Tag Archives: Pat Jursik

May 10, 2011 · 8:40 am

Politics Get Ugly on the Milwaukee County Board … and Jursik Pays an Unfair Price

Milwaukee County Board Chairman Lee Holloway has stripped South Shore Supervisor Pat Jursik of her Personnel Committee chairmanship and dropped her from the key Finance Committee following Jursik’s opposition to a Holloway hiring earlier this year.

Surprising? No. Mean-spirited, under-handed and desperate? Yes.

But this is apparently how the game is played on the County Board, Lee Holloway’s County Board, where the focus is too often on personal squabbles vs. finding solutions to the daunting issues of the day.

This Journal Sentinel story sums it up pretty well … and shows exactly why people are growing increasingly frustrated, disgusted even, at politics and politicians these days.

From it:

The drama started when Holloway, during his brief stint as acting county executive, hired Renee Booker to lead the county’s Department of Administrative Services. Holloway automatically took over as county executive after then-County Executive Scott Walker was elected governor.

Jursik spearheaded a successful effort to block the Booker nomination, saying it was inappropriate for Holloway to fill such a key job when Holloway was serving in a caretaker role.

Holloway withdrew the nomination when it became apparent he couldn’t get Booker confirmed.

Jursik said she had no doubt that having her committee chairmanship removed and being taken off the board’s finance committee was Holloway’s way of punishing her.

“Of course it is,” Jursik said. “I was expecting this . . . I stated in committee I would probably lose a chairmanship over (Holloway’s Booker appointment), and that’s what happened.”

I stand behind Jursik on this, and most, issues. She is a strong representative for South Milwaukee and a passionate, intelligent and hard-working leader for her constituents.

She deserves better. So does the county.

What do you think of this? Post your comments below!

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April 29, 2011 · 10:20 pm

County Board Redistricting Means Little to the South Shore

Update: It’s nice to know I’m not alone in my concerns about the tepid, at best, redistricting plan put forth by the board.

In her latest eNews update, Supervisor Pat Jursik has shed some light on the local impact of the looming Milwaukee County Board redistricting. The answer? Essentially none.

Here is the item from the update …

I support reducing the overall number of supervisors on the Milwaukee County Board.  A plan for 15 districts (a reduction of 4) was submitted to the Board and I voted for this plan.  After this failed, I offered a compromise plan reducing districts to 17.  This also failed to get a majority.  I could not support the staff plan for 18 supervisory districts (a reduction from the current 19).  Under the 18 plan, which is on track to take effect in April 2012, our 8th District will continue to include the entire cities of St. Francis, Cudahy and South Milwaukee and add approximately 600 more Oak Creek residents.

Check out the Journal Sentinel story on the redistricting plan here.

I am glad to read that Supervisor Jursik supported a plan calling for further redistricting, as I don’t think the plan approved by the board goes nearly far enough. Nineteen full-time supervisors is too many, just as 25 was too many until 2004.

So how many is enough? Better put, how many is too few?

I’m honestly not sure, but I’d like to see the debate bend to the bold and less to the types of half-measures that the board passed earlier this month. Want a good place to start the discussion? Try the Greater Milwaukee Committee’s Make it Your Milwaukee initiative.

Of course, I’d like to know what you think of this issue. Please post your comments below.

 

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April 2, 2011 · 8:00 pm

South Shore Lifeline: Ensuring the Future of the Hoan

Update: Check out a draft of the Hoan Bridge inspection report here.

The one-time Bridge to Nowhere will be the Bridge to Somewhere for decades to come. And that’s great news for South Milwaukee.

State officials on Saturday announced a potentially $350 million project that calls for redecking the bridge, stuctural modifications, repainting the bridge deck and other upgrades.

Check out the full story in the Journal Sentinel here. From it:

Plans are to focus on three segments of I-794.

The Hoan Bridge will be rehabilitated between Lincoln Ave. at the south and the Lake Interchange at the north. The project calls for the removal and replacement of the existing bridge deck, structural modifications, as well as repainting the bridge steel.

Concrete work and surface repairs on existing structures will be made at the Lake Interchange.

Old bridges will be removed and replaced with new structures on I-794 east/west between the Milwaukee River and N. Milwaukee St.

“This is a long-term repair,” said Mark Gottlieb, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. “When we’re all done here we anticipate a useful life of the deck and the structure for 40 to 50 years for the Hoan Bridge.”

