Shorelines

I often feel that Autumn may  be the best season of all -- brilliantly colored leaves reflecting bright sunlight are a treat for the eyes - weather just cool enough for maybe a light jacket, a nice respite from the heat and humidity of August - something almost magical about walking through the carpet of leaves the trees have given to the ground - walking on rustling clouds of color - that induce one to a contentment of the moment mixed with a melancholy contemplation of the past and future.

Magic as though -- must be short-lived - if it is to remain potent. 

As the buds of spring opened to the green of a new year of growth - so must those same leaves turn to their Autumn coat broadcasting the end of a season of growth --- while promising a continuation of the cycle after the cleansing cold of winter.

One aspect of Autumn that I have never understood though, is the vigor with which so many see the leaves as an enemy to their castle grounds - while attacking them with rakes, blowers, bags, front end loaders and a trip to the land fill.

All of this animosity to the leaves reminds me of the folks in Arizona who pipe in water from the north to grow green grass in the desert .... instead of appreciating the beauty of the region they live in - they want to transform it to another time and place.

My grandparents who migrated here from a peasant life in Poland, approached nature in a much different way.  Whenever possible they used nature to work for them - instead of fighting them.  From mulch piles to using the dinner's dishwater as a natural insecticide on their garden - working with nature is often easier, cheaper and more productive than fighting it.

Of course, as to be expected of people who had the initiative and energy to cross an ocean for the promise of a better life, they were no Luddites - and they used the best that innovation and science offered when it was needed.  

Taking such a practical approach to the Leaves of Autumn - why do we gather them up and ship them off to a landfill, instead of using them on our lawns, where they have fallen?

Contrary to some of the myths popular among lawn farmers, mulching leaves where they sit is easy to do with your normal lawnmower, and it does add to the natural ecosystem of the ground with enrichment for the next years crop of Kentucky Blue.

Following is an article that addresses this very issue, from the Virginia State University.

What do you think we should do in Shorewood --- bag, burn and bury --- or mulch ?

Crop and Soil Environmental News, November 2004

'Leave' Them Alone: Lawn Leaf Management

Mike Goatley, Jr. Extension Turf Specialist, Virginia Tech

While we enjoy the beautiful colors associated with fall foliage, we also realize that most of those leaves will soon be on the ground. At this time of year, many turf managers quit managing grass and shift their focus instead to leaf management. In some situations, leaf removal by way of blowing, raking, or vacuuming is essential because of turf use (e.g. golf course turf where finding a ball in leaves is next to impossible). However, the treatment and/or disposal of these leaves is a time consuming and costly process. In some areas, it is actually illegal to place bagged leaves at curbside for pickup due to restrictions on placing lawn waste in landfills. Are there reasonable alternatives in leaf management?

The answer is yes. And the technique is one that many of you have used for years -- leaf mulching directly into the turf. There are several university research reports detailing how leaf mulching affects turf performance. In almost every instance, the results show that chopping up deciduous leaves as part of a regular mowing schedule is an effective means of managing them without harming the turf. A research report entitled "Leaf Mulching Effects on Turf Performance" from Purdue University turfgrass researchers Zac Reicher and Glenn Hardebeck can be accessed online at http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/report/1999/page24.htm. This report does an excellent job detailing the responses of a perennial ryegrass lawn turf to the application of up to 4000 lbs of maple (Acer sp.) leaves/acre in a single application. Mulching the leaves had no undesirable effects on turf quality or color, growth, thatch accumulation, soil pH, weed populations, or disease pressure. While the leaves did not prove to be a substitute for proper N fertilization practices, the overall assessment was that mulching was overall very positive and economical.

There are some important considerations before using leaf mulching in turf as a method of leaf disposal. While mulching mowers are preferred because of special deck and/or blade designs to mulch clippings, almost any rotary mowing unit can suffice. However, think safety first. Use the rotary mower for leaf mulching, not as a stump grinder or chipper/shredder. Inspect the site and remove sticks and limbs before mulching. This greatly reduces the chance that you or someone else can be hurt, and improves the performance and life of your mower. Wear safety goggles and an air mask over your mouth and nose to protect from debris and dust. Mulch leaves when they are suitably dry rather than soaking wet. While this causes more concerns with dust, dry leaves are much easier to mulch and cause less wear and tear on the mower. Finally, consider the limitations of the mower itself. There is only so much leaf matter that can be handled at one time, so use some common sense regarding how many leaves can be effectively mulched in a single mowing event. Sharpen blades more frequently (to improve the mulching operation and to address the likelihood that your blades will still likely be hitting some debris) and clean filters (air and other) more regularly.

