The Milwaukee Post

2 • Milwaukee County Post • February 23, 2018 Ray's Fresh Homemade Italian Sausage Regular or Hot Fresh Grade A Boneless Chicken Breasts Sirloin Tip Mushroom Burgers Center Cut Reg or Seasoned Pork Roast Ray's Homemade Chicken Cordon Bleu Lean Pork Cutlets 3 Varieties Large Cooked Shrimp "Old fashioned service and quality" Mon.-Thurs. 7:30-7:00p.m.; Fri. 7:30-7:30; Sat. 7:30-5:30; Sun. 7:30-4:00 4640 W. Loomis Road Greenfield • 414.423.1322 See our ad weekly online at www.raysbutchershoppe.com Ray's Butcher Shoppe 2/26-18-3/4/18 Thick Juicy Steaks 259462016 Homemade Shrimp Salad $ 5.99 lb. Ray's Homemade Broccoli Salad $ 5.99 lb. Carry Out Friday Fish Frys $ 9.95 3 pc. Dinner includes: Fries, Coleslaw, Soup and Roll. 6 & 12 Piece Buckets also available. Sunday Special Hot Baked Ham $ 6.99 lb. Includes 6 Free Rolls with purchase of 1lb. Ham (Limit 1 doz. Free Rolls). $ 3 99 lb. $ 2 99 lb. $ 4 59 lb. $ 3 99 lb. $ 4 99 lb. $ 3 49 lb. $ 9 99 lb. In-Store Catering Available for Any Party Needs Ray's Homemade Deli Party Trays, Cheese, Cheese & Sausage, Shrimp, Fruit Trays, Hearty Meat Trays. Please Order Ahead. Beef & Gravy, Turkey & Gravy, Hickory & Cherry Wood Smoked Hams, Honey Glazed Spiral Sliced Ham. We Cater Chicken & Pig Roasts. NON TRANS FAT NEW BAG MEALS – READY FOR CROCKPOT By HANNAH WEIKEL Conley News Service NEW BERLIN — When Mayor Dave Ament sat before a state legislative committee earlier this month, he said a complaint process skewed against New Berlin and other com- munities makes it nearly impossible to overturn Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District rate increases. New Berlin is among 10 communities that contract with the MMSD for sewer- age services. Sewer rates in those communities are set by the MMSD, and if the rates imposed are too high, community leaders have the option to use an appeals process through the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. However, state statute says when the PSC investi- gates a complaint regard- ing the MMSD rules, rates or practices, it must give deference to the MMSD or any other service commis- sion, and assume the rates are reasonable. "This unique presump- tion of reasonableness greatly tilts the scale toward the MMSD when attempting to resolve com- plaints," Ament said. A proposed bill working its way through the Wisconsin Senate seeks to "even the playing field" for the MMSD contract com- munities, said bill sponsor Sen. Dave Craig, R-Town of Vernon. The legislation would eliminate from state law the deference given to the MMSD during PSC investigations. The bill w o u l d also stop t h e M M S D from dis- connect- ing serv- ices to a contract c o m m u - n i t y w i t h o u t p r i o r approval from the PSC. "This bill is really just about fairness. There are 10 contract communities that contract with Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, but they are not part of the district so they have a limited voice on decisions made," said state Rep. Mike Kuglitsch, R-New Berlin, who sponsored a companion bill in the Assembly. "All this does is make the playing field even, so that when a con- tract community has an issue that they can go to the PSC and it starts with an unbiased, level playing field." Sewer utilities aren't required to go through a standard rate case process with the PSC when raising costs, so large sewer utili- ties like the MMSD can raise rates as they see fit and contract communities don't have a say until after- ward, through the appeals process. The legislation, SB 697, was passed 3 to 2 by the Senate Committee on Elections and Utilities on Feb. 1. A companion bill passed the Assembly floor unanimously last month by a voice vote. Craig said he expects the legislation to be signed into law this ses- sion. The bill had started as four pages that called for more extensive changes in the complaint process, but the MMSD took issue with it, Craig said. The abridged bill is a compromise and the MMSD has come out as neutral on it. The MMSD did not respond to a request for comment. "In any other proceed- ing in court there's no pre- sumption, you know, guilty versus innocent," Craig said. "So there should be no presumption of correct- ness (in PSC investiga- tions.) The PSC should look at all information and make a fair judgment based on what's before them." Currently, about two- thirds of New Berlin is served by the MMSD, and as the city establishes its budget for all sewer utility customers throughout the city, the local rates are driv- en by charges imposed by the MMSD, Ament said at the committee hearing. New Berlin hasn't appealed a rate increase yet, but it seems that may be on the horizon if the bill is passed. "Issues have been brew- ing between New Berlin and MMSD about this and other concerns. It's been on a slow boil," Craig said. "I think it's clear they think they haven't been treated fairly and when we started looking at this, it was pret- ty clear that the statute doesn't treat them fairly." Ament wasn't available for comment. New Berlin wants to change 'unfair' wastewater rate complaint process Volume 24, issue number 8 The Milwaukee Post (ISSN 1544-1776) is published weekly by Conley Media, Milwaukee County 3397 South Howell Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207 For all departments call: 414-744-6370 News display and advertising FAX: 414-375-7070 Classifieds: 800-762-6219 ext. 5005 Classified Fax: 262-334-6252 For display advertising inquires: 414-744-6370 Barry Richards: Advertising Representative — ext. 13 brichards@conleynet.com Julia LeGath: Advertising Representative — ext. 17 jlegath@conleynet.com Jim Baumgart Advertising Sales Director — 262-513-2621 jbaumgart@conleynet.com For editorial questions: Dan Muckelbauer Editor 262-513-2626 dmuck@conleynet.com POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Milwaukee Post 3397 S. Howell Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53207 Periodicals Postage Paid at Milwaukee, WI. Your weekly newspaper is run- ning obituaries and in memoriam notices to honor a loved one's memory. They are $85 per day for 300 words or less. The price includes a small .jpg photo or graphic such as a veterans flag. A full-column photo can be added for $10 a day. A short pending death notice will be $25. They must be prepaid. The obituaries deadline will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday before publica- tion. All obituaries need to be sub- mitted by email. Send them to postobits@conleynet.com. Call 262-513-2626 with any questions about the obituary serv- ice. Post obituaries guidelines Ament Dispute over Milwaukee sewerage district's deference in rate disagreements

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