Lilac Lane Closed Again...

I had mentioned that the new bridge was open and looked great last week.  Soon after, Trustee Wolter e-mailed to advise that this was only temporary since there was some road re-construction happening very soon on Maple Road west of the bridge over Hwy 41. on Lilac Lane from the new bridge to Maple Road.

That time has arrived.  The "Road Closed" signs are out.

It was nice while it lasted, but this will be over before too long.

Germantown Fire Safety Fair...

The annual Fire Safety Fair was held at Station #2 in Germantown last Saturday.  Several very interesting demonstrations were conducted. 

A convincing demonstration of fire in a room without sprinklers versus in a room with sprinklers made me a believer that  water damage is far preferable to the total damage and potential injury or loss of life where sprinklers aren't present!  The in-home equipment is quite pleasing to the eye, as well. 

I had my first opportunity to see Officer Bosco work his magic seeking out marijuana that had been secreted in an old vehicle's door panel.  He is a marvel to watch as he works.  This four-legged officer really rounds out the department's offering at no added cost to the taxpayers of the community.  Bosco is fully supported by contributions/grants as discussed a few days ago.

There was equipment present from the Mequon and Thiensville departments in addition to the rolling stock from Germantown.  Interestingly enough, a "live" call was received late in the morning that took a couple of units with it.

People were enjoying lunchtime treats that included a delicious smelling recipe of 'Firehouse Chili'.  It may've only been me, but it didn't seem there was enough advertising about this event.  It didn't find its way onto the Village Hall signage along Mequon Road and I didn't recall seeing any print mention.

Attendance seemed quite good; lots of youngsters that seemed to be enjoying themselves while learning valuable lessons.

Do We Need Nude Dancing In Germantown?

I had lost track of this issue after Boro Buzzdum's 'Diamonds Pub & Grille' on Maple Road near Hwy 41 was closed and recast as 'The Starting Gate Sports Bar & Grill'.

The first suit claiming the then existing ordinance was unconstitutional was filed in U.S. District Court in Milwaukee dating back to February, 2006 was scheduled for mediation when Boro Buzzdum brought a second action claiming the Germantown amended ordinance is also unconstitutional.  I certainly hope that Germantown prevails.

Our community does not need a nude dancing venue.

This Blog promises to be too long...and I apologize up front.  BUT, this topic is critical, in my estimation, to the safety of our citizens and our property.  While we're getting everything on the table, you should know by now that "I am in the tank" for our Police Department; I make no bones about it and I am unapologetic for that!

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I have had several exchanges with Chief Pete Hoell about the budget of his department and about the requests that have been made of him to further reduce his budget by something north of $300,000 for 2009.  I have to tell you that he is anguished over this; he wants to remain a loyal servant of the community, he doesn't want to appear to be carping over the political situation, and he had some qualms about some of the information I'll make known in this Blog.  In the final analysis, he came down on the side of letting the citizens of the community know what is going to happen if his budget is cut any further than has been the case over the past several years. 

The budget numbers to date (as of yesterday) for the department were expected to approximate $4,501,000 for 2009 versus the $4,497,000 approved for 2008.  That is virtually a 0% increase even though fuel prices have soared and even though personnel costs are what they are.  The majority of the department budget is committed to wages and benefits since it is made up of people.

The actual discretionary operating budget, when the numbers represented above are stripped away is something on the order of $520,000.  From that, we remove the base costs such as insurance, heat, water and sewer and have some $300,000 remaining for discretionary costs.  As the chief pointed out, he has been reducing annual budget requests on a regular basis and is simply at the point where there is not much else, if anything, that can be cut.

The department is already relying on donations from the community as well as grants that are available to cover its needs.  The DARE program is funded by the school district.  Citizen's Police Academy (CPA) graduates are donating volunteer hours and are engaged in fund raising activities on behalf of the department.  The CPA program actually pays back more than its cost to the department over and above the PR value gained.  Officer Bosco's costs are funded by grants and donations.  Contributions a couple of years ago raised by CPA graduates were used to replace many of the side arms carried by officers, for example.  The motorcycle patrol is funded by contributions.  Officers are already working extra hours without overtime pay; they get compensatory time off if and when that doesn't stretch the force too much.  The department's gas costs went out of sight just as yours and mine did.

If you've toured the department's facilities, you will recall seeing a lot of "hand-me-down" equipment and furnishings.  I don't think I've seen a desk that is any newer than circa 1960.  Most of what I see has been donated by someone or other in the community.  "New" equipment, if there is to be any, is often found on the 'for sale' sites of other police departments as they replace old items with new items.  An old aquarium found its way to the evidence room for use as a finger print development tool.  The buildings are on a "bare bones" basis; this is not a department that has an excess of funding nor is it a department that wastes taxpayer dollars.  It scratches to make ends meet and continue to do its job.

