Franklin’s Leaders, Cowering Behind and Under Their Desks Over New Sewer Tax?

The Daily Reporter notes “They  might be difficult to see, but those are Franklin’s leaders, behind their desks, cowering.”

City Adds Confusion To Sewer Tax Issue

The following article appeared in “The Daily Reporter” (subscription required), a sister publication of The Business Journal.

The story was emailed to us was sent to us by its reporter, Beth Kevit, who tells us she used a number of our stories on the Ryan Creek Interceptor for background.

Here is what is being handed-out at City Hall to property owner questioning the new sewer tax.

sewer tax by fFRANKLIN INDEPENDENT FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL

Look to THE FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL for further developments on this story.

Mayor Taylor’s $31 Million—Field of Dreams Gamble with Tax Payer Dollars

As the City of Franklin—in conclusion with an unelected  government body—MMSD adds a new $461.47 sewer tax to every Franklin  property owner’s 2012 tax bill, whether they are hooked up to the now infamous Ryan Creek Interceptor.   The Franklin common council and especially Mayor Tom Taylor believe “development would follow the pipes”—that’s a $31 million gamble I wouldn’t be willing to make with taxpayer dollars considering predictions of a 2013 recession.  Do the mayor and common council know something that the Wall Street Journal forecast panel—as well at The Wall Street Journal don’t and Forbes’ economists?

Dear Franklin Property Owner

Here is the text of a letter that many Franklin property owners will receive within the next day or so related to a new annual $461.47 MMSD sewer tax.

Dear Franklin Property Owner:

You recently received your City of Franklin 2012 Real Estate Property Tax bill.  To the surprise of property owners, a new tax from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) was listed entitled: MMSD Sewer District. You are one of roughly 540 property owners who currently have no sewer service and rely on your own septic system. Beginning with the 2012 property tax bill, you are now included in the MMSD boundaries and subject to the MMSD sewer tax even though you have your own septic system.

A number of Franklin property owners who have septic systems have previously opposed this sewer tax. Many long time Franklin property owners will remember that we were in the same situation years ago when Franklin property owners were forced to pay sewer tax to MMSD even though they had a septic system.  As a result of that injustice, property owners fought to have that policy overturned. They won. Laws and policies were put on the books to safeguard that practice from occurring again. MMSD is ignoring the state statute and policies.

As a last resort, a few of us would like to have this issue heard within the court system. Property owners who have septic systems (not city sewers) are asked to unite for a common cause. Our voices were ignored at the public hearings. Our next course of action is to fight within the legal system.

Rather than be faulted for not informing all property owners who are affected by this action, we are sending this letter to inform you and ask for your help and support. Obviously numbers speak loudly. The biggest fear a bureaucrat or politician has is when people unite and become organized for a common cause. We hope you will support and help us to repeal the sewer tax for non-sewer property owners in Franklin.

If there are people who are willing to accept this tax and do not want to get involved, we will not fight for them. We will only fight for property owners who feel this tax is unjustified. We would like to start a class action suit. This will cost time and money. We are asking property owners who would like to be involved to please contact us so that you can be notified about future meetings. We are also asking for any monetary contribution you can afford to help offset the cost. If we are successful, as we were in the past, you will no longer see the MMSD sewer tax on your real estate property tax bill.

In the meantime, when you pay your 2012 Real Estate Property Tax bill, please write “Paid Under Protest” on your check and ask to have the receipt hand stamped “Paid Under Protest.”

If you have questions or are willing to help, please contact Basil Ryan at 414-423-5481 or aldryan@execpc.com.  For more information, visit www.FranklinIndependentJournal.com.

Franklin Homeowners Cry Foul Over New Sewer Tax

“Vision without execution is hallucination”

—“Thomas Edison

Tmj4 is reporting some Franklin homeowners feel like their hard earn money is going down the toilet. The 2011 property tax bills are arriving by mail and some don't like what they see. For example, David Washkuhn is on a septic system. But his property tax bill this year shows a $243 sewer tax even though he doesn't have a sewer.  But a MMSD official told Washkuhn the $23 sewer tax will increase Washkuhn’s and other franklin homeowners’ property value.  Read the full story.

Thanks but no Thanks

Washkuhn and his neighbors say they are satisfied with their septic tanks, they don’t want sewers.  Sorry, Not good enough for Bureaucrats.  "This does not cumpute."

MMSD Executive Director Kevin Shafer explained the $243 sewer tax this way

"It’s just like a school district, you may not have kids going to the school but you pay for school improvements and school taxes."

TFIJ has published 15 stories on the Ryan Creek interceptor project since it was announced last year.

Last year FIJ ran 18 stories regarding Mayor Tom Taylor’s “pet-project.”(a.k.a  the Ryan Creek Iterceptor).

