I went down to City Hall Monday, February 8th 3:30pm to ask the Mayor if he was attending the debate this Friday and he is unsure.

First, he asked me why I picked Friday.  When I talked with McCue on the phone Thursday evening February 4th, 2010 he checked his schedule and told me that Monday February 8th worked or Thursday February 11th worked or Friday February 12th work, but Tuesday or Wednesday would not.  (See why I like email and being in print!)

Of course, he didn’t remember Friday was an okay day.  Do you think if I picked (which was really worked out with the other two candidates which days they were free within McCue’s open days) Thursday he would have asked why I picked Thursday?

He has an issue with the format in that he doesn’t think it is fair in its structure.  He doesn’t like the panelist format as a fair option.  There is no rule, per se how a debate has to be!  He has never been to a debate like this.  It is unconventional I said, but it is fair and allows all of Cudahy to be represented.  Business Owner, Home Owner, and Renter!  What is on the voters' minds is the most important issues!

Nor does he like the crossfire part.  He feels it will be the same questions regurgitated over and over.  He has never seen a debate in this format before and told me to watch how the professional debates are done.  Again, it is unconventional and he doesn’t like it because of that.  I even gave him the option to pick the renter panelist.  McCue told me he doesn’t know any renters.  (Do you believe that????   If you do I have a bridge to sell ya.  With almost 50% of Cudahy residents as renters, if true, what does that say about McCue?) 

He doesn’t like the Business Owner selection since they have had City issues in the past.  So the selection has to be someone who has not an issue with the city?  Isn’t that biased against those with city issues?  Someone is never totally unbiased!  I don’t like absolutes!  He kept on saying they need to be from outside Cudahy!  Do people from outside Cudahy get to vote?  Why not hear from Cudahy people what Cudahy people want to know?

How does the Mayor, the Common Council and all of the Commissions and Committees push there personal feelings aside?  They must have special powers that McCue thinks cannot be bestowed on to Cudahy residents and business owners!  You see what you want to see!

Maybe McCue is so used to going outside Cudahy for things, and I am not just talking about Sendik’s in Franklin or the Franklin Wal-Mart, but for the best and brightest.  Again, those people are not voting!  You have to live in Cudahy to vote here, so it should be the people of Cudahy asking the questions biased or not!  Is he afraid of what the Cudahy citizens have to say?  There needs to be a real frank and honest discussion about the direction of the city by the citizens to the candidates.  Remember the citizens are the Mayor’s boss!  The Mayor is accountable to the citizens, so the citizens should ask the questions on their minds.

He doesn’t like the length of time.  An hour and half is too long.  He thinks you should get up and give your shpeal and would like one moderator asking the three candidates questions.  Then go home. 

Did you know they did that at the Cudahy Chamber of Commerce already?  Did we get an invite?  I know I didn’t even know about it and it was at lunch time I think! This is a disservice to both the voters and the candidates.  If you want to get as many people as possible to attend a gathering….Hold the gathering when people are most likely to attend….

He wants the League of Women Voters to do it, but they are doing the March debate at the Kelly Center.  We don’t have much time, remember the Kelly Center was suppose to host the event for the primary election and then something happen and it got moved to the general election.  McCue did tell me without me saying anything that he had nothing to do with the date change.

He wants only unbiased, nonpartisan people.  That is impossible, people lean one way or another, and McCue said we could find former Mayors from outside of Cudahy to be the panelists.  Again with outside people!

He kept saying this was my debate, and I kept telling him it is the community’s debate of which all of Cudahy is represented.  I did leave out a group and that is city workers.  I am sorry and if we had more time, I would have loved to hear from someone, maybe Brian, or Swags.

He feels that we will not have a high attendance and I feel if 20 people come that is 20 more people informed than not.

The other two candidates are not crying foul and are fine with the format, the day, the length or the panelists.  Never run for public office if you need to be loved by everyone!  That's Management 101.

McCue then wanted to know why couldn’t the panelists give their questions to the moderator?  So it sounds that it is the delivery of the question and not the panelists, but then he said he didn’t like the idea of the panelists.  Sounds like semantics and backpedaling.

A Mayor needs to be seen and heard.  If he doesn't show, we will just have an empty chair with his name on it...but I hope he does.  It only helps Cudahy and its voters and that is what matters!

We need to listen to the questions, ideas and the concerns of the people who matter the most, the citizens of Cudahy and they get to vote!

Oh, and to the people that say I am making this up, just ask the Police Chief, he was there watching.  There's no denying it was riveting to watch and we had the whole office watching.

If pictures speak a thousand words, video speaks a million, and then in person face to face is a trillion!

Challenges are what make life interesting: overcoming them is what makes life meaningful...

You may remember in my blog post “Let's Fix Cudahy” I told you why you should not vote to reelect Mayor Ryan McCue.  I also told you that I would do separate posts on why to vote for Kevin Fech or Tony Day.

Here is the Tony Day’s “Why Vote For Tony Day For Cudahy Mayor”

These are just my opinions.

Someone is very concerned that Tony Day could win the Mayoral election, so there have been so many rumors to which I exposed and dismissed!

Tony Day is very pro-business and understands that development is a key ingredient missing in Cudahy.

He is worried why there was such an exodus of department heads just after Mayor McCue took office.

