There are no public meetings scheduled for the City of Whitewater. Still, something’s bound to happen somewhere.
In our school district, there’ll be a meeting today at 9 a.m. in both executive (closed) session and open to the public, as noted in the agenda:
Call to Order and Roll Call
Executive Session
Adjourn to Executive Session, pursuant to § 19.85(1)(e)(f), Wisconsin Statutes, to review the WEA and WESS Collective Bargaining Agreements and issues relating to possible layoffs; and§ 19.85(1)(c)(f), Wisconsin Statutes, to discuss circumstances surrounding possible student disciplinary measures.
Reconvene in Open Session at approximately 9:15 a.m.
Discuss and Act on Possible Layoffs (Possible Action Item)
What we resolve often matters less than what we do afterward, and what we do afterward often requires action beyond what we initially resolved.
On May 26th, our public school district, in Whitewater, Wisconsin and nearby towns, passed a resolution against racism.
Here is the full text of their resolution:
Whitewater Unified School District Resolution Against Racism
Approved by School Board 5/26/09
WHEREAS, the Whitewater Unified School District strongly condemns racial discrimination;
WHEREAS, racism is a threat to child development because it violates a student’s basic right to security, education, and social development;
WHEREAS, the Whitewater Unified School District does not condone any type of racist threat or discrimination;
WHEREAS, the Whitewater Unified School District supports working with other governmental entities, including the City of Whitewater and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, to raise awareness of the need to address racism in our local community by creating an active dialog which we believe will make our community an even more welcoming place;
WHEREAS, the Whitewater Unified School District will continue to denounce racism in all forms and will continue to seek proactive steps to prevent racist behavior by providing training and education for staff, students, and the community;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Whitewater Unified School District deeply regrets the recent incident at Whitewater High School and the sorrow and fear that this racist behavior has brought to the affected students and their families.
We are right, as a free and equal people, to denounce racism. The very foundation of this society, its Declaration of Independence, places this as canonical for America — the principles by which we are formed, and the reed by which we are therefore measured.
But it’s not merely bigotry that has brought this community low. It’s our ceaseless desire to pretend that our politicians are saints, our bureaucrats saviors, and our policies infallible.
Wrongs and wickedness will befall any community, and those responsible should be located, for the safety of others, and their own rehabilitation.
Every time officials in this community confront a problem with an initial period of silence and secrecy, until someone discovers the thruth of the matter, they exacerbate injury and adisgrace themselves.
Yet, for it all, they presist in this same path, again and again.
I have slight confidence these few will change easily; I am certain their way aggravates our situation.
Some towns across America are so desperate to escape the effects of this deep recession that they are considering the dubious step of disincorporation.
That will not, and truly cannot, happen for Whitewater, Wisconsin. Yet, we might have relied so much less on state funding, and weaned ourselves from it in better times.
We have public meeting after public meeting in Whitewater, on all sorts of topics, some important, some not. Few involve topics required as a matter of federal constitutional law.
The decennial census is one of them, from Article I § 2 of the United States Constitution.
Meetings about the census should be among our most open and well-publicized.
In Whitewater today, the Census Count Committee meets at 4 p.m. at the Municipal Building, and the Tree Commission meets at 5 p.m.
The census is only useful if it counts all residents, but then, all residents have to commit to counting all residents. Look back over the last few years of life in Whitewater, and one sees only that an accurate census of all residents will be particularly difficult. If achieved, as I hope that it will be, it will rob a dissipated faction of its conviction that the city belongs only to itself.
(As of this writing, the Census Count Committee posts no agenda on the City of Whitewater website — they should make their work open and transparent, reviewable and verifiable, not as a matter of law, but of good government beyond any provision of law. Very few activities should be more transparent than this one.)
I received the following press release, that I am happy to post –
The Walworth County Genealogical Society will meet on Tuesday, June 2, 2009, 7:00 PM, at the Community Centre, 826 E. Geneva Street, Delavan.
There will be a presentation of the pioneers buried in the Calvary Cemetery, Whitewater, WI. The deceased were from the Whitewater and LaGrange areas.
