by | December 2, 2011 · 10:40 am

Decision 2012: Want Your Name On The Ballot?

December is a key time for those looking to run for office in the spring of 2012.

All candidates for local, county and state positions must declare their candidacy and file a campaign registration statement – as well as gain necessary signatures to get on the ballot, if required – by Jan. 3.

Learn more on the Government Accountability Board’s website.

There are a number of local elected officials up for re-election on April 3, including:

  • South Milwaukee Mayor Tom Zepecki, City Clerk Jim Shelenske, City Treasurer Karen Skowronski, City Attorney Joseph Murphy and Municipal Judge William Fenger;
  • South Milwaukee School Board incumbents David Maass and Kathleen Molus; and
  • Milwaukee County Supervisor Pat Jursik.

There is also a special election for the 1st District aldermanic seat currently held by Frank Van Dusen III. If you recall, the council appointed Frank as an alderman this summer to replace Mike Karbowski, who passed away. The winner of the April 3 election will serve one year and be up for election again with the other council members in April of 2013.

The city positions (except for the aldermanic post) and Honadel’s seat are two-year terms. The school board positions are for three years, and county supervisors serve four years.

Candidates interested in the city posts can contact the city clerk’s office for more information by calling 414-762-2222. School board candidates can contact the district office at 414-766-5011.

Necessary forms can also be downloaded from the GAB website.

I’ll keep you posted as candidates declare and the election season progresses. And check out the city’s 2010 election results here.

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by | December 1, 2011 · 5:08 pm

Following Up On Reports Of Grant Park Poaching

South Milwaukee Police Chief Ann Wellens provided the following update to the reports of potential poaching in Grant Park.

Here is her email verbatim …

In order to clear up some of the rumors in the community I personally spoke with Game Warden Ben Mott this morning regarding the deer complaints in Grant Park.  The following is a summary of our conversation:

  • SMPD/Milw County Park notified the DNR of a gut pile (in the compose pile) by the tennis court area.  Officer Olson responded and had a description of a vehicle.  Officer Olson contacted neighboring law enforcement agencies and determined a resident of SM had a deer (struck by a car) tagged in the City of Oak Creek.  Officer Olson contacted this subject and interviewed this subject.  The subject verified the deer was struck by a car in Oak Creek, was tagged by Oak Creek PD, he brought the deer to Grant Park to clean (he didn’t want the mess at his residence – and knew the animals would eat the guts), and then took the deer to the butcher in Oak Creek.  Officer Olson and Investigator Hesse went to the butcher to verify the deer had a tag.  Investigator Hesse examined the deer and stated the front legs were broken (consistent with being struck by a vehicle).
  • SMPD notified the DNR of a deer in the park missing it’s head.  The DNR was aware of this as Game Warden Mott had taken the head of the deer (buck).  Game Warden Mott stated he could not be certain how this deer died but suspected it could have been shot.  He said the body was very badly mauled by coyotes and he could not verify if the deer was sick, injured or shot.  He stated he left the body there for the animals to eat.
  • 3rd & Marquette (behind the pump house) SMPD notified the DNR of a carcass (spine and rib cage) found at this location.  There is no way to determine where this deer came from (the park or someplace else).  Game Warden Mott assumed this was a buck as the head was missing.
  • Hawthorne Ave – SMPD notified DNR of a deer carcass laying in the ravine. 
  • There was a deer struck by a car on Nicholson Avenue – OCPD responded and tagged the deer.  The driver of the vehicle did not want the deer.  An off duty South Milwaukee Officer was there and asked if he could have the deer which the driver told him yes.  This was completely legal.

Game Warden Mott stated during/after the 9 day gun season it is common to find deer carcasses in parks, on the road side, etc. as hunters tend to dispose of the carcasses in this manner.  He said some hunters do not want to bring home the “remains” and put them in their garbage or they are too lazy to go to the dump.  He stated it is not unusual to find carcasses not properly disposed of. 

Game Warden Mott also stated he has been in the park conducting surveillance and has found citizens in the park shinning deer he has not seen any evidence of poachers.  He stated he does not approach the citizens shinning because it is not illegal to shine them unless it is after 10pm.  In order to check them out he would have to see some other type of violation.  One individual he found shinning was a County Park worker.

Game Warden Mott has offered to meet with the Friends of Grant Park to answer their questions.  I have notified Investigator Mike Hill (Crime Prevention Officer who attends these meetings) to coordinate this meeting.

A big thanks to Chief Wellens and her department for staying on top of this. I’ll keep you posted.

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by | November 30, 2011 · 4:38 pm

Reminder: Winter Parking Kicks In On Thursday

One sure sign of winter: restricted overnight parking.

Don’t forget that between Dec. 1 and March 31 you must have a permit to park on city streets between 3 and 6 a.m. each morning. Cost is $25 per month, or $80 for a four-month permit. “Holiday permits,” good Dec. 15 to Jan. 15, are also available for $25.

