The Milwaukee Post

18 • Milwaukee County Post • March 17, 2017 COMMUNITY Conley News Service WAUKESHA — After a trial of more than two weeks, a Waukesha County Circuit Court jury on Monday deter- mined the state had proved that Amy Van Wagner, 53, killed her husband, Stanley, in their home May 15, 2015, using three bullets from her .380-caliber handgun, then dragged his body to the basement and reported his death on May 17. Her sentencing on one count of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of hid- ing a corpse will be held May 24. Van Wagner's attorney John Schiro said he plans to appeal the decision. By DAVE FIDLIN Special to the Post GREENDALE — Following in the footsteps of their large neighbor, suburban communities across Milwaukee County have expressed interest in banning the sale of envi- ronmentally unfriendly coal tar sealants used for infrastructure improve- ments. Coal tar sealants, which come in a liquid form, have historically been sprayed on parking lots, driveways and playgrounds. More recently, studies have point- ed out the adverse impact coal tar can have on water- ways, including Lake Michigan. Because of their chemi- cal makeup, coal tar sealants frequently run off into waterways through wastewater or industrial discharges. Additionally, coal tar sealants have drawn con- cerns because of high lev- els of a potentially cancer- causing chemical com- pound known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. In a sign of solidarity, the Intergovernmental Cooperation Council of Milwaukee County, whose members include the 19 mayors and village presi- dents, voted to adopt a non- binding ordinance banning all coal tar sealant prod- ucts. "This is a really easy decision," Fox Point Village President Mike West said at the ICC meeting, which was Monday at the Hose Tower Building in Greendale. "There are substitutes out there." Although the ICC's motion was nonbinding, suburban mayors and vil- lage presidents said they planned to bring the resolu- tion to their respective common councils and vil- lage boards for definitive votes against the substance. If all 18 suburban gov- erning bodies adopt the ordinance, they will mimic the Milwaukee Common Council's recent overture. Milwaukee's 15 aldermen unanimously voted to pro- hibit coal tar sealant prod- ucts in February. Pam Ritger of environ- mental group Clean Wisconsin said research, including a recent federal study, has shown coal tar products have cropped up in sediment within such waterways as the Milwaukee River. "This is a product of refining coal," Ritger said of coal tar. "It's something the American Medical Association has spoken out against." A number of municipal leaders across the county have gone on record, assert- ing their public works departments have halted the use of coal tar sealants since the environmental concerns first surfaced more than a decade ago. But the bans go beyond municipal operations. Private property owners also would be prohibited from using coal tar prod- ucts on driveways. Also, retailers based in the com- munities would not be allowed to stock coal tar- based products on store shelves. Ritger said most nation- al home improvement and hardware retailers already have halted selling coal tar products. While local elected lead- ers heartily endorsed the ban, several officials won- dered aloud why state law- makers have not imposed an outright ban across Wisconsin. "With hundreds of municipalities in Wisconsin, this is a large effort," Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy said. In other business this week, the ICC: ■ Heard a report from Steve Kreklow, director of performance strategy and budgeting with Milwaukee County. While adoption of a 2018 county budget is more than half a year away, Kreklow said the first steps in the building process are underway. In the coming months, the county will roll out a new initiative known as Balancing Act. The interac- tive tool, Kreklow said, will give residents across the county an opportunity to weigh in on the budgeting process. County Executive Chris Abele's office and the County Board have long held listening sessions in an effort to hear what level of services constituents want. Last year, county offi- cials also held work groups and brainstorming ses- sions. Speaking to the new Balancing Act program, Abele said participants will not be able to send a recom- mended budget plan with- out it being balanced. For this reason, residents will have to look at expendi- tures and revenue sources, including the controversial wheel tax. "The appeal in (Balancing Act) is more clarity in the public discus- sion," Abele said. ■ Heard from new Oak Creek Mayor Dan Bukiewicz, who has suc- ceeded Steve Scaffidi for the next 13 months. Bukiewicz, a city alder- man, was appointed to fill the remaining term on Scaffidi's seat, which expires in April 2018. Scaffidi stepped down early this month after being tapped to co-host an after- noon radio talk show on WTMJ-AM 620. "The city of Oak Creek will proceed with business as usual," Bukiewicz said. "We have a lot in the works." By KATHERINE MICHALETS Conley News Service WAUKESHA — Along with the early signs of spring, home sales continued to warm up in February, according to data released by the Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors. According to the organ- ization, home sales increased 1.5 percent in February compared to February 2016 for the four-coun- ty metro area (Waukesha, Washington, Ozaukee and Milwaukee counties). A total of 945 homes were sold in February for the region com- pared with 931 in February 2016. If comparing this past February's sale numbers with those from 2015, sales increased 9.2 percent, according to the GMAR. Of the four counties in February, Waukesha County saw the greatest uptick at 6.5 percent, but Washington County declined 7.1 percent, according to the data. Milwaukee County sales went up by 0.7 percent and Ozaukee County no change. Also in February, listings were down 0.7 percent compared with last year's 1,993 homes on the market, according to the GMAR. "While not record-setting like January's decrease in listings was, February's lackluster total is noteworthy in light of the strong demand that is present in the marketplace. Inventory is chronically low, and somewhat worrisome as we head into the spring selling season," accord- ing to the report prepared by GMAR President Mike Ruzicka. "Brokers are reporting there are two main reasons for the ane- mic level of listings in the mar- ket. One is that sellers are not feeling like their home has made up the value it lost during the recession. In other words, they are not feeling the 'wealth effect' they had before the recession began in 2008." Another reason for fewer list- ings is that there were fewer homes for sellers to move into, according to the release. "An older suburban couple, for example, who wants to down- size to a condo in downtown Milwaukee, is hard pressed to find an available unit — delaying the sale of their current home. Additionally, new construction is not keeping up with demand for a variety of reasons," accord- ing to the release. Ozaukee County had a huge spike in home listings in February — 45.4 percent, while Washington County was only up 3.4 percent. Both Waukesha and Milwaukee counties listings declined — 1.9 percent and 4.6 percent respectively. According to the GMAR, inventory remains very tight for properties listed for $300,000 or less. The seasonally adjusted inventory level for February was 3.8 months, even from January's 3.8 months. The market outlook, accord- ing to the GMAR, is that pres- sure will increase on home prices. "Average sale prices peaked in all four metropolitan counties in 2006 or 2007 and it appears that 2017 will see the aggregate average price in each county reach its pre-recession peak. Hopefully, this will allow home owners to feel that they have recovered from the recession enough to sell their current home and find or build a new one," according to the GMAR. Email: kmichalets@conleynet.com Sealant believed to harm waterways, could be cancer-causing Suburbs could join Milwaukee in coal tar ban February home sales up 1.5% Oconomowoc woman guilty of murdering her husband

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