WHERE IS THE LOVE?

I mentioned in the last post that Mr. Bob Babcock has done HIS homework. He apparently had some correspondence with the Lt. Governor's office (same political party as the gov and State Rep and non-partisan Village President John Steinbrink (DEM)).

The Lt. Gov suggested per Mr. Babcock that municipalities LIKE PLEASANT PRAIRIE take action to put videotaping of Board Meetings, etc, so that citizens have a source of news.

This is nothing new, and I have been preaching this idea for around 2 years now. In order to show that it is not a TECHNICALLY DIFFICULT effort, we have begun videotaping and putting unedited clips of board meetings since 11/19/2007 onto YOUTUBE at http://www.youtube.com/PleasantPrairieWI.

The village leaders such as Trustee Mike Serpe have justified NOT HAVING MEETINGS ON CH25 as being "BORING", and classified them as a good sedative if they were to make it onto CH25.

By the way, cable franchise agreements include having GOVERNMENT ACCESS channels available so that local governments can communicate with their public.

Well, what is wrong with giving citizens the opportunity to SEE their government in action? We get to see COUNTY BOARD MEETING videotapes. Is the county board more interesting than the village board?

We get to see wake board competitions. We get to see garbage getting picked up. We get to see snowplows plowing, etc, etc, etc......

As a citizen, you should be able (if you were not at the meeting for whatever reasons) to pick up the Kenosha News on Tuesday morning and read about (for example: Orchard subdivision access issues and whether a cul-de-sac can be temporarily used as a through street during construction) any issue and then be able to tune to CH25 (lets say Thursday evening at 8pm) to see what actually happened (issue presentation, effected citizen comments, staff comments and recommendations, board comments and recommendations and VOTE). I think the Kenosha News actually does a great job of coverage, but all of the above is IMPOSSIBLE to cover in a news article and/or the intermittent VILLAGE NEWSLETTER (which in my opinion is a propaganda sheet not an unbiased newsletter as it should be).

As I am videotaping all meetings, here is a clip of Mr. Babcocks comments and also mine that followed. YOU DECIDE, and by the way in usual style, the VILLAGE BOARD COMPLETELY IGNORED THESE COMMENTS -- YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THAT TOO.

Now that's more like it!! -- Village Board meeting 2/18 kind of looked like a real meeting

The Village Board meeting on Monday 2/18 actually looked like a real meeting. There was some disagreement, some disappointment, Trustee Allen was left out on a limb all by himself (feels good doesn't it, Clyde?), Trustee Kumorkiewicz seemed to be elsewhere, and the Village Administrator actually made village administrator comments WITHOUT taking a political pot-shot against me.

I must say that I was happy to see 'gadfly' Bob Babcock Sr. bring up the need for the village to take the right action and actually start videotaping the meetings. I took this opportunity to second his comments and implored the village board to do the right thing. Unfortunately, in fashion true to form, they TOTALLY and COMPLETELY ignored our request.

VILLAGING IN THE PRAIRIE has done a good review of last nights meeting, so please link to his BLOG at http://villagingintheprairie.blogspot.com for good detailed info.

The meeting did not appear rehearsed as usual. Although there was some disagreement, they managed to pull themselves together and keep the unanimous streak going (Allen sure is open-minded!).

Nice Job!

Cat got your tongue? OR Are you finally seeing the light?

Dear Anonymi,
Where are you?
I miss you.
Happy Valentine's Day
Alex

VILLAGE DEBT NOW OVER $100 Million!!

The village board on Monday, Feb 4 http://www.youtube.com/PleasantPrairieWI, voted in a combination of new financing and some re-financing for a series of bond issues that result in a new high of over $100 million in debt. Last year, when I was running for Village President the total amount was about $94 million.

Before all the 'the village can do no wrong' minions get in a lather, I will say what I said before. There is good debt and there is bad debt. Surprizingly to most for sure, I will say that most of our debt IS good debt. I define good versus bad as in good is debt that is used to secure an 'investment'. Bad is debt caused by living beyond means. The problem and the reason for writing this is because one can easily become the other.

For example: A family buys a home to live in and in order to do so the family gets a mortgage that by all counts is reasonable based on the family's income -- GOOD DEBT as the home is an investment that 'should' appreciate over time more rapidly than the cost of the mortgage. Over the following years the family decides to 'improve' their home via a home equity loan since 'their home is more valuable now anyway'. So they spend a lot of money for an addition, etc. Now they have a more valuable asset (the home), but they also have much more debt. So far so good as long as the family's income keeps pace, and the economy and local values remain solid. BUT, this entire scenario can easily become BAD if any of the above happen. Income drop could lead to inability to pay for the now bloated debt. Macro economic conditions could also lead to similar disconnects, and likewise national declines in real estate values could also lead to same. Any number of reasons could make that family's game plan financially fail.

