South Milwaukee Blog

I’m proud of our ongoing partnership with the South Milwaukee School District, especially when it helps with the safety and welfare of our students.

The latest example: an anti-bullying ordinance which gained initial passage by the South Milwaukee Common Council on Tuesday, which includes penalties for children and their parents involved in persistent bullying, hazing or harassment.

It’s an innovative approach to a complex problem without easy solutions. And while this ordinance in and of itself won’t solve the problem, we, after conversations with the school district, think it will help.

You can see the ordinance here. It includes fines of up to $439 for children or parents who “engage in bullying, hazing or harassment of a person; induce another person to engage in bullying, hazing or harassment; or retaliate against any person who reports any conduct prohibited by this section.”

As for bullying, it is defined (by both us and the schools) as …

A form of harassment defined as an intentional course of conduct which, through verbal acts, physical acts, messages or any other form of communication, is reasonably likely to intimidate, emotionally abuse, slander or threaten another person and serves no legitimate purpose.   Bullying also means systematically or persistently inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one or more students. It is intentional written, spoken, nonverbal or physical behavior, including but not limited to any threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture or communication, including the spreading of rumors, that has the effect of doing any of the following: substantially interfering with any student’s education, creating a threatening or fearful environment in a school setting for any student or group of students, or substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.  Bullying also includes the use of digital technologies, including but not limited to email, cell phones, text messages, instant messages, chat rooms and social websites. 

And the preamble includes more details as to why this is so important …

WHEREAS,  the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than one fifth of students in the United States grades 6-12 experience bullying;

WHEREAS,  the Common Council of the City of South Milwaukee has determined that bullying and harassment disrupt the safe environment in the City; interfere with one’s ability to succeed or excel in a safe environment in the City; and interfere with one’s ability to participate in or benefit from the programs, activities, worksites and opportunities offered in this community;

WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of South Milwaukee further finds that it is in the interest of the People of the City of South Milwaukee to take steps to encourage the idea that every person is valued and respected regardless of perceived or actual differences and that every person should enjoy life free from bullying, harassment and intimidation.

WHEREAS, The City has collaborated with the South Milwaukee School District to draft this ordinance and believes that it is necessary to protect the health and safety and general welfare of the Citizens of this community, and it is necessary that the regulations herein provided be enacted …

The idea for the ordinance came from School Resource Officer JJ McLean. Thanks, officer, for bringing this forward, and for Chief Jessup, City Attorney Smith and school leaders for being part of the solution.

We are bringing another tool to the table in the redevelopment of South Milwaukee’s city center.

You may recall that state officials recently recommended to the federal government that a South Milwaukee census tract be included as one of 120 in the state eligible for “Economic Opportunity Zone” status, as part of a new program under the tax reform bill. Last week, we were informed the U.S. Treasury Department had indeed chosen our tract (all of of the 120 submitted, in fact) for this designation.

More details here, and a map of the tract is in this blog post. You will see it includes all of our downtown and much of the former Bucyrus campus.

What does this mean? A lot remains to be seen, as it seems details on the program are still being worked out. At the very least, it will put another pool of money in play as we continue the work of our reinvigorating our city and downtown.

Thanks to state and federal officials for their support of our application, and thanks to Stephanie Hacker, our economic development director, for working quickly to make our application a reality once we heard about the opportunity.

More to come!

Check out these South Milwaukee headlines …

• Federal Prosecutors: Man Who Admitted to Robbing 7 ALDI Stores in 6 Months to “Pay Rent” Pleads Guilty (Fox 6)
• 65-Year-Old South Milwaukee Man Stabbed April 15 (NOW)
• South Milwaukee Parents Speak Out on Students’ Threat to Kill Classmate at Blakewood Elementary (NOW)
• Wrestling Royalty Gathers to Honor Da Crusher at Statue Fundraiser (TMJ4)
• Wisconsin Communities Weigh Referendums to Fund Services (Wisconsin Public Radio)
• Hidden Gem: Slick Willies (Milwaukee Record)

From the South Milwaukee Police Department …

On April 15, 2018, at approximately 7:08pm, SMPD responded to a report of a stabbing at an apartment complex in the 2800 block of South Chicago Avenue. 

The victim is a 65 year old South Milwaukee resident.  He was injured and was transported to Froedtert Hospital for treatment.  His condition is unknown at this time.

A 28 year old Mt Pleasant man was arrested at the scene and subsequently transported to the Milwaukee County Jail to await a charging conference.

The suspect and victim are known to each other and the South Milwaukee Police Department is investigating the circumstances that led to the stabbing incident.  There is no threat to the public and no other suspects are being sought as a result of this incident.

Check out a PDF of the flyer here. From the Facebook event …

Come do your part to help keep South Milwaukee beautiful!

