Dear friends in the Village of Shorewood and Shorewood Village Trustees

Many of you have already informed me of Sunrise Senior Living's recent pullout from the property where I used to live and where the Riverbrook Restaurant was located.  For those of you who haven't, here's the story:

http://www.jsonline.com/business/34467754.html

My final words at the Village Board Meeting that decided this were: "I really hope I'm wrong on my concerns and that this development ends up being successful, butSunrise does not have the Village of Shorewood as it's primary concern, it has it's shareholders."  During discussions I had brought up several cases nationally where Sunrise did this exact same thing - bought property, pulled out and sold.  Someof you assured me there was more oversight and this wouldn't be the case.

It is distressful that a Milwaukee Landmark was closed and that many low-income and diverse families were forced out of Shorewood and this latest development rubs salt in that wound.

The reason I'm writing is two-fold: 1) to encourage you to watch this development closely and to keep pressure on the Village to make smart decisions on this valuable piece of riverfront property, and 2) to give you a final rundown on how I thought the players, our elected and appointed officials, handled this case.

Winners:  Trustee's Jeff Hanewall and Dawn Anderson

These two Board Members answered my concerns in a respectful and thoughtful manner.  I didn't always agree with them but I knew that they heard my concerns and addressed them.  Justice Hanewall actually spent a half-hour with me on the phone - very well appreciated. 

Trustee Anderson addressed the concerns about credit and finances of Sunrise at the Board Meeting - and I'm not sure her concerns, prophetic as they were, were adequately addressed by the others.

The verdict is still out:  Trustee's Margaret Hickey and Michael Maher, President Guy Johnson, Village Manager Cris Swartz

Trustee Hickey was the only other person to respond to my e-mail, which I appreciated, but I was disturbed by an incident that happened at the final Board Meeting.  After the public input session while the Board went into closed discussions, one "public" individual, who appeared to be a developer  very close to Village government, was allowed to speak.  When the apartment manager later tried to do speak, Trustee Hickey shot back in an angry tone "Public input is over!".   (But apparently only for some)

Trustee Maher and President Johnson were silent observers.  Neither replied to my concerns.  I reminded all the Board members, and this is also addressed to the new Trustee, Sean Cummings, It is infinitely better to get a reply that I don't like then no reply at all.

Village Manager Swartz was respectful throughout the process.  The only thing I didn't like was his periodic comment to the effect that "either you're getting Sunrise or you're getting a huge condo".


Most frustrating: Pete Petrie, Chair CDA, Trustee Ellen Eckman, Trustee Michael Phinney, Laura Hester, Sunrise Senior Living

Pete Petrie was by far the most frustrating figure to work with.  He produced these terrible ad-hoc "studies" that showed that 100% of the communities that Sunrise were located in benefited.  Of all the people he appeared most driven to plow this thing through - and I don't know what he had to gain.  His constant threat: if we don't get Sunrise in this property, it could be five years before another proposal came through.  Not the kind of forward-thinking and patience I want from a government official over a project that will be around for many years to come.

Trustee Eckman also did not reply to my e-mails, and after I called her and the others out at the meeting, I got a list of excuses but not an apology.  Please, just be honest and straightforward.  She was also frustrating at the CDA meetings.  Her response to our concerns: "The public brought up the same concerns over a development by Downer Woods and everybody ended up loving it".  Not sure what to make of that, are you saying the public shouldn't bring up concerns and just trust the board?  (By the way, I checked with many of you residents over that development and there are a lot of people that are still very bitter about the process and the development - I don't think we can count them among the everybody who loved it)

Of course Laura Hester, the representative at Sunrise was just plain awful.  In fact, her associate came to me after a meeting saying Sunrise is working out a compensation plan for the residents of the apartment - clearly an attempt to appease and quiet us as nothing was ever in the works.  When things didn't go her way at meetings, her ire would come out, threatening to pull out, and being appeased by certain members of government.


