Franklin candidate forum cancelled

A candidate forum sponsored by Franklin First and moderated by the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County was scheduled for March 25 at the Franklin Library. The forum was to feature mayoral candidates Basil Ryan and Steve Olson. Basil Ryan signed the candidate letter of agreement and was scheduled to appear.

Mayor Olson refused the offer and gave no explanation.

Forums such as these give residents the opportunity to listen and learn about candidates, view their leadership style and hear about their goals to make Franklin a great place to live.

With so many businesses leaving Franklin for surrounding communities, stagnant development, and out of control spending, residents have a right to ask leadership how they plan to turn this trend around.

Another disappointment for Franklin voters.

Franklin Library in the red again

One of Franklin's most popular and prized buildings for residents of all ages is facing problems of its own. Their problems may be one of Mayor Olson's best kept secrets.

According to the City of Franklin proposed 2017 budget, "This is the third year in a row that the library fund operated at a deficit. With a projected end-of-2017 fund balance of around $300,000, the net expenditure level is not sustainable. The library has expressed concerns that the classification and compensation study implementation has impacted their operations more extensively."

In plain English, the city hired a company to undertake a study at a taxpayer cost of $30,000 to determine that city staff was underpaid. As a result of that study, library staff were given considerably large pay increases, even though they were not asking for them. The Library board did not budget for increases. But other city staff employees were asking for the big raises, forcing the Library board to go along with the study results.

The proposed 2017 budget stated, "The result is that the 2017 budget reflects an anticipated reduction in the fund balance of $60,271."

Is the library's problem another example of citywide problems? We already have businesses that are leaving the city creating empty vacant retail space as a result of stagnant economic development. 

Franklin Police Statement on Shooting

The Franklin Police just released information on the report of gunshots on Sycamore Street. As I get more information, I will post it. 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE RELEASE

$24.6 million hidden asset is a red flag

The city of Franklin constructed a $24.6 million sanitary interceptor sewer with the thought of stimulating economic growth. It was completed in 2014 in the far southwest portion of Franklin. The only economic growth that has occurred was for Waukesha County residents and businesses. Typically, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) handles those projects, not local government.

The project has had its share of problems since its inception, including no economic growth for Franklin. Franklin residents opposed it from the beginning because it benefited Waukesha County residents and businesses.  Some of the Franklin residents and businesses, who were the last remaining property owners outside of MMSD, were being forced into the district as part of a condition that MMSD demanded. The residents had to begin paying for sewer to MMSD, even though this project could not deliver sewer service to them. Residents were told MMSD would own the sewer.

Now its been discovered the city of Franklin is the sewer owner, not MMSD. It is quite clear the city did not want to acknowledge they owned the sewer and refused to put it on the city's financial records as an asset, even though it was warned about it in 2012. Franklin's new accounting firm, Baker Tilly, recommends that the project be listed as a contributed asset, and depreciated over the term of the loan. They do not agree with the current city treatment of this transaction. 

Franklin residents were told that MMSD owned the sewer and that's why they had to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes to MMSD. Now the residents are learning that their city owns, constructed, operates and maintains the sewer. Why are their taxes going toward another government agency (MMSD) when the city of Franklin residents are on the hook for everything? These Franklin residents are paying twice for no sewer service or economic development. The only one benefiting is Waukesha County residents and businesses at the expense of Franklin.

Franklin residents are asking: Why did Mayor Olson vote for this deal? Why is Franklin supplementing economic development in another county?