The City Council cut the splash pad from Mayor John Dickert's capital budget last week, but will still spend most of the money on parks.
After cutting the $330,000 splash pad, which the mayor had planned for Racine's inner city, the council voted to spend $225,000 to improve four city parks; it will save the remaining $105,000.
The parks improvements include:
* Humble Park, 2218 Blaine Ave. The city will spend $125,000 on new doors and windows for the community center, and spend money on new playground equipment.
* Pierce Woods Park, 3616 Pierce Blvd., located next door to Humble Park, will receive new playground equipment.
* Solbraa Park, 3825 16th St., will get new playground equipment. This is in Alderman Jim Spangenberg's district.
* Washington Park, 2920 Washington Ave., will receive new playground equipment. This is in Alderman Mike Shields' district.
City Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director Donnie Snow said the city would spend about $100,000 on the playground equipment for all four parks. They'll all have basic swingsets, slides and diggers and be built on a sand base. They won't resemble the new Lockwood Park playground, which had a rubberized base.
"It's just too expensive to do all of our playgrounds like Kids Cove or Lockwood," Snow said.
The parks equipment and repairs were all in the parks department's five-year capital improvement plan, Snow said. The council's actions accelerated the projects to this year, which will free up money later, he said.
Snow said the proposed splash pad will probably be included in a capital improvement budget, possibly next year.
The council voted last week as a Committee of the Whole to remove the splash pad from Dickert's budget and add the new parks equipment. The council is scheduled to finalize the budget on Tuesday night.
Why didn't they just save the money? With an economic crisis in full swing, we don't need to blow dough on non-essentials like parks.
ReplyDeleteparks matter
ReplyDeleteYeah, to the rich who want a pretty city to show off to their guests at "Whitebread."
ReplyDeleteSeriously, in addition to being non-essentials, parks are playgrounds for muggers, pedophiles and other criminals. That's why my Dad wouldn't let me visit them as a kid.
ReplyDeleteThis splash pad was just another example of how out of touch this mayor really is....
ReplyDeleteAmen!
ReplyDeleteThe city is not even mowing the grass properly in half the parks, leaving huge swaths uncut and reverting to ugly brush and weeds.
ReplyDeleteHumble and Pierce ? These playgrounds are 200 yards from each other.
Humble and Pierce. Let's make sure we do not spend any money in the inner-city. An you say this is an All American City.
ReplyDeleteAn let us also make sure we get those inner-city children from around the Johnson's building.
Even though Hedling ain't mayor, he gets his stuff done.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line is that parks are non-essentials which should have been cut from the budget. Ditto the zoo. I'm disgusted to see low-income seniors taxed out of their homes to support giraffes and Ankole-Watusi cattle. People are more important than exotic animals.
ReplyDeleteShields has an inner city district. This year a new playground went in on Marquette St. Next year, a new playground is going in at the King Center. In the recent past, all the inner city community centers have lined up for door and window upgrades. 3 of the 5 community centers are smack in the middle of the inner city. You're right, we don't spend any money there.
ReplyDeleteBetter to spend on the things the citizens use, than on junkets and legal fees for rogue politicians!
ReplyDeleteanon 7:01 - Better to spend on the things the citizens use, than on junkets and legal fees for rogue politicians! Then wouldn't it have been even better to save the money and tax citizens less so they have more of their own money to spend on things they really use?
ReplyDelete11:12
ReplyDeleteThe City Department of Development killed a real attempt to improve life in the inner city by killing the idea of turning the lot call The old Danish Home into an Urban Garden/Park. Once again IMHO Brian O'Connell shows how much he cares not for green space not improving the City but making sure Racine has more and more low income housing.
Looks like to me Racine is the new Detroit
Glad the city is maintaining the parks - for those that are concerned about how the money is being spent - this is an outlet and free entertainment for those that cannot afford to participate in activities that cost money. It is also an outlet for kids to have fun and physical activity rather than TV and Xbox's.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, the city is willlng to spend money on basketball hoops and playgrounds in the inner-city, but when it come to something meaningful like jobs and improving the blight of the inner-city, then the money is spent on others.
ReplyDeleteDear 7:31 A.M., I just returned from a trip to the Motor City. Believe me, Detroit looks better than our rundown Rustbelt burg. Let's hope that Detroit doesn't backslide and morph into the new Racine!
ReplyDeleteIf we got rid of our pricey zoo, the money we'd save could be used to improve and maintain the parks ordinary people can afford to visit. (Why we're stuck with a cash-devouring menagerie is a mystery. A poor moribund blue-collar company town doesn't need a refuge for exotic critters. The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression may be our golden opportunity to shut it down.)
