Public Policy Forum

For more info= rmation:

Jerry Slaske

Communications Director

Public Policy Forum

414-276-8240

jslas= ke@publicpolicyforum.org

Public Policy Forum announces=

15^th annual “Salu= te to Local Government” award winners

Winners cover all seven counties of southeastern Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin – Monday, June 4, 2007 – Milwau= kee-based Public Policy Forum, a nonpartisan research organization focusing on region= al issues, has announced its 2007 “Salute to Local Government” awa= rd winners.

“Cooperation with and= among local governments is critical to the economy and quality of life of our region,” says Jeffrey C. Browne, Forum president. “This year, the winners cove= red the entire region, all seven counties – plus Jefferson County – of southeastern <= st1:State w:st=3D"on">Wisconsin.”= ;

The awards will be presente= d at the Public Policy Forum’s 15^th annual “Salute to Local Government” breakfast on Wed= nesday, June 20, 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; HNTB; Marshall & Ilsley Corporation; Quarles & Brady, L= LP; SC Johnson: A Family Company;

Virchow, Krause & Compa= ny, LLP; and Milwaukee Public Television.

The winners in each categor= y are:

“Excellence in Individual Teamwork”

Milwaukee Public Library

The management team at the Milwaukee Public Library partnered with the Northwestern Mutual Foundation as the pri= mary private source of funding to provide free computer training programs at the Central Library and several neighborh= ood libraries. For those seeking = to upgrade employment skills or those without computer access at home, the programs are invaluable. All classes are taught as hands-on instruction in a computer lab. Each class is two hours long, and students adhere to a curriculum and receive a certificate upon completion.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>

“Intra-governmental cooperation”

Walworth County

In an effort to reduce expenses while increasing revenues, fast-growing Walworth County created the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee to examine alternatives= to jail. The committee includes representation from the entire criminal justice system within the county. It serves an important role in bri= nging together elected and appointed officials to develop ways to reduce incarceration and recidivism.

“Inter-governmental cooperation”

Waukesha County; cities of Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, and Waukesha; towns of Brookfield, Oconomowoc, and Summit; and villages of Big Bend, Elm Grove, Merton, Nashot= ah, and Pewaukee

Faced with state-imposed yard waste disposal restrictions and limitations, Waukes= ha County along with eleven municipalities created a yard waste composting and gravel pit reclamation program. The group entered into a contract = with a locally owned gravel pit to manage a yard waste composting operation, mine = the gravel pit in accordance with approved site grading plans and permits, and reclaim the entire property after each phase of mining by using compost as a top soil substitute. As a res= ult, the county has avoided tax levy support to cover reclamation expenditures a= nd the municipalities have saved money on yard waste processing. In addition, royalties from the gr= avel pit help offset costs associa= ted with land conservation efforts.

“Regional cooperation”=

Jefferson County Emergency Management, Kenosha County Emergency Management, Milwaukee County Emergency Management, Milwaukee City Emergency Management, Ozaukee C= ounty Emergency Management, Racine County Emergency Management, Walworth County Emergency Management, Washington County Emergency Management, Waukesha Coun= ty Emergency Management, and Wisconsin Emergency Management – Southeast Region

Milwaukee County Emergency Management and Wisconsin Emerg= ency Management conducted an exercise to enhance the capability to evacuate down= town Mi= lwaukee in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. As a result, a planning work group= was formed to determine the impact of a large-scale evacuation on the surroundi= ng region. It also was the conse= nsus of the emergency management directors in the Southeast Region to work on a = regional evacuation plan as a gro= up because five of the most heavily populated cities in Wisconsin are in the region. A comprehensive document was devel= oped that will be used as a template by all partners for any large-scale emergen= cy.

“Private-public cooperation&= #8221;

Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS)

Project Lead the Way is a joint initiative of MPS and private partne= rs, including Rockwell Automation, the Kern Family Foundation, and the Greater = Milwaukee Foundation. It seeks to encourage students to explore engineering and technical problem solving before making career decisions. Students are intro= duced to a variety of rigorous, project-based learning opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math.

“Norman N. Gill Award”=

John “Jack” M. Bennett

City Engineer

City of Franklin

In 1968, Jack accepted the position as Franklin’s city engineer. Since then, he= has taken on several other roles with the city, including director of public wo= rks (his current position), manager of the water utility, and principal staff person for planning and zoning. In 1968, the Franklin was a rural Milwaukee County community of 12,000. Today, it is a fast-g= rowing city of 33,000. During that “boom,” Bennett engaged in the best practices of municipal engineering and adhered steadfastly to the principles of fairness. Prior to Bennett’s tenure at= Franklin, he held engineering positions with the cit= ies of Milwaukee and West Bend. Bennett graduated from Iowa State University in civil engineering. In 1966, he became a licensed professional engineer and then received a master’s in engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee= . He is married to Kathie and has tw= o sons Brett and Brad.

“Lifetime Achievement Award<= o:p>

Jeannette Bell

West Allis Mayor

&nbs= p;

Jeannette Bell has been mayor of West Allis – a suburban Milwaukee city of about 60,000 – since 1996.&n= bsp; At the end of her current term in 2008, she will retire. Prior to her election as mayor, Bell served 13 ye= ars (seven terms) in the Wisconsin Assembly. During her career in government, she has received numerous awards, including Child Care Advocate of th= e Year Award from the Wisconsin Childcare Union, Child Health Legislative Leadership Award from the Maternal Chi= ld Health Coalition, Statesman of the = Year Award from the Wisconsin Women’s Network, and the Pioneer Award from the Children= 217;s Trust Fund. Bell is a member of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Commission and the Milwaukee Area Technical College. She is a past director and preside= nt of the Wisconsin Alliance of Cities and Wisconsin League of Municipalities respectively. Bell is married= to Chester, Jr. and has three children, Chester III, Colleen, and Edith.<= /o:p>

Milwaukee-based Public Policy Forum (www.publ= icpolicyforum.org) – 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.

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