Sendik's...

My first visit this morning was fantastic.  These folks know how to do markets!  Every employee had a ready smile, each was willing to be helpful and created a great experience.  Prices seemed to be very competitive.  Food appearance was superb; selection seemed wonderful; ambiance was excellent...who could ask for anything more (great title for a song, huh)?

If this holds true after they've been open for a month or two, and other locations indicate that to be the case, we've got ourselves a real jewel!  Business seemed to be very strong with few parking spaces available.  However, all went very smoothly inside.  And, samples abound!

MIA?

Our fire chief has been under fire (no pun intended) for some time.  He has been the subject of a remedial program that was cause for his 'cost of living' increase being withheld.  To my knowledge, that money still has not been paid.

There have been repeated rumors that he is not always on duty when he claims to be on duty, as well.  He is required to log in and to log out through the central dispatch system when he comes on duty and when he goes off duty throughout the course of every day on which he is scheduled to work.  I happened to drive west on Willow Creek road on September 3rd and noted that the chief's vehicle was parked in the driveway of his home at precisely 11:00AM.  Another source confirmed that the chief was shown as being at the Waste Management facility during that time period.  I thought it strange that he wouldn't be driving his assigned vehicle.  This morning I learned that he apparently was not at Waste Management since another person was looking for him at the same time and was at that location.  That person, I'm told, was Don Otter, the chair of the Police and Fire Commission.

If this is true, and I believe it to be based on my sources, there ought to be some form of action taken.  I am led to believe this happens with some regularity.

Why A Temporary Committee Appointment?

The General Government and Finance Committee met last evening to deal with budget issues.  Three of the four members were present thus constituting a quorum.  The fourth member, Trustee Langer arrived about an hour after the meeting had been convened.

Why did the Committee Chair, Art Zabel, feel it necessary to appoint another trustee, Mel Ewert, to sit in Langer's place?  Code section 2.09 authorizes such an appointment if a quorum is not present however that was not the case last evening.

Hooray!

After 10:00AM today, we can shop at the new Sendik's Food Market!  I know I will be pleased with the store and I hope that the new traffic will cause the empty spots to fill quickly.  Those who saw it during the pre-Grand opening party were very impressed.

Dangerous Intersection?

I heard from a Germantown citizen yesterday about the intersection of Freistadt and Hwy145.  He was questioning whether or not there had been a review of that intersection for purposes of traffic signals or flashing warning lights.  He also wondered about the accident rate there as contrasted with the community at large.

Police Chief Pete Hoell advised that he recalls this having been the topic on many Public Safety Committee meeting agendas throughout the years.  He advised that this intersection is complicated by the fact that Freistadt east of Fond du Lac avenue is County Trunk Highway (CTH) F and Fond du Lac avenue is STH 145.  So, there is a state highway maintained by the county with state jurisdiction and a County highway.  Germantown's authority extends solely to Freistadt west of Fond du Lac.  That just sounds complicated when we're talking governmental bodies.

Chief Hoell recalled that there had been studies in the past including at least one State study.  He also indicated that the rate of accidents at this intersection was not significantly different than elsewhere in the village.  Given the 45 MPH speed limit on Fond du Lac, though, he said that the accidents that do occur are typically 'T-Bone' crashes that result in personal injury.

Village Administrator Schornack has referred my inquiry to Dan Naze in the Village Engineering area for his input.  Schornack said that he has always disliked this intersection on a personal level.

I'm curious as to whether or not this viewpoint is shared by many or only a few people.  Do you believe that this intersection should have some kind of signals or, at least, warning lights?

Vehicle 'Wheel Tax'...

What are the chances that we'll see this subject debated at the village board level given that Milwaukee just approved a $20 per vehicle 'wheel tax' for all vehicles registered within the county?  I probably shouldn't give anyone any ideas.  If we're trying to find the funds for road repairs, someone is bound to come up with this idea.

These are the kinds of things that can get through the process without too much scrutiny and, once in place, never go away and never go down.  If anything, these kinds of 'fees' go up regularly since they do not appear on a property tax bill and are collected by the state Motor Vehicle Department. 

Special Board Meeting Follow-Up...

The special meeting of the village board was convened at 5:35PM with Trustee Zabel absent but expected soon thereafter.

In the audience were news reporters, two members of the MATC staff and two school board members.  It appeared that there were also individuals from both Waste Management and, possibly, from Veolia.

The discussion on MATC secession centered on the desire by some that a 'co-signature' be provided for the village board to assert its approval of the filing.  There was discussion that since the village is one of several taxing entities, if the village were included, the others would need to be, too.  This was settled when Trustee Langer offered a motion to have a supporting letter attached to the filing by the school district.  After the second, that motion passed unanimously (with Zabel absent). 

The discussion on the possibility of a referendum regarding road repairs dealt with debt levies, budget trade-offs, and state gas tax proceeds.  It became apparent that there was no support for a referendum and that trustees felt it was their responsibility to determine how best to handle the issue without incurring more debt.  Trustee Vanderheiden offered a motion that was seconded by Trustee Langer to that effect.  That motion passed nearly unanimously with Trustee Zabel abstaining since he had arrived midway through this discussion.

The discussion concerning Waste Management and the current labor issues as those were impacting the village followed.  While President Kempinski and Administrator Schornack indicated that each had received calls about delayed pick-ups, the other members of the board were either moot or expressed that they had received no calls.  Discussion as to what would constitute sufficient grounds for action against Waste Management went back and forth.  It seemed to be agreed that there was not sufficient cause to proceed at this point.  Trustee Werderman offered a motion, seconded by Trustee Langer, that this topic of discussion be added to the agenda for the regularly scheduled Board meeting to be held on September 15th.  That motion passed unanimously.

