Alderman Dave Ament was sitting in the audience at today’s candidate forum at New Berlin West School.  Isn‘t that rather hypocritical?   Dave Ament, you may recall, was one of four New Berlin aldermen in 2006 who voted to limit the use of City Hall facilities to government units, thus barring citizen groups from using them. Their action put an end to voters forums at City Hall.

Whenever I think about voters forums in our community,  I remember Jean Crotty, who died last year at age 82.  She ran candidate forums for many years. Several years ago, Ms. Crotty asked if I would assist her with an aldermanic forum she was having and moderating at City Hall. The forum would be broadcast on the City cable channel. Ms. Crotty simply wanted me to operate the camera.  Although this task was unpaid and meant giving up some hours of my time on a Saturday, I was happy to help her out and said yes. A few days later, Ms. Crotty called again.  Sounding terribly distraught and apologizing multiple times, she told me that Ted Wysocki, who was mayor at the time, objected to my assisting her with the forum and told her to get someone else. I felt very sorry for Ms. Crotty, who seemed so distressed and hastened to assure her that it was ok. I thought it was very petty of Ted Wysocki, though.

In 2002, as an incumbent, I participated in a candidate forum held at one of our District elementary schools. Rules were announced at the onset of the forum. We were instructed to give a brief opening speech, stick to issues and not make personal attacks. I listened and complied with those rules. My speech was about what I had accomplished on the School Board and hoped to achieve if re-elected. Then came my opponent Jennifer Eitel’s turn to give her opening speech. Did she obey the forum rules, concentrate on issues, present facts? Heck no. She immediately launched into a vicious personal attack against me--even accusing me of harassing our church pastor to get dirt on her! Needless to say, Mrs. Eitel’s accusations were untrue. But that didn't stop her from including them in her campaign fliers and on a radio broadcast. Ironically, Mrs. Eitel and her running mates had earlier signed a pledge against making personal attacks.  My father-in-law had suffered a massive stroke at the beginning of the year, continued to deteriorate and died in April on election day. Dealing with my family’s grief at his suffering and loss was of far greater importance to me than Mrs. Eitel’s false allegations and shenanigans.

The next year, Jennifer Eitel was elected to the New Berlin School Board and became Board President. Not long afterward, she contended she wanted to “get politics out of our schools” and promoted a School Facilities Use policy change that prohibited political speech in school facilities and specifically banned candidate forums. The School Board (by majority vote) approved that atrocious policy change.  By the way, when Jean Crotty requested the use of the district cable channel to announce a voters forum she was having at City Hall, New Berlin Public Schools denied her request, citing the policy. The District’s lawyer maintained that the cable channel could be construed as a “facility”.    The School Board stubbornly clung to their awful policy which trampled on people’s Constitutional rights of free speech and assembly, despite a public outcry--- until the District/Board was ultimately sued. And guess what? When the School Board was legally required to respond to the lawsuit, it backed down and rescinded the policy.

So, Jennifer Eitel participated in voters forums in District school facilities when running for office. After election, she decried “politics in our schools” and took action to get political speech/candidate forums banned. Today, not only was Mrs. Eitel sitting in the audience at the candidate forum at New Berlin West Middle-High School, she actively participated by submitting a card with a question for the candidates.      Quite a flip-flop.  

Some basics: 

Who: Officers from the New Berlin Police Department will give the presentation

What: Topics include internet safety; social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter; tips on how parents can monitor their children’s online access.

When: Saturday, March 7 at l:00 pm

Where: New Berlin Public Library, in Community Room

*Registration is not required

Because four people are running for mayor and there are six New Berlin School Board candidates (for 2 seats), a primary election is necessary. The primary is on February 17 and the general election, April 7.

Our representative form of government depends on an informed citizenry. People should be as informed as possible when they go to the polls to vote.

Thanks to the efforts of some civic-minded people, New Berlin will have two voters forums:

A pre-primary mayoral candidate forum is scheduled for Saturday, Feb 7 from 1-3 pm. Marta Broge is the facilitator.

A mayoral and school board public forum sponsored by the Rotary Club of New Berlin is set for Saturday, March 14, 1-3 pm.

* Both forums will be held at New Berlin West Middle-High School at 18695 W. Cleveland Ave.

New Berlin Public Schools and the folks putting on the voters forums are performing a great community service. I understand that the forums will be broadcast. That’s wonderful, too.

Unfortunately, there won’t be a school board candidate forum before the primary.

However, NBPS could take action to bridge that gap by providing election and candidate information on its District Web site.

I called New Berlin Public Schools Superintendent Paul Kreutzer yesterday and suggested he look at the Elmbrook School District Web site. In addition to election information, that Web site features profiles of each candidate running for their school board, candidates’ answers to a couple of basic questions, and publicizes an upcoming voters forum being held at Elmbrook Schools Central Administrative Office.

I don’t see why the New Berlin School District couldn’t emulate such a positive and helpful use of technology to inform/educate people about the upcoming elections and candidates running for school board.  

