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Green Lake Zobel Park Rec Fund
Green Lake County Government Websites
Green Lake Conference Center/American Baptist Assembly
Green Lake Propery Owners Association
Linden Wood Development
The Estates of Lawsonia
About Me
- Chief Highknocker
- You aren't local until you have at least three generations in the cemetery.
40 comments:
Did anyone see Larry McIntyre's comments in the GL Reporter about wanting his council job back! How many excuses can he give for not wanting to vote with his other council members on March 17th. He first claimed he did not feel safe! He said he was uninformed. He of all people should be in the know. Now he claims to have medical problems which have resolved in one week! His fourth or fifth excuse. He voluntarily resigned on March 16th. This year he runs for mayor, then he decides not to. Last year, he decided not to run for alderman, then he decides to run as a write-in. What are his motives?
Good grief, it this a man we want to represent our citizens????
JOB BACK?? He is still the elected council person. He was elected by the voters and no one has been elected or appoint to fill the position so it is his position. Surely the Mayor and the council would not try to preevent a dully elected council person from continuing to serve. Sure he had some fears that caused him to suggest that he may not be able to continue but that is behind him now and he is still the only elected person for that position. I can't believe the mayor and council would be so audasious as to impose their will over the will of the voters who elected Mr. McIntyre to the position. If he wants to finish out his elected position that should be his right. If the voters turn him out at the end of his term that is another issue but for now he is the only person who was voted in by the electorate to serve in that position.
How 'bout that candidate forum Tuesday night? Joe and Chuck went head to head. There was a story the Ripon paper but the GL paper didn't even show up, which I think is just baffling.
I don't care for Mayor Joe as a person, but voting for Chuck seems like a vote for no change. "Preserve, Protect and Improve". I'm not sure Chuck's idea on "Improve" is the way we need to go.
The way I see it, and I've lived here 45 of my 66 years, this town has to grow. We need to set some policies and ordinances in place that protect what's important to us (environment, history, heritage) but also allow for growth in others.
Also, the City and Town of Brooklyn need to become one. Whatever that union is, it has to happpen. We have to, as another poster wrote, "level the playing field of taxes". The TOB residents enjoy all the city services, but pay 1/6 of the taxes city residents pay. That's not right. TOB needs to own up and pay their fair share. When I was akid, and TOB was nothing but farmland with a handful of residents, it was different. Now they have the population and growth potential, while the city is full of Sr's like myself, just a few families, a bunch of for sale houses, a bankrupt golf course, a school in peril and no real positive future.
I don't know, I'm heading for my "golden years". I'm considering becoming a "snow bird". My kids long ago moved away, I wonder sometimes why I worry anymore.
Oh, and for Larry, if he can't keep his head straight as to what he wants to do, he has no right being on the city council. He's a weak link in my book and he needs to step aside. Enjoy life Larry and let it all go. It's someone else's problem now.
I don't think Larry has "motives" but is just not right for public office. You are forced to take a side sometimes and he doesn't want that responsiblity. Larry sit back and let someone else do the job. It is obviously beyond you.
Ald McIntyre resigned from office. For whatever his reasons, the resignation was tendered and recieved. Wouldn't we all enjoy a few "do overs" in life? This is just the latest in the on-going soap opera that has come to spell
"Green Lake." Meanwhile, Ripon and Princeton continue their growth. Working very hard to attract new businesses and residents, while we stand here with our mouth's agape, wondering "what happened?"
Is it true that the "Friends of Green Lake" are among the major donors to Mr. Mirr's campaign? With "friends" like that....... well you know the rest
Hi Bloggers,
Please read Joe Parise's response to the Mirr, Clune and McIntyre letters in the Green Lake Reporter. The paper said they errored in allowing the letters one week before an election. They are allowing Joe to put his response in the Billboard. This paper will come out in Monday's mail and is free to all citizens.
Give me a break....Princeton's growth is over and Ripon is dying..just because someone is buying up businesses does not mean that the city is growing. Where are the jobs? Have you paid the property taxes? Have you tried to sell a home in Ripon? Hello....we are in a recession everywhere!
