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By Janet Evans
Wednesday, Jul 23 2008, 09:48 PM
I attended the Common Council meeting yesterday, Tuesday, July 22nd.
Several interesting items were on the agenda. I’m going to present those items through short podcasts, in no particular order, and as I have time to go through the tape.
I’ll be starting tonight with Item G5, which was:
Resolution accepting Declaration of Restrictions, Covenants and Easements for Sendik’s West, 5320-5430 W. Rawson Avenue.
This discussion began with Alderman Wilhelm bringing to the attention of the Council and the Mayor that the Development Agreement was a mess. She had meticulously gone through it and, in the end, this item is being sent back to City Staff to be corrected
The first podcast is Alderman Wilhelm discussing her findings.
The second podcast is an email from Greg Devorkin to Mayor Taylor, explaining what he is responsible for regarding landscaping and maintenance, etc.
One last note, at the last few meetings it has been noticed that the equipment in the Common Council meeting room is on the fritz. Two meetings in a row the camera that allows you to view documents on television screens wasn’t working, but that has been repaired. And now the last two meetings, the microphones haven’t been working properly.
It would be nice to have all Common Council meetings done as a webcast. New Berlin does it with their School Board meetings. This is something I suggested tonight at our Franklin School Board meeting. Wishful thinking, I know….but it wasn’t that long ago that I remember viewing our School Board meetings on Public Access T.V. We’ve gone backwards.
Listen to Podcasts HERE
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By Janet Evans
Monday, Jul 21 2008, 07:35 PM
One Franklin resident was vocal at the last Common Council meeting regarding the fact that he believes Franklin should impose a smoking ban.
Hear what Casper Green had to say here ×
You may agree with Mr. Green, but think seriously about this.
How many places of business are we willing to have lose business if we implement a smoking ban?
We all know the businesses that will be hurt the most are bars.
Right now, I admit, I don't enjoy going into a restaurant and sitting next to a smoker while I am eating. But if that's the way I feel, I can eat somewhere else if I don't like it.
Here are some examples of what is going on in the state...
"It's been two weeks since smokers in Eau Claire had to snuff out. So far the Tavern League say no formal complaints have been filed at City Hall and the City County Health Department hasn't issued any citations. But this is a tale of two bars… in two cities.
"Business is down about 23 percent," says Tina Wesner, a bartender at the Five O’clock Club
"We've seen a large increase in business," says Brad Windeshausen, the owner of Whiskey Dicks.
Whiskey Dicks and the Five O'clock Club: They're only a few blocks apart, but owners say they're business is heading in opposite directors."
Two Weeks Later: What Bars Are Saying About The Smoking Ban 07/14/08
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Residents wanted to talk about a workplace smoking ban in Chippewa Falls and a proposed sand mine in Chippewa County. But the Chippewa Falls City Council took no action on either topic Tuesday night.
The council did approve the minutes of last Thursday’s city Transportation Committee, which oversees public safety issues. But that committee took no action on the smoking issue.
An Eau Claire tavern owner, Julie Johnson, said a smoking ban that took effect July 1 has had a drastic effect on business at the 5 O’Clock Club. The tavern on Fenwick Avenue is across the street from Altoona, which allows smoking in taverns.
“Our business as of this weekend has gone down 25 percent. And it’s only going to go down further,” Johnson predicted."
Chippewa Falls Council Takes No Action On Smoking 07/15/08
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Village of Weston is one step closer to a smoking ban in restaurants.
Taxpayers had their say in a village-wide survey.
About 700 residents responded.
Weston Village Administrator Dean Zuleger tells WFXS the results show that the majority of people say they want a ban at indoor public places, like offices and restaurants.
Smoking Ban Survey Result: Majority Want Restaurant Smoking Ban, But ot Bars 7/16/08
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So, until if, and when there is a state smoking ban, certain restaurants and bars will continue to lose business.
And if the entire state does implement a smoking ban in the future?
What next? What next legal activity should we have the government interfere with?
I'm sure it won't be too hard to think of something.
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By Janet Evans
Monday, Jul 21 2008, 06:35 AM
On Tuesday night I am introducing a modification to the City's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). What I am trying to accomplish is to make the Common Council more ACCOUNTABLE in how our City is ultimately going to look. The change that I am recommending is to the City's site plan approval process. Currently a developments site plan approval, (architecture, parking, landscaping, etc.), never goes before the Common Council. It is brought before the Plan Commission and approved or denied. In my first three months in office there have been a few cases where my hands were tied and I was not allowed to make any changes or improvements. I have a real problem with this.
