View from the Green

What is all the fuss about the Bradley Center?  You may have read that Governor Doyle has requested $500,000 a year for ten years for a total of $5 million through bonding authority for maintenance of the building.  This is natural; any building which is twenty-one years old is going to require some maintenance and up-dating.  I like the BC.  I go there a lot during the college basketball season and I have been going every season since it was built. The concession areas are good and have been up-dated.  The areas for walking to your section or milling around at half time are large enough to accommodate plenty of people and the two atriums at the east and west ends bring light and space to the building.  Some people want to tear down the building and start over because they are afraid the Bucks will leave if we do not provide them with a better building.  Would you tear down your new house after twenty-one years?  I personally don’t care if the Bucks leave.  The building seats 18,600 for basketball and Marquette, the Admirals, and arena football seem very satisfied with the BC.  In addition to sports the BC very nicely accommodates ice shows, concerts and other events.  And for those who want and can afford more comfort, it has plenty of suites.  You may recall that the BC was a gift to southeastern Wisconsin.  Let’s keep it.  We don’t need a new arena.

It’s Monday morning March 9 and I’m reading the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.  The main article in the Local Section is about the dismissal of the President of Milwaukee Area Technical College.  What strikes me is not the decision the MATC Board made, but the list of Board members.  They are all appointed.  None are directly elected to the Board and this Board has taxing authority for the District.  The nine members of the MATC Board are appointed by a group of twenty-five school administrators.  Since the District goes beyond the boundaries of Milwaukee County, the Board is making taxing decisions affecting those in Milwaukee County and beyond.  So why do we allow an appointed Board to tax us?  Isn’t this taxation without representation?  It happens because the Wisconsin technical college districts were set-up that way by the state legislature.  In other words, it’s the law; but the law can be changed if enough taxpaying citizens complain about it.  Let’s complain and get this law changed.

Milwaukee Common Council President Willie Hines Jr. recently proposed that the Milwaukee Public Schools add character building classes to its curriculum or integrate this topic into all of its classes.  This is an excellent idea. One definition of character education is the development of life skills necessary for a good/productive personal and social life such as, reasoning skills, emotional skills, social skills and positive character traits including respect, responsibility, courage, perseverance, honesty, fairness, caring, civility, and citizenship.  How can anyone argue with that!  It is not clear if MPS is aware of the character education movement in this country.  While it may say that it does all of the above throughout the curriculum, it appears that it does not do it in a formal, planned way.  There is an active curriculum movement in character education in this country. Some school districts in Wisconsin and other parts of the country are way ahead of MPS in implementing it.  There are Centers for the teaching of character education at universities on the east and west coasts.  These Centers educate teachers and school administrators on what Character Education is and how to implement it. MPS and other school districts in Wisconsin should contact these Centers and learn how to establish character education programs in their districts.  With the turmoil that exists in some of our schools and in society in general, particularly in urban/suburban areas, we need to help families by starting to teach students about respect, responsibility, honesty, fairness, caring, courage, civility, and good citizenship.

I don’t normally comment about another person’s blog.  Usually it is not appropriate.  However, I feel strongly that I have to comment on a blog written by a Franklin blogger in early January and printed by the Milwaukee Journal in the southwest sections of the NOW.com paper version on January 15.  He dealt with the issue of some nursing mothers who wanted to put pictures of themselves nursing on their Facebook accounts on the Internet.  In a condescending way he said in the blog “Sorry, sweetheart, but not everyone wants to see that. And not everyone wants to see you breast-feeding wherever you darn well feel like it.” He then pointed out that a state senator was trying to get sponsors to introduce legislation allowing breast-feeding in public.  I think he was trying to make two points: one, he didn’t think pictures of nursing mothers should be on Facebook and, two, we really don’t need a law in this area.  He did say that he was not opposed to breast-feeding.  I hope not; it’s a pretty natural thing to do and healthy for the baby. 