Be sure to call mayor Taylor and ask him why he didn’t veto the project and the tax increase, or your alderman and ask them how they voted on this matter and why they voted the way the did.

The Alyson Dudek International Ice Center

(L-R) Lana Gehring, Alyson Dudek, Allison Baver and Katherine Reutter.

 Do you remember Alyson “Aly” Dudek?

Alyson Dudek is a proud resident of Hales Corners and graduate of Divine Savior Holy Angels High School and a Bronze medalist from the 2010 Olympic Winter Games held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Presently there is a public—private effort underway between Hales Corners community residents, businesses and Milwaukee County Parks & Recreation to build a 100’ x 200’ outdoor Olympic-sized ice skating rink.  Supporters of the project say the completed project will make Hales Corners Park one of the premiere recreation centers in southeastern Wisconsin.

It will stand among other community treasures which include:

the pool, the new Veterans Memorial, Jake’s Rock (rock climbing wall), basketball courts, picnic area and softball fields.   If you would like to be a part of this effort, your donations are needed to make this happen. Please send your tax deductible contributions to The Friends of Hales Corners Park & Pool, 5811 S. 121st St., Hales Corners, WI 53130.

If you have any questions or would like to volunteer your services towards this community enterprise, please call 414-418-8299 or visit their website.

It is not clear how this project will affect Franklin Mayor Tom Taylor’s big dreams for the Crystal Ridge Multi-sport complex project—aka “jewel of Franklin.”  "Dust in the Wind?"

Mayor Taylor Throws Citizens Group Under the Bus

EDITORIAL--it was only a matter of time. Last Tuesday, Franklin Mayor Tom Taylor apparently has no more use for Greg Kowalski’s non-profit group; Citizens for Community Development which just over one year ago made this proposal to the City.  But that was then and this is now and this is now and the Mayor’s “flavor of the month” is Franklin resident and businessman Mike Zimmerman who presented an idea for a sports complex on county land currently being used by Crystal Ridge Ski Hill.

At the time, by all appearances Mayor Taylor seemed excited about the proposal Citizens for Community Development had put forth for the Milwaukee County Sports Complex located in Franklin just off Ryan road.

FranklinNOW wrote this in its coverage of the June 19 meeting:

"We've got a proposal that needs to get backing, needs to get support and needs to become reality. This will put Franklin on the map," said Mayor Tom Taylor, who asked city officials to consider plans for a multi-sport complex at Crystal Ridge, 7900 W. Crystal Ridge Drive.

Typical POLITICAL GIBBERISH. 

Define: “…put Franklin on the map.”

"We've got a proposal that needs to get backing, needs to get support and needs to become reality.”

What Mayor Tom Taylor is really doing here is setting up Franklin taxpayers for him and the common council to deliver the city’s $1.5 million impact fee fund to this developer, which in reality will become $3 million since the city (taxpayers) must match the $1.5 million impact fee in order for it to be used.

We also have a politician who based on his “resume” on the City’s website has never held a job in the private sector,  but includes that Taylor  served as an Executive Board member of Milwaukee District Council 48, AFSCME that represented approximately 14,000 public employees and served as Vice President and Chief Steward of Local 882, AFSCME.

This is the same government sector union that was recently part of a broad coalition of worker rights organizations that filed a legal challenge to Gov. Walker’s Budget Repair Bill. The organizations included the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 24, AFSCME Council 40, AFSCME Council 48, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), the Wisconsin State Employees Union, The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO and the Service Employees International Union – Health Care Wisconsin (SEIU).

Together the organizations are filing a federal law suit against Scott Walker’s bill which denies hundreds of thousands of public employees their right to collectively bargain for a better life. The groups challenged the constitutionality of the state’s Budget Repair Bill which would destroy collective bargaining rights for all but a select group of public sector workers.  We all know how that went.

I heard the mayor say he was a Republican!

One thing seems certain though, Mayor Taylor seems to have a very short attention span.  Here are some of his administration’s unfinished “needs:”

South 27^th Street Corridor Project—remember the infamous “BOOMGAARD?

Remember the unfinished mess over the Payne & Dolan quarry  enhancement/expansion and that company’s ignoring air quality monitoring ordinances for more than six years.

Refer to theses stories:  to bring yourself up to speed on the mayor and common council’s lackadaisical approach to ordering Payne & Dolan to comply with city ordinances.  This quarry operation is releasing crystalline silica dust into the atmosphere:

1. Is the Quarry Expanding? Well...yes and no
2. Who's Monitoring the Quarry?
3. “There is absolutely no expansion of the quarry with the approval of this project”
4. City’s Elected Officials and Payne & Dolan’s Dirty Little Secret
5. Quarry Draft Ordinance Too Dense for City Leaders

According to OSHA the disease Silicosis is caused by exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust. Crystalline silica is a basic component of soil, sand, granite, and most other types of rock, and it is used as an abrasive blasting agent. Silicosis is a progressive, disabling, and often fatal lung disease. Cigarette smoking adds to the lung damage caused by silica. Silica has been classified as a human lung carcinogen.  Silicosis makes an individual more susceptible to Tuberculosis (TB), Scleroderma – a disease affecting skin, blood vessels, joints and skeletal muscles, as well as possible kidney disease.

