From The Beacon

By Vaughn Larson, Tuesday, May 17, 2005

SHEBOYGAN – Last year the Common Council swung heavily in favor of building a new police station at Sheridan Park.

At a special meeting last Monday night, the council swung in the opposite direction, voting 11-5 to rescind last year’s resolution authorizing the city to use the park for that purpose.

“We’re pretty much back to where we were 30 years ago,” Deputy Police Chief Bob Wojs said last Tuesday. The need and drive for a new station are there, he said – the only question is where to build it.

The resolution, introduced by Alderwoman Marilyn Montemayor, reopens the site selection process. An amendment by Alderman William Stephan broadens the recommendation authority for a new site from the Building Use Committee to the council’s Committee of the Whole.

“It pays for all 16 of us to be involved,” he said. “Even if I didn’t get my way (in the final site selection), I can look back and see if there was a fair process.”

The resolution also directs the Zimmerman Design Group to stop any architectural design services for a new police station specifically at Sheridan Park.

To date, the city has spent $40,000 for architectural services on a new police station.

The Sheridan Park issue has galvanized the city like few other issues. Many residents near the park favored building a police station there, while many more residents across the city were appalled at what they called the loss of a historic park. Sheridan Park, named after a Civil War general, was designated a park and public square before the city of Sheboygan was established.

Stephan advised county officials that if the city revisits the county property on North 23rd Street, the county needs to come back and make a commitment to the city.

Or else there’s nothing special about 23rd Street,” he explained.

County Administrator Coordinator Adam Payne said last Wednesday that the offer approved by the County Board last year remains on the table.

An amendment by Alderman Daniel Berg seemed to imply that not only was the North 23rd Street site not special, it should be removed from consideration. Instead, Berg argued for locating the new police station on Pennsylvania Avenue.

The amendment failed and was not included in the resolution.

Berg explained Tuesday that there are too many problems with the county land on North 23rd Street to build a police station there. He dismissed the notion that the county sheriff’s department would consider building a new facility at that site, suggesting that locating closer to Plymouth would better serve the Sheriff Department’s purposes.

Berg was also critical of the potential chemical contamination at the county site, noting that cleanup costs to build a retention pond at that site years ago came to $300,000.

“The Enberg-Moyer report says there is considerable contamination there,” he argued. “I know doggone well the county wouldn’t pay for the cleanup once the city owns it”.

Speaking at Monday night’s meeting, Jeffrey Bubb echoed that sentiment.

“If anyone can tell me that breaking ground at 23rd Street won’t cost the city one cent in cleanup, then my concern is moot,” he said.

Payne said Berg, who is also a county supervisor, should know better.

“For Alderman Berg to say that is highly irresponsible,” Payne said. “That was addressed as part of the negotiations.”

Payne said the city took soil borings at the county site and determined that contamination was not an issue.

Scott Lewandoske claimed that building a police station at Sheridan Park would eventually lead to razing up to 22 homes north of the park.

Troy Niemuth challenged the idea that a police station at Sheridan Park would not deter crime in the area.

“I saw two crack houses shut down and move out within two weeks of announcing plans to build at Sheridan Park,” he said, adding that crime is a real concern in the area.

“I have called police – I have stood forward,” he continued. “What happened is I became the victim of gang violence. Every bone in the left side of my face was broken.”

Makayla Steinhardt, daughter of Gina Steinhardt, claimed that the park was unsafe.

“Some gangs put holes in the wooden play equipment, so it was taken down. Putting the police there would make it safer,” she said.

Gina challenged Mayor Juan Perez to reach a compromise – if the park is rejected as the site of a police station, then improve the neighborhood.

“I’m sure Gen. Sheridan would be very unhappy to see what his park has come to, and what it’s being used for,” she said.

Dan Verhasselt, representing the citizen’s group Friends of Sheboygan Parks, said fund-raising was to begin Tuesday to improve Sheridan Park by adding more lighting and permanent tables.

Paul Kasten said that everyone seemed to agree that saving parks is good, but saving neighborhoods is also good.

“If we’re going to lose one neighborhood after another, pretty soon Sheboygan won’t be a good place to live”.

Former Alderman Mike Warner, who chaired the Building Use Committee that chose Sheridan Park and championed that site until he w as voted out of office, warned that voting to rescind the decision about Sheridan Park would be precedent setting.

Ed McCaskey said focusing on the park misses the point.

“I can imagine the frustration of the police department,” he said. “They must be asking, “What the heck are you doing?”

“You were elected to lead,” McCaskey continued. “Lead.”

Alderman Silas VanderWeele said he votes based on his constituency, not emotions.

“My priority is to see a new police station built, and the Sheridan Park area improved,” he told Perez. “If the park is saved tonight, I ask you to save that neighborhood.”

Alderman Dennis Baumann said his constituency was split on the issue.

“I’m torn at the moment,” he confessed. “I really don’t know what to do.”

“It’s easy to see why we only build a police station once every 100 years,” said Alderman Eldon Burg.

Alderwoman Bonnie Cerda said she still believed Sheridan Park was the best site for a new police station.

“I think there’s been such a good job a t generating doubt that we’ve lost our focus,” she said.

Alderwoman Renee Suscha said staying with the Sheridan Park site would only add to the delays. Alderwoman Marge Segalle said the bottom line is the need for a new police station.

Aldermen Baumann, Berg, Cerda, Segalle and Donald Van Akkeren voted against the resolution. Its passage prompted loud applause from the packed council chamber.

Payne said he wouldn’t be surprised if the city did select the North 23rd Street site.

“I think they’ll select a third site so that the aldermen who voted for Sheridan Park can save face, and then everyone can rally around it,” he said.

Wojs thanked the aldermen who supported the police in their choice for Sheridan Park.

“I feel we may have missed an opportunity to give something back to the Sheridan Park area, to revitalize the area,” he said. “Nevertheless, we welcome the challenge of starting over and working with the council to get a new police station.”