This cemetery has burials of the early residents and members of the Saint Patrick’s Church, Whitewater. The cemetery has the distinction of being one of the two cemeteries in the United States located within university campuses. Calvary Cemetery is located on the grounds of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
The monthly Society meetings are open to the public and the Society’s publications can be ordered at that time.
The newest book to be released is the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Sugar Creek Township, Elkhorn, WI. Copies may be available at the meeting. Brochures are available with information about the society and a complete listing of the books.
For additional information, please call the Vice President at 275-2426.
The are no public meetings scheduled from the City of Whitewater today.
There is, however, a scheduled Listening Session with Representative Tammy Baldwin, scheduled from 3-4 p.m. today, at the Irvin Young Memorial Library, on Center Street.
In Wisconsin history on this date, the Wisconsin Historical Society reports that on this date in 1997, “sixty festival attendees were arrested at the 8th annual Weedstock Festival, a pro-marijuana event in Ferryville. [Source: Timeline Wisconsin].” When they called it Weedstock…
In our schools today, there’s a plan that concerned parents and community members have proposed, following racist graffiti found at Whitewater High School. Here’s the undertaking, in the words of those who developed the proposal, from two messages that I have received, as sent to the press, and at least one blogger:
Greetings.
On Tuesday, May 26, various student organizations will be gathering with community members to make buttons proclaiming, “STOP THE HATE.” This effort is a response to the racist threat that occurred last week at Whitewater High School.
-A student reported the racist and threatening message on the stall door of a boys’ bathroom in the science wing of the high school on Thursday, May 14, around 2:30 p.m.
-Six African-American students were identified in the threat.
A few Whitewater professors and I met with the Administration at Whitewater High School and asked if we could do something proactive to help the student body feel “empowered” through this sad and scary time. We saw this incident as one that the community also needed to act on, not just the school. We found the administration to be very open, supportive, and concerned. They were willing to do all they could to facilitate our efforts.
The professors and I had the idea to make buttons with the students. The message was shared with the student organizations and they jumped on it. The kids are enthused and much more hopeful about letting the community know that there is a STOP THE HATE message coming from THEIR school and they are not a school that tolerates hate and racism.
Please come out to Whitewater High School on Tuesday…any time from 9-3 and see the students in action. The students need the positive publicity; they need to see that their voice of peace is more powerful than the racist/fearful ones….
You are aware that there is going to be a Stop the Hate button campaign at Whitewater High School. The parents who initiated the conversation about what should happen at the high school wanted to be clear that the students themselves are making and distributing the buttons. We also wanted to be clear that the feelings and safety of the threatened families and other African American families in Whitewater is the number one priority.
Has Whitewater Police Chief Jim Coan already hired a trainer for Whitewater’s Police and Fire Commission members?
Earlier this week, on May 20th, 2009, Whitewater’s Police and Fire Commission met for a quarterly meeting. They met in a small conference room, rather than a chamber suitable for public attendance, and unlike so many other public meetings in Whitewater, the public portions of their proceedings were untelevised.
Two days later, in his Weekly Report, Whitewater’s City Manager, Kevin Brunner, announced the results of a portion of that meeting’s agenda: the hiring of two new officers. Here’s what he wrote in his weekly report:
Police Chief James Coan and the Whitewater Police and Fire Commission announce that conditional offers of employment as police officers for the City of Whitewater have been made to John Kleinfeldt and Terrence (TJ) Sullivan. The employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of medical examinations and psychological testing. If all goes well, both candidates will begin field training with the department on June 8th.
John Kleinfeldt graduated from UW-Eau Claire with a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice. John also worked as a Community Service Officer for the Eau Claire Police Department. Terrence is a recent graduate of UW-Whitewater and is a veteran of the United States Air Force. Both candidates have graduated from recruit academies and are eligible to be certified as police officers in the State of Wisconsin.
There are some details that he left out.
The agenda for that Police and Fire Commission, written before the meetings, tells how much time the PFC planned to give to this matter. (It’s their plan for the evening, only.)
