by | September 12, 2013 · 10:29 am

South Shore Fire Consolidation Report Released

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.

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by | September 10, 2013 · 4:35 pm

SMPD Warns Of Door-To-Door Scam

Here is the information from the South Milwaukee Police Department …

I received an email from a South Milwaukee citizen this evening reporting a possible door-to-door solicitation scam.  This particular one revolved around the Milwaukee Restoration Church and a male using the name “Eugene Hankins.”  The Milwaukee Restoration Church is an actual organization that solicits door-to-door for legitimate reasons, Hankins is no longer affiliated with the church and does not fund raise for them.  If you feel something is not right about a solicitor, the best thing to do is politely decline.  You can also call the SMPD (or your local jurisdiction) and report the incident.  As always, when reporting an incident be sure to report in a timely manner and include a description of the person and the behavior that you found to be suspicious.  

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by | September 9, 2013 · 5:54 am

Growing Locally: Sorce Martial Arts Invests In Downtown South Milwaukee

We need more businesses like Sorce Martial Arts in downtown South Milwaukee.

The studio has announced an expansion and remodeling project made possible by the Sorces purchasing the building they call home at 926 Milwaukee Ave. Learn more in this news release, and on the studio’s Facebook page.

From the release …

Sorce Martial Arts opened its doors in 2004 with about 1,600 square feet of training space and 50 students. In 2007, the school grew to more than 120 students and was expanded to approximately 3,300 square feet. The latest expansion will nearly double the training space to serve the school’s current enrollment of approximately 220 students, two full-time and three part-time employees. Completion of the renovation is expected later this year.

Thanks to the Sorces for choosing to expand in South Milwaukee, and let’s hope they have many more years of success at 10th and Milwaukee Avenues.

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by | September 8, 2013 · 4:59 pm

Out In The Community

Fire hydrant smallerIf you were driving around town today, you may have noticed (they were hard to miss) the yellow “God’s Work … Our Hands” shirts. They were on the backs of more than 150 members of Trinity Lutheran Church, as we fanned out across South Milwaukee and the area to do community service projects.

This is a picture of me and the family painting a few of the city’s more than 600 fire hydrants. Others picked up garbage, harvested vegetables at the Hunger Task Force farm, cleaned up at Human Concerns, painted benches the South Milwaukee arboretum, even wrote letters to soldiers, among other projects.

If you’re looking for a church that is committed to making a difference, try Trinity. It’s an amazing group of people led by an amazing pastor — and I’m proud to be a small part of the congregation.

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by | September 7, 2013 · 11:07 pm

Free Knowledge: Community Invited To Presentation By Local Historian, Author Gurda On September 22

We’re bringing a Community Lecture Series to my church — Trinity Lutheran in South Milwaukee — and the community is invited.

Our first two speakers are noted Milwaukee historian John Gurda on Sept. 22, and award-winning local children’s author Janet Halfmann on Nov. 3 Both Sunday events start at 4 p.m., to be followed by a simple supper, and they are free and open to the public.

Gurda has authored 19 books on local history and will bring his “Making of Milwaukee” book and television documentary to life with a fascinating examination of the people, places and events that have shaped the Milwaukee area.

Halfmann, who lives in South Milwaukee, has authored more than a dozen children’s books, including critically acclaimed titles like “Little Skink’s Tale,” “Fur and Feathers,” “Star of the Sea: A Day in the Life of a Starfish” and “Eggs 1, 2, 3: Who Will the Babies Be?” She will speak about her journey to becoming an author and share tips of for aspiring writers.

Both authors will also sell and sign copies of their books.

I hope you can stop by!

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by | September 6, 2013 · 11:31 pm

Bring The Hammer: Rockets Roll To Shutout Over Cudahy

Another week, another shutout for the South Milwaukee football team.

The Rockets rolled past rival Cudahy, 27-0, Friday night in Cudahy. It was another big night for running back Ian Pribyl and the defense, which also held Westosha Central scoreless last week.

South Milwaukee is now 3-0 — and has outscored its opponents 81-7 to start the season. Not bad.

Check out Fox 6 coverage of Friday’s game here.

Next up: South Milwaukee hosts Brown Deer at 7 p.m. Friday. Go Rockets!

