The Daily Reporter articles from December 2004

The Daily Reporter archives from December 2004

Court reverses Public Service Commission's approval of Wisc. Energy's Oak Creek power plant.
December 1, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan Both sides of the case that on Monday reversed the Public Service Commission's approval of Wisconsin Energy Corp.'s Oak Creek power plant say the decision will probably touch a number of things beyond the project itself....

Zero-discharge wastewater treatment plant under way in Bayfield.
December 1, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Mention the words "zero discharge" in connection with a wastewater treatment plant, and people might get the impression that the facility will dump nothing once it's processed its material. That's not the case...

Commentary: Quality construction will stand the test of time.
December 1, 2004... Byline: Donald Croysdale For the past few days, we disappeared into a mountainside town in the Carolinas. What a world of difference from the instant information climate of today's world. Now Asheville is not in another country, or another...

Milwaukee courts high-tech firms.
December 2, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan In a collaboration with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's office, Towne Investments and Kuhlfusion LLC have started the city's first business incubator aimed at attracting startup technology firms. "This is a start of...

Contractors suggesting WisDOT consider alternative bidding process for asphalt, concrete projects.
December 2, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Wisconsin asphalt pavement contractors are suggesting the state Department of Transportation examine the effectiveness of a two-pronged bidding system that would allow for either concrete or asphalt on projects. ...

Commentary: Limiting housing growth is not a solution.
December 2, 2004... Byline: Matt Moroney We are coming to the close of another county and municipal budgeting cycle. City councils and town and village boards across the state are finalizing their budgets for next year and making decisions about taxes,...

Waukesha wants to be trial case for drawing Lake Michigan water.
December 3, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Waukesha city government is proposing that it be a trial case for drawing Lake Michigan water as the city grapples with an uncertain fresh-water supply. Mayor Carol Lombardi said the city would offer itself as a...

Milwaukee City Hall renovation project to go out for bids.
December 6, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan Mayor Tom Barrett said he wants the $43.5 million City Hall renovation project to exemplify city government's commitment to minority contracting, just as the building itself symbolizes Milwaukee. "It gives us in...

Summit Town Board approves proposed plan for new hospital.
December 6, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The Summit Town Board on Thursday approved a proposed $85 million Aurora Health Care hospital slated for the Pabst Farms development. The unanimous decision now sends the project to the Waukesha County Board,...

Milwaukee Alderman Michael Murphy: Waukesha's water plan's all wet.
December 7, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Milwaukee city leaders charged the city of Waukesha with moving too quickly on an arrangement to draw Lake Michigan water even as the suburban community tried to downplay its plans. Milwaukee Alderman Michael...

Milwaukee County community benefits plan advances.
December 7, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan The Milwaukee County Committee on Economic and Community Development Monday passed the Park East community benefits resolution, setting it up for full board approval on Dec. 16. The resolution, opposed by County...

Milwaukee County, Wauwatosa consider mixed-use development for 42-acre site.
December 8, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan Milwaukee County and Wauwatosa are approaching the end game of their six-year planning effort to both develop and preserve a 70-acre field on the Milwaukee County Grounds. In 1997, a county planning committee singled...

Milwaukee's Fatih Community Workers for Justice waging asbestos-abatement campaign.
December 8, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Strip the halls of all asbestos, fa la la la la, la la la la. That's the best way to protect us, fa la la la la, la la la la. Shoppers at Milwaukee's Grand Avenue Mall could hear something along those lines...

Commentary: Taxing or borrowing is only way to fund local governments.
December 8, 2004... Byline: Donald Croysdale Soon we'll receive that once-a-year gift from our village, town or city - the property tax bill. No doubt there will be the gnashing of teeth about how school tax levies are up more than twice the rate of...

Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity needs help.
December 9, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan The Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity is gearing up to build or rehabilitate 30 houses next year and is reaching out to the construction industry for help. "The challenge is to have the dollars, the families and the...

Initiative for a Competitive Milwaukee receives grants.
December 10, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan The Initiative for a Competitive Milwaukee received grants from the state and Miller Brewing Co. Tuesday and then turned around and gave a grant to Milwaukee-based Miltex Steel Fabricating. "We see business...

Panel of lawyer's rewrites Wisconsin's lien law.
December 13, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A panel of lawyers has completed an effort to rewrite the state's lien law, and now it's up to the industry to guide the proposal through the legislative process. The Construction and Public Contract Law Section...

Wisconsin's State Dept. of Commerce Secretary Cory Nettles resigns.
December 13, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell State Department of Commerce Secretary Cory Nettles is leaving the Gov. Jim Doyle's cabinet to return to law practice in Milwaukee. Nettles announced his resignation Friday, effective Dec. 31. He plans to rejoin...

Commentary: The excellent work force - the power of training.
December 13, 2004... Byline: Wayne Belanger The book "Good to Great" by Jim Collins, the co-author of "Built to Last," examines the results of a five-year research project that looked at 11 different companies. The 11 companies were selected because they made...