He is concerned why Cudahy could not find good people for City Management that would either already live in Cudahy or move to Cudahy.

Mr. Day feels the city would be better of having the Mayor be part time and hiring a qualified City Administrator.

He sees the need to help restore the downtown to a place people want to travel to and not from.

Fixing the stagnant development in Cudahy will have positive ripple effects in the city including a reduction of crime and a return of people back to Cudahy.

He wants to revitalize the neighborhoods and feels Cudahy is a very good place to live and he has been a lifelong Cudahy resident.  He is not a Johnny come lately.

He brings many years of business and management experience to the job of Mayor.  Important skill sets to move Cudahy forward.

Tony Day is a fiscal conservative and believes in fiscal responsibility for all of Cudahy’s city positions, most importantly the Mayor’s job.

He has an excellent working relationship with the Cudahy Chamber of Commerce.

You can also go to www.tonyday.info for information!

If you like what you have read here, then Tony needs your vote!

Please Vote For Tony Day on Tuesday, February 16th!

You may remember in my blog post “Let's Fix Cudahy” I told you why you should not vote to reelect Mayor Ryan McCue.  I also told you that I would do separate posts on why to vote for Kevin Fech or Tony Day.

Here is the first on Kevin Fech and Tony Day’s will be tomorrow. 

These are just my opinions.

First off, Kevin Fech is a straightforward person and is the “Common” man of Cudahy. 

He has no ties or allegiance to the current administration or to any past administration.  So in essence, he doesn’t owe anyone favors!

Remember when others say he lacks experience…what has experience gotten them in the past?

He believes in open communication and real dialog between the city, its citizens, and local businesses!  Not just lip service, there will be real dialog.

He believes that a Mayor’s whereabouts should always be known and with the Mayor’s job being a full time job, it is important to go to the people and the local businesses.

He doesn’t put personal issues in front of the betterment of the city.

He is very concerned about crime in Cudahy and comes to the neighbor watch meetings.

He will not run a negative campaign and should be praised for it, even if it costs him the election for not going after his opponents when he sees faults.

He fully understands that the Mayor is the biggest and best cheerleader for the city and he champions local businesses.

He wants to change Cudahy’s perceived image with daily or weekly Cudahy positive stories no matter how small they seem, they are important.  Sometimes the small things are the most important things in life.

He wants to see things move from the pipeline into reality!

He wants others to be accountable for their jobs and actions or inactions.

He thinks that no idea should be easily disregarded.

He is a fiscally conservative person who understands that taxes get paid by the citizens and businesses of Cudahy.  He doesn’t like to waste money or do things more than once just to do them.

He needs your vote!  Cudahy needs your vote!  We cannot take 3 more years of the same!

If anybody has any questions, would like a yard sign, to make a donation or to volunteer, please feel free to contact Kevin Fech at (414) 517-9566 or fechformayor@gmail.com.

You can also go to www.fechformayor.com for information!

Please Vote For Kevin Fech on Tuesday, February 16th!

I am looking for a Cudahy resident who renters that would like to partake in the debate panel to ask questions in the Cudahy Mayoral Primary Debate scheduled for Friday February 12th 2010 at 7:00pm at the Cudahy Middle School auditorium.

Renters, this is your time to have your voice heard.  Please someone step forward and let your voice be heard!

Zach Wisniewski of Cudahy will help you with the questions on the topic of "A safe and prosperous Cudahy.”  You will get to ask two questions for the three candidates.

Each candidate will get a chance to answer the same question and once the candidates have finished answering the question, each candidate will get a thirty-second rebuttal. 

Please email me if interested rhollenbeck@gmail.com

Side note:  Still have not heard from Mayor McCue if he will be in attendance.  Left a few messages on answering machine and in email!

From Comments on Why Not in Cudahy Part 1

Cudahy One

Randy:

Spot on once again!  See, it just shows you what we get for about $225k in salary and benefits for the Mayor and our Director of Economic Development.

N O T H I N G!!!

These folks couldn't land a water stand business in the middle of a rain forest!

Time to send McCue packing, and Lara, right along with him!

JTozz

I think you would run out of bandwidth trying to post all the new development properties around Milwaukee that are not coming to Cudahy.

Everyone must agree that there is a problem here in Cudahy.  The previous approach has not worked.

I really wish a business owner in Cudahy that supports the current administration would prepare a statement.  For that matter anyone of those residents that reside on Packard or Lake Drive that have a McCue sign in their yard and then several doors down a house or apartment that’s been on the market since summer or longer.  I really want to know what progress has been made, but no one will tell me.  Is it a secret or has there been none.

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Reader email -

If you’ve been out to Monkey Joes like I have, then maybe you will be excited about a new, indoor bounce house play place that is coming soon.  Unfortunately another store that isn’t going to open in Cudahy.

http://bouncerealm.weebly.com/index.html

-----------------------------------

More reader email

Randy,

Instead of Ms. Fritts worrying about getting raises for her interns, she should be getting her hands dirty and try an honest hard days work of vying for companies to come to Cudahy that have no need for the KRM.  She just doesn’t seem to be worth her $94,000 price tag after benefits.  She costs more than some larger cities city admins and what has she to show for it?

Why hasn’t see posted where she is in turning around the resident to business tax ratio? 

How many of the 5,400 retailers and restaurants in the database from the marketing survey have her and her two interns contacted?  Why is that info not on her website?