Many pine trees are also shedding a season's worth of needles during the fall as new growth emerges. Unfortunately, mulching is not an effective way to dispose of pine needles because of their size, shape, and composition. Pine needles are highly resistant to microbial breakdown, and even if they are chopped into smaller pieces, they remain physically intact for months. While resistance to decomposition precludes pine needle disposal by mulching, the durability of pine straw is one reason it is so popular as a landscape bedding mulch.

Consider utilizing your rotary or mulching mower as a leaf disposal tool this fall. Mulching leaves directly back into the turf has proven to be a cost (and time) effective means of leaf disposal, does not negatively impact turf performance, and helps reduce the volume of landfill waste.

Visit Virginia Cooperative Extension

As I was driving on North Oakland the other night, I suddenly realized that even though the Village has torn out half of the streetlights --- there was more than enough light for driving and pedestrian purposes.

Even though the lights on the west side of the street are gone - the ones on the east side do more than an adequate job. The question I have therefore is  -- why do we need so many lights ?

In an earlier posting to Shorelines, I had questioned whether "light pollution" had been considered in the Streetscaping plans --- and I would guess probably not !

Another question that I have about the  proposed lights is whether  new technology was considered ?  Why are we going with the same old electrically hard wired lights --- is there a solar alternative ?

Doing a little research on the internet, I came across a plethora of manufacturers, distributors and information on solar powered street lights.  I have copied one of the pages below as an example of the information that is out there.

Is it too late to reconsider the streetlights ?  Since we have only starting tearing things up, and it appears that no work will be done before Spring 08 at the earliest --- why not do a study on solar lighting.

Just think - no electric bills to keep them running.  No burning of fossil fuels.  No trenching or wiring needed.  In a Power Outage --- the street lights will still be on !

Wouldn't Shorewood be proud to light the way for other villages, towns and cities in the Progressive use of Solar Power for Streetlights  ---  or do we just talk a good talk ?

What are your thoughts on whether we have enough light or need more, and whether solar should be in the equation.

 FOLLOWING IS WEB PAGE FROM INTERNET

In today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, was a proposed Light Rail plan by Michael  Cudahy. 

I won't repeat his reasoning for Light Rail here.  If you are interested and don't have today's paper, you can look it up online at http://www.jsonline.com/

The initial line he proposes, in part, comes from downtown up Farwell and Prospect (one way on each), joining up on Oakland Avenue, to terminate at the Shorewood / Milwaukee boundary line.

Now let's imagine that the line would continue up Oakland Avenue, through Shorewood to Hampton, then west Santa Monica, north to Silver Spring, and then west on Silver Spring to Bayshore.

Since we are going to tear up Oakland Avenue anyway, wouldn't this be the ideal time to explore the Light Rail option ?

If the plan goes ahead as Michael Cudahy proposes, and the heavy infrastructure costs are covered by the Federal Money that he has identified, perhaps Shorewood can participate at not much more of a cost than including the rails in the Oakland Makeover. 

I would be willing to bet that  Mr. Cudahy and Mayor Barrett, would be very interested in working with Shorewood --- and perhaps our neighbors in Whitefish Bay and Glendale.

For Whitefish Bay and Shorewood, Light Rail would help their shopping districts compete with Bayshore ---  even as folks  ride the rail to Bayshore, they will have the opportunity to shop Shorewood and Bay's more boutique offerings along the way. 

For Glendale, it would make Bayshore a more viable destination for shoppers from the East Side and Downtown.

If we are serious about increasing Shorewood's residential appeal, and building up our retail markets, I believe Light Rail will do much more than our current plans for new street lights and garbage cans along Oakland and Capitol ---- or  artificial turf  and a second dome at the high school.

THIS IS AN E MAIL I RECEIVED FROM A READER COMMENTING ON THE RECENT STREETSCAPE WORK, D2D, ETC 

READERS COMMENTS:

So the SHS lot is once again accessible after only a short time in spite of the earlier dire predictions of a far more extended closure! While part of me is glad the 'crisis' there is over, another part is concerned that it seems like for the most part, there seems to be no real concept of a time frame for any part of this project! Looking at the piecemeal way things are proceeding on Oakland Avenue, per your pictures and my own firsthand viewing, and the lack of knowledge of such things as who actually decided to close the SHS lot and for how long, I'm beginning to wonder how things are being coordinated!
In addition, before viewing your blog today, I saw the ShorewoodNow picture of the groundbreaking ceremony after the final home football game weeks ago and I note daily, while driving past the field, that seemingly nothing has begun on the D2D front, either!! As this is some of the most favorable weather we'll probably see before winter, shouldn't things be in a more 'git 'er done' mode?!?

 RESPONSE TO READER

Dear Reader

 It does seem amazing that "voila" the SHS lot was open a couple of weeks before schedule.  It does bring to question whether the Powers Who Be put the pedal to the metal when they starting getting complaints --- or if they folks in charge of the work are that incompetent that they could be that far off in their projections for the time required.