Against that backdrop, permit me to get right to the point.  I don't see any other areas where costs can be reduced but the area of personnel.  That is going to impact you and me adversely. Period!  The hoped for 0% increase budget of about $4.5M would become $4.2M if the $300K is stripped out.

One of the areas that Chief Hoell had some misgivings about disclosing is the number of officers on patrol during each shift.  He discussed this with members of his command group and finally decided that, in the interest of full disclosure to the citizens, I could include this information:

We have a total of THREE officers on patrol each shift to cover the thirty-six square miles that comprise Germantown.

It is entirely possible that overlapping calls could mean that there is no one available to respond.  One heavy-duty call could easily make that happen.  The recent burglary of a Germantown construction site consumed all the patrol officers that were available.  Situations requiring all three officers and the shift commander are not that unusual.  During my ride-along, a pretty simple auto accident saw two officers and the shift commander on scene and also saw the vast majority of our fire department's on duty staff engaged along with vehicles of both departments.  This was essentially a fender-bender.  No one needed to be cut out of a vehicle; traffic control pretty much took care of itself since we were at a light-controlled intersection, etc. 

The $300,000 cut being requested of this department could, and probably would, since there isn't anything further left to chop, cause staff cutbacks that would result in two officers available for patrol duties on each shift.  That is an insufficient number considering the back-up required in many situations that are encountered.  Bar fights are difficult if not impossible to control with two officers.  Certain domestic abuse situations can easily require all three officers.  Bank robberies obviously could pull all three into that scene.  Our officers will be put in harm's way just as you and me will be adversely affected. 

I used the phrase "cutting muscle instead of fat", or something to that effect, in an earlier Blog.  I hope you now have a much better idea of what that meant.

What, you might ask, do I think we need at this point?

We need political leadership to go along with the excellent department leadership now in place.  We need people to stand up and let their political leaders know that they do not want a weak Germantown Police Department even if taxes have to go up a bit to support it at the 0% growth number.  We need to understand as a community that there comes a time when we have to pay for critical services. 

I had a shocking experience last evening courtesy of the Germantown Police Department.  I have been, along with several other citizens, participating in the current Citizen's Police Academy offered by the department as a means of informing more people about the department, its duties, its tools and so on.

One of the tools available to our officers is that 'gadget' called a Taser.  I'm not certain what the verb form of that word ought to be, but it will be "tazed" with a long "a" for my purposes this morning.

My classmates and I were "offered the opportunity" to experience being tazed.  We knew this was part of the Academy curriculum and we knew that it was optional.

That having been said, I couldn't very well admit that I'd prefer to avoid this experience, so I stepped up along with my peers.  We were exposed simultaneously having gotten onto mats side-by-side.  I was on one end and had the pleasure of a probe being attached to my lower leg.  (Officer Borden had previously told us we'd remember where the probe was attached after the experience.)  The person at the other end of this 'daisy chain' had the same honor.  Then, we all joined hands in what might have seemed like the start of a group sing-along.

Having grown up in a farming community in western Wisconsin, I can still remember my first experience of being 'suckered' into touching an electric fence.  I now have a memory that will replace that by several fold.  This time, it was Corporal Delmore and not an electric fence that I was about to remember along with the Taser.

If you've ever had the electric fence experience, I'd suggest that being tazed felt to me like about 25 times the experience.  I knew what was happening around me, but I was helpless to do anything other than let my leg jump a bit while being zapped.  Our jolt was about a second or two long...and it seemed much, much longer quite frankly.  The sound of the Taser adds to the experience as it crackles away while you're writhing...or trying to writhe.  I heard some of my classmates verbalizing their experiences while others seemed to have a more physical response.  We all survived as do virtually all the people who have been or will be 'given this opportunity' as the result of their actions.

It is amazing to me that the amperage involved is only .004 Amps.  But, the nervous system is apparently disrupted to the point that nearly everyone who is tazed is rendered unable to control their physical movement; their muscles are simply beyond control.

We were told of a few people who have been tazed for real and who were able to withstand the experience for upwards of thirty seconds or more.  I cannot imagine that, but I suspect that, if one were drugged up or drunk enough, he or she might be able to ignore the pain involved.  I hope never to encounter one of those folks who can withstand that jolt.

My advice to you if you should ever find yourself in the position of deciding to obey or disobey a police officer doing his or her duty is this:  Don't be a fool...you're going to lose in the end...and the trip won't be particularly pleasant if you make it that way.