In April I went before the voters and asked that they give me the opportunity to make Franklin a better place. However, our UDO prevents me from determining how our city looks. Currently I am being held ACCOUNTABLE but City policy does not give me the tools to accomplish my constituent’s desires. I would like to be held ACCOUNTABLE and I want this responsibility to rest on my shoulders. Therefore, my proposal still sends the site plan to the Plan Commission and they will make a RECOMMENDATION to the Common Council for final approval. I still want our fine Plan Commissioners to handle all of the heavy lifting, but I want the Common Council to have ability to fine-tune it. I am privileged to have been given this opportunity to serve and I would like to be able to make sure that your vision gets adopted. Ultimately, this is YOUR city and it is Your Voice that should be heard.
Please feel free to contact me on this issue.
Steve F Taylor
Common Council President
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By Janet Evans
Tuesday, Jul 15 2008, 06:45 AM
I lived in Hollywood, Florida back in the early 70s. Nice city back then and right on the Gold Coast.
Hollywood had three roundabouts, but they were called “Circles.” The thing is, they were created correctly. They were huge...large enough to house a park, or an entire building and grounds.
They had several lanes of traffic in either direction...they were a system. The Circles were not an ill placed intrusion …or an afterthought. They were part of a grand vision and we were actually proud of these areas in our city.
Here is an ariel view of one of the Circles so you can see just how large they were:
"Joseph Young first arrived in South Florida in January 1920 to survey several parcels of land that would be suitable for the site of his "Dream City in Florida." His initial vision included a wide boulevard extending from the ocean westward to the edge of the Everglades with man-made lakes paralleling each side of the roadway. One end of each lake would empty into the Intracoastal Waterway and the other would serve as a twin turning basin for private yachts. Also included in Young's vision was the sectioning of Hollywood into districts, a precursor of present day zoning regulations, with a centrally located business district, large park spaces, a golf course, schools, and churches. Hollywood, in Joseph Young's vision, "will be a city for everyone - from the opulent at the top of the industrial and social ladder to the most humble of working people." Unique in Young's city plan was the incorporation of three large circles of land located along his planned principal boulevard. These circles became the sites of a ten-acre park (originally named Harding Circle and later renamed Young Circle), the City Hall complex (originally named City Hall Circle and later renamed Watson Circle), and a military academy (Academy Circle.) Academy Circle, now Presidential Circle, is the current site of a focal commercial structure. Having formerly lived in California, Young chose as the name of his "Dream City" the name of the Southern California town that had once been so attractive to him."
The entire article can be found at the website of the City of Hollywood, Florida
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The roundabouts that are popping up are an embarrassment and a waste of taxpayer dollars. They are confusing, an accident waiting to happen. I have overheard some residents of Franklin say they will avoid streets with these roundabouts.
Maybe that's the intention....Is the city trying to cut down on traffic on certain city streets?
The city has taken Drexel Avenue, which I thought was a public street, as in, "belongs to all of us," and turned it into something that belongs in a gated community. Unless we are all driving Mini Coopers....those mini-roundabouts are a BIG MISTAKE.
Whoever the monkeys are who came up with this concept? Take a lesson from Joseph Young from the 1920s. At least he had vision.
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By Janet Evans
Sunday, Jul 13 2008, 12:40 AM
Did you see it?
Greg Kowalski’s post… Franklin citizens: Your community's destiny is in your hands
But first…
Remember Boomgaard, Franklin?
Bloggers here in Franklin have been known to stick together when it matters.
When it’s for the good of the taxpayer…you, me…us.
I know, those 120 days aren’t up yet, but it’s getting close…Our blogging did help to make a difference. We brought a story to you and then your input also let our city officials know something wasn’t right. Something needed to be changed.
Back to Kowalski’s post… we need to do it again. It’s synergy…working together for a common goal....community.
I hope you’ll read the post and contact your city officials.
After considering this information, I have to ask these two questions….
1. Why is the mayor allowing his staff to drag their feet on this matter.
2. Does the city lose credibility if it picks and chooses who they prosecute?
Hopefully some of my fellow bloggers, and Franklin citizens can help answer those questions.
Synergy....
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By Janet Evans
Friday, Jun 27 2008, 06:36 PM
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Update 2
It looks like pressure from the Bloggers, the Civic Celebration committee, the community and students have done the job. School Board member David Works just told me that he spoke to Dr. Patz and he is working on releasing the instruments to the Drum Major so any students who would like to participate in the parade will be allowed to do so. Let's hope everything works out and that there are enough students around to have a good enough showing.
Also, Greg Kowalski informed me that Mr. Cady called Jeanine Olson from the Civic Celebrations Committee and told her the Band Director Scott Julius agreed to help coordinate the parade. I also received an email from Mr. Cady verifying this, I asked if Mr. Julius is being compensated for his leadership of the Band, and was told he was. Mr. Cady also had this to say:
I do want to say that our school does really value our community and we do understand
and respect that our community has an expectation that the school gives
back. The band has performed for community events on numerous occasions
such as performing at fund raisers for the cultural center, providing
entertainment for hundreds of our seniors each spring when we host a
dinner and first viewing of our musical and our students complete
hundreds of hours of community service every year. It is important that
we do these things, we know that and will continue to strive to improve
our efforts in this area.
