With the olympics being the current story in all sports here is an update about our local teams, starting with the professional teams.

BREWERS. Spring training is opening and the boys of summer will soon be testing their skills. The outlook for the Brewers is that there is not much difference from last years team. The big change is that 32 pitchers will vie for the final roster. Left handed pitchers are more available than before and the idea is to have 3 pitchers who do not miss their assignments. The competition will be keen but spring training games normally do not determine which pitchers stay. Braun and Fielder again give the brew crew an exceptional 1/2 punch in hitting and with Escobar at shortstop and Weeks back the infield should be better. Corey Hart must, and I repeat must have a standout season equal to his big payday. Catching is so-so and is a big question mark and changing catchers every year does not help the pitchers much. Badly needed is someone who can drive in runs. Early season wins over the Cubs and Cardinals and winning the one run games are mandatory.

BUCKS. Still not as good without a healthy Michael Redd Coach Skiles has done a good job and is ready for a play-off run. The strange trade with the Chicago Bull is hard to understand when teams do not make deals when competing in their own division. But then, what does make sense in pro basketball ? Andrew Bogut has the keys to success and it would help if the referees give him more respect when he is bullied by opposing Centers. Jennings is still a rookie and cannot carry the team alone. Your guess is as good as mine for the playoffs.

MARQUETTE. Buzz Williams has proven to be a coach who can field a competitive team with a minimum of talent and size. Some say the Big East is not too strong this year but then the eastern sports writers have no use for the midwest. Not very deep MU will most likely not make the big dance and will settle for second best. The future is bright.

WISCONSIN. Say what you want but Bo Ryan always gets the most from his players and this year is no exception. Anything can happen in the Big Ten tournament and the Badgers are in a good position to make a credible run. Complain about their slow deliberate style if you want but their winning record speaks for itself.  

As for the Packers first the game is to not lose starting players to free agency, but it will happen. Set for QB and a potent offense in order to improve the Pack has to acquire offensive linemen. Another running back never hurts. The defense just has to find a way to keep pressure on the opposing QB.

The potential for a pro football lockout will cause permanent damage to the game.

The debates for Mayor ended last evening and Steve Ponto leads by a wide margin.

I was there and personally observed the ability of the candidates to field a variety of questions and form an intelligent and comprehensive response.

In particular, my notes reflect the remarks made by the incumbent.

The printed handout written  by the Mayor begins with "Jeff Speaker Priorities: Keep taxes and spending in check". How does one keep taxes and spending in check ? "Preserve Public Safety". How does one preserve public safety?

These are boilerplate issues for any candidate and are without substance in his handout.

The Mayor in his handout states"I have added officers to our police department". In our city government city staff and aldermen make those decisions by recommendation and vote. The job descriptions for the officers and whether they fill newly created or existing positions is not clear.

In his responses to the questions the Mayor took credit for computer software upgrades, which is a normal task. When asked about high speed rail he first joked and then concluded that the old train station in the village would make a good railroad museum.

Steve Ponto responded like a professional. That is what we need.

Since my withdrawal as a candidate for Mayor of the City of Brookfield,my friends and supporters have sought my recommendation.

After a careful review of all the candidates and their positions on the issues and needs of the residents there is one candidate who meets the criteria, in my opinion.

That criteria includes, but is not limited to, competence and an understanding of the function of city government, with the ability to make important decisions that are in the best interests of the residents.

That candidate for Mayor is STEVE PONTO.

During an extensive meeting with Alderman Ponto I was impressed with his willingness to discuss with me all of my concerns and he expressed an open mind to consider every issue and subject matter on the table.

STEVE PONTO is a very engaging and personable gentleman which qualities will bode him well in interaction with people. He will be a leader who searches for solutions and will use his own sound judgment to be the decision maker.

STEVE PONTO is not just another politician seeking a job. He is a successful corporate lawyer, a veteran alderman and student of government with an informed business background.

By far the better choice to be your voice is STEVE PONTO. See for yourself at pontoformayor.com

Today, January 5, 2010 I issued the following press release.

When I filed a Campaign Registration Statement on December 10, 2009 it was for the purpose of debating the incumbent Mayor on his record in office and the future needs of the residents in the City of Brookfield.

The entry of other candidates made it certain that there will be a primary election on February 16, 2010.

This short time period to conduct a mid-winter campaign has resulted in a massive advertising effort instead of an issue oriented election.

The residents deserve to make an informed choice by having public debates which is not likely before the upcoming primary election date.

One thing is certain. There will be a strong challenge to the incumbent Mayor in the general election on April 6, 2010.

I have decided not to file my nomination papers and to withdraw my candidacy for Mayor.

The support and encouragement from my family and friends will be my fond memory.

Also, by not being a candidate I concentrate on my private law practice and being a Reserve Municipal Judge.