Learn more on the South Milwaukee Police Department website.

Also, starting Dec. 1 there will be new, reduced winter hours for the self-deposit station. The station will be open Tuesdays and Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be closed Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and, of course, Sundays.

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by | November 29, 2011 · 11:24 pm

Council Recap: City Approves 2012 Budget, 4th District Public Works Project And More

Update: Here is the letter sent to area residents on the Parkway Drive/17th Avenue project.

The South Milwaukee City Council unanimously approved the 2012 city budget at a special meeting on Tuesday night.

It is essentially the same document I’ve already written about.

Of note, however, is the 2012 tax rate. It, too, was set Tuesday night, and it will be $8.83 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. This compares with a city tax rate of $7.24 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for 2011 … although it’s important to point out that this is not an apples to apples comparison.

The revaluation earlier this year reduced property values by an average of more than 10%, so the tax rate was certain to rise to reflect this.

So, how much will your bill increase? Of course, that depends a lot on your revaluation (among other factors). In fact, it’s possible the city portion of your tax bill could decline if your home dropped in value significantly more than the city average.

Among other topics discussed at the council Tuesday …

  • The council voted unanimously to approve wages and benefits packages for union and non-union employees in 2012. The biggest changes in these reflect that all city workers outside of police officers and firefighters will pay more for their health insurance and pension next year, in line with the “tools” given communities by state lawmakers. Non-represented workers already began paying more for these benefits last year. Members of AFSCME will pay the higher out-of-pocket costs once their contract expires on June 30.
  • We also voted unanimously to spend more than $220,000 to tackle stormwater and sanitary sewer work on Parkway Drive and 17th Avenue in the 4th District. This document describes the work in more detail. Work will begin within the week, as the contractor hopes to get as much done before winter sets in. Construction will continue in the spring – and include the resurfacing of 17th north of Rawson Avenue. The road work will be subject to a separate set of bids in 2012. I’ll keep you posted.
  • The Public Works & Public Property Committee also voted to recommend council approval of an ordinance to combine the Wastewater and Water Commissions. The new Water/Wastewater Commission would include seven members and have more direct oversight from the council. One of the biggest changes: All water utility rate increases would now need council approval before they are forwarded on to the state’s Public Service Commission. We’ll also have to approve the water utility and sewer treatment budgets going forward. I’ll keep you posted.

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by | November 29, 2011 · 3:36 pm

Petitions For Hoan Bridge Bike Lanes And Other Local Headlines

South Shore State Sen. Chris Larson is reportedly preparing to submit about 5,000 signatures to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in support of a bike and pedestrian lane on the newly constructed Hoan Bridge.

Learn more in this Journal Sentinel story.

And check out these other local headlines:

Also, check out this guest editorial by Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp on the We Energies bluff collapse in Oak Creek. In it, she calls the environmental risk of the collapse “minimal.”

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by | November 29, 2011 · 2:07 pm

Updating The 794 Extension: Public Hearing Planned For February In South Milwaukee

South Milwaukeeans, and others, can weigh in on plans to extend Highway 794 south to Highway 100 (and beyond) at a public hearing planned for Feb. 29 at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for viewing of displays, and the presentation and public comment session starts at 6:30.

Learn more in County Supervisor Pat Jursik’s December E-Update, and in this Oak Creek patch story. Jursik is chairwoman of the Advisory Committee for the Lake Arterial Extension Study.

The Business Journal also had a recent story on the plan. Check it out here.

It’s a subscription story, so you can only read the first few paragraphs. But the accompanying map is helpful, and it shows an intersection near College and interchanges at Rawson, Drexel and Puetz.

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by | November 28, 2011 · 3:35 pm

Sullivan: No On Gubernatorial Bid, U.S. Senate Bid “Unlikely”

I just came across a recent Business Journal story on Tim Sullivan’s political future.

The former Bucyrus CEO told the newspaper that a run against Gov. Scott Walker in a gubernatorial recall election is not in the cards, and he said a bid for the U.S. Senate in 2012 is still uncertain at best.

Check out the story here, keeping in mind that in the print edition of this story, Sullivan labeled his chances at running to replace Sen. Herb Kohl “unlikely.”

What do think of Sullivan as a candidate? Post your comments below!

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by | November 27, 2011 · 10:48 pm

2012 Budget Update: Public Hearing On Monday; Vote Expected On Tuesday

Your chance to formally weigh in on the proposed 2012 city budget comes Monday, when the City Council holds a public hearing on the document.

The hearing starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall.

The council is expected to vote on the budget — and other related items like wages and benefits — at its meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday night. Check out the agenda here.

Learn more about the 2012 budget in this post.

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by | November 27, 2011 · 10:47 pm

Catching Up: South Shore Headlines Of Note

Check out these headlines of interest from around South Milwaukee and the South Shore:

Also, South Milwaukee NOW has published a new police blotter, and state Sen. Chris Larson has published a new Larson Report.