An interesting turn of events.
We'll remember this quote from Dave Szychlinski for next year:
“I spoke with Dr. Patz this morning and he
promised me that no matter happens this year, we will handle this
differently in the future so this never happens again.”
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Update 1
This has nothing to do with a referendum.
I talked to the United Music Parent's President (UMPS), Rhonda Gross, this morning.
Last year the parade was run by the student Drum Major. She said there may not even be enough students available right now. This happened a month ago. The volunteers were in charge in the past.
Contracts are still in negotiations for some of the teachers right now. You can bet it will be discussed for a band teacher to participate in the parade. The School District does care about the Community. They've gotten off easy all these years because they have had a strong parent group like UMPS. Also, being that it's late...kids make plans when it gets late. They don't wait around. There aren't 300 kids sitting home waiting to march knowing that they don't have a leader. You would think the new Band Director could have stepped up, but no, he didn't have a contract. Obviously he wanted to get paid. He could be out of town too. Who knows. The UMPS President says he's good with the students.
Not everything revolves around a referendum.
It has been said to our faces at the meetings it will be a while before there is a referendum.
Do we have a date yet?
No.
They need to get land first.
The band isn't playing because many people screwed up.
Period.
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?
Don’t see anything but an empty space?
That’s because as of this posting there will be no Franklin High School Marching Band in the parade.
And don’t hold your breath for one either.
Franklin blogger, Greg Kowalski brought up this issue last night on his Metro Milwaukee Today blog.
I looked into it a little further today to clarify the issue.
Tanya Ruder, District Communications Specialist reports that:
“We have had some very generous parents and students who have dedicated
their time in the past to organize the band for the parade. This has
never been a school or district organized event. This year there was no
outside person or group that worked on organizing the band. The Civic
Celebration Planning Committee was notified that the band would not be
participating approximately a month ago.
While the district is well aware that the community supports the band
and would like to have them participating, the time frame for this year
is now too short to prepare them for the event. We are going to work on
having the appropriate staff for the parade next year that can work with
available students to perform in the parade. This not only ensures that
the band will be present, but they will also be well rehearsed.
We appreciate all of the support that our community shows for the
Franklin High School Band and we look forward to participating in the
parade next year.”
Dave Szychlinski, School Board President says:
“I spoke with Dr. Patz this morning and he
promised me that no matter happens this year, we will handle this
differently in the future so this never happens again.”
I find the Civic Celebration Planning Committee at fault also. If they knew about this a month ago, as stated, they could have tried to find a band from another area to participate. Hales Corners has their parade late in the afternoon. Perhaps Whitnall's band might have played in our parade. It’s just a thought…you never know. It’s just that, a parade needs at least one band.
My main gripe is that, if this was made public perhaps a community volunteer with music experience, and I know there are some of you out there, might have stepped forward and volunteered a few hours with these students to practice a couple songs for the parade and marched with them on July 4th….for free! Does money always have to be an issue here? Does a contract for a teacher have to come into play? Can a teacher volunteer their services for a few hours in the summer?
Go ahead....criticize me for bringing that up. But I sit at School Board meetings for hours and I don’t have children in school. I can battle anyone about volunteering if you want….I have many, many years of it behind me.So, Franklin citizens…enjoy the parade…
Perhaps we will have to resort to this...
"Ingenuity at its best is seen with the creation of Willimantic’s Boom Box Parade. In 1986, no marching band could be found for Memorial Day. Five weeks later, the “Boom Box Parade” concept was born, where the local radio station, WILI, plays the marching band music on the air, and thousands of parade goers loudly play their radios (boom boxes). Anyone can march in this one-of-a-kind people’s parade. The only requirements are to wear some red, white and blue and bring a radio tuned to WILI (1400AM). American flags are optional but encouraged. There is no “official” theme for the parade. Past parade marchers have included the “Traveling Fish Head Club of Northeastern Connecticut”, which in 2003 had a “herring town” entry and in 2001 had a tribute to the Frog Bridge. Grand Marshal Wayne Norman, a WILI personality, always leads the parade."
The Boom Box Parade - July 4th Celebration
But we can call it the Boomgaard Box Parade...
That's the way things in Franklin are going lately....
Happy 4th of July
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By Janet Evans
Thursday, Jun 26 2008, 07:14 AM
Residents of Franklin, I don’t know where to begin…
Last night I attended the June 25th regular School Board meeting. I only have three things to cover. Two of them will be quick.