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by | September 5, 2013 · 10:11 pm

Speculating On A Honadel Replacement, Caterpillar Incentive Pay And Other Headlines

Check out these South Shore headlines …

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by | September 4, 2013 · 10:35 pm

Reminder: South Milwaukee Health Fair Is Thursday

Here are 20 more reasons to stop by the South Milwaukee Downtown Market this week.

The South Milwaukee Health Fair, presented by South Shore Family Chiropractic, is set for 3 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at the market (11th and Milwaukee Avenues downtown).

More than 20 health-related vendors are expected, in addition to the more than 40 traditional market merchants.

Just added to the Health Fair lineup: Danielle Zirkel, a healthcare outreach specialist at Community Advocates of Milwaukee. She’ll be at the market from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., with a stage presentation at 4. She’ll take questions about the Affordable Care Act.

Learn more on our Facebook page … and see you at the market!

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by | September 4, 2013 · 7:22 am

Trick-or-Treating Set For Halloween, Again — And Hopefully For Years Ahead

City-sponsored trick-or-treating will again be held on Halloween in 2013 — and beyond.

The South Milwaukee City Council voted 6-2 on Tuesday night in favor of annually holding trick-or-treating from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on October 31. This year, it will be on a Thursday evening.

I voted yes for the same reasons I voted yes in 2012. Check out my previous post for more.

The action Tuesday night goes a bit farther than the vote in previous years. The key word in what we passed is “annually.” By adding that language, we hopefully create some sense of consistency going forward.

Yes, future councils can change the time again, but it would now take a new vote — and hopefully a strong reason to change — to do it. Otherwise, things should stay the same in 2014 and beyond.

This certainty is important because one very legitimate argument against trick-or-treating on a weeknight is kids’ schedules. They are full, and some may miss this annual activity because of a practice or other event.

My hope: Coaches and activity leaders will see the action of the council Tuesday night and, when possible, not schedule events for Halloween night. Why? Because Halloween night is trick-or-treating night in South Milwaukee — a community celebration that brings families and neighborhoods together for one night a year.

What do you think of this action? Post your comments below, and vote in my new poll.

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by | September 3, 2013 · 8:43 pm

Off Like A Rocket: 2-0 Start For South Milwaukee Football Team

The South Milwaukee football team is off to a 2-0 start after shutting out Westosha Central on Friday.

Check out the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s team page here, including details on the 26-0 win last week, as Ian Pribyl ran for three second-half touchdowns.

And mark for your calendars for Friday. That’s when South Milwaukee travels to Cudahy for the annual rivalry game. Cudahy is 1-1 and coming off a 52-6 win over Bay View.

Go Rockets!

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by | September 2, 2013 · 7:34 pm

More Headlines — And A Police Blotter

Check out these South Shore headlines …

Also, there is a new police blotter from NOW, including this …

A $300 digital media player was stolen at South Milwaukee Middle School, 1001 15th Ave., sometime on Aug. 22.

And this …

The concession stand at the main beach in Grant Park, 110 Hawthorne Ave., was found to have been entered and burglarized twice in less than 24 hours on Aug. 27. The first report came in at 1 p.m. Aug. 26 when a park employee found that the door to the concession stand unlocked and just paper towel and lighters missing from inside along with some items strewn on the counter. The second report was received at 8 a.m. Aug. 27 when another park employee found a window on the building broken and about $220 worth of food, soda, aluminum foil, mosquito repellent, sunscreen and a lawn chair missing or strewn around a nearby pier. A 51-year-old Cudahy man was found near the scene, but denied involvement. He was cited for shooting off a firework that he found next to a smoldering fire amidst the stolen property.

And this …

An 86-year-old woman was bitten by a dog in the 3300 block of Fifth Avenue at 5 p.m. Aug. 29. The woman was watering flowers in her yard and cast a glance toward the dog standing on a neighboring property. When she looked down, the dog, tied on a long leash, charged her and bit her on the hand, and scratched at her leg and abdomen before another neighbor pulled the dog back. Police were notified by staff at St. Luke’s South Shore Hospital, where the woman was admitted to the ER and receiving stitches on her hand. The dog’s owner, a 60-year-old South Milwaukee man was cited for the behavior of the dog, which he described as a boxer mix. The dog was turned over to the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Center and euthanized at the request of its owner.

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by | September 1, 2013 · 10:10 am

Is Halloween Trick-Or-Treating A Trick Or Treat?

That’s the question the South Milwaukee City Council will debate again on Tuesday night.