I agree with the "I guess Joe?" poster. The City & TOB have got to merge or get together is some way. Brooklyn gets all the services and they DO NOT pay their fair share. Have you noticed most folks who move here want to live in the Town, not the city. The Town has an unfair advantage and they know it. Some call it divisive, but I think Joe is right to push the Town a good bit. The town cries for a boundary agreement. The heck with that, it would only tie the cities hands and growth potential. It's time to merge!
WOW - did you see that on 3/28/2008 an arrest warrent was issued for the former GL public works director, Jim Bradley. The charge is 2nd degree sexual assualt/unconscious victim. It was on the website wcca.wicourts.gov.
What is this world coming to when this is the head of our First Responsers?
I searched the wcca website and didn't find anything relating to the above posters statement.
Is this Bogus?
Go to the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access website and put in James Bradley. It is there.
I wish this wasn't the case! How sad for our community and the Bradley family.
In response to Billy, who expressed concern that the GL Reporter did not show up to the mayoral candidate forum: This is untrue.
As the reporter for both the Green Lale Reporter and the Princeton Times-Republic, I frequently have evenings where I've got to cover more than one event, both of which are going on at the same time.
Depending on what's on the agenda, the second Tuesday of the month will almost always find me going from one Princeton Common Council meeting to a Town of Brooklyn meeting, both of which are going on at the same time, and both of which receive coverage for that week's edition. Sometimes I can get assistance from a colleague. Unfortunately, the evening in question was not one of these times, since another reporter was unavailable, due to having to cover another meeting.
That night, I was required to attend a City of Princeton Common Council meeting, which started 45 minutes late due to an informational meeting on the referendum held at 6 p.m. prior to the council meeting. It lasted until 7:45, which is when the council meeting (scheduled for 7 p.m.) began. After my Princeton meeting ended, I went to the mayoral forum, only to find it had just ended (8:45 p.m.).
I do my best to show up to as much as I can for both communities that I cover, but as you can see, there was an unexpected overlap caused by the Princeton meeting.
If you'd like to speak to me directly, you're welcome to call me at my office: 361-1515. Anyone who has questions about both of the communities that I cover is always welcome to do the same.
Could someone tell me the services that the TOB residents get from the city? I live in the TOB and have no idea what you are talking about. No, really! Are you talking about the Post Office, the gas station,the bank or the Library? Be sure it is not garbage pick-up, snow removal, brush pick-up etc.
I thought the exact same thing, just what services are they talking about? I live in the city, while my neighbors directly across the street from me are TOB. I receive the luxury of trash pick-up, yard-waste and brush pick-up (once a month, yippee) and of course the modern wonders of city water and sewer. Also, the city plows our street in the winter after it snows, eventually. Considering my taxes are several times higher than my neighbors, I wish I lived across the street...
I guess they mean the library and the (?) park and rec activities. The post office is federal, and the bank is just a bank. The stupid thing is that anyone (from anywhere in the world) can use the library at no charge, just like I can go and use Ripon's library, or Oshkosh or Chicago or New York. The TOB shares the public schools, too, but with open enrollement, kids can go to Berlin, Ripon, Princeton or Markesan if they want to. The city of Green Lake barely has a summer rec program, not one that I have ever noticed, certainly nothing compared to other places I have lived before. I suppose if they build a YMCA, everyone can fight about that, too.
I am not going to vote to re-elect a mayor who has no sense of community.
The library is jointly funded by the TOB and COGL.
The City of Green Lake pays for the maintenance of the library.
Anyone know the truth of the connection between Randy Schaffer, who is running for school board, and school Superintendant Ken Bates? I recently heard they graduated from school together. Hmmmm...
Well, I am sure glad that my "services" in GL are the maintenance of the Library! I was worried about THAT! And what does the COGL pay to have done? The grass, the small plot of flowers? Must cost alot!! What other "services" are the TOB getting?
Until all you nay sayers get out of your house, get a life, and look around. Try living in the concrete jungle down south, then you will think different. Having a nice city to live in is not free. Town of Brooklyn does not pay it's fair share. If you live in the city you should be mad at the people who live in the town, because they are not paying their fair share, you are paying it for them.
