This is the last installment of my candidate interviews for Whitefish Bay’s Village Board.  There are three candidates vying for two trustee positions on the board.  The top two vote-getters in the April election will serve a three year term.

DAVID FEE

I spoke to David Fee for a couple hours last week.   While Fee grew up in Brooklyn, NY, he’s spent the past 17 years in Whitefish Bay, and has served one term on the Village Board.  He ran unopposed three years ago, making this his first election with a challenger.

I asked Fee why he was running again.  He explained that he ran three years ago to represent the northern side of Whitefish Bay during the JCC expansion, but that you “get past that single issue pretty quickly. There are many more issues that starkly define the vision on how to manage our community. ”

Fee is pleased with a number of items he’s helped accomplish.  He represents the Board on the Shorewood/Whitefish Bay Public Health Board, and in this past term, the Board, working with the Northshore Board of Health, hired a sanitarian to execute food inspections and perform training on food safety issues in the North Shore.  Responding to his concerns for the tax-payer subsidy of this service, the communities voted to fund it primarily through the license fees, and to make it subject to efficacy audits to determine the cost effectiveness of annual and complaint based inspections.

Another item Fee was proud of, was the new rules for the Historic Preservation Commission.  The original draft allowed the unelected commission to designate a property as Historic without the approval of the homeowner.  Fee believed that over-stepped bounds and reduced homeowner rights, and obtained an amendment that dictates a homeowner must approve of the designation.

Fee believes the new rules concerning demolitions hit the mark as well, as he believes there is wisdom in the “organic replacement” of housing stock in the village.   “When renovations are managed through the Architectural Review Commission (ARC) to protect size and scale, demolition and renewal can add value to a block, and tax base to the community”, he said. 

We then turned to the issues surrounding Silver Spring.  “Silver Spring is a really disappointing commercial strip.  There are virtually no trees.  The way the area is framed is in a sorry state.”

Fee provided this quote:  “Though a village survey found support for multi-use development up to 4 stories (Johnson Bank building), I am concerned that such extensive development the length of the street would drastically change the image of Whitefish Bay.  I understand the CDA echoes text book planning to utilize a mixed used development with condos as a tool to enliven a commercial strip.  My concern is that with the limited space of Silver Spring, and the existing residential density WFB, such mixed use would have marginal impact on the night life of The Bay.  Given the significant number of un-leased apartments and office space in the new Bayshore Town Centre, and the below expected performance of virtually all the restaurants, I am very cautious on any joint development the Village would invest in through the eminent domain process.”

Fee pointed to fellow Board Member, Rita Cheng as an expert on how TIF monies should be used in redevelopment, and he summarized her repeated advice to the CDA and Board that “TIF money should go into infrastructure, like streetscaping, that benefits the whole community in the long term.”   While skeptical, he is open to using TIF dollars for individual projects that subsidize one developer “if there is a clear business plan that indicates potential merchants that would occupy the space,” Fee added.

We spoke at length about the Talbots/Famous Footwear spot, and his vote to deny the village the use of Eminent Domain to purchase the property and try to develop it in accordance with the CDA’s master plan. Fee is joined by Trustees Brennan, Berg, and Cheng, who are against this process.  In broad terms, Fee said he "will not vote for such action unless there is a solid business plan with identified financial partners."  He said prefers “to negotiate for the site on the open market, rather than use eminent domain to force a ‘fair market valuation’ on the property owner.”

He stated a number of times that he would keep an open mind about the Village working with developers for Silver Spring, “but you can’t chase it.  If there was a great business plan put forth, and a reason to believe it was a workable concept, I could see the village ponying up.   No such plan has been presented at this point.”   He also said he “had a philosophical problem with using eminent domain in a selective environment.  If the property was clearly blighted, sure, but in this case it was a heavy handed ploy, and the village doesn’t have a plan for the property.”

Fee believes that if the Village were to ever propose making large investments in Silver Spring, he would support putting them to a referendum, so the citizens could have a vote. 

Fee concluded with explaining how he loves Whitefish Bay.  “It’s a special place.  Development can’t be rushed, and the first rule is to do no harm.   Governmental action can have unintended consequences and do far greater damage beyond the problem that was being solved.” 

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I wish to thank David for taking the time for the interview. This concludes the candidate interview series. 

I’m pleased all the candidates made themselves available for this, and learned a great deal about the political environment of Whitefish Bay in this process.

In mid-March, I will write summary of how I see the issues, the race, and who I will be voting for, and why.

Be sure to read the interviews of the other candidates:

• Interview with Tom Fehring (Running for Trustee)
• Interview with Julie Siegel  (Running for Trustee) 
• Interview with Katie Pritchard  (Running Unopposed for Board President)

As announced a few weeks ago, we have a race for Whitefish Bay Village Board President. Katie Pritchard is seeking her 3rd three-year term and is being challenged by Doug Weas.

While the NorthShoreNOW covered the Village Board races .. it dedicated about 3 sentences to each candidate. That’s where this blog comes in, as I will try to interview each of the five candidates running for the three spots on our Board of Trustees, and give them ample space to talk about the issues.  

