Here are questions from readers:

Mayor Ryan McCue, you are an Irish Catholic and a church going person why did you pick this Thursday, during the largest religious week, the holy week to hold this important meeting.  As you are aware that you cannot even have a funeral after 5:00pm Friday until Monday after Easter!

What are the plans for the site formerly Thirsty Moose?

What current negotiations are happening with businesses to revive the City of Cudahy?  Please be specific.

Schools, PTAs, Police, Fire have all used the PhoneBlast system to notify important information, has the Mayor and local officials thought about using this to get out information?

How are the Cudahy Schools doing compared to local, state and national?  Please be specific in ranking of each section.  What plans and actions are being promoted to increase quality education in Cudahy?

Have local businesses been approached to help in mentoring and volunteering at local schools for programs such as LegoRobotics, Odyssey of the Mind, or other educational and artistic enrichment programs?

What are the duties and responsibilities of the City of Cudahy?  Are these different from other cities?  If so, why?

Did you run on an anti-Wal-Mart platform?

Why is the city proposing to pay $30 million dollars for the ice port site? 

Why did you move from the old mayor's office, which you said was too closed off and dark, yet was open and easily accessible to the public?  Then you chose to move from that old office to the glassed in office only to spend thousands to wall it off.  Would it not made more sense or better yet, any sense to just remodel the old Mayor’s office?

Why was a referendum not done for Wal-Mart in Cudahy?

Is it true that there was/is another Tannery company interested in moving in the Cudahy Tannery?

Is the city still looking into purchasing the Cudahy Tannery to put a road in on Edgerton?

Did you turn in for any reimbursement of costs or damages due to your house being vandalized to the city?

Since I will not be able to attend Mayor McCue’s State of The City Address, I have made up a list of questions that maybe someone in the crowd could ask and hopeful Mayor McCue will answer them.  There are an awful lot of questions Mayor McCue could just demystify for us!

Mayor McCue it might help you to divulge some of these in your speech instead of making your speech a pre-campaign diatribe. 

How would you grade yourself as Cudahy’s Mayor?

What are your job duties?

Do you feel the Cudahy Mayor’s job is part time?

Does the city staff work for the Mayor?

What are the goals for Lara Fritts?

Who keeps track of your sick, personal days, and vacation time?

Why is there no City car use policy and log put in place yet?

Once the city takes possession of the property, when do they propose beginning environmental remediation, and how much will it cost the taxpayers?

Why could we not get a scout or school group to adopt and plant flower baskets rather than paying thousands of dollars to a company which no longer has it's business located in the city of Cudahy?

With residential homes devaluing at a rate of 5 to 10 % per year, how do you to propose to balance the budget yearly with the cities overall value in a declining mode?

In your 2007 campaign platform you claimed, “The past two budgets, Mayor Hohenfeldt has presented deficit budgets” do you have an evidence to back up that claim?

Why doesn’t Cudahy have a defined downtown and since it doesn’t how can the Master Plan call for certain things to happen downtown if one is not defined?

Are you going to hold a referendum so the citizens can vote on the KRM since this is a very big deal that will affect the Cudahy residents vastly?

Was it your idea to put flowerpots on the light polls downtown?

Are you okay with 97 of 250 city jobs being held by non-Cudahy residents including our Police Chief, Superintendent of our schools and now our Fire Chief?

Complaints resonate amid higher tax bills, lower property values

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/36734324.html

Nice quiet small town type community on Lake Michigan. The main disadvantage is the high cost of property taxes. Wisconsin has some of the highest property taxes in the U.S.

If you have a question for Mayor Ryan McCue just post it in the comments section!

Mayor…

The City’s website http://www.ci.cudahy.wi.us/.  I like to think of it as “The People’s Website.”  If you look at it, it meets the basic needs of a city website created in the late 1990’s.

Mayor Ryan McCue you promised us that we would get a new updated City Website.  Where is it?

Where is the transparency in your administration?

Why are not public documents like the Economic Director Budget scanned and placed on the site?

In this day and age online documents are now the norm!

Why do you not want your citizens to be informed?

