Letter to the Editor: Mayor Seeks to Clarify Information On Former Lake Park Issue

To the Editor from Kathy Chiaverotti, City of Muskego Mayor

Dear Fellow Muskego Residents:

There’s a great deal of misinformation going around town and here is some clarification. The lake park issue is over. The property owners have backed out and requested their properties be removed from the City’s master plan. I will be asking the Council to honor their request. You should also know that the City did not bring this proposal forward. The Council merely reacted to a proposal by the property owners based on the City’s existing master plan.

Many residents based their opinion of the lake project on incomplete information. While the Common Council was within its purview to approve moving forward with this project, believing the development would benefit the city in the long term, in retrospect; more time to examine this issue by the Council would have better served the community. That is why the council voted in March to stop moving forward with the project until the many questions raised by concerned residents were answered to the community’s satisfaction.

The dissemination of financial figures to a broad audience is not easy and facts can easily get lost in translation. Despite financial and spending problems at the state and federal levels, the City of Muskego’s financial health is excellent. The Council was aware that the City's existing debt was on schedule to be paid off in 8 years. Based on that information, the common council had planned to pay for the park using segregated funds that should not be used for normal operating budgets. The Council felt this was a good investment for Muskego’s future but the timing turned out not to be right.

The City has other important business to pursue and it is now time to put this issue behind us and proceed forward.

I have and will continue to serve you in a professional manner. My plan is to maintain the essential city services we all depend on in the most efficient manner possible, while working toward economic growth.

First Year Accomplishments as Your Mayor:

• I proposed, with Common Council adoption, a 0% levy increase budget for 2012.
• In 2011, successfully negotiated employee union contracts to honor ACTS 10 & 32 before they were adopted into law by Gov. Walker and the state legislature.  This realized a savings of approximately $70,000 in 2011.  I’m not aware of any other municipality that achieved this concession before the legislation passed.
• I proposed, with Common Council adoption, outsourcing an underutilized department (building inspection) saving approximately $150,000 annually.

Just one year ago I asked for your support to elect me as your next mayor.  I want to again thank you for your confidence by electing me.  Thank you for the opportunity to serve this wonderful community and I welcome your input and comments at any time.

Respectfully,

Kathy Chiaverotti