| Photo Gallery |
|
|
What's New
|
|
|
|
 |
Milwaukee Small Business Week - May 20-23
Small business is the engine that drives the American economy and the economy of the City of Milwaukee. Join us as we celebrate National Small Business Week in Milwaukee:
|
|
New Information for Road Construction and Projected Start and Completion Times
Updated Information as of March 22, 2013
N. 94th St. - W. Burleigh St. to W. Keefe Av.-fall 2013 Start
N. 97th St. - W. Keefe Av. to W. Lisbon Av.-Mid-Late Summer Start
N. 107th St. - 475' m/l north of W. Fond du Lac Av. to 500' m/l south of W. Good Hope Rd.- 2 day asphalt overlay summer 2013
W. Capitol Dr. (STH 190) Bridge over the Menomonee River branch (W. Grantosa Dr.)-May 1st, state job in conjunction w/ Capitol Dr re-construction
W. Capitol Dr.- N. 84th St. to N. Mayfair Rd.(Incl.Modifications @ Lisbon Av.,100th St.,92nd St.,& Lisbon @ 100th)(Wauwatosa, Portions in the City of)-May 1 through mid-November
N. Granville Rd. (relocated) - W. Good Hope Rd. to a pt 1000' +/- north of W. Good Hope Rd.-2013-2014 Construction
W. Hadley St. - N. 80th St. to N. 86th St- April 15 through early July
W. Keefe Av. - N. 80th St. to N. 83rd St.-Mid-Late Summer Start
W. Peck Ct. - N. 86th St. to A point West of N. 86th St.-April 15through early July
W. Townsend St. - N. 84th St. to N. 86th St.-April 15 through early July
|
Municipal Services billing options the subject of survey
Please participate in an online survey to share your preference regarding monthly or quarterly billing for the City of Milwaukee Municipal Services Bill by visiting https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/billing2013
The survey will be available through March 22nd. Milwaukee Water Works will use the results to guide the 2014 budget planning process.
Thank you for your input!
|
From Orange Barrels to Open Boulevards: The Process Behind Milwaukee Road and Alley Construction
Milwaukee’s Department of Public Works strives to maintain nearly 1,300 miles of city streets through paving projects and/or street reconstruction. In the 5th District, the process begins with Alderman Bohl’s regular trips each year along city streets that have been identified as potential targets for repair. Please click here to read more.
|
Help Track Tax-Exempt Properties
There are plenty of churches and other non-profits located at properties throughout the 5th Aldermanic District that are exempt from paying property taxes. Please click here to see a list of these properties.
By far, most tax-exempt entities are legitimate and provide valuable, life-enhancing services to city residents. However, there is a small percentage which takes advantage of the system (by breaking the law) and leaves law-abiding property owners with the bill.
Across the City of Milwaukee, there has been a steady and significant increase in the number of these tax-exempt properties in recent years. The increase has resulted in a shift of the property tax burden to a fewer number of property owners.
The State of Wisconsin’s Department of Revenue determines whether an entity is granted tax-exempt status, and the City of Milwaukee is charged with following up with each such entity located in the city after tax-exempt status is granted. But the city has limited resources, and this follow up process can sometimes take several months to complete.
You can assist the city in making sure everyone is playing by the rules. If you suspect that a property listed as tax-exempt is not legitimate and is “gaming the system,” please share your suspicions with the city Assessor’s Office. The number to call is (414) 286-3651.
|
Capitol Drive project to be completed in 2013
Reconstruction work will begin on W. Capitol Dr. in early spring for the stretch from N. 84th St. west to the city limits (near Hwy. 100) and should be completed in November 2013.
Please see the map which details the reconfiguration of the intersection of N. 100th St. and W. Capitol Dr. Please note that the large flower bed that welcomes visitors to Milwaukee will now be located on the southwestern corner of this new intersection.
|
|
Guide to Business Resources in the Milwaukee Area
Information in reference to building permits, financial assistance, grants, energy-efficiency improvements, and business management.
|
|
 Program ensures meals and safe play at sites across Milwaukee
Parents and caregivers should be excited to know the Milwaukee Public Schools, the West Allis Schools and the Boys and Girls Clubs will have extended summer services for day camps and recreation thanks to a grant from Kohl’s Department Stores.
Kohl’s Serving up Supper for Kids is a new initiative that assures safe summer play at local schools and offers breakfast, lunch and supper to assure that kids are healthy, safe and well fed all summer long. There are more than 130 meal sites that will serve children 18 and under, Monday-Friday all summer long.
There is no paperwork or registration required. Kids who need a meal will get fed. Be on the lookout for the bright green sign identifying meal sites, or visit impactinc.org for specific site dates and times.
Fluoride: Poison in our water
The fluoridation of Milwaukee’s drinking water – a practice begun in 1953 prior to fluoridated toothpastes and mouthwashes being readily available to the public – could end immediately under a Common Council resolution sponsored by Alderman Jim Bohl.