Also, the quarry is surrounded by residential areas and is in close proximity to Pleasant View Elementary, Clare Meadows Senior Apartments, Franklin High School and the City's very popular the walking trail.

Quarry Draft Ordinance Too Dense for City Leaders

In its story covering last Tuesday’s Common Council Meeting FranklinNOW reported:

The limestone quarries on Rawson Avenue were at the center of debate at the city's Common Council meeting Tuesday, as alderman sought to create a citizen advisory board that would oversee monitoring of the sites.

To meet concerns of residents living near the quarries, the city has issued a request for proposals for a private contractor that would monitor blasting and air quality at the quarries. A draft ordinance tentatively defined a citizens [sic] panel that, together with the Plan Commission, would "check what they (the monitors) are doing," in the words of Common Council President Steve Taylor...  Read more.

In October of last year THE FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL (FIJ) ran a story asking Who's Monitoring the Quarry?  At that time we wrote that the City admitted quarry operations had gone unmonitored for the past six years.  Were it not for concerned Franklin citizens living across the street from the quarry and upset with the Payne & Dolan quarry "enhancement” (expansion), who knows how long the quarry's emissions would have gone unmonitored.

Residents Call for Neighborhood Meeting

In attendance and representing the City of Franklin at this neihborhood meeting was Mark Luberda, Director of Administration. Mr. Luberda told those in attendance that it appeared Franklin has been lax about monitoring quarry issues.  Those in attendance were particularly interested in discussing the limestone quarry’s operations and why the quarries were not being monitored. Mr. Luberda said the contract that Franklin had in place to monitor the quarry lapsed in 2005 and the City never took up the issue again. When one of the Franklin residents asked him "why," Luberda answered, “Maybe there were no complaints.” Another Franklin resident pointed out that “perhaps there were no complaints because the quarries were not being monitored.”

In the end, the citizens group agreed that the blasting, dust and berms are getting much worse and the whole situation is out of hand. If that is the case, we ask why would Franklin city leaders allow the quarries to expand without any independent monitoring?

As reported by FranklinNOW, here are some of the aldermen’s comments pertaining to the draft that was presented and debated during the Council meeting.

Alderwoman Kristen Wilhelm proposed that committee members be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council, and that city staff support the committee. But a dense paragraph in the draft outlining the duties of the panel drew criticism.

Alderman Tim Solomon asked whether the committee would be "micromanaging the consultant." Alderman Doug Schmidt said he was "overwhelmed by the amount of verbiage" in the draft.

Finally, Aldermen Wilhelm and Olson said they would work together to produce a new draft, along with the city attorney and administrators.

In the end the Council decided not to take any action on the matter and the draft ordinance was set aside for more work.

Click here to listen to the audio of the May 15 Common Council meeting.

FIJ coverage of this story

• Is the Quarry Expanding? Well...yes and no
• Who's Monitoring the Quarry?
• “There is absolutely no expansion of the quarry with the approval of this project”
• City’s Elected Officials and Payne & Dolan’s Dirty Little Secret

Alderwoman Kristen Wilhelm Walks Out of Common Council Meeting

Tuesday night’s common council meeting was not short on drama.  Near the end of the two and a half hour meeting on Tuesday, March 20, District 3 Alderwoman Kristen Wilhelm abruptly walked out of the meeting before it was adjourned leaving District 3 unrepresented for the remainder of this meeting.

Mayor Tom Taylor can also be heard on the City’s recording of the meeting calling an unidentified person a “…moron with an IQ of 2.”

The mayor’s remarks came off as very juvenile for the mayor of a major suburb of Milwaukee County who is also the chairman of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Council (ICC).

Is this the sort of "monkey shines” Franklinites expect from their elected representatives on the common council?

We strongly recommend readers listen to the entire meeting audio to hear the spending proposals offered by Alderman Steve Taylor’s Forward Franklin EDC (See budget, business plan and other meeting documents below).

Franklin Forward EDC Plan/Budget

How does the mayor, Alderman Taylor and commissioner Haskins propose to pay for their “vision?”  They want to spend unused funds from the comprehensive master plan.

Is this their idea of responsible leadership?

Franklin’s Public Hunting Grounds and what You Have Been Told—or Not

 

In separate stories published on November 22 and 23 we asked readers if they could identify the Wisconsin DNR Public Hunting grounds pictured in the story.  To-date we have not received the correct answer from among these choices: Tichigan, Vernon, Franklin or Oconomowoc.