First, important…but it was breezed over. The Budget Draft, in its current form, was approved. Jeff Traylor, Finance Committee Chairperson, was not present, and there was no report.
Next, I’m jumping ahead to the July 4th parade….
The Board will be participating in the parade and handing out ice cream afterwords. They will also be having an “Are you smarter than a 5th grader? contest on July 4th from 2-4 p.m. in a tent at the celebration.
I applaud the Board for their effort in participating in the Civic Celebration.
Now this….
I have to say I was stunned…just stunned at what transpired at the Board meeting.
First I’ll fill you in and then you can read my transcript (which will be missing a few words do to crosstalk).
Dr. Patz offered the Board information that he received a phone call from a “Developer.” The name of the Developer is never stated. Although, I believe it was mentioned once late in the conversation by one Board member, but it was during crosstalk, so it can’t be verified.
The Developer is assumed (by me as I attend Common Council meetings) to either be Greg Devorkin or David Hintzman. Both have had their hands in the Sendik’s on Rawson.
More from me after you read the transcript:
Dr. Patz:
I received a phone call about a week ago from a Developer in the area. He’s got some affiliation, I believe at the current time with part of the development of the Sendik’s on Rawson, and his request was to have the School District write a letter to the City in terms of promoting and endorsing Economic Development. He had apparently had some involvement with the City in his project and it went one direction, and another direction, and so on. But I would seek the Boards direction to ask if you wanted to be involved. It wouldn’t be on behalf of the Developer, per se. It would be a general letter supporting Economic Development.
David Works:
I think it’s a good idea. I think we should do it.
Mary Karolewicz:
Well it would be located obviously in our District. As you know the city’s 70/30 goal of Economic Development and in relation to Residential Development hasn’t been completed yet or reached. It is a while before that will occur because obviously the city is still growing. But it is within our School District’s boundaries; it would help to alleviate some of the tax burden on our residents by sharing it a little bit so I guess I would go along with what Dave said.
Dr. Ward:
It wasn’t clear, was this Business Development?
Dr. Patz: Yes, yes.
Dave Szychlinski:
So are you asking the Board to give the authority to write a letter, not in support of a specific project but in support of Economic Development?
Dr. Patz:
Right that was the request, from this Developer, not particularly on his behalf, but on behalf of Economic Development.
Dave Szychlinski:
I think it’s harmless to send such a letter, and I think the City Council and the Mayor certainly know that we support anything that can be done to even out the tax base but I would be resistant of trying to support any specific project because we don’t have any knowledge or the details of that project but if you feel it is important to send a letter accordingly, then I think you have the consensus of this group to go forward with that.
Dr. Ward:
I guess my only comment would be to make sure the Developer talks about the development in our district because there’s a lot of development in Franklin that’s not in our district. So we would certainly not want to support something that would […] our tax.
Dave Szychlinski:
But having said that. All development in Franklin is good. Yes, we would prefer for it to be in Franklin’s School District […].
Dr. Patz:
I believe it was his opinion that because he was denied some of the things he was putting forward that I believe he felt that he was getting the signal that weren’t concerned with Economic Development for School Projects […] His perception is that Franklin doesn’t want a certain amount of developments to occur in Franklin […]
Dave Szychlinski:
Very interesting question…I’m not sure how his project didn’t get approved. [...]
Mary Karolewicz:
I think a lot of development has gone on along the fringes of Franklin and there have been some consummated general I think overall the city is working at their master plan and the plan commission is looking very hard to generate the right type of development , but it stalls sometimes.
Dave Szychlinski:
Well, having served for a year on the Plan Commission with Mr. Ritter, here’s my observation and the City welcomes development and the City doesn’t channel people into the School District or not into the District, people want to develop where they want to develop. And if parcels of land are…they don’t pay much attention to where the School District boundaries are drawn.
Mary Karolewicz:
And I’m not saying that.
Linda Witkowski:
Do we have meetings with the City?
Dave Szychlinski:
Well, we have that, we have that. I’ve talked to the Mayor about it. I’ve met with him. That’s why it’s an interesting request because the City’s aware of the fact that the School District would like to see more development. […] So I’m not sure this letter is really going to help anything, but if you feel the need to want to do it.
Dr. Patz:
Not a need…I’m just bringing forth this gentleman’s request and certainly we can communicate it personally to the city in the same manner. It’s just not going to be personal to any developer
Dr. Ward:
I’m just not sure...I just don’t think we should talk about a specific project. He would have the opportunity to say to City Official’s , “See the School District approved this Development why don’t you approve it.”
Dr. Patz:
You might want to have a conversation with the Mayor and see if he thinks legal council might be helpful.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why the anonymity? At a public meeting...speaking to the Board ...about a request from a Developer. Why is it the name of the Developer could not be said aloud? Why must a records request be done in order to get the Developer's name...even though I know it is either Hintzman or Devorkin?
