Well documented via letters to the editor and Council meetings is one plea from the people of the Sheridan Park neighborhood: "PLEASE PUT SAFETY FIRST". What do we see in the June 23, 2006 Sheboygan Press? The "Friends" (Perez and Ally Council persons) want swingsets... Read the article, Panel backs buying playground equipment for Sheridan Park

Now view what was said in May of 2005:
Mayor: Let's fix up Sheridan Park (Word. rtf)
Mayor: Let's fix up Sheridan Park (PDF)

Sheridan Park Timeline

The history since 2002:

2002: Council requests Kimme conduct a needs-assessment and site study. Results determined a need for a station and estimated cost of $10.8 – 12.5 million.

Aug. 2, 2004: Council vote (11-4) selects Sheridan Park as site for police station.

1. 80 meetings and 49 site studies were conducted.
2. Centrally located
3. Land cost zero dollars
4. Police Department preferred site
5. Construction to start in spring of 2005

Aug. 9, 2004 – "Friends of Park" have their first meeting. During next three months they publicly:

1. Support Alderman Perez for mayor
2. Start the "Save the Park" petition drive
3. Hold events at Sheridan Park

Aug. 16, 2004: Council votes (8-6) to not rescind the decision to build at Sheridan Park Site.

Nov. 1, 2004: Council votes no (12-1) to a referendum election to preserve Sheridan Park forever. Council votes (13-0) to file petition (2,952 signatures) by "Friends of the Park" with no action.

Nov. 15, 2004: Council votes (9-4) to file resolution for referendum to build at Sheridan Park with no action.

Dec. 20, 2004: Council votes (12-3) to approve contract with Zimmerman for architectural work on station at Sheridan Park. Cost $535,000.

March 15, 2005: The Enberg Report is released comparing Sheridan Park and North 23rd Street site. Report supports 23rd street location.

1. 23rd Street cost: $12 million
2. Sheridan Park cost: $15 million
3. 23rd Street site better for shared services
4. Helped influence the spring election for "Save the Park" candidates

Supporters of Sheridan Park site say report has flaws:

1. Paid for by business leaders/citizens who support the 23rd Street site
2. Sheridan Park estimate included inflated figures.
3. Shared services with county are not dependent on location.
4. Land swap/parking lot cost to city: $484,000 to build, $1 million to rebuild. City pays to rebuild a salt shed for county.

April 18, 2005: Council votes (8-5) to file Enberg report with no action.

April 19, 2005: Mayor Perez and new Council sworn in.

April – May, 2005: Some Friends of Park members:

1. Are rewarded with leadership positions in Mayor's new administration.
2. Continue mean-spirited verbal attacks toward Alderpersons and citizens who support Sheridan Park Site.

May 9, 2005: Council votes (11-5) to rescind Sheridan Park as site.

1. Years of work and studies by previous council undone.
2. Delay construction of station for months maybe year or more

May – June, 2005: Committee of Whole is assigned to review new sites.

June 20, 2005: Council votes (14-2) to cap cost of police station at $17 million.

June – July, 2005: Committee of the Whole hires Zimmerman to study five sites at a cost of $24,000.

July 16, 2005: Committee of the Whole has two public input sessions. Eighteen people spoke in July 20 session:

1. Six supported Van Der Vaart Site
2. Five supported 23rd Street Site
3. Two supported City Hall site
4. One supported New Jersey Avenue site
5. One supported near 9th Street site (near City Hall)
6. One supported Sheridan Park Site
7. One supported police choosing from three sites

July 21, 2005: The Sheboygan Press reports:

"About 30 Sheboygan residents weighed in Wednesday night on where to build a new police station at the city’s second public input session."
"The majority of residents present, as in the Saturday input session, favored the 23rd Street location."
"Graf said he didn’t expect the Van Der Vaart site to be one of the two."

July 16, 2005: Zimmerman Report estimates cost at five sites is $18 – 20 million. An increase of $5 – 8 million since Enberg report in March.

July, 2005: Sheboygan County Taxpayers Alliance petitions public (1,191 signatures) to cap the spending at $8 million for station and supports an advisory referendum be approved by council. Many of the SCTA members are also members of “Friends of Park”. They helped delay the process once. Now they want to delay the process again.

All of the delays by Perez and his "Friends of Parks" and SCTA have literally cost the city taxpayers millions.

The police prefer a centrally located site, and when Sheridan was voted down, stated they preferred the Van Der Vaart site. Perez and his special interest groups now want to "look at 23rd Street" yet again.

Sheboygan Press, 11/14/04: Perez said the recent council decision to build the city's new police station at Sheridan Park, and the rejection of a citizens' group effort (Friends of the Park) to gather nearly 3,000 signatures to put the police station site question to a public referendum was the "tipping point" to convince him to run for mayor.