Brookfield/Elm Grove Monthly

Freeman Brookfield & Elm Grove • Page 3A JANUARY 2015 2 4 0 9 5 5 0 0 1 • Awarded the U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School Award 2013 • LCMS Exemplary School 2010-2011 • Fully Accredited through National Lutheran School Accreditation • A Center of Influence for the U.S. Naval Academy • Ranked 20th Best Middle School in America by thebestschools.org Call for your personal tour anytime! 10025 W. North Avenue • Wauwatosa, WI 53226 414.258.4558 • www.orlctosa.org Every day is OPEN HOUSE at ORLS! Strong Academics • Quality Classroom Environment • Special Learning Programs • Early Childhood Programming Outstanding Curriculum • Teachers Committed to Instructional Excellence • Managed Class Sizes • Full-Time Spanish Teacher • Advanced Technology • P.E. Specialist Family Environment • High Level of Parental Involvement • Safe & Secure Campus • On-Site Child Care Activities for Every Interest • Band & Choir • Team Sports • Student Council • Art • Science • Reading Clubs • After School Programs Available Now Enrolling for 2015-16 School Year Opper, Kanter seek to become county's next DA By Matt Masterson Freeman Staff WAUKESHA — With the position set to open early in 2015, two longtime prosecu- tors have officially thrown their hats into the ring to become Waukesha County's next district attorney. Susan Opper, a deputy county district attorney in Waukesha who has spent more than 20 years in the DA's office here; and Delafield Town Chairman Paul Kanter, an assistant U.S. attorney with approximately 30 years' experience as a criminal prosecutor, are the only two candidates who have applied for the position, according to Laurel Patrick, press secretary for Gov. Scott Walker. The deadline for applicants had officially passed in late November. The position became avail- able after District Attorney Brad Schimel was elected Wisconsin's next attorney general in November. Walker will have final say in appoint- ing the next DA, who will serve out the remainder of Schimel's term, which ends in 2016. Opper, who was promoted from assistant to deputy dis- trict attorney in January, said in the days following Schimel's election she intend- ed to apply for the position and had already received an endorsement from her soon- to-be former boss. "Since I promoted her to deputy DA, she has absolute- ly been a shining star," Schimel told The Freeman in November. Schimel had previously said Opper works virtually full-time prosecuting Len Bias homicide cases in his office — where drug dealers are charged with first-degree reckless homicide if users die from using their product. Opper said working as a deputy DA has given her a taste of the management and administrative side of the job, and she looks forward to interviewing for the position. "It is something I look for- ward to as a progression in my career," she said, "to kind of move on to the next stage here as I have pretty much done everything there is to do in this office." Opper said she had received a call from Walker's office and was informed finalists would meet with him on Dec. 22. Kanter, on the other hand, said it took him a couple weeks following the Novem- ber elections before he made his decision to apply. A mem- ber of the Town of Delafield's Plan Commission and Town Board for more than two decades, he announced in November he would not seek re-election as town chairman in 2015, but insisted that deci- sion had nothing to do with the district attorney spot becoming available. "I had already decided that after 20 years on the Town Board, it was time for me to step aside," he said. "The opportunity in Waukesha was just a complete coinci- dence, it just happened to occur at the same time. I understand it may look like they were connected, but they truly were not." Kanter has an extensive background in prosecuting criminal cases, beginning with the the DuPage County State's Attorney's office in 1980, later becoming an assis- tant U.S. attorney in Illinois' Central District before taking the same position in Wiscon- sin's Eastern District, based in Milwaukee, where he con- tinues to serve. He is also the prosecuting attorney in the ongoing case of a UW-Oshkosh student who is accused of making and possessing the powerful toxin ricin. Kanter said he is content with his current job, but feels the opportunity in Waukesha is "one that my skills and my experience is uniquely suited to." "I have been in public ser- vice my entire life," he said. "I have given my life to public service and it just seemed like an opportunity I wanted to pursue." Patrick said applicants are told Walker's appointment can be made within eight to 12 weeks from the application deadline, but added "circum- stances can shorten or lengthen that estimate." Email: mmasterson@conleynet.com TOWN OF BROOKFIELD — A prime piece of land from the upcoming The Corners pro- ject on Bluemound Road was sold last month to Poplar Creek Club, LLC. The 7.5 acres of land off of Bluemound and Jennifer Drive was purchased for $2,050,000, according to state records. The seller was S&T North Shore LLC, a Brook- field company with Jeanne Safro as the sell- er's agent. Poplar Creek Club is based in Hales Corners. In January, Wimmer Communities approached the town about building a mixed-use development on the 7.5 acres of vacant land along Jennifer Drive, west of Poplar Creek and north of Bluemound Road. The development would be called Poplar Creek Club and would have views of the nat- ural corridor surrounding Poplar Creek, according to a letter sent by Wimmer Com- munities President Mark Wimmer to the town in January. The plan called for a neigh- borhood retail center, 117 residential multi- family residences with three elevator-acces- sible buildings and a clubhouse. Access would be via private roadway intersecting both Bluemound and Barker roads at signal- ized intersections, according to the letter. — Freeman Staff Resolutions From Page 1A Cuddy said absolute statements are unhelpful. You might