President Kempinski gaveled the meeting to adjournment.

Harley 105th Anniversary Impact From The Police' Perspective...

I was curious as to how the police department viewed the 105th anniversary given the thousands of bikes in our area nearly all hours of the day and night.  Chief Pete Hoell indicated that there was one minor injury accident involving a motorcycle.  He mentioned that he had now experienced the 95th, 100th and 105th reunion celebrations and said, "Overall, as far as I'm concerned, this was a great event and we'll be looking forward to the 110th."

He also provided an anecdote that I think provides a great overview of the typical attendees:

"I was off duty with my kids driving east on Holy Hill Rd. in Richfield on Friday.  I was following a couple of Harley bikes eastbound when a high performance bike (crotch rocket) came from the other direction (westbound) and did a short wheelie from the stop sign.  The biker in front of me was wearing colors, long grey curly hair; typical stereotype of a biker one may think of from earlier years.  When he saw the wheelie and as the high performance bike drove by, the Harley biker made his displeasure of this act very clear and scolded him by shaking his arm and pointer finger at him.  It was a really good example how ethical most Harley bikers are, how willing they are to step up regarding the issue of safety and good behavior."

Nuff said!

Special Board Meeting Follow-Up...

The special board meeting to be convened at 5:30PM tonight deals, in part, with the Waste Management strike and garbage pick-up delays.  I received an email from President Kempinski over the week-end discussing my Village Buzz piece of late last week.

He indicated that the Waste Management topic had been added to the special meeting agenda to "keep the Board apprised as to the status of collection, and determine if the Board wishes to change companies should the company fall even further behind".  He went on to state that he didn't want to change companies but that he felt compelled to explore alternatives in case service should drop to even lower levels.

I had indicated that our personal experience was that Friday's pick-up was made on Friday.  He mentioned that the village had received calls indicating that pick-ups had been delayed two days in some instances.

President Kempinski also discussed the eventuality of switching to Veolia if Waste Management's service degraded to the point where that would be necessary.  His reasoning seemed to be that, if this went on for some time, and if many communities had similar experiences, there could be a wholesale departure from Waste Management that would overwhelm Veolia's capabilities.

He believes that, if Veolia comes back to the village indicating that it would be willing to accept the terms of the Waste Management agreement, the Board would be willing to switch.

A couple of thoughts come to mind:

If the current agreement has a five-day clause and if Waste Management continues to pick up garbage within that time span, does the village have any real recourse?

Even if there is a wholesale move away from Waste Management, maybe Germantown would, by staying with Waste Management after some agreement renegotiation actually see improved service since Waste Management would have less business and would likely be trying very diligently to repair the image damage it would've suffered.

I'll report on the discussion from today's special meeting in a 'Village Buzz' item tomorrow, if not before.

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School District Budget Deliberations...

An earlier segment on the current budget debate within the Germantown School District referred to some debate as to the size and configuration of the budget for the coming year.

It appears that this debate continues and centers on the draft prepared by the Administration which does not yet meet the constraints that at least some Board members feel necessary.  A target amount of $39,495,814 had been established last spring.  The administration has continued to stand behind a proposed budget that is some $650,000 higher.

Obviously, the school district has a relatively new business manager although he did have experience gained as a member of the school board when assuming that position.  There was over-spending in several accounts that were discretionary in nature as opposed to accounts that are relatively 'locked in'.  This apparently has caused some concern as to fiscal constraint. 

We also have a new superintendent who certainly has been working hard to learn his new district's idiosyncrasies and needs while also working to build his board and staff relationships.  That may be at work to some degree but it seems that staff would be anxious to follow its new leader rather than 'stand in the doorway'.

I suppose that staff might be expected to seek more money than the board is willing to provide, but, at some point, posturing has to give ground to reality.

Traffic Signals...

It looks as though the traffic signals in front of the new Sendik's Food Market should be in operation by the time of the store's Grand Opening on September 4th at 10:00AM.  The work seems to have been progressing very nicely.

That intersection appears to have become more dangerous even though the store is not yet open.  Likely the construction itself has caused much of that with restricted visibility once in awhile coupled with gawkers looking at the new lights, etc.

Having seen their advertisements for some of their other locations, I confess that I'm really excited to see our new shopping venue!  Of course, Pick 'n Save will get better, too, or it'll begin to slip in volume.

River Lane...

Similarly, it looks as though River Lane is about to be opened with the second layer of bituminous topping having gone down and the paint striping being completed.  If the traffic light work involved with that reconstruction is progressing at similar or faster rates, then opening day on Tuesday should be fine.

Hats off to the contractors and village officials for pushing both projects along so nicely.  Weather has certainly cooperated.

Waste Management...

I note that our garbage, normally picked up on Friday of each week has been picked up.  That would appear to indicate that the company has recovered, at least so far as Germantown is concerned, since it seemed to be at least a day or more behind as of yesterday afternoon.

On that same note, a special Village Board meeting has been called for Tuesday afternoon at 5:30PM with one of the latest agenda items to be added that of a discussion about the termination of the Waste Management contract which would permit retaining of Veolia as the replacement firm for Germantown.  I understand this was added at the direction of President Kempinski.

I detected no hint of this during my visit yesterday with President Kempinski who told me that he had talked with Veolia but mentioned nothing of any intent to pursue this action in that conversation.

I may have my facts incorrect, and trust that I'll be corrected if that is the case, but I believe the village's agreement with Waste Management requires a period of five days during which garbage hasn't been picked up before the village has the ability to terminate the agreement.

Harley Visitors...