What is going on with the Board? First, they don't really have a clue as to what is going on in the City in regards to Hintzman and Devorkin; or with Dairy Queen, or with the Fountains of Franklin or with Mayor Taylor and the Plan Commission ....that was evident. Only Mary Karolewicz comes to some of the Common Council meetings...and she got off topic regarding the request for the letter.
Dave Szychlinski told me at a past meeting he had no intention of having meetings jointly with the city unless there was something specific to discuss. All of a sudden he's been having meetings? What's up with that? Is that the Mayor's doing? Development meetings with the Board President all of a sudden. Are they official meetings or just coffee meetings at 5-Star? Because, if all of a sudden we are going to be having meetings...I am wondering why we can't have a public meeting...how about just one? One public meeting between the Common Council and the School Board.
A request from the "Developer?" Not from the common Council or the Mayor? If Developer [insert name here] is making this request rather than the Mayor or the Common Council, isn't that a red flag right there? Doesn't that say that Developer [insert name here] has an agenda? Doesn' t our School Board have more pressing issues at hand (a budget shortfall) than dealing with the City politics of Developer [insert name here]?
Dr. Jim Ward and Linda Witkowski at least had a panicked, quizzical look on their faces and at least attempted to question what the heck was going on.
I tell you, if the School Board wants to show the City or the Community that the are pro-Economic Development....(which we already know they are anyway...the question does not even need to be asked) there is a simple solution....
Don't make Franklin a living Tax Hell!
Because of this incident...
and a couple coconuts ....
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By Janet Evans
Monday, Jun 23 2008, 11:55 AM
Eddie Lynn Keck Pleads GUILTY to two counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle.
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06-23-2008 |
Plea hearing |
Wagner - 38, Jeffery A. |
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Event Party |
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Keck, Eddie Lynn |
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Additional Text: |
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Defendant Eddie Lynn Keck in court with attorney Christopher Hartley. Defendant Eddie Lynn Keck in custody. William J Molitor appeared for the State of Wisconsin. As to counts 1 and 3: Defendant was advised of constitutional rights and maximum penalties, waived all rights, plead GUILTY and was examined as to the plea. Plea Questionnaire/Waiver of Rights and Addendum received and filed. Parties stipulate to the complaint as a factual basis for the plea. Court found defendant guilty as charged in the Information.
As to counts 2 and 4: Pursuant to plea negotiations and on motion of State, Court ordered counts dismissed.
Court will order a PSI and remand the defendant. Defense counsel is also having a sentencing memorandum done by Cedar Creek Counseling. Court orders case adjourned to 7-24-2008 in Branch 38 at 8:15a.m. for SENTENCING. ls Sentencing hearing scheduled for 07-24-2008 at 08:15 am.
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Charge(s)
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Count No. |
Statute |
Description |
Severity |
Disposition |
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1 |
940.09(1)(a) |
Homicide by Intox Use of Vehicle |
Felony C |
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2 |
346.67(1) |
Hit and Run-Involve Death |
Felony D |
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3 |
940.09(1)(a) |
Homicide by Intox Use of Vehicle |
Felony C |
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4 |
346.67(1) |
Hit and Run-Involve Death |
Felony D |
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By Janet Evans
Friday, Jun 20 2008, 08:41 PM
Have you checked out the South 27th Street Corridor Website yet?
I’ll keep a link on my sidebar under “News” for a while so we can keep an eye on what’s going on.
I think it’s a sharp looking site… simplistic, and clean. We have to remember that highly paid professionals are taking care of it.
I’ll probably look most often at the news/media section and the meeting minutes section.
I like that they provide an area to accept comments. What would be better is if they would be published so we could see them and see the replies.
Right now the key point is we are still referring to it as the 27th Street Corridor (not Boomgaard District). It appears the Committee is moving in a more positive direction by providing the website to the public. I believe they will begin keeping the public more informed and Alderman Taylor is helping with that by providing the news release.
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By Janet Evans
Friday, Jun 20 2008, 05:09 PM
Alderman Steve Talyor was kind enough to share the following press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT
Kristin Settle
Zizzo Group Advertising + Public Relations
414-319-5700 ext. 236
kristinsettle@zizzogroup.com
Franklin, Oak Creek honored for South 27th Street Corridor Efforts
Project receives Honorable Mention from Public Policy Forum for
Intergovernmental Cooperation
Franklin and Oak Creek – June 20, 2008 – The Public Policy Forum recognized Franklin and Oak Creek for their collaborative work on the South 27th Street Corridor Project as part of its
“Salute to Local Government” awards banquet. Both cities were awarded an Honorable
Mention in the Intergovernmental Cooperation category, which recognizes partnerships
between governmental bodies. “The South 27th Street Corridor is a monumental cooperative effort between Franklin and Oak
Creek and it is estimated to bring $2 billion in economic growth to our two cities,” said
Franklin Mayor Tom Taylor. “We are very grateful for this recognition.”