Give up?  Well, the correct answer is Franklin.  We doubt that many Franklin and Milwaukee County citizens realize that there is a state-owned public hunting grounds within Franklin’s city limits on 116^th street, and wonder how many members of the Franklin Common Council are aware of this fact?  Depending upon how you feel about this we suggest calling your alderman or Mayor Tom Taylor with any questions or concerns you may have over this unique situation. 

We have a couple of concerns of our own on this subject.  First, the close proximity of Alderman Skowronski’s home to this state-owned land.  Secondly, we recalled the following statement by Mayor Tom Taylor in a September 26, 2010, JSOnline story favoring the now-controversial $41 million Ryan Creek Interceptor Project in what Taylor referred to in the article as the overdue period of growth for the city's southwest quarter, predicting with confidence that the sewer project:

“[Would open] much of the land to a building boom [and] would add more than $1.2 billion to the city's property tax base by 2025,” and that the added businesses would take some of the local tax burden off the shoulders of homeowners.”  Taylor added, “there’s little room for new businesses elsewhere: Only a few acres are left for sale in the city's business park at S. 51st St. and Ryan Road.  If a company came in and said they wanted a significant size property, we'd have to say no."

Taking the mayor at his word concerning the business (warehouse) park at S. 51st St. and Ryan Road, the mayor needs to explain to Franklin citizens how the state of Wisconsin became the owners of the 100 acres of land now designated public hunting grounds, being that, in his words ”there's little room for new businesses elsewhere.”  If the mayor is really serious about 'tak[ing] some of the local tax burden off the shoulders of homeowners.”  As Alderman Solomon likes to say, “It ain’t gonna happen.”  The state does not pay taxes to the City on the 100 or so acres it owns.

Speaking of development, we find it very “interesting” that the state-owned hunting grounds—baring its sale to a private party—prevents development of that property which just so happens to be just hundreds of yards from  Alderman Ken Skowronski’s home.  Yet, the City is preparing to take land (potentially by eminent domain) from Franklin citizens in order to build the Ryan Creek Interceptor for future sale to MMSD; which will tax property owners within its taxing boundaries, quite the oposite of Taylor's statement "...that "it will take some of the local tax burden off the shoulders of homeowners."

It must also be noted that Franklin developer Jim O’Malley, whose development company, O'malley Development, LLC owns land involved in the RCI project area.  In addition, campaign finace records filed with the Franklin City Clerk's office revealed O’Malley was a contributor to Mayor Taylor’s and Alderman Steve Taylor’s last campaigns.  In fact, O’Malley was a volunteer for the alderman’s reelection run.

RELATED MEDIA

• MMSD Public Hearing Regarding New District Boundary for the City of Franklin
• Ryan Creek Sewer Project Stinks to High Heaven

The Inspiring Story of How the Town of Vernon, New Jersey Saved Itself

…whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness…

—Declaration of Independence

Whoever said “you can’t fight City Hall,” never met a citizen of the Township of Vernon, New Jersey, a small town that changed the way that their government worked for the better.  According to its website, picturesque Vernon Township is located in the beautiful rolling hills and glacial lakes of Northern Sussex County.  More than 24,000 people call Vernon Township home...

Dignity and respect.  What will it take for the people of the City of Franklin to say we’ve had enough ofMayor Tom Taylor, the Franklin Common Council and the Franklin School Board?

RELATED MEDIA

• The Revered Review, Vernon, NJ (Home page: Number One Online News Source in Sussex County, NJ)
• A Case Against Veracity, Virtue & Common Sense on The Franklin Water Commission
• City Hall’s Culture of Corruption: The Beat Goes On
• Mayor Taylor’s $10,000 Forgiveness Letter
• Mayor Taylor’s $1.2 billion Fairy Tale
• Franklin citizens group disbands
• Franklin’s Culture of Political Corruption
• BATTLE JOINED blog (Franklin blog) stories categorized “Mayor Taylor” in Mayor Taylor.
• THE FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL stories categorized “Mayor Taylor.”
• 'Boomgaard' idea bombs for some
• THE FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL stories categorized “Franklin Public School District.”

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SPECIAL COMMON COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT

There will be a special meeting of the Franklin Common Council tonight at 7:00 PM in the “Inspection Conference Room" at City Hall.  Follows is the agenda.  Click the Fullscreen button below for easier reading.

SPECIAL COMMON COUNCIL MEETING 10/27/11

Second Amendment Rights Do Not End at the Front Door of City Hall or the Library

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

U.S. Constitution: Second Amendment

Mayor Tom Taylor excused himself from the Common Council Meeting on Tuesday, October 18, leaving some Franklin citizens to speculate whether the self-proclaimed Republican mayor was trying to avoid making public comments or having to break a tie vote on agenda item G1. Ordinance to amend the Municipal Code as it pertains to the carrying of concealed weapons within the City and certain City buildings.