Interestingly, the Village put out a Streetscape Update at the end of September, saying that the whole time schedule was being re-evaluated and could be changed --- while at the same time, the BID Director was telling folks that the work was being stopped and put on a new schedule --- all of this was while Trustee Dawn Anderson was writing a comment to defend the NO PARKING in areas where NO WORK was being done --- kind of sounds like Board Members were not kept updated and in effect got Blindsided !!

Regarding D2D -- it appears the School District is no better at handling a Public Works project, than the Village is.

It is obvious that the only work they have done is the Ceremonial Groundbreaking --- but they have stopped playing their games on the Home Field.

 From what I have heard, the High School has incurred a lot of new expense by transporting everyone --- including the band --- to home games played on other fields.  This is not an expense that was budgeted --- and seeing how there is no work being done on the field -- it is an obvious waste of taxpayers' money.

If any readers out there actually knows what is going on with these projects --- please write in and share the information with us !

Thanks

Dave 

Amazingly Shorewood Village Officials have still not addressed the parking situation on North Oakland despite NO CONSTRUCTION WORK HAPPENING. 

The NO PARKING signs are still up --- prohibiting customers of the local businesses from parking.

 I thought for sure that after Trustee Dawn Anderson commented about the parking situation, that SOMEONE from the Village would have the common sense to take the no parking signs down UNTIL THERE IS ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTION.

 For some reason, the Village has decided to PUNISH the MERCHANTS and restrict parking.

 Who will take charge of this FIASCO ???

 Village President Guy Johnson ?

Village Trustees ---  Dawn Anderson ?  Ellen Eckman?  Jeff Hanewall ?  Margaret Hickey ?  Michael Maher ?   Michael Phinney ?

Village Manager Chris Swartz ?

I know you are all interested in bringing NEW Business to Shorewood -- but won't you HELP THE EXISTING BUSINESSES FIRST ?????

  ONE BRAVE SOUL PARKED ON EMPTY STREET DESPITE THE NO PARKING SIGNS

Kirk Juffer, the principal of Lake Bluff grade school makes his job look easy --- probably because he loves what he does --- and he has the experience and wisdom to see problems while they are still in a potential state.

I believe I have met Kirk about half a dozen times --- mostly, just “hello – how’s it going”.  Additionally, I have probably seen two or three presentations he has made over the years.  I don’t remember the exact topics of those presentations, but I know that each time, I thought “wow” this guy is good --- and he even has common sense !

Of a much more recent nature, I now have a student enrolled at Lake Bluff, who transferred in last year from the Mequon system. 

What is at best a traumatic experience for any child  leaving old friends and coming into a new environment, was turned into a  positive experience. This positive transition was in no small part due to Mr Juffer, taking a personal interest,  including pep talks and encouragement for the student.

In addition, Mr Juffer consulted several times with my wife, via phone and e mail, in helping to coordinate the transition from both the home and school perspectives. 

I have lived only a ½ block from Lake Bluff for the past 15 years, but  didn’t really notice until my new student started there, that the students gather outside each morning for about 20 minutes prior to the doors being opened.

Every morning, there is Mr Juffer, doing a “walk and talk” with the students in the morning chill.  I would be surprised if he doesn’t know virtually every student’s name and grade !

Kirk is obviously an “old school” type of principal. who actually interacts with his kids, on a personal basis, and doesn’t view them as simply numbers.

In the recent Community Now edition, I read that Lake Bluff is experimenting with a Charter School concept of multi grade and age grouping.  In the article Mr Juffer was quoted as reporting: 

 "A mainstay of the school is flexible, multiage grouping," wrote Lake Bluff Principal Kirk Juffer in a report to the board. "This means that students are grouped at different times with different peers according to their readiness levels, interests, learning styles or learning needs."

Having seen new educational systems come and go (my oldest is now 31), I have learned that there is always an intangible that makes some schools work wonderfully --- while their seemingly identical counterparts are disasters.

I think it is safe to speculate, that whatever system they decide to use at Lake Bluff, it will be successful in great part, due to the presence of an “Old School” principal, who is not afraid to work with “New School” ideas.

Pictures of Oakland Ave 4400 block --- no parking for business customers and no work being done --- same picture going on third week

Following are Trustee Dawn Anderson's comments (underlined) and my responses   (in italics) to her:

Dear Dave - may I start with 2 words?   BIG PICTURE.   Is the lack of parking for a few weeks an inconvenience for people who use the High School parking lot? Yes. Is the current parking situation a serious problem for the business owners and their clients? Absolutely. But all of this a temporary problem. I am not unsympathetic to either constituency. However, in the long run, when it is complete, the streetscape WILL enhance the business district and the appearance of the village. Unfortunately, you can't wave a magic wand and make it done overnight. Road work simply necessitates some inconvenience and is to some degree at the mercy of the elements when it comes to timetables

I  am so glad you brought up the BIG PICTURE   --- "that in the long run, when it is complete, the streetscape WILL enhance the business district ... ".