Our guests from all over the globe seem to be having a great time, and have been very nice visitors.  Fortunately it seems that most drivers have adopted extra courtesies and vigilence...and maybe just a little more patience.

All in all, we seem to be headed for another tremendously successful Harley Davidson Anniversary celebration.  I've not seen any estimates of the economic impact for the area but it has to be in the multiple millions of dollars.

I had the opportunity to enjoy a cup of coffee (tea in his case) with our Village President Tom Kempinski this morning.  He extended the invitation and this was actually the second time he had done so.  I appreciated his time and our visit feeling that I had come to better understand the man than before.

We have had some brief conversations as the result of things I've written, but this was the first chance I've had to visit over an hour or so with Mr. Kempinski on a broad range of subjects.  He strikes me as a decent person who wants the best for Germantown.  I never really doubted that but it bears saying anyway.  He is willing to listen to various sides of the discussion but my sense is that he'll stick with his position more often than not.  I sense that he has thought through most things before he engages in discussion and, consequently, has formed fairly strong opinions.  He has a solid negotiating background and that shows in the way he positions things for discussion, etc.

He is a union member and has worked in trucking and has been a union member for many years.  With that having been said, he professes that this does not cloud his vision for the community.  Our meeting this morning came about as the result of my Blog yesterday concerning the Waste Management situation and my thoughts that he might have been trying to add to the pressure being felt by Waste Management with his statement that was published yesterday.  He reiterated that he was, in fact, trying to bring pressure to bear but that this was being done to make Waste Management more responsive to the needs of the citizens in Germantown.

I mentioned that I had heard from some quarters that he was thought to have usurped some of the powers of various committees in the village.  He took exception to that, feeling this was unfair, but explained that his actions have always resulted in a better deal for the village.  He didn't feel that he had stepped on the toes of committee members.  He also was quick to add that no matter what I might have heard, any deals he had done were always done with the best interests of the village uppermost in mind.

His is a much more 'hands on' approach to the position of Village President and he seemed to accept my comment to that effect as a compliment.  In fact, he felt that this set him apart from predecessors and worked to the good of the community.  I suggested that there were some 'rumbles' to the effect that he was sort of a dominating person.  He seemed taken aback by that thought and asked why I would say that.  I mentioned that probably the combination of his deep voice, demeanor and stature in addition to the power of his position could have contributed to that if, in fact, there was more to that than simply 'coffee talk'.  He was a bit concerned with the possibility that people could equate his being a 'teamster' to meaning that he was willing to step on toes.  I suggested that, while the teamster organization had changed considerably, there was certainly the historic view that some teamster activities had relied upon heavy-handed tactics.  He accepted that but hastened to remind me that those where things of long ago and had no place in the modern movement.  He was a 'change agent' in Local 200 and was proud of the accomplishments.

He plans to run for another term as President and expects that he'll have competition.  He mentioned 'sister city' relationships that may be possible with communities in Poland and Germany.  His feeling is that these types of things can only be helpful to Germantown through business relationships, etc. 

We agreed that I would feel free to contact him whenever I had questions, and I suspect that he'll feel free to let me know what he is thinking.  He does not want to get involved in the give and take of the Blog world but I did offer to publish any comments on his behalf as I had done yesterday following our telephone conversation.  In this way, he will be able to be sure that his viewpoint is stated.

We both agreed that we were not anxious to be labeled as anything in particular so far as a political persuasion.  I simply restated that I am conservative both from a social and a fiscal perspective. 

MATC Secession...

It appears that we're finally moving ahead in the effort to have ourselves removed from the MATC district and moved into the Moraine Park Technical College (MPTC) district.  In spite of some village officials' assertions, the timing of this filing and its date of effect wouldn't have changed by filing three months earlier.  That complaint is a 'straw man' from my perspective.

I would suspect that a filing made on behalf of a school district would receive more consideration than had the village filed its own petition.  The school district speaks on behalf of the area while the village would speak on behalf of only the Village of Germantown.  While we're a significant part of the school district, we're not all of it by any means.

Can we make history and become only the second such petition to be successfully brought?  Wouldn't it be interesting since the first and only successful petition was that filed by our area to be removed from the MPTC area and realigned with the MATC area in 1971, if memory serves?

What goes around, comes around...maybe!

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Waste Management Strike...

The village is, of course, served by Waste Management.  The Local 200 teamster members who are employees of Waste Management went out on strike, as you've probably heard, after some four months of trying to resolve issues on behalf of those members.

Village President Tom Kempinski has reportedly threatened to terminate the village's contract with Waste Management apparently to protest the company's inaction, and has supposedly sought an opinion from the village attorney as to whether or not this is possible.  Kempinski is affiliated with Local 200 although he denies that has any direct involvement in this action.

Two things: 

Our service with Waste Management is much improved over that we received from the former servicing company.  I presume that many of those current teamster members were probably also former employees of the last firm that had the Germantown contract.

This seems a very convenient time for Kempinski to be pushing a termination; he appears to be using the village's business to bring even more heat on the Waste Management negotiating team in favor of his fellow teamsters.  That is inappropriate if true, and an unfortunate confluence of events if simply coincidence.

His two lives must be kept separate and distinct.

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The Harley Rumble...

The "Harley Rumble", as I'll call it, has returned to our area.  As I lay my head on the pillow last night, I could hear the sounds that are only made by Harleys waft through the open window.  We're a couple of miles away from Hwy 41/45 so my joy may well have been another's dismay, but it is a great sound that we last heard some five years ago.

Quite a tribute to the small motorized bicycle shop that started in a shed.

And, quite a bump for the local economy.  I had begun to see out-of-towners in Harley garb already patronizing local stores and hotels and watering holes yesterday. 

