Thursday, May 28, 2009

City Wide Rummage Sale

The hot question is this: When is the City wide rummage sale?

Answer: Saturday, June 6th

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

An Important Message from Mayor Chesmore

To all the citizens and parents of Milton -
We have been hearing the last few months about the heroin problem within our city and surrounding cities. After events this past weekend I would be remiss as your mayor if I did not address this scourge on our city. This last weekend we had three of our most precious gifts from God overdose on heroin. I am talking about our children the future of our city and our very existence. I am asking parents to please talk to your children and listen to what they have to say. And children listen to your parents and don't be afraid to talk to them about this subject. As a community we must drive this disease from our city to protect our city and our children. Our Police Department is working day and night to protect our city and our children. But they cannot do this alone and they need help from everyone in our city to drive this evil from our community. I have talked to the police chief and let him know I consider this a top priority. He agreed that this is also one of his top priorities . So citizens of Milton please rise up and help us drive this cancer from within our city. I know you are up to the challenge.

Thank you,
Mayor Chesmore

Also, check out a news story aired on May 20th on NBC 15 by following this link: www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/45558502.html.

Grand Opening Celebration - Northleaf Winery & Patty's Plants

A couple new and brilliant businesses have arrived on Highway 26 near Goodrich Park. Northleaf Winery (232 S. Janesville St.) and Patty's Plants (220 S. Janesville St.) will be holding their grand opening celebrations this Saturday, May 23rd from 11 AM - 7 PM with a wine and garden party!

The event will include outdoor music all day long with Bennett Cooke, the one man 12-string band. Indoor music from 11 AM -12:15 PM with the Rock Prairie Dulcimers. Enjoy food and fun, including activities for the family with Patty and indoor wine tasting with Northleaf Winery.

For more information visit the business websites at www.pattysplants.com/ and www.northleafwinery.com.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

May 26th Public Forum - City/Town of Milton Boundary Agreement

On May 26th from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM the City of Milton and Town of Milton will hold a joint Public Forum at Northside Intermediate School (159 Northside Drive, Milton) to discuss the proposed intergovernmental boundary agreement between the two communities. The purpose of the agreement is to reach a shared understanding of reasonable City growth patterns and give greater flexibility in land use to Town property owners who lie outside of the growth area.

More information about this meeting and links to related materials are available on the City website by clicking here.

One question I hear from time to time about this agreement is, "Why? What does this do for the City?" I answer that question this way... The City gains positive relations with the Town and neighboring property owners, and a greater sense of agreement on long-term growth. The 1.5 mile statutory extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) line is kind of ambiguous, and doesn't really mean much in terms of constructive planning. It's just established per state law; a few spots of ink in the statute book. So, an agreement with the Town on a cooperative line rather than an ETJ line rests more in reality and sound planning. The big winner here is property owners outside the new "line" that have desired greater rural development of their properties but faced ETJ restrictions in the past. Plus, City and Town officials will be able to communicate a clear agreed-upon message to property owners with development questions in the future.

ETJ as a concept can be a bit confusing, so here's a link to a website with more information about ETJ and how it works: http://portage.uwex.edu/compplan/pdf/PlanningFacts4.pdf. Anyone with questions is welcome to contact me at (608)868-6900(ext. 4) or by e-mail at tschmidt@ci.milton.wi.us.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Rock County Featured on Discover Wisconsin TV Show

Rock County will be featured in the May 16th and 17th broadcasts of Discover Wisconsin. Sometimes referred to as Wisconsin’s Front Porch because of its location on the Illinois border, Rock County and the cities in it (including Milton), is home to an endless number of recreational opportunities, special events and historic places to visit. Join us as we explore the welcoming atmosphere of Rock County. Follow this link for more information: www.discoverwisconsin.com.

Saturday Brat Fry to Benefit The Gathering Place

The Gathering Place (Milton's Senior Center) is having a Brat Fry on Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Dave’ Ace Hardware (430 S. John Paul Rd.). A Brat meal (brat, chips, soda) is $4.00 and a Double Brat meal is $6.00. Delicious cookies available for just 50 cents! Proceeds go to support The Gathering Place.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Thoughts from the Police Chief - Internet Crimes Against Children

Check out this article from Police Chief Schuetz regarding internet crimes against children: www.ci.milton.wi.us/document_detail.aspx?document_id=2590.

Chief Schuetz is asking for parents to be partners in "patrolling" to help protect children from predators who use the internet. In recent years a lot of attention has been drawn to these issues on shows like Dateline's To Catch a Predator (www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10912603/). But, when watching stuff like this on TV it seems so far away. However, it is unfortunately so very close. Read this selection from a recent Milton PD press release:

"On May 2, 2009 at approximately 3:25pm officers from the City of Milton Police Department arrested Florencio Briseno Resendiz, 36, of 10 Holiday Drive, Madison WI. Mr. Resendiz was taken into custody on charges of Child Enticement, and Use Of A Computer To Facilitate A Sex Crime. The arrest took place in a public parking lot in the 700 block of S. Janesville Street in the city of Milton.

