I'm hearing that officials from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation actually called State Fair coppers to prevent people who object to the $2.3 billion Zoo Interchange plan from handing out literature tonight at an informational public meeting on the state fairgrounds.
If true, a huge tactical and legal error by WisDOT.
Reminds me of the time that former Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist said WisDOT acted in a "Stalinist" fashion.
I wasn't at the Tuesday night meeting, but if what I am hearing is accurate, and WisDOT is strong-arming citizens and shutting them up at a public meeting, "Stalinist" sounds about right.
Since it is unclear and unconfirmed whether there was an attempt to muzzle citizens on State property (we own it; we pay for it; we're deeply in debt for it; we damn well ought to be able to USE it in pursuit of our constitutional rights) I suggest readers of this blog flood the WISDOT Waukesha office with inquiries, starting now/leaving messages/demanding a callback, to this guy, the SE Region Public Information guy:
ReplyDeleteDennis Shook
141 NW Barstow Street
P.O. Box 798
Waukesha, WI 53188
Phone: (414) 750-2395
And call him again in the morning.
Shook is a guy who famously and flamboyantly functioned as a journalist and editorial writer for the Waukesha Freeman, arguably the sorriest fetid rag published in all of SE Wisconsin.
Then, he got fired. There are really very few places to land for someone who has been let go by the Freeman.
But Dennis found a place that needs his special skills: WISDOT.
Call him. Get the facts.
Yeah, I didn't even consider going because I already felt what's the point. WisDOT doesn't listen.
ReplyDeleteHuh. I thought we Americans had the right to free speech, the right to disagree with the government...and the right to get to the Zoo conveniently via the freeway as well.
ReplyDeleteI was at the Parks, Energy, and Environment Committee meeting at which this was presented. It seemed sad to me (not as sad as cutting down the forested buffer between zoo and traffic for a waterpark would have been, though) but it seemed like a done deal. Thoughtful questions were asked, including the possibility of adding infrastructure for logical future light rail, plans for hiring minorities, and effects of construction noise on our animals.
Please update us and let us know if this new news tidbit is true. Thanks.