My reaction? As someone who takes the Hoan Bridge to and from work everyday, I’m glad to finally see a decision made on the future of this vital link between the South Shore and downtown.

As I’ve written about, I have always been in favor of studying all options for the future of the bridge — supportive of making sure that the state was making an informed decision about what’s best for this road before we, as taxpayers, spend hundreds of millions of dollars on fixing it.

I had been a bit concerned that the rhetoric in this debate was getting ahead of the facts.

Well, I am confident that due diligence has been done, and the end result will absolutely deliver on the only imperative in my mind since this discussion started: that a quick and seamless connection from the South Shore be maintained, even enhanced.

As South Shore Supervisor Pat Jursik put it in the story linked above: “The south side is the place to be.”

I can’t agree more!

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March 16, 2011 · 11:16 pm

Following Up on the Forum

Update: Check out news coverage from Fox 6 and Oak Creek Patch.

Wednesday night’s South Shore Economic Development Forum was well-intentioned, well-done and well-received, and it was a good way to remind county executive candidates Rep. Jeff Stone and Chris Abele about some of the bigger issues facing our area.

An estimated (my estimate) 150 to 200 people joined Stone, Abele, the mayors of South Milwaukee, Cudahy and St. Francis and Milwaukee County Supervisors Pat Jursik and Marina Dimitrijevic at the forum. Issues discussed included the future of the Hoan Bridge, the extension of the Lake Parkway, the Aerotropolis concept, preserving and enhancing our parks and transit, and water concerns.

A few observations:

  • Perhaps a couple dozen anti-Walker protesters gathered before the meeting at the entrance to the South Milwaukee Peforming Arts Center parking lot.
  • The mayors seemed unified on every issue discussed, certainly a good thing as we work to stand up for our common interests. That said, it would have been nice to have Oak’s Creek’s mayor be part of that discussion. He was not there.
  • I also thought there was too much mayoral/supervisor roundtable and not enough candidate forum. There was only time for three or four questions for Stone and Abele despite dozens being submitted by audience members. Abele arriving 30 minutes late didn’t help.
  • The most interesting question posed to the candidates was one asking how each feels he differs philosophically from Gov. Scott Walker, the former county executive. Abele answered it by focusing on his differences with Walker over the right to collectively bargain and the handling of the budget repair bill. Stone chose not to answer the question … and deftly turned it into a chance to say how he is Jeff Stone, not Scott Walker.
  • Another interesting question was around the concept of “metropolitan government.” The concept was roundly panned as potentially hurting community identity, although there was more support offered around at least the concept of consolidation of certain local services.
  • Airport privatization was also broadly dismissed, with one panelist calling it “a solution in search of a problem.” With the airport drawing record traffic and its future brighter than ever, there seemed little appetite by either executive candidate to pursue the concept once pushed by Walker.
  • The longest sustained applause and only standing ovation of the evening was directed at state Sen. Chris Larson, who Dimitrijevic announced as being in attendance early in the forum. Larson stayed well after the forum, longer than Abele or Stone, talking to constituents and even posing for pictures.

Jursik and Dimitrijevic should get a lot of credit for putting this together and working to keep the South Shore top of mind as we pick a new executive. We need to make sure we continue to be part of that conversation.

Were you at the forum? I’d like to know what you think. Post your comments below.

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March 10, 2011 · 11:07 pm

Debating Debates: Stone, Abele and Wednesday’s South Shore Forum

I’m looking forward to Wednesday’s South Shore Economic Development Forum, and I give Milwaukee County Supervisor Pat Jursik for taking the lead in putting it together.

I am expecting an open, honest and robust discussion about some of the important issues facing the collective economies of South Milwaukee, St. Francis, Cudahy and Oak Creek. There are many … including many that we can, and should, tackle together.

One thing the forum won’t be, however, is a debate. So while the two candidates for Milwaukee County executive are scheduled to be there, state Rep. Jeff Stone and philanthropist Chris Abele will probably not interact much during the event.

Stone is raising Abele’s alleged unwillingness to debate as an issue in the campaign, even as the two candidates appear in 12 forums similar to next week’s before the April 5 election. Check out the Journal Sentinel story here. From it:

Stone called Abele’s rejection of debates a disservice to voters. The sessions Abele has accepted don’t allow an “opportunity for an exchange or a real, true debate of the ideas,” Stone said.