At approximately the 19:00 time-mark in the meeting’s audio recording, Franklin Police Chief Richard Oliva presents a verbal report and recommendation to the common council on the subject matter pertaining to agenda item G1.In the ensuing debate you’ll hear Franklin Aldermen all over the map and not very well versed on the subject of Wisconsin’s concealed carry law.   This issue has nothing to do with hunting or hunter safety.

Second Amendment Gun rights have dogged Mayor Taylor in the past, and we have discovered that in a July 14, 2009, letter to the then-leaders of the United States Congress, Mayor Taylor joined approximately 400 other U.S. mayors and members of New York Mayor Bloomberg’s group: Mayors Against Illegal Guns Mayors, a coalition that has long believed that the issue of concealed carry regulation is one best left to cities and states, and strong opposition to Congressional bills like the Thune Concealed Carry Amendment.

The Common Council chose to hold this matter over for its Tuesday, November 1 meeting, the same date Wisconsin’s concealed carry law becomes effective.

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Abele vetoes Ryan Creek Interceptor Advisory Referendum

The Business Journal reported yesterday that Milwaukee County executive Chris Abele has vetoed a Milwaukee County Board resolution calling for an advisory referendum on a Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District plan to [re]pay the city of Franklin for costs related to building a sewer interceptor on the city’s southwest side.

The county board on Sept. 29 approved holding the referendum, which is nonbinding; Abele announced his veto on Monday. The project would extend an MMSD regional sewerage line at South 60th Street and Ryan Road to the Milwaukee County line at South 124th Street abutting Muskego in Waukesha County.

 Abele said the Ryan Creek interceptor project has the support of city officials in Franklin and Muskego as well as the MMSD, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Southeast Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. He said the project will help open parts of Milwaukee County and the region to new development and expand employment and the tax base.

Earlier this month in an exclusive story, THE FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL questioned whether Mayor Tom Taylor was cooking a back room Deal with County Executive Chris Abele over the Franklin tax payer-funded, $41 million Ryan Creek Interceptor Project? Our story also included a six-page letter from Mayor Taylor to the county executive asking Able to veto a September 29, 2011, action by the County Board adopting a Resolution for an advisory referendum on the plan by Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) to repay approximately $41.1 million to the City of Franklin for the costs related to building the Ryan Creek Interceptor Project.

 On Monday morning, October 24, as a Franklin tax payer, I sent the following email to County Executive Abele:

Dear County Executive Chris Abel:

I am a twenty-year resident and home owner in the City of Franklin.  The purpose of my email is to ask you to deny the October 5, 2011 request by City of Franklin Mayor Thomas M. Taylor to veto the County Board’s September 29, 2011 action adopting a Resolution providing for an advisory referendum on the plan by MMSD to pay more than $41 million to the City of Franklin for the costs related to the construction of the Ryan Creek Interceptor project.

Mayor Taylor has claimed on several occasions and in a September 26, 2010, JSOnline story that this project will “[Open] much of the land to a building boom [and] would add more than $1.2 billion to the city's property tax base by 2025.”

We have made two open records requests to Mayor Taylor asking him for documentation proving his claims; to-date he has not been forthcoming with any such documentation.  My latest request dated October 13, 2011, to-date has gone unanswered and makes me highly suspect of the mayor’s claims, which appears to be the primary reason he and certain Franklin Alderman favor this project.

I am asking you to deny Mayor Taylor’s request for your veto and to allow the referendum go forward.

Thank you for your consideration of my request.

Sincerely,

Fred V. Keller

Franklin tax payers should ask themselves and the honorable Mayor Tom Taylor why he does not want the people of Franklin to vote on this $41 million sewer project, which will be funded up-front by Franklin Tax payers?

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EXCLUSIVE: Mayor Asks County Executive to Veto Referendum on RCI Project

Is Franklin Mayor Tom Taylor Cooking a Back room Deal with County Executive Chris Abele over the $41 million Ryan Creek Interceptor Project?

County Executive Chris AbeleIn a six-page letter filled with half-truths and unsubstantiated tax revenue figures dated October 5, 2011 (See below), to Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, Franklin Mayor Tom Taylor asked the county executive to veto a September 29, 2011, action by the County Board adopting a Resolution for an advisory referendum on the plan by Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) to pay approximately $41.1 million to the City of Franklin for the costs related to building the Ryan Creek Interceptor Project (RCI).

In a JSOnline story a little over a year ago Taylor was praising the project proclaiming “Development would follow the pipes.”

The story confirmed that the City was seeking, and has since received a nearly $31 million in low-interest Clean Water Fund loans through the state of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) in order to build a large sewer across franklin’s “frontier,” a nine square mile corner of the state's most populous county where only a few scattered homes are visible within a mosaic of farm fields, fence lines, marshes and woods, without sewers and without neighborhoods.