ReplyDeleteMt Pleasant and Racine elected official for the most part seem to not understand we are in an economic collapse. Tax increases and un-needed spending is not how to help people who are out of work and losing their jobs. The stock market going up doesn't mean people are back to work. As this country moves closer to real unemployment of 20% elected officials keep spending money like it was the 1990's.
ReplyDeleteI thought the news article out last week indicating that Wisconsin was one of the 10 worse financially would have made elected officials realize things have to change. I realize our local state legislators don't understand yet, but I thought the village and city officials would get the message.
We need new elected officials, even write in candidates who decide to run after deadlines would be better than what we have now.
So if we cut off spending on the zoo and parks in the scheme of things these dollars are miniscule. By not spending this money how is this going to create more jobs? There is no correlation. Having the zoo and the parks and many of the other niceties, might attract new business and jobs to Racine.
ReplyDeleteNot very likely--while a pretty city pleases the oligarchic oppressors who run this sorry place, aesthetic considerations are secondary to potential profits when investors consider building a factory in a town. (The only reason we're stuck with pricey amenities here is a certain corporate crime family's desire to keep its Ivy League execu-swine amused. Apparently, the Waxies worry that without such toys, their upper and middle echelon pet porkers from Cornell would wind up working for P&G or another competitor.)
ReplyDeleteNo one is being attracted to Racine. People are leaving. Look at all the front yard signs for sale and foreclosed.
ReplyDeleteThis council just voted to require us to move our cars 7 days a week. They are going to pay some guys salary(probably Dickerts relatives)to run around our neighborhoods at nights fining us. Yeah, that is real attractive. So now we will be beating our neighbors over parking spaces. There are just a handful of legal spaces on my block. A friendly attractive city does not look to fining its citizens as a way to fill the budget and hire a croanie. We actually live here.
Are we laying off police now that we have robots and relatives to replace them? No, we are hiring 3 more. Who is paying the benefit packages for all these positions?
These slides and swings are not a good investment. It is a mindless way to hurry up and waste money. This was not a well thought out purchase. The slides get peed on and the sand is a horrible surface and is used by stray cats as a litter box. We should save til we can do it right.
ReplyDeleteMoney was already in parks 5 year capital plan ,why not leave it alone ?
ReplyDeleteSnow said. The council's actions accelerated the projects to this year, which will free up money later, he said.
Snow said the proposed splash pad will probably be included in a capital improvement budget, possibly next year.
Why accelerate ?are revenues accelerateing ?? Splash pads next year?? Can't city government JUST SAY NO ?? to spending on things we don't really need right now.
Snow says we cannot have parks like Lockwood, The one on West St. or Northbeach because of expense. It has been a while since Northbeach and another such park should be organized. Should be on south side or inner city. The people here are generous with volunteer time and materials. Guess it is just simpler to pick out junk and throw it up then actually work and think it through.
ReplyDeleteThis money spent on the parks would not translate to jobs if not spent - wise up the intangible things in the city still need financial support. I am all for it - I dismiss all you cheap ignorant, penny pinching, small minded people.
ReplyDeleteIt is cheap and small minded to put crap equipment in. There are "Get fit" parks and senior parks with specialized equipment. We could have a very nice park for the same amount of money but no we will have 3 afterthought rush and spend eyesores.
ReplyDeleteDear 10:24 A.M., Who are you to dismiss anyone? If you're the alderman who doesn't like unions, the workers in your district may dismiss you by voting for someone else the next time you run for office.
ReplyDeleteAnon 7:31, in hind-sight, Dickert, only a couple months ago, referred to Racine as a "low-income city." Then he has the gall to want to spend $330K on a splash pad. And now forcing these huge recycle bins down property owner's throats for something we don't want. Dickert is not a mayor, he's an idiot.
ReplyDeleteParks are not "essentials," they are luxuries, if you can keep the criminals and perverts out of them. NO addtional money should be spent on parks when unemployment is over 20% and people are losing their homes left and right in this "new Detroit." It seems the city council members think providing pork for their districts is going to get them re-elected, as opposed to doing what is right and good for the property owners and taxpayers. Look into any dime store crystal ball and you'll see a whole new city council and mayor after the next two elections.
Anon 9:50, parks and zoos do not attract businesses. A quality educational system, a low crime rate, reasonable (not over) regulation and tax incentives are what businesses look at. The money poured into the zoo and the additional money spent on parks could go a long way in fighting crime and luring busiensses back to town. Besides, a town like Racine that is loosing an average of 3 - 5 thousand citizens per year does not need to support a zoo, of which ours is a pretty poor excuse for one.
Anon 10:24 said, "I dismiss all you cheap ignorant, penny pinching, small minded people."
That's OK, we dismiss the liberal, non-thinking, bleeding hearts like you.
