Muskego Council Needs to Reconsider What Voters Want

All elected and public officials know the single biggest challenge they face is getting input from the people they represent. Right now, according to Mayor Chiaverotti, that input, in the form of over 3,400 signatures on “Direct Legislation Petitions, is going to be ignored by the City of Muskego (stated on 620 AM Talk Radio 1/31/2012).  

This is not the Mayor's decision to make. It is up to Tracy Snead, Neome Schaumberg, Keith Werner and Noah Fiedler.

I must point out one thing. The Common Council, at the request of any of these 4 Aldermen, could have a "FREE DO OVER" of this decision to allow the Common Council the opportunity to a legal opinion and have a chance to review where the signatures on the Petition originate. These are NOT “just selfish lake owners” as been incorrectly asserted.  Look at the Petitions.

The do-over is a very simple process called a "Request for Reconsideration".   All the Alderman or Alderwoman would have to do is notify the Mayor of this "Request" at least 24 hours prior to the next Common Council meeting. The Mayor has no discretion in this matter; she must place the topic on the agenda. "Reconsideration" is a one-time opportunity.  Unless it is done at the very next Common Council Meeting, this option is not possible.

In addition to the citizen input available from the "Direct Legislation Petition", the Common Council owes it to the taxpayers of Muskego to find out the legal implications, both to the citizens of Muskego and to themselves personally, of exposing Muskego to another “developer-lawsuit". (Just ask Mayor Johnson and various previous elected officials.)

The $118 Million Parkland Lawsuit is still outstanding and will go to trial sometime this spring or summer if not resolved before then. God forbid we lose that suit AND get dragged into another lawsuit because the majority on the Common Council seem to be operating under some urgency making this decision which has not been shared with Muskego Taxpayers.

Voters Snead, Schaumberg, Werner and Fiedler’s Districts need to contact their aldermen to suggest that they swallow their pride and go for reconsideration, or else give the voters an honest and rational reason for this inexplicable urgency. There is already entirely too much speculation rampant regarding the motives of these elected officials which could be put to rest if either course were followed.

At some point or another, I have worked with three out of these 4 Aldermen. The fact that some of them have always appeared to believe they represent the Chamber of Commerce and their drinking buddies is no surprise. We have seen that attitude from them before.

Based on my past contact and experience with at least one the remaining two, I am sincerely disappointed at her indifference to the CURRENT input documented on the petitions already at her fingertips in City Hall.  There is no excuse for relying on “2-year old data on a different project”.  Does no one remember the “New Coke” debacle?  Look at the Petitions.

I sincerely hope that the Aldermen do not cave in to Mayor Chiaverotti’s determination to use lawyers, half-truths, outright misrepresentations end evasions to avoid public accountability. 

Clearly a large group of Muskego residents (over 3,400 signatures in less than 8 ½ days and in bitter cold) do not agree that this particular plan is in the best interests of the taxpayers.  Since it looks more and more as if Chiaverotti is already working for the developer, maybe she should stop double-dipping a salary from Muskego taxpayers as welI.  

Tracy Snead, Neome Schaumberg, Keith Werner and Noah Fiedler: Each of you said you wanted to represent us. You also took an oath of office to that effect.  I hope that at least one of you has the “fortitude”, for lack of a more satisfying term, to stand up for the people you have been elected to represent.

The residents of Muskego are watching closely

Suzi Link