Wheezle Mayfield and his ilk (Complaints, Inc.)

“I wish I were taller.”

from the Seinfeld episode “The Cartoon”

Whine. We all do it at one time or another. We whine about the weather. We whine about traffic. In this town, we whine specifically about the traffic on the main drag during the summertime because we can't turn left onto Second Street because of all the tourists in town. We whine...well, you get it. Who hasn't heard this retort after we've gone on our little rant about whatever it is we're upset about, “Would you like a little cheese with that whine?” Yes, it is a time-honored tradition around here and my guess everywhere.

From time to time people ask me, “How's the mayor-ing job going? Are you tired of all the complaints?” to wit I'm happy to respond that by and large over the last three years I've really received more “attaboys” than any thorough tongue-lashings. Oh, sure from time to time I do get an ear-ful but with few exceptions they are expressed with no personal vendetta behind it (or at least, that which I perceive as personal).

But still, there are people that seem to me to be just contrary. You know the type: they are quick to point out what's wrong with an issue but never have any helpful suggestions as to how they think it should be fixed. And even if a matter that they're upset about gets addressed its not fixed the way they think it should have been if they were the ones calling the shots. Every town has got people like that.

The other day I asked the girls at City Hall what were common complaints they received and in no order in particular they rattled off five recurring issues:

1. Taxes are too high.
   
   
   

Okay, who hasn't griped about taxes? But too high compared to what? New York? Minneapolis? New Auburn? If you're going to live in a municipality and expect 24/7 police protection, garbage, sewer and water services, fire and ambulance coverage I guess we have to be prepared to pay for it. By the way, a little fun fact here: your 2019 city taxes went up just a skosh. If you're looking for a culprit as to why your taxes went up look again at your school and county taxes. We have no control over either one.

2. Recycling bins are always fill.

They are! They really are. In fact, if you don't get to the recycling bin at the dam early in the week during the summertime you are setting yourself up for frustration. We would argue that

at least one of the reasons that they are is that the Town of Chetek, unlike the Town of Prairie Lake, has no recycling site whatsoever. Therefore, Town of Chetek folk drop off their recycling at our locations which are designed for City residents. Just saying. This past winter Atrium informed the City that they wanted the recycling bin on their property moved. The plan is to relocate it behind City Hall. Expect that to happen soon.

3. Why isn't the brush site open longer?

   

   Be nice to Jack. He only
   enforces the rules on the books

The brush site will be opening again soon and once again Jack will resume his post at the entrance. For the last couple of seasons the brush site has been open on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons from 3-6 p.m. Inevitably, some folks are upset about that and wish it could be open longer and more frequently. Or how 'bout we go back to the day when it was just open all the time? Well, here's the thing with that: on May 1, 2013 the heavens opened up and dumped over a foot of snow over the area. Soon our brush site became Ground Zero for every clean-up crew in this part of the county. We had so much brush back there that ultimately we had, at city expense, to hire a grinder to come in to mulch it all up. The pile was just way to big to burn per DNR regulations. If you recall, in response to that in 2014 there was no municipal brush site. I believe in 2015 it was reopened but this time with someone on the city's payroll to monitor brush that was brought in (again, Town of Prairie Lake has a brush site while Town of Chetek does not). Jack's been our guy the last two seasons and it's his job to check everyone who brings brush and yard waste there to ensure they are city residents only. We only pay him minimum wage and we're happy to have such a competent and polite monitor. All this to say is that put it on your calendar to serve as a reminder that it is only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 3-6 pm and never when it's raining.

4. 

   They don't seem to get it

   Goose poop at the beach.

This is a common complaint in the summer time. Dan has tried all kinds of tricks to keep the geese out but they still do their business where our kids and us would like to go barefoot. Per Carmen the only real way to fix this problem is to invent a goose pooper-scooper and then hire someone to go down there – what, twice a week? - to scoop it up. I suppose we could find the money to pay that person but who wants that job? (Please do not suggest one of the guys at Public Works get delegated that task. I'm telling you now that's what they call a 'non-starter').

5. 
   City dock/Hydroflites

While not a fisherman myself I have it on good authority that the city dock can get quite busy in the summertime. Between fishing boats and the flotilla that makes up the Hydroflite fleet it can feel as crowded as Times Square at times (that is a definite exaggeration but you get what I'm saying). The Hydroflites are a long-lasting tradition in our community and we're grateful that they're here. At the same time, we want people to have access to the lake to fish. There will be some significant improvements coming to the city dock this summer which probably won't fix the traffic issue but it certainly will increase accessibility to the Chain especially for handicapped residents. At peak times (right before show time, for example) a little patience and a little grace are required by all parties involved.