Abele spokesman Brandon Lorenz called Stone’s criticism “a desperate charge from someone who skipped out on two forums in the primary.” Stone did not attend the final two of four candidate forums held before the Feb. 15 primary, when it was a five-way race.

I hope this does not become an issue on Wednesday. There are plenty of other, more important, things we need to discuss.

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March 2, 2011 · 11:09 pm

News From the County: Updates from County Supervisor Jursik

Milwaukee County Supervisor Pat Jursik has published her March edition of E-news. Among the updates in this month’s edition of particular interest to 4th District residents:

  • The March 16 South Shore Economic Development Forum at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center;
  • An update College Avenue construction, including word that the stretch from Pennsylvania to Packard Avenues will close to through traffic from April to November; and
  • An update on the Hoan Bridge repair project.

Pat also provides a perspective on the ongoing budget debate in Madison. From it:

Is there some ability to compromise? Is it necessary to deal with the entire budget deficit in one year after the worst recession since the Great Depression? I hope all constituents will call on our state leaders to find a way to compromise.

Here here!

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February 10, 2011 · 11:10 pm

Maintaining the Creek: Finding Common Ground on a Local Waterway

I’ve written a lot about how I love Oak Creek. It’s such a special part of the 4th District as it meanders on its way to Grant Park and Lake Michigan.

It’s also far from perfect. It’s overgrown with vegetation in places, and it can get dammed from time to time with fallen trees and other debris. It’s also far from desirable as a recreational option.

What can or should be done to address these concerns and make the creek an even more valuable resource for South Milwaukee and other area communities?

That was the subject of a meeting held earlier this week at City Hall, where about 20 people gathered to discuss the creek and its future. Among those in attendance were city leaders (including Mayor Tom Zepecki, Alderman David Bartoshevich, City Engineer Kyle Vandercar and me) and representatives from the Milwaukee County Department of Public Works, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.

The discussion centered around what can and should be done to ensure Oak Creek is effectively controlling flooding (and not contributing to it).

Among the questions raised: Who “owns” certain parts of the creek? Who is responsible for keeping it clear? What about dredging the Mill Pond? And, perhaps more importantly, would improving the flow of the creek and/or dredging potentially help lessen the severity of flooding for area homeowners? Also, what role could these efforts play in enhancing the recreational options the creek allows?

There honestly weren’t many answers coming out of the meeting, but at least we’re talking about these issues. That’s why Milwaukee County Supervisor Pat Jursik should get a lot of credit for organizing the gathering and taking the lead on this issue.

This discussion is long overdue, and valuable, and it ended, for now, on Monday with SEWRPC pledging to look into what it will take to do a deeper dive study on the creek and come up with some options. We’ll see where that leads.

Like the creek, this will move slowly. But at least it’s moving. I hope it leads to a day where all key stakeholders realize that maintaining and enhancing the Oak Creek watershed is a partnership, a shared responsibility by all of those who enjoy and benefit from a well-maintained waterway.

It’s not the county’s creek. It’s not one city’s creek. It’s the region’s creek. We need to act like it.

I’ll keep you posted, and please post your comments below.

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February 4, 2011 · 7:05 pm

Storm Update: Plowing, Downtown Snow Removal, Self-Deposit and More …

Here is some new information regarding the Blizzard of ’11 …

  • The Street Department has started working on snow removal efforts to clear intersections and alley approaches.  Crews will be in this weekend to continue this process.
  • The South Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce sent out an update on downtown snow removal today. See it here.
  • The self-deposit station will be closed until further notice. It was originally scheduled to reopen on Saturday.
  • I also received an email from County Supervisor Pat Jursik specifically relating to 15th Avenue sidewalks, saying: “I have received many concerns about snow removal on sidewalks along 15th Avenue, particularly between Rawson and Milwaukee Avenues. 15th Avenue is a critical route to school for many South Milwaukee pedestrians. This area is the jurisdiction of Milwaukee County Parks Department. These walkways are on the priority list. The Parks Department is currently clearing emergency access areas and sidewalks. I have requested that the Parks staff prioritize clearing these sidewalks.”
  • And don’t forget about shoveling out your nearby fire hydrants.

Again, thanks for your patience during the storm and its cleanup. This was truly a historic winter storm, and I know city workers are doing their absolute best to deal with it.

As always, please let me know of your continued feedback.

And I’ll leave you with this photo, which sums up the headaches of the past few days as well as any …

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