Wisconsin construction industry trying to gain sales-tax exemption for nonprofit project materials.
December 14, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A struggling building market might actually help the construction industry as it tries to gain a sales-tax exemption on materials purchased for nonprofit projects. The industry has been down this road before,...

Gorman and Co. proposes two affordable-housing projects in Milwaukee.
December 15, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan Gorman and Co. is moving forward with two Milwaukee affordable-housing projects, one just north of the former Park East freeway footprint and one in the Metcalf Park neighborhood. Both projects fit into the...

Milwaukee's convention business not reaching expectations.
December 16, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell In the last two months, it's come to light that revenues for the Milwaukee area's two premier convention and events centers aren't in line with projections. But time might heal some, if not most, of the wounds...

Commentary: We Energies' Wisconsin plan needed for economic development.
December 16, 2004... Byline: Matt Moroney The outcome of We Energies' appeal of the Dane County Circuit Court decision overturning the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin's decision to allow the company to go forward with its plan to build new energy...

Milwaukee County Board passes Park East Redevelopment Compact.
December 17, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan The Milwaukee County Board passed the Park East Redevelopment Compact Thursday with a veto-proof 15-4 majority. The vote lays to rest a two-year debate over the Park East land that Milwaukee-area unions and community...

Milwaukee County Board passes Park East Redevelopment Compact.
December 17, 2004... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff The Milwaukee County Board passed the Park East Redevelopment Compact Thursday with a veto-proof 15-4 majority. The vote lays to rest a two-year debate over the Park East land that Milwaukee-area unions and...

Milwaukee County Board passes the Park East Redevelopment Compact.
December 17, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan The Milwaukee County Board passed the Park East Redevelopment Compact Thursday with a veto-proof 15-4 majority. The vote lays to rest a two-year debate over the Park East land that Milwaukee-area unions and community...

Milwaukee National Labor Relations Board downgraded.
December 21, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan The National Labor Relations Board downgraded its Milwaukee office last week to cut costs, so it will retain its current 24 agents but will answer to the regional director in Minneapolis. On Friday, the five-member...

Commentary: Constructive Comments: December 21, 2004.
December 21, 2004... Byline: Dick Snow Sad to see the ethics investigations of the Opportunities Industrialization Center of Greater Milwaukee. It was the construction industry in the Milwaukee area that embraced the establishment of an OIC here 40 year...

Wisconsin contractors find market for scrap steel.
December 22, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell As the market for scrap steel tightens, demolition contractors are discovering that recycling pays, sometimes in large sums. "The steel market has certainly gotten more favorable," said Jenna Kunde, executive...

Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee coordinating homeland security efforts.
December 22, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan The Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee has set up a list of about 40 contractors who have volunteered to help if the area experiences a terrorist attack. "We're really putting together a list of...

Common Council approves nominees for Main Street Milwaukee programs.
December 22, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan The Main Street Milwaukee program is taking shape as the Common Council approved nominees to its governing board and accepted letters of intent to apply for program funding. The program is a collaboration between the...

Commentary: Simpler is better, as far as Wisconsin's sales tax rules are concerned.
December 22, 2004... Byline: Donald Croysdale Simplifying the Wisconsin sales tax rules has been a good idea for a long time. It's frustrating - and a bit embarrassing - that the flatlanders in Illinois handle sales tax on nonprofit construction projects...

WisDOT to push for design/build authority.
December 23, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state Department of Transportation is preparing to seek design/build authority in the upcoming legislative session, despite heavy resistance from contractors. Top brass at WisDOT, including Secretary Frank...

Calpine Corp. says Wisconsin utility's energy cost warnings overplayed.
December 23, 2004... Byline: Sean Ryan Within a day of the court ruling that threw out approval for We Energies' Oak Creek power plant, the utility began issuing warnings that delaying the project construction would drive up energy costs. Calpine Corp.,...

Wisconsin Supreme Court accepts two cases involving contractors.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The construction industry will have at least two days in court after the State Supreme Court voted to accept two cases involving contractors. The two suits are among 14 cases the justices will hear in a session...

Milwaukee County exec. kicks off mailing campaign for property tax freeze.
December 29, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker Tuesday kicked off a mailing campaign aimed at getting Gov. Jim Doyle to support a property tax freeze. "Even though he's vetoed that initiative twice during the first...

Former president of Wisc. Chapter of American Institute of Architects dies.
December 29, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Joseph Hilar Flad, former president of the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and a major contributor to the growth of Flad & Associates Inc., died Sunday in hospice care. He was 82. "Joe...

Wisconsin-based Westra Construction leadership changes.
December 29, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Westra Construction Inc. is undergoing a significant shift in corporate leadership as the new year approaches, company officials announced this week. Peter Roehrig, senior vice president of business development,...

Wisconsin's Top 10 Stories of 2004.
December 30, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Harrell 1. Power Problems After weathering a series of defeats in 2003, the opponents of Wisconsin Energy Corp.'s Oak Creek power plant project scored a huge victory that erased the plant's Public Service Commission...