Mayor Taylor forecast with confidence that building the overdue RCI would “[Open] much of the land to a building boom [that] would add more than $1.2 billion to the city's property tax base by 2025,” adding that the added businesses would take some of the local tax burden off the shoulders of homeowners  in Franklin.

This latest turn of events connected with this highly controversial project leaves us, and more than likely many of our readers, perplexed, confused and frankly, suspicious of Mayor Tom Taylor’s true motives for applying for a $31 million in low-interest Clean Water Fund loans with WDNR, and the subsequent sale of the RCI to MMSD for $41.1 million beginning in 2015.  MMSD would take ownership of the RCI in 2031, after paying an estimated total of $41.1 million in principal and interest. The motives of those Franklin Alderman who voted in favor of seeking $31 million in low-interest Clean Water Fund loans from WDNR, should also be questioned. 

Why the about face by the mayor, now? 

 We, like many of our fellow Franklin tax payers were under the impression that, based upon Mayor Taylor’s own words, “Development [would] follow the pipes, and that the project would [open] much of the land to a building boom [that] would add more than $1.2 billion to the city's property tax base by 2025.”

What would the County Executive’s veto accomplish?  It would prevent a county-wide referendum vote on the RCI project; essentially silencing county, and more importantly, Franklin voters on the RCI project.  Apparently, Mayor Taylor knows what’s best for us—"the unwashed masses."

Mayor Tom Taylor can be reached by phone at 414-427-7529 or Email at tom2563@att.net

Mayor Ltr to CoExec 10-05-11

Follow THE FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL, the essential voice for the citizens of Franklin, for continuing coverage on this and other Franklin issues that affect you.

RELATED MEDIA

• Milwaukee County and Franklin Lock Horns over Ryan Creek Sewer Project
• MMSD Public Hearing Notice Regarding New Boundries for the City of Franklin
• County supervisor seeks referendum on Franklin, Muskego sewer work
• Abele vetoes Ryan Creek interceptor referendum

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Who's Monitoring the Quarry?

City Admits Quarry Operations Went Unmonitored for Past Six Years

Franklin citizens upset with the Payne & Dolan quarry enhancement/expansion called for a neighborhood meeting.   In attendance representing the City of Franklin was Mark Luberda, Director of Administration. Luberda who admitted to those in attendance that it appeared Franklin has been lax about monitoring quarry issues.

Franklin residents met to discuss the limestone quarries operations and why the quarries were not being monitored. Luberda said the contract that Franklin had in place to monitor the quarry lapsed in 2005 and the City never took up the issue again. When one of the Franklin residents in attendance asked him why, Luberda answered, “Maybe there were no complaints.” Another Franklin resident pointed out that perhaps there were no complaints because the quarries were not being monitored. It was the overall consensus of the attendees that the blasting, dust and berms are getting much worse and the whole situation is out of hand. If that is so, why would Franklin allow the quarries to expand without any independent monitoring?

The extraction of limestone at the current location of the quarries began in the 1940's with a change in ownership and property ownership lines between the two quarries over the years. The extraction commenced prior to the City becoming a Wisconsin municipality in 1956.

Over the years, the growth of the Milwaukee Metropolitan area increased the demand for this limestone resource. Growth has placed many new single family homes in the general vicinity surrounding the quarries. Obviously, the expansion of both conflicting land uses has demanded careful consideration of the quarrying operations.

During the early 1990's quarry operators and citizens of Franklin embarked upon a communication process leading to the acceptance of voluntary blasting guidelines, dust control, extracting limits, hours of operation, etc., by the quarry operators. When the quarries approached the City for approval to expand the extraction area boundaries beyond the area allowed by zoning, a long, extensive and exhaustive process took place and eventually lead to the adoption of the Planned Development Districts (PDD) No.23, and the listing of criteria as standards.

For several years, even before the adoption of the PDDs, the City of Franklin Fire Department was  the agency responsible for collecting blasting data and receiving and following through on complaints of quarry operations from citizens. Periodically, a seismograph, in the possession of the Fire Department, was utilized to verify blasting information. The collected data of blast results and tabulation of complaints was to be reported on a monthly basis to the City of Franklin Common Council. The Franklin Fire Department did not interpret the information for improvements to blasting techniques, nor did they have the expertise to be monitoring the other areas of concern as outlined in PDD 23.

Alderman Ryan stated that the quarry voluntarily imposed on itself restrictive operating guidelines to mitigate any potential negative impacts of the extraction and related quarry operations on the growing residential area in the vicinity of the quarry. The quarry also agreed to pay to have those activities monitored. Alderman Ryan stated it made more sense to hire trained and qualified independent experts to monitor the quarry rather than the Franklin Fire Department, especially since Franklin taxpayers were not paying for this. Alderman Ryan questioned why this was not done in 1997. Now Franklin residents are questioning why this stopped in 2005.