I also informed Dr. Kreutzer that a Muskego-Norway Public Schools’ parent told me he gets a booklet in the mail annually containing profile information about that district’s school board candidates.

* Why aren’t the voters forums taking place at City Hall or broadcast on the City’s cable channel?  In 2006, the New Berlin Common Council passed a resolution that established policies limiting the use of City Hall facilities to government units, thus barring citizen groups from using them. It put an end to voters forums at City Hall and use of the City cable channel to broadcast such forums.  Alderman Harenda made the motion to approve it. It passed 4-3 with Aldermen Harenda, Ament, Hopkins and Gallagher voting yes (Aldermen Moore, Augustine and Hegeman voted no)

Those awful exclusionary policies remain in effect.

Did you know that the New Berlin Public Library has a film discussion series?

Next Monday, January 26, 2-4:15 pm, the group discussion will focus on Producer/Director Robert Greenwald and Brave New Films' documentary “Wal-Mart: the High Cost of Low Price.”  

You are invited to join and it's free, but registration is required. Contact the library by phone (262) 785-4980 or email nbinfo@wcfls.lib.wi.us.

Life's most urgent question is: what are you doing for others?
---Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Huffington Post reports that on the eve of his inauguration, President-elect Barack Obama honors Rev. King with community service.

And it states:

Obama appealed to the nation he will soon lead to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King

Jr. through service to others. “It's not a day just to pause and reflect - it's a day to act,”

Obama said on King's national holiday. “I ask the American people to turn today's

efforts into an ongoing commitment to enriching the lives of others in their

communities, their cities, and their country.”

Only four days into December and we’ve already had below- freezing temperatures and snow. Still, that’s not unusual for this region and time of year.

November was memorable for different reasons: The Thanksgiving Day holiday; the Presidential Election-- won by Democrat Barack Obama; the Republican Party’s thumping at the polls. We also lost three special people who had been very involved in our community.

Gerald Tuchalski, a retired superintendent of New Berlin Public Schools, passed away at his home on Nov. 1. He was 77 years old. “Jerry” had pancreatic cancer. He lived in my subdivision and was a friendly, interesting person. Because of his hobby/ love for classic cars, Jerry was often outside-- in his driveway or garage pottering about. During our walks, my husband and I often stopped to chat with him.

On Nov. 2, Jean Crotty, a long-time community activist and founder of the group New Berlin Citizens Forum Committee, died. She was 82. Jean ran voters forums for many years. In a recent article about her, Community NOW reports: “ The forums in New Berlin ended in 2007 when the council established a policy restricting political groups from using City Hall or the city’s cable channel. That policy was interpreted to include the forums.”

What a shame the Common Council did that. The forums were informative and a great public service. Our government officials should re-visit their restrictive policy which prevents candidate forums at City Hall. If they aren’t willing to do that, the Council President should at least explain (if he can) how the current policy benefits New Berlin citizens and honors Mrs. Crotty’s memory, civic-minded efforts/legacy.

Al Stigler died Nov. 9 at age 60. A Vietnam War veteran who had sustained serious injuries, he was actively involved with numerous  endeavors, such as NB VFW Post, Lions Club and Disabled Veterans of America. He was also a long-time volunteer at the church my husband and I've attended over 30 years, Holy Apostles.

Well, okay, one peanut.

That’s my grandson in the photo. His peanut costume was purchased last year from BuySeasons.

BuySeasons, Inc. is located at 5915 S. Moorland Road in New Berlin.

It is the world’s largest Internet retailer and supplier of costumes, accessories, seasonal décor and party supplies.

According to an article posted on New BerlinNOW Community Watch Thursday:

A New Berlin man was arrested and faces state disorderly conduct charges with a hate crime enhancer for confronting a black man in a bar (Calhoun Station in New Berlin) on October 8 and telling him that he did not belong there because of his race. 

I guess the community resident does not believe in equality, civil rights, or we are all God's children.

It’s distressing that racism still exists in the United States of America, including here in our own city.  

Kudos to the bar employees who contacted police.   

“Eagle Eye”, an action-packed movie about computer/government surveillance run amok, debuted last weekend.  It was #1 at the box office and is playing at Ridge Cinema in New Berlin.

In the film, abuse of power and misuse of technology have dire consequences. Technology was used to spy on citizens and control people through fear, intimidation, and retaliation.

Speaking of computer/government surveillance:

On September 8, the New Berlin School Board approved a maximum of $60,000 for a multi-camera Web-based surveillance system for New Berlin West Middle-High School. See my September 14 blog titled “Big Brother is Watching.”

District administration referred to the proposed surveillance system as a “deterrent”.   Isn’t it disquieting to know that when at New Berlin West, you’ll be under camera surveillance and your photo image can be transmitted and viewed by who knows who or when? ----Not to mention the funds that are being spent for it.

Today, on the 7^th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks:

At 3 p.m., the New Berlin Fire Department will have a September 11 memorial ceremony at Fire Station #1, which is located at 16260 W. National Avenue. ( National and Casper).  Afterward, there will be a swearing in for eight firefighters.

These events are open to the public.

Mayor Chiovatero plans to attend.