News & Notes: March 18

Local cities join

consolidated SWAT team

Both Muskego and New Berlin approved joining a consolidated SWAT team that would save their police departments both money and manpower.

The Suburban Critical Incident Team would be a consolidation of tactical personnel and resources from Muskego, New Berlin, Brookfield, Delafield, Mukwonago, Pewaukee, Hartland and Chenequa, if all the other jurisdictions approve.

Both Muskego and New Berlin have their own SWAT teams. The Lakes Area Critical Incident Team covered the rest of the communities, except for the village of Mukwonago.

Training has gotten increasingly expensive with advances in technology. The cost has become difficult for one department to afford, officials say.

Muskego student

has eye on national team

Muskego - Muskego High School junior Nicholas Berry qualified to compete for a place on the U.S. Chemistry Olympiad team by placing eighth out of 139 top chemistry students from 15 schools in southeastern Wisconsin.

The regional competition attracting high school students who are in college-level advanced placement chemistry courses was held by the Milwaukee section of the American Chemical Society.

National expert

on bullying gives talks

New Berlin - James Jelinske,, who has done programs on bullying all over the United States, presented a bullying prevention program this week at Elmwood Elementary School, 5900 S. Sunny Slope Road.

Jelinske gave separate presentations for students and parents.

Attorney opinion stops

debate on policy changes

Muskego - In an apparent departure from past practice, the Muskego Common Council last week was prevented from discussing changes to the city's new purchasing policy.

Aldermen Kert Harenda and Neil Borgman had placed the purchasing policy on the Common Council Committee of the Whole agenda and were expecting to discuss it. That was until Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti announced that, in the city attorney's opinion, such a discussion was not procedurally correct.

Policy changes have to go to a committee first, according to the attorney, she said.

Borgman, a veteran alderman, said that in all his years on the Common Council, aldermen discussed issues if two of them had asked that an item be placed on the agenda.

Chiaverotti, who was elected mayor in 2011, has been accustomed to seeing such issues proceed only after a committee had a chance to discuss them. So, not knowing what to do with an agenda item that didn't come from a committee, she said she sought a city attorney opinion. She found an applicable legal opinion had been given in the past.

Harenda was frustrated because he wanted the council to discuss pulling back from the modifications it had made to the city's purchasing policy a year and a half ago giving the mayor much more authority over expenditures. Harenda was anxious to hold that discussion because he will no longer serve on the council after his term expires in April.

Following the options in the city attorney attorney's opinion, the council voted 5-2 to discuss the purchasing policy at its next Committee of the Whole meeting.

Heart problem deemed

cause of driver's death

Muskego - The Waukesha County Medical Examiners Office has determined that a 63-year-old Cudahy man died of a heart condition rather than from injuries sustained when his truck went off the road and into a marshy area, Muskego police reported Monday.

Responding to a report of a single vehicle accident on state Highway 36 near Champions Drive about 8:40 a.m. March 14, Muskego police and the Tess Corners Fire Department found a pickup truck several hundred feet off the road, in a marshy area south of the road.

An investigation determined that the vehicle had been westbound on Highway 36 before crossing the median and eastbound traffic and going off the road. No other vehicles were involved, police said.

Rescue personnel found the driver and lone occupant of the vehicle deceased.

Police are withholding the name of the driver pending notification of out of town relatives.

Commander retires

after 6 years leading post

Muskego - Fred Korth has retired after six years as commander of Muskego American Legion Post 356.

"The legion and its auxiliary have contributed their time and finances to the community, and the veterans, past, present and hopefully future," Korth said.

They have participated in giving scholarships to Muskego High School students, providing outings for hospitalized veterans and participated in many community functions, Korth said.

"As I always have said in the past, the officers and members sure make me look good,' with their performances of duties to one of this nation's finest veterans organizations - the American Legion," he said.

Taking over the reins will be Ray Ingold, who was elected post commander for 2013-14.

Also elected were First Vice Commander Doug Scherer; Second Vice Commander David Czysz; Adjutant Mike Stephens; Finance Officer Gary Stewart; chaplains Lawrence Bunting and Larry Stephens; Sergeant at Arms Carl Weber; and Service Officer Donald Tomlinson.

The officer installation will be at the Muskego Moose Lodge on April 11.

Girl Scout cookies

headed for state's soldiers

Muskego - Third grade Brownie Troop 9105 of Country Meadows Elementary School will send 135 boxes of Girl Scout cookies overseas to Wisconsin soldiers.

The troop collected 135 cookie shares this year. A cookie share is a box of cookies donated by someone so the Girl Scout troop can pass it along to an organization of its choosing.

The local Brownies are donating its cookie shares to Support The Troops (supportthetroopswi.com), which will ship them overseas to Wisconsin soldiers. The Brownies met recently to put labels on the boxes, letting the soldiers know they came from their troop.

Petition effort ongoing

for proposed Walmart

New Berlin - Anyone who has been to the Walmart in the City Center lately knows that the store is inviting customers to sign a petition, if they would like to see the Walmart Super Center proposed for Greenfield Avenue built.

The store has a display of where the controversial Walmart would be located, showing its placement including how far off the road it would be. If shoppers pause at the display, a staff member invites them to sign the petition.

Currently, Walmart officials are trying to win city approval of the proposed store at 15205 W. Greenfield Ave. The store would need a change in zoning and in the city 2020 Comprehensive Plan. The goal of the petition is to try to show city officials that there is support.

If the Super Center is approved, the current Walmart will be closed.