It’s noteworthy to point out here that on October 16, 2001, then-Alderman Basil Ryan moved to adopt Resolution No. 2001-5285. It was a resolution that he worked on approving a contract with Aquifer Science & Technology for providing quarry monitoring service which included blasting, dust control, hours of operation, noise, etc. This was after a long process which involved the environmental commission, planning commission, and 16 other companies. This was at no expense to Franklin taxpayers because there was a provision in the 1997 PPD agreement stating:

The operator shall be responsible to the City for all reasonable actual costs incurred by the City in the monitoring of Operator's operations hereunder and in the administration of this Ordinance...

According to a City official we spoke with, here are the annual contracted costs for Aquifer Science Technology’s services:

• 2001 Not to exceed $23,500
• 2002 Not to exceed $32,500
• 2003: Not to exceed $33,500
• 2004: Not to exceed $34,500
• 2005: Entered into month-to-month Agreement. Payments as follows:
• JAN—MAR: not to exceed $9,250/for the quarter.
• APR—JUN: Not to exceed $3083/Month and maximum for the quarter not to exceed $9,250
• Contract lapsed

We remind readers again, that these costs were the full responsibility of Payne & Dolan and NOT Franklin taxpayers.  So, again, why was this contract allowed to lapse by the Mayor, the Administration and the Common Council?

It’s fair for Franklin citizens to ask: Has Mayor Tom Taylor met his legal obligations on this serious public safety matter with Payne & Dolan quarry, or is he complicit in allowing Payne & Dolan to ignore City ordinances since 2011 expansion project?

Mark Luberda also told those in attendance Thursday night that (paraphrasing, again) the Mayor is including funding in next year’s budget for the hiring of an independent company to monitor quarry operations.”  This statement is idiotic and disingenuous at best; since this is cost is merely a pass-through expense from the City to Payne & Dolan.  The City of Franklin and its tax payer have no responsibility to pay for this service.  Why is the mayor so attentive to this matter now?  Is it because he got caught?  This kind of nonsense begs the question: What else is this mayor and Common Council hiding from the People of Franklin?

Follow THE FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL, the essential voice for the citizens of Franklin, for continuing coverage on this and other Franklin issues that affect you.

MMSD Public Hearing Regarding New District Boundary for the City of Franklin

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) has given notice that it will hold a public hearing tomorrow, Tuesday, September 27, 2001 [2011], at 10:00AM at the District’s headquarters building located at 260 W. Seebooth Street, Milwaukee.  Oddly, at this writing this notice cannot be found on The City of Franklin’s website.  We did however; find the following notices on the website’s front page (Priorities?):

• Annual Spaghetti Dinner to Benefit Charities
• Emergency Services Chili Cook-Off

While both are great events, Tuesday’s MMSD Hearing is to gather public comment on MMSD’s biennial review to consider whether and how much of the City of Franklin should be included into District’s taxing boundary on account of the Ryan Creek Interceptor. It appears that that the City of Franklin permitted MMSD to include the whole City of Franklin in its taxing boundary.  Weren’t taxpayers told repeatedly by Mayor Taylor and Alderman Taylor and other City officials that the Ryan Creek Interceptor Project wouldn’t be a tax burden on Franklin taxpayers?  This latest collusion between the City and MMSD could result in Franklin residents with their own septic systems having to pay annual taxes to MMSD for service they may not want or need.

It appears that Galileo was correct: "All truths are easy to understand once they are disdovered."

MMSD Public Hearing Notice regarding Franklin Boundaries 092711

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Update on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 10:34 AM by Basil Ryan

ERROR IN MMSD HEARING PUBLIC NOTICE DATE

THE FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL has contacted MMSD this morning to notify the body of an error in its posting of the aforementioned public hearing notice concerning the Ryan Creek Interceptor Project.  Here is the main text of our email:

The public hearing notice that appears on your website (Notice of Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District for public hearing regarding the district boundary for the City of Franklin) has the incorrect year listed.

It says, “... will hold a public hearing to gather public comment on the District's biennial review of its boundary on September 27, 2001.” Therefore, since THE FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL is bringing this error to your attention, our question is, will MMSD postpone the meeting and re-notice the meeting with the correct date?

If you are waiting for someone to file a written complaint, consider this a written complaint. THE FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL feels your notice is incorrect and confusing to the general public and should have the correct date. Otherwise it leads the reader to believe that you'll be discussing a topic that took place in 2001. FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL had numerous inquiries about the article we posted on our newspaper. We linked your public notice to our article and readers were confused about what we were trying to say and what your notice articulated. Your incorrect date has confused our readers. Please consider this objection for the reasons stated above. Please contact us if we can be of any further assistance or help.

Editors, THE FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL

We received the following response from MMSD this morning:

Dear Editor,

Thank you for catching that typo on our web site.

