This Just In...
Kevin Fischer is an award-winning veteran broadcaster who has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for nearly three decades.
Kevin, who is a legislative aide to state Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, “INTERchange,” on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, in Franklin.
My thoughts on tonight's big meeting
By Kevin Fischer
Thursday, May 31 2007, 06:22 PM
I’ve been asked to weigh in on tonight’s important Plan Commission meeting.
Since it starts in less than an hour, I’ll be succinct.
1) Months ago, I was the first local blogger to express disappointment in a Target being selected for the Shoppes of Wyndham Village development. Not horrible, but not great. Target isn’t a Macy’s, Younker’s, Nordstrom’s, or Crate and Barrel. But it won’t turn Franklin into a ghetto.
2) Franklin is getting not one, but two Sendik’s stores. That’s a coup. Sendik’s is big stuff. Let’s not lose sight of the fact that a quality retail outlet will be included.
3) I understand people want a representative site that is environmentally sound and pleasing. But we need to be reasonable, and I hope that will be the tone tonight. Getting noses out of shape because there might be too many parking spaces or people will hear the slamming of car doors is not reasonable.
4) Unreasonable is the angst about the breakdown this week of the city of Franklin web site. Some people smelled a big controversy and a future Oliver Stone movie. Time to relax, folks.
5) I consider Mark Carstensen to be an honest, committed businessman who genuinely wants this project to succeed and fulfilling of the needs of Franklin residents.
6) And finally, I have to shake my head at all the consternation about this development just not being good enough, not upscale enough. Where was this crowd when a gas station, yes, a gas station was selected and is now going up in record time at the corner of 51st and Rawson? Not a peep out of anyone about aesthetics, the environment, noise. Not a single concern or question raised about whether a gas station is the wisest economic development choice for a prime location in Franklin’s future downtown. Go figure.
Be reasonable everyone, and here’s hoping for a productive meeting.