Germantown Police Department Building Follow-Up...

Several readers requested a timeline concerning the Germantown Police Department building process.  Chief Hoell had done just such a timeline for the Trustees and was kind enough to provide that for this piece:

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1982:  Both the original Police Building (N112 W16877 Mequon Rd.) and Library - now PD Annex - were built.   The shell of the range was completed but funds have never been approved to date for completing the indoor range.

1994:  The Public Safety Committee discussed an expansion project for the Police Dept.  No action was taken. 

1995:  The Village retained the services of HNTB to conduct a Needs Assessment Study of all municipal facilities.  The study recommended building a new library and that upon completion the police department should expand its building by connecting both existing structures.  HNTB estimated the cost of the police department expansion at $750,000.

According to the Public Safety Committee notes, the police department building expansion, indoor range and communications center projects would be moved from 1995 to 1996. 

1998:  Garage addition proposal submitted.

1999:  A request was made to budget $725,000 for the building expansion to be completed in 2003.  The amount was reduced first to $450,000 and then $350,000 at the final budget meeting. 

2000:  Garage construction started with a $270,000 budget. 

2001:  Garage addition completed.   January 16, 2001 the Public Safety Committee tours new garage.

Fischer, Fischer Theis, Inc. hired for $4,400 to design the police expansion.

2002:  Fischer, Fischer Theis, Inc. worked with the $350,000 budget constraints, submitted and received final approval from the planning commission for the architectural design plans.  The Village Board split the amount of which $167,500 was allocated for 2003 to remodel the interior of the old library, and $167,500 was set aside to connect the two buildings in 2006.  The Village Board then decided at the final budget hearing to withdraw all funding since the limited money budgeted created a design that fell short of their expectations for the long-term use of the police department facilities. 

2003: The Village Board approved $750,000 in the Capital Budget to connect the police department in 2004.

2004:  Police staff, primarily support services, moves into the old library (PD Annex). 

2004 – 2005:  Public Safety gave direction to hire Plunkett Raysich for $9,200 to design a connection and remodel both buildings based on space needs to accommodate the PD until 2025.  The total project, to include connection of both buildings and a total remodel, came in at $3,200,000 for a 2006 construction date.

2005-2006:  Homeland Security grant received to install building security upgrades.  Items chosen from a security study of the buildings and the ability to reuse the items with the building project.  Items added:  fob key system, lobby security drawer, fencing, cameras/monitor, and windows. 

2006:  Village Board tabled the PD building project till 2007.

2007-2008:  Third conceptual design for PD connection and remodel of both buildings.  Zimmerman Architectural Studios was hired for approximately $12,000.   This project is ongoing.  Cost estimate for a remodel of both buildings and connection was at approximately $6,000,000.  Village Board sent the plan back to be reviewed with the possibility of doing this project in phases. 

Notes on a couple important issues, but not inclusive:  90% to 95% of all the police department furniture is original (26 years old) and/or secondhand donated items.  Most of the furniture was not designed for computer usage.  

The completion of the indoor range has been discussed for 26 years but never completed.

The radio is too small to accommodate the county radio project coming in the fall of 2009.  The current radio console is outdated and not equipped to handle the computers. 

The radio and communications equipment should be removed from the basement.

Air quality due to electronics needs to be improved. 

Men and Women’s lockers are over capacity.

The flooring is old, worn out and in poor shape.  Also in need of repair are some of the ceilings and walls. 

There is no central location to handle and store evidence.  The evidence processing and storage is handled between two floors and the storage should be removed from the basement. 

No room to function as an Emergency Operations Center.

Because staff has outgrown the buildings, interview rooms were taken over for office space.   The police department is in need of both hard and soft interview rooms equipped with both audio and visual recording devices to be able to record interviews per State Statute.  The rooms should also be equipped with emergency notification/alert call buttons.  

A secure training and conference room that can be utilized by outside organizations and other law enforcement personnel is needed.

The PD Annex is an old library; it’s still an old library which is occupied by PD personnel.  This building is in need of security updates.

Records are stored throughout the PD and Annex; there is no central records location.

There is a strong need to create a safe work environment for the PD employees and the public while in and around the PD building and Annex.  PD staff should be able to move around without the constant exposure to the outside by having to walk through the courtyard.  The entrance to the main PD building is hidden from the parking lot.   We need the front door to be seen by those in distress because they may not have the time or ability to read a directional sign or follow arrows.  