DICK STEINBERG

2010. To one and all a very healthy and happy New Year.

My efforts to bring the Senior Viewpoint to your attention will continue.

Deuteronomy. Ch.1. Appointment of Elders. Moses. Choose wise, intelligent and experienced men from each of your tribes, that I may appoint them as your leaders.

Deuteronomy. Ch. 32. The Song of Moses for the whole assembly of Israel.  Think back to the days of old, reflect on the years of age upon age. Ask your father and he will inform you. Ask your elders and they will tell you.

The Pack is playoff bound after trouncing the Seahawks on a cold day in Green Bay. Just in time for the New Year our team looks like a winner. Sure, Seattle is not a contender but neither are  some others we played.

Aaron Rodgers although under some pressure had enough to put the game away early and save his body for another day. The defense proved they are one of the best. And, most of all Coach Mike had his team ready and confident.

If you think this is easy take the Bears who paid a small fortune for a QB who may not be around much longer.  

And for those who still wanted Brett back, we now have 2 QB's and and a starter equal to the task who will come out of the game when told by the Coach.

Every team has injuries but the Packers fought them off to show their grit and determination and desire to succeed.

 Football like many sports is a team game and each one depends on the other to do the job.

The Pack is back for now so let the playoffs begin.

Welcome Home to the students, family members and those just visiting to The City of Brookfield where we call home. And to the military who serve us so well a special greeting and our heartfelt appreciation for keeping us safe.

The children have some anxious moments until the big day arrives and the parents/grandparents and others can't wait to see the joy of their precious youngsters opening gifts.

The music that fills the air reminds us of memorable times.

 The last minute shopping,trips to the airport, phone calls and emails to the from loved ones who are elsewhere are part of the celebration.

Savor every minute because every year it seems to come and go so fast.

My best personal wishes for a safe and happy holiday season.  

Yes that's right, let it snow, let it snow. 

If you are looking for a white christmas look no further and there is more coming. 

If like one comment you believe that municipal courts do nothing but sign off on traffic tickets then try city of brookfield.com, wicourts.gov or just click municipal courts and read on and on. Municipal Judges has jurisdiction over all traffic in their locality, incluiding OWI 1st and city ordinance cases adopted by his/her municipality, including drug cases, disorderly conduct, retail theft, battery, vandalism, party to a crime, concealed weapon, fireworks, trespassing, and many other law violations that used to be crimes. In addition there  are special juvenile court sessions held in private pursuant to the law. A municipal judge must participate in continuing judicial education and keep up with the current changes in the laws. In some cases lawyers appear and challenge legal issues which require   written decisions. The judge does not participate in plea bargaining and has the duty to approve and/or disapprove of a stipulation. My practice was to read each stipulation and sometimes conduct a hearing on the legal issue before signing off. The defendant had to show a reason/s for the agreement and the prosecutor must carry the burden of proof for the city.     

This past Sunday I went with my wife to mass at SJV and this was in the booklet Living Faith: 

"We would do well each day to pray for wisdom---not just knowledge but wisdom. Knowledge can accomplish much good, but it can also be used to harm and destroy. Wisdom lives not only in the intellect but in the heart.Wisdom will never do wrong. Wisdom is precious, and the more we have the better the world will be".                               

*****Alert*****

IN THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON KINDLY REFRAIN FROM ANY MORE COMMENTS OTHER THAN TO WISH EVERYONE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY.  

The concept and law of conducting a political campaign during a major holiday season needs a solid review. Many people who are asked to sign nomination papers seem puzzled at the mere idea of mixing politics with Christmas, and in the winter weather. My experience is that spring elections  means first comes winter and the comfort of a campaign in the summer and fall seasons is a pleasure to be sure. But it is what it is.

I am very reluctant to bother people to sign a nomination paper now when there are things more important in their lives.

Tis the season to be jolly and listen to a candidate rambling on and on about something from another world. Give me a break !

So the candidate confronts someone and instead of a holiday greeting asks that someone to sign his/her nomination paper. Not good public relations.

Only a very small percentage of the population understand that the campaign has no time off and the mindset of the candidate is to get votes, That is my folks the democratic system in our great republic.

So every day the candidate sticks a bunch of nomination papers in his/her pocket with the hope that there is a likely signer out there. Make no mistake about it, I am no different. So all of office seekers have something in common. Then the mailings of campaign materials gets mixed with x-mas cards and maybe discarded. But when the time comes most will sort it out. That is, those who vote. 

Holiday Greetings to all of you who follow my blog and comment. Thanksgiving was a time to be thankful and the spirit of Christmas and other celebrations are now here. Living in the City of Brookfield for one half of my life is a special gift.                  

There are fond memories of holidays in our wonderful community.

Family, friends and neighbors alike share the beauty of decorations that fill our lives with joy.

