Part 2, “The Police Chief Recruits a Computer Sleuth.” (For earlier parts of this series, please click this link: Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin.) The police chief of Whitewater, Wisconsin is James R. Coan. He’s variously called Jim, James, or simply, Chief. I have been critical of certain practices of his, and he hasn’t…
167 search results for "Brunner "
Inbox Reader Mail
Inbox: Reader Mail (On the Budget)
by JOHN ADAMS •
City
2008 City Budget’s Disappointing Metrics
by JOHN ADAMS •
The latest City Manager’s Weekly Report shows that, on principal fiscal metrics of the 2008 city budget, Whitewater is heading in the wrong direction: Total city spending under the approved budget will increase 3.28% to $9,23,640 from 2007 and the city property levy will increase 4.27% to $2,718,958 up from this year’s $2,607,619. The city…
City
Common Council Meeting for November 20, 2007, Part 2
by JOHN ADAMS •
This is Part 2 of my review of the latest Common Council meeting, on November 20th. Part 1 was posted previously. On Tax Rates. City Manager Brunner mentioned that tax rates in Whitewater have been declining year over year. That sounds impressive, but it’s not meaningful by itself. A reduction of tax rates in the…
City
Common Council Meeting for November 20, 2007, Part 1
by JOHN ADAMS •
Our latest Common Council meeting was a packed night, with approval of the city’s proposed budget for 2008. Here are the highlights, Part 1. Jim Coan’s Big Night. Background — the Common Council, at its last meeting on November 6th, increased the amount of the tax levy to the maximum that Wisconsin would allow for…
City, Inbox Reader Mail
Inbox: Reader Mail (City Managers)
by JOHN ADAMS •
I received an email this week asking me about my opinion on the difference between the current City Manager, Kevin Brunner, and his predecessor, Gary Boden. The email’s in black, and my reply is in blue. Question: Just wanted to know what your opinion was of the former city manager, Gary Boden compared to the…
City, Development, Economy, Free Markets
On the City Manager
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ll write this week, and afterward, about the 2008 proposed city budget. Before I begin, I’ll make a few remarks about our City Manager, Kevin Brunner. I’ve been asked if I dislike the City Manager because I’ve teased, occasionally, about his ‘inside-baseball’ manner. I do not dislike him; I have no strong opinion one way…
Inbox Reader Mail
Inbox: Reader Mail (Jefferson on the Register)
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here is a recent email from Thomas Jefferson, who corresponded to FREE WHITEWATER previously, in July. (Great pseudonym, by the way.) His email is in black, and my reply in blue, regarding my post entitled, “The Register’s Echo Chamber.” From Thomas Jefferson: John, I could not agree with you more on the quality, or lack…
City
Common Council, August 21st: Part 1
by JOHN ADAMS •
Tuesday’s Common Council meeting was a good representation of a typical city meeting, with several matters before the Council, but nothing out of the ordinary. Here’s the first part of a recap, with (of course) commentary. From the City Manager’s report. The most important part of the report, and maybe the most important part of…
City, Development, Economy, Free Markets
Tax Incremental Financing, Part 3: The Mood of It All
by JOHN ADAMS •
It was, last night, a quiet and somnolent setting in which our Common Council recommended to the Joint Review Board five new TIDs. I’ll give the atmosphere of the meeting some attention. Often, a public meeting takes place in early evening, so that citizen-representatives can attend without missing work. They’ve worked all day, under conditions…
City, Development, Economy, Free Markets
Tax Incremental Financing, Part 1
by JOHN ADAMS •
Last night, Whitewater’s Common Council recommended to a Joint Review Board five new Tax Incremental Districts for the city. There is common agreement that Whitewater faces significant economic challenges, and that an increase in private economic activity, and development, would be welcome. (There are, in our town, few if any ‘no growth’ advocates of the…
City, Police
Reader Mail: Inbox — Spear-o-Rama, Part 1
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve received two messages recently about former municipal judge, and perpetual vulgarian, Steven Spear. The first is from a member of the Common Council. I’ll post the message in full, with my reply thereafter. (The Council member refers to my post entitled, “Spear, Coan, and Brunner.”) From a member of the Common Council: Dear “Mr.…
City, Free Markets
Open Letter: “White, Non-Minority?”
by JOHN ADAMS •
UPDATE, 6-4-07 I received a reply from the Community Development Authority to my open letter, and the reply related that the CDA website is in transition. There will always be some positive achievements from the past that should be continued, but other perspectives and legacies should be relegated only to distant memory. Rome was not…