The Cudahy Economic Director is getting a new one http://www.cudahy4business.com/

Just charge the city’s new one to the TIF like all of the other things.

The TIF Credit Card.  Just swipe the magic card! 

Too bad, we cannot make the Mayor swipe in and out when going to City Hall.  Then we could audit his time.  Right now, you cannot because they only swipe in.  NO swiping out!  Odd don’t you think?

As I said before, it would be nice if the City would start to collect the citizen's email addresses by having people signup on the City Website and email out items like when meetings are, the minutes, newsletters, and such.

All of this talk from Mayor McCue to move Cudahy forward and our newsletter and city website are so in the past.

Mayor McCue is selling “We The People” make believe! 

Yes, it is for real!  This is NOT an April fool’s Day Joke.  Mayor McCue is finally going to have the State of the City address.

McCue will discuss city issues and conduct a question-and-answer session.

“Better late than never” goes the saying.  Let us hope and pray that Mayor McCue can answer many of the topics I have raised.  I know this sounds very cynical but isn't it an amazing coincidence that this has appeared just after I called Mayor McCue on not doing one?  (In fact, 2 years in a row)

I am just sorry I will not be able to attend.  I will be out of the state on business trying to wrap up work for the week before Good Friday.

I have made arrangements to have the address taped.  Not sure if the person is going to video record it, but that was the impression I received.

We might want to capture Mayor McCue in his glory as he spins the truth and bends the facts.  Maybe he will attempt to explain the "cute-sifying" of downtown as a necessity to bring economic and personal hope to an area neglected by the city during this almost depression-like economic downturn! 

Do people need everything explained in excruciating detail?  I crave ambiguity.  The most exciting possibilities are what we individually imagine lives in the gaps of our understanding.  NOT!

Make sure to have Mayor McCue explain everything in a real A-B-C fashion otherwise, we might just get that ambiguity. 

If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with BS.  Don’t let that happen either!

I am sure he will have the supporters there give him the "ohhs" and "ahhs" hanging on his every syllable; his every word.  It might even feel like the Forth of July during the grand finale.

It was a good feeling I felt after receiving this email:

You are driving him nuts!

Randy:

Just wanted to let you know I ran into one someone from city hall today.  To quote them, "That guy is driving McCue nuts this week!"  Apparently, McCue, "Captain Tragedy,” reads your blog on a regular basis, and unfortunately for him, but fortunately for you, can't find a way to make you retract your statements, because you speak the truth!  Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!”

Remember, just when you think you're having a bad week, or he or one of his cronies are on your back, you must be doing and writing the right thing! 

You are probably one of the most caring people within this community.  Keep up the good work!

Mayor McCue is being called on the carpet for his decision-making or lack there of!  Why some people want to shoot the messenger is beyond me.

But hey, the world is full of village idiots.  And you are not supposed to argue with the village idiot since they are OMNIPOTENT!

I look at like this: Just wipe, flush, forget and move on......

Mayor McCue has held this city for ransom and runs it in his interest, not ours'.  If nothing is done, a bad situation could become dramatically worse.  We don’t need to destroy Cudahy to save it... We just need to act responsibly and act now!

A fish does not know it is wet, since it has no frame of reference.  Without pointing out the failures, mistakes, and what a Mayor should not do, how can Mayor McCue do better?

I want McCue to succeed, to have Cudahy succeed!  Just remember, if you choose failure than failure will choose you!

Silence is complicity.  Only by standing up for what's right and never letting down can we say we are doing our part.

Speaking of STANDING UP, last week I was called “The Mark Belling of Cudahy”.  I take that as a compliment and so did my friend Jay Weber.

Jay told me “Hey!  You've arrived then.  You're a real pundit now....”

Pundit

1. a learned person, expert, or authority.

2. a person who makes comments or judgments, esp. in an authoritative manner; critic or commentator.

I don’t think that was the reaction the person calling me that wanted or expected!

And to head off Mr. JennyCraig or whatever fake name he will use, slim Joe, Sloppy Joe, list can go on, NO my blogs and I are not April fool’s Day Joke(s) either.

