A 30-year-old Kenosha man was killed in an industrial accident at Caterpillar Thursday.
According to a press release from the South Milwaukee Police Department, the man who died was Jeffrey B. Smith, a crane operator.
Check out coverage from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and WISN.
I’ll keep you posted when I hear more.
Filed under Local Business
City Engineer Kyle Vandercar has put together an informative summary of all the work that’s been done with city roads, sewers and other public works projects over the summer – and the plan for the remainder of the year.
Check it out here.
On the Parkway Drive/17th Avenue project, one that I’ve been asked more and more about in recent weeks:
Based on video inspection of storm and sanitary facilities completed in August, a significant amount of additional work needs to be included with the contract plans. We still intend to advertise a contract to construct storm and sanitary work this fall/early winter. Road work/paving will be a spring/early summer 2012 project.
I’ll keep you posted on this and other projects when possible.
And check out this update from Oak Creek Patch on the ongoing College Avenue reconstruction project.
Filed under Construction
South Milwaukee Rep. Mark Honadel has proposed a unique jobs bill that would give recipients of unemployment a chance to take part-time “training jobs” as a potential path to full-time employment — all while continuing to receive unemployment benefits.
Check out the press release here. From it:
“We must be open to new, creative solutions to get people back to work,” Honadel said. “My plan will help match employers with potential employees for training that may lead to full-time jobs.”
What do you think of the proposal? Post your comments below!
Filed under State Lawmakers
The 4th District just got a bit smaller – by a few blocks. It had to by law.
The City Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved a redistricting plan that includes a minor reshaping of the city’s four aldermanic districts to reflect population changes with the 2010 Census.
This process must happen every 10 years to ensure that each aldermanic district includes approximately the same amount of people – plus or minus 2 percent of the average.
In this case, the 4th District was a bit too large, so it “lost” a few blocks to other districts. Essentially, the district now ends at Milwaukee Avenue to the south, with residents on Madison and Michigan Avenues previously served by the 4th District now moving into the 3rd District. Other wards saw minor changes in the Third District as well.
We didn’t see much change this time around because of the city’s relatively static population, and because the county and state didn’t make any changes to the definition of its South Milwaukee districts.
The changes that did occur actually clean up the aldermanic map, making it look more like four square quadrants than the jagged-line map of old. This is a good thing, as it reduces some of the complexity of districts (and the wards that make up them) and gives people a better idea of who represents them on the City Council.
See what I mean here.
The changes take effect immediately. Those affected will get a postcard informing them of the changes before the spring election.
If you have any questions on this process, please do not hesitate to contact me. And, of course, please post your comments below.
Update: Check out Business Journal and Journal Sentinel coverage of the issue.
Nearly a year after it was first proposed, and several months after it appeared all but dead, the Walmart deal is moving ahead – with the city pledging to spend up to $1.8 million on site cleanup costs to help make it happen.
The City Council, after a lengthy closed session, voted 5-2 in open session Tuesday night to approve terms of a development agreement with Gatlin Development and Walmart.
It passed 5-2. Alderman Craig Maass and I voted no. Alderman Frank Van Dusen III abstained.
Why did I vote no? I felt it was the right thing to do – the only decision I could make if I truly believe in ensuring that citizens’ voices are heard on key issues, if and when possible.
I’ll explain more about my rationale later. First, some background.
The plan itself has not changed much since it was first proposed in late 2010, when the council approved selling its portion of the property necessary for the project to Gatlin Development.
It calls for a 115,215 -square-foot retail store (and outlot) on approximately 10 acres of land in the 200 block of North Chicago Avenue — 3.6 acres of city-owned land on the east and another 5.8 acres west of 11th Avenue. About one third of the building would be devoted to full-service grocery, with the remainder planned for general merchandise and a pharmacy. The project will create between 150 to 200 jobs, with about 60 percent of them full-time.
This, of couse, is year-old information. What has become clearer in recent days, however, is the amount of money that Gatlin and Walmart are seeking to make the project a reality. Early on, Walmart was not seeking any city funds to make this happen. Now, that figure stands at up to $1.8 million.
Why the change? It has to do to with site cleanup costs, both of the city property abutting Chicago Avenue and the privately owned property to the west. Environmental testing has found both sites, especially the private property, to be in need of significant cleanup in order to make it suitable for building.
Consultants have put this cost at about $3.6 million.
Walmart would fund other site upgrades, including installation of a traffic signal on Chicago Avenue, stormwater management and other road improvements.
The city cleanup costs would come through Tax Incremental Financing District #2, where the Walmart would be built.