Traffic Signal Update...

I was reminded, on my trip to the Post Office this morning, that Sendik's is slated to open for business at 10:00AM on Thursday, September 4th.

The crew installing the traffic signals is hard at work but there sure seems a lot of work yet remaining before those are operational.

I made an inquiry to Dave Schornack, Village Administrator, who replied quickly to say that they hope to have that work done and the signals operating by September 3rd.  He hastened to add, however, that this company is also installing signals for the High School and are sort of between a rock and a hard spot (my analogy) since those have to be operational by the start of the school year.

Maybe both can still be working if the weather holds as it seems likely to do.  The long Labor Day week-end won't help, however.

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School Survey...

I realized that we've covered part of the school survey results but never provided the link that will get you the full report.

That can be found by clicking here.

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An Oldie But Goodie...

One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex standing in the foyer of the church staring up at a large plaque.  It was covered with names and small American flags mounted on either side of it.  The six-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood by the little boy, and said quietly, "Good morning Alex".

Alex replied, "Good morning Pastor."  His eyes still focused on the plaque, he said, "Pastor, what is this?"

The pastor said, "Well son, it is a memorial to the young men and women who died in the service."

Soberly, they just stood together staring at the large plaque.  Finally, little Alex's voice, barely audible and trembling with fear asked, "Which service, the 8:30 or the 10:30?"

Proposed School District Budget...

I received an email from School Board Director Bruce Warnimont today with a link to the "work in progress" budget for 2008/2009.  He was careful to point out that the Board has not yet vetted it.  The Finance Committee meets this coming Monday night and it is likely that the budget will be discussed at that meeting.

Comments from the public are viewed as carrying great weight, especially in these formative stages.  Warnimont pointed out, for example, that "Fund 41", in school accounting jargon, is the area where all the larger physical improvement/repair projects get funded.  This is also unique in that this fund's size is established by District residents by direct vote at the Annual Meeting in October.  Once that amount has been set, the Board has no power to alter the appropriation.  While it tends to defy logic, an increase in this fund  does not necessarily mean higher tax rates.  The additional funding, if approved, would come from another area within the budget.

The upshot is this:  If you have some thoughts about things that need to be improved or repaired in the coming year, this is the time to make those thoughts known in person.

I have not had time to review the information found by clicking this link, but want to get it into your hands, if you desire to review it, as soon as possible.

I can tell you that Warnimont doesn't sound too enthusiastic about this draft and there may be others with similar thoughts.  I suspect there may be a move to task the administration to review and revise.  If it were to be approved as stands, it would involve an overall tax levy increase of 11% over last year.  That doesn't translate into an 11% property tax increase, incidentally.  It would threaten the trend of school district-related property tax decreases we've seen recently, however.

McCafe?

Have you noticed the newest signage on the side of the McDonald's on Mequon Road?  What is meant by the word "McCafe" I wondered?

Could it be a new look?  Could it be a promo effort of some kind?

Well...Google to the rescue.  Click here.

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Citizen Observer Program:  Still More...

Some overriding thoughts seem to stay with me as I reflect on my ride along.

Our department is good...very good.  The individuals know their business and are very professional in how they approach their business.

They have everything on their side.  If you're thinking you can get away with something, you are, in my opinion, kidding yourself.  I was really making every effort to see things that Cpl. Delmore saw.  A missing headlight was easy.  The blacked out windows escaped me.  I asked him what triggers a stop and he told me there are literally hundreds of reasons for a vehicle stop.

The reason can be as small, to us, as a license plate light not functioning.  Virtually every vehicle that approaches a squad has been 'clocked'.  The places that are more likely to produce violations are known by every member of the department in every region of the village.  Parking in fire lanes is a favorite, as it should be.  Cruising through a motel parking lot looking for vehicles with local registrations is productive so far as underage drinking and drug use.

Particular times during each shift have their own peculiarities.  Work lets out; bars close, games end, etc.

If you've been stopped before, there is a very good chance the officer will remember you, what the stop entailed and when it occurred.  If you're stopped again by a different officer, they have all the records at their fingertips.  We encountered two or three people in one eight hour block who had been ticketed for something within the prior twelve months.

If you're going to repeat, you're going to get caught.  It is just that simple.  The officers are not there to make your lives miserable; they are there to keep the rest of the citizens safe.

Some repeaters seemed to believe that they were simply in the "wrong place at the wrong time".  Or, they were "hanging with the wrong group at work".  In reality, they were doing a wrong thing again...and they got caught...again.  There are, unfortunately, people who think they can continue down the path without paying a price...or they're impaired to the point that they simply don't think at all. 

I have a better understanding of the technology available to our police officers and I know that only a fool would try to beat "the system".  You might get lucky once in awhile...but you'll lose sooner or later.  With any 'luck' when that happens it won't involve someone else who really was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Fire Department Gear...

The subject of replacement firefighter equipment that was approved and forwarded to the Board for consideration was on the agenda for last night.  The equipment request was nearly scuttled when the Fire Chief, asked if this could be postponed until next year, said yes.  As was indicated in the Village Buzz on August 7th, this equipment was agreed to in return for an ambulance that was able to be postponed.  The department determined that the need for the equipment was more important than the need for another new ambulance at this time.

Trustee Langer, as a former firefighter, initiated a discussion that probably turned the tide and the result was a unanimous vote of approval by the Board.

I am not a firefighter...but it is difficult for me to understand why the chief wasn't more adamant about protecting the safety of the men and women who fight the fires.  To simply roll over in the face of a question seems inappropriate to me.  I would, if I were a firefighter, be very concerned about the leadership displayed.  I am, as a citizen, happy that the people who may someday need to save me will be properly equipped.