What is his problem here?  If Facebook doesn’t want these pictures, I guess is up to them, but I personally don’t see any harm in it as long as it is done discreetly.  And I am also not sure, as he is, that we need a law in Wisconsin on this, unless many people are objecting when they see a woman breast-feeding in public.  I think it is the woman’s right.  I came across women breast-feeding twice recently; one in a restaurant in Johnson Creek and one at a board meeting I was attending – no problem.  Why is this guy getting all upset about a natural and beautiful event?

If you have listened to the Kathy and Judy program on WGN radio, you may know that they do a segment on Wednesdays call “Speak Your Piece”.  The basic idea is to call in and say in one or two sentences what really bugs you or gets you upset about daily life.  It is sort of a way to get issues “off your chest”.  With that in mind, I have decided to list some of the things that really bug me.  Here are some of them:

            Guys who keep their baseball caps on while eating in a restaurant. What did their

            Mothers teach them? 

            Drivers, particularly in southeastern Wisconsin, who drive slowly in the left lane

            on the freeway.  Please move over.

            People in the grocery check-out line who engage in a conversation with the clerk

            and forget there are people behind them.

            Drivers who tailgate when I am driving.  Keep you distance!

            People talking on cell phones in their cars. (I must admit that I occasionally do this.)

If you are interested, let me know what bugs you in the comment section but remember that it has to be one or two sentences.  If I receive enough of them, I will post them on my next blog without names, of course.

Just recently I had the honor and privilege to attend the First Annual Charter Schools Awards Banquet in downtown Milwaukee sponsored by the Wisconsin Charter Schools Association.  Charter schools have been in existence in Wisconsin for about ten years.  In fact, the 9^th Annual Wisconsin Charter Schools Conference will take place in April of 2009.  Charter schools are public, nonsectarian schools created through a contract or charter with a state-approved granting agency, usually a school district but sometimes a for-profit organization. In 1991, Minnesota became the first state to enact charter school legislation.  Charter schools do some of the following:

• Charter schools provide teachers the flexibility to innovate in the classroom and teachers are held accountable for improved achievement. 

Many might think that most of the charter schools in Wisconsin are in Milwaukee, but that is not the case.  While Milwaukee has a fair number of charter schools, the list of nominees for awards reminded us that these schools exist in many parts of Wisconsin including Appleton, Kenosha, Rhinelander, Sheboygan, Oshkosh, Janesville, Verona and some rural school districts.  In fact, there is one right here in Greendale chartered by the Greendale School District.  It is called Time 4 Learning Charter School and it provides education for four-year olds in Greendale.

Listen up Milwaukee area this is about you.  In late August we went to Cape Cod on vacation.  On our return we went to Boston’s Logan Airport early in the hope of getting an earlier flight.  While waiting in the Midwest area for a flight, one of the flights from Milwaukee arrived.  A woman who had just gotten off the flight was talking to a couple she knew and was surprised to see.  “Where have you been” they said.  “I was in Milwaukee for Irishfest and it was wonderful.  Did you know it is the largest Irish festival in the country – 140,000 attend? The Fest was fantastic, the city and Lake Michigan were beautiful, and the weather was great”, she said.  She waited for three other ladies who had traveled to Milwaukee with her and they left while still talking about the wonderful time they had in Milwaukee. 

They traveled almost a thousand miles to attend a festival in Milwaukee. Think about that the next time you think nothing interesting happens here. There are great things going on in the Milwaukee area – talk it up!

There have been several excellent articles recently in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and in the Milwaukee Business Journal about public transportation, or the lack thereof, in the metro area.  Many writers and politicians have used terms which need to be defined because they confuse the reader.  For example, there is a difference between "light rail" and "commuter rail".  Most commuter trains are built to rail standards, differing from light rail or rapid transit systems by:

• being larger;
• having a lower frequency of service;
• having scheduled services (i.e. trains run at specific times rather than at specific intervals);
• serving lower-density areas, typically by connecting suburbs to the city centre;
• sharing track or right-of-way with intercity or freight trains.

