The Daily Reporter articles from January 2005

The Daily Reporter archives from January 2005

Court: Wisconsin Dept. of Workforce Development's debarment holds.
January 3, 2005... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state Department of Workforce Development can debar a contractor if it violates the prevailing-wage law, a state appeals court ruled last week. The 3rd District Court of Appeals in Wausau decided on Dec. 28...

Deficit to be Wisconsin lawmakers' first focus.
January 4, 2005... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The Wisconsin Legislature officially returned to work on Monday, and the immediate focus for lawmakers is correcting the state's $1.6 billion budget deficit. With the oaths of office completed, the Republican...

Wisconsin's J.H. Findorff and Sons wins collective- bargaining case.
January 4, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan A federal appeals court decided on Thursday in favor of J.H. Findorff and Son on a collective-bargaining case, reversing an earlier ruling siding with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139. The...

Milwaukee County Exec. Scott Walker organizing anti-Park East Redevelopment Compact campaign.
January 6, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's campaign office is organizing an effort to get residents to urge their county supervisors to support his veto of the Park East Redevelopment Compact. "If the veto isn't...

Highway 23 widening near Fond du Lac opposed.
January 6, 2005... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Environmental activists, landowners and a member of an influential transportation committee have voiced their opposition to a proposed highway-widening project near Fond du Lac. The opposition came as the state...

Milwaukee's 16th Annual Home Builders Expo starts today.
January 6, 2005... Byline: Matt Moroney If you are planning to build a new home or to remodel, renovate or update your current home, you won't want to miss the 16th Annual Home Builders Expo. This year's expo will be the largest in the event's history with...

Group to continue its case to claim ownership to parts of the Milwaukee's PabstCity project.
January 10, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan A Milwaukee Circuit Court at the end of December left the door open for the Brew City Redevelopment Group to continue its case to claim ownership to parts of the PabstCity project. Brew City, owned by local developer...

Commentary: Resolutions for the business industry.
January 10, 2005... Byline: John Finerty Each year, many of us resolve to lose weight, quit smoking, exercise more or get our finances in order. We suggest a few business resolutions for the new year to help employers get through the next 12 months. No....

Milwaukee County Exec. Scott Walker delivers State of the County address.
January 11, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's State of the County address outlined four large projects that he wants to organize with help from the city, Department of Transportation and private developers. "There are a...

Marcus Theatres to tear down Waukesha, Brookfield theaters, build 17-screen theater.
January 12, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan Marcus Theatres Corp. Monday announced plans to tear down two theaters in Waukesha and Brookfield and replace them with a new 17-screen theater it wants to start building this spring. "It's being designed from the...

Gov. Doyle to respond to Republican Party of Wisconsin's records request.
January 13, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan Gov. Jim Doyle's office will respond to the Republican Party of Wisconsin's request for records relating to the state Department of Transportation's study on outsourcing engineering work, said Melanie Fonder, the...

Wisconsin Dept. of Workforce Development delays implementation of executive order.
January 13, 2005... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state Department of Workforce Development has delayed implementation of an executive order that updates and increases enforcement of apprenticeship requirements on state projects. Last year, DWD officials...

Wisc. Dept. of Natural Resources releases draft of Oak Creek plant's wastewater permit.
January 14, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan The Department of Natural Resources released a draft of its wastewater permit for We Energies' proposed Oak Creek plant, and the plant's opponents are gearing up to denounce it. "There are groups and persons who are...

Milwaukee's Housing Authority applies for $20M federal grant to convert aging high-rise.
January 17, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan Milwaukee's Housing Authority is applying for a $20 million federal grant to replace the aging Convent Hill senior high-rise with retail and single-family housing. The 120-unit Convent Hill building is seated on a...

Milwaukee-based CG Schmidt Inc. marks 85 yrs. as general contractor in Wisconsin.
January 17, 2005... Byline: Dick Snow One hundred years or more of continued operations as a general contractor in Wisconsin is a mark held by less than a dozen firms. Yet a dozen or more are clawing at the century mark. One is CG Schmidt Inc., Milwaukee,...