 Actually the BIG PICTURE is that we are SCRAPPING a streetscape after only about 10 years --- is that the Long Run you are talking about?

Just how was the  north Oakland Streetscape so screwed up that everything from the curbs to the buildings are now deemed junk ?  Has the prior work even been paid for ?  We are told that the light poles are now junk because they rust --- cast iron --- Wisconsin winters --- of course they rust.  But where is the cost analysis between maintaining the naturally rusting poles compared to junking them and buying new ones

.We are told that the pavers used between the curb and sidewalks were a bad idea, because of our freeze thaw cycles.  But at the same time, the new plan calls for pavers in the cross walks instead of concrete !

And just what was the problem with the planters, the benches and the trash receptacles ?  I have yet to talk to anyone who thought they needed replacing

But enough of the BIG PICTURE.  Everyone can be an expert at the big picture level. If you want to cross a river --- build a bridge --- but who designs it, builds it, maintains it --- and is responsible if it falls down ?You say that you are not unsympathetic to those who are inconvenienced or are having a serious problem.  But what have you done to show your sympathy ? 

On the west side of the 4400 block of North Oakland, there have been NO PARKING  during BUSINESS HOURS for 2 or 3 weeks.  But only about a day and a half of work has been done there!

Do you sympathize with the business owner I talked to who told me that she has suffered about a 20% loss of business during this time.  Who cares that she puts in 50 to 60 hour weeks, and then the Village blocks her patrons --- NOT because there is work going on --- but because NOBODY CARES to take down the "no parking"  signs when there is NO work being done.

Your recent posts would seem to indicate that this is the end of the world in Shorewood. We have to endure - gasp! - heavier traffic, slightly slower travel times on Oakland and to top it off - WE CAN"T PARK WHERE WE WANT TO!! Horrors! We might have to park our stupid cars and actually walk a couple extra blocks to our destination. Have we become such a spoiled community that we feel the need to escalate this temporary inconvenience to the level you are taking it? I don't think so. But, you are entitled to your opinion and to rant about whatever you want.

 I guess the question about spoiled community depends upon which community you live in.  If it is the one west of Oakland, where you are very likely a renter trying to make it in a nice environment for your kids, and where there is not enough parking space, so you have to pay EXTRA taxes for a parking permit, and you get hit with EXTRA taxes in the form of a ticket for parking a little too long somewhere --- I don't know how spoiled you are.   

But if you live east of Oakland where virtually everyone has a garage (oh yeah, that is where all the elected officials live) and you can subsidize the property taxes on your house with all the revenue from those parking permits and tickets --- maybe you are spoiled.

Here's mine:  There's a lot of important stuff going on in our state (Missing budget? County Exec's race? How about the races for the Senate and Assembly seats for our district?), in our country (don't even get me started) and in our world. Nothing else ranks as more important than railing on a daily basis about not being able to park our cars where we want for a few weeks? I'm simply asking you to use the platform you have responsibly.

Gosh --- if all that important stuff is going on, why are you wasting your time on the Village Board ?  And I'm sorry if you think my postings are irresponsible, just because you don't agree with them and they cause you discomfort as an elected official.  You might catch on though, that my blog is called SHORELINES, because it focuses on Shorewood for the most part.  Maybe I will start a new blog called WHEREINTHEWORLD so I can start working on World Hunger and World Peace.

 I'll say it again ---Big Picture --- this project will have an ending. The south end of Oakland has been difficult and we will learn from it as we move north. But in the end, we will all be proud of our business district when it is done - and it will reflect the long process of discussion between village officials and residents who got involved during the planning process. Our crosswalks and major intersections will be improved and will be safer for pedestrians. And more people WILL come to Shorewood to shop and dine.

Again Big Picture --- Where All the Women are Strong, All the Men are Good Looking, and All the Kids are Above Average !

Dawn Anderson, Village Trustee

PS. Regarding your suggestion about tearing holes in the fieldstone walls to gain access to the parking lot. The SHS campus is registered as a Milwaukee County Historical Landmark. A County designation wouldn't constrain us from tearing down those walls. But would it be worth it for a couple weeks of convenient access to more asphalt on which to park our cars?

I did not and would not condone tearing down the fieldstone walls for access to the SHS parking lot.  I suggested making two temporary gaps in the walls for ingress and egress to the lot.  It is surprisingly easy and inexpensive to remove mortar from between the stones, make the gaps, and re-mortar the stones in place once the work is done.  For a few days or maybe even a couple of weeks, it probably wouldn't be worth it.  But for a MONTH !!!  Of course the most sensible thing to do,  would have been to do the work before school started ........ but darn those little details ........ they keep getting in the way of the BIG PICTURE !

Email me your comments

Email me your comments