We did post a nearly full page public notice in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that correctly listed the proper hearing date and time. We do plan to hold the meeting this morning as noticed in the paper.

Bill Graffin

MMSD Public Information Manager

(414) 225-2077

Report: Congress Members—Just over 8 percent majored in economics

A recent report from the Employment Policies Institute found that only one in five (20 percent) members of Congress have an academic background in business or economics.   The organization looked at lawmakers' college degrees and found that most of them—55.1 percent—majored in either a government-related field or "humanities." Just over 8 percent majored in economics, while almost 14 percent studied business or accounting.  This report sparked us to take a look at the business or economics backgrounds of our local elected officials.

On Friday, August 26, the following email was sent to each elected official in Franklin government, including the Franklin School Board.

[We] recently read that a report from the Employment Policies Institute found that only one in five members of Congress have an academic background in business or economics.   The organization looked at lawmakers' college degrees and found that most of them—55.1 percent—majored in either a government-related field or "humanities." Just over 8 percent majored in economics, while almost 14 percent studied business or accounting.

THE FRANKLININDEPENT JOURNAL (FIJ) is asking each elected official in Franklin government where their primary academic background lies, and is asking for your cooperation in participating in our survey.  The results will be published in an upcoming story in FIJ. If you wish to participate in this two question survey please answer the following questions—if not, please let us know that you will not participate in this survey.

1. What do you consider to be your primary academic background?
2. If you hold a college degree, what was your major?

Thank You for your participation and cooperation in this survey.

To-Date we've recieved four responces; two school board members and two Aldermen.

Look for our story on this survey on Wednesday, August 31.

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Ryan Creek Sewer Project Stinks to High Heaven

The City of Franklin: Where Honest and Transparent Government Goes to Die. What you don't know can hurt you

According to the NewBerlinNOW, it is highly likely that the New Berlin, like Muskego, is looking to take advantage of Franklin tax payers thanks in-part to Mayor Tom Taylor’s highly controversial $31 million Ryan Creek sewer(Interceptor) project. Much like Mayor Taylor’s plan, New Berlin seeks to extend a sewer so that an area with the biggest chunk of remaining farmland in eastern New Berlin could be opened up for development. The plan is expected to win Common Council (New Berlin) approval Tuesday night. The Agenda for Franklin’s Common Council Meeting, also on Tuesday, August 2, makes no mention of the actions taking place in New Berlin. Will New Berlin and Muskego reimburse Franklin for the expenses the City has incurred to-date for this project? Read more.

Some observers see New Berlin’s controversial move as “back door” preparations to buy Lake Michigan water in a few years by side-stepping the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District (MMSD), aided and abetted by Franklin Mayor Tom Taylor and his staunch supporters on the Franklin Common Council; Aldermen Steve Taylor, Timothy Solomon and Ken Skowronski.

Unanswered Questions

Is New Berlin, a suburb of Waukesha County planning to connect to Franklin’s Ryan Creek Interceptor with its project? Since this is technically a MMSD project, will New Berlin residents pay a portion of their property tax to MMSD, like Franklin taxpayers and other MMSD customers throughout Milwaukee County, or are taxpayers in various Milwaukee County cities footing the bill for New Berlin to receive Great Lakes water?

To voice your support or opposition to the New Berlin project or the Ryan Creek Interceptor Project, or for answers to these or any other questions related to either project, we suggest you contact Mayor Tom Taylor or your Alderman.

RELATED STORIES

• Click to read previous FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL stories pertaining to the Ryan Creek Sewer Project.
• Click to read previous stories pertaining to the Ryan Creek Sewer Project posted on our sister publication BATTLE JOINED.

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Is the Quarry Expanding? Well...yes and no

Franklin residents have seen this movie before.

It was inevitable.  First, tear down the homes and buildings on the west side of 51st Street.  Let any rumors and scuttlebutt (e.g. quarry expansion), as to why these buildings were demolished abate.  Then, when all has quieted down, move in the bulldozers and earth-movers and hope no one notices or bothers to speak out until it’s too late.  That’s how Mayor Tom Taylor and his “boys” (Aldermen Solomon, Taylor and Skowronski) on the Franklin Common Council like to work.  Is that this group’s idea of open government.

Driving south on 51st Street yesterday, between Rawson and Drexel, I noticed a bulldozer and a couple other pieces of earth-moving equipment operating on the east side of the quarry’s burm.  Today I checked with my alderman and sure enough the quarry is being expanded as part of a years-old agreement with the City. Franklin pols will tell you “'Technically,' it’s not being 'expanded.'” Evidently this is due to the language in the agreement.

The berms to the east are being moved further east so that mining can take place beneath where the berms once stood.

Please direct any questions regarding this matter to the mayor, your alderman or Joel Dietl, AICP, Planning Manager, City of Franklin at 414-425-4024.