We have this discussion every year, and you’ll recall that in 2012 we approved changing city-endorsed trick-or-treating hours to Halloween evening — in that case, a Wednesday night, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Not surprisingly, the change drew a lot of response. I found most feedback to be positive, and the (admittedly unscientific) poll I did on this showed clear support — 45 of 51 voters supported the change to Halloween. But support was certainly not unanimous, and I heard from those people loud and clear.

Check out comments here and here, and you can see my rationale for voting the way I did in that last link.

Based on what I would call a successful test last year, I intend to support Halloween trick-or-treating again this year, which would put it on a Thursday night.

But I’d like to know what you think, too. Am I wrong on this issue? What should we consider changing for trick-or-treating in 2013? Post your comments below!

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by | August 30, 2013 · 2:48 pm

On Second Thought: Scaffidi Reportedly Won’t Run For Mark Honadel’s Assembly Seat

Oak Creek Mayor Steve Scaffidi won’t run after all for the Assembly seat Mark Honadel plans to vacate next month.

Oak Creek Patch has the story. From it:

Scaffidi told Patch earlier this week he wanted to take on both the roles of mayor and state representative. His remarks came shortly after state Rep. Mark Honadel announced he would resign the 21st Assembly seat in mid-September.But after a few days of consideration, he said Friday it became apparent that wouldn’t be possible. 

“The residents of Oak Creek elected me to represent their city, so I feel it is important to continue to serve as mayor and focus my efforts on the considerable opportunities that lie ahead of us,” Scaffidi said. 

Those “opportunities” include the massive Drexel Town Square project, which will feature a “new downtown” for Oak Creek, as well as a new business park on Oakwood Road and a redevelopment of the city’s lakefront.

“Oak Creek is poised to take a leadership role in southeastern Wisconsin in new business development and job creation,” Scaffidi said. “I’m honored and privileged to be a part of that story, and will continue to do whatever I can to make that a reality.”

So, what’s next? Who would you like to see run?

Post your comments below!

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by | August 29, 2013 · 10:17 pm

Local Hotel? Big Development Planned For Lake Parkway-Area Land In Cudahy

A major hotel and retail development could be coming to Cudahy.

Check out the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story here on the project, which could be coming south of Layton Avenue along the Lake Parkway and Pennsylvania Avenue. From it:

Local development firm Cobalt Partners LLC was to present information about the project during a closed session of the Cudahy Community Development Authority’s Tuesday night board meeting. State law allows government agencies to conduct closed sessions to discuss real estate negotiations, but any action must be taken in open session.

Details about the proposed development are expected to be publicly disclosed during a Plan Commission meeting in October, said Brian Biernat, city economic development director.

The closed session at the authority’s meeting was to provide some sense of direction for a possible revision of the city’s development agreement with Cobalt, he said.

That revised agreement, which would eventually need Common Council approval, would likely propose additional city spending on the project beyond what had initially been planned, Biernat said.

The city’s development agreement with Cobalt calls for spending $3 million to help finance a development that would be valued at $18 million, Biernat said.

Cobalt, led by Scott Yauck, now is planning a larger project that would be valued at $42 million, Biernat said.

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by | August 27, 2013 · 5:42 pm

More On Mark Honadel’s Resignation: Oak Creek Mayor Steve Scaffidi Will Run

Media reports are filling in some of the blanks around South Milwaukee Rep. Mark Honadel’s decision to step down early from his fifth term in office.

Check out reports from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Oak Creek Patch. Patch is also reporting Oak Creek Mayor Steve Scaffidi will run in a special election as a Republican …

Scaffidi, who will run as a Republican, said he would continue to serve as Oak Creek mayor if elected. His term expires in April 2015.

“I have no intention of leaving Oak Creek,” Scaffidi said. “I will do both jobs if I’m lucky enough to get the opportunity to serve.”

And there is this from the Journal Sentinel:

Honadel, a former metal fabricator and welding instructor, said in an interview that he had one job opportunity lined up but would consider others and announce the final decision next month.

His last day will be sometime in mid-September, Honadel said. He said he expected a Republican primary for his seat as well as a general election contest but said he wasn’t sure yet who the potential candidates might be.

Gov. Scott Walker spokesman Tom Evenson said the governor would call a special election soon.

“By law, the formal date of vacancy must come first,” Evenson said.

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