Pizza chain seeks its Wisconsin debut in West Allis

Where was Ms. Fritts on this and why didn’t Cudahy get it?

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/82434617.html

------------------------------

I am sorry Lara Fritts has had enough time now, if you cannot produce in a year, what good are you?  Even Obama is not dragging his hit (feet) as much as this local administration is.

I like Lara, but her pay is way out of a line with little to no results to show for it.

Someone at the neighbor watch asked me to write some good positive stories on Cudahy.  I told them, give me some, and show me some!  I am not negative or pessimistic, I am a realistic.  I don’t believe in sugar coating, spinning things positive.  Things are what they are!

And don’t let the last 6-9 months of McCue working hard be how you view his time in office.  Don’t most professional athletes in the last year of their contract have stellar years only to sign a contract extension and become the biggest flop or coast?

The good Brett Favre that we all love once said on TV that there is no such thing, as now that we are in the playoffs I will give 100% because that just means throughout the season you were not giving 100%!

Think about it!

You cannot turn nothing into lemonade.  You must have something to do that!

The Market Retail Analysts told us what we need:

McCue would have been a better Mayor had he seen things how they truly are instead of how he wished them to be!

I highlighted some areas including Mayor McCue’s oh now I see clearly what Cudahy needs – Translation Cudahy will not get a Wal-Mart because I don’t want one regardless of what this expensive survey (common sense already told us before the survey what it would be).  I am SHOCKED!  Shocked I tell you!

“Common sense is not so common” –Voltaire

See our eye-popping list bellow!

  Retail Market Analysis Report Identifies Locations, Retailers for Potential Development

Submitted By Rachel Mosey

Posted: Nov. 2, 2009 12:14 p.m.

Cudahy shoppers want more restaurants, department stores and home improvement stores and they are currently spending enough money to support those additional businesses.  In addition, there are a number of national and regional retailers that should have interest in bringing development to Cudahy.  Those are the major findings of the retail market analysis conducted over the spring and summer.

The analysis found General Mitchell International Airport to the west and Lake Michigan to the east restrict the demand for retail goods and services in the city.  Still, there is room to add large anchor retailers as well as smaller scale stores, full-service family restaurants and fast-food restaurants.

Maryland-based Basile Baumann Prost Cole & Associates, Inc. (BBPC Associates) conducted the retail market analysis.  It included a review of consumer demographics, a study of existing retailers and business traffic within a five-mile radius of Cudahy and surrounding Southshore communities, interviews with real estate professionals and a shopper survey of 200 Cudahy residents and non-residents.

These exercises helped BBPC Associates identify the city’s primary and secondary retail trade areas, analyze the existing demand and supply of each retail category and determine the retail gap of each category.

“This report gives us priceless insight into the tremendous opportunities for successful retail development in Cudahy,” said Mayor Ryan McCue.  “Now we have a clear vision, as we move forward, of what residents want and what businesses need to expand operations in Cudahy.”

In a study of existing big box retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target and Shopko in the Milwaukee regional area, the analysis showed a total retail leakage of $41 million in general merchandise stores.  That presents a major opportunity for a big box retailer – as large as 125,000 square feet -- to enter the Cudahy market area.  A big box anchor could attract smaller co-tenants to an anchored shopping center development in Cudahy.

According to the analysis, new retail projects in Cudahy may support between 250,000 and 350,000 square feet of total retail space.  The space would be comprised of big box retail, national and regional retailers and restaurants.

“BBPC looked at more than 5,400 retailers and restaurants to create a database of establishments likely to be interested in expanding or relocating to Cudahy,” said Director of Economic Development Lara Fritts.  “This database will be a tremendous tool to help us target and attract the best tenants for existing and future shopping centers.”

The two sites identified as prime locations for retail development in Cudahy: the Iceport site at Layton and Nicholson Avenues and the Pennsylvania Avenue/Airport site.  The report concludes that the Iceport site should be used as the primary “Village Center” retail and community project because it is more centrally located, closer to Cudahy’s residential core and major employers and the potential future rail stop.

“A new retail project worth $18 million or more is in the works for Layton and Pennsylvania,” McCue said.  “The Common Council recently approved a development agreement with Cobalt Partners of Milwaukee that includes a potential big box retailer.”

The retail market analysis makes both short-term and long-term recommendations for Cudahy’s commercial areas.  Among the suggestions: architectural façade improvements; streetscape, landscape and parking improvements; the preservation of small retail businesses and green and low-impact design features in the design of new buildings and public spaces.

http://www.cudahynow.com/userstoriessubmitted/68609552.html

Plans are coming together to have a Cudahy Mayoral Primary Debate scheduled for Friday February 12th 2010 at 7:00pm at the Cudahy Middle School auditorium.

This is the format that we are looking at for the debate and it could change.  I will keep you attuned to the final details.

Photographer Charles Auer formally of the CNI/My Community Now would be the moderator.  He lives in Cudahy.

Zach Wisniewski of Cudahy will pick the questions and I will find the panel.

If you are a Cudahy homeowner, Cudahy renter or Cudahy business owner who lives in Cudahy and would like to be one of the panelist to ask questions to the mayoral candidates please email me at rhollenbeck@gmail.com. 

Two Rounds for a total time of 1.5 hours

Candidates will not see the questions in advance.  Only the main topic will be known!