be motivated to go to the gym three times each week, but you might get sick and spend a week out of action. A hard and fast resolution might make one feel like a failure at that point. Focusing on the intent to get healthy allows for wiggle room. It is better to say "it's my intention to be healthy and follow what really feels right for me," Jackson said. "Then I can keep the momentum moving forward." Focusing on intentions instead of resolu- tions also sets in motion the mental gears necessary to think through a new endeavor. Jackson said one must engage in question- ing and answering to identify what he or she wants. "First of all, understand why you want to meet that goal," Jackson said. "When you know why you want to start with that goal, it will fuel your ability to stick with it." Understanding why you want to meet that goal also makes one think about execution. After thinking the issue through, you might realize you need a new pair of shoes if you decide to walk more. Nix on negative thinking Also, be careful how you set your goals and word your intentions. Jackson and Cuddy both are quite clear on this. People "tend to focus on things they want to change about themselves and things they dislike about themselves," Cuddy says. Do not focus or linger on negative thoughts. If you decide to be a better parent to your children, do not do so because you think you are a bad parent — you are likely not a bad parent. Do it to foster a healthier relationship with your children. If you decide you want to lose weight in the New Year, do not do so because you think you are fat and ugly. Decide to lose weight because you want to live healthier. Negative thinking when declaring intent gives the process a negative tone at the out- set, makes it harder to achieve goals, and makes one's inner monologue much crueler if failure occurs. "If you say, 'I'm going to stop eating junk food,' to use an example, you're denigrating yourself before even getting started," Cuddy said. "You're better off framing your goal as 'eating healthier,' so that you'll remain motivated and optimistic." As you decide how best to better yourself in the New Year, above all, be nice. Declare the intent to be better, start small, stay pos- itive and decide why change is necessary before moving forward. "The New Year's resolution is a great idea, but it's awful if you're not doing it this way," said Jackson. "It's a way of beating yourself up, and then needing more vices to calm the voices from beating yourself up." Walker expected to make official appointment within 8-12 weeks Property across from Corners site sold for $2 million By Matt Masterson Freeman Staff WAUKESHA — Wiscon- sin state Senator Paul Far- row said he has yet to make up his mind about whether he will retain his Senate seat should he be elected as Waukesha's county execu- tive in April. The Pewaukee Republi- can said he has spoken with Gov. Scott Walker and other legislative leaders about staying with the Senate at least through the state bud- get process, but stated any decision would be "pre- sumptive" until he would be elected. "It is all part of the whole puzzle we are putting together," he told The Free- man. "I have had a discus- sion with the governor and we have all said it is kind of premature until 1.) I get my name on the ballot and 2.) until the election occurs in April. As we move closer to that, I think that is some- thing we need to look at." Under state law, Farrow can legally maintain both positions simultaneously. With the state's current budget set to expire on June 30 and the 2015-17 bud- get taking over July 1, Far- row said the question becomes whether to stay as a voice for the 33rd Senate district through the adop- tion process. He admitted he is in a unique spot — being sworn into office on Jan. 5 while also running for a different position — but said he wants to make sure he is constantly representing his Senate constituents while "making sure the people of Waukesha will know my commitment will be work- ing with them as a whole if I were to get elected on April 7." One person who would like to see Farrow maintain his Senate seat is his oppo- nent in the county exec race, Kim Wentz. The Waukesha County Communication Center emergency dispatcher told The Freeman she is unsure why Farrow — whom she voted for in November — is seeking a new position so soon after being re-elected to the Senate. "There is a lot of impor- tant work to be done (in the Senate) that he is key to — like Common Core, the bud- get, transportation and... right-to-work," she said. "I would prefer he stay there, I think his talents are there." Wentz said she would have preferred that Wauke- sha County Board Chair- man Paul Decker, Board Supervisor Peter Wolff or Brian Dorow, the associate dean of Waukesha County Technical College's Crimi- nal Justice department, had run. Each had expressed an interest in the job, but all three subse- quently pulled their names from consideration. Both candidates said they are well on their way to col- lecting the 500 signatures needed by Jan. 5 to become an official candidate. Far- row said he already has over 600 with more coming in each day, while Wentz said she too has "several hundred," adding that she plans to file her campaign finance report with the county sometime this week. As of Dec. 22, neither can- didate had turned in their signatures according to the county clerk's office. Wentz — who has voted Republican since 1976 despite not registering with the party — understands the odds may be stacked against her, but said she wants voters to "have some options" in government. "While I am fairly confi- dent (Farrow) is going to win this race, he or I cannot be sure," she said. "You never know. So I am looking at it as a civic duty. I am interested, I have worked for the county, I believe I can do this job." Email: mmasterson@conleynet.com Farrow unsure about retaining state Senate seat if elected county executive

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