Tablegate. Let me briefly recap. That’s when three Franklin Common Council members did the following at their last meeting.

First they attempted through an amendment to reduce the number of proposed tables at Franklin’s amazingly popular Kayla’s Playground from 12 to 6. They failed.

Next, the same three voted against the original idea of having 12 tables. They failed again.

Finally they decided to hold the matter over until the next meeting claiming they needed more information (even though they didn’t say that in the first place. Funny how they would have been content with 6 tables even without having data they later said they needed from city staff).

One of my readers e-mailed me about Tablegate.

Something as trivial as 6 picnic tables vs 12 picnic tables is a reason to table an issue at the Common Council level so that the staff can re-calculate the data? Let me help… going from 12 tables to 6 is a reduction of 1/2.

Love that sarcasm.

The e-mailer then pointed out that at a recent Plan Commission meeting a motion was made to table a proposal on a potential $130 million project, that being Ballpark Commons. The Plan Commission had only a couple of days to review a large number of documents, suggestions, recommendations and exceptions.

The motion to table so as to allow more time to review went nowhere. The Plan  Commission then voted 4-1 to support Ballpark Commons. Their recommendation then went to the full Common Council that voted to move the project along (which I support by the way).

It seems people are engaged. People are paying attention. For Franklin that’s practically miraculous.

In Wisconsin we are fortunate to have an Amber Alert System approved years ago. From the system’s website:

Each year, the lives of children, their families, and communities are changed by the tragedy of child abduction and child exploitation. According to a national study conducted by United States Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and Office of the Attorney General State of Washington, 44 percent of children who were abducted and murdered by a stranger were dead within one hour. Seventy-four percent are dead within three hours, and ninety-one percent are dead within twenty-four hours.

Families and communities are being impacted by these crimes against children. Locating and safely returning these children to their homes is a state, national and international objective.

As individuals, communities and a nation, we all have a responsibility to ensure the dignity, respect and safety of every child.

Therefore, the protection and safety of our children must be our highest priority.

The Wisconsin Amber Alert Plan is an effort to enhance law enforcement’s ability to respond effectively and efficiently to a child abduction with the hope of preventing the victimization of children in Wisconsin.

One of my proudest moments working in the state Senate was with my very good friend and colleague, state Senator Mary Lazich on this.

The concept of the Silver Alert was eventually included in the Amber Alert system.

What could possibly be wrong ?

WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee investigated, concluding that the system designed to find missing folks quickly actually slows down the process.

“You have to have thick skin in this game.”
Franklin alderman Steve Taylor on FranklinNOW.com, April 17, 2012

During the last Franklin Common Council meeting that featured “Tablegate” (04/19/16) the council had before it a recommendation from the Parks Commission about those tables at Kayla’s Playground.

The meeting and discussion on the tables did give Alderman Steve Taylor an opportunity to unload on the Parks Commission, calling it “rogue.” Taylor was concerned that a “recommending body” like the Parks Commission might be headed toward making decisions and policy. And then came this:

“I remember the Parks Chairman whom I would not have supported  in that position and if he comes up again in my tenure I won’t support, come up here and really criticize this body  and say some pretty nasty  things about some of the members. Totally unacceptable. If I had been in this chair when that happened, I would have asked for his resignation.”

So what brought this on? It actually dates back to last year when Taylor wasn’t even on the Common Council.

Here are all the details.

My guess is Pautz isn’t all that worried or concerned and good for him.

UPDATE: From an e-mail by an astute reader:

Why is that Steve Taylor can come to a meeting as an elected official and blast the bloggers but Pautz, a citizen can’t speak his mind?

Brilliant.