Grahamy - I'm actually a conservative - but I also enjoy nice amenities of a city. So as usual, you are wrong again and now I am done with you- you are dismissed.
ReplyDeleteTo anon 10:14
ReplyDeleteI am glad no one wants to build factories here that way less people become oppressed buy the profit gluttens running these companies. Power to the waxies and all there corporate gread, I love it give me more more more. Lets keep the poor down.
Well said Graham....this mayor is out of his mind! Spend it while you can you fools, If your in now, your out come election time!
ReplyDeleteThis council is so out of touch with the common folk who show up to vote. None of them care about a swing and slide as much as they care about jobs.
ReplyDeleteI hope those they are over regulating to death show up to vote them out of office. Garage sales and now parking, these guys are really not thinking about those who elect them. That is short sighted.
Anon 10:24/1:02 - No sir. If you hold those views, you are RINO. Graham got it right. You are a bleeding heart following the will of the City Council over what is best for the general population. You are dismissed!
ReplyDelete10:00 That's my line. Come up with something more original. I am done with you - you are dismissed.
ReplyDeleteInstead of dismissing each other, let's try working together. Maybe then we'll accomplish something worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:24, it's difficult to work together with idiots like Anon 10:24/1:02/8:17 and a so-called mayor and City Council that shoves things down our throats like these recycle bins and almost no one wants. In fact, I think we should show them just how much we don't like them: we should take all of our recyclables and dump them in the front yards of Dumb-Dumb Dickert, the Dumber-and-Dumber council members that voted for them AND the totally asinine Anon 10:24/1:02/8:17.
ReplyDeleteA note to Dickert and his City Council minions: you will be in the trash bin the next time you are up for elections.
8:24 - it is impossible to work with penny pinching, small minded people who do not see the big picture of a city and its needs. This money that is being spent would not translate into jobs. Those that are concerned about lack of jobs can blame themselves and the unions. They have pushed virtually every major business out of town with their greedy attitudes. Why should the rest of us suffer by not spending money on things that enhance the city because of their greediness.
ReplyDeleteAt this time I feel I can not support without good cause anyone who voted for the Budget last night.
ReplyDeleteWhat are they thinking? I know they will get a cookie from the Mayor for being good lap dogs.
The whole recycling thing is a shame. I think everyone should call their alderman and complain before the budget is signed. I have - it is unfair to seniors and individuals with disabilties. they will be unable to maneuver these bins. Even if they have wheels the wheels won't last long. I've had garbage cans with wheels and the garbage men always break them off. I assume the same thing will happen with these. In addition there will be those who do not return the bins after picked up and they will clutter the neighborhood. and lastly the additional cost may be an issue for some. Please call your alderman and have them stop this. Also pass the word to others.
ReplyDeleteOff topic here, but didn't know where else to leave this comment:
ReplyDeleteYou have a headline stating Feingold doesn't have an opponent yet, but the article clearly states he has two! Did you guys even read the article?
Graham - if your population decline numbers were correct, Racine would have lost 30,000 - 50,000 people in the last 10 years.
ReplyDeleteGraham - if your population decline numbers were correct, Racine would have lost 30,000 - 50,000 people in the last 10 years.
ReplyDeleteRacine is losing population. We are not doing enough to combat the fraud or real crime.
ReplyDeleteThis lazy council just sits on their backsides regulating residents into relocating.
Anon 2:43, in the last election the amount a person was allowed to give for a particular candidate was $801.00, based on the last census. That put the previous population number at 80,100. The census prior that had Racine with over 85,000 residents. So, based on the difference between the 1990 and 2000 census Racine lost roughly 5,000+ residents, approximately 500+ per year. The estimated residency for the 2010 census is around 65,000. That is an average of 2,000 residents lost per year on average. Early on it wasn't so much, maybe 500 - 1,000 per year. But, in the past 5 - 6 years it has escalated dramatically because of the unfriendly attitude towards business at both the state and local levels (over taxation, over regulation, etc.). It is probably slowing now that most of the major businesses and middle-class and blue collar workers have left to find jobs where the state and local officials don't have their heads up their butts and actually encourage businesses to open.
ReplyDeleteAnd tell me, what company is going to want to come here when we have a mayor that refers to our city as a “low-income community” and has yet to make even the slightest dent in what is regarded as one of the highest crime areas in Wisconsin? Not to mention a school system more intent on teaching its left wing agenda over real education (and I’ve been told that directly from teachers in the system).
It’s time to fire every last alderman that voted for this recycle bin idiocy and the chief idiot in the mayor’s office that conceived this.
Crime here is out of control. We need to get tough. Chicago is cleaning up and they will look to relocate. We cannot be at all lenient and allow them to come here. Even if we need more population.
ReplyDelete