My point: The village has debt I believe UNEQUALED in WI for a muni this size. $100MM in debt is about $5500 for every citizen of PP. This would be like Kenosha County being in debt to the tune of $825 million, or the city of Kenosha at $550 million, or the state at $32 BILLION!

IF ALL WORKS OUT, Abbott comes, Recplex gets paid off, etc, I will be the first to congratulate village leadership for the success and vision. $77 million of the $100 are related to TID#2 (Abbott effort) and the Recplex remaining debt. I believe it CAN happen, and I hope it will.

BUT, it is irresponsible not to consider the downside in any case like this. That is what I think the citizens need to be aware of, and possibly should be worried or at least concerned about. What I see is an absolute refusal to ponder (at least publicly) among our village leaders. I just keep hearing how everything is so great.....I hope it continues to be. If this was the case in life, why would anyone ever need insurance for anything????

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS says MIDWEST performed BEST with a 3.2% loss in homeprices for 4th Qt.

According to the National Association of Realtors http://finance.yahoo.com/marketupdate/overview, fourth quarter median home prices fell 5.8% compared to last year. The West was hit the hardest with a 8.7% slide, while the Midwest performed the best with a 3.2% loss. The median home price in Lansing, MI fell most, a 18.8% decline.

MAKE SURE YOUR local ASSESSOR'S OFFICE knows about this. KEEP REMINDING THEM THAT THE SAME JUSTIFICATION USED TO JACK UP YOUR ASSESSMENTS NOW MUST BE USED IN REVERSE DIRECTION!

For those of you who live in Pleasant Prairie:

Rocco Vita
Village Assessor
Village of Pleasant Prairie
9915 39th Avenue
Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158


262-925-6707

rvita@plprairiewi.com

DON'T BE HESITANT TO CALL. HE AND HIS TEAM ARE NOT AFRAID TO GO INTO YOUR HOME AND POKE AROUND, SO WHY SHOULD YOU HESITATE TO CALL HIM AT HIS WORKPLACE. AFTERALL, HE IS A PUBLIC SERVANT.

I AM TALKING ABOUT YOUR MONEY FROM YOUR POCKET -- DEMAND CHANGE!!!

POLAR PLUNGE at LAKE ANDREA FEB 23

Here's an effort that I hope some of you can support.

Special Olympics of Wisconsin is hosting Polar Plunge 2008.

Carrie Szulczewski is one of the jumpers and has an online pledge page at http://www.specialolympicswisconsin.org/pp08/pledge.asp?id_p=735

If you are so moved, please consider clicking on this link and contributing to this honorable cause. Carrie is getting close to her $1000 total pledge goal, but could still use some help from you!

Thanks,
Alex

KENOSHA AND PLEASANT PRAIRIE NEED TO JOIN THE BORSCHT BELT

Heard this on WLIP this morning.

Apparently beet juice is being used as an additive in a concoction of aqueous sodium chloride and calcium chloride. This "BORSCHT" apparently drops the eutectic point below standard ice melt mixtures.

I truly expect John Steinbrink Jr (Village Superintendent of Streets) and Dick Ginkowski (Asst DA Kenosha to use his RAG platform of constant criticism of Kenosha Snow Ops -- Ron Bursek?) to study this further.

Another benefit of this might be more Borscht being served in Kenosha if surpluses occur. Try it!

ALEX 'MIS-UNDERSTANDS' THE VILLAGE FORM OF GOVERNMENT. SO THAT'S IT!

In my previous post, I commented that attendance seems to be down by village board members. I also 'hear' that attendance at other commission meetings is not 'what it used to be' also. One of the up-shots of my comments was that since opposition is gone, it really doesn't matter anymore since the results are pre-conceived. Well, that has brought the spears out again.

In one of the latest comments on that previous blog, RAG (Asst DA Dick Ginkowski) figured it out! He said that I apparently "MISUNDERSTAND" the villages form of government. Makes sense to me.

I guess just an example of my naive expectation that agenda items will be discussed openly and actively debated by elected officials at convenient times for citizens (and videotaped for others to see later). How dumb of me!