My first 20 years were at a lower rental flat at 2019 W. State Street, Milwaukee. The front view were the street cars going by and the back view was the alley which became our playground. When I moved to the City of Brookfield some 37 years ago I was thrilled to be in a suburban environment, and still am.

Sure, there are times when there is too much snow, not enough rain and much humidity, but just being here safe and sound makes up for that.

Enjoy the holidays and have good health. 

Winter is Here. Today the ground was covered with a lite snow and my first taste of it was walking on my driveway to get the paper. The ice convinced me to  take the long way around in the grass.  There are reports of cars off the road and in a ditch. They must be from another state because WI drivers know how to drive in the winter . Then in the afternoon I drove to the Medical College to get my records and upon leaving the wind was blowing and the temp had dropped.  The forecast looks rather normal for the coming week/s so the summer stuff goes into storage and the winter stuff comes out. If you are short of stuff to wear there are many sales and more to come.  My computer is in need of costly repair so I will shop around and get a new one. In the meantime my blog will be curtailed . Safe driving to all .                                                                                                                                                                                                 

"Jello Again", was the theme of the radio and tv favorite Jack Benny". His sponsor was jello and his humor was fun but dry. Speaking of dry my computer went dry and a new one is in the works. But times change and as I found out so does does technology.

Back to the big local news.The city of Brookfield just enacted a new law to spend $30,000 to enhance the ability of Time/Warner watchers to view and hear our local mayor present himself as an unannounced candidate. This is OK for him but  in the past the mayor led us to deny $25,000 for the DARE program and to deny us $15,000 for some library reading material. This may be OK for some but I happen to support DARE and the LIBRARY for such small essential items, keeping in mind the difference between essential and non-essential spending.

To add more bad news the mayor sent out at our expense a holiday newsletter blaming the economy on his lack  of leadership. Of course, it is hard to trim the budget when several years of over-spending put us in a financial bind.

Around town the word is that there will be a new mayor.

Candidates have till Jan 5 to gather 200 signatures and file.

Thanksgiving is truly a family time to be with our loved ones and celebrate the wonders of our lives. It is also a time to forgive and forget and remember the memories and share with those who are unfortunate.

My memories are filled with the desire to be home while in the military and college/law school even if for only a day. It was a time of peace and comfort.

We celebrate in different ways  and not all can find the right place for themselves.

But we all can be thankful for what we have.

So in respect of this precious time the time to show discontent is at an impasse.

God bless you all.

The City of Brookfield budget process needs leadership and integrity.

Last year there were major disputes in city hall that spilled out into the community about the mayor wanting to delete the DARE program which costs $25,000.

This year there were major disputes in city hall that spilled out into the community about deleting $15,000 from the Library budget.

Both of these relatively small amounts of money, in the big picture, are essential to carry out the programs that make us unique and there is no logical reason to even challenge the need to spend these funds.

The Budget process should take into account the non-essential items and the big money items need to be examined instead of making a major issue about something that is a no contest. It is the old game of smoke and mirrors to mask the real important issues confronting us in these times of economic stress.

The public hearing cannot be held at 8pm the same evening the common council takes the final vote on the entire city budget and expect to have a well reasoned response. Good for those who attended to support the library. Next time around have the public hearing 30 to 60 days in advance at an early late afternoon time prior to the final vote. It is only fair to the residents and the common council.

In the meantime where was the mayor and where did he lead us ?

Sports fans in Wisconsin this weekend were treated to a series of victorious performances that were fun to watch.

1. The Milwaukee Bucks ran the Golden State Warriors of Don Nelson off the court with a big win and rookie guard Jennings set a record of 55 points held by none other than Kareem Jabbar. The Bucks are now in 1st place thanks to the record setting performance and a great team effort.

2. The Wisconsin Badgers beat  Michigan by a record 45 points the most ever scored against our friendly rivals across Lake Michigan.

3. The Green Bay Packers trounced the Dallas Cowboys and put a bull rush on local hero Tony Romo and would have a shutout if the defense held at the end.

These sports performances had many facets to their wins but had one thing in common. Determination. All three teams have been subject to criticism and even ridicule .

So in a time of glory let us be humble and remember that our opponents lacked the talent , teamwork and spirit that we are fortunate to have. 

My granddaughter, Allison 13, is a member of the Milwaukee Children's Choir thanks to her parents who drive her to rehearsals and concerts, one being at the local Wilson Center. Known as a premier children's choir with different age groups the children experience life skills and teamwork not otherwise available to them.

In a salute to our armed forces the choir sang a special rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, and I have seen them perform  pop, multi-language, traditional and other music not heard elsewhere.

My personal interest is Allison and a growing appreciation of this kind of activity for our youth.

