Wag the Dog - All Comments

re: The Franklin Cultural Arts Center - Will it happen in our lifetime?

ddorsan — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:24:45 GMT

Bryan, I stand corrected.

Thanks for writing about our project.

Don

re: The Franklin Cultural Arts Center - Will it happen in our lifetime?

Bryan Maersch — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:19:21 GMT

Don

This looks like a perfect opportunity for local business's to give to your cause as they will get back what they give.

One thing though, United Way, The Franklin YMCA building fund and UPAF are all regional organizations that also give back to our community too.

re: The Franklin Cultural Arts Center - Will it happen in our lifetime?

ddorsan — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:58:11 GMT

Bryan, The big national organizations you mention are all worthy and do great work as well but I believe that the FCAC does offer a few advantages to the community and to potential donors. First donations stay in the community. The economic benefit to the greater community is well documented by groups such as Americans for the Arts. It is estimated that everyone who attends an arts event spends nearly $30. in peripheral activities in the community per event. That adds up to big dollars for local resturants and retailers. Plus the cognitive benefits to our kids and seniors is also well documented.

For more information on the economic benefit of the arts visit:

www.artsusa.org/.../default.asp

re: The Franklin Cultural Arts Center - Will it happen in our lifetime?

Bryan Maersch — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:19:20 GMT

Don

It is great to see that someone who is President of a nice to have project like the FCAC has a realistic view of economic situation and how it will delay providing the community with cultural center.

With Franklin Citizens being solicited by worthy and better known organizations like the United Way, UPAF, the Cancer Society and our very own YMCA, it must be very difficult to get a Capitol Funds drive off the ground.

Good Luck to you and your group.

re: The Franklin Cultural Arts Center - Will it happen in our lifetime?

ddorsan — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:31:57 GMT

Bryan, you bet it’s a tough time to be fund raising, even a tougher time to be a tax payer. Ours is a long term vision. We’ll weather the current economic storm as we work towards a solution for providing the greater community with a facility that we can all be proud of. A facility that will become a regional destination point and which will have a positive economic ripple effect in our community.

Thanks for writing about our project. I hope to see you at one of our next events. If your readers want more information about us or our events visit www.franklinculturalcenter.org

Is Anyone Feeling...

In the Race — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:28:01 GMT

... Dazed and Confused ? Possibly like at minute five and beyond? Nationally and locally, politically

re: Political Grandstanding? Maybe? So What?

fvkeller — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:12:49 GMT

To quote John Mellencamp: "Aint that America."

I love you, Man!

re: Mayor Arrested for Alleged Threat

Janet Evans — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:33:11 GMT

Oh, Bryan...You scared me for a second there. But just a second.

"Shame on you Mr. Mayor, I guess this may come around to bite you in the back end if you choose to run for re-election."

Or another position in state government : ) Oh...you were speaking about Centerville's Mayor Murphy.

re: The Fox's of Franklin

Greg Kowalski — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:55:48 GMT

Well if there's exceptions for longtime citizens, then someone better craft the length of stay requirement. I'll say 10 years, because then that means my family can do whatever it wants with our property!

I think a lot of people would appreciate not having to pay fines or file permits if they didn't have to. And as for those who want to file to complaints - Screw them!, right?

re: Always Entertaining - The Annual Meeting of the Electors

Kevin Fischer — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:23:06 GMT

They also can be found piled in a stack in a back corner at Everything's a Dollar.

re: Always Entertaining - The Annual Meeting of the Electors

Bryan Maersch — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:44:12 GMT

And the winners of the "I can read from a queue card" were former School Board Directors Sue Huhn and Rosanne Lewandowski. Planning Commissioner and frequent School Board meeting attendee Randy Ritter was also one of the lucky chosen card readers.

Mr. Gravelle,

Saw your calendar on The Discount Calendar Network, (that would be channel 00 on cable or channel 22b on your new digital TV tuner). Interesting that Kevin was the person that was hawking it, I believe his memorable quote was that "There are only 538,000 of these left so call right now".

re: Always Entertaining - The Annual Meeting of the Electors

jgravelle — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:28:16 GMT

I appreciate the correction "Bryan". Thanks.

I should explain though: Each month of my calendar is adorned with a different provocative boudoir photography portrait of me, making it difficult to focus on specific dates.

I'll send you one, and you can see for yourself...

-jjg

DailyScoff.com

(They're $12.95 plus shipping)

re: Always Entertaining - The Annual Meeting of the Electors

Kevin Fischer — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:10:48 GMT

Couldn't have described it better myself

re: What will Franklin do without Ted Gringes?

fvkeller — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:54:05 GMT

I have a hard time wrapping my head around Steve’s inference that the 27SSC – particularly on the Franklin side of the equation – isn’t or wasn’t “political.”

