The Brookfield Scene - All Comments

re: Brookfield's Convention & Visitors Bureau

Richard J. Steinberg — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:28:06 GMT

After just viewing the web voice message of the Chamber of Commerce Director, she mentioned shopping, shopping and shopping as a virtue of our City. Economic Development seems to be in the spotlite and a major priority topic in city government. What about the residents ? Ribbons are cut but taxes are not.

re: Brookfield's Convention & Visitors Bureau

My Two Cents — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:19:28 GMT

What "further economic development" does Speaker foresee? We've made our main streets a traffic nightmare. There's no room to park your car to patronize all the chain restaurants at the Square. Is there any land left to pave over or build up? There's something fishy about the push to secede from the BCVB. Too bad we can't get some accountability from the Mayor and his staff.

re: Policing the city

Larry Knetzger — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 15:28:54 GMT

Hi Janet, the two man squads are not a bad idea. Lets the driver pay more attention to driving and other drivers than trying to observe whats happening off the street. The partner also is a great safety factor for that one occasion where there really can be a violent confrontation with the public. No police officer wants to be a one man super hero and risk injury.

re: Policing the city

brookreader — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:38:42 GMT

While your opinion on two-'man' patrols makes sense in theory, don't you think that there are more experienced people on the Police force who have considered this course of action already?

There are other variables that neither you, nor I, are familiar with that went into these decisions. Is it reasonable to think that the Brookfield Police Department missed something as simple as this, and yet in your free time you solved one of the major problems associated with this switch to a more energy efficient Police force?

If the Brookfield "mall" had difficult crime problems, they would have instituted restrictive age policies and security guards similar to those at Mayfair Mall.

I also think your tone is unwarranted when you remind the Police Department that "enforcing the speed limits on city streets could also make our roads safer and generate revenue for the city." That is obvious, and insinuating that they do not enforce speed limits is ridiculous.

re: Week One: DOT & Bluemound Road

My Two Cents — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:07:08 GMT

Since fines double in work zones, the orange barrels are crucial to funding the reconstruction project. Not only did taxpayers pay for the trees last time, we will now be making "donations" to pay for the new streetscaping! Drive safe and SLOW!

re: Min Kanavas

My Two Cents — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:06:34 GMT

I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet Min at the Elmbrook Historical Society. When I think of her, I think of flowers. The flowering crabapple tree is a perfect remembrance of her.

re: Min Kanavas

Cindy — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:44:08 GMT

"Boundless energy" is an understatement! I'm so glad there will be a tree for her at the Dousman. A crabapple is a perfect choice. When it blooms, it will come close to being as vibrant as Min.

re: Celebrate the Past and Present of Brookfield Community

My Two Cents — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:22:39 GMT

Compliments to the Elmbrook Historical Society for saving the Dousman Stagecoach Inn. There are so few historical sites left in Brookfield. Check the "Your Photos" section of BrookfieldNow website for a photo of the east Ruby Farm yellow barn which will face the wrecking ball any day now. You have to click on "full gallery" to find it. It was submitted by Alderman Jerry Mellone who fought along with the neighborhood to save the structure. You can't drive by it anymore since Calhoun Road is now closed to traffic. It's a dark day in Brookfield.

re: Learn About Ten Chimneys & the Lunts

Santa's Elf — Fri, 16 May 2008 04:49:51 GMT

Naw, knowing Janet as I do, I'll bet she meant 'sinning'!

re: Learn About Ten Chimneys & the Lunts

My Two Cents — Thu, 15 May 2008 23:43:36 GMT

Janet, I bet you mean Mike Drew is a "winning" writer, don't you? Don't you love typos?

re: This Place Matters

Brookfield1947 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:14:37 GMT

OK Mr. Berg, are you listening now ?

re: This Place Matters

My Two Cents — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:59:03 GMT

I seem to recall Mayor Speaker talking about making Brookfield a "destination city." When I look for a place to spend some quality time, I think of going to a place like Cedarburg or Lake Geneva where they have made an effort to preserve their charm and history. People don't travel to Europe for offices and retail, they go for the history and art. I can find fast food chains and malls anywhere. We need to appreciate and protect our history before its all gone. The "improvements" done to the village were not what we need. Higher buildings and bright reproduction street lamps didn't do anything for historic preservation. Keep putting the word out, Janet.