The resolution – introduced at the Common Council’s May 22, 2012 regular meeting – orders “the immediate cessation and prohibition of the introduction of sodium silicofluoride or any fluoride compound into water distributed by the Milwaukee Water Works.” The measure is expected to be taken up during the next Council cycle and if approved, would bring Milwaukee in line with an increasing number of cities that are ending the practice of forced community water fluoridation.
(The extensive information provided here by Alderman Bohl – entitled “Community Fluoride Study” – offers residents the opportunity to become better informed about the issue of drinking water fluoridation and the potential threat that it poses to public health).
 Call For Action – Governmental Phone Directory
This PDF printable version is arranged alphabetically by specific topics and problems, and it provides phone numbers and web addresses to help you reach the people who perform hundreds of services in city government. The back pages also include county, state, and federal phone numbers, and additional numbers and web addresses of other frequently requested, non-government services and organizations.
The City of Milwaukee takes pride in its reputation of providing efficient, high quality, responsive, and cost-effective services to residents and businesses. The Call for Action booklet is well organized and can quickly connect you to the services and information you need.
A limited number of booklets can be obtained by contacting emailing my assistant Todd at tpeter@milwaukee.gov.
An online version of the Call for Action is also available at www.city.milwaukee.gov/callforaction
|
|
MMSD Releases Basement Sewage Backup Video
This 7-minute video released by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) shows how excess flows of storm water in private sanitary sewer laterals can contribute to sewage backups in basements. Alderman Wade serves as a member of the board overseeing MMSD.
|
|
See the Flooding Study Task Force Report & Recommendations
The report and recommendations of the Flooding Study Task Force, co-chaired by Alderman Jim Bohl, were approved by the Common Council’s Public Works Committee in July 2011.
View the task force’s report and recommendations:
File #100666 | Report | Report-Appendices
The task force was created after last summer’s devastating flooding and basement backups resulted in millions of dollars in property damage and eventual disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The task force was charged with recommending remedies for storm water and sewage backup flooding of city residential and commercial properties, and flooding of streets and alleyways.
|
Milwaukee Volunteers Needed for Big Brothers Big Sisters
In Milwaukee, adult volunteers are needed for the growing number of children ages 6-15 waiting for a Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) mentor. The majority of waiting children are boys in need of Big Brothers.
Alderman Jim Bohl said hundreds of children are waiting for a Big Brother or Big Sister in Milwaukee, including more than 60 who live in the 5th Aldermanic District. “Most of us were fortunate to have loving and devoted parents who taught us how to live and who spent time with us each and every day,” he said. “Today, that’s not always the case, and many boys especially are in need of positive male mentors.”
Amy Chionchio, president and CEO of BBBS of Metro Milwaukee said: “The need for volunteers, especially males, is critical. Your generous gift of mentoring a child can help increase their ability to succeed in school, gain greater self-confidence, make positive choices, and change their lives for the better, forever. ”
BBBS volunteers mentor children one-on-one, three to four times a month, and scheduling is based on the availability of the volunteer. Activities may include going to the park, sharing a meal, working on schoolwork, and attending sporting events, or participating in simple everyday activities and hobbies such as cooking and gardening. Men and women may volunteer individually or as a couple. The minimum age for volunteers is 21.
BBBS of Metro Milwaukee is an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring network in the nation. In 2010 BBBS of Metro Milwaukee served more than 1,500 children in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties.
For information, contact BBBS of Metro Milwaukee at (414) 258-4778, online at www.bbbsmilwaukee.org, or on Facebook or Twitter.
|
 Cooper Park Sewer Lateral Demonstration Pilot Project
In the City of Milwaukee, a joint demonstration project between the city and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is tackling the largest contributor of damaging basement backups during and after heavy rain events.
Learn more about the project and view the project area map.
At left, Alderman Bohl speaks at the rollout of the sewer lateral demonstration project. He was joined by Jerome Flogel - MMSD Senior Project Manager, Mayor Tom Barrett, DPW City Engineer Jeff Polenske and Alderman Willie Wade.
|
Milwaukee Job Corps: A Way to Get What You Want Out of Life
The Milwaukee Job Corps is a no-cost educational and vocational training program that helps youth ages 16-24 (the upper age limit is waived for those who have a documented disability) learn a career, earn a high school diploma or GED and help find and keep a good job. They are currently holding orientation sessions on a weekly basis for those who are interested in the program. Learn more about the Milwaukee Job Corps.
Job Corps Orientations for Wisconsin
New Milwaukee Job Corps Center, 6665 N. 60th Street - Every Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.
For more details, contact Yulanda Randolph at 414-671-6129.
Esperanza Unida Bldg., 611 W. National Avenue, Ste. 209 - Every Monday and Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.
For more details, contact Omar Barberena at 414-649-9055.
No late arrivals admitted to orientations. No orientations on Holidays.
|
 Smoke Detectors: Proven to Save Lives
The Milwaukee Fire Department and the Mayor’s Office collaborated to develop Project FOCUS (Firefighters Out Creating Urban Safety) in 1991. FOCUS was created to address the fact that out of the 113 people who died in fires between 1987 and 1991, 91 of the victims perished in homes with no smoke detector, a disconnected smoke detector, or a detector without batteries.