His comment that the 27SSC has no budget and no authority other than to recommend policy and actions to the two Common Councils -- while technically true -- is preposterous and requires a "willing suspension of disbelief,"

I don’t have a degree from Harvard or any other college for that matter, but that doesn’t make me a moron, and I don’t need a calculator to add this up:

James Rhiner, treasurer of defunked Franklin Citizens for Responsible Leadership (the POLITICAL Action Committee that helped defeat four of six sitting aldermen a couple of years ago) + Ted Grintjes, affiliated with defunked PAC Franklin Citizens for Responsible Leadership (who like Rhiner, sits/sat on three key Franklin development committees) + “Current city officials affiliated with the [FCRL] at one time or another including Mayor Tom Taylor, Ald. Steve Olson.”

And isn’t/wasn’t Rhiner and Grintjes on the CDA along with you and the Mayor?

And why do Mayors Taylor and Bolender need a mediator?

Footnotes: www.jsonline.com/.../index.aspx www.jsonline.com/.../index.aspx

re: What will Franklin do without Ted Gringes?

Advocating Mom — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:11:02 GMT

I disagree with you Bryan, that the 27th street steering committee should consist of more elected officials. Many in our community have criticized local government for being to opaque and not allowing/promoting more active citizen involvement. This is a perfect opportunity for more citizens to become involved in the development process. If the Mayor of our City sits on this committee it should be in an ex officio capacity only with no voting privileges. As Steve O pointed out, this is a working advisory committee that does not have the ability to set policy without recommendation and approval from the commissions and Common Council. The accountability already rests squarely on the Common Council.

I do agree, however, that it would be desirable to have more citizen representation from the 3rd and 4th districts on the steering committee.

Who would you suggest as possible candidates to sit on this committee? Do you know of anyone who has the business experience and financial savvy necessary to maximize the effectiveness of the 27ssc? Do you know someone who also has the time to give freely to developing the relationships and networking with existing property owners on 27th street as well as with potential developers?

I would argue that chairing the 27thssc is a full-time job for which most people have neither the ways nor the means to do it for free.

I urge anyone who has these qualifications to contact the mayor and ask to be put on this committee. The line forms to the left......

re: What will Franklin do without Ted Gringes?

fvkeller — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:56:21 GMT

Excellent post, you sure hit the nail on the head, Bryan. I couldn’t agree with you, Kevin (October 16, 2007), and John Michlig more on Grintjes and Rhiner.

If Mayor Taylor should sit on any committee, he should sit on JS27SSC.

And as far as “new blood” is concerned, it’s inexcusable to me that District 3 or 4 have no representation on this committee; the 27th street corridor runs through both Districts.

re: What will Franklin do without Ted Gringes?

Steve O — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:15:45 GMT

Bryan, for the record only the Community Development Authority has a budget and authority to spend it, and in the CDA's particular case, that authority is limited.

The 27th St. Steering Committee had no budget and no authority other than to recommend policy and actions to the two Common Councils. This Committee is a working committee. They need to work and accomplish a staggering list of tasks. So when you ask for new blood, be careful of that request because there is little time to get new blood up to speed. The DOT isn't waiting, developers aren't waiting.

And if the committee becomes "political" then who will be the mediator/match maker/shuttle diplomat? Who will mediate with the Mayors? Who will have the time and skill to meet with the Aldermen from each community to discuss the issues on an individual basis and do it with authority (of knowledge), skill and diplomacy?

Remember that there is at LEAST $2 billion (with a capital B) in development planned and the train has left the station.

Playing catch-up will be very, very difficult.

re: A Great Image for Franklin

Unfettered Candor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 04:49:58 GMT

This is the second tragedy that originated in a Franklin bar since the negligent homicide on Dec. 25, 2008 by a drunken driver that was served after he was witnessed as being drunk at the Buckhorn Tavern.

This case must be languishing somewhere and, by all appearances, Buckhorn will never have their liquor license revoked. I hope that I am wrong.

I will not be surprised if the bar where the murder took place will be afforded the same courtesy.

Something is radically wrong when the establishments that earn themselves bad reputations or serve drunks are permitted to remain licensed by laws that are abject failures.

Then again, whom do lawmakers have in mind when they make laws that are relevant to tavern keepers?

The Tavern League will seek out the bottom feeding legislators that will take contributions to vote for laws that have no concern for the protection of a community and their residents. That will never end.

That leaves only the bottom feeders in our State and local communities who sell themselves out that are really the people to blame.

On the other hand, you have the same amount of unconscionable negligence with enforcement. Case in point:

“It’s against the law to serve someone you know to be intoxicated. . . but I don’t know of it ever being enforced,” said attorney Nina J. Emerson, who heads the Resource Center on Impaired Driving at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

accident tornado siren

accident tornado siren — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:57:14 GMT

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The Morni...er, Afternoon Scramble - 7/2/2008

steveegg — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:52:55 GMT

I warned you today would be a recovery day. It’s a good thing too, because Mary came across the reason why I’m no longer featuring Summerfest acts; they pulled the US Army display. Wyatt Earp remembers that it was this day...