As you recall, in a TIF district the city borrows money to fund infrastructure costs to improve an otherwise undesirable property. The loan is paid for by the property tax “increment” of the new development – the difference between the property taxes collected under the old use (in this case, vacant land) and new use (here, a perhaps $12 million Walmart, among other projects in TIF #2).
In fact, it was estimated Tuesday night that the Walmart development could “pay back” the city’s $1 million in “extra” cleanup investment by 2016, with the property going back on the tax roles then.
TIF financing is widely used across the state to help spur development – and it’s being used in bringing Walmarts to other communities (including West Milwaukee). I generally support it. But I know it can be controversial, as it uses city tax dollars to help fund private projects.
That gets to why I voted no.
The addition of the city-funded cleanup costs to the project has changed the debate, in my mind. The “Should Walmart build in South Milwaukee?” question of the past year is now “Should the city contribute up to $1.8 million to help Walmart build in South Milwaukee?” These are two very different questions.
I think there was strong support locally for the former. As to the latter, I’m not so sure. That’s why I felt strongly that the community should be heard on it before the council gave its blessing to the development agreement.
I made a motion stating as much: to hold a public information meeting on the project next week with the idea that the council give its approval or denial at its next meeting on Sept. 20. This seemed to be a fair compromise, one that allows Walmart to continue on its accelerated schedule — one driven by an expiring purchase option on the private land west of the city parcel — while at the same time allowing for at least one round of public comment before council action on the new information contained in the proposed development agreement.
That motion failed, 5-3 (with me, Maass and Van Dusen III voting yes).
Then came the motion to approve the development agreement, and I stand behind my vote on it 100 percent.
Now, I may end up voting in favor of this project in the end – but only after residents share their thoughts at the various public hearings coming up in the next couple of months. Your voices first need to be heard on this. I owe my constituents that much.
(Of course, that starts with this blog. Post your comments below, and vote in the poll question on the right side of this page. Call or email me anytime. And I will keep you posted on the public hearing dates.)
Filed under Local Business
I’m taking a few days off from blogging, but I’ll return after the long weekend with more news, information and perspective from around South Milwaukee and the South Shore.
Enjoy the Labor Day weekend!
Filed under Community
As I’ve written about, the Milwaukee County Transit System is proposing major service cuts in 2012, including several that would directly impact South Milwaukee and the South Shore.
The biggest impact locally? The end of Route 15 in South Milwaukee and all Freeway Flyers.
Learn more about what’s planned — and share your feedback — at several community meetings presented by Transit Now, a transit advocacy group. Two are on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at the Cudahy Family Library. One meeting is from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and the other is from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m.
Other meetings are planned Sept. 7-8 in Brown Deer.
County Supervisor Pat Jursik, Milwaukee County Supervisor Jason Haas and Kerry Thomas, executive director of Transit Now, will present at the Cudahy meetings, which are also sponsored by The Gateway to Milwaukee, South Suburban Chamber of Commerce and the Milwaukee Aging Consortium.
The goals of both meetings?
Filed under Milwaukee County, Transportation
Check out these headlines from around the South Shore:
And here is a thought-provoking counter-argument to the Highway 794 extension project being pushed by Count Supervisor Pat Jursik and other local leaders. While I generally support this plan, the editorial writer makes some good points.
Filed under Headlines
Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the most recent meeting of the group of local, county and state officials discussing the future of the Oak Creek watercourse through South Milwaukee.
But Milwaukee County Supervisor Pat Jursik, who has led the effort to at least get everyone to the table on this important issue, has an update on progress in her most recent eNews update.
And here it is …
The Oak Creek Watershed (including the Cities of Oak Creek, South Milwaukee and Cudahy as well as the Airport) drains into the Oak Creek Watercourse. There are many issues of concern surrounding this Watercourse, including recent extreme storm events resulting in flooding around the Watercourse; contaminated sediment at Mill Pond; the condition of the dam; aging sewer infrastructure in Grant Park and Oak Creek Parkway; and streambank and Lake Michigan bluff erosion which threatens property.
I have worked with our regional planning agency to facilitate meetings with the City of South Milwaukee and the Milwaukee County Parks Department. We have drawn on the knowledge of other agencies including the Department of Natural Resources. As a result of these talks, the City of South Milwaukee and the County Parks Department will create an agreement defining responsibility for emergencies, maintenance and improvement of the Oak Creek Watercourse. Following is a brief explanation of some relevant concerns.
These are just a few of the many issues that must be resolved.
In other words, there is a lot of work to yet to do here — and tough decisions to be made. But at least the discussions continue. I’ll keep you posted.
You can access Pat’s entire newsletter here.
Filed under Community
Today’s TMJ4 was in South Milwaukee recently for its Speedbusters segment, monitoring traffic near 15th and Marquette Avenues.
Check out the report, including video, here.
