New Berlin Citizens for Responsible Government

We Care New Berlin distributed a flyer the week-end of the 24th, in District 2, stating they were very disappointed with the performance of their 2nd District Alderman Tom Augustine. The group had negative concerns about closing Wilbur Drive.  Although they blamed Augustine, he has worked to come to a mutual agreement for all the residents of the community.
The group also blamed him for the failure of the City Center.  The group also blamed him for a lawsuit.

Alderman Augustine is only (1) vote of (7). They want to replace him for the sake of property tax bills.  At the November 27th Budget meeting, I thought Augustine was very conservative.  The BIG spenders trying to increase taxes were Aldermen Bill Moore, District 6 and Joe Poshepny, District 5.

Thank you,

Vern Bentley, Guest Writer 

The referendum should be scheduled for a date that a maximum number of voters can be expected to cast ballots.

The City of New Berlin is  scheduling a referendum to drastically increase City spending, for February, which has the lowest number of voters.

Obviously Mayor Chiavatero and a couple of his supporters at City Hall, feel that a low turnout of voters would give the extra spending a better chance of passing.

The referendum at this early date is unnecessary at this early date , because even if it passes, the money would not be available until 2009.

Referendum supporters always talk about giving the people a choice.

NBCRG feel that it is better to give MORE people a choice by scheduling it when more voters are attracted by a greater number of races. The November 4, 2008  Presidential Elections would be true test of voter sentiment. By that time we also would know how many dollars would be asked for, and the tax consequences as well.

At this time The City of New Berlin has a debt of over $40,000,000. and the debt service affects the  present tax rates.

Call your aldermen or email at        council@newberlin.org

Ralph Heun, President NBCRG 

 Mayor Fails to schedule a Public  Hearing  on MMSD 2020 Plan  as requested by Common Council!

The Story: Definition: Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District, aka MMSD.

March 2006, MMSD officials asked for input from participating municipalities regarding wants as of 2020. New Berlin public is assured that a local Public Hearing will be held in early 2007, and their input will be considered.
May 2007 Ruekert & Mielke Consultants apparently develop sewer plans  for City of New Berlin. This plan is given to New Berlin Engineering Staff and to Mayor Chiavatero.
Mayor and Staff do not call for Public Hearing and do not notify aldermen. Plan sent to MMSD offices. MMSD officials have public hearing in Wauwatosa. Aldermen could not attend and MMSD approves district wide expansion program.
MMSD 2020Plan is sent to Department of Natural Resources for the DNR approval.

Common Council discovers that the MMSD 2020 Plans are in place and have reservations about many aspects. One of which appears that MMSD may charge land owners, in a newly approved sewer extension area, taxes retroactive to 2007, as soon as that area extension is approved.

New Berlin Common Council approves a resolution with, a 7-0 vote, at the September 11 meeting, which asked the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources to hold off on the DNR approval until New Berlin can hold a Public Hearing.

Letter is sent on September 14, 2007, from Mayor Chiavatero's office to John Welcker , secretary of the Department of Natural Resources. No answer is received from the DNR and no follow-up letter is sent asking for the first letter's status.

New Berlin Citizens for Responsible Government asked State Senator Mary Lazich in Late October to call the Secretary of the DNR and see what is happening and why the Common Council letter was never answered.

Mary Lazich found that Mr Welker was not the Secretary, had never seen the letter and and the new Secretary of DNR had never seen the letter. Mary Lazich asked the DNR on November 2, to Call Mayor Chiavatero and inform him that the DNR had granted an extension for written comments to November 30. This information appeared on my Blog site on November 5, 2007. There is much interest in MMSD 2020 Plan as evidenced by the 2797 "hits" on that article.

I asked Mayor Chiavatero on November 20 at the Budget Hearing, when the New Berlin, MMSD Public Hearing will be and he said the Council had not done anything on the matter, and it was too probably too late now.

This is absolutely unacceptable. Many people west of Calhoun and in other areas of the city that do not have MMSD sewers,  have no septic problems, or have invested heavily in the new Wisconsin State Code approved alternatives. Now it appears that the City may be able to force sewers upon them regardless of their wishes.

Schedule a Public Hearing NOW and hear what we have to say!
Mayor Chiavatero should immediately contact the Secretary of the DNR and ask for an extension, because the DNR also either did not forward the original letter, or completely ignored it. 