Dick explains that my past and current 'shortcoming' is that I don't understand how the Pleasant Prairie Village Government is supposed to work, and to what role the elected officials ('council') play in it. On his blog http://ragdujour.blogspot.com/, he actually states that if the Village Administrator is doing his job well, then the "there isn't really all that much for the council to do". Surely this was a mis-statement and an exaggeration to say the least, or maybe it was one of those un-guarded moments when reality slips free. Steve Kumorkiewicz -- do you think you don't have that much to do?

WAIT A SECOND HERE?! The citizens (voters) elect a village board so that they can have a manager reporting to them (and directing/advising/recommending them) on how to vote resulting in NOT MUCH TO DO?!

Maybe that's okay for some folks. It kind of makes the village board an HR OFFICE for hiring the Village Administrator. Not that it's the case currently, but this HR OFFICE has hamstrung itself because if it ever really wanted to make a change it would have to pay the outgoing administrator about $350,000 to go away (but I digress..)

FROM THE VILLAGE'S WEBSITE:
About the Village BoardThe Village of Pleasant Prairie has a Board-Administrator form of government. Under this form of government, the elected Village Board sets the policies for the operation of the Pleasant Prairie government. The administrative responsibility of the Village rests with the Village Administrator who is appointed by the Village Board. The Village Board consists of four Trustees and the Village President.

The VILLAGE BOARD SET THE POLICIES?-- When is the last time you saw the village board set any policy -- I see a LOT of ratification going on, but 'setting' and/or initiating? The village administrator and/or a commission makes a recommendation and the village board approves it. Maybe they don't have that much to do? I see, I was really trying to DO something while the rule was DON'T DO anything because it's already done. Hmmm? Ackward-kind of a square peg thing? It's all starting to make sense...thanks Dick!

So, just exactly when is the 'policy setting' being done? And where? And who is in the room?

All right, there you have it. All you anonymous mean-spirited commenters have at it. Aren't you just so happy to have me around to give you such fodder? (Gives you some focus and direction).

ATTENDANCE -- NO LONGER REQUIRED?

I know I might be sounding like a pain in the a--, but there has been a very real change in attendance for Pleasant Prairie Village Board members.

When I was on the board, I did not miss ONE board meeting until the 20 MONTH of my term. This occured only because my family was enjoying a well deserved vacation in FL in December, and the flight home for a Monday night meeting was a bit expensive.

AND that was the only meeting I missed in the entire 2 years I was on the board.

This past Monday Village Trustee Mike Serpe was absent AGAIN. Maybe buddy boy Village President deemed his absense "EXCUSED", but as a citizen and taxpayer I find the current trend "INEXCUSABLE"!

While I was not really counting anybodies attendance (except my own) during my 2 years, from a subjective perspective I would say that likely 1 or 2 maximum absenses by any board member for the ENTIRE 2 years, and we are only in the 10th month of the current term.

Status for far thru 2/5/2008:
----Village President John Steinbrink absent once, late once.
----Trustee Monica Yuhas - zero absenses! Way to go Monica.
----Trustee Steve Kumorkiewicz --zero absenses! Well at least he practices what he preaches. And he takes his hat off in buildings too.
----Trustee Clyde Allen -- THREE ABSENSES. Thats 12% absense rate of the 26 meetings so far in his term. Whose 'side' is that again, Clyde?
----Trustee Mike Serpe -- THREE ABSENSES. Same as Clyde, AND MUCH higher than before. Watch out Mike, anyday now Steve Kurmorkiewicz is going to give you a real chewing. How are you doing on Plan Commission meetings -- these REALLY bother SK.

So what does this mean? You tell me and the readers.

BUT, from where I stand, apparently its not as important to be at meetings anymore as it used to be when honest debate actually occured when I and Jeff Lauer (when necessary) questioned proceedings and potentially would vote in opposition (for those of you that forgot, OPPOSITION is when a trustee has the nerve and gall to vote opposite of what Super Trustee Mike Pollocoff 'recommends'.)

Just for information purposes: Since the current board took office on 5/7/2007, by my count, 277 votes have occured. The current board since that date have voted UNANIMOUSLY 275 times (or 99.3%)!

To her credit, Moncia Yuhas has been the only honest broker I have witnessed so far. She actually has some questions and has taken positions that has made others squirm. I compliment her for this, but also have noticed that others have taken pot-shots against her any time she deviates from the 'norm'. Key it up, Monica! And I will be happy to vote for you next year.

So there you have it? Is this okay with you? Or does it just suggest that the meetings themselves are pre-conceived, and the lack of dedication shown by certain board members only proves it??