The City of Green Lake pays for the maintenance of the library, that means all the air conditioners, the furnance, the lights, the tiolets, the roof repairs and any other items needed for the building. Anyone knows that a facility like that needs replacements & repairs. frequently. The City maintains all the parks, the landings, the roads around all the buildings like the churches, the school, the courthouse, the restaurants, the library etc. The City provides the water and sewer service to all these as well. The City spends around $30,000 for the summer recreational program. The TOB kids are about 2/3 of the participants. The TOB gave the City $6,000 last year to support the program. By far not their fair share.
When Green Lake asked for a fair share, we then became the bad neighbor! Not sure why that is....
Are you trying to tell me that the COGL does not receive revenue from the Library/TOB, churches, school, courthouse, and restaurants? What about proceeds from park exhibits? Now the city is collecting for launch fees. The landings are terrible! How much do they receive from the boat businesses (they put-in and take out nearly 1000 boats a year which they make big money on)? TOB agreed to pay $13,000 for rec programs without so much as representation or participation in operating the programs.
Congratulations to Mayor Chuck Mirr!
Congratulations to BOE members Mr. Deyo. Mrs. Pipho, and Mr. Botwell.
WHERE are the election results? Help please
How much does the city take in from City Campground (direct users of the beach)? How much of the $30,000 summer rec program expeditures are from the beach? How much does the city take in from rec program registration fees (TOB participants pay more than COGL)? What was the percentage of TOB/COGL/other towns last year? It was never 2/3!
Where is the joint committee (COGL/TOB) for parks and rec?
How unfair is it that the City folk use the TOB roads?
Mile for mile; who has more roads to maintain?
Think of it this way... if the city wasn't here, would the TOB folks still live here or would they still all be farmers? Would Heritage Estates or other surrounding areas be desirable for living as just a field along an empty highway if the city wasn't near by? There are a lot of empty field along highways in this state, why choose one here?
The city existence provides a lot for the businesses to exist. Those businesses provide jobs to many city and TOB residents. The city foots one heck of an expense to serve those businesses. (Yes, I realize the businesses also pay a tax bill.)
Those city services that other posters have sarcastically mentioned do take real dollars to maintain. Beaches, parks, roads, signs, street lighting, utility maintenance, sidewalks, police, city buildings, etc. Sit down with any public works director and ask them where the money is spent, you’d be amazed what things cost.
I realize road maintenance is expensive, but aside from snow removal, patching and paving roads, what expense does the TOB have with their roads? Do they even mow the ditch banks? Imagine if the city maintained their roads and parks in the same manner. I do give the TOB credit for their road maintenance; they do an above par job on their road maintenance. Take a drive elsewhere if you haven’t noticed.
The beautiful way in which our city is maintained is not something that should be taken for granted. It is a huge Benefit to the surrounding area. Yes, we have lost a lot of essential downtown businesses (pharmacy, grocery, etc) over the years, but at least our store fronts are not boarded up or empty like many small towns. The town existence provides a benefit to everyone in the surrounding area and the tax “playing filed” should be more fair and level.
We did sit down with the public works director...he said it would cost $5000 annually to run 900 acres! Where were the citizens of the city here?
You cannot argue that it only takes a few hours per year to flush some hydrants (on one hand) and argue that there is so much more expenses involved (on the other hand).
Hire staff & consultants (and leaders) which will provide the straight and honest poop!
Ruby colored glasses are expensive (poor insight)!
(IMO) If this is the way it is going to be...It would be real nice if the City was not here! I would not have thought that 20 years ago. It is all a result of attitudes and nature of decisions.
Healthy community growth and progress may be accomplished without conflicting with other neighboring entities (civil war).
SAD
Just a thought. Since some of the residents of the City beleive that they are paying six times more in real esate taxes than the residents of the Green Lake Township, perhaps the city residents should consider desolving the city and become part of the Township so that they could reduce their taxes. And another thought is that perhaps the residents of Berlin and Ripon should consider charging the residents of the City of Green Lake for using their streets and stores while driving through or using their many other local services. Where is the end of trying to charge all the neighboring communities for whatever services the local residents think that their neighbors have used of their own community services and to make the charges "fair".