Light rail would have its own right-of-way, run more frequently, connect close-in metro areas and perhaps connect with buses. KRM would be an example of commuter rail.  An example of light rail is the system that runs from downtown to the airport and Mall of America in the Twin Cities.

Let's be specific.  Just as an example, let's say that I live on the east side of Greendale and work in Menomonee Falls between Hwy 45 and 91^st street and I no longer want to drive. Can I get to work and back using the Milwaukee County Transit System?  I don't think so!  Do I have any other options but to drive or carpool?  No!  Or, let's say I live on the east side of Greendale and I work at the nursing home on Bluemound Road in Brookfield across the street from Kopp's - this is approximately 18880 west.  I don't think I can get there conveniently on a bus.  What are the problems here?  First, the route system doesn't take me where I want to go without many transfers or at all. Second, Menomonee Falls and Brookfield are NOT in Milwaukee County.  Get it - the bus stops at the county line. How stupid is that?  Basically this is not a metropolitan system.  It is not recognizing that we live in a huge metropolitan area, not just in Milwaukee or Milwaukee County.   Until the politicians recognize this, we will not have an adequate urban transportation system.

Below is something I wrote in August of 2006 which was printed in The Greendale Village Life.  I think it is still relevant so I am posting it here with slight modification.

With all due respect to the Greendale Lions Club and everyone who works so diligently to present the Greendale Village Days, isn’t it time to do away with “Rummage on the Green” during Village Days?  “Rummage” has a connotation which does not fit the image Greendale has been trying to present in the last ten years especially through the renovation of the Village Center.  How about an “Arts and Craft” show to replace what is basically a huge rummage sale?  Wouldn’t that be more appropriate to the image Greendale is trying to create?  Al McGuire used to say: “Let’s go first class. Let’s go Park Avenue” – it’s time for a new fundraiser to help the Lions Club continue the good work it does for the community.  Perhaps they could solicit ideas from the community or from an organization such as the Greendale Historical Society.  We need something that fits the image of Greendale as both a rejuvenated community and a historical community. 

I am a happy man today.  The Circus Parade is coming back to Milwaukee in 2009 thanks to Mayor Barrett, city and county leaders and business leaders. I love the Circus Parade.  Before it ceased running in 2003, I attended every year when I was in town. Considering that it ran for thirteen straight years from 1985 to 2003, I saw a lot of Circus Parades on the streets of Milwaukee.  It all started in 1963; the initial run was from 1963 to 1973.  It is really called the Great Circus Parade and it is great.  Our children loved it to a point.  After a while it was like "do we have to go again".  But they got over it and we started inviting others to our spot on the route - like relatives and friends.  I would go downtown the night before the parade and stake out a spot by roping it off and sometimes tying a few folding chairs together. In what other city in America can you do that and have your spot the following morning?  This could only happen in Milwaukee. The Great Circus Parade is a re-creation of circus parades that heralded the arrival of the circus to towns all across the country in the 1800s and early1900s.  I have reels and reels of super 8 film of the Parade.  Ask my children about those ("do we have to watch parade films again?). 

Everything about the parade is great as far as I'm concerned.  I love the old wagons, the animals, the horses that pull the wagons, the bands, the clowns, but I espcially like the forty-horse hitch.  Can you imagine forty horses pulling a large circus wagon.  I would always get a spot on the street where I could watch the forty-horse hitch turn a corner before coming down the street where we sat - great stuff! 

One year my wife and I were actually in the parade. My wife bought the opportunity to be in the parade at a charity auction.  We had to dress in 1920's clothes and ride in the rumble seat of an antique car.  What fun!  I would take off my straw hat and wave at the people on the street as we went past.  We were at the front of the parade so we were able to watch the remainder of the parade when they dropped us off.  What an experience.

Go the The Great Circus Parade in 2009.  You will love it.