Community wide clean up from 9:00 a.m. to Noon, with a lunch to follow for all volunteers at the Grobschmidt Senior Center. Sign up and pick up supplies at the following locations: South Milwaukee City Hall, 2424 15th Avenue, 16th and Rawson Avenues, Oak Creek Parkway and North Chicago, and at the South Milwaukee Fire Department.

Shredding from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. To be held in the City Hall Parking Lot located at 2424 15th Avenue. Sponsored by the South Milwaukee Lions Club.

Electronics Recycling from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. Sponsored by CASTRO Recycling. Any electronic item with a plug! (EXCEPT TV’s or old CRT monitors. These will NOT be accepted at City Hall.) TV’s and CRT Monitors can be disposed of at the Self Deposit Station, 1106 Blake Ave. ($3 Daily fee will be waived only on April 28 for TV drop-off) but a $ 5 disposal fees does apply for EACH CRT monitor or television along with a onetime donation of (5) cans of non-perishable foods for South Milwaukee Human Concerns, Inc. Proceeds from Electronics recycling will be used to purchase trees.

Take Back Day Prescription from 9:00 a.m. to Noon at the Grobschmidt Senior Center parking lot. Noon to 2:00 p.m. at the Police Department, entrance Door #3. Controlled and non-controlled over-the-counter medications, ointments, patches, non-aerosol sprays, inhalers, creams, vials and pet medications will be accepted. People are asked to remove the medication from its container and dispose of it directly into a disposal box or into a clear sealable plastic bag. Sponsored by the South Milwaukee
Police Department.

Sharps (needles, syringes) Container Collection for disposal – The Health Department
will be collecting filled sharps containers for disposal. The usual fee is waived. Sharps will need to be in an approved sharps container or covered heavy duty container, such as a Tide laundry bottle. Sponsored by The South Milwaukee Health Department.

Eyeglass Recycling (used) Donate glasses and change someone’s life. Sponsored by the South Milwaukee Lions Club.

American Flag Collection – Retire our flag with the respect that it is due. The first 30 who bring a retired flag will receive a new replacement flag free. Sponsored by CSL Plasma.

Printer Cartridges and Cell Phones – Donate Your Empty Ink Jet & Laser Printer Cartridges and Used Cell Phones.

Free flower seeds bookmarks. Sponsored by Educators Credit Union.

Cans for Human Concerns – Bring your crushed or uncrushed cans so that we can recycle them with all proceeds going to South Milwaukee Human Concerns. We will recycle the cans for you – just drive thru and we do the rest. Together we help the needy. Sponsored by the South Milwaukee Lions.

The Rotary Club of Mitchell Field is bringing back Food Truck Sunday, a celebration of some great local food, community and downtown.

Mark your calendars now, and stop by from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 20, at the farmers’ market site, 11th and Milwaukee Avenues.

Up to 15 trucks are expected, as well as live music from Crossing, a local rock cover band. At this time expected to join the event are Streetza Pizza, JJs Wood Grill, Denson’s Catering, Little Havana Express, Oano’s Empanades, Firewise BBQ, The Rolling Cones, La Guacamaya, JJs Wood Grill, The Frying Dutchhmen, Timber’s BBQ, Cupcake-a-Rhee and Brody’s Italian ice

All proceeds benefit the Rotary Club of Mitchell Field and its mission to provide service to others and promote peace and goodwill. Some of its local projects include grants to local nonprofits, scholarships for college-bound seniors, Thanksgiving baskets for families and seniors in need, and a prom for senior citizens.

More details on the Facebook event page here.

Work continues to raise money for the South Milwaukee Industrial Museum, a celebration of Bucyrus’ rich tradition and strong legacy in South Milwaukee.

Learn more here. Please consider a donation to this important project!

As part of their work in preserving artifacts from the Bucyrus collection, the museum organizers have come across hundreds of employee photos from the 1960s-1980s, and are offering them to family members.

From Bob Jelinek, who is leading museum effort …

The South Milwaukee Industrial Museum LLC  (SMIM) has obtained roughly 400 employee portrait type photographs taken by the company photographer during the late 1960’s through the early 1980’s. (Samples in this post.)

It’s not a complete collection of employee photos, only small part of the archives that Caterpillar moved to Peoria, IL.  We requested that they be returned to SMIM as part of the Bucyrus Heritage archives. We’ve scanned them for our files, and would now like to provide the original negatives and photos to the employees, or any of their family members who may want them, on a first come- first served basis.

The photos were used mainly for Scoop Magazine.  Articles that the photos appeared in include the Quarter Century Club and Forty Year Club recognitions, job promotion announcements, and human interest articles. We even have a few passport or ID type photos.  Each folder has one or more negative and a proof shot or two.  All photos and negatives are in black and white.