The previous posting has given me an idea on how to raise substantial revenue for the City of Green Lake. Why don't we put up a toll gate at each entry to the City of Green Lake and start to collect a toll for the privilege of driving in to our City. We all certainly know that everyone that drives in to our City is out to take advantage of us poor residents and visitors should pay for that privilege. On the other hand, perhaps that would discourgage any visitor to come to our fair City and soon the downtown would end up being a ghosttown. Perhaps we should instead come up with a solution on how to encourage more visitors in to our City.
Ok, with Mayor Mirr set to take the helm, what should we look forward to being better in Green Lake?
His platform was Preserve, Protect and Improve. I'm sure we're protecting the lake, preserving the environment (the lake) and our sleepy little town atmosphere…what's going to improve?
I heard he doesn't want the job, he only ran to make a stand against annexation.
What a disgrace, a new Mayor going around saying he didn't want the job...God help us all..
If you don't want the ABA, Estates of Lawsonia or other properties annexed into the city, you better be at the next city meeting. The city council gives every indication of wanting annexation now that they can't or shouldn't have it because Lindenwood and ABA signed and agreement with the Town. The city needs to just vote this thing down and be done with it. If you're against annexation, be sure your alderperson knows your stand. They're likely to vote this thing through out of nothing but spite and get us into a lawsuit with ABA, Lindenwood and the Town of Brooklyn that will cost us untold thousands of dollars that we don’t have. Mayor Joe, as you said, this is a bunch of “bull” just let it go.
Why are so many Green Lake people afraid of change? The city has provided fact after fact showing how the city would benefit from the annexation. Even if no development occurs, the city stands to gain at least $200,000 annually, while spending less than $60,000 annually for services. Do the math.
A handful of naysayers have managed to scare people into opposing the annexation by making vague, unsupported threats of lawsuits and increased city taxes. These hysterical comments simply have no proof. These people are simply afraid of change because they want Green Lake to stay the same forever and ever. Well, it can't if we want it to survive. The downtown is already dead. Tourism is pathetic. Yet everyone seems to think the lake will save us. Wake up! There are 14,000 lakes in this state. Get over yourselves, Green Lake! You're not that special, and your city has to grow to survive.
I'm proud to support any alderman who does the right thing by thinking long-term and voting yes on this annexation. The Conference Center and Lindenwood wanted it so damn badly, now they just might have to sleep in the bed they made.
Green Lake needs this annexation to survive, and despite what the naysayers say, it'll be good long-term for the city. We need to look out for No. 1 rather than holding hands and singing "Kum ba yah" with Brooklyn.
Carl, I have to disagree with you. I don't believe that the city of Green Lake needs the annexation in order to survive. The city needs to live within its' means, and hopefully now that we will have a mayor who knows how to run a successful small business, budgeting and spending will be within reason and common sense. (Our nation needs to learn the same lesson. Spending is out of control!)
I also don't believe that the city of Green Lake needs growth to save a dead downtown and slow tourism. The reason that downtown is dead has nothing to do with local growth! The businesses that are downtown are completely out of touch with what people want and need. The right stores with the right merchandise would bring in shoppers, both locals and tourists. The few thriving restaurants downtown are patronized by both the locals and the tourists, and the retailers could have that too if they knew what they were doing. You could build 500 new houses and have thousands of new residents and nobody would shop at those stores and you know it.
The lake itself is very important for the success of the area. There may be 14,000 lakes in the state but big Green ranks among the best of them. Better beaches around the lake would be one place to start, perhaps charging for admittance. The sad fact is that I have tried to take my family to the local beach and there was so much riff-raff, loud music and litter that we turned around and left. Tourists (and locals)should not have to fear for their personal safety when they take their kids to the beach.
No, Big Green Lake is not among the best lakes in the state. The problem is, Green Lake people all seem to THINK it is, and they rely on it to save the city’s tourist woes. News flash: It’s not working. Big Green Lake is cold, slimy and zebra mussel-infested. The city’s one and only beach, Hattie Sherwood, is dirty, unkempt and unwelcoming. The person above suggested we charge people to use it. Who in the world would be that stupid?
