The Brookfield Scene

I've always advocated making it MORE difficult to use Brookfield as a way to get from one suburban area to another. These transients clog our Brkfld arteries and necessitate more infrastructure to support the traffic. The fact that you've sought out alternatives to that "free-flowing" Bluemound mess just makes the point. Bluemound wasn't always that way.

There is, unfortunately, a still far too-large segment of people who remain in our community who wish to keep Brookfield and Elm Grove an enclave, it seems forever, against "them" -- the outsiders. They don't even want these people driving into our community, much less through it on their way to another destination. They don't want creation of new housing stock-- whether it be developments that open the kind of single family subdivisions they themselves moved into when they fled Milwaukee between the 1940s and 1990s. They don't want "outsiders" -- translate minority -- students in our school system even though most of us feel honored and privileged to be in a financial position to be able to help a handful of disadvantaged students through the years gain a solid Elmbrook Education. Tens of thousands more will remain in poverty and never break the chain of dysfunctional families, drugs, and violence that they face daily while we in Brookfield and Elm Grove "eat cake." We ought to be taking as many students as we possibly can. With financial gifts come higher responsiblities to society. That means an end to deliberately creating a street and roadway system in our communities that is designed to make it difficult to go either north and south, or east and west. The people who are chronically negative, critical, harping and opposed to practically any progress, and who seem to see conspiracy at every turn in city government and the school district ARE these people. My spouse and I drove Greenfield Avenue just this past Sunday-- what a beautiful roadway it now is. It is safe, smooth, well designed, provides an alternative to other routes downtown or to the west, yet provides ample access to local subdivisions. The "negatives" were against this. They are against doing more with Greenfield. They are against the long-overdue improvements to the narrow, poor visibility and worn out Calhoun Road-South segment. (They were against the incredibly positive improvements to Calhoun Road from Brookfield Central to Bluemound Road.) These people are living in the past and will do everything they can to keep Brookfield stuck in what is to them an idyllic state of 1950s bucolic Norman Rockwell-land that is half-farm/half new houses (theirs only) until they finally die or move away. And I believe they truly do NOT care what happens after their demise as long as their taxes remain as low as possible (THEIR PRIORITY NUMBER ONE ABOVE ALL ELSE) until that day comes. There is a battle on for what the future of our community will be. One vision is stuck in the past and is controlled by "what do we need that for?" kind of people. The other vision embraces the future of a community where we want to raise the next generation of children with hope and a can-do "it's not more than what we need-- it's just more than we're used to" kinds of positive people. Make your choice. It's not 1940, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 or even 2000 anymore. Stand with the future and possiblity and hope, or stand with the past with your heels dug in, ridiculing every person and proposal involved in the government and the schools. I choose the future and am sick and tired of the naysaying, negative underminers. How about you?

A appreciate "believings" detailed comments...sent twice, no less. I have to say I am on the opposite side of every position this person takes. I didn't like what happened to Calhoun Road; don't favor widening to Greenfield; hate roundabouts(I just thru this one in); don't feel we need more non-resident kids in our schools(the new trend is back to neighborhood schools anyway); don't like dense apt/condo developments; don't feel we need to build something on every piece of undeveloped land; don't see conspiracy at every turn. But yes, I certainly prefer low taxes; idyllic settings; controlled and restrained development. I think you would like LA or Chicago or NY. I think you have like-minded friends in Brookfield government though. Your vision of the future seems to look like Bluemound road...only everywhere. In all honesty, you are the first person I've ever heard from in the Elmbrook area who is so diametrically opposed to every facet of Elmbrook life as it was in the past. But, we all have our opinions and feelings and I'm glad you finally got this off your mind.

Why is it assumed that everyone who lives in Waukesha County "fled" from Milwaukee? A lot of us have lived here all our lives. A lot of us came from other states, or countries. If we wanted to live the big city lifestyle, we'd have chosen to live in one. We have seen what overdevelopment has brought--I could go on for pages.If Mequon can maintain the quality of life, a relatively peaceful residential lifestyle and reasonable taxes for high quality services, why can't Brookfield?

Please don't clog up New Berlin roads ..... please stay in your own zip code.

I completely agree with Mick, and think that Believing's viewpoints are just plain scary. Believing, your comment about most of us in Elmbrook feeling "honored" to educate underprivileged children is unfounded. I can tell you most people I know would like to protect our way of life and put a plug in the onslaught of liberal minded individuals who try to force their socialistic ways on others. It's the tired argument that just because we were able to make successes of ourselves, somehow we must be penalized and give up what we've worked for. I, for one, think the 60's were pretty good times morally and economically. Why is it that we must always be changing and looking "forward"? Believing, why don't you move to the inner city of Milwaukee where everyone around you thinks like you? Stop criticizing hard working people who enjoy life as it is.