A few observations on yesterday’s election — The 4th District Council Race. Despite experiencing the most negative campaign in recent memory, Lynn Binnie won reelection handily over Paul Yvarra. Of the two-candidate vote (excluding write-in votes), Mr. Binnie received 283 to Mr. Yvarra’s 111. By percentage, that’s a winning share of 71.8% of the…
City
City, Elections
Spring General Election 2014
by JOHN ADAMS •
City, Local Government, Politics
On Paul Yvarra’s False Claims to the Gazette
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s another development in the Common Council race between Lynn Binnie and Paul Yvarra. In a published story in Saturday’s Gazette entitled, Whitewater council candidate admits mistakes about opponent, Paul Yvarra acknowledges what every reasonable person in all Whitewater already knew: that Mr. Yvarra’s charge about Fairhaven Senior Services being responsible for municipal fiscal difficulties…
City, Local Government, Politics
Positive Perspectives for Local Politics
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater’s now seeing what it’s like to experience a negative and deceptive campaign, but our city is better than that. To cleanse the palate, consider what politics should and can be. Respect for facts and sound reasoning. People are naturally smart and reasonable, not just a few, but many, in every part of a community.…
City, Economy, Local Government, Politics
Mr. Yvarra’s Campaign: Even More Deceptive Than Before
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve written previously about the contested race in Whitewater’s Fourth Council District, an election choice between Lynn Binnie and Paul Yvarra. See, on this topic, On Whitewater’s 4th District Council Race, and (about the Yvarra campaign) A Dodgy and Deceptive Campaign. In a statement to the Gazette, for their comprehensive election series, Paul Yvarra has…
City, Elections, Politics
A Dodgy and Deceptive Campaign
by JOHN ADAMS •
Of our local elections, with a spring general election next Tuesday, one may confidently say two things. First, there is one contested Whitewater election on the ballot, between incumbent Lynn Binnie and Paul Yvarra for the 4th Council District. Second, and sadly just as true, the Yvarra campaign is running the most error-prone and deceptive…
Beautiful Whitewater, City, Education, Good Ideas, School District, Science/Nature
Science Night in Whitewater
by JOHN ADAMS •
Diet Coke & Mentos from John Adams on Vimeo. Last night was Science Night in Whitewater, and many hundreds from the city turned out to see dozens of displays and exhibits. My family had a fine time, and I’d say that Science Night (held periodically but infrequently) is one of our favorite public events in…
City, Local Government, Planning
Latisha Birkeland, Modernizer
by JOHN ADAMS •
There are few aspects of city life that affect residents more than neighborhood services. For years, Whitewater struggled with an inefficient and erratic neighborhood services program. Left, right, center, libertarian: just about anyone saw that there was, to be mild about it, room for improvement. Residents not only saw problems, but those problems led…
City, Liberty, New Whitewater
Why Whitewater?
by JOHN ADAMS •
This post is the third of a trilogy about Whitewater. Months ago, I posted the first two of this series. (See, How Many Rights for Whitewater? and What Standards for Whitewater?). Those earlier posts may be summarized simply: Of rights — All of America, and all of Wisconsin, for all of Whitewater. Of standards — The…
City, Laws/Regulations, Local Government
Last Night’s Zoning Rewrite Meeting (Residential Sections)
by JOHN ADAMS •
Beginning at 7 PM last night, after an immediately prior Planning Commission meeting, Common Council and the Planning Commission held a joint public hearing to consider proposed changes to Whitewater’s residential zoning code. The meeting lasted until about ten, with further consideration of the changes scheduled for Tuesday, March 18th. A few remarks,…
City, Local Government
More than a Garbage Chute
by JOHN ADAMS •
The great advantage of a garbage chute is that it takes trash from one place, and carries it off under force of gravity to another. For high-rise apartment dwellers, it’s quite the time-saver. A local municipal administration, needless to say, should be more than a tunnel through which flimsy proposals drop from vendor to local…
City, Government Spending, Local Government
An Empty Answer
by JOHN ADAMS •
On Tuesday night, Trane (a part of Ingersoll Rand) presented to Council about supposed energy efficiency projects for Whitewater. As it turns out, some of these projects weren’t even about energy efficiency but were additional items in a $1,924,749 project list. (See, previously, Whitewater’s a Small Town, for Goodness’ Sake – It Should Be Run…
City, Government Spending, Local Government
Whitewater’s a Small Town, for Goodness’ Sake – It Should Be Run Like One
by JOHN ADAMS •
Last night, at Council, Trane presented a proposal for supposed energy conservation improvements in Whitewater’s public buildings. Total proposed project cost: $1,924,749. It was a galling presentation – some of the items were not about energy savings, at all. Of others, it was work that city staff could do now, or do when necessary (rather…