"The arrest stems from the Milton Police Department’s involvement with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a program facilitated by the United States Department of Justice. The arrests are the result of an ongoing investigation involving Mr. Resendiz using the computer to entice what he believed to be a 15 year old girl into sexual activity."


So, please, to all the the parents in Milton, read the Chief's article and become a partner in defending our youth and our community from these types of crimes. Hopefully, with enough awareness and involvement, Milton can do its part in weakening this threat.

On a happy note...

10 years ago today I was the happiest guy in the world because on that day I married my beautiful bride, Tonya. Now, 10 years later, I remain the happiest guy in the world and Tonya is even more beautiful. My marriage is a tremendous blessing to me, and I am a fortunate man because of it. Thank you, Tonya, for everything.

(Yeah, I know this blog is a bit 0ff-topic. I was tired of always blogging about the Swine Flu, H1N1, etc.)

Thursday, May 7, 2009

This Saturday - Letter Carriers Food Drive

The Letter Carriers Food Drive is this Saturday, May 9th. Please be generous and place non-perishable, non-breakable food and personal care items at your mail box before your letter carrier arrives on Saturday. Help more by volunteering to unload and sort donations in your community. Contact Volunteer Network, 757-3058, for more information.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

H1N1 Virus Update

Rock County now has a H1N1 hotline set up to answer questions from the public 24/7. Click on this link for more information: http://www.co.rock.wi.us/Dept/Health/Documents/050409_h1n1.pdf.

Also, in addition to the two probable cases, there are an additional two confirmed cases of H1N1 virus infection in Rock County. Click on this link for the related press release from the County Health Department: www.ci.milton.wi.us/document_detail.aspx?document_id=2586.

Invitation to Important Community Safety Meetings

The City of Milton Police Department is coordinating two upcoming community events.

Rise in Heroin Use and Our Community: On Thursday, May 7th, 2009 (TOMORROW) the department will be hosting a community meeting addressing the spike in heroin related problems that we have been experiencing in our community. It will be held at Milton High School, in the Performing Arts Auditorium, at 6:30pm. The same presentation will be given to all Milton High School students on May 8th, 2009. The program will be an overview of what heroin is, how it is abused, warning signs of usage, and how it is beginning to impact our community.

Neighborhood Watch Program Kick-Off: The Department is also announcing the kick-off of our Neighborhood Watch program. An informational meeting will be held on May 13th, at 7:00pm. That get-together will be at the Milton Community House, located on Parkview Drive in Milton. Anybody interested in participating in the Neighborhood Watch program is encouraged to attend.

For additional information on these events, please contact Lt. John Conger at 868-6910 ext. 25.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Upcoming Open Forums - YMCA Crossridge Park Facility Planning

Dr. Thomas J. Den Boer, YMCA of Northern Rock County CEO, and YMCA Board of Directors would like to invite the general public to attend an open forum to help define programs and services for the YMCA Cross Ridge Park facility. The YMCA is soliciting community input to better understand and prioritize amenities to include in this project.

The 40-acre Cross Ridge Park is located on the south side of Milton, between Parkview Drive and Hwy. 26. The City of Milton and YMCA are cooperatively developing the park to include a new YMCA facility.

Public meetings will be held:
THURSDAY, MAY 14
Air Products, 337 Vincent St., 8-9 a.m.
Junction Pub, 130 Merchant Row, 4-5 p.m.
Northside Intermediate School, Large Group Room, 159 Northside Dr., 7-8 p.m.

THURSDAY, MAY 21:
Ott Schweitzer Distribution, 616 Gateway Dr., 7-8 a.m.
The Gathering Place, 715 Campus Ln., 1-2 p.m.
City HallCouncil Chambers, 430 E. High St., 6-7 p.m.

For more information, contact Dr. Tom Den Boer at 754-6654 ext. 115.

Monday, May 4, 2009

H1N1 Flu Information (AKA: Swine Flu)

First, I've learned that we aren't supposed to call this outbreak the "Swine Flu" anymore. It's the H1N1 Virus. Okay, that's out of the way...

Here's the latest... I can report that I met with School District Officials this morning about the closing of Milton High School due to one probable case of the H1N1 flu. "Probable" at this point means that the Rock County Health Department is 95% certain that this student has the virus. Based on information presented at the meeting, the student recently visited a place where the H1N1 outbreak is prevalent. Follow this link to view the handouts that were provided at the meeting: www.ci.milton.wi.us/document_detail.aspx?document_id=2584.

Remember that you can find the latest and greatest information about the Milton Schools from their website at http://www.milton.k12.wi.us/district/home.cfm.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Probable Case of Swine Flu in Rock County

Today the Rock County Health Department issued a press release indicating that there is a probable case of Swine Flu in Rock County. For more information on this announcement, visit the County's website at http://www.co.rock.wi.us/Dept/Health/H1N1Flu.htm.