The overall buildings are aged and worn.  They were built with the security needs of the early 1980’s in mind.   The safety of the staff and public while at the police department are paramount, and creating a professional, efficient work environment is an important aspect of this project as well.  

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This provides the rest of the story over and above the request that the department find $330,000 of "unnecessary" expense to be cut so the village can balance its 2009 budget without a tax increase.

I believe that the board has been neglecting the department and that we will ultimately pay the price.  As is evident, the simple impact of inflation has caused the building connector proposals to escalate significantly over time. 

My apologies for such a lengthy Blog but all this information seemed quite germane to the story needing to be told.  

There will be two versions of the Village Buzz posted today given two relatively lengthy subjects each of which deserve a more detailed review.

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Germantown Police Department Budget...

I learned that our Police Department was being tasked by some members of the Village Board to reduce its 2009 budget request by some $330,000 as its share of the $900,000+ deficit solution.  I have followed the department closely enough to recognize that this request would very likely cut away muscle and not fat, and I asked Chief Hoell for information about what this level of reduction would bring in the way of policing in 2009 without sharing my position with him at that point.

Chief Hoell indicated that his proposed budget was already done on the basis that this was an austere year for the village and that he would have to make do without a lot of the things he'd like to see for the department and the citizens of Germantown.  He advised that he had been able to trim some operating costs but that other line items, such as fuel costs, were beyond his ability to control.  He said that, although there have been cost increases in other line items, the department had made do without similar budget increases.  If there were equipment breakdowns or if some large unforeseen event such as a major crime scene were to be confronted, there would be no surplus available with which to handle the occurrence.

He stated, simply, that "a $330,000 cut would cripple this department".  "We would become solely reactive at best and the safety of our officers would be at jeopardy."   He indicated that, if he took out insurance, bonds, heat and water expense line items, the $330,000 would be "pretty much our operating budget for 2009".

"If you take this money out of personnel, then as I stated above, we would become solely reactionary at best and no longer proactive.  We are already experiencing delays in our responses due to the volume of calls for service or simply cannot respond to a time sensitive incident.  The safety and security of our officers will be at stake and the safety of our community will slowly deteriorate."

He went on to discuss staffing studies:  "The Germantown Police Department is the least staffed municipal agency in Washington County per capita.  The same holds true for the metro area.  We continually update this study and attach it to our budget to keep our elected officials educated on where we stand for staffing.  The Depart. of Justice recommends approx. 2.2 officers per 1,000 people.  GPD has 1.58 officers per 1,000 people.  Granted the 2.2 is a bit high, however the national average is 2.0, the state average is 1.8".   (This is for communities having from 10,000 to 40,000 people). 

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Now, I'll take the opportunity to "editorialize":

The thought that we would cut our police protection budget by such an amount simply to be "fair" to the rest of the departments in this village is something I simply am unable to grasp.  This would likely result in a reduction of one-third in the on-the-road shift staffing; and that staffing is already quite sparse for the community from my perspective.  "Across the board cuts" are too often simply the easy way out for people charged with developing budgets.  Each department head has, I hope, put forth their best effort.  I rely upon the Village Administrator to assure that there is no "fluff" left in any department's numbers.  I rely upon our elected representatives to handle the balance of any mandated budget reductions with the best interests of all citizens uppermost in mind.

I believe this proposed cut would be to carry the funding of the police department to a level that would cause our services to deteriorate too far.  If we lose the edge we have today in that area, we will pay a very severe price.  The "bad guys" don't respect budget issues.  They respect force.  I hope and trust that wiser minds will prevail when the Finance Committee and Village Board again convene.  It is time for some serious leadership on a serious issue.  There are "issues" and then there are "life and death" issues.

I can only imagine the reaction if a member of the Board were to be poorly served by the department in a time of need due to this budget process.  I'll wager that the recrimination wouldn't be pretty, and I'll bet some heads would roll.  But those likely wouldn't be "elected heads" rolling.

Bridges To Somewhere...

I asked Dave Schornack, Village Administrator, where we stood on the bridge completion dates for both the Lilac Lane bridge and the Freistadt Road bridge near Hwy 145/Fond du Lac Avenue.

I had noticed some concrete being poured in the Lilac Lane site and it seemed as though that project had been ongoing for some time since I use that route often.  I hadn't the same feelings about Freistadt since I don't frequent that route as often.

Nothing like being selfish, is there?

Dave wrote back promptly to advise that both projects "are on track to be completed by the first week of October".

So, in about a month, we'll all be ooh-ing and ahh-ing over our new bridges.

Police Station Building Delays...

I understand that there is only so much money to go around within the Village of Germantown.  I understand that I'm a bit of a 'scold' so far as spending goes, too.

