On Officials plan talks on Milton interchange idea
Posted on September 4 at 7:10 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is Milton Alderman Brett Frazier.
My hope with all of this is that a conversation can begin about how Milton will grow in the next decade. An interchange on the west side of the city would provide an opportunity for employment based development. There are a lot of good, hard-working people out of work in Rock County. They don't need political promises- they've had enough of them to last a lifetime. They need jobs. There are a lot of different ways to encourage job growth, but let's face it- some of the decisions made at the State and Federal levels haven't exactly helped the jobs situation.
I commute to work an hour each way every day. I've done that for four years. I do it because that's where a lot of us have had to go in order to find jobs to support our families and I've got a wife and three little ones counting on me. My hope is that the action that we take now will create a different Rock County for my kids when they grow up. We can argue the merits of the interchange and we can even argue if more development is what Milton needs, but I'm happy to step out and be bold when I advocate on behalf of the City of Milton and the greater Rock County area.
And hey- Dick Tracy...glad you like 'em. :)
Brett Frazier
Milton City Council
On Milton to study soccer field plan
Posted on May 4 at 4:51 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is Milton Alderman Brett Frazier.
This is exactly the sort of partnership that our city needs to be facilitating. I'm 110% in favor of this project- we need to support youth sports in Milton. The city, however, needs to do some serious work over the next several years to trim back our budgets and lessen the burden on our taxpayers. I would LOVE it if our city had the means to build and maintain facilities for all our youth sports, but the reality is that in 2010 our levy and property taxes went up while property values and income went down...(I voted against that budget along with now former Alderman Hookham)and it just wouldn't be responsible to tackle a project like this. That being said, we have the land and the soccer club can make it into something using private funding. It IS a win-win. Personally, I plan to make a donation to the soccer club if and when they start fundraising because it's something I care about and want to support. I'm so pleased that this project will be moving forward with private funding. Milton residents should be proud of this partnership.
On Daland Building Not In City’s Future
Posted on May 3 at 4:42 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is Milton Alderman Brett Frazier.
Jim's got it right in his blog. I am the chair of the Historic Preservation Commission in addition to my responsibilities as an Alderman so I'm naturally interested in the repurposing of these buildings. I'm hopeful that a viable use for each of the buildings of Milton College can be found, but after thirty years (my whole lifetime!) I'm done waiting around.
As most people who follow the Council's meetings in Milton (hopefully both of you are posters here) I'm a bit conservative when it comes to spending tax dollars. That sets the stage for a pretty painful year for me in 2010 since there is most likely a majority on this Council who will vote in favor of not one, not two, but three new buildings and the borrowing that goes along with it. I don't disagree that there are needs with our facilities. I've previously posted and spoken at meetings about my plan to attack these building projects over the span of the next 25 years, but this post is about the reuse of the Daland Building specifically.
This building underwent extensive remodeling as Jim points out about ten years ago. There is ample space for the department and it's proximity to City Hall would also be a benefit. This building would centralize the department and the additional space would provide immediate and cost effective solutions to our departments needs for increased and higher caliber evidence storage, proper locker facilities (right now there is one "locker room" for all officers- male and female officers take turns utilizing them) as well as addressing space for growth in general. We can utilize a building, provided the numbers aren't out of control, in order to meet the needs of a growing professional department that is moving toward accredidation while at the same time minimizing the impact on taxpayers. A project like this could very well be eligible for grant money not to mention the proceeds from the sale of the current station.
Jim is correct on another point- this Council does not seem all that interested in looking at options other than building new to address facilities needs. Maybe I'm alone in my desire to meet real needs in our city through means other than tax tax tax...I hope not. Sometimes you have to spend money and it's never popular, but sometimes you can spend way less money and get the same if not better results. I'm just trying to be responsible when we're talking about investing the people's money.
On Windshield time: The daily commute
Posted on February 17 at 9:47 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
bobb1951: Good luck!
I hear you about being thankful. I'd much rather be bored in the car on the way to work than struggling to find a job. Plus, as an added bonus, my long drive has given me an opportunity to locate a tiny crack in my windshield. I would surely never have noticed this crack without ten weekly commute hours to stare at the glass. :)
On Windshield time: The daily commute
Posted on February 17 at 8:56 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is Milton Alderman Brett Frazier.
I live, obviously, in Milton and commute all the way to the west side of Madison everyday. Two hours round trip (I skip the Beltline and take all the back roads) so that makes a nine hour work day 11 hours. My wife also commutes to Madison, the east side, which is about a 1.5 hour round trip every day. We would LOVE to find work closer to home and spend those hours with our young family, but the reality is what it is- there are simply not enough jobs that pay well enough in our area.
Posted on February 10 at 9:41 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
SwissChick: you might know him better as Ringo Starr...
On Will Milton College Become A Ghost Town?
Posted on February 1 at 9:52 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is Milton Alderman Brett Frazier.
In the coming year I will be offering ideas and a vision to the council and the Historic Preservation Commission (which is looking for new members, by the way...) on how we as a city can address the revitalization of the Milton College campus buildings. I believe these buildings were and can be again the centerpiece of our city and 2010 is the year we start to move deliberately in that direction.
I would love it if there were a college in our city again someday and I believe we should pursue that type of venture, but the college buildings need a more immediate intervention, I'm afraid. I believe that these old buildings can become our city center and the face of Milton. If live in the city of Milton, you believe in this type of work and you've got an evening free once a month we'd love to talk to you about the Historic Preservation Commission's current openings.
You can contact me or the staff at City Hall through www.ci.milton.wi.us
On New Janesville theatre group organized
Posted on January 6 at 8:37 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I played Jesus a few years ago when Theatre Unlimited did this show. Great experience. Since then I've performed primarily at The Armory,but I've been sad to watch the Janesville community theatre scene regress a little. I'm really hopeful that this new group will get the turnout at auditions that they're hoping for. I'd like to believe that there still are people interested in being a part of and supporting community theatre in Janesville.
On UAW/GM EAP holiday food drive won't happen
Posted on November 20 at 2:15 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Does anyone have an estimate on what this program would cost to continue?
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On Officials plan talks on Milton interchange idea
Posted on September 4 at 8:55 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I guess the larger question is this: what needs to be done to create jobs in our area? There are regular bloggers on this site who were out of work for months recently. We all know someone who's in or has been in that situation.
What needs to be done to create jobs in our area?