re: This Place Matters

Brookfield1947 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:39:24 GMT

The city dropped the ball on historic preservation as evident by considering to do something but not doing anything. There is more value long term in preserving the history of a place versus tax dollars from development of bland office and retail.

re: This Place Matters

My Two Cents — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:41:15 GMT

I agree with QUOTABLE. It's very disconcerting that every time Ms. Wintersberger comments on subjects with a historical slant, she gets slammed by Mr. Berg as he critizes the Town. Although Janet lives in Town of Brookfield, she is a Board Member of the Elmbrook Historical Society. Along with Elm Grove and other communities, we have every right to be concerned with the dwindling historic sites. I seem to recall a southside neighborhood group promoting the Historic Preservation Ordinance at City Hall. I think the big money in Brookfield had a louder voice.

re: This Place Matters

Quotable — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:05:33 GMT

Thank you Janet for another wonderful article filled with interesting local tidbits and great opportunities for family fun in our community.

Please do not be offended by those who would divide our community by looking past your wonderful contributions in journalling our many assets, and focus on a consideration made a decade ago to forego historic preservation.

Keep up the good work. If the weather's agreeable, we'll attend the activities at the Douseman Stagecoach Inn this weekend. Thank you again for the timely reminder.

re: This Place Matters

Scott Berg — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:47:13 GMT

The City of Brookfield considered a historic building preservation ordinance in the 1990's. An inventory of historic city structures was done at that time and is still the primary source of information on historic structures for city planning.

The preservation ordinance was vehemently opposed by residents who felt it was an unnecessary intrusion on personal freedom. The chief opponents were from the Brookfield Village area (Brookfield Road by the railroad tracks), the location of many such buildings, who felt that requiring preservation would scare away potential buyers of their properties. The Village nodal plan adopted a few years ago does have some preservation aspects, but again opposition from residents made restrictions impossible. Having served on that task force, I remember the public comments and letters. I do not recall a single member of any historical preservation society attending or making any appeal for such rules. The one possible exception is a single resident known as the champion for preserving the old railroad depot. I believe that it's still owned by the railroad.

Aren't elected officials supposed to listen to the voters? Doesn't the total lack of interest by people claiming to be most interested in local history at the task force meetings devoted to the Village speak volumes?

By the way, does the Town of Brookfield have a preservation ordinance or even a formal inventory of buildings that might be considered historic?

re: Since the 1960s

Brookfield1947 — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:35:28 GMT

Well Jeff, I think they need to do a better job of spacing commercial/high density from residential. That's the point, scenes like that in the picture are now contained to pockets within Brookfield while surrounded by increasingly heavy traffic encouraged by the infrastrucure expansion that the city seems to welcome. I think city officials need to broaden their perspective and look at other communities, even local like Elm Grove where they have maintained the quaintness, almost surreal fealing of being in the country while still in the city. The way Brookfield is headed it's just another bland suburb with strip malls and dense residential, no differentiation from the rest. I've lived all over the country and just hate to see a community like Brookfield lose its identitiy for purposes that are very short sighted.

re: Since the 1960s

Jeff B — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:51:14 GMT

The brookfield concept you cite has NOTHING to do with the number (or size)of houses, apartments, condos, or development. It only specifies the desire to maintain properties and not put up property divisions. I wonder if at some point you need an assisted living facility you will chose one in brookfield that you seem to be against. Where do you want the people that need these facilities to go?

re: Since the 1960s

Practically Speaking — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:27:05 GMT

Janet, I couldn't agree more. The Brookfield I moved to in 1986 is not the Brookfield I live in now. :(

I have spoken before the Common Council/Plan Commission a few times about the danger of having too many apartments and condominiums in a community, but it just fell on deaf ears. If Capitol Heights is any barometer, it seems demand is not there at this time. Retail vacancies lead me to believe the demand for more retail is not there either.

Seeing that my 1 acre lot is valued at $125,000 leads me to believe single family homes are still in demand, however.

re: A little bit of green

Brookfield1947 — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:50:18 GMT

It's a piece of Brookfield history, why ruin it with some bland strip mall like the rest of Bluemound.