Project FOCUS is the MFD’s response and a proactive approach to this disturbing fact. The program has had an immediate positive impact on fire deaths in the city and aims to target areas in the community that have experienced a high number of structural fires and/or fire-related deaths in the past two years. Project FOCUS allows on-duty firefighters to target a neighborhood and conduct a door-to-door campaign intended to educate residents on fire safety and prevention.
Project FOCUS takes place every year in spring and fall for three weeks. During those three weeks, firefighters visit every home in a targeted neighborhood to test or install smoke detectors, replace batteries, and perform blood pressure screenings -- all at no cost to the recipients. The Milwaukee Fire Department will also perform a “Mini-Focus” as necessary in the immediate neighborhood where a fire fatality occurred.
Since Project FOCUS was implemented, more than 20,000 smoke detectors have been installed in residences. All of the smoke detectors installed since 2005 are tamper-proof, feature a 10-year lithium ion battery and hush button as required by the City of Milwaukee fire code. This year, firefighters will visit more than 6,000 homes.
It is critically important for Milwaukee residents to have working smoke detectors in their homes. It is an early detection and life-saving device in the event of a fire. It can give you and your family those extra seconds that count when faced with smoke and flames. Check your smoke detector today, and make sure to check it on a monthly basis. If you do not have a working smoke detector you can request one to be installed by calling the Milwaukee Fire Department Smoke Detector Hotline (414) 286-8980.
|
|
Need Legal Help But Can’t Afford It? Check out the Milwaukee Justice Center
The Milwaukee Justice Center helps provide access to justice in Milwaukee County for those who cannot afford to hire an attorney.
|
|
“Between a Rock and a Hard Place” – An Eye-Opening Report
In August 2009 the Public Policy Forum issued “Milwaukee’s Fiscal Condition: Between a Rock and a Hard Place – an independent third-party analysis,” a report presenting an analysis of the fiscal condition of the City of Milwaukee government, applying a professional financial evaluation system of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).
Alderman Bohl strongly suggests that city residents, taxpayers and stakeholders read the report. “The report details how the recession is negatively impacting city government, as well as the problems it’s causing for property values and businesses of every size,” he said.
“In other words the report gives readers a glimpse of the major challenges we face as a city, and why the Common Council and the Mayor are considering fairly drastic budget reductions that will greatly impact city services for years to come,” he said.
|
|
Play the video above to view the September 10, 2009 Public Works Committee meeting.
(Please jump ahead using the slider to skip the introduction screen.)
DPW Environmental Engineering Section - Review of Rain Events from June 19, 2009 (PDF)
More information can also be found on Legistar.
|
Basement Flooding/Sewer Backup Issues Get Aired
At Alderman Bohl’s request, representatives from the city’s Department of Public Works and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District appeared before the Common Council’s Public Works Committee at City Hall on September 10 to provide information and answer questions about the large number of flooded basements and sewer back ups that resulted from heavy rains on June 18-19, 2009.
In a matter of only a few hours, storms late June 18 and early June 19 dumped between two to six and a half inches of rain throughout portions of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County. One observer in the 5th Aldermanic District recorded a rainfall total of 4.22 inches during the storms, and in the 5th District alone there were 63 reports of flooded basements, and a total of more than 650 similar reports citywide.
Alderman Bohl said he requested the information-sharing public testimony to try to find answers to questions about what happened during and after those destructive storms. “Short of a fire or tornado, there’s nothing worse for a homeowner than a flooded basement,” Alderman Bohl said. “The danger and damage they cause and the hassle of cleaning up what’s left behind is something you never forget.”
“I hope residents will watch the video provided here from that meeting, and click on the Power Point presentation and other documents to learn more about how and why flooded basements occur, and how homeowners can take measures to minimize or even prevent basement flooding in the first place,” he said.
If you or someone you know experiences a flooded basement caused by a sewer back up, please first call 286-CITY(2489) -- the one-stop number for people who need service or information from DPW. DPW can then respond and inspect the area to see if the main sewer line is clogged. If it’s determined that the main sewer is not clogged, then the property owner may call a plumber to look into what’s causing the problem.
|
|
To read about special valves and preventive plumbing equipment (including the “pros and cons” of the plumbing choices) that can help property owners fend off future back ups, please see these documents (NOTE: A few of the documents mention “combined sewers” – PLEASE DISREGARD as the 5th Aldermanic District does not have combined sewers): Floodgate brochure, Backwater Valve information, Preventive Valve information, Type of approach to sewer backup
|
|
West Side Area Plan Online
Area Plans are part of the City's Comprehensive Plan. The City of Milwaukee is covered by thirteen Area Plans which guide future neighborhood development with land use, design, and catalytic project recommendations.
» Citywide Maps of the 13 Area Plans
» Find your Area Plan
» Catalytic project map & list
» Area Plan process
|
The 5th District Active Senior Guide
Continuing Education, Cultural & Sports Attractions, Fun & Fitness, Nutrition, Volunteer Opportunities, Neighborhood Outreach Program, Employment Opportunities, Transportation Assistance, Dining & Home Delivered Meals, Home Care/Repair/Moving and Public Benefit and Legal Assistance.
|
|