Randy,

http://www.mainstreet.com/article/moneyinvesting/news/cramer-my-response-white-house

http://www.mainstreet.com

I wish to share some comments I received in emails about Mayor McCue’s failure as a leader and Mayor.  My thoughts are in blue.

I guess that you might want to include some of these other items in your report.  Such as the hours he is in the office (from 8am to 12 noon only) four days a week some Fridays, but not many.  Again, I ask why don’t we have a system to monitor the hours our Mayor works, you know the time he is billing us for his expertise as Mayor.  I wonder how many Fridays he has taken off to buy a puppy?

After the election, he has repeatedly stated that he felt the mayor's job in Cudahy is only a part time, yet he wants a full time salary.  He did pick up working part time but getting paid for full time, at Milwaukee County Government.  With the amount of hours he puts in, if you prorated the salary, we pay him over $100 per hour.  Wow that is just incredible the amount of money we are wasting!

What a great part-time job.  If he is able to leave early every day there simply can't be enough executive work to warrant the hiring of a personal assistant, yet when Judy Masarik left, he worked to rehire Carolyn (who does not live in Cudahy) to fill the position and even gave her a tremendous raise in salary over Judy's salary cap.

What happen to all of the resumes that Robert Goss had of people wanting to fill that job?  Where was the process than?  Didn’t McCue say no fast tracking?  I did ask the Alderpersons and Mayor this question - It is my understand that deputy clerk / confidential secretary (Judy Masarak), just quit and the city is bringing back Carolyn Thoms-Neary, even though the job description was not even hammered out as director of office services.  If the personnel committee NEVER met about this idea how can it be passed?

What about the thousands of tax dollars he used to "upgrade” the front desk area at city hall after someone "shot out" the front door to city hall last year.  The excuse at the time was there should be a safety glass to separate the public from the clerk's desks.  All of the changes took place at city hall where done without checking with the inspection department for building code compliance.  What about ADA compliance?

None of the changes created a "safe zone" for the clerk's, besides there was already a drop down metal gate to fend off threatening individuals.  On the contrary, the money was used for the changes that remodeled the mayor’s glassed in office so that there are now solid interior walls with small windows that only look out into the other office areas and you can't see if the mayor is in or not!  Is that done on purpose so people have no clue if Mayor McCue is working?  Why were the blinds not reused or sold?  What happen to the bidding process for the remodeling?

A question comes to bear.  Why did he move from the old mayor's office, which he said was too closed off and dark, yet was open and easily accessible to the public?  He chose to move from that old office to the glassed in office only to spend thousands to wall it off.

I still have respect for the office of the Mayor, just not the Mayor himself.

Joe Henika was appointed to the Board of Review at the 1st Council meeting in May 2008.  I saw that after they put the minutes on line.  Maybe that is why he is leading the move Wal-Mart to another location charge, however, his constant pounding about the taxpayers, as well as not giving Kasten a dime, are a bit conflicting.

Who said this - Committee Appointment Process: Once elected as your Mayor, I will make committee appointments based on the persons experience, subject knowledge and education.  Not based on their political connections.  I believe a strong committee structure will help make the city run smoothly.  In order to get fresh new ideas, I will work to get new people involved on committees.

Did McCue, who seems like a control freak, for appointments and has put people on that that supported him on a committee, welcome Joe with open arms?  This one is a little weird since Joe Henika was not in his corner.

He talked about is committee appointments being non-political, however, anyone he has added to a committee since taking over was a major McCue supporter.  Just the reason we don’t need an appointed Clerk Treasurer.

See I think the strategy has changed and the open record documents gathered so far will be given to those running against McCue for Mayor so they can exploit them and hopeful get McCue to answer the questions.

The Mayor ran on a platform to fix the problem of absentee landlords, bring business to Cudahy, and make it a new day!

Unfortunately, it is now a worse day for Cudahy, and the same old sh****!!

Randy, excuse me for using this for other than Wal-Mart but I have never seen your email address before and often wanted to contact you, first let me say keep up the good work keeping us informed.