(PS:  We were recently in San Diego to visit relatives.  I was telling my nieces and nephews about my blog.  They asked me how often I posted.  When I replied "once a month", it didn't go over too well.  Evidently they believe that a real blogger must post more often.  So I will take their advice and try to post more often.)

I don’t get this Hannah Montana thing.  Third grade girls are going to the Bradley Center for a concert. That’s only one year removed from second grade which sounds very young to me.  Shouldn’t they be out playing in the snow or going to Brownies or Girl Scouts?  What are they going to do when they are 15-16? Say “been there, done that”.

I have had a few village residents say to me that Greendale is not getting full coverage in the new NOW supplements.  Previously we had almost a whole newspaper dedicated to Greendale stories.  Now we get two pages sometimes three.  One older lady said she misses the list of events which ran in the Village Life.  Things she looked for that she and her husband could attend.  I agree that we need more listings, more news, and more human interest stories about Greendale; more than we are currently getting.  Do yourself a favor and email or call the Milwaukee Journal and tell them we want and deserve more coverage.

There is currently a group of dedicated Greendale citizens and school district staff who are working to create a new strategic plan for the School District as it looks to be prepared for the next five years or so.  We applaud these citizens and staff who take time out of their weekends and evenings, probably about 18 hours in total, to help the district prepare for the future.

Did you know that Greendale and Franklin High Schools have formed a hockey team?  The group was a club team for two years, but this is recognized by the WIAA and playing games against other varsity hockey teams.  Hockey is a great sport (when played correctly) and often a misunderstood sport.  Let’s support them and have more publicity for these young people who play a sport they really love.

Today I'm a little upset.  I have been reading about the upcoming Greendale elections. There are two Village Trustee positions and one School Board position up for election. Two incumbents are running for Trustee and only one person is opposing them. So basically only one trustee faces an opponent.  The only person running for the School Board position is the incumbent.  It is my understanding that in a representative democracy it is up to the people to decide who will represent them through the voting process. If incumbents have no opposition, then there is no debate, no discussion. In the case of one position and one candidate, one vote for the incumbent and he/she is in for another term. This is a sad commentary on the state of our democracy and perhaps on the state of our community. What prevents people from running for office?  Is it time, money, no interest in the community, not believing they can make a difference?  

Now I suppose some of you are saying: "Well Bob, if you are so concerned, why didn't you run for office?"  I wish I had a good answer, but I don't.

Greendale Library

Do you still think of the Greendale Library as new?  Well, it isn't.  It was dedicated in December of 1990.  Since that time, Franklin has built a beautiful new library, Shorewood has expanded its library and Greenfield will be opening a new library in 2008.  It is time for Greendale to build a new stand-alone library?  The library is a great resource for all members of the community, but it may be too small already.  Building a new library is a big commitment. I'm not sure the community is ready for that; but the fact remains that in a few years the current Greendale library will be twenty years old.

Have you read about Milwaukee’s reconstructed railroad station?  They say it is beautiful and will be called an intermodal station - meaning that it will serve not only trains, but buses and perhaps someday, commuter rail.  This is great for the Milwaukee area which really means it is great for southeastern Wisconsin.  In my opinion, it’s sad that the state wants to spend over a billion dollars to improve and expand lanes on I-94 from College Avenue to the state line. Yes, this section of I-94 needs improvement, but does it need more lanes? Less money could be spent to fix the road and the money saved could be used for commuter rail from Milwaukee through the southern suburbs to Kenosha.  What are your thoughts on this?

Where were you when the lights went out?  Last month Greendale and the surrounding area lost electricity for about three hours.  This is unusual in Greendale because most of our utility lines are underground.  A central transformer went out unexpectedly.  My wife and I had just come home from the golf practice range. When we tried the garage door opener it didn’t work.  We thought it was just the door opener until we got in the house.  Since it was 4:30 p.m. and still light out, there was nothing to immediately worry about except the refrigerator and the freezer; but we didn’t think the electricity would be out long enough to affect them.