Oak Creek Mayor Dick Bolender echoed this sentiment, “We are proud of this honor for our
efforts. This project will grow our tax base, bring family-supporting jobs, and improve the
quality of life for our residents.”
Last year, Franklin and Oak Creek jointly received the 2007 Wisconsin Good Government
Award for their cooperative planning efforts to prepare the South 27th Street Corridor for
high-quality business development. Thus far, developments that have established businesses within the South 27th Street Corridor
include Northwestern Mutual Life, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, Liberty Corporate
Preserve, Colonial Woods Condominiums, and Staybridge Suites Hotel. New public information Web site, www.south 27th.com, has been launched to serve as a
central resource for residents and developers to learn about the area. The preliminary site also contains history and background information as well as South 27th Street Steering Committee
meeting minutes and future agendas. The Web site contains public information and allows for
public perspective on the project.
“This Web site will be a place where residents of both communities can get accurate
information,” said Mayor Bolender. “The temporary site will serve as a channel for sharing
our accomplishments with the public until a more robust site is launched later this year,” said
Mayor Bolender.
“We recognize that public input is vital to the success of this development,” said Mayor
Taylor. “The new site will deliver up-to-date information and provide another means for
residents to share their thoughts on this important project.” To learn more about the South 27th Street Corridor, visit www.south 27th.com The South 27th Street Corridor is an
economic development partnership between the cities of
Franklin and Oak Creek, Wisconsin. The Corridor is strategically located between the City of
Milwaukee and Racine County, and includes the area surrounding the six-mile stretch of
South 27th Street between College Avenue and County Line Road. The development is
estimated to bring $2 billion in economic growth to the area. The vision shared by both cities is that the South 27th Street Corridor and the adjacent areas will be a preferred destination for
developers, businesses, residents and the greater community.
###
View the actual Press Release:
Press Release.Public Policy Forum Award.June 20 Ã here
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By Janet Evans
Wednesday, Jun 18 2008, 11:53 AM
Now that the Oak Creek Common Council has officially sent the name Boomgaard packing, (yes, they actually took a vote) it appears the Boomgaard District will be no more.
The power of the blogs….
As for Franklin, maybe it has something to do with "B" issues....
Boomgaard...Buckhorn...Budget (tax pledge)....
With the domain name “www.boomgaarddistrict.com” being of no use to the Franklin-Oak Creek Steering Committee, nor the cities of Franklin and Oak Creek, I was wondering what will now become it? It is registered under the Zizzo Group.
Most domain names cost only $9.95 for registration, but we have paid a pretty penny for the entire fiasco and will still be paying as a new name is sought. Perhaps some of the money could be recouped by selling the now infamous domain name.
You never know who might want www.boomgaarddistrict.com. Perhaps a real orchard may want to use it. Or a blogger. Actually, the possibilities are endless. May the highest bidder win…..if the committee/city is willing to sell.
Actually…I would place the first bid if they want to get something going. They’re auctioning off a house on the city website, why not a domain?
I would start bidding at let me think……$10.00!
That should start the ball rolling. So, let’s make a deal!
Boomgaard!
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By Janet Evans
Monday, Jun 16 2008, 04:15 PM
Today I received a response from Mr. Jim Milzer regarding the questions and concerns (below) from a Franklin citizen that were brought up after the Committee of the Whole Meeting on June 4th.
I was not told who addressed specific questions/concerns.
The response is in .pdf format:
Response to Unidentified Citizen ç here
06/17/08
Response from From Unidentified Citizen:
I'm satisfied with the answers. I have no "axe to grind" with our district. I appreciate the response, and the time taken to explain.
Unidentified Citizen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I received an email from a Franklin citizen who was in attendance at the Committee of the Whole meeting of the Franklin School Board, on June 4th. The individual does not feel comfortable contacting the Board members directly, for personal reasons, but would like answers to the following questions, and would also like to share these concerns.
I am posting the questions from the email, with permission, as I think they are interesting, along with forwarding them to the Board, Dr. Patz, Judy Mueller and Mr. Milzer. Hopefully the questions will get answered.
Here is a link to my report on the meeting, which has a link to the 1st draft of the 08-09 budget:
Franklin School Board 06-04-08 Committee of the Whole Meeting
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Email Questions/Concerns from Citizen Regarding 08-09 Budget:
I was very pleased with the school board asking to see the FTE posted next
to the staffing projections. I too am interested in those numbers.
I am also interested in why I was told at the meeting that no teachers had
been laid off. Tacked onto that statement was a comment that some hours in
art and music had been cut. According to the numbers quoted that would have
been .1 FTE. 1/10th of a position.
