Message from the Mayor:
One of the responsibilities of being the Mayor of a community is to welcome new businesses that come to our city. On Saturday, September 22nd, I joined Milwaukee County Supervisor Steve Taylor at the grand opening of Sweet Music in the Market Place Village, a new local music store which offers music sales, repair, and lessons, including piano and guitar. Owners Dana and Michele chose to move up to Oak Creek from the southern part of the United States, after doing an extensive search for a community that met the needs of their family. They chose Oak Creek, and we welcome them as the newest business to call Oak Creek home.

On Sunday, September 23rd, I attended a re-dedication of the memorial in front of the Oelschlaeger-Dallmann American Legion Post 434, for the placement of new bricks honoring Lt. Brian Murphy, Police Officer Sam Lenda, and each of the victims of the Sikh Temple shooting on August 5th. A significant crowd gathered to hear the stories about our newest heroes, but also the men and women who have filled that role in our past. Gary Wetzel, one of less than 100 surviving Medal of Honor winners was present, as well as many local veterans, and family members from the Sikh Temple. After the event I talked with a Sikh family who had traveled one thousand miles to Oak Creek from Saskatchewan to grieve with their community members at the Temple. Aldermen Dan Buciewicz and Dan Jacubczyk were also there to show their support. If you would like to see the memorial, it is located at 9327 S. Shepard Avenue, on the east side of the Legion Post.

In 2012 the City of Oak Creek has worked hard to identify grants and other funding opportunities which help to advance the community priorities identified by our citizens. Since January of this year, the City of Oak Creek has received $2,661,251.00 of grants and approved use of funds, with several more applications still pending. This additional funding has helped our city, and ultimately our citizens, in the following areas: Park Development/Purchase of Fire and Police equipment/Environmental remediation of the former Delphi site/ Lakefront property acquisition/Expanded Health Services/Roadway Construction and Storm Water Management. Receiving these funds means that we can enhance our quality of life in Oak Creek without impacting the tax burden on our residents, a goal of our Common Council, and of my office. Having clear community objectives, involving the public in decision making, and encouraging development that makes sense for Oak Creek, will continue to be our focus in 2013.

We now have a date for the start of my Mayor’s Fitness/Weight Loss Challenge! On Saturday, November 10th we will have a community-wide kickoff to our wellness initiative, inviting residents to work together to get healthier, eat better, and to promote exercise and fitness. In the next couple weeks we’ll launch our Facebook page for the Challenge, providing registration information and other links to our business sponsors and to future events. I’ve pledged to lose 20 pounds by mid-February, join me in getting there.

Fantastic weather for the final week of September…get out there and enjoy it!

Steve