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Citizen Observer Program: Yet More Thoughts...

I had indicated that I wouldn't identify the officer with whom I rode but he has indicated that he doesn't mind if I do so.  My assigned 'keeper' was Corporal Dan Delmore, a twelve year veteran of the Germantown Police Department.  He graduated with an Associate degree, found a part-time job as an officer for two different small communities in NE Wisconsin while he tried to find his break.  That came in the form of the Germantown department.

Since then, Cpl. Delmore has completed his Bachelor's degree and has just been awarded his Master's degree in Police Science.  This is an example of the professionalism in our department as well as amongst our police officers.  I confess that I grew up in a world where the local policeman might well have had to take the job because it was all he could find.  His training, if any, was rudimentary.  It is not that way at all anymore...(If it ever was; maybe my recollections have become blurred over the years)....and that is great for you and me.

We were engaged in supporting another officer in a Disorderly Conduct incident during my ride along.  This resulted in me being able to see the process of booking up close.  The person involved was not disruptive and had been through the process before.  I was the only 'newbie' in the booking room.  The photos were taken, the prints were taken (electronically now...not using ink), and the complaint was completed (also electronic).  The accused was permitted to make calls to try to arrange for bail money.  That looked promising early on but it fell apart after the booking was completed.  We learned that after returning to the squad and resuming patrol when a message was received from the arresting officer that he was en route to the Washington County jail.

As I reflect on these experiences, I am amazed that our officers don't become jaded by everything to which they're exposed.  It must be very difficult to avoid seeing the entire community through the prism of illegal conduct.  I was surprised that the officers who were on the scene in this incident were able to defuse a tense situation without any significant force being used.  The tempers were calmed.  The players seemed to have accepted their individual roles in the situation and were resigned to the situation that resulted.  The presence of authority, the knowledge that force was a possibility and the professionalism of the police officers made this something survivable for all the participants. 

I asked Cpl. Delmore about the thought of not surviving another day.  He told me that he is aware of that every time he leaves the Police station.  I guess you need to understand your vulnerabilities so that you're able to guard against complacency.  This is, after all, a matter of life and death.

It is not just a 'ride along' as it was for me.

Village Investments...

I sought out some information from Kim Rath, Germantown's Director of Finance and Treasurer based on the article I read in the August 14th column in the Community Now newspaper.  That mentioned that the village had some $25 million in invested funds and I was curious.  That seemed like a lot of money for a community fighting through tax issues, and so on.

Ms. Rath was more than helpful, even responding when she wasn't in the office.  She advised that the $25 million was the amount that the village had on hand on that date.  It included current operating cash as well as the total of all funds.  Those funds included the general fund, utilities, impact fees, special revenue funds, TIF funds and capital project (borrowed) funds.

I had also asked about the reserves carried by the village.  She advised that, in round numbers, there is an estimated $1.5 million in general fund reserves, approximately $1.5 million in the water utility fund and about $5.4 million in the sewer utility fund.

I wondered how these amounts were invested, other than the cash accounts.  Ms. Rath advised that the new organization, RBC would be managing some $3 million that was comprised of some general fund monies, impact fees, special revenue funds (canine and asset forfeitures), water and sewer utility funds and the health and dental plan funds.  The current operating funds are held in the State Trust fund and by Associated Bank.

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Citizen Observer Program:  More Thoughts...

I related a few of the things that happened in the first hour of my ride along.   The accident required a significant amount of time for the gathering of witness information, photographs depicting the damage to both vehicles, diagramming of the scene for future reference, checking of driver's license and vehicle registrations, etc., etc.  The team of officers that were on the scene seemed to understand what the officer in charge needed in terms of assistance.  The fire and EMT crews operated virtually independently of the police team assuring that any injuries were dealt with quickly, and assisting with any spills, etc. that might have been present. 

As soon as this was over, we were back on patrol.  The officer to whom I had been assigned knew his area very well.  If there were likely areas for speeding, he knew them.  He predicted that we'd see a speeder after pulling off to the side of the road, and there couldn't have been more than a two minute time period elapsed before it happened.  A young man came over a rise and was immediately tagged at something in the range of twenty miles per hour over the limit.  He reacted almost instantly as he passed the squad and recognized it as a squad.  By the time the officer had turned to go back in that direction, the truck was pulling over.  As a matter of fact, there was no hesitation on the part of any of the drivers stopped during this tour.  Everyone seemed to realize that he or she was the intended target of the flashing lights.

My observations of each incident was made from a few feet behind the officer as he interviewed the occupants, tried to make determinations about the presence of alcohol, etc.  Several of the incidents involved people with prior records that were less than 12 months old.  Several involved alcohol use by a person between the ages of 18 and 21.  Several involved people driving with suspended licenses.  I was quite surprised at the numbers and the officer confirmed that what I was seeing was more the norm than an exception.

We returned to the police building at about 10:00PM where the third shift roll call was being conducted.  At the beginning of each duty shift, the officers are briefed on the things that have already happened on the preceding shift as well as any other special situations that may be important to them.

Each officer is assigned a patrol area, checks the assigned squad vehicle extensively to assure everything is in order, verifies the calibration of the onboard 'radar' system, etc.  The trunk of a squad car is full of equipment including a GPS unit so that the dispatcher and other officers are aware of where each unit is at a given time.  Laptop computers are found in each squad.  There was a system 'bug' that evening and we were without the computer until the time of the accident when the Captain brought a plug-in air card with him.  That worked well through the rest of the ride.  The dispatchers were on top of their games as well.  Requested data was relayed quickly using both plain language and the '10' language I grew up with when watching Highway Patrol with Broderick Crawford (how's that for dating one's self?)

