Port Washington District 5
Aldermanic Website

NEWS, MEETINGS, ETC.

LATEST UPDATES:
Schanen Farm/Soccer Park
Stormwater Control
Park Benches
Power Plant Demolition Starts

GENERAL NOTES

Welcome to the District 5 Aldermanic website!

The website's been up and running for over five years now, and I'm very pleased with the response.  I've received several emails mentioning the website, which has been getting quite a few visitors (up to 27 per day).  Response has been very positive.  The website is a great way for both you and me to keep track of the various things going on in the city -- As I go over the pages when adding information, I can review older issues and follow up on some that may have been left hanging.

Post-Election Thank-You

I would like to thank the residents of my district who went out and voted on April 3, and re-elected me to my fourth term in office.  I feel it's a very important job and once again pledge to do my best to represent your interests on the Common Council.

Hwy 32 Follow-Up, April 10, 2006

A letter in last week's Ozaukee Press asked where I was when the city was presented with a petition opposing the reconstruction of Wisconsin & Franklin Streets.  The answer is that I was right there in the city council chambers, listening to the people presenting the petition -- Where I was supposed to be.

The fact is, I did not agree with the petition.  I feel that Wisconsin and Franklin Streets are too wide and not designed with the best interests of our residents in mind.  We need to get going on the reconstruction of these streets and I won't agree to a design which I feel is fundamentally bad, will not improve safety and will cost us more money.

The letter that appeared in Ozaukee Press was in response to one I wrote the previous week (shown below).

I don't recall a single person in my district telling me we shouldn't narrow Wisconsin & Franklin Streets.  In fact, I had many people call or tell me in person that they felt we were doing the right thing in the new design.  One resident told me how his mother had opposed the original redesign of the street, which made it wider, back in the 1970s.

Our residents and our children will be living with the new street for the next 40-50 years and I think we all agree it should be the safest and best design we can come up with.  Our city staff and design committees have done their homework and have created a design that I feel is about as good as it can be.

My Letter To Ozaukee Press

To Ozaukee Press:

After reading several letters in the Press predicting disaster from the narrowing of Wisconsin and Franklin Streets, I thought it might be a good idea to shed a little light on the subject. The redesigned streets will actually be the same dimensions as Grand Avenue west of Spring Street. Grand Avenue has been this width since it was rebuilt in 1994 and in the 12+ years since then I can't recall a single episode of car doors being torn off or people having any trouble getting out of parked cars, despite the heaviest traffic in the city (including semis, trailered boats, etc.) moving along it. How that same street design will create havoc on the other side of town is beyond me.

And I must take exception to Mr. Thompson's letter in the March 22 issue -- The city does not decide a plan of action and then appoint a committee that is primed to rubber-stamp the plan. The city asks its residents for input before the plans are set, then makes a decision based on that input as well as financial, safety, infrastructure and aesthetic factors. To suggest otherwise is an insult to the integrity of everyone involved with the process, including those people who volunteer their time to serve on the various boards and committees.

Most of us have seen the signs displayed by Mr. Krzyzanek complaining that he wasn't asked for his input on the Highway 32 project or told what was going to happen. In fact, all residents along the project route were given multiple opportunities to get informed and give their opinion in well-publicized public meetings. The fact that some people chose not to participate is disappointing, but the fact is, part of the responsibility of being a citizen is to keep yourself informed about what is going on in your community and participate in the process.

Speaking of participating, you can help your city by contributing your time to city boards and committees. Please contact the mayor and indicate your area of interest or expertise.

Tom Hudson
Alderman, District 5
Port Washington

Questions or Comments?

As always, if you have any questions or concerns about any aspect of the city government, please call me at 284-1948 or me.  I'll be more than happy to discuss any issue with you.

Tom Hudson
April 10, 2007

Previous Notes...

Contact Information

Tom Hudson
822 West Grand Ave
Port Washington, WI 53074

Phone: 284-1948
E-Mail:

This website maintained and paid for by Tom Hudson