Ralph Heun, President NBCRG 

The Common Council of the City of New Berlin has scheduled a public hearing at 7:00 pm,Tuesday, November 20, at City Hall. The event should be televised on Cable channel 25, but unless you are at City Hall, you will have no opportunity for input into the process.

In the past there has been an opportunity for citizens to ask questions and get direct answers from the council. Last year the format was changed, due to the absence of Mayor Chiavatero, There was no opportunity provided for any answers. It seemed to be a Privelige of the Floor, where questions were asked and there was no answers from the Common Council. NBCRG asks that this year, citizens questions and concerns be answered.

We see the need for the paramedic program. All other program should be examined. Usually when a unit claims their budget is cut, it means that they are not getting as much as they are asking. In real life terms a cut is when you get less than you had last year. For Example: Is the Library getting less than last year?

I asked Mike Holzinger what the increase in City taxes was compared to 2007. I was told the increase was more than 5%. The new Wisconsin State 2008-2009 budget cap is going to be exceeded. A home valued at $250,000 will have a 2008 City tax bill which is $52.50 higher than in 2007.

I also asked Tony Goodheer of the New Berlin School Administration, what the School portion of the same $250,000 home will be in 2008. He informed me that due to the way the Wisconsin State budget was written, New Berlin Schools will get a larger rebate from the state and the total increase will be $2.50.  Two Dollars and fifty cents.

The County Tax collections should be fairly level.

I also asked Tony Goodheer about the Ronald Reagan School display sign. He said the City requires a Monument style of sign, such as every new business is required to provide. The school was not an exception, and Dr Benfield determined that sign which allows messages to be changed from a remote location, would save the District money within several years. The cost of operating the  sign which  operates continually, is $1.92 per day, a total of $57.67 per month. If you desire to learn what anything costs, Tony has the information, or can have it within short time.

Guest editorial by Ron Koessler 262 786 6194

The opinions expressed by former alderman Rush Wilkens , in the New Berlin Now forum a week ago, requires several corrections.

During the New Berlin Common Council meetings that I have attended over the years, I have never heard Mr. Vern Bentley make any personal attack against Mayor Chiavatero, or any other former mayors or Council members. It is insulting for Wilkens to call Mr Bentley "rambling and  unintelligible". The condescending attitude exhibited by Wilkins is contemptible.
The crude comment is designed to silence opposition by using ridicule as a weapon.

Vern Bentley's remarks are based on the facts that he gathered from personal discussions with the mayor, alderman, or department staff, and by attending many meetings of governmental bodies.

 As a former alderman, Rush Wilkens is aware that it is the responsibility of the Council to give the mayor direction by setting the goal for a tax levy limit. It then becomes the mayor's responsibility to set priorities with city staff in budget preparations. Mayor Chiavatero has repeatedly ignored the Councils' request for budgets with 2, 4 or a 6% tax increase and continues to press for a much larger tax increase.

It is not the responsibility of an individual alderman (Dave Ament) or the Common Council, to micro-manage the operations of the various departments within city government.

Thank you Ron,

 Please post any comments by November 15 or they will appear inthe archive section! Thank you

 

No answer from Department of Natural Resources prompts request for follow-up. 

At a September Common Council meeting the Council voted to send a letter to the Secretary of the the Department of Natural resources, expressing the Common Council's concerns with the MMSD 2020 Plan. This was requested because the Council had serious concerns about the contents of the plan as to how it affects the ultimate sewer service area and other items.

The letter was mailed to John Welcher on September 14,  2007.

As president of the New Berlin Citizens for Responsible Government, I  contacted the mayor's office on October 4 and again on November 1, to inquire if any answer had been received by Mayor Chiavatero's office. Each time I was informed that no answer had been received.

I phoned State Senator Mary Lazichs' office on Friday, November 2 and told her of the situation. She said she would investigate and report back to me on Monday (today). True to her word, she did just that and has the following report.

Mary Lazich was informed on November 5, 2007 that Mr Welcher was NOT the Secretary of the DNR. The letter was not forwarded to the secretary in any case. At the present time the letter has not been located.

The DNR said they would call Mayor Chiavatero's office and tell them that the Common Council has until November 30, 2007 to file any written questions and concerns to the Department of Natural Resources.

NBCRG would like to thank Senator Lazich for another job done in record time. We ask that the Mayor schedule a Public Hearing, separate from the budget Public Hearing, within the next 2 weeks, so the the Citizens opinions will be heard and acted upon