So there you have it.  I have sinced move from Shorewood, but I hope that something good can finally come from this mess.  I hope that all of the Village Board Members take my criticism in a constructive way and that in the future you do your best as elected officials to respect and acknowledge the people you represent.  If you feel I have been unfair or misrepresented the situation I will gladly discuss things further.

For those of you who supported me and the other tenants of the apartments - THANK YOU!  Thank you for coming out to the meetings, for writing letters, for helping to spread the word.  It meant a lot to us.

Sincerely,

Tim Vargo

 WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ?  YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME !

Drivers and workers for Waste Management in the Milwaukee area were on strike due to Waste Management making offers that attacked the benefits they had won in previous contracts.

With the current credit and financial crisis, and the threat of hiring Permanent Replacment Workers by Waste Management --- the striking workers were left with no choice but to capitulate and accept a junk contract from Waste Managment.

The five-year contract cuts back on wages and healthcare benefits and establishes a new 401k program for the workers.

BTW retired workers will also be affected, as the new 401K program that Waste Management insisted upon will cut benefits for current retirees.

Have you ever  wondered what the constant pounding that the Middle Class is taking from all sides --- Factory Relocations to Foreign Countries, Diminished Health Care Benefits, Lower Wages, Privatizing of Public Services to Companies that will pay a Fraction of the current wages, Union Busting Techniques such as those used by Waste Management --- means to you ?

 If you are a Teacher, don't hold your breath waiting for better wages --- the Middle Class is running dry.

 If you are a Doctor or Dentist, you will see fewer patients as the Middle Class can't afford your rates or the Insurance Company Co-pays.

If you are an Engineer --- don't be surprised if you can't find work at local manufacturers --- those factories are gone, and if not they are outsourcing your work overseas on the internet --- or bringing in Cheap Foreign Engineers --- because they can't find enough qualified Engineers here (wink, wink immigration laws)

 If you are a Shopkeeper --- when your Customers have less money --- they go to Wal Mart and buy goods from Chinese factories.

If you are a Police Officer --- your job prospects will look good in the short term, as the differnence in the "haves" and "have nots" grows --- but don't get too comfortable, a lot of folks will do your work for a lot less --- and the 'haves" can live in cheaper tax districts in Gated Communities with Rent a Cops who make a fraction of your pay and get no benefits.

 Hopefully I think the point is made ...........

A vibrant Middle Class is what Makes Life Good in the USA !!

When Shorewood's contract with Waste Management comes up for renewal --- maybe we can find a company that respects their workers and compensates them fairly.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ?  YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME !!

Read all about it on my Google Blog at   

In my last post on this blog I started a thread about the dire straights of our economy.  I intended to work up from the 70's to today, to show how changes in our government and culture have put us in this precarious position.

Eventually I would have reached the time when Union Busting came into vogue (think Regan and Air Traffic Controllers) --- and how Unions are an intricate part of our economy that We Have All Benefited From ..........

I believe in a Healthy Dynamic Tension between Management and Unions --- Both Sides are Important --- but if it were not for Unions, the Miracle of the American Middle Class would Never have Existed !!! 

As I see the present conflict between Waste Management and the Union, the Union Members have no Moral Alternative but to reject Waste Management's insistence on setting up a new pension plan that would incorporate a 401 K system.

Right now the Central States Pension Plan is assuring Current Retirees of a pension they were promised.  If the Waste Management Employees are pulled out, the Current Pensioners will Suffer.

All to often we have seen recently BIG companies file bankruptcy --- specifically to rid themselves of the Promises they made to Retirees.  I believe this is the same type of Play by Waste Mangement --- just in an innovative way.  

Within the last hour, the Union Members have rejected the Waste Management proposal --- and now Waste Mangement is threatening to hire PERMANENT REPLACEMENT WORKERS aka SCABS !!! (see story below from WWW.JSONLINE.COM)

Shorewood uses Waste Management services.  