With tourism dying and the downtown in shambles, it won’t be long before the city’s property values go down. That’s exactly why the city needs additional tax revenue to support itself in the years ahead. Instead of crossing our arms and shaking our heads in fear of change, we should embrace the offer of an additional $200,000 in annual taxes. This money could provide for valuable downtown improvements and business incentives that would generate tourism. Why is this such an abstract concept to city folks who want lower taxes anyway?
It’s clear that the anti-annexation crowd is running out of excuses. According to the newspaper, even Larry McIntyre recently went around saying he would support it (until he flip-flopped again under pressure). The city’s tax base would increase dramatically without having to do much of anything, and the annexation wouldn’t even be “forced” because Lindenwood and the ABA were the ones who wanted it originally.
The city has no need to kiss up to Brooklyn, and the city certainly shouldn’t have to answer to a bunch of part-time homeowners at the ABA who selfishly want to keep the place all to themselves. These ABA homeowners stomped and screamed and pouted that the annexation wasn’t fair, and I think it’s wonderful that the development will still go forward on 97 half-acre lots regardless of their accusations and truth-stretching. The city has pointed out several errors in their “Development Done Right” report. Just go to City Hall and request the rebuttal from Kevin Krysinski.
Funny how we don’t hear much from Dick Martens, etc., anymore now that the town has realized Lindenwood WAS following the rules all along. Contrary to the hysteria of the opposition, the developer was credible from the start. Want proof? Their plans for 97 new houses on approximately half-acre parcels have never changed. Lindenwood had a reputation to maintain, while the private ABA homeowners simply had a fear-of-change agenda.
Oh... I bet you haven't heard the last of the long winded overly opinionated ever condescending tricky Dick Martens. His type doesn’t go away easily. He and his band of grumpy “not in my backyard” ABA homeowners and their hired gun attorney, I’m sure are planning their last charge up the hill, loaded with ammo and their “development done right” battle cry. You just wait, it’s bound to be a long night!
To the poster who said "The businesses that are downtown are completely out of touch with what people want and need"....what is wrong with trying to develop visual and performing Arts in Green Lake? We have a new Antique's business and art gallery in town. Alongside places like the Thrasher and Two Chez, why shouldn't we try to create a more eclectic feel for our downtown instead of a bunch of knick-knack stores selling tourists shit on a stick.
If people came out in support it could be a successful venture and a great image for Green Lake. But you're right, it won't happen...not while there's a K-Mart and Walmart in driving distance....people will drive 5 miles to "get what they need" from Walmart. And the business owners trying to raise the profile of the downtown will move elsewhere....good job.
Yes, I agree that Green Lake would do good to go "artsy" and eclectic and get rid of the knick-knack stores. That is exactly what Green Lake needs to do. Princeton has (sort of) done that and their shopping district is much more successful than Green Lake's. Of course, they have a lot more shops in Princeton, buy they have achieved a more earthy, upscale yet casual ambiance. At least they have ambiance! Much of Green Lake is an eyesore. A good place to start would be to have a gorgeous mural painted on the wall the Little Corporal, the center of downtown. Another vast improvement would be to change to color of Mill Street Junk store to something more pleasing to the eye. Moving some of the real-estate offices would be beneficial, they take up key retail spots.
The area around the park needs a lot of work, the city should move those two ugly metal pole sheds, dumpsters and fences(city garage and maintenance buildings)to a different site (perhaps the county grounds?) and turn that entire area adjacent to to ball park into a lovely family- oriented park. Picnic spots and gardens, a fountain, a functional pavilion. It should be the most beautiful part of the city, with the river and the marsh providing glorious natural beauty, but sadly it is by far the ugliest part of Green Lake (and environmentally unfriendly).
The proposed Golf museum is not a good idea, if they really want to have one they need to put it into an attractive building on/near a golf course. (I don't think that many people would be interested in it, really.) I know that all of these ideas would take money, but there could be a lot of volunteer support and donations to transform our downtown to the warm and charming vision that it should be.
Gee, I must have missed something. I did not read that Jim Bradley was found guilty. Seems to me that the people have already found him guilty before the courts have.I know it's juicy story and gives everyone alot to talk about, but maybe it is all a bunch of BS and you are ruining a mans life in this town. So the man made a huge mistake regarding the city, but he has paid for that mistake. I am sure we all have clean house's or do we ?????????
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