Sitting order for the candidates will be picked out of a hat in front of the audience that day.  The candidate on the audience’s left side will be number one and will start first.  Left to right.

Each candidate will get a chance to answer the same question and once the candidates have finished answering the question, each candidate will get a thirty-second rebuttal.  Again, starting with candidate number 1.  Left to right.

Candidates do not need to use up all of the allotted time if they choose not to or if the question’s answer doesn’t warrant it.

Prior to the start of the rounds, each candidate will be given two minutes for opening statements.

Total time (2 minutes x 3 candidates) = 6 minutes

Each candidate will be given one-minute answers for each question, thirty-second rebuttals to follow once each candidate has a chance to answer the question.

Round One (approximately 45mins):  It consists of questions, three (3) questions from the moderator and two (2) questions from each of the three (3) panelists. 

(Panelists will consist of a Cudahy Business Owner, a Cudahy Homeowner, and a Cudahy Renter)

Total time (3 questions x 3 candidates x 1.50 answer time) + (2 questions x 3 panelists x 3 candidates x 1.50 answer time)

(13.5 mins + 27 mins) = 40.5 minutes for 9 questions

Round Two (approximately 45mins): This will be the high point of the forum when the candidates will be allowed a “crossfire round,” providing them confrontations via the face-to-face opportunity to ask another candidate a question and then be allowed a rebuttal.

Again, starting with candidate number 1.  Left to right.

At the end, each candidate will be given a two-minute closing statement/final thought.

Total time (2 minutes x 3 candidates) = 6 minutes

Updates -

I have confirmations from Cudahy Mayoral Candidates Tony Day and Kevin Fech they will be in attendance for the debate. 

I am waiting to hear back from Mayor McCue if he will be in attendance.  When I talked to him last night on the phone, this date was workable.  I just need confirmation it will work for him.

I am waiting for confirmation on the availability of the auditorium at Cudahy Middle School for next week Friday at 7pm.   

I am also waiting to find out if the Cudahy High School has a countdown clock / stopwatch that they use for the debate club/debate team/forensics meets for us to use.

--------------------------------

 Update 12:27pm

The Middle School is available on Friday

-----------------------

Update 12:36pm

We have one of our panelists – Cudahy business owner that lives in Cudahy, Kevin Tschol of Dad's Shop in Cudahy

-----------------------

Update 1:20pm

Zach Wisniewski has come up with an awesome main topic of:

"A safe and prosperous Cudahy,"

------------------------------

Update 11:15pm

We have our Cudahy homeowner panelist, Lisa Flowers.  We still need a Cudahy renter to come forward.

I would like to thank everyone in advance for all the work that comes into the debate and for their time and efforts!

You are doing an excellent job as the Cudahy Economic Development Director.

You wonder why people in the past looked for development 10 to 15 years down the pipeline?  With that type of thinking, the grand Master Plan would have expired and a new one would either be in place or underway!

You understand that some projects do take a year or two to come about, but that should be the exception not the norm.  Dragging out projects doesn’t do anything for the city and its people, but does make for good job security!  When you hold the ruler, you can measure things as you see fit.  It's important to act now; to start the ball rolling 'Worst thing' is inaction!  This is not a paper exercise; this is the real world where results are required and as fast as they are needed!

“Action is the real measure of intelligence.” - Napoleon Hill

You have called the local owner of the Packard Plaza and other small malls if there is anything else you can help them do to improve things and help them find some to fill the vacancies.

You get a call from a small business owner who would like some help.  So you get on the horn and call the Mayor to go with you and meet him there (he is pounding the payment doing a walkabout to other Cudahy businesses.  A Mayor needs to be seen and heard!)  It is important to keep the lines of communications open between the city and the business community.

You get to your destination, listen to the owner, offer suggestions, and you talk with the Mayor about possible solutions. 

The Mayor tells the business owner that they welcome the debate and any new input for improving the methodology and ways of communications between the City and its business community are always welcome!  I don’t follow the school of thought of serving fudge every three or four years or painting a rosy picture just to get elected or reelected!

The Mayor tells you, “We must not fail in our duty and our responsibility to the citizens.

We need to listen to the questions, ideas and the concerns of the people who matter the most, the citizens, and business of Cudahy.  Henry Miller said, ‘The newspaper lies, the radio lies, the TV lies, and the streets howl the truth."’”

You whole heartily agree with him and go back to the office to work on implementing some of the changes needed and which possible solution works best.

On the drive back to the office, you think about that the trouble with politicians and democracy is they all the time have to compromise, they can't do what they want to do because there is somebody in opposition.  It certainly takes a lot longer to do something and how grateful you are that your position is not political!  An old adage says you get the government you deserve.

When you get in you see an email from Average Joe.  It reads:

“One of my friends sent me this link and I found it helpful so I will pass it on.  I know many people at one time thought that IKEA was the silver bullet to fix Cudahy and claimed how bad Wal-Mart would have been instead.  So when I saw the headline of this article “IKEA is as bad as Wal-Mart” I laughed.  There are old sayings about pots calling kettles black and takes-one-to-know-one, and so forth.  I did find the article very insightful.

http://www.salon.com/books/review/2009/07/12/cheap/index1.html”

You read the next email as well which talks about upscale.

