Opinions
Public Process Matters
Background: What started as just another Shorewood City Council meeting on Apr. 22, quickly became questionable for what was said, and not said. Before the Council could approve the agenda, administrator Nevinski removed items 2H and 6C. He did not explain what those items were for the audience. He only said there were “notice issues and concerns.” This may have left viewers confused as no clarification was provided. The items will be back on the May 13 agenda. The items not being discussed were ordinance amendments to: Approve Code Supplement S-19-Ordinance 605.[1] This ordinance is “housekeeping,” acknowledging the overall updates of the city code.(Note: On the Consent Agenda with no description and not for discussion.) Approve Amendments to Zoning Regulations to Create Content Neutral Regulations–relating to allowable signs within the City. Read the lengthy materials here.[2] Why the vagueness from city leaders? Perhaps it was because an attentive resident, when
Updated – Misuse of City Resources by Shorewood Mayor – Again!
Update April 25, 2024 On April 8, 2024, the City of Shorewood sent an email with the title “Message from the Mayor-April 2024”. The mundane content of this email was more appropriate for the monthly ShoreReport newsletter. This once again appears to be a blatant misuse of city resources for shameless self-promotion by Jennifer Labadie. Also included in this ‘message” was a link to “State of the City” video by Labadie. This grandiose video is not required by statute, unnecessary and to our knowledge, never approved by the City Council. No other elected council member has been allowed to use city resources to publish thinly veiled promotional materials. Neither should the Mayor. Recently, some residents received an email from the City of Shorewood with a holiday message from Mayor Jennifer Labadie (see here). Although sent out from an official City of Shorewood email account, the content seem to be a
Take the Poll: The Effective City Council Member
Candidate filing for office in Shorewood is July 30, 2024 until August 13, 2024 at 5 pm. You will vote for three expiring terms: Labadie, Callies and Zerby. City council members represent their constituents. A council member must be honest, transparent and accountable to the public when making responsible decisions that are in alignment with codes, statutes and best practices. Know who you are voting for! Watch council meetings on Zoom. See them in action. Budgeting: Understand and actively participate in the budgeting process, including allocating funds to various departments and projects, regular clear reporting to the public; Provide ongoing monitoring and study of the city’s financial health and expenditures. Oversight: Effective council representatives Provide transparent oversight of city departments and contractual obligations to ensure that the public is being effectively served; Diligently require city staff to provide detailed, understandable information for public understanding; Expect equitable enforcement of applicable laws and governing
Opinion: Wider Eureka Road North Leads to Increased Speed & Traffic Control Issues
Note: At the Feb. 12, 2024 Shorewood City Council meeting, during matters from the floor, Eureka Road North neighbor Jeff Wyatt spoke in support of maintaining the current width of the street and doing only a mill and overlay. As part of his comments he provided the following informational resources: ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————- A Wider Eureka Road Leads to Increases in Traffic plus Speed & Traffic Control Issues Here are six facts supporting this: 1. Wider Roads Increase Traffic Volume: According to 2023 Victoria Transport Policy Institute report, widening roads creates a phenomenon known as induced demand. This occurs when the expansion of road capacity attract more drivers, resulting in an overall increase in traffic volume. Mapping systems and ride-sharing apps will also increase route volumes. https://vtpi.org/gentraf.pdf 2. Skinny Roads Save Lives: Wider roads give drivers a false sense of security, leading to an increase in driving speed. Last month, a
Shorewood: Chain Link or Picket Fence Model?
A Shorewood resident shares his observations of Shorewood leadership and submitted this article. Clarity, Alignment, and Commitment By Dr. James J. Lynn, 44 year resident Are people on the same page? Can staff communicate the purpose and values of the city in an elevator ride? Is there a clear message about who and what we are as a city? Do they know where the city is headed? Why are they showing up and doing their jobs? Is our vision compelling and does it inspire us all to make our city the best it can be? Clarity The chain linked fence is stronger than the picket fence. Picket fences are like silos, each department working alone, not together with other departments. Strategy that is well executed comes from alignment, teams working together to get results. This is a difficult challenge for many organizations and requires strong and smart leadership. Alignment Staff engagement
Policy Changes Without Process
When Policy Changes Without Process Someone, at City Hall, may have made a few changes in right-of-way enforcement policy without a public process. Read the SeeClickFix thread below. Warning: It’s long as it covers two years from the initial submission. City website states these exact situations should be reported to SeeClickFix. The final response is from Shorewood Citizen Advocates, asking for an explanation. Share your examples in the comments below. Watch for updates!
Shorewood’s Disappearing Roads & Intersections
Roads, intersections, sidewalks and trails are slowly disappearing due to creeping vegetation and low hanging tree limbs. Some trimming was done in Fall and early winter 2023-24. So why has it taken so long? It can’t be staffing. The City contracts with Davey Resource Group (starting at p. 34) for assistance in tree trimming and removal. Is the problem cost? In 2022 the Council indicated a willingness to budget for tree management. See here “The Cost of Doing Nothing.“ The current vegetation along roadways, sidewalks and trails cause unsafe situations for pedestrians and vehicles. What you can do: Support other residents in letting the Council know the problems. Some did in 2021 (discussion with Chief Meehan) and 2022 (Matters from the Floor) Expect the City to have consistent standards for clearing above and along roadways*. Expect the City to comply with its ordinance 501.05 Subd. 1 to keep our trails
Opinion: When All Neighbors Don’t Count
The “elders” among us remember a candidate for a Shorewood office running on the brand “All Neighbors Count.” All neighbors may have “counted” 25 years ago. What has happened since that mantra rang true with the voters of Shorewood? We don’t have the answer. But we have noticed that when it comes to commenting on, or showing up for Council meetings, we no longer all count. In the early 2000s, one 13 year-old boy bravely came to the Park Commission with a scale model of a skate park, asking the City to build one for the skaters in the City. The PC listened, as did the Council, and it happened. He counted. Several park foundation members tenaciously pushed for a “concession stand” at Freeman Park and against overwhelming financing odds, it was built and became Eddy Station. Their voices mattered. A single resident proposed Freeman Park as a concert venue.
Why Shorewood Citizen Advocates (SCA)
https://youtu.be/IQBOUmoLBV0 Message from the SCA Editors: SCA was created to inform and advocate. Our purpose is to promote the transparency, consistency and accountability residents expect from Shorewood leadership. We educate residents on the processes used and decisions made at city hall. We hold our elected officials responsible for respect and civility toward residents and each other. We encourage residents to become more involved and respectfully find their voices for issues that matter to them. These are crucial ingredients for a thriving and engaged community. SCA creates a space for public participation and diverse perspectives through our comment sections and editorial/opinion page. We invite the public to submit an editorial or sourced article. We encourage comments on the articles and welcome respectful discussion and debate. SCA Editors emphasize fairness, truth and accuracy. We believe it is the recipe for constructive, informed conversations. We produce well-researched articles intended to bring about