As Shorewood has the reputation of being extremely Liberal --- and Pro Union --- what will the average Shorewood Resident do ?

Will Shorewood residents boycott Waste Management services ?

If the Union puts a picket line at the DPW -- will the Union DPW workers cross the line ?

Will Shorewood residents contact the elected Village Board officials and urge them to put pressure on Waste Management to Bargain in Good Faith ?

(By the way, the CEO of Waste Management, David P Steiner, according to Forbes had compensation in 2007 of $5,300,000 and owns $10,100,000 in stock.  I wonder what his Pension Plan is like ???? )

WHAT DO YOU THINK ? 

YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENT SECTION AT THE END OF THIS POST ARE WELCOME !

THE ARTICLE FROM JSONLINE.COM FOLLOWS ... 

SUNDAY, Sept. 21, 2008, 2:43 p.m.
By Don Walker

Teamsters reject contract again

Striking Teamsters today rejected the latest contract offer from Waste Management.

The vote was 199-24, a Teamster official said.

Waste Management officials said the vote taken Sunday was actually on the same contract offer union members had rejected on Friday. Members of Local 200 were supposed to vote today on the company's original Sept. 10 offer, but instead decided to vote again on what the company had called a modified version of the Sept. 10 offer.

In light of the union vote on Sunday, Waste Management had said that it would offer "less generous" terms to striking workers. The company also said it would begin to hire permanent replacement workers.

An estimated 240 Teamster drivers, equipment operators and maintenance workers walked off the job on Aug. 26 in a dispute over pay and pensions. Both sides have accused each other of bad faith bargaining.

Waste Management spokesman Lynn Morgan said the company was disappointed with the vote. "The contract on the table was fair to everyone," she said Sunday. "The employees would have taken home market-leading pay and benefits and gained better protection from the Teamsters' failing pension fund."

Waste Management has thousands of commercial and residential accounts in the counties of Kenosha, Racine, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties.

Union officials said the charge before the National Labor Relations Board accusing Waste Management of bad faith bargaining prevents the company from hiring replacement workers.


CAN I GET AN AMENT FOR BROTHER WALKER ? 

Read all about it on my Google Blog at   

 Shorewood had finished Streetscaping North Oakland Avenue just a little over 10 years ago, when it decided the multi-million dollar project was obsolete. 

Other than a need to level the pavers in the parkway, most folks did not think there was a need for a total redo.

Ironically, most of what Shorewood deemed to be obsolete --- benches, planters, trash containers  and street lights --- are now being productively used by the Shorewood School District.  They must have a different definition of obsolete over there.

Without question however ---- the New Streetscape is Obsolete ----- before it is even finished !!!!

As part of the project, giant concrete borders were put around all the trees in the parkway. 

Aside from the questionable aesthetics of the hard surfaced smooth borders clashing with the rustic look of the pavers and concrete walks --- the borders are too high for cars to park alongside them.

The absolute need for maximum parking on Oakland is well known and acknowledged.  But with the new concrete borders:

1) Cars with passengers will not be able to park next to the curb, as the passengers will not be able to exit the car.

2) A lot of nice cars are going to have serious damage to their doors as folks try to open them and they get crunched on the concrete borders.

3) Cars that do park so that passengers will be able to exit will have to be far away from the curb -- which will probably result in parking tickets and be a hazard to bicycle riders.

4) There will be traffic backups and the potential for accidents, as cars have to stop in the driving lanes to let out passengers before they can park.

Below are pictures of the new concrete borders and how they affect car doors:

Any by the way --- what do you folks think of the new benches ?  In my opinion the new black benches are smaller and uglier than the green benches they replace. 

And I pity the poor soul who happens to sit on one of those black benches on a hot sunny day while wearing shorts

----- ouch !! 

 WHAT DO YOU THINK ?  PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COMMENT BELOW !