“I have shopped at Trader Joe's in Brentwood MO and in Germany.  They are upscale to a point.  See upscale is a subjective word and depends on the person and POV.

Aldis in Germany is also at some locations upscale.  Wine, beer and sprits.  Trader Joe's and Aldis are done by feuding brothers from Germany and most developers (including Cudahy’s Eco Director) consider Trader Joe's upscale.  Just ask most alderpersons as well.  They would relish to have one.  Just like IKEA, that sells the same Chinese crap that Wal-Mart and Boston Store does just at higher prices!

What is upscale?  Again, subjective!  V Richards, Sendiks, Woodmans, Pick N’ Save, Kohls, Sentry, Meat Market, Piggly Wiggly, Meyers, Krogers, Open Pantry, White Hen?

To whom and compared to what?

What is your definition of upscale?”

It really makes you think that there is no silver bullet and the naysayers were all wrong, since after Mayor McCue was defeated, Wal-Mart talked with the new Mayor and built a wonderful store in Cudahy.  They made the store look like a train station just in case the KRM ever gets private funding from all of these billion dollar companies that want it to help their bottom line and bring in new workers.  Wal-Mart is even paying for two Cudahy police officers’ salaries for 5 years.  The new Mayor didn’t let foolish personal feelings hurt the city and its people.  Shopco, which went in a year earlier, is doing even better now that more traffic in moving in and out of Cudahy.  How foolish do they look to try to keep Wal-Mart out.  Even the Kmart is doing better, which allowed them to do upgrades at the store, thus helping the store stay open.  More traffic and patrons will be good for all of downtown that is still hurting!

You question what your predecessors did with their time and why they need so many underlings.  It begs the question of not being able to manage time or were they milking it!  What could it have been?  In the end, results not promises or fancy sheets of paper of what may or may not be in the pipeline.  Pipelines don’t pay taxes, pipelines don’t employ people, pipelines can become pipedreams if people are not careful.  Everyone should be working toward the same thing.  It is just how hard and at what speed everyone is doing it at.  What matters most is your level of motivation and your willingness to get them done in the best possible way in the fastest time possible!

You keep asking yourself, “What’s a realistic assessment of the future growth potential here?”

You look at this, as it is an opportunity to take risks.  Clearly, playing it safe isn't working, but you still will place every opportunity through the, “SWOT” Analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business.

You remind yourself that all of the city’s business that you are doing must help the city and its people and you need to take your personal feelings out and take a step back and make the decision, which cannot be driven by pure emotion, but must have reason as well!  You don’t have to love the decision, just understand it and live with it.  Look at the trees and the Forest.

Whilst most politicians paint a fake rosy picture to win support, you don’t have that, your results need to do the talking just as it should for politicians and the spin must stop!

"The secret of happiness is not in doing what one likes to do, but in liking what one has to do. “  - James Barrie

This is going to come as a shock to the elitist crowd that clamored, cried, and protested how bad Wal-Mart is.  Well here is a very informative IKEA article.  It will have IKEA supporters like Mayor McCue and Alderwoman Mary Schissel up in arms and I am sure they will say this is a hit piece and are lies!

How could an upscale (which that is debatable) place like IKEA be as bad as Wal-Mart?

Please read the article, but here is a quick summary to stimulate your taste buds and whet your appetite.

“It talks about the discount chain IKEA; the Chinese labor force where decision-makers claim they can't afford to consider "human rights"; how nothing is made to last anymore and we have come to believe that is the best we deserve; and how the cheap labor available in other countries has hurt the labor force here because the employers threaten to send the jobs overseas if they don't give back some of the union benefits gained over a long time period.

But this link provides a different point of view and another piece toward getting at the truth of what needs to change.”

Click Here to read the article

Kevin Fech, Candidate For Mayor Of Cudahy

VOTE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2010

I have been a homeowner in Cudahy for about 20 years.  I am married with three children in the Cudahy School system.  I am currently on the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities and the Cudahy-St Francis Little Baseball Association boards.  I have been in the transportation industry for almost 25 years.  I started working the dock and driving a truck.  I have worked my way up to Director of Operations.

Like you, 2009 has been a trying year economically for our family.  I took a pay cut to ensure the long-term viability of the company that I work for.  I fight with the insurance companies to ensure coverage for my son who has a duel diagnosis of Down syndrome and Autism.  I’m an assistant coach for my son & daughter’s baseball and softball teams and I helped implement a Challenger Division baseball team for children with special needs in Cudahy.  I also attend PTA meetings and have volunteered to set up and run a fundraiser.  I believe that volunteering gives me a sense of promoting my community pride by working with others within the community.

I have no ties to the current administration.  I have no ties to any past administration.  I am coming into this race because I believe that it is time to have the people truly have a say in what is being done in their local government.  While I am a tax-paying resident of Cudahy, as Mayor, it is not only about what I want for Cudahy, but what the people want.  We must work together.

In my first year in office, I would like to see 50% of the vacant stores on Packard Ave. and in the Packard Plaza filled with a business that the citizens of Cudahy will support.  Putting a business in place that the citizens will not support is setting that business up for failure.  Since there has been a survey done on what the people of Cudahy would like to see, we must use that as a guide for the success of not only Cudahy, but for businesses as well.