And check out these other headlines of note:
Filed under Headlines
The South Milwaukee George Webb restaurant is reportedly one of six that will be renamed Griddlers Cafe after the restaurants defected from the franchise organization.
The change takes place Thursday.
Check out the blog posting from Doris Hajewski here. And here is the Business Journal story. From the latter:
Don and Robb Hensiak are changing their five George Webb restaurants in southern Milwaukee County to Griddlers Cafes starting Thursday, the release said. Another former Webb franchisee, Diane Neavins, is changing her Menomonee Falls restaurant to a Griddlers Cafe under a licensing agreement with the Hensiaks.
Griddlers will serve breakfast, burgers, deli-style and grilled sandwiches and homemade soups and chili 24 hours a day, the release said.
The change will give the owners more freedom to be creative, said Don Hensiak. For example, a new menu item is the “jalapeno hangover burger,” a bacon double cheeseburger with jalapenos and an egg. The owners have increased the size of the hamburger patties and switched to a different bun.
“Everything that we look at on the menu, we’re trying to make a little tweak or a little better or at least match the quality of Webb’s,” he said.
The South Milwaukee George Webb is located at 211 Chicago Ave.
Filed under Local Business
Being Nau is unfortunately no longer, um, being. At least in South Milwaukee.
Brian Nau and his family are headed to Park City, Utah, for a great opportunity working with renowned photographer Michael Fatali. That means his art gallery, opened just a few months ago on Milwaukee Avenue, is closing.
I wish Brian the best, and we’ll miss him and his energy and passion for downtown revitalization. As fellow local blogger Jerrianne Hayslett noted this week …
We are sorry to lose these energetic, enterprising and talented South Milwaukee neighbors and the promise their gallery bringing art, music and poetry held for our city. But we are happy and excited about the opportunity and adventure they are about to embark on.
However, as Brian leaves downtown, another new business appears close to joining us: Schroeter’s Bakeshop, a gluten-free bakery that will occupy the former Chevy’s space at 1309 Milwaukee Ave. With Wild Flour ceasing its local retail operations earlier this summer, there is absolutely a niche to fill there, and I look forward to giving Schroeter’s a try.
Also, Frank’s Snack Shack opened recently next to Being Nau. And across the street are two businesses new to downtown in the past year or so: Beyond the Tutu and the Animal Hospital of South Milwaukee (subject of this great bit of feedback from one customer recently).
So, lots of turnover. While that’s not always great news — I’d love to have more stability in our city center — it is nice to know that downtown South Milwaukee is appealing to small business owners. I hope that continues.
There are still far too many vacant storefronts downtown.
Filed under Local Business
Update: And here is the police report from South Milwaukee NOW.
Oak Creek Patch has a story about how Oak Creek police eventually caught two men suspected in a robbery over the weekend in South Milwaukee’s 4th District.
Check it out here.
Also, I got this email from the South Milwaukee Police Department over the weekend, in case you were wondering why Flight for Life was in South Milwaukee on Saturday …
On August 27th 20011 at 659 pm South Milwaukee Police Officers were dispatched to [Manitoba Avenue] in response to a report of a male subject who had shot himself in the head. Officers arrived and did locate a [redacted] male subject with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. This person was transported to Froedert Hospital by Flight For Life at 803 pm.
I took out the complete address and a few other details to protect the man’s privacy.
Filed under Crime
State Sen. Chris Larson, who represents South Milwaukee, has introduced a bill that would restore $26 million to the state budget to fund local recycling programs.
Click here to learn more about the Recycling Funding Restoration Act.
As I’ve written about, the 2012 state budget does South Milwaukee and numerous other communities no favors when it comes to recycling, as it cuts funding for these programs while at the same time keeping the state recycling requirements in place.
In other words, it’s yet another unfunded (or not adequately funded) mandate from the state that we have to deal with on the local level — at a time when we’re already seeing shared revenue and other funding cuts.
Restoring this funding, such as recycling itself, is the right thing to do, and we must find a way to fund these programs. I hope the state steps up and does its part.
Filed under State Budget
One thing I love about South Milwaukee is its varied and distinctive, yet affordable, housing stock.
There really is something for everyone out there — and that’s a huge positive for our city, one I think we should embrace and promote to potential new residents and businesses. With that in mind, I thought I’d unveil a new South Milwaukee Blog feature: “What’s For Sale?”
It’s simply this … sharing on occasion links to some South Milwaukee homes on the market found on local real estate websites. The goal? Shine the light on our available housing stock and inform existing homeowners about “what’s out there.”
Plus, I just think this is interesting information. I hope you agree.
I’ll start this week with these five homes listed by Nicholson Realty:
Filed under What's For Sale
South Milwaukee Blog 