OSHA, Calpine Corp. to sign partnership pact.
January 18, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan Calpine Corp. will sign a partnership agreement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for its Fox Energy Center project in Kaukauna. "The benefit to us is we have a highly recognized, high-quality...

Wisconsin govt. chips in more than $5M for new lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
January 18, 2005... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Wisconsin government agreed last week to chip in more than $5 million for the construction of a new lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Gov. Jim Doyle said the 50-year commitment to the Soo Locks marks an investment...

Downgrade of Milwaukee's National Labor Relations Board office reconsidered.
January 19, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan The National Labor Relations Board is reconsidering downgrading its Milwaukee regional office after a congressional panel criticized the plan. The five-member NLRB voted 3-2 in early December to downgrade the...

Contractors need not fear hiring goals for Milwaukee City Hall renovation.
January 19, 2005... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Contractors might approach the hiring goals for the $43.5 million renovation of Milwaukee City Hall with some trepidation, but they need not be afraid, according to the consultant in charge. "I think it's going...

CG Schmidt Construction, Milwaukee OSHA sign safety partnership.
January 20, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan The Milwaukee Occupational Safety and Health Administration office Wednesday signed a safety partnership with CG Schmidt Construction for GE Healthcare's new Wauwatosa headquarters. "It just shows what dedicated...

Merits of Taxpayer Bill of Rights, shortcomings discussed at Madison symposium.
January 20, 2005... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A constitutional amendment to limit state taxes and spending is a "blunt instrument" that won't by itself increase economic development, policy experts said Wednesday. The so-called Taxpayer Bill of Rights would...

Warship relocation creates conflict in Milwaukee.
January 21, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan Wednesday night's public hearing on bringing the USS Des Moines to Milwaukee featured an earnest debate about commemoration and conservation surrounded by sarcastic hecklers. "The good news is there is a lot of public...

Taxpayer Bill of Rights takes toll on building in Colorado.
January 21, 2005... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Builders in Colorado have learned that a constitutional amendment to limit government taxing and spending has severely constrained construction budgets. "It's been kind of disaster not just for builders but for...

Wisconsin DOT plans to ask state Legislature for $29 million to begin next phase of Interstate 94.
January 24, 2005... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state Department of Transportation will have to fight for its plan to reconstruct Interstate 94 between Milwaukee and the Illinois state line, a Waukesha state legislator said Friday. For its upcoming...

Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District to look at separating sewers.
January 24, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District should have some hard data on the costs and benefits of separating Milwaukee's combined sewer system by fall. "We need to look at it in the mix of everything else," said...

WisDOT faces new road ahead.
January 26, 2005... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The coming months figure to be a time of uncertainty for the state Department of Transportation. On one front, the agency is gearing up for the intensive state budget process, while on another WisDOT is working...

Brown Deer School District, city propose unique financing plan.
January 26, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan The Brown Deer School District wants to team up with the city so it can build new facilities without lowering its cut of state funding. "Groups working together can save taxpayers money, and that's what we're pitching...

Commentary: Wisc.'s Associated Builders and Contractors' Safety Conferences slated.
January 26, 2005... Byline: Don Moen Training and development means survival. A construction company that learns and adapts the fastest has a great competitive advantage. The Associated Builders and Contractors' Safety Conferences allows both management and...

City of Milwaukee puts Park East parcel on market.
January 27, 2005... Byline: Sean Ryan The city of Milwaukee placed its only undeveloped parcel in the Park East on the market Tuesday. "We're going to jump-start progress on the Park East with our own parcel," said Mayor Tom Barrett. "We must do all we...

Wisconsin State Building Commission honors five firms.
January 28, 2005... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The State Building Commission is preparing to assemble its two-year capital budget, but first the panel paused Wednesday to congratulate builders for past projects. In the next few days, the Division of State...