"NECESSARY EVIL"
Are torture and war necessary evils, and government itself, is it a necessary evil?
Toward frozen uniformity.
Advancement toward consensus in government results in non-movement, and inaction leading to consistency and stagnancy of intellect.
Local democracy, an illusion?
Long lived local governmental boards and committees, after many years leave their aging foot prints of “cultural conformity.” New groups shape themselves after the old.
The unvarying patterns of uniformity and consistency might be described as related more to the acts of the cult but without reverence for one thing, as each ego in the group is the subject of its own veneration.
Money talks and Shorewood walks.
What do we want our community to look like? Is this the developer's call or that of those who represent the community.
A developer produces a concept and it goes through various stages of review and “consensus” developing discussion. By the time that the concept reaches the Village Board, it is a mere formality. What does the Board say?
The ping effect.
Stream patterns produce linear elongations and movement toward distance points. On the other hand, clustering is a form of natural or natural-like concentration. Linear units are usually essential to transportable needs.
Elected officials, how about some response!
Sometime ago, I pointed out the need for Shorewood Village Board to establish priorities in relation to projects and money for future expenditures. So far, no response.
School Undercrowding.
It occurred to me while reading about West Bend's over-crowing school conditions and the millions that it will cost to remedy the situation over a number of years, that some arrangements with communities like Shorewood, where the schools are experiencing under-crowing, that mutual arrangements whether temporary or permanent, could be made. Where distances aren't that great, we could at least make temporaty accommodates. After all, we're one state aren't we? How about it, Representative Wasserman and Senator Darling? Let's hear from both of you.
Please read: "Another School Idea," posted shortly after this one, now shown ahead of this one.
Another school idea.
Tim Fojtik, I'm impressed with both your “bio” and your postings. I always look forward to your contributions. Shorewood should be proud to have you and your family as active community citizens.
BACK INTO THE FUTURE, FORWARD INTO THE PAST.
Shorewood seems to be marching forward into the past. With few modifications our land assembly is being used to accommodate the past but clad in progressive rhetoric. Traditional practice often hides mistaken concepts, while the market accommodates the lowest of tastes.
A Shorewood salute.
During my time in Shorewood, I have always found that our Village's operating and management staff have been excellent and among the highest in their professions and in their fields of work . I have observed currently that our staff are being even more efficiently organized under the leadership of our Village Manager Chris Swartz.
They are quietly at work on a day to day basis and are often taken for granted. I have always found them to be courteous and helpful. I believe that from time to time we should consciously take note of their efforts and recognize what these people do for the Shorewood and what they mean to us. I want to thank them and hope that many citizens of Shorewood join me in doing so and will show their appreciation when visiting the offices of these people.
THE BIG BANG.
Much of Shorewood's residential property is of the highest of quality and we should be proud of these major elements of our community. We are now engaged in upgrading our “business district.” We should expect that here too, we shall aim toward the highest quality.
We are not only interested in improving our tax base, for the engine that drives our renewal of Oakland and Capitol is the Tax Incremental Financing programs of the state and of our community, but we should always keep in mind that we want to achieve the highest quality center of community possible.
Those who silently serve.
There are many committees functioning as citizen committees that do a great deal of the governmental work necessary in keeping Shorewood's government operating.
Many residents never go before these committees and most are unaware of their existence. Because of my interest in the function of local government, I have from time to time attended some of the meetings of these committees. They do great work.
Town meetings for Shorewood?
The primary element of what is Shorewood, is that from a physical standpoint, it is first of all, a cluster of people who as a social element have become a community.
Sculpturing space (creating open space).
The American car society doesn't seem to be slowing down because of the high cost of gas.
I still have the same count of SUVs behind me. The latest driver in my rear view mirror was small in appearance with cell phone in hand, pressuring me, within inches of my rear license plate.
Up-grading our housing stock.
Shorewood's Village Planner, Ericka Lang has referred to the fact, that in Shorewood, that 47.6 % of our living units are owner-occupied. A proactive program is being initiated to enhance “Shorewood's aging housing stock” so as to attract “young families,” while increasing the homeownership figures.
As reported in the North Shore Now, Trustee Margaret Hickey said that a good target population would be the elder residents with fixed incomes who sometimes find it difficult to obtain bank loans.
Devil's in the details.
A fragmented view or a patchwork quilt approach to the evolution and conscious development of communities often results in negative and unexpected consequences.
We have seen the seriousness of these non-integrated events in many communities throughout the country and some in nearby communities.
Do we have a policy for community diversity?
While its Shorewood's announced policy to attract young families because of under-enrollment in our “great” school system, we also support a countervailing policy of developing condos, generally for people without children.
Perhaps the unintended increase of school tax by 7% will be effective in a) displacing elder residents and b) even discouraging them from moving into condos in Shorewood.
Diversity?
One of the problems with government programs designed to upgrade the quality of residential buildings is that the actual upgrading will also increase the cost of the units.
The increased prices then become barriers to attracting people of moderate income who would help make up this diversified population.
City-creating architecture.
“City-creating architecture” includes streets, public places and bridges as well as appropriately designed buildings. Natural settings often play a role in developing these city-creating elements..
Most important are the buildings that form the enclosed public spaces, the social and central gathering areas of the community. Appropriately designed sidewalks as people passageways, leading from one social space to another are socially essential elements of the community.
Questions for Village Hall.
If as David Tartarowicz has indicated that a $79.000 income is about the minimum required today to buy a home in Shorewood, why would any one with that income want to buy one of the would-be-upgraded duplexes?
If we upgrade those duplexes that require upgrading, can we expect young families with children, never mind their incomes, to buy them?
Will Village Trustees respond to citizens questions?
The citizens of Shorewood should be pleased that there are a few residents willing to give their views as “bloggers” about what's going on in our community and at Village Hall. Obviously, members of the Village Board are not all that thrilled.
It seems to me however, that if candidates run for office to represent the people that they should be prepared to have open and public discussions with the people in any forum.
What? Sitting down with citizens?
It is possible today for those really interested in local government, with the various means of communication, to become somewhat closer associated with what is going on in their local governments.
However, the face to face discussions that were once experienced in the town meetings of the past still seem relevant today, even more so that in the past.
War or Welfare?
Americans have characteristics sympathetic to the sufferings of other human beings. Of course, one might say, because we're obviously interested in human rights. As a nation building itself for over 200 years, we have certain national cultural inclinations.
We are also convinced that human beings are God's chosen creatures. Yet almost all of the defects that human beings have been purported to have had as long as 5000 years ago are still with us. However, these defects were found among hundreds of thousand of people then and today are found among billions.