I hear about many things that are “in the pipeline.”  Once elected I would find out where these businesses are with respect to their relocation plans in Cudahy.  I understand the need for confidentiality, however, the citizens of Cudahy are entitled to know what businesses are considering Cudahy for their home and where they are considering residing.  For instance, I want to know that five businesses have looked at 123 South Packard Avenue within the past 30 days.  It is important to me that the people of Cudahy are informed on the activities in their community.

With all of the talk of Federal and State dollars being frozen in the near future, the only way for me and the rest of the citizens of Cudahy to ease the tax burden is to increase the tax base.  This must be our top priority.

I would then review the progress of the land surveys that have been conducted by this administration on both on Layton Avenue and on Pennsylvania Avenue.  This would be the measurement tool used to determine the length of time that would realistically be needed to complete the land development plan.  I do not want to promise something that I don’t believe can happen in my first year in office.

In thinking outside the box, I would like to see our schools offer something unique, something that would make people really look at how Cudahy is trying to attract new families to promote home ownership.  I have mentioned to Jim Heiden, Cudahy School District Superintendent, and the idea of adding an Asian language to the elementary school curriculum.  This would not only be something that would truly benefit our children for future success in the world, but I believe, would also make us a more competitive school district.

Just as I would expect the citizens and business owners of Cudahy to challenge me as Mayor, I will also challenge all of you to share your ideas on how we can work together to make Cudahy THE community that people want to spend their precious time and money in.  The success of Cudahy is not only based on the elected officials, but more so, on each and every business owner, home owner, tax payer AND citizen in this community. 

Remember, every elected and government official in this community was put there by you, the people of Cudahy and are responsible to the people of Cudahy.  We must all work together to ensure success in Cudahy!  Just as I was told in school - the only dumb question is the one not asked, the only dumb idea is the one not proposed.

If anybody has any questions, would like a yard sign, to make a donation or to volunteer, please feel free to contact me at (414) 517-9566 or fechformayor@gmail.com. 

You can also go to www.fechformayor.com for more of my ideas on how I intend to make Cudahy a better place for everyone.

THANK YOU!

I am Kevin Fech, Working With You and Working For You To Tap Cudahy’s Potential…Please Vote For Me on Tuesday, February 16th!

TJX move upscale may blur lines in high-end retail

Off-price retailer TJX Cos Inc has capitalized on the woes of its higher-end rivals in the past year by snapping up tons of their unsold merchandise and winning a new contingent of shoppers.

The presence of fancier brands at TJX stores, which include the T.J. Maxx and Marshalls chains, is also drawing it into more direct competition with the likes of Saks Inc and Macy's Inc, whose upscale Bloomingdale's chain is set to open its own off-price outlets later in 2010.

"We are actually seeing better vendors and more product than ever that is pretty high quality at T.J. Maxx," said Laura Champine, a Cowen & Co analyst.

Already, a T.J. Maxx shopper may find brands such as Theory, Ralph Lauren, Tahari, Seven for all Mankind, Rock & Republic, and BCBGMaxAzria.  More designers are finding TJX to be a reliable way to sell their wares in a weak economy, rather than just a place to dump rejects or overproduction.

But as TJX ups its fashion quotient, it could face potential product shortages.  Upscale retailers have become extra cautious in how they place orders, reflecting the newfound frugality of luxury consumers.

"Certainly that supply chain is tightening up first, and that is where you would see an issue first," said Barclays Capital analyst Jeff Black, referring to a potential shortage of higher-end products TJX can tap.

Black lowered his price target on TJX shares last month, saying in a note "it's hard to argue that we'll see a better environment for TJX to purchase its apparel and home categories.”  That could limit TJX's margin growth, he wrote.

IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT

Nonetheless, analysts including Black say TJX sales and profits will grow in 2010, with consumers still under pressure and vendors desperate for sales they can bank on.

Full-price retailers typically negotiate tough return privileges, markdowns and advertising allowances, terms that add up and eat away at the manufacturer's margins.

TJX, in contrast, negotiates more advantageous prices for itself.  But its simpler terms give vendors the peace of mind of knowing that once they've sold an item, it's sold.

"They'll pay me cash and they'll pay me right now, so it's actually a pretty compelling way to do business," said Cowen's Champine.

That position of strength is also shared by its main rival Ross Stores Inc, whose annual sales are about a third of TJX's expected fiscal 2010 sales of $20.3 billion.

If full-price retailers cut back on their orders too much, it could erase that advantage, putting pressure on the prices TJX can charge, said Madison Riley, a managing director at retail consulting firm Kurt Salmon Associates.

And the arrival of the Bloomingdale's outlets later this year will add to that pressure, he said.

"It does spell more competition between off-price places as they all vie for a lower level of excess inventory," he said.

Source and Full Story: Reuters

From Tina Gamache Dondajeski:

I'm very excited to announce, Gus Gnorski from Fox6's Gus Tour will be at South Shore Cyclery on Thurs. Feb 4th for the Wakeup news.

4758 South Packard Avenue

Cudahy, WI 53110-1452

(414) 831-0211

http://southshorecyclery.com/

Map

Sendik's Food Markets expanding to New Berlin.

Why not in Cudahy?

Please note that this upscale food store is near…Goodwill.  Map

Can you believe that New Berlin ever let Goodwill in?  How ghastly.  Did that fit the Master Plan there?