KATHLEEN PRITCHARD

I sat down with Katie Pritchard and interviewed her for about an hour this Sunday.  To date, I’ve interviewed three other candidates, all new-comers to the Whitefish Bay political scene.  Pritchard is the first incumbent I’ve spoken to, and thus, the interview was vastly different.

We already know who Pritchard is, as she’s led the village for two terms, and has had a hand in every major decision for her 6 years in office.    We remember how, in 2002, she challenged James Gormley, who held the position for a dozen years.  The 2002 challenge was unusual, as Whitefish Bay had gone 55 years since an incumbent Village President had even been challenged (an amazing factoid.)   Pritchard was re-elected in 2005 unopposed, but this year, a challenger, Doug Weas,  has surfaced and Pritchard must defend her position.

The defense starts with commentary about the past 6 years.  I asked Pritchard for her accomplishments over this period, and in all honesty, was impressed with the drumbeat of items. 

She inherited a Village budget in deficit status, and has changed that to a surplus over 6 years.  Pritchard has been directly involved in creating the Village’s first Community Development Authority (CDA) and Historic Preservation Commission, as well as creating a Village Financing plan, and 5-year Capital Improvement plan where none existed before.  There are also new regulations about residential demolitions that were created this past term.  She is also proud of her effort to fill every Village commission with new volunteers on a regular basis.  (No small feat.)

While Pritchard is sensitive to Silver Spring ’s situation, she would like to point out the good changes that have occurred over 6 years.  The Silver Spring business district has increased in assessed value from $36 Million to $65M.  She explained that some businesses on The Drive have had their best years ever, and while there are vacancies, new businesses have entered the village in recent history, from the Balia Wellness Center, to Hounds Around Town, and Milwaukee’s Finest Guitars to name a few, and nearly every building strip on Silver Spring has taken advantage of the façade improvement program the Village funds. 

We spoke briefly about the status of the most recent story about Silver Spring and its redevelopment, concerning an Aurora Clinic moving in to the current Talbot’s/Famous Footwear location.  In October of last year, the Board had voted to initiate Eminent Domain unless the property owners submitted a proposal that fit the Community Development Authority's master plan for the business district.  Since none was submitted, I asked Pritchard what had happened.   “Eminent Domain needs 4 votes on the board.  We have 3,” Pritchard explained.  I also asked what the chances are that Aurora would win approval, and with a wink, she said “Well, Aurora is usually pretty successful with this kind of thing.”

Pritchard does believe the Talbot’s property is a “stronghold” and she would like to see a vibrant Silver Sprint business district, with multiple restaurants and residences for empty-nesters who could take advantage of the shopping and grocery offerings on the block.   She agrees that a Business Improvement District would be great, but it has been voted down (by the business owners) in the past.  "I believe that the most successful redevelopment efforts require a partnership between businesses and government," with business in the lead, not the Village Board. 

Finally, we did speak about what I had written, concerning her Bay Leaves column, where I’d suggested that there is a lack of information and communication in Whitefish Bay that should be addressed.  Pritchard defended her position, and listed her efforts to inform the Villagers, with quarterly Bay Leaves and monthly “Saturday Morning Coffee” with the Village President, which has been attended by as many as 45 people.  Pritchard believes it is the responsibility of the citizenry to be informed, and to seek out information on their own.

I wish to thank Katie for taking the time to talk with me.  I will have an interview with Doug Weas up tomorrow.

Trustee James Brennan said his abstention should have been considered a "no" vote, under Robert's Rules of Order, leaving the vote tied. A tie vote would mean the motion failed.

When the original vote for using Eminent Domain on the Famous Footwear/Talbots building passed 3-2, one Trustee recused himself, and Jim Brennan abstained.

Now, it appears, Trustee Brennan wanted the measure to fail, now arguing that his abstention should have been counted as a NO vote. The village's attorney has explained that an abstention is a blank vote, and the measure stands as originally reported.

Making Silver Spring into a vibrant community asset continues to be an uphill battle.

1. A 3-story parking garage. Everybody loves parking!
   
   
2. We need another bank on Silver Spring. We only have 9 in a ½ mile radius, and that's clearly not enough to meet our needs. Or how about a usurious check-cashing place?
   
   
3. Another gas station. Only 5 of these within a 2 minute drive.
   
   
4. Something in the rug or carpet industry. Whitefish Bay homes are notoriously in need of floor coverings. 3 of these isn't enough.
   
   
5. How about a used-car lot? Whitefish Bay is appallingly underserved in this regard .. as well as adult video stores.
   
   
6. Another coffee house. Can't have enough Starbucks in the area. Sure there's one on the north side of Silver Spring. The south side of Silver Spring is woefully un-caffeinated.
   
   
7. How about another pharmacy? We've only got Walgreens, CVS, and Fitzgerald's already. Clearly, we could use another one of those. We need our drugs asap, and we can't be driving over 7/10ths of a mile.
   
   
8. Another luxury condo development would be great, too. The occupancy rate for the 5600 Lake Drive is approaching 20% after a year, which means 5 years from now, that'll be full and we'll need new condos.
   
   
9. Three words: Off Track Betting

Did I miss any great ideas?
Join in and write them below!