BUTLER PLANS BOOK

Special to the Readers of Milwaukeeworld.com

[Dear Reader: There are a number of items that have been summerfestering in my in box, so I thought I'd spend some time on this little grab bag. There are a couple of amusing tidbits here and there, perhaps even some of substance. --Ed.]

By Michael Horne

Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler is still on the bench until August 1st, 2008, when successor Michael Gabelman replaces him. Butler says he's busy writing decisions, but has plans to write a book once he hangs up his robe. It will be a non-fiction work, he assures us, so you can imagine it might be an electoral story written by a guy who got savaged by special interest groups. One gang that opposed Butler was the lead paint manufacturers, who have been meddling in political races in many states. Butler was targeted when he wrote the decision allowing the paint manufacturers to be sued en masse without having to identify which company's paint made which children sick.

When the city's lawsuit against the paint manufacturers came to court, it was heard by Judge Timothy Dugan, who ruled in favor of the lead paint industry. Now it appears that Dugan, as first mentioned here, will be appointed by President Bush to the federal bench. I wonder if the Dugan ruling in the lead paint case was the factor that swayed the decision in his favor. Makes for a nice story line, and one worth watching in other jurisdictions.
Back to Butler -- while he's still a Supreme Court Justice he is prohibited from soliciting any employment offers, which puts him in an unusual position. He knows when his job will end, but he is unable at this time to pursue a new one. Thank goodness for unemployment checks!

CHIEF BEAN COUNTER

Chief Edward Flynn has shown some flair at his new position, including redesigned squad cars, redesigned uniforms and novel approaches such as public roll call inspections of his troops, such as conducted last evening, Wednesday, June 25th, 2008. The Chief's next performance will be a financial one, since it is budget time, and his department gets more budget than any other. Last week we learned he was able to secure additional funding for police security at Brewers games. Now comes the news that the chief is keeping meticulous records on police costs for the city's festivals and events. He'll be in a position to argue that overtime costs could be partially compensated for by increased permit fees for special events. Juneteenth Day, for example, cost about $41,000 for police protection, while the fee revenue was just over $1,000. (Fun Fact: Chief Flynn lives on the lower east side, not far from Brady Street. His predecessors preferred to live as close to the city's furthest borders as possible. He's been known to toss back a pint or two at nearby County Clare. He had luncheon today on the deck of Fratello's on the Milwaukee River.)
--Michael Horne

MILWAUKEE'S BEST SPOKESWOMEN

Today, Thursday, June 26th, 2008, is opening day for Summerfest, "The World's Largest Music Festival," and it is fun to see the folks who haven't been down to the Historic Third Ward in a few years discovering that the places they used to park at are now occupied by substantial buildings. One change we are still adjusting to here in Milwaukee is Summerfest without Elizabeth "Bo" Black. Bo was a very skilled administrator and a shrewd negotiator. (She was able to tear former Milwaukee World Festivals Board President Frank Busalacchi to shreds during negotiations over her salary and the buyout of her contract in 2003, as milwaukeeworld reported in an article by Mark Kass.) As we reported then, Bo loved the limelight, and for19 years she was the face of Summerfest. She would be on every news show on every channel every morning, noon and night throughout the Summerfest run, and was perhaps the most recognized woman in Milwaukee. Her successor, Don Smiley, does a good job of promoting the festival and appears to manage it well, but people don't stop what they are doing to hear what he has to say and see what outfit he's wearing this morning like they did in the Days of Bo.
This got me thinking about today's best spokeswomen. We have Beth Nicols of the Downtown Business Improvement District as one. Beth, like Bo, has used her blondeness to her advantage, allowing her coiffure to mask her very serious and effective management skills. But when she is on air talking about the advantages of living, working and playing downtown, her enthusiasm is infectious, and her excited, bubbly delivery perfectly matches her message.
Another star is Cecelia Gilbert of the City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works. Whenever the city's infrastructure blows a gasket, her concise delivery is a comfort. She's the woman on the news in the morning telling us how many snow plows have been deployed on the city's streets. In addition to her broadcast responsibilities, Cecilia is also responsible for handling special permits. She was the go-to person when the Hollywood folks came to town with their innumerable demands during the filming of the Dillinger movie. (I gather she was happy to see them leave.) Most of Cecilia's work is done via telephone, but she is also very capable on television. The evolution of her hairstyles over the years would be a fitting study for an anthropologist.
Milwaukee County Parks Director Sue Black is also a standout. No relation to Bo, Sue is also a capable administrator of a complex attraction as well as its best spokesperson. She is a staple of the morning news shows, and her "hey guys, come on down and enjoy this beautiful park" informality is fresh and engaging.
An up-and-comer is Tiffany Wynn of the Milwaukee Fire Department, who has been handling crazy stuff like ammonia leaks in the Federal Building and a burning City Hall with aplomb and confidence.
--Michael Horne

I"M WAITING FOR THE FOLKS AT MARCUS TO CONFIRM THEIR DEAL TO ROLL OUT MORE ZAFFIRO'S PIZZA JOINTS -- MAYBE 100 OF THEM, PATTERNED AFTER THE ORIGINAL STILL IN BUSINESS ON N. FARWELL AVE. SINCE 1954

But they haven't done so yet, and Mike Zaffiro is a hard guy to catch.
--Michael Horne

HINES: LIQUOR CONTROL SHOULD STAY WITH COUNCIL
U.S. Attorney and constitutional scholar Steven Biskupic is apparently not a strict constructionist when it comes to meddling in other people's business. After the conviction of Michael McGee on federal bribery and extortion charges he suggested that the city should adopt a new method of granting liquor licenses. Mayor Tom Barrett chirped in with the same message, in what appears to be a raw grab for the sole city power delegated exclusively to the Common Council. Council President Willie Hines immediately fired back his response that the problem was with McGee and not with our system of granting licenses (which apparently even the mayor didn't understand as recently as a few weeks ago). The so-called "aldermanic privilege" by which aldermen can allegedly veto license applications in their districts applies only to new license applications, and even then does not always succeed. Once granted, a license becomes tangible property for the license holder and cannot be revoked or non-renewed without due process. Even if the entire common council votes unanimously to revoke a license, the matter can still be taken to court for adjudication. As a practical matter, though, owners of troubled establishments usually surrender their licenses voluntarily when pressured by the council. In a system without council participation the only way to achieve this would be through the courts. Also, there seems to be a feeling by Biskupic and others that the council passes licenses on whim. In fact, as Hines notes, every license hearing includes the active participation of the police department and the city attorney. No other process provides the citizen participation as does Milwaukee's. And none makes for better television.
--Michael Horne