag fee for leaf disposal.
• We are also adding crews to the process. We typically have two leaf crews out during normal hours, but we are now aiming for three when possible.
• We have also authorized overtime this weekend, with eight employees focused on leaf collection and disposal, and we will have crews working on overtime until 7 p.m. on weeknights for the time being, starting Nov. 18.
• Also, we are extending leaf pickup until the first snowfall requiring plowing, as we have done in other years. Of course, this is weather dependent, but we are committing to picking up leaves for as long as we can until snow season starts.

We hope these measures will help reduce the number of leaf piles along the streets, and make it easier for you, our taxpayers, to dispose of leaves.

We continue to make our pass through the city, meaning that each street will be processed over the next couple of weeks. With that in mind, we continue to ask that you not put new leaf piles out, as our original Nov. 15 cutoff date has passed, and we can no longer guarantee we will pick up leaves left out after that date. And please do not park on leaf piles, as this hinders collection. 

 Also, while we will continue to collect, please be aware that if a snowfall occurs requiring plowing and there are still leaves on the street, the leaves will be plowed along with the snow and end up in yards.  This cannot be avoided if the weather does not cooperate.

Again, we thank you for your patience. This is a very costly and time-intensive service that is an annual challenge to deliver. We also continue to ask you to consider to mow or mulch, when and where possible. This will reduce demand on our city crews, and it’s better for the environment.

I want to thank the Street Department for their hard work in collecting leaves so far this year. It’s hard, sometimes tedious, work.

We’ve already collected more than 27 truckloads of leaves. But there’s a lot more to go. These steps will help us get more of them, quicker.

Please note that yesterday (Tuesday, November 15) was the last day to rake leaves into the street for collection by city crews.

Please do not rake leaves into the street the rest of the fall.

Great partnership with a local business … mark your calendars!

Check out these South Shore headlines …

• I Hung out with the Mayor of South Milwaukee (Milwaukee Record)
• Rodriguez Wins Re-Election to Represent State Assembly District 21 (NOW)
• All-State Cross-Country Teams Announced (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
• 9 Milwaukee Frozen Custard Stands we Miss (Milwaukee Record)
• Oak Creek’s Lake Vista Begins to Grow (NOW)
• Aurora Renovating New Location in Oak Creek for $17 Million (NOW)
• Waukesha, Oak Creek to Extend Water Deadline (BizTimes)
• Update: Man Killed in Industrial Accident in Cudahy Was Struck in Head by Piece of Metal (Fox 6)
• Police Investigating After Vehicle Goes Over Bluff in Cudahy (Fox 6)

Also, check out this feature on South Milwaukee High School’s Allison Osell, who is hoping for a podium finish at this Saturday’s WIAA state diving meet. The article appears on the Wisconsin Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association website, a pay site, but the editors allowed me to repost it here. Good luck Allison!

Thanks to Julie Swanson and Ante Udovicic for the terrific images.

I love Christmas — and how we celebrate it in South Milwaukee.

Here is the rundown of events. Did I forget one? Please let me know!

• Saturday, November 12: Holiday Bazaar. Crafts, baked goods, raffles and more. Lunch will be served.9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Grobschmidt Senior Center, 2424 15th Ave.
• Saturday, November 26: Downtown Tree Lighting. Meet Santa, purchase the SMCBA’s annual ornament, donate to the Human Concerns food drive and listen to live music and grade school choirs. 4-5:30 p.m., Heritage Place (10^th and Milwaukee).
• Sunday, November 27: South Milwaukee Old Fashioned Christmas
  • 1 p.m. South Milwaukee Lions Christmas Parade from 12^th and Milwaukee to City Hall.
  • After the parade at City Hall: Pictures with Santa, arts, crafts, food and more.
  • 4 p.m. Enjoy a free show by South Milwaukee High School a cappella groups Delta V and the Pop Rockets, as well as the madrigal singers, and a special guest to light the tree.
• Saturday, December 3: South Milwaukee Christmas Market. Enjoy more than 100 vendors and live music, and meet Santa.9 a.m. to 3 p.m., South Milwaukee High School, 801 15^th Ave.
• Sunday, December 4: Christmas Choir Concert. 4 p.m., Sts. Peter & Paul Polish National Catholic Church, 1308 15th Ave.
• Thursday, December 8: Cantus: “We All Will be Together.” The premier men’s vocal ensemble in the U.S. comes to South Milwaukee. 7:30 p.m., South Milwaukee PAC, 901 15^th Ave.
• Saturday and Sunday, December 10-11: Ye Old Christmas Feaste. Pre-dinner music at 4, dinner (prepared by students) at 4:30 p.m., South Milwaukee High School
• Saturday, December 10: Live reindeer visit and photos. 10 a.m. to noon, South Milwaukee Ace Hardware, 1009 Marquette Ave.
• Sunday, December 11: Breakfast with Santa. 9 a.m., American Legion Post 27, 920 Monroe Ave.
• Thursday, December 15: South Milwaukee Library Holiday Party. 6-7:30 p.m. Family fun for all ages.

