Fairly Conservative

They’re official, so let’s talk. Here’s the list. There were some winners and losers.

Loser: Dan Sutton -District 1. Chair Mark Nelson and Mayor Jeff Speaker let other aldermen leapfrog over Sutton for appointments and chair positions despite Sutton’s continuing leadership role for half the council. Sutton stays on Finance committee and HRPS (Personnel). He also has Board of Review which is purely administrative. Finally, he did get placed on Police and Fire, but the committee does very little in general. Sutton has been a strong OPPONENT of moving the fire stations. As that committee is about to appoint a new fire chief it will be interesting to see if any fireworks are created. I doubt it, though.

Loser: Scott Berg – District 5. Scott probably sold his vote to Council President Mark Nelson in exchange for the chairman’s seat on Finance Committee. I told several members before the president’s vote that the cost of Berg’s support would be obvious. Now that he’s ousted 3rd district Alderman and long-time chair Jim Garvens from what Berg feels is the most powerful position on the council, it could cost him down the road.

Finance committee members – one from each district – pretty much split the philosophy of spending 3 member to 3. J. Mellone, D. Sutton, and L. Mellone can usually be relied upon to monitor spending. B. Reddin, J. Garvens, and Mark Nelson prefer to spend without restraint. That division puts Berg, who loves to talk against spending but almost always votes to encourage spending, in the hot seat. Bless his little appendix-free body, he’s not going to be able to have it both ways. Gone are the days he can portray his actions as defender of your wallet knowing all along a tough decision will fail in committee.

Winner: Chris Blackburn – District 6. I’m not sure President Nelson intended Blackburn to be a winner, but in my experience Blackburn’s appointments of Water and Sewer chair, Board of Public Works, Ethics, Information & Technology subcommittee and the Mayor’s appointment to the much coveted Library Board means Blackburn is finding his own voice on the Council.

I suspect Berg lost the Mayor’s favor and Library Board appointment when Berg shamed the Mayor with the Guido Brink sculpture decision.

Winner: The majority of members on the Water and Sewer board that Blackburn chairs. Blackburn, 1st district Alderman Bill Carnell, 6th district Alderman Jerry Mellone and new 7th district Alderwoman Renee Lowerr are of like mind on many south Brookfield issues. That leaves Alderman Scott Berg out standing in his own field as former chair of the committee.

The Water and Sewer board has often been considered a training ground for committee work and most newcomers are appointed there. However, water is the premier issue of the next council. The fact that 4 of 5 members strongly want to protect the quality of life south of Bluemound Road may mean this committee is the stopping point for large expansions – like VK’s plan to develop the former WTMJ/Ruby Farms parcel – as well as a number of other projects taking place in this area.

Don’t underestimate the power of committee work.

Great restraint was shown by Council President Mark Nelson. He only took one committee appointment to the Finance Committee and no chair position for himself. He is still a Mayoral appointment to the Plan Commission.

All in all, look for a tighter council. Depending on what the Mayor and his darling staff bring forward, there could be some tie-breakers the mayor has to make in the next couple of years. Also, expect close issues to be oddly worded as they come for decision to the council floor. It will make the difference as to whether or not the mayor can veto a vote. Vetoes will still probably hold, as the council will not be able to overturn anything as it is currently structured.

To those seven council members fighting to increase Brookfield’s quality of life, you need to be very careful. Every word will count. You can’t afford to go into an issue without thinking through what those who have spent years shoving development and tax increases forward will do to preserve their momentum. Above all, you MUST UNDERSTAND PROTOCOL and the rules of debate that will shape these issues.

It would be such a shame to finally have the ability to make change, only to lose it by being unprepared.