Public Policy Forum announces "Salute to Local Government" award winners

For more info= rmation: &= nbsp; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; = &= nbsp; &nbs= p; For immediate release<= /p>

Jerry Slaske

Communications Director

Public Policy Forum

414-276-8240

jslas= ke@publicpolicyforum.org

Public Policy Forum announces=

“Salute to Local Government&= #8221; award winners

Record number of entries suggests greater regional cooperation

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin – Tuesday, May 30, 2006 – Milwaukee-based Public Policy For= um, a nonpartisan research organization focusing on regional issues, has announ= ced its 2006 “Salute to Local Government” award winners.

“Cooperation with and= among local governments is critical to the economy and quality of life of our reg= ion,” says Jeffrey C. Browne, Forum president.&n= bsp; “This year we had a record number of entries which we hope is = an indication that greater regional collaboration is happening here.”

The awards will be presente= d at the Public Policy Forum’s “Salute to Local Government” breakf= ast on Wednesday, June 21, 7:30 –= ; 9:00 a.m. at the Italian Community Center, 631 East Chicago Street, in Milwaukee’s = Historic Third Ward. The Salute is sponsored this year by E= hlers & Associates, Inc.; Forest County Potawatomi Community; Helen Bader Foundation; Marshall & Ilsley Corporation; Quarles & Brady, LLP; R.= A. Smith & Associates, Inc.; SC Johnson; Virchow, Krause & Company, LL= P; and Milwaukee Public Television.

The winners in each categor= y are:

“Intra-governmental cooperation”

School District of Menomo= nee Falls

The “Community Education and Recreation Program” helps maintain community outreach initiatives= that would have been discontinued under the district’s school budget. The program, which is administered = by a commission of six volunteers approved by the board of education, is funded through Fund 80 of the Wisconsin Department of Education’s financial guidelines. The commission is= now responsible for operation of the district’s two swimming pools, taking them off the school district’s budget. Driver education also comes under = the commission’s direction.

Honorable mention: City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Se= rvices

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Chronic Nuisance Property Code &nb= sp; =

“Inter-governmental cooperation”

Village of Jackson/Town of Jackson

A long history of conflict exists between the village and town of Jackson, particul= arly regarding boundaries. An issue about expansion of a mobile home park into an unincorporated area that the village had counted on for expansion of its Northwest Business Park resulte= d in the “Revenue Sharing Agreeme= nt and Cooperative Boundary Plan” developed by Del Beaver, village of Jackson administrator. In add= ition to cooperative annexation guidelines for both the town and village, the plan includes provisions for joint park development, building inspection, engineering, and public works.

Honorable mention: Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage Distri= ct

      = ;            &n= bsp;            = ;     Lincoln Creek Flood Management Project

“Regional cooperation”=

Cities of Kenosha, Milwauke= e, and Racine;

counties of Kenosha, Milwauke= e, and Racine

The Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) Commuter Rail project is a planned 33-mile commuter rail service between Milwaukee an= d Kenosha that would connect with the existing Metra commuter rail line that runs from Chicago = to Kenosha. The “KRM Inter-governmental Partnership” – made up of the cities and counties of Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Racine – has helped advance the project into a detailed planning and alternatives analysis phase. = In addition, the partnership developed an advisory committee made up of representatives of public and private entities to make the project as collaborative as possible.

Honorable mention:   City of Wauwatosa Police Department= in cooperation with Key Power International

           &nb= sp;            Public Safety Dispatch and Records Software

“Private-public cooperation&= #8221; (co-winner)

City of Milwaukee and Safe & Sound=

“Safe & Sound” is a national model of collaboration, relying o= n a partnership of government, social services, and the private sector. It exemplifies how coordinated law enforcement, providing safe places for youth, and door-to-door canvassing c= an be combined to result in program efficiencies and a reduction in crime. Between 1997 and 2004, serious vio= lent offenses in the Safe & Sound area dropped by almost 42% and juvenile arrests by about 69%.

“Private-public cooperation&= #8221; (co-winner)

City of Glendale, Corrigan Properties, Steiner + Associates, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Bayshore Mall is being transformed into a shopping destination unlike any other in t= he state and it’s the result of the city of Glendale, Corrigan Propertie= s, Steiner + Associates, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation coming together to create the “Bays= hore Town Center Development.” The $300 million center occupies 44 acres and includes 1.2 million square feet of retail, entertainment, residential, and office space in 12 free-standing buildings.

Honorable mention:   = Social Development Commission

           &nb= sp;            Milwaukee Asset Building Coalition

“Norman N. Gill Award”=

Kathleen M. Huston

City Librarian

Milwaukee Public Library

Since 1991, Kathleen M. Huston has directed the largest public library system in = Wisconsin, which includes the downtown Central Library, 12 neighborhood libraries, a mobile outreach unit, and the Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Last year, 2.5 m= illion visitors checked out three million items, attended 2,700 programs, and logg= ed more than 470,000 hours of public computer use. During her tenure, Huston has led a campaign to renovate the Central Library and five neighborhood libraries an= d build two new libraries. Under her leadership, the Milwaukee Public Library was one of the first libraries in = the state to provide computers for public use (1993) and high-speed data transm= ission (1995). Huston always has sup= ported the library’s role in education, developing the Milwaukee Reads literacy plan, the award-winning Books2Go program, and one-on-one tutoring. Huston announced in January that she plans to retire this summer after almost 37 years with the Milwaukee Public Library.

   &nbs= p;

“Leader of the Future Award&= #8221; (35 years of age or unde= r)

Andrew K. Pederson

Bayside Village Manager

   &nbs= p;

Andrew K. Pederson was appointed Bayside village manager in December 2005 at age 30. Since then, his leadershi= p, communication skills, and consensus building have resulted in substantive c= hanges. For example, he negotiated a health insurance agreement with village employees to include deductibles and higher co-pays, resulting in savings of about $180,000 over the life of the contra= ct; he implemented placing assessment records on the village’s Web site, reducing assessment-related phone = calls by more than 50%; he initiated advanced refunding of $7 million in GO bonds with Ehlers & Associates, saving $20,000 annually; and he negotiated co= llective bargaining agreements with AFSCME/DPW, the police, and the dispatch unit, t= hus averting arbitration.

Milwaukee-based Public Poli= cy Forum – which was established in 1913 as a local government watchdog –= ; is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the effectiven= ess of government and the development of southeastern Wisconsin through objective research of regional public policy issues.

-30-