There’s an item in the Whitewater city manager’s July 15th Weekly Report that shows how deceptive grants — supposedly free money — can be. First, the cost. Grants for bridges, etc., aren’t free — someone had to earn that grant money, money that found its way to one public or quasi-public organization or another. When…
City
City, Government Spending
If Wisconsin can do it, then so can Whitewater
by JOHN ADAMS •
City, Development, Government Spending
Meanwhile, at our business park…
by JOHN ADAMS •
I regularly read the Weekly Report of Whitewater’s city manager. I feel that I’m being helpful by doing so; if I stopped, average readership would likely fall by a third. In the July 8th edition, there’s mention of a new business, Simonswerk, that’s bringing a few jobs to our business park. A few are better…
City, Development
Whitewater’s Downtown
by JOHN ADAMS •
Walworthy County Today has a story online from Kevin Hoffman about downtown revitalization in small towns. Whitewater is part of that story. See, Communities work to revitalize downtown despite challenges. Challenges there have been. The Great Recession took a toll everywhere in America, and 2007-2009 are among the worst years in American economic history. And…
City, Police, School District
Whitewater’s Different Search Strategies
by JOHN ADAMS •
While Whitewater’s police department has embarked on a traditional search strategy with a consulting firm, Whitewater’s school district is willing first to consider internal candidates in a backyard-search strategy. Will the different methods produce results different in candidate quality? Thats hard to knoww, although a national search should yield a stronger field.
City, School District
Officials and Notice of Departure
by JOHN ADAMS •
A few quick remarks on officials and giving notice of departure. An official who’s not very good, just struggling along, will give ample notice (both implicit and explicit) of a departure. Here’s how to tell: the official will have been a second or third choice initially, will try unsuccessfully for years to leave (being rejected…
City, Law, Laws/Regulations, Liberty, Police, Politics, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Assembly Bill 173
by JOHN ADAMS •
Yesterday, Rep. Don Pridemore’s Arizona-syle immigration legislation received a numerical designation: Assembly Bill 173. The full text of the bill is online at the Legislature’s website. The bill has the following initial sponsors: “Representatives Pridemore, Wynn, LeMahieu, Kleefisch, Steineke and Jacque; Cosponsored by Senator Lasee.” One could have expected Wynn to support this measure. His…
City, Crime
Common Council: Synthetic Marijuana
by JOHN ADAMS •
Update: There’s a solid follow-up from Walworth County Today about the reach of the ban — it won’t apply to our campus, as that jurisdiction is under the authority of the state and university system. See, City of Whitewater can’t ban synthetic pot on campus. At last night’s council meeting, a clear majority of the…
City, Crime, Police
Common Council: Crime Prevention
by JOHN ADAMS •
Property crimes, although not as reprehensible as crimes of violence, are yet significant wrongs. Theft injures its victims, and undermines civil society. One has no reason to be sympathetic to thieves. Individuals and society benefit from strong private property rights. Whitewater, perhaps more than other towns nearby, has a problem with property crimes, including car…
City, Economy, Innovation Center/Tech Park, University
The Starin Road Extension
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s a story, from yesterday’s Daily Union, about the Starin Road extension. See, Whitewater dedicates Starin Road extension. In the story, Whitewater’s city manager advances a few justifications for the multi-million-dollar, taxpayer-financed extension: first for emergencies, then for connecting the Innovation Center to the campus, then as part of a package including bike trails. There’s…
City, Freedom of Speech, Law, Laws/Regulations, Liberty, Police
The Government’s War on Cameras
by JOHN ADAMS •
Photography and recordings do much to safeguard citizens’ rights and protect honest officers against false accusations. Places in which officials discourage lawful, constitutional photography are ones in which officials not only act outside the law but also imprudently. There will be fewer injustices, and better policing, in a word of expansive photographers’ rights. By the…
City, Development, Economy
Whitewater’s May 17th Common Council Meeting
by JOHN ADAMS •
Tuesday’s Common Council meeting, embedded below, included a discussion of Whitewater’s calculation and charges for new construction permits. That discussion takes places from 21:50 to 31:20. Of that discussion, there were two positive changes to Whitewater’s current policy: (1) that the city should calculate new-construction permit costs by square footage, and (2) that the rate…
City, Politics, Press
“Whitewater alderman faces drug charges” – GazetteXtra
by JOHN ADAMS •
The Gazette (Janesville or Walworth County version) fronts a story this morning about criminal charges against one of the members of Whitewater’s Common Council, councilmember Butler of District 2. The print editions offer more detail than the online link, available at http://gazettextra.com/weblogs/latest-news/2011/may/17/whitewater-alderman-faces-drug-charges/. Although other media will run the story, they’ll be chasing it, and have…
City, Free Markets
The Foolish War on Walmart
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here in small-town Whitewater, we’re getting an expanded Walmart. It’s Walmart, not Tiffany & Co. It is, however, popular with millions, for low prices on a wide selection of goods. We’ve also a selection of local merchants, some of whom are positioned to thrive regardless of Walmart’s plans. I’ve objected to an exclusionary ‘buy local’…