POLICE AND FIRE COMMISSION AGENDA
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
7:00 p.m.
CITY MANAGER’S CONFERENCE ROOM
312 W. Whitewater Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin
I. Call to Order, Roll Call
II. Election of Officers
III. Oath of Office
IV. Adjournment to Closed Session,
to Reconvene per Wisconsin State Statute §19.85(1) (c) “Considering
employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data
of any public employee over which governmental body has jurisdiction
or exercises responsibility.”
A. Items to be discussed: Interview of Patrol Officer Candidates – 2
V. Reconvene into Open Session at 7:20 p.m.
VI. Announcement of recommendation to Chief of Police concerning
Patrol Officer candidates
VII. Approval of minutes of February 18, 2009
VIII. Citizen Comments
IX. Old Business – None
X. New Business
A. Chief’s Report
1. Staffing Update
2. PFC Training Availability.
XI. Adjournment
Amazing!
The meeting plan had the PFC starting at 7:00 p.m., and a Call to Order, Roll Call, Election of PFC Commission Officers, and Oath of Office, and Interview of Two Patrol Officer candidates, all in 20 minutes.
How could anyone meaningfully plan to accomplish all these duties — consideration of two candidate interviews included — in just 20 minutes?
There is a way, perhaps.
Later in the agenda, at item X. A. 2., the agenda lists ‘Training Availability.’ Perhaps the training already took place, and Coan, and all the Whitewater Police and Fire Commission members, took training from this gentleman:
Once again, as so many times before, Jim Coan and the Whitewater Police and Fire Commission lead the nation — that’s all 306,500,137 people in America — in a new and innovative way to conduct a meeting.
Unique as always.
There might be a different way, though, more intelligible and consistent with current public meeting practices in America — allot more time in the agenda, hold the meeting in a suitable chamber, and televise the open proceedings.
Take these duties seriously.
Something one might want to consider, perhaps, just perhaps. more >>
The holiday weekend begins, and there’s lots of posting ahead over the next few days — on local press coverage, the Police and Fire Commission, our local economy, and charitable and civic press releases to publish.
To set the right mood for the writing ahead, I offer two clips that encourage a positive outlook while working. I’ve posted the second before, and it’s a clever homage to the first.
There are countless reasons, big and small, to love America. This is, I am convinced, the most extraordinary place in all the world, for our liberties, productivity, creativity, and natural beauty.
We have been creative always, in our past as we are today. Here’s an example of America’s contribution to popular culture from 1928 – Steamboat Willie.
I received the following press release that I am happy to post —
Brain Wellness Program Offered at Muskego Library
Program to Underscore Importance of Brain Health
Milwaukee, WI – May 14, 2009 – The Alzheimer’s Association will present a community program called “Nourish Your Noggin” on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Muskego Public Library, S73 W16663 Janesville Road, Muskego.
This program will be provided at no charge, and is open to the community. Join us for this fun and interactive program for those who are interested in brain health. Learn how memory works, about age-related changes – what is normal, what is not – and how to live a brain-healthy lifestyle.
This program will be presented by Judy Gunkel, Regional Services Coordinator, Alzheimer’s Association. To register for this complimentary program, please contact Judy Gunkel at 262-548-7224 or via email at judy.gunkel@alz.org.
The Alzheimer’s Association is a national non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research, to enhance care and support for all affected and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.
The Alzheimer’s Association, Southeastern Wisconsin chapter provides information, education, and support to people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias, their families, and healthcare professionals throughout an 11-county region. For more information about Alzheimer’s disease and local services visit www.alz.org/sewi or call the toll-free, 24-hour Helpline at 800-272-3900.
Campaign finance laws are often heralded as positive reform — but there’s a much darker side to those laws — they often limit free expression of political speech. Over at Cato, they’ve prepared a video to discuss aspects of a case involving the Federal Election Commission’s presumed entitlement to regulate political speech, a case now before the U.S. Supreme Court —
Campaign finance laws become a way by which government — and its incumbent politicians — can regulate messages they dislike in circumvention of First Amendment protections.