They even have a Taco Bell, Burger King, National City, and McDonald's, oh my!!

Not a McDonald's!

Not a Taco Bell!

Not a Burger King!

I think McCue is ‘business development deaf’!

All of this development going on and none in Cudahy?

Is New Berlin more upper class, upscale than Cudahy?

Even people in South Milwaukee are glad they are not Cudahy!

Is that a positive?

From fellow blogger Wende Warren’s link http://www.southmilwaukee.org/guestlog.htm

Look for the “that we are not CUDAHY”

What is Mayor McCue and Lara Fritts doing to fix this?

Here is the info on the Sendik’s and Goodwill expansion!!

Sendik's Food Markets, which operates eight high-end supermarkets in the Milwaukee area, plans to add a store in New Berlin.

The 44,000-square-foot store is planned for New Berlin Plaza, 3600 S. Moorland Road, and is expected to open by Nov. 1, reports Jane Ford-Stewart at New Berlin Now.com.

Sendik's has a store and corporate headquarters in Whitefish Bay, and stores in Elm Grove, Germantown, Franklin, Greenfield, Grafton, Mequon and Wauwatosa.  The chain is owned by members of the Balistreri family.

Another family branch owns a Sendik's Fine Foods at 18985 W. Capitol Drive, Brookfield, and closed a store last summer at The Shoppes of Wyndham Village, in Franklin.  Yet another family branch owns three Sendik's stores in Bayside, Brookfield and Milwaukee, while the Shorewood Sendik's is owned by John and Anne Nehring.

New Berlin — A proposal to open a Sendik's Food Market at the New Berlin Plaza, 3600 S. Moorland Road, is on its way to the Common Council for final approval Tuesday.

Both the New Berlin Plan Commission and Architectural Review Committee on Monday approved plans to remodel the building that has held a Lang Company store and Goodwill store.  The Lang store is now closed and Goodwill will move to an addition to be built onto the north end of the building.  Three homes along Coffee Road will be razed to make room for the addition.

The 44,000-square-foot Sendik's store is expected to open Nov. 1, said developer Greg Devorkin, of Devo Management of Mequon.  The store will be about the average size for a Sendik's, he said.  The upscale grocery store will include have a liquor department.

Remodeling will start in late February or early March. The exterior will tie into the existing façade, Devorkin said.

Sendik's has a store and corporate headquarters in Whitefish Bay, and stores in Elm Grove, Germantown, Franklin, Greenfield, Grafton, Mequon and Wauwatosa.

The hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sendik's will hire about 70 full-time employees and 80 part-time workers.

The plans also call for adding 22 parking spaces for the grocery store and 101 more to serve the new Goodwill store.  That store is slated to open Sept. 1, Devorkin said.

The name of the New Berlin Plaza would change to Sendik's New Berlin Plaza.

The freestanding businesses, including Taco Bell, Burger King, National City and McDonald's, will not be affected, Devorkin said.  The developer already controls the homes that will be razed.

Commission member Marta Broge said she hopes the farmers market that is held at the plaza by the New Berlin Chamber of Commerce can continue to operate.

"It is a nice thing for New Berlin," she said.

The chamber has not yet contacted the developer about the market, Devorkin said.

Source: New Berlin Now

This new type of attack on your computer will encrypt your files and require you to pay them to decrypt them.

Please read the article and protect yourselves!

Click here for story on MSNBC

JC Penney Outlet store to close

JC Penney Co. will close its outlet store at 10332 W. Silver Spring Dr. on December 4, a company spokeswoman said.

"The store hasn't consistently met its goals for sales and profits for the past few years," said Ann Marie Bishop, spokeswoman for Penney's in Plano, Tex.  The store's lease expires at the end of the year, she said.

It became less efficient for the company to operate the outlet on the northwest side after Penney's closed its catalog operations here in 2002.  Merchandise from the catalog center had gone to the Silver Spring store prior to the closing, Bishop said.

When the outlet store closes, 113 people could lose their jobs. Some may be able to get other jobs with the company, Bishop said.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/83287657.html#comments

Maybe Lara Fritts can get them back to the Packard Plaza.  It would be a destination!

700,000 packs of Vicks cold medicine recalled

Capsules are not in child-resistant packaging

Source and Full Story: MSNBC

Stroller Company announces major safety recall

Maclaren strollers pose risk of injuries to children's fingers

Source and Full Story: MSNBC

Nokia will recall 14 million faulty chargers

Danger of electric shock; company will replace chargers for free

Source and Full Story: MSNBC

Smoke Detector

Source and Full Story: Kidde

Largest crib recall in U.S. history announced

Suffocation danger tied to 2.1 million drop-side cribs made by Stork Craft

Source and Full Story: MSNBC

Baby car seat carriers recalled

Involves about 447,000 infant seats from various brands; 3 injuries reported

Source and Full Story: MSNBC

Except when it is Loop Hole Louie

The White House Butler

A judge twice rejected by voters is nominated by President Obama.

Story Here

Randy,

 I attended the blockwatch meeting in November when Sergeant Blunt talked about personal safety and here is information on etching your personal belongings that I found useful.  This information is off the web and maybe the Cudahy Police Department has engraver that they would allow people to use like in Queensland.

How to make up your personal code:

Use the first initial of your first name, the first initial of your family name, your date of birth (day/month/year), and the letter Q to signify Queensland.