For more information visit their website.

www.milwaukeechildrenschoir.org

This is a blog I never thought would be necessary when I first started. I am certain that this is not a one time snafu for me and the other bloggers who all work hard to create interesting and sometimes provocative commentaries. We all expect to be taken to task , criticized and even be met by an angry comment.

But any person who by proxy uses foul language and writes jokes and puns that violate the moral standards of decency should not be allowed to comment. But, we bloggers no longer have control over the comments and they go in except for reporting abuse which does not always result in a sanction.

I am a strong believer in the 1st Amendment but I am also a strong believer in community morals which I protected as Municipal Judge for 34 years.

                               Say what you want but KEEP IT CLEAN. 

Right on from City Hall thanks to City Clerk, Kris Schmidt, with the cooperation of Tom Grisa and Robert Scott. It is refreshing receive a prompt response to my open records request.

My request concerns important issues that have been the subject of various blogs and talk among st the local residents. Here are my questions and the responses.

1. What is the actual cost of a speed limit sign installed ?

     The estimated average cost of an installed speed limit sign is $200. Obviously, it could vary depending where it needs to be intstalled in the city and this assumes installing it on a City owned street. We would not incur cost for speed limit signs on County or State Highways, as that is their responsibility.

2. For the new sidewalks on Capitol Drive who is responsible for snow removal and other maintenance ?

    Per recent changes to City ordinances, maintenance of sidewalks fall on the City, so City crews would plow snow on sidewalks once they are installed.

My comments to these responses are that the issue of speed limit signs or sign on Calhoun from Bluemound to Greenfield has been contested. Residents in that area want the speed limit posted because of increasing traffic and increased speeding. The Police Department via the Mayor are satisfied with the status quo until it is proven otherwise. In addition, a certain Alderperson publicly stated that the cost of a sign is in the $6,000 range. What a difference a day makes.

On the issue of sidewalks on Capitol Drive, the snow removal maintenance will cost manpower, equipment and time away from residential areas and the question of whether this is in the new budget is outstanding.   No matter what , this is still our money.  

My research into certain items already described in my prior writings have resulted in wondering whether the reality of budget cuts for 2010 are fact or fiction.

The entire budget has a long history that cannot be ignored because of the precedent set in prior years that has had the input of learned staff and public officials. After reading 83 pages of economic reasoning I realize that it was only the tip of the iceberg. There are trained people at city hall and public officials who are privy to every facet that is included in budgets. For a person that has another life and other obligations the research needed to have a good opinion is enormous.      

It can be a full time job to read voluminous documents more than once, analyze their content and determine your position.

Then you have to consider that all the discussions prior to making it public are not mentioned in the budget nor are the e-mails, memos and meetings always made public. Of course, this practice takes place in all forms of government and business.

So, what am I getting at ? Due to the fact that long range planning and a strategy to adopt the proposed budget the reality is that in fact the budget will be adopted as presented and it is a fiction to believe that at this late date substantial changes will be made.

Sure we have the right to publicly comment, to go to the library and attend public meetings, but unless there is some kind of an organized movement our voices will not be heard.

So, what can we do ?  VOTE. Absentee ballots for the snowbirds and early voting give us the opportunity to cast our ballot if election day is not convenient.

Yes, we can also forge on and stick to our principles until the message becomes obvious and our wish list is granted.

This does not mean that city hall staffers are "big spenders", nor does it mean they are "big savers".  It does mean that the staffers are not the voice of the people nor were they intended to be.   

City of Brookfield residents, including myself and my senior peers, take pride in our community and everything it offers. We simply are the best.

But the fact is that we all are faced with serious monetary concerns that make it necessary to change our lifestyles and curb our spending. The problem is that city hall does not get it.

In times of a critical financial crisis the spending at city hall continues to grow. Sidewalks at Capitol Drive, High Speed Rail and an increase in the tax levy for mosquito and deer control are examples of non-essential spending which is a monetary burden to the taxpayers. In better times these and other improvements add to the quality of life. Now, the quality of life for average residents depends more on the basics like food, clothing, shelter, medical bills and little left over for luxuries and entertainment.    

Right now city hall leadership is dazzling us with numbers, theories and projections that boggle the mind and divert our thinking into  what they want us to believe.

If we follow the yellow brick road we will find ourselves in a land of fantasy that we can no longer afford.

The efforts of city hall leadership have no bad purpose other than to believe that their ideas are for our best interests(and theirs). That is not unusual in  government today and might work elsewhere, but not on our land. Yes, the residents own the land and finance city government but have no voice in the recent spending for non-essentials.

This is certainly not the fault of the common council members whose compensation is not commensurate with their endless work. Like all citizens, they must rely on city staff.

This is my viewpoint and I believe to be the senior viewpoint. Of course, people will disagree and be complacent with the status quo. WE are a community of diverse opinions and respect should be given to all. 

In my humble opinion, the 2010 city budget will set a precedent for our future.