The Milwaukee Post

April 14, 2017 • Milwaukee County Post • 17 By DAVE FIDLIN Special to the Post GREENFIELD — After months of study and dis- cussion, a recently released report shined a spotlight on an issue several subur- ban leaders have been rais- ing: Mass transit is lacking in several of the county's fringe areas. Nonpartisan, nonprofit organization Public Policy Forum spearheaded a study of transit late last year and early this year and examined transit gaps and how it plays a role in such factors as job growth. PPF looked at the "last mile" phenomenon that stops short of linking workers to their places of employment. "This challenge is par- ticularly common in subur- ban areas, where jobs are more dispersed and diffi- cult for the Milwaukee County Transit System and suburban transit systems to serve efficiently," the PPF study states. Several organizations, including advocacy group MetroGo, worked with PPF on the study. Kerry Thomas, executive of MetroGo, discussed the findings within the study Monday at the monthly I n t e r g o v e r n m e n t a l Cooperation Council meet- ing. In addition to route bar- riers, Thomas said the report touches on a range of other issues, including some of the stigmas that have traditionally been attached to transit in the region. "We're talking about looking at different audi- ences, rather than just low- income workers," Thomas said at the ICC meeting, which was held this month in Greenfield. The county's 19 mayors and village pres- idents serve on the ICC, as does County Executive Chris Abele. While more questions than answers exist at this point, Thomas said MetroGo and other part- ners will continue seeking out meaningful solutions so transit grows and remains a vital part of the local infrastructure sys- tem. "This is going to take a lot of collaboration across all jurisdictions," Thomas said. "Intergovernmental cooperation is going to be very important." PPF's full report on the transit study can be viewed at www.publicpolicyforum. org. In other matters, the ICC this week: ■ Heard reports from two mayors on municipal milestones this year. Greenfield Mayor Michael Neitzke said his community — the youngest in Milwaukee County — is turning 60 years old this year as it recognizes its existing city form of gov- ernment. In an effort to prevent any further annexation by the city of Milwaukee, leaders in the then-Town of Greenfield voted in 1957 to incorporate as a city. Neitzke said Greenfield's borders today also are an homage to the interstate system. "We were sort of the leftovers," Neitzke said of the borders. "But (the interstate sys- tem) has become more of a boon for us more recently." The city of Wauwatosa is also celebrating a mile- stone this year. Earlier this month, Mayor Kathy Ehley said the city's elected lead- ers commemorated the 175- year anniversary of its first meeting as a town. ■ Heard from South Milwaukee Mayor Erik Brooks, who won re-elec- tion last week by a wide margin. "There are going to be a lot of challenges up ahead," Brooks said. "There's a big agenda, but I'm excited about it." Some of the issues in that community include ongoing redevelopment efforts in the city's down- town and work within the Oak Creek Watershed, which South Milwaukee shares with the namesake community. ■ Heard a report from St. Francis Mayor CoryAnn St. Marie-Carls on the heroin task force that was recently assem- bled. She is serving on the group as an ICC represen- tative. St. Marie-Carls said the task force recently held its first meeting, which was largely organizational in nature. She said further information on the group's goals and planned efforts will be coming down the pike in the months ahead. Study: mass transit lacking; regional cooperation needed By JAKE MEISTER Conley News Service MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin State Assembly has approved nine special session bills designed to help combat the ongoing opioid abuse epidemic. Each of the bills was rec- ommended to Gov. Scott Walker at the suggestion of Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch and state Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, who co-chair Walker's Task Force on Opioid Abuse. The bills and the purpose each serves, according to the Wisconsin State Legislature, are as follows: ■ Special Assembly Bill 1 will protect public and pri- vate school employees from any civil liability when administering an opioid antagonist — such as Narcan — in an effort to save the life of someone he or she believes might be overdosing on an opioid drug. ■ Special Assembly Bill 2 annually provides the Department of Justice $2 million that it would dis- perse to counties for the treatment alternatives and diversion program, or TAD. The TAD program allows counties to establish pro- grams that treat people with drug- or alcohol-related offenses as an alternative to incarceration for those offenses. ■ Special Assembly Bill 4 would prevent anyone from legally obtaining the opioid codeine without a prescrip- tion. Currently, a Schedule V drug such as codeine can be provided to a person without a prescription under certain circum- stances. ■ Special Assembly Bill 6 allows for establishing a sin- gle charter school for high school students who suffer from addiction. The school, which will operate under a four-year pilot program, will serve as many as 15 stu- dents. ■ Special Assembly Bill 7 is designed to increase the amount of graduate medical training related to addic- tion. The bill would accom- plish this by awarding a total of $63,000 in additional grants to hospitals for devel- oping a fellowship program in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry. ■ Special Assembly Bill 8 is designed to create as many as three additional opioid treatment programs in areas of the state that need such programs. The current program, according to the state, requires the Department of Health Services to create opioid treatment programs in rural and underserved, high-need areas. Under this bill, those areas wouldn't have to be rural. The two to three pro- grams will receive up to a combined $1 million per year. ■ Under Special Assembly Bill 9, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services would be required to develop and administer an addiction medicine consultation pro- gram designed to help med- ical professionals better serve patients with sub- stance abuse issues. The program would get $500,000 a year from the state. ■ The Wisconsin Department of Justice would get up to $420,000 a year to hire new criminal agents that would investi- gate drug trafficking under Special Assembly Bill 10. "The additional Division of Criminal Investigation agent positions, approved as part of this package, aid our efforts at the Wisconsin Department of Justice to make our state safer and stronger," Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel said, according to a press statement. "The part- nership between the med- ical community, law enforce- ment, and policy makers is key to ending opioid abuse and I look forward to contin- uing this fight together." ■ Special Assembly Bill 11 will provide $200,000 annually for developing a program that would teach educators to address mental health issues in schools. The training is designed to help schools identify alcohol or drug issues related to men- tal health disorders. "The nine special session bills approved today will have a great impact in Wisconsin as we continue to fight the prescription opioid epidem- ic," Nygren said in a state- ment. "We've focused our efforts on expanding treat- ment and diversion (TAD) programs, improving access to wide-ranging addiction medicine opportunities, and partnering with law enforce- ment to fight drug traffick- ing." Assembly approves nine bills to fight opioid abuse MILWAUKEE — Johnsons Park has been named as the Brewers Community Foundation Public Space Award at the 18th annual Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation ceremony. The MANDI prize recog- nizes the efforts of numer- ous partners and communi- ty groups that revitalized the 13.2-acre park, the only pub- lic park in the Lindsay Heights neighborhood. "Great parks help build community and contribute to the overall well-being of a neighborhood. The MANDIs highlight some of the most innovative and collaborative projects happening in Milwaukee and all of the nominated projects deserve a lot of praise for the lasting impact they'll have on the community," County Executive Chris Abele said in a release. "The Johnsons Park revitalization project is a great example of what can be achieved through strong partnerships, a shared vision and community involvement." Johnsons Park, 1919 W. Fond du Lac Ave., reopened in June after a two-year ren- ovation spearheaded by the Center for Resilient Cities, the Rotary Club of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee County Parks, which included improved sports fields, all-new path- ways to connect the existing playgrounds and exercise equipment, new energy-effi- cient lighting systems, new bathrooms, benches and bike racks, a picnic shelter, and an open-air perform- ance stage. North-side Johnsons Park wins MANDI for revitalization efforts

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