When I talked to representatives in those departments - they told me that
two part time teachers had been laid off, and that the total of the two
would have been around 1 FTE not .1. So I am interested in this discrepancy.
I am more interested in accuracy of the presentation than the bad news. I
want finance representatives who aren't going to gloss over a situation.
I also would like to know what areas were considered for strategic
abandonment and what the general strategy or order was. Were staffing
positions considered first because they are the largest budget area? Or were
teachers considered last due to student impact? Exactly what were the
underlying principles used to come to decisions.
Were all budget areas considered? And by that I don't mean "yes, staffing was
considered". I would like to know if all areas of staffing were considered.
I have heard that our district is top-heavy. I've heard it from a lot of
different sources, and there are things I see volunteering that support the
concept of too many chiefs, too few Indians. However, I am not overly
familiar with the structure at a district level. So I started researching.
A quick perusal of our own staff directory on the website shows that 34 out
of 393 employees work at ECC. 1 in 10 didn't strike me as a good number, but
I don't know what those people do, so I started comparing our numbers to
other numbers on the DPI website.
We have 1 administrator for every 246 students.
Greenfield has 1/264
Greendale has 1/208
MPS has 1/178
Oak Creek - Franklin has 1/301
The numbers say that we aren't really top heavy. Or, more likely, if we are,
so is the rest of the system. It also shows that there are school districts
out there who are similar in size that have fewer administrative positions.
Have we researched what districts like Oak Creek Franklin and Glendale
-River Hills, and South Milwaukee are doing to maintain a better
administrative ratio?
It might be expedient for a corresponding cut in administrative FTE to
balance that out cuts in teacher’s hours. Certainly a decreasing staff and
student body means that there is a corresponding decrease in administrative
duties somewhere along the line. That means if we cut 5 positions from our
teaching staff we should be looking to eliminate a part time position at the
district level. If nothing else even a few hours trimmed from the
administrative budget might go a long way in paving the way for better
teacher relations. If we are willing to reposition our teachers and assign
them new duties, maybe we need to consider that at the top too.
I do believe good administration is worth keeping and paying. Good
administration will also have the respect of those who work under them.
My suggestions/comments on the budget meeting:
1. An impact report on proposed budgetary cuts would be helpful. This report
should have an emphasis on what this will mean to the student population.
For instance, we were able to cut three elementary positions due to a
decrease in student populations. Thankfully, we were told that no one was
laid off. Yet there are other costs to the student in reorganization. This
might mean some large classes. It might mean teachers who are teaching new
grade-levels and curriculum. I fully understand that you do the best that
you can, but I also realize that there is more than one way to arrange what
gets cut, that different people are going to have different ideas on what is
important.
2. There was no mention at the meeting that administrative or support
positions had been looked at alongside of teaching staff for budget cuts. I
certainly hope that these were considered, but I have no real assurances
that they were
3. I was very happy to see the budget posted to the website. It is good to
see that the school board is trying to improve its relationship with the
community. Something to consider. When I get an e-mail inviting me to a
meeting on the day of that meeting, I start to wonder what is being covered
that someone wants to push through with little comment. A week in advance
for those notices would be much more appropriate.
4. I really would like a clear answer on how many teachers have been laid
off and what programs are affected. I am hoping to understand why I am
getting two different numbers from the teachers and from the district.
5. Mr. Milzer mentioned that out-sourcing payroll wouldn’t be a good idea due to loss in corporate knowledge in that area. I would love to see the same argument applied to moving our teachers around to fill different positions.
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By Janet Evans
Wednesday, Jun 11 2008, 09:01 PM
There’s free money out there for our school district in the form of grants.
But it takes time to do the processing to receive that money.
That’s one reason why I suggest hiring a retired teacher to help research and write grants.
Wisconsin has an alcohol abuse problem with its high school students.
A $5 million dollar competitive grant will be shared with Wisconsin schools to help them in the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse. Greendale and Racine were among School Districts winning part of that $5 million.
They applied.
I spoke with Brenda Jennings, AODA Consultant at DPI. She told me Franklin Public Schools did not apply.
You can’t tell me Franklin Public schools does not have any problems with drugs and alcohol. Yes, it was a competitive grant….but if Greendale and Racine applied and won money….there’s no reason Franklin couldn't have done the same. We may not have received the grant, but you don't know unless you apply.
Free money….
Budget cuts....Budget shortfall?
When there is discussion of raising fees, shouldn't the District be looking into each and every grant that may come their way?
Cost control? First let's look at the Administration for some cuts....and at their salary increases; but let's not ever forget about seeking every grant possible and meeting every deadline for those grants.