Maybe it’s you, or Mom or Dad, Aunt, Grandfather, or other family member that worked at Bucyrus during those years.  To find out if a portrait folder is available, just mail a note or send an email to SMIM at BEMuseum@SMIMLLC.org  with the full name of the employee. We’ll let you know if there is a match, and if there is, we’ll ask that you fill out a short request/release form for us. We’ll then provide you with the original folder and its contents, all for free!

We’re still working diligently toward re-opening the former Bucyrus Heritage Museum to display more than 135 years’ worth of company and local history.  Stop by the South Milwaukee City Hall to see one of our traveling displays though April 30^th.

We’re always looking for donations of company artifacts to add to the collection, and for our fundraising efforts through our GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/moving-the-sm-industrial-museum.

Direct donations can also be mailed to South Milwaukee Industrial Museum, PO Box 84, So. Milw., WI 53172-0084

Our city’s efforts at bird conversation are taking flight, led by some truly dedicated bird enthusiasts who are doing great work in this important area.

The Friends of Grant Park are leading the way — and have been rewarded for it by the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology.

From their newsletter …

The group recently was honored with the Noel J. Cutright Conservation Award, formerly the Green Passenger Pigeon Award. The award was initiated in 2005 and renamed in 2014 to honor one of Wisconsin’s premier bird conservationists. It recognizes outstanding contributions to bird conservation in Wisconsin.  Recipients may be an individual/group/organization working on behalf of endangered, threatened, and/or common species; promoting the establishment, management, and protection of bird habitat; and educating the public on bird conservation issues.

The Friends bring that criteria to life. From their newsletter …

This year’s award will go to the Friends of Grant Park (FOGP), the South Milwaukee organization dedicated to preserving the natural areas of Grant Park, encouraging use of the park and providing a mechanism for private contributions to supplement public funding. Because of the group’s efforts, Grant Park, on the shore of Lake Michigan in southern Milwaukee County, has become a birding hot spot. Noel Cutright, the late two-time president of WSO, initiated Grant Park’s spring warbler walks in 2005. The walks continue each Sunday from the end of April through the end of May. They attract birders and non-birders alike and therefore have sparked an interest in many for birding and bird conservation.

FOGP also coordinates “weed-outs”, burdock removal and park trash cleanups. It established rain gardens throughout the park using native plants and manages a bluebird trail at the Grant Park golf course. Members conduct a “Trek or Treat” to help families appreciate natural areas. FOGP members have been a great partner in bird conservation and good environmental practices, contributing to South Milwaukee earning a Bird City Wisconsin designation in 2017.

The Friends will be honored at the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology annual convention May 19 in Green Lake. It’s a richly deserved honor for a group that is tireless in its work in keeping this community icon something future generations can cherish and enjoy. Congratulations!

We continue to make strides — and investments — in South Milwaukee’s urban forestry program. We have to, now and in the future.

Here is what’s happening this spring …

• Adopt a Tree: We are bringing this Beautification Committee program back for a second year, planting 50 more trees in areas where trees were recently removed due to disease, age or road projects. We are sending letters to 239 impacted residents who had trees removed and stumps ground in 2017, asking if they would like a new tree — and asking them to pledge to care for it. The fee is $100 for each participant, with the city paying the remaining cost. We sold out of trees last year, and I expect we will do the same in 2018.
•  Arbor Day celebrations: Our Street Department will continue to partner with our local elementary schools in 2018, holding Arbor Day events at each school in the next couple of months. Trees are planted at each school, and kids learn about the value of a strong urban forest, and tree planting, from our Street superintendent. They also go home with free saplings.
• Tree removals: The city continues to fund removal of  dead, dying, or diseased trees in the public right of way, especially those impacted by emerald ash borer. Between 2014 and November of 2017, the city has removed approximately 675 trees from the right of way, including 480 ash trees, with more to do.

We are also moving forestry supervision to the Street Department, bringing it closer to the people tasked with caring for our urban forest every day. This is transition is ongoing.

Of course, this is just the start.

We have to continue to invest in this work, and will, moving closer to creating an urban forestry infrastructure sustainable for the long term … one tree at a time.

We owe it to you, our taxpayers, to always explore better ways of doing things, driving efficiency while (hopefully) delivering better quality services at a lower cost.

That’s why I love shining a light on success stories like this. Pun intended.

Here is a video summary of the recently completed project to convert the city’s municipal building lighting to LED technology.

From a story in Commercial Architecture magazine …

Municipalities throughout the country are upgrading to LED luminaires to promote efficiency, reduce waste, conserve resources, lessen overall environmental impact, and support the health and safety of employees and residents.

About three years ago, City of South Milwaukee Mayor Erik Brooks asked Jim Shelenske, South Milwaukee city clerk to head up a citywide effort to convert the city’s municipal building lighting to LED technology.