It is a very effective team that responds well under pressure.

More to come in the next day or two.

Citizen Observer Program: Initial Observations...

I have always thought that 'someday' I'd love to be able to spend a little time with a police officer during duty hours.  That seemed like a good way to gather information about how they function, what they encounter, and about our community.

Well, the Citizen Observer role was mine during the period from 6:00PM on Saturday through 2:00AM on Sunday.  I was assigned to one of the officers who would be out and about.  I would love to name the officer, but they are a team and I would only be able, in that manner, to call out a single person.  This team is composed of those who handle incoming calls and dispatch officers to situations.  It involves the leadership team in place for every shift; they are sometimes seen at various locations and other times are largely behind the scenes.  It involves those officers who walk into the situation having to be prepared for any eventuality.  And, it involves the support people back in the headquarters location.

My intent is to do a series of Village Buzz editions that discuss our public safety arena.  I will tell you up front that I am a solid booster for Chief Pete Hoell and his team.  They do a lot that most of us never know about, but those are the things that need to be taken care of to give us the peace of mind we enjoy in our community.  They are the reason I can go to bed each night without worrying about my safety and that of my loved ones.

Our 'tour of duty' involved young cyclists being praised for wearing their helmets while being reminded to always ride on the side of the roadway.  That earned them a couple of free McDonald's cones and probably a little higher heart rate than they'd had just before their encounter.  I saw a very compassionate and caring officer who was thinking about them, about the reputation of the force and about the community.

A pizza delivery person enjoyed a little break while he learned that one of his headlights was out.  Two young people were in a vehicle that had 'blacked out' windows which were beyond the permissible level.  One of them proved to have been consuming alcohol while under the legal age.  Another call involved an auto accident that, thankfully, didn't seem to result in serious injury although the fire department EMT team succeeded in having the young female driver taken to Community Memorial just to be sure there were no concealed problems of which she was unaware.

Interestingly enough, that call actually occupied every available squad, a fire engine and an ambulance.  We were critically short of response capability during that episode.  Had a fire, ambulance or accident call (or combination) hit during that period, the overall response would have been challenging to say the least.  These are things we don't think much about except when village budget time rolls around and we try to find ways to cut costs.  Or when we are the ones waiting for help.  Some cuts hit muscle and not fat.

The things mentioned above occurred in the first hour of my full shift 'ride along'.  As I was reminded, this was way before the closing time for bars and taverns when the police and fire team often finds itself very gainfully employed.

My overall initial observations were these:  Our police department is operating in a lean manner.  It has space issues even with the old library building having been in use for some time.  We need to find a way to accommodate more space at a reasonable cost to taxpayers.  The patrol force has not been expanded in numbers for years even though our population has been increasing on a regular basis.  Paper work still is a signifcant time consumer even with computers, etc.  An upgrade to the current system hoped to be accomplished in the next year will see printers in each squad to eliminate the actual hand writing of every ticket.  (And no, there isn't a 'quota' of tickets for the officer.  That is against the law.)  Morale appears to be very high; the team seems quite functional while permitting some individual flexibility in how the officer pursues his or her shift.  This strikes me as a professional unit and that comes from the top all the way down the depth chart.

I feel proud of them as a citizen and taxpayer.

MATC Director Response...

I sent an email to the MATC PR person on July 30th seeking information about former superintendent Victor Rossetti's continued membership on the MATC Board of Directors.

I mentioned that I was aware that Mr. Rossetti had vacated his home in Germantown.  I also asked, that since he had moved and since he was no longer the superintendent of Germantown Schools, if he would be removed as a Director.

Kathleen Hohl, MATC Public Relations Director sent her response to me today:

"Mr. Campbell,

Thank you for your July 30, 2008,inquiry.  Milwaukee Area Technical College does not have knowledge that Dr. Rossetti has moved outside the District boundaries, nor has he resigned from the District Board of Directors."

I have since learned that he moved to the Madison area which I know is "outside the District boundaries".  It would seem that MATC could've made that determination by this time, as well, if it were interested.  I wonder if there will be any change in the Directors prior to June, 2009 or if the District and Germantown will remain unrepresented.

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Change in Village Investment Advisors...

I received an email from a Germantown resident raising several questions about the announced change in investment advisors that saw RBC and its local representative named to replace the existing organization.  The resident was concerned as to whether or not other entities had been interviewed, or whether an RFP had been issued and competing bids received.  His concern was that this might represent too cozy (my words) a relationship.

I emailed Dave Schornack, the Village Administrator and received his response promptly. 

He advised that the local person had made an unsolicited approach to the village through Kim Rath, Village Finance Director/Treasurer.  That led to the proposal he made being reviewed by the General Government and Finance Committee which approved the proposal and submitted it to the full Village Board.  The Board approved the proposal with three dissenting votes.

Mr. Schornack said that the village is not required to go to bid and that this proposal represented better value than was being received.  Apparently the service being received left something to be desired according to Ms. Rath although no formal requests for proposal had been generated.

I feel sure there was nothing untoward involved in this change.  I am concerned, however, that there seems to be some precedent being established that may be difficult to follow in the future. 

Another recent matter involved a Germantown businessman who sought a meeting on the website redesign only to learn, after interest had seemed to wane, that the existing relationship with the Ruekert & Mielke engineering firm had been expanded to encompass this redesign effort without having been put out to bid.  This was done, apparently, in order to consolidate all such activities in one vendor relationship for the Village.