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State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Elizabeth Burmaster, State Superintendent
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841
• Street Address: 125 South Webster Street, Madison, WI 53703 Telephone: (608) 266-3390
• Toll Free: (800) 441-4563
• FAX: (608) 267-1052
• TDD: (608) 267-2427
• Internet Address: dpi.wi.gov
****NEWS RELEASE****
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DPI 2008-92
Thursday, June 5, 2008
CONTACT: Patrick Gasper, Communications Officer, (608) 266-3559
Schools to share state funding to reduce and prevent alcohol, tobacco, and drug use among students
MADISON—School districts throughout Wisconsin are sharing approximately $5 million in competitive grants that will help them reduce or prevent the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs among students.
“According to a recent survey of our youth, too many students engage in alcohol, drug, or tobacco use that imperils their health and can have a negative impact on their academic achievement,” said State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster. “These grants support programs that help students avoid risks so they can focus on their learning.”
The 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey reported that one in five high school students report that they use tobacco, 49 percent report using alcohol, and 32 percent report binge drinking. Nearly one-quarter of students said they receive drug offers at school (23 percent), and 20 percent report using marijuana.
The state Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) Program grants provide funding to teach skills and supply information aimed at preventing alcohol and illegal drug use. The state-funded grants total $4.96 million and will support efforts in 119 Wisconsin school districts. Another 32 Wisconsincommunities will benefit from approximately $355,000 in grants to prevent students from using tobacco and to help students, who have already begun using tobacco, to quit. Both individual school districts and consortium projects, in which clusters of neighboring schools will work together on projects, received awards.
“Research has proven over and over again that academic success can be severely compromised by the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol, including tobacco,” Burmaster said. “We owe it to our students to reduce or eliminate the barriers that substance abuse places in front of them so they can reach their full potential.”
AODA and tobacco grants – of the projects receiving AODA grant funding provide a comprehensive approach to prevent or eliminate the use of alcohol and illegal drugs among students, using multiple strategies and linking resources from home, community agencies, and the school. Grants may be renewed for two additional years of funding through the 2010-11 school year.
As part of a comprehensive tobacco control effort by the state, school tobacco grants were awarded through a cooperative agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services. The grants ensure that there are efforts aimed at prevention and cessation of early smoking, based on the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guidelines for School Health Programs to Prevent Tobacco Use and Addiction. Particular importance was placed on the school’s involvement and cooperation with local tobacco coalitions in their community or county. These projects can be renewed for an additional year in 2009-10.
“These multi-year, multi-strategy initiatives often can have impact for years to come, even after the project funding ends,” Burmaster noted. “What students learn in school through health education orpeer support can pay big dividends to society if today’s youth avoid the devastating consequences alcohol, tobacco, or drug abuse so often have on families, businesses, and our economy.”
###
NOTES: Attached is a list of grantees for the state’s Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Program and the Wisconsin School Tobacco Grant Program. The amount of each award represents funding for the 2008-09 school year only. An asterisk (*) indicates a consortium grant.
This news release is available electronically at http://dpi.wi.gov/eis/pdf/dpi2008_92.pdf.
2008-09 AODA and School Tobacco Grants
AODA Grants
A-C
Amery School District, $40,000
Antigo School District, $35,735
Ashland School District, $40,000
Athens School District, $20,000
Augusta School District, $20,000
Baraboo School District, $64,000
Beaver Dam School District, $64,000
Beloit School District, $64,000
Berlin Area School District, $40,000
Bruce School District, $45,000 *
CESA 5, $105,000 *
CESA 7, $55,500 *
CESA 8, $167,979 *
CESA 12, $75,000 *
Chetek School District, $40,000
Chippewa Falls Area School District, $64,000
Clear Lake School District, $20,000
Clintonville School District, $40,000
Columbus School District, $40,000
Cuba City School District, $19,810
D-L
D.C. Everest Area School District, $63,780
Durand School District, $40,000
Eau Claire Area School District, $140,000
Elcho School District, $20,000
Ellsworth Community School District, $40,000
Fall Creek School District, $20,000
Flambeau School District, $20,000
Fond du Lac School District, $64,000
Galesville-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District, $40,000
Green Bay Area School District, $140,000
Green Lake School District, $20,000
Hayward Community School District, $30,055
Holmen School District, $64,000
Howard-Suamico School District, $64,000
Hustisford School District, $20,000
Janesville School District, $140,000
Kaukauna Area School District, $63,997
Kenosha School District, $132,872
Kimberly Area School District, $45,250
La Crosse School District, $56,500
Lake Mills Area School District, $39,122
Little Chute Area School District, $40,000
Lomira School District, $40,000
M-P
Madison Metropolitan School District, $140,000
Manitowoc School District, $63,850
Marshall School District, $40,000
McFarland School District, $40,000
Menomonee Falls School District, $64,000
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