Over at the Oshkosh Northwestern, there’s a story just posted that the City of Oshkosh has offered the city manager’s post to Mark Rohloff of Grand Chute. (Current Whitewater City Manager Kevin Brunner had been a candidate for the Oshkosh position.) Crystal Lindell of the paper reports that Rohloff was the only candidate to receive…
City
City, Police
Ed Burns at Reason on “30 Years of Failure”
by JOHN ADAMS •
Over at Reason, there’s an interview with Ed Burns, the co-creator of HBO’s The Wire. The Wire was an account, for five seasons, of criminal justice in Baltimore. The administration of justice is seldom depicted accurately, and in any event, Whitewater is almost nothing like Baltimore, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, or New Orleans. Burns…
City
Local Incumbency
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve pondered before why progressives in Whitewater do well in big-issues elections (president, governor, referenda), but show no similar strength at the local level. Someone wrote back and suggested that at the local level, perhaps maintaining incumbency meant more to most politicians than ideology. That may well be the reason, but if so, then it…
City
Downtown Whitewater Receives Main Street Awards for Second Year in a Row
by JOHN ADAMS •
Downtown Whitewater, Inc. has issued a press release highlighting success as a Main Street Community. Whitewater’s turnout for the Main Street awards program was higher than most other communities participating. Several Main Street Communities gathered in Downtown Madison on Thursday, May 22, 2008 to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Main Street Downtown Revitalization Program. Downtown…
City
Common Council Meeting for May 6th
by JOHN ADAMS •
Our Common Council met on May 6th, and there are two topics that I will briefly address. The local bus company contacted the city to request a change in the city ordinance regulating use of warning lights for school buses. There were two challenges with this request. No one from the bus company was able…
City, Free Markets
Update on Housing
by JOHN ADAMS •
I received an email on my last post that pointed out an option I did not address – a few privately owned, multi-unit, larger apartments close to campus. These new units would require modifications to zoning in some specific parts of the city. They would have a large number of units, in a smaller area,…
City, Free Markets
Common Council Meeting from 5/6: Housing Task Force Recommendations
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater’s Housing Task Force produced a set of eight recommendations for the Whitewater Common Council. These recommendations were part of the discussion on May 6th. They would require necessary Council action or city planning and drafting. 1. Whitewater and the Community Development Authority should establish a first time buyers’ program to encourage single family home…
City
Common Council Resolution on Free Expression
by JOHN ADAMS •
The City of Whitewater Common Council approved a resolution at its last meeting regarding freedom of expression. I will post the text of the resolution below, and link to it though a page of my website. It is an elegant and clear expression re-affirming American liberties. Update: May 13, 2008 — It was Common Council…
City
Library Stats
by JOHN ADAMS •
I saw that the Irvin Young Library produced a small pamphlet highlighting some of the statistics from its 2007 annual report. I have advocated the construction of a larger library, and here are highlights from the pamphlet about services provided from the existing building: 450 adults attended 35 programs 3004 kids attended 143 programs 10032…
City, Development, Free Markets, University
The Campaign Against Cars Campus
by JOHN ADAMS •
We’re a university town. There are a few who want desperately for us to be something else, but those wants scarcely matter. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is a vital part of Whitewater. Our campus – yes, our campus – improves life for all of us. Thousand of students receive an education that’s part of the…
City
Common Council Meeting for April 15, 2008
by JOHN ADAMS •
The Common Council meeting began with a swearing in ceremony for three council members. Two were returning incumbents (Stewart and Taylor) and one was a new council member (Binnie). Council President. The next action was an election for Council president. There were two nominees: Jim Stewart and Patrick Singer. Stewart is a retired employee of…
City
Common Council Meeting for 4/3
by JOHN ADAMS •
UPDATE, Tuesday evening: I neglected to mention an email that I received pointing out the increasing frequency of dog waste on city sidewalks in the downtown. I have not had the misfortune to step in any canine calling cards. It’s worth saying, though, that a phony war on dumpsters (see below) leaves aside any number…
City
Election Results, April 1st 2008
by JOHN ADAMS •
For many races in Wisconsin, April 1st was our general election. Although the presidential and congressional elections await us in November, many offices are now decided. For the most part, especially in offices for City Council, Municipal Judge, and our School Board, incumbents prevailed. Two of three City Council seats were unopposed; the third seat…