Beyond this, there have been instances where committee efforts with bids taken were superceded by direct action on the part of a village official.  This involved actions where vehicles were purchased by the village for the Police Department and for the Senior Center.  I am not privy to the financial aspect of these arrangements and, again, have no reason to believe anything improper was involved.

I certainly would favor residents and local business owners being favored with village business provided that everything was fully transparent.

My concern is that things handled in this manner can cause consternation that might have otherwise been avoided had they been handled differently.

Karthauser Greenhouse Construction...

I received an email asking what was being built in front of the Karthauser Greenhouse complex along Hwy 145.  I hadn't noticed this and asked Trustee Al Vanderheiden if he could shed light on this for the reader and me.

He responded that it was a berm.  A contractor involved in a DOT project was apparently looking for a site where dirt could be disposed of and thought to ask this firm if it would like a berm.  Unfortunately, apparently nothing was discussed with the Village Planning Commission and a halt has been called until that can be accomplished according to Vanderheiden.

Special Committee of the Whole Meeting Wednesday...

A Committee of the Whole meeting has been called for this coming Wednesday evening and will be conducted behind closed doors.  The indications are that this meeting has been called to review several personnel situations.  Fire Chief Gary Pollpeter's performance is to be discussed as well as that of Village Administrator Dave Schornack.  The inclusion of Mr. Schornack is a bit of a surprise from my perspective.  Chief Pollpeter has come under criticism from Trustee Jim Langer as has been reported.

In terms of unofficial 'buzz', I had thought that Mr. Schornack had been felt to be performing well based on comments, Board meetings, etc.  He had been tasked with a plan of action aimed at curing issues the Board seemed to feel were apparent with the Fire Chief.  I don't know if the two discussions each involve the other or not.

A third agenda item is said to be a discussion of the search for a new Public Works department head. 

No action is able to be taken in such meetings, so it is likely some time will pass before we begin to discern what has taken place and on what, if anything, action will be taken.

There can certainly be intrigue and infighting even at the village level.  Although few will ever admit this.

Public Safety Committee meeting...

This committee meeting was called to order last evening by Chair Dean Wolter with Trustee Werdering absent due to vacation.  Trustees Ewert and Vanderheiden were present.

Among the items discussed were these:

The Fire Department presented its proposal for the purchase of 28 new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) units.  These would replace the old units that are now comprised of units with seven different safety devices that can be confusing for firefighters.  The new units are equipped with new masks that feature a 'heads up display" (HUD) that permits the firefighter to glance at the bottom of his or her sight line to see the minutes of air remaining, will provide for uniformity to enhance training and that permit computerized overviews of firefighter locations in fire situations.  These units come with a price tag of $116,973.50.  The committee unanimously approved forwarding this proposal to the Village Board with a recommendation for approval.

Additionally, four new hydraulic cots and stair chairs that are much improved over the old units that have been causing injury to firefighters in some situations were discussed and approved for forwarding to the Village Board with a positive recommendation.

The upshot in all this is that an ambulance that had earlier been included in budget numbers at a cost of some $185,000 was agreed to be dropped so that these items (with a cost totaling some $173,000) could be recommended to the Board for approval.  The Village has four ambulances with the oldest being about 5 to 6 years and all are deemed to be serviceable.  This discussion actually began a year or more ago according to my recollection and was finally brought forward for action.

Preliminary discussions involving budgets for the coming year were conducted by Police Department and Fire Department personnel.

A proposed ordinance regarding student use of electronic communication devices that have been forbidden during school hours was passed to the Board with a recommendation for approval.  This would result in violations being written up and with fines in the area of $90 being assessed.  There is believed to be a need for something beyond the school regulations that seem to be disregarded in some instances.

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Sendik's Ribbon Cutting Ceremony...

Invitations have been sent to Trustees and others by the Balistreri Family to celebrate the opening of their Sendik's Food Market on September 4th at 9:30AM.

There will be several speakers including the developer and Sendik's representatives.  Also included are several state and local politicians and the head of the local Chamber.  I didn't see Trustees from the district that includes the new market included, nor were there any Washington County Supervisors from our community included.  Senator Darling was included on the speaker's list but Rep. Jeskewitz' name was not included.  President Tom Kempinski and Trustee Dean Wolter were on the speakers list, as well.

It is great to see the new store opening when it said it would.  Competition is a good thing.

Apparently there is a private, invitation only, affair being held the night before.  My invitation must be in the mail :)

Wal-Mart Security System...

Wal-Mart is installing a fairly elaborate ADT security system in its parking lots today.  There appear to be multiple cameras on multiple poles that will effectively 'see' everything in the parking areas. 

I suspect this may have been prompted by the fairly recent series of attacks on women who were either entering or leaving their vehicles.  There certainly could be other reasons behind this, as well.  It has become fairly common to hear of shop lifters being apprehended and this certainly won't harm that process.

Whatever is/was the reason for the decision, I suspect that mostly only the 'bad guys' will find this objectionable.  I know there are some who believe that all these security devices are a threat to our individual freedoms.  We can be 'seen' as we travel on expressways, we can be 'seen' as we pass through various intersections, we can be 'seen' by security systems both inside and, now, outside retail establishments.

While this kind of information could be used improperly, I have, so far at any rate, faith in our system.  I prefer that our authorities have more rather than less data at their disposal in order to catch 'bad guys'.  We read of the benefits to society on a very regular basis.

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Germantown Community Library...

Kudos to the fine folks at our library who always treat me in a most courteous and pleasant manner.  I only recently 'discovered' that I could read as much as I liked without having to spend untold hundreds of dollars to satisfy my craving for more and more books.

This is, of course, my better half's fault since she encouraged me to try 'fiction' instead of all the dull non-fiction stuff I had been reading most of my adult life.

