At Whitewater’s mid-November council meeting, Generac declared it would pay considerably less for a transit bus than Janesville Transit had projected (seventy-two percent less), and the city and university agreed to pay fifty percent less than Janesville Transit requested of them. Note to the city administration: multi-billion-dollar Generac easily got the better of those figures.…
City
City, Elections
Whitewater’s Notice of Spring Election
by JOHN ADAMS •
It’s fall, but our spring elections (the process actually beginning in late fall) will not be that long away. Appearing below is a City of Whitewater notice about those races: Councilmember Positions up for election in 2014. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that at an election to be held in the City of Whitewater, Wisconsin, on…
Business, City
November 30th: Small Business Saturday
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve long been opposed to government’s role in picking winners between big and small businesses, but there’s no doubt that Whitewater’s local merchants – including many small, independent businesses – have much to offer. Why not make this Saturday (and other days, too) their days, choosing them for your destination?
City, New Whitewater
Believe in Whitewater
by JOHN ADAMS •
It was Gov. Romney, I think, whose presidential campaign slogan was ‘Believe in America.’ I’m not a Republican (I’m Libertarian), but I did like the slogan. America is worth believing in. I believe in Whitewater, too. Not how she’s been depicted, entirely, but how she truly is, and in the good things that lie…
City, Corporate Welfare, Government Spending, Local Government, Planning
The Bus Discussion @ Council Last Night: A Fiasco by Any Definition
by JOHN ADAMS •
Update, 2 PM: A reader wrote today, asking why I seem relatively unconcerned about this vote (as a practical matter). That’s my omission: in the discussion last night, it’s clear that Generac plans to reduce funding in the future. Advocates of this project will have to find other corporate sponsors and make it work with…
Business, City, Corporate Welfare, Economy, Government Spending
The Bus: Bad for Whitewater Now, Far Worse for Whitewater Later
by JOHN ADAMS •
As I write – these last eighteen months now offering ample evidence – Janesville Transit’s bus to Whitewater has been a failure. It’s been used too seldom, at considerable public expense, mostly for a vast corporation that could easily pay its own way. And yet, and yet, conditions might be even worse were the bus…
City, Corporate Welfare, Economy, Government Spending, Planning
Discussion about the Bus, 3.20.12 to 11.5.13
by JOHN ADAMS •
I promised earlier a summary of principal arguments made about a (mostly) publicly-funded transit bus that benefits (mostly) one multi-billion-dollar corporation. Here’s that post, with a summary of points about the project at Whitewater’s Common Council sessions of 3.20.12, 11.20.12, and 11.5.13. For each date, I’ve included a link to a Vimeo page with a…
City, Local Government, Police
Policies for the Police and Fire Commission
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater’s Police and Fire Commission meets tonight at 5:30 PM, to interview patrol officers and consider several policy documents. Those documents appear below, and at the bottom of this post readers will find the video recording of last week’s PFC meeting. There are five processes or documents to be considered tonight: (1) PFC Oath (2)…
City, Economy, Elkhorn, Government Spending
The Martians Beset Elkhorn
by JOHN ADAMS •
In many ways, Whitewater’s present fiscal and economic success depends on getting as far past the last administration’s outlook as possible. Our former city manager from 2004-2012 mastered a reverse Midas touch: turning what he grasped not into gold, but lead. We can – and I am confident will – get beyond those ill effects,…
Business, City, Free Markets, Good Ideas, Hip & Prosperous, Local Government, New Whitewater, Planning
The Planning Commission Meeting for 11.11.13
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater’s Planning Commission met last night, and among the topics was consideration of re-zoning and a conditional use permit for Casual Joe’s, a new restaurant, tavern, and distillery to operate at 319 W. James Street (at the site of a long-unused commercial building, the former Fort Auto Body). On 4-3 votes, a majority of…
City, Laws/Regulations, Local Government, Nature
The Leaves on the Streets PSA
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater has a public service announcement about leaf collection, to remind residents not to sweep their leaves into the street. It’s a short, clever video. It does government a lot of good to remind someone of a policy without doing it in a heavy-handed way, but with a more light-hearted approach. This does the…
City, Corporate Welfare, Government Spending
Common Council for 11.5.13 (Bus & Budget)
by JOHN ADAMS •
Update, 2 PM: Earlier today, in response to my email inquiry, I received kind messages in reply from City Manager Clapper and City Clerk Michele Smith, about posting online the documents I mentioned below. They’ve acted quickly and thoroughly to provide materials that others gave to them only at the last minute. It’s right to…
City, Local Government, Police
Police and Fire Commission Meeting for 11.6.13
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s a Police and Fire Commission meeting tonight, at 6 PM. The PFC meets quarterly, but will meet twice this month, both tonight and (according to tonight’s agenda) again on Thursday, November 14th. There are three main parts of tonight’s meeting: (1) election for two PFC offices (a vice president and a secretary), (2) a…
City, Holiday
Boo! Scariest Things in Whitewater, 2013
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s the seventh annual FREE WHITEWATER list of the scariest things in Whitewater for 2013. The 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 editions are available for comparison. The list runs in reverse order, from mildly frightening to super scary. 10. Red Foxes. There are few people who don’t find red foxes beautiful; I’d guess…