My problem is the Development Director position at $80,000.00 per year when other folks are losing jobs and taxes go up with no increase in services. I just don't feel this position needs to be full time nor staffed by some perceived expert. I feel someone who has lived there life in Cudahy, raising a family, whatever, would have more of a feeling what is needed in the line of business and recreation than some out of towner.

I think a great start would be a volunteer group of Cudahy retired folks who would be willing to set down a couple of times a week (at ones home or at the Library, they would not need office space) and see what is going on in neighboring suburbs and what we need and put together the info and present to the City. 

It could also be published in the Cudahy Now for citizen’s comments and ideas.  There is no assurance this idea would work but we certainly are not getting anywhere the way we are going. We need to come to agreement the this is Cudahy. We are what we are, lets make the best of it and grow accordingly. We can't be Sacs 5th avenue.

Well, not well written and I get a little carried away but that maybe you could get some ideas from this. I get upset every time I see our beautiful library hidden from view by the bankrupt condo. Before they were built I had suggested that the green space be used for a band shell, picnic area etc where people could come in the evening for a band concert and just socialize. By the time I knew what was going on it was to late.  Anyway, I am not a blogger and would just as soon keep my name out of the paper but I do enjoy reading your comments and all subjects....

Carry On

Just imagine, someone will fall for one of these.

I always wanted one of these, but I never received one!  I will now contact this guy and be rich! :) 

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Mr. Peter Wong." <woodstage@bluewin.ch>
Date: February 24, 2009 11:31:57 PM CST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Reply-To: woodstage@bluewin.ch

Hello

I am Mr.Peter from Hong Kong.I have a deceased client funds in my bank and i need you to front  as beneficiary,
contact me for more information via j.peterwong4@yahoo.com.hk

Sincerely
Mr.Peter

YOU HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED FROM DANIEL WILLIAMS  

 "Williams & Associates.co.za" <danielssza2019@mac.com>  to recipients

Managing Partner(Williams Chambers)

From:Williams & Associates

Republic of South Africa.

+ 27 79 065 7980

On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Mr. Patrick

Cole, I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter was returned undelivered.

I attempt again the same email address on the Will.

I wish to notify you that late Mr.Patrick Cole, made you a beneficiary to his Will.

He left the sum of Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars (USD$10,5M )

to you in the codicil.Please if I reach you as I am hopeful, endeavour to get back

to me as soon as possible to enable me conclude my Job, to you in the

codicil & last testament to his will. I hope to hear from you in

no distant date.

Yours in His service,

Barrister Williams (For Williams & Associates)

Protect yourself from this scam as well!

New scam circulating

This scam alert comes from Patti Wallner, president of the Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce:

 Dear Members,

This concerns a Scam Alert based on reports from Small Business Administration (SBA) districts across the country.  Someone is using stationery with what appears to be SBA letterhead to small businesses nationwide.  It advises businesses that they may be eligible for a tax rebate under the Economic Stimulus Act and that SBA is assessing their eligibility for such a rebate.  The letter asks business to provide the name of its bank and account numbers.

Needless to say, SBA does not do that, but a lot of people won't know that.  This email warns our members not to respond to letters falsely claiming to have been sent by the SBA asking for bank account information in order to quality them for federal tax rebates.

Here's what we have received from SBA on the matter.

The U.S. Small Business Administration issued a scam alert today to small businesses, warning them not to respond to letters falsely claiming to have been sent by the SBA asking for bank account information in order to qualify them for federal tax rebates.

The fraudulent letters were sent out with what appears to be an SBA letterhead to small businesses across the country, advising recipients that they may be eligible for a tax rebate under the Economic Stimulus Act, and that SBA is assessing their eligibility for such a rebate.  The letter asks the small business to provide the name of its bank and account number.

 These letters have not been sent by or authorized by the SBA, and all small businesses are strongly advised not to respond to them.

The scheme is similar in many ways to e-mail scams often referred to as "phishing" that seek personal data and financial account information that enables another party to access and individual's bank accounts or to engage in identity theft.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/39912577.html