I reached out to Public Works Director Dan Knapp and City Inspector Joe Atwood via email regarding the complaints they get and only Joe responded with a one-sentence email: “Property appearance and junk vehicles.” I do get it that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What appears as 'junk' to one home-owner is a little diamond in the ruff that needs just a little TLC by another. We have no ordinance against how many vehicles you can store on your property. Last year I suggested we might consider such a regulation and immediately there was a general hue and cry about “government overstep”. We do have a requirement that every one of our vehicles has to have their registration up to date AND has to move on its own accord. Chief and his crew are generally pretty good about sending out a gentle reminder about this right about this time or risk citation.

I didn't get anything from Dan but I don't think it's rocket science to suggest that one of the frequent complaints he does get is about snow removal. Last Thursday's snow storm is a perfect case in point. The county was out in force but our guys were sight unseen. And then about mid-morning on Friday, Dan unleashed the hounds and the guys got to it. Snow removal in the late spring is one of those “Damned if you do”/ “Damned if you don't” kinda things. If you don't people complain – like this complaint that was lodged at our City of Chetek Facebook page. 

If you do then the complaints start coming in about how the city just filled in everyone's driveway. What's a Public Works Director to do? I don't tell Dan how to run his department. I don't know what formula he uses to determine when to send the plows out and when to keep them home. Personally, I think our guys do a darn good job and we should be thankful how helpful they frequently are.

For me, the few complaints I have received have to do with (no surprise to anyone who is paying attention to municipal activity in the last few years):

1. The Mill

You have a venue on the edge of a neighborhood full of little kids which is busiest on Friday and Saturday nights. What's more, 'quiet hours' begin at 10 pm (even for The Mill). Add in alcohol that is served at weddings and other celebrations and that spells loud and (sometimes) obnoxious behavior by a few of The Mill's patrons. It's my understanding that years ago there were many of the same issues with Red's as this is a tavern-restaurant right in the middle of a neighborhood as well. But the current owners of Red's police their patrons, erected privacy fences and as far as I know do a good job of being good neighbors. My hope remains that the Helms, the owners of The Mill, will work as hard as those guys who own Reds, to do the very same with their neighbors.

2. Purchasing the old Chetek Cafe

Since the building has come down I don't hear this as much but it's out there all the same. $175K seems like a lot of money for an empty lot that we'll never sell for the same price. If you're looking for a dollar-for-dollar return on your money I guess that's a fair criticism butI look at it as 'seed money'. We helped a business owner (the Wojkes of Chetek Cafe) expand and we gained acquisition of a prime piece of real estate in the heart of the business district. The old cafe was on its last leg and had we not spent the $50K to tear it down it would still be standing slowly falling apart. 'Sure we'll gladly sell you this old building but you'll not only have to buy the property but you'll also have to spend the money to tear it down'. Yeah, not a great marketing plan. So the city did the heavy-lifting, invested a little seed money and if in time a new business arises at that locale it will be a property back on the tax-rolls. Personally, I think it's gonna work out in time. But sure as shooting, if we did nothing whatsoever, there would be complaints about that to.

There's a lot going on in town right now. We just had soil samples taken out at the 40-acre addition at the end of Knapp Street. As soon as we get the results back we'll begin Phase 1 of the new development out there. Significant improvements to Main Street Park are in earnest. New roofs have already gone up on all the other park pavilions. 

Airport Park pavilion has a new roof

The newly re-formed Property Committee has toured all the city-owned facilities and will soon be producing some recommendations for the council to consider. Conversations have been taking place with a few other groups in town that could result in other significant changes to certain properties. But like so many things in municipal goings-on there are a lot of moving parts and nothing happens quickly. Which is a good thing in the overall scheme of things. 'Slow and steady wins the race,' right?

Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm by Jerdine Nolan is all about a man named Harvey Potter who, unlike his neighbors who grow corn, okra and tomatoes, grows balloons. One of his more contrary neighbors, a certain Wheezle Mayfield, was so upset about his peculiar farming practices that he called the government on Harvey and soon a group of government scientists in white coats and gloves descended on his farm to investigate. As the little girl who is the narrator tells us “They pulled and they pried and finally they pricked one of those plants with a pin. And what was supposed to

happen did – the balloon popped. Even they couldn't argue with that. So they gave Harvey Potter the right to grow balloons. He never asked them for it, mind you. But he took it anyway, just to be polite. Let me tell you, it made everybody happy. Well, almost everybody. Wheezle was sore.” 

Every town has a got a Wheezle Mayfield or two who are only happy when they're grousing or complaining about something. Which is too bad but some folks have trained themselves to be that way and nothing but the grace of God can help there.

There are constructive ways to work toward solutions about certain things. For starters, settle down before you pick up the phone to rant to someone at Public Works or City Hall. They're people, too, busy with their work and haven't been sitting idly by waiting for you to blast them with your Jeremiad. Ask questions. Show up at city council meetings and get educated. Call your alderperson or the mayor (or both) and ask for a sit-down to discuss the issues that concern you. Dialogue is always more helpful that lobbing vocal grenades at whomever you believe may be 'the enemy'.

Its warming up out there. The sun's out (okay, not today). Let's hope we're done with the snow. And hey, just remind yourself, it's gonna be a great day!