But, I have had the opportunity to tour the Police Department facilities and know that there is a very real need.

I also know that the chief, the officers and the staff will make do with whatever they have, but it is going to be very much like a group of sardines minus the oil going forward.  New radio/computer equipment is being forced on the department and there is virtually no room to accommodate that equipment and the people who operate it.  I'm sure the Public Safety Committee is cognizant of this, as well, but my fear is that the squeaky wheel gets the grease...and the chief and his department aren't known for being whiners.

They'll get the job done no matter what, but it sure would be nice if they had a little larger facility.  There is no opulence involved here.  It is a relatively spartan environment without frills.  Even with that, room to operate is critical.  If 2009's budget can't accommodate this need, then let's be very certain that it gets done in 2010...and that it doesn't get short shrift over and over again.

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!

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.

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.

I received several emails that provided some additional information and thoughts on the subject of the intersection at Mequon and Wausaukee Roads at the very east edge of the village.

Trustee Wolter was kind enough to send an email covering a meeting held at the Germantown Library on Thursday afternoon, April 24th.  The City of Mequon and Village of Germantown were represented, Senator Darling and Representatives Ott and Jeskewitz attended and several Department of Transportation representatives were present.

The topic was the intersection in question and DOT was seeking a 'compromise' for the signalization of the intersection.  The plan that was in process of implementation at that time was for two straight through lanes, dedicated left turn lanes with islands, and dedicated right turn lanes on Mequon with a single straight through lane traveling north and south on Wausaukee Road.

City of Mequon officials thought this was 'overkill' since they consider the area to be rural, and their planning supports that it will remain rural in their eyes.  They preferred the roundabout solution and were pushing for that as the outcome of this meeting.  Germantown officials wanted the intersection to stay as the DOT had designed and based this on the increased traffic due to Waste Management trucks and the increase in auto traffic east and west during weekday commute periods.  They also foresaw an increase in traffic as building in TIF 4 increased.  The DOT was looking out 20 years so far as design and capacity.

The 'compromise' that came from this meeting was this: a single straight through lane east and west on Mequon along with dedicated left hand and right hand turn lanes while Wausaukee stayed as designed with a single lane in both directions.  The provision was that something might need to be rebuilt if traffic projections were to be reached in the next ten years.

Conversations I have had indicate that some are concerned about the village being required to pick up the future cost while the DOT is now paying 100% of the costs for the construction.  Others have voiced the opinion that a roundabout was their preference, as well, and cited the thought that we may have been able to forego all construction if enforcement were to be stepped up in that area.  Still others questioned the need for any change suggesting that there were single digit accidents per year from their observations.

So, there is apparently a compromise in place. Maybe this will stay in place since all the 'official' parties were at this table.  As is customary, some of the 'unofficial' parties will continue to disagree.  That is among the reasons we hold elections every few years.

President Kempinski has made his committee assignments for the coming year and the Board has approved those assignments.

Notable, and laudable, is the fact that Trustee Langer is no longer Chair of the Public Safety Committee and does not sit on that committee any longer.  Given Trustee Langer's former role as a POC firefighter for the Germantown department, this removes any appearance that might have suggested a personal agenda present in decisions made on that committee.

President Kempinski is to be thanked for this action to assure good governance and to reassure the community at large that local affairs will be decided without obvious biases. 

The new Chairman is Trustee Dean Wolter and the committee has a new member in the person of Trustee Jeff Werderman, newly elected as a trustee.

This committee deals with serious issues that affect our public safety: the police and fire departments and public safety in general.  These are among the most visible services provided by Germantown for its citizens, and are certainly among those services that impact life itself more than most other village functions.  Our firefighters and EMTs and our police officers are, in my opinion, doing a great job.  If there are ways in which the two departments might be improved, Trustee Wolter will likely work in those directions.  His service to this point has been very solid and there is no reason to believe that will change during this term in office.

Again, thanks to President Kempinski for this decision.

The Journal Sentinel reported this morning that the two suspects, aged 23 and 22, in the robbery of the Guaranty Bank branch in the Germantown Pick 'n Save are nicely ensconced in the Washington County Jail.

This whole incident showcases the cooperation and professionalism of both the Germantown Police Department and the Menomonee Falls Police Department.  Germantown's Police Chief Pete Hoell said that in his posting to my earlier Blog on the idea of banks in stores.  And, during an entirely unrelated meeting with Menomonee Falls Village Manager Mark Fitzgerald this morning, he mentioned the same thing about the two Departments.  Both communities have every right to be proud, and we all can feel very safe knowing that this level of int