For example:

Keith James NARRACOTT

Date of Birth: 18-06-1975

His personal code is -

KN180675Q

Your personal code can be used to mark all of your belongings.  You may be able to borrow a police engraver by enquiring at the nearest police station in Queensland during business hours (8am to 4pm).  We recommend that where possible, you place your identification number on the back of the item in the top right hand corner.

Your personal property code details should then be provided to police so it can be computer recorded at the nearest police station.

Unless your property can be effectively marked, photographs should be taken of items such as jewellery, watches or sunglasses.

You are well on your way to matching what your predecessor had accomplished and at this point, that is nothing, but you are heading in the correct direction.

You recognize that many municipalities routinely slam doors on businesses.  Potential taverns don't get liquor licenses, payday loan chains aren't allowed to build, would-be restaurants are denied permits.  You know that in the past, Cudahy didn’t even let many businesses see the door, some with good reason and some with no reason!

You contemplate getting your rolodex out and start calling places and selling Cudahy to them.  You make the necessary email inquiries if interest is even hinted.  You include what Cudahy can do for them and what our retail market study has shown, all knowing they will still do their own.

You deeply think about the fact that shouldn’t the goal be to have all buildings and store fronts occupied in Cudahy instead of large parcels empty?  After all, empty stores draw more problems than possibly not have the business that some might feel Cudahy is too good for.  Those people just need to drop the foolish pride and come to grips with the reality of life these days.

You hear the ding of your email and read it –

“As you make your list of places to call and see if they will come to Cudahy, like Trader Joe's, Trader Joe's, think about if Cudahy has any McMansions or luxury car dealers in Cudahy like BMW, Mercedes or Lexus.  Or do we have reasonable homes with a Ford dealership and used car lots?  Remember who Cudahy is, Blue Collar or superficialities that are full of the nouveau riche.  Can you believe that Cudahy has a George Webs, Aldi, K-Mart, Adult Video Store, Pick-N-Save, McDonald's, and Walgreens.  Cudahy doesn’t want to become a place right out of "Stepford Wives", do they?”

You hope that once you find a business that would fit and wants to come to Cudahy that some pompous shortsighted officials who desperately want to be seen as the high-class, posh suburb that they aren't, don’t stand in the way of that happening.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

- Thomas Jefferson

Here are some emails from readers and my answers in blue.

Listening to the Mayor talk about blight in the city makes me chuckle.  What is being done about the empty lots?  Why do they get free passes on how they look?  Grass, weeds, garbage and such.

Randy I am all for cleanup Cudahy like the junk cars and so, but come on having someone go out and measure the grass height.  What is next an ordnance requiring people to wash their cars? 

I think the grass height ordinance is a good thing for Cudahy, but you are right, it is not fairly done when looking at the empty lots.

I like your funny snarky sarcasm with the washing of cars.  I could see it now.  “We cannot have your dirty vehicle in the driveway, please wash it”!  And to top it off, written on the back window in the dirt “Wash Me!”.  

------------

Randy what was the results of the Fire Department Tri-data study before you get all happy to merge South Milwaukee with Cudahy?

It was that the combining city department would have to hire 4 more firemen and response time would go down by a minute.

I have not seen the results, but have talked to some firefighters about it.  I do support combining the municipal judges of Cudahy and South Milwaukee.

------

Randy, McCue in 2007 told the Cudahy residents the following:

Payday Loan Stores: These stores are a sign of distress not progress for a community. 

Used Car Lots:  Cudahy has too many used car lots, especially on Packard Avenue.

Auto Zone: Once elected as your Mayor, the City of Cudahy will no longer settle for second best

Get It Now, more bars and I heard McCue wanted to approve another used car lot!  Talk about “the City of Cudahy will no longer settle for second best”, we are with this Mayor!

If that is the best the CDA, CC, Mayor, and economic leader can offer, get rid of them all!

Talk about settling for less than what Cudahy is.

You bring up all good points and again show Mayor McCue’s failed 2007 campaign promises.

-----------------------

Randy, I was talking to an alderperson and they said they hate it that Mayor McCue will not adjure and meeting to the next day when it gets late and they feel they just vote to get it over with.  Have you heard this?

No, I haven’t heard this, but it would not surprise me!

Republican Party of Milwaukee County South Side Branch Hosts Pints and Politics

Join the Republican Party of Milwaukee County South Side Branch at Pints and Politics

The Republican Party of Milwaukee County South Side Branch is hosting a Pints and Politics on Thursday, January 28, 2010.  This event is open to the public and is being held at the St. Francis Brewery & Restaurant in St. Francis, David Karst, Chairman of the Republican Party of Milwaukee County said.

The RPMC Chairman said that the party is reaching out to everyone who is frustrated with the Doyle & Obama Administrations to come and join us in a relaxed atmosphere to talk about the upcoming 2010 Gubernatorial and other State wide campaigns.

Details pertaining to the event can be found on the Face book page for the Republican Party of Milwaukee County on the GOP website, www.milwaukee.wisgop.info or you can call 414-727-1220 for further information.

When: January 28, 2010

Where: St. Francis Brewery & Restaurant

3825 S. Kinnickinnic Avenue

St. Francis, Wisconsin 53235

Time: 5:30 to ?

For More Information, please contact

David Karst (262)455-1554