Shelenske’s initial effort was to improve lighting in the City Hall rear parking lot where police cars are parked in the open. The successful parking-lot project was followed by a recently completed conversion of all of the city’s municipal building lighting to LED fixtures. The upgrades included interior and exterior spaces at seven locations with energy-efficient replacements that are on track to deliver a return on investment in as little as 1 1/2 yr.

Facilities that received lighting upgrades include the city’s wastewater and water departments, city hall, self-deposit station, public library, fire, and streets departments. … The completed city-wide projects achieved consistently longer maintained light levels and significantly reduced costs in energy use and labor maintenance. The benefits of improved light levels, lighting quality, and overall safer environments that have resulted from LED technology will benefit the City of South Milwaukee for years to come and likely in ways not yet realized.

Thank you to Jim, Jason Boswell in City Hall maintenance, and all of our department heads and their teams for getting behind this initiative. We won’t stop here in using technology like this to become better at what we do, and how we do it.

We’ll always do what it takes to make our future brighter. Literally.

Update: Growing South Milwaukee tells me the community garden groundbreaking has been cancelled. More details to come on a new date.

A few examples of why I’m so excited for the future in South Milwaukee …

Join us as we celebrate small business and community in coming weeks! And this is only the start …

• This Friday, April 13: South Shore Family Chiropractic and South Milwaukee Family Dental ribbon cutting. Check out their beautiful new facility at 1113 College Ave., and while you’re there be sure to thank Dr. Steven for choosing to stay, grow and invest in South Milwaukee. 12:30 p.m. Details here.
• This Friday, April 13: C3 Designs celebration event. Not quite a ribbon cutting, but there will be a red carpet! Celebrate our local jeweler’s recent national award from the Jewelers of America. 5 to 8 p.m. at 2110 10th Ave. Details here.
• Saturday, April 22: Growing South Milwaukee Community Garden groundbreaking. Stop by and help this group of volunteers celebrate a new downtown community garden, south of the train station. 1 p.m. Details here. It’s a transformational project, which you can see in this video. Wow!
• Saturday, May 5: Gecko Leatherworks ribbon cutting. Come check out John Jarmuskiewicz’s terrific new small business, full of handmade items. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 916 Milwaukee Ave. Details here.
• Friday, May 18: Betty Ferchoff tells me Ferch’s Beachside opens for the season at Grant Park Beach on May 18, with weekend hours to start. Stay tuned for details.

Also coming in early May: Openings for Milwaukee Sausage Co., 1200 Milwaukee Ave.; and Katrina’s Vintage Shop, the former Green Flag Racing NASCAR store at 1218 Milwaukee Ave. I stopped into both businesses on Saturday to check out their progress and found lots of work going on — things are looking great! More to come …

The South Milwaukee Fire Department has filed its 2017 annual report.

Please take a look at it for a glimpse of what services the SMFD provides to the citizens who live, work, visit, or invest in our community.

From the introductory letter from Chief Knitter …

The changing face of our community and the increasing demand for our services keeps us continuously challenging ourselves to find new and creative ways to serve the public.

Our overall call volume decreased slightly during 2017 in comparison to 2016, with the decrease most probably attributed to an increased effort to refer frequent, non-emergent, users of our ambulance service to the South Milwaukee Health Department (SMHD). The SMHD does a fabulous job interacting with these patients and guiding them towards whatever solution is necessary to keep them from utilizing the ambulance service for nonemergent conditions. Unfortunately, we did see a 39% increase in building fire responses in 2017 resulting in a significant increase in dollar loss associated with these fires. No one identifiable behavior or cause can be used to explain this spike.

I am proud to announce several distinguished awards presented to our department during 2017. First, Captain Glen McCoy, our Department Training Officer, was honored as the Instructor of the Year by the Wisconsin Society of Emergency Service Instructors. Additionally, our department was awarded the Safety Leadership Award by the Wisconsin State Fire Chief’s Association for our Firefighters Addressing Cancer Exposure (FACE) Program. This program has served as a model set of best practices to many departments across the state and the country and continues to be a work in progress for us as we try very hard to make an inherently dangerous occupation safer. 

In closing, the South Milwaukee Fire Department will continue to answer the call 24/7/365 and maintain its high level of service delivery as we respond to the needs of the community as an all-hazard, all-risk department. Our focus will remain on community involvement, risk reduction, fire prevention, public education, and delivering timely, professional, effective, and efficient service.

Thanks for your service and dedication!

You may recall that 11 advanced level students from Mount Mary University are making redesigning and rethinking our city center their class project, focused on vacant buildings.

They’re making strong progress.

See for yourself this Monday, April 9. Students will display their early work — including design images and floor plans — starting at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall. Presentations should be done by 11 a.m.

Feedback is welcome on their early work, with their final presentation coming in May. More details on the effort here.

Thanks to these students for being part of the solution for downtown South Milwaukee, and please stop by on Monday!