Photos are from the Feaste last year. If you haven’t yet attended this event, you should. And if you have, it’s worth a return visit.

The results are in, and South Milwaukee split its votes among the major parties on Tuesday — supporting a Democrat for president and Republicans for U.S. Senate and state Assembly.

From the local results …

• Turnout locally was 84.9 percent. That included 2,414 people who voted early as in-person absentees, just shy of 20 percent of all registered voters — a significant increase from 2012.
• In the race for president, Democrat Hillary Clinton tallied 4,817 votes in South Milwaukee to Republican Donald Trump’s 4,758, or 46.3 percent to 45.8 percent.
• In the race for U.S. Senate, incumbent Republican Sen. Ron Johnson beat Democratic challenger Russ Feingold, 48.4 percent to 46.3 percent.
• In the 21st Assembly race, incumbent Republican Rep. Jessie Rodriguez defeated Democratic challenger Jack Redmond, 51.9 to 43 percent, in South Milwaukee.
• U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore also won re-election with 47.9 percent of the vote in our city.

I want to congratulate all of the winners of these races, and I look forward to working with them where possible to advance Wisconsin cities, the South Shore and South Milwaukee.

And I want to reiterate my thanks for all of the people who made today’s election happen.

I start with City Clerk Jim Shelenske and the clerk’s office staff for their months of preparation and weeks of execution, to lead the way in ensuring a smooth election day and good experience at the polls. I thank our pollworkers, all 112 of them — more than double the number from 2012. And I thank our volunteers, especially all of the South Milwaukee High School students who witnessed democracy in action today while helping us out.

It takes a village to run an election, and our people delivered. Please take a minute and join me in congratulating all of these folks on a job well done.

This will come as a surprise to no one, but today is election day, and I ask everyone to get to the polls, do their duty as citizens and vote.

Here is the ballot, and here are additional voting details …

• Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• First District voters vote at Divine Mercy School, 695 College Ave.
• Second District voters vote at Lakeview School, 711 Marion Ave.
• Third District voters vote at City Hall, 2424 15th Ave.
• Fourth District voters vote at Rawson Elementary, 1410 Rawson Ave.
• Not sure what district you live in? Here is a map.
• Don’t forget: Voter ID is now in effect.

Check out more details on the city’s elections web page … and look for more information on local results from South Milwaukee Blog later tonight or Wednesday morning.

And while you’re out, please thank a pollworker. These dedicated citizens — we have 112 of them this year, more than double than four years ago, including South Milwaukee High School students working throughout the day, to help ensure an even smoother process at the polls this year — bring democracy to life through their too-often thankless work.

Jen’s Sweet Treats does business the right way, and the Clarks are tireless in their efforts in supporting local charities.

A great example is this weekend, as they look to raise money for the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight with three days of activities held in and around their Cudahy location.

Details below. Check it out … and thank Jennifer, Cortney and the family for their support. Then, when their newly renovated and expanded downtown South Milwaukee location opens in a few weeks, show your thanks by patronizing their terrific business.

The event on Friday begins at 10:40 a.m. with a walk from the Van Eimeren-Kolonka American Legion Post #27 to the South Milwaukee War Memorial on 10th Avenue. A brief ceremony begins at 11 a.m. at the memorial. Lunch will be served afterwards at the Legion post.

I offer a sincere thanks for everyone who makes this event possible — and to all of our veterans. I will never take for granted their service and what it meant in protecting our freedom and way of life.

From the South Milwaukee Fire Department …

At approximately 4:29PM this afternoon (Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016), SMFD was notified of a garage on fire at the rear of 1621 Rawson Avenues. Arriving units discovered a detached garage with fire involving most of the interior. Assistance was provided by the Cudahy and Oak Creek Fire Departments. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation as units remain on the scene. An adult occupant of the residence suffered minor smoke inhalation and burns attempting to extinguish the fire and was evaluated by EMS personnel, but not transported for further care. No injuries to fire personnel were reported. The interior of the garage, including the contents, suffered significant damage from the fire.

I live only a few blocks from here and was on the scene not long after firefighters arrived — and saw firsthand their terrific work in getting this fire under control quickly. Well done, gentlemen, and thanks, as always.