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by | November 26, 2011 · 10:46 am

Reminder: Christmas Festivities On Sunday

Don’t forget: South Milwaukee’s Old Fashioned Christmas celebration begins with the Christmas parade at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The parade starts at 12th and Milwaukee Avenues, heads west on Milwaukee and then south on 15th Avenue to City Hall, where the festivities continue with food, fun and a visit from Santa. The tree lighting is at 5:30.

Learn more in this post and at SouthMilwaukee.org, City Clerk Jim Shelenske’s events website. See you there!

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by | November 23, 2011 · 3:23 pm

Open Thread: What Are You Thankful For?

This Thanksgiving I ask, what are you most thankful for?

Post your thanks below!

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by | November 22, 2011 · 6:59 pm

Early Downtown Christmas Gift: Wild Flour Bakery Reopens

The positive momentum continues for South Milwaukee’s downtown with the reopening of the Wild Flour Bakery’s retail store.

You’ll recall that the store at 1205 Milwaukee closed over the summer due to slow sales, but its baking operations remained. See my previous post on that here.

I am told it reopened Tuesday. So I stopped by tonight and picked up some fresh-based raisin bread, cinnamon rolls and Packer-themed cookies. Yum!

Welcome back, Wild Flour!

(And don’t forget that Wild Flour will also be at both South Milwaukee Christmas Markets on Dec. 3 and 10 at Caterpillar.)

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by | November 22, 2011 · 11:17 am

Following Up On The Milwaukee County Budget

As I’m sure you heard, the Milwaukee County Board successfully overrode most of County Executive Chris Abele’s 2012 budget vetoes last week.

The end result: A county property tax levy increase of 2.15%, with still-steep cuts in certain areas like the Sheriff’s Department.

Probably the biggest direct local impact is the looming reduction in funding (albeit less of a cut after the County Board’s action) the county provides to municipalities (like South Milwaukee) who operate paramedic service. How we deal with this remains to be seen.

You can learn more, including see a list of who voted for what, in this press release. And check out the Journal Sentinel story here.

I also asked South Shore Supervisor Pat Jursik for her opinion. Here is what she sent me …

I am proud that we were able to preserve some funding of Emergency Medical Services.  I also advocated to preserve the EMS contract which includes a funding distribution formula important for our communities.

I voted to preserve public safety by lessening cuts to the Sheriff’s Department.  The Sheriff’s Targeted Enforcement Unit has worked to keep negative activity out of Grant Park, Sheridan Park, and our other wonderful parks in the South Shore.  We have made great progress, so this program must continue.  I did not support the board’s wellness initiative because it would have added to the tax levy; I do think we need to look at a wellness program, but I’d like to see a strong review by our entire benefits team and then design an appropriate program, not just design one from the board’s review.

Thanks again to Supervisor Jursik for her responiveness on this and every issue, and for her continued diligence in watching county spending — while also trying to fund core county services.

Of course, this is only the county portion of your tax bill. Don’t forget that the city budget public hearing is set for Monday, Nov. 28, with the City Council expected to vote on the budget the next night. And I’ll be posting something on the school budget and levy soon.

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by | November 21, 2011 · 9:19 pm

Public Meeting On Voter ID Scheduled In South Milwaukee

It’s a ways off, but mark your calendars for Thursday, Jan. 19, when election experts from the Government Accountability Board will hold a public meeting in South Milwaukee about the state’s new voter photo ID law.

The meeting, hosted by the city clerk’s office, is from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.

Thanks to City Clerk Jim Shelenske for scheduling  this session. The voter ID law is complicated, and there are bound to be questions as the spring elections draw near. It’s good to get out in front of them as best we can, and sessions like this will help.

In the meantime, there is information on voting on the election information page on the city’s website.

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by | November 19, 2011 · 5:35 pm

Details Emerge On Hoan Bridge Bike Lanes … And The Debate Continues

Nearly 300 people showed up at a public information meeting on Monday night about the proposed Hoan Bridge bike lanes.

Reaction was mixed, and some new details emerged.

Check out the Journal Sentinel story here, and, of course, I’d like to know what you think. Post your comments below!

Here is what I think: I support the addition of a bike lane to the Hoan, and spending what it takes to add it while keeping three lanes of traffic in both directions. The flow of vehicle traffic should not be compromised to accommodate cyclists.

I feel strongly that we must think big with this project and other major public works projects like it. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to go beyond the bare minimum — functionality, merely a way to connect point A to point B — and make the Hoan truly something special. The bike lanes help deliver on that promise. So would lights, which I proposed adding in a previous post.

Now, will most people reading this post ever walk or bike the Hoan? No. Will I? I’m not sure. But many will, and simply having that option available makes the Hoan a unique attraction of which the entire can region can boast.

We must, as a city and larger community, do a better job of seeking, and ultimately embracing, big ideas when we have a chance to do so. This is that opportunity. Seize it.

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