My regular visits are always rewarded with a smile and a nice word or two.

Village Budget...

A few days ago, I Blogged about the "zero budget increase" discussions that have commenced within the Village Board and the concern I had that we could potentially see some valuable things axed that we might later regret not having properly funded.

I have been discussing participating in the police ride-along program and in becoming one of the next class that goes through the Citizen Police Academy (CPA) program.  My hope is that these experiences will give me a much better understanding of our police department.  I think these are good examples of things that have virtually no added cost but that are immensely important to the community.

The ride-along program is just as it sounds.  A citizen is given the opportunity to ride along with an officer during the regular patrol routine of that officer.  There is no added cost to the community.  Both the citizen and the officer complete after-action reports so that the program's value can be constantly monitored and improved upon as necessary.

The CPA program is similar although police instructors do participate in compensatory time off if they are involved on an 'overtime' basis for their segment of these sessions.  The comp time earned in this fashion, if any, can only be taken by the officer when it doesn't create a vacancy for the force.  The 'graduates' have, in the past, felt a kinship that has resulted in citizen donations for various things that the department would've otherwise not been able to secure or that would've otherwise been funded by tax dollars.  The crime prevention budget has community-based donors, the alumni of the program volunteer to assist with many police department outreach programs, and the community as a whole benefits with virtually no taxpayer dollars used.

This is but one example of the types of things I hope will not be adversely impacted during the coming budget debates.

If you happen to see the Curmudgeon in a squad in the not too distant future, I trust I'll be in the front seat and not cuffed in the back seat!

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Papa John's Pizza...

I don't know when this happened or why it happened, but when we called for a pizza last Saturday evening, the phone wasn't answered.  When we went to place our order in person, the doors were locked and a note taped to the door thanked customers for the last ten years.  It sure didn't seem like ten years had passed since that store opened in Germantown. 

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Sendik's Market in Village Centre...

will open soon after Labor day according to a Business Journal release this afternoon quoting Greg Devorkin of Devo Properties.  Devorkin said that the 52,000 square foot store is hiring about 135 full and part-time positions to staff the new store.

I wonder what kind of traffic the new Sendik's will have upon opening?  I suspect that prices will be a bit higher on some items than either of the other two markets in Germantown but I also suspect that selection will be better for specialty items.

The other thing of interest will be to judge the reaction, if any, on the part of Pick 'n Save just a few hundred feet to the west.

Zero Increase Budget...

The Village Trustees met to begin discussions about the coming budget process this past Wednesday evening.  The Village President has expressed his desire to see a 'no hiring' policy to cover the next five years.  Others have begun to talk about layoffs of existing village employees; shortened work weeks; service reductions, and so on.

This comes against the back-drop of discussions about a referendum on road repairs and tax increases to support that to the tune of $1 to $2 million dollars per year.  Short of that, the money would be borrowed and the costs of pay-back and interest would be added to the budget.

All this is a bit premature given the fact that we don't have a clue as to what the final figures from the State of Wisconsin will be and won't until mid-August or beyond.

My concern is very simple.  I would hope that we don't permit ourselves to get so focused on a zero increase budget to the exclusion of things we ought not be cutting.  There must be a balance between taxing and services.  Some services, such as police and fire seem to be about as thin today as would be prudent.  Fuel costs obviously will drive up the police budget; does that mean the police department should be cut in order to maintain a 'zero' budget increase?  I think that would be the rough equivalent of tossing the baby out with the bath water.

That is but one example.

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MATC Board Question Response...

I have received no response since sending the email requesting information as to the status of the Director position that former superintendent Victor Rossetti held for the past months. 

It may be that MATC simply has not had time to respond.  It may be that their 'non-response' is the response.

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Traffic Signals At Mequon & Legend...

Given that today is August 1st, it looks unlikely to me, as a layperson, that the intersection will have signals installed prior to the opening of the new Sendik's location.  My recollection was that it was scheduled to open in early-September...and, I don't doubt that they'll hit that target, if not open sooner, given the huge level of activity apparent.

MATC Board...

Former superintendent Victor Rossetti has apparently moved from Germantown.  I have no idea to where he has relocated but his home has a sold sign in front and the new owners are moving in.

I have sent an email to MATC seeking information about his status as a Director.  The MATC website shows that his term is currently set to run through June 2009.  Requirements for positions as a Director are spelled out in quite some detail and residency is one of those requirements.

Some commenters have speculated in the past that MATC selected Mr. Rossetti to appease the residents/taxpayers of the Germantown School District.  Whether or not that was part of the selection process and decision I'm unaware. 

It seems that MATC would probably need to vacate his position through his resignation and I suspect that an appointment would be forthcoming to fill out the roster of Directors.  Among the requirements was the stipulation that one of the positions must be filled by a superintendent.  I don't know if MATC would consider our new superintendent or not, but it does seem that someone will need to be selected to fill that position.

If and when I receive a response to my email, I'll certainly publish the contents.

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Lilac Lane Bridge Out?

There have been signs across the roadway on both ends of Lilac Lane announcing that the bridge crossing the river is out.  This occurred relatively close to the time of closure of Maple Road where a new bridge was placed into service.  Maple Road has been open to traffic for at least a week and probably more.

Inquisitive as I am, I drove down Lilac Lane this afternoon and discovered that the old bridge is still there and still navigable albeit with a wide swing around barriers on either side of the bridge.  I don't know what is happening there but presume that plans have been delayed for some reason. 

It seems that the signs might be removed or moved off to the side of the road to permit regular traffic flow until work commences.  Those of us who make regular use of that road have been compelled to travel a distance to the north or the south to get where we're going.