The Way I See It!

Heroin overdoses, rash of garage burglaries, woman suspects she was drugged at bar, Plankinton Inn robbed at gunpoint, Citgo clerk victim of armed robbery, Woman wakes up as burglar leaves her home

Those are some of the headlines facing Cudahy.  True headlines!  Do you think Cudahy has a crime problem!  The answer is YES, unless you put your head in the sand!

Here is what some recently suggested to me:

“Randy,

I don't like the city shown in a negative light in the newspaper, radio and the Internet.  If it was going to change the outcome, I would feel different.  Since it's the holiday season, I would like to see something more positive on the CudahyNOW website.  Just a suggestion.”

And I understand where that person was going from!  Honestly I do.  It is just too bad the criminals and some city officials don’t.

Here is what someone else said to me:

“Randy,

It appears that the drug problem is running wild here in town, and bringing an officer back from HIDTA to Cudahy, and adding another officer, has not been the save all, as it was promised. 

Talking to a couple of young people here in town over the last week, they are equating Cudahy to a Ghetto.  That is really sad, but unfortunately, as they said, the drugs are free and flowing.”

What is HIDTA you might have asked yourself - The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program enhances and coordinates drug control efforts among local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies.  The program provides agencies with coordination, equipment, technology, and additional resources to combat drug trafficking and its harmful consequences in critical regions of the United States http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/HIDTA/

Now I have said this before, the police cannot do this alone!  They need our help!  Are they perfect, NO, but they are doing what they can!  That is why we need to help out when we see something and call the police and we must give them the tools they need.

Again, we must support our police department and have faith in that part of the city.  Just look at what was just recently done.

The Cudahy Police Department Tactical Unit served two successful drug search warrants recently, resulting in multiple arrests.

As these investigations are ongoing, no additional information could be released.  I was told that they characterized these incidents as significant.

I was recently asked if the gang ordinance in Cudahy had been used and it has.  Could and should it be used more often?  I would say, YES if it was up to me.  But that would truly be up to the Cudahy Police to decide.  I am glad it is on the books incase it is needed.  Give the police as much tools as you can to make the city and us safe.

Maybe if the media keeps knocking Cudahy around, we will see change.  The fight of crime should be an excellent motivator for whoever runs for Cudahy Mayor in 2010. 

Much of the bad Wal-Mart headlines Cudahy brought on to itself.  It was common sense and the right thing to do and pass it, but low and behold, we would not want to do the right thing and common sense thing.  NOT in Cudahy!

Again, it might be a wake up call that Wagner, Sykes, Weber, and even Belling, are blasting McCue and Cudahy.  Unfortunately, from people I run into, Cudahy, once again is a laughing stock.  Add in that Cudahy is getting to look like a ghetto and we do have a problem.

Corrective action needs to be done, NOW!

We need to move away from the city leaders who do noting besides pad their resumes.

People from the outside looking in see that Cudahy is not moving in the positive right direction and now it is time for those looking in and out to move us in that way.  The right way!

Why cannot Cudahy have headlines like this?

Mequon makes money, Oak Creek booming, census study says

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/36210204.html

Jay Weber

Oak Creek is booming, Cudahy is NOT.

PodCast Click Here

Cudahy is in a battle and we need a strong Mayor, I am just not seeing that from Mayor McCue.  Do you?  Really, ask yourself what has he done that was a positive thing?

What we do see from Mayor McCue is silence.  Lots of silence that we can take to the bank.

Cudahy needs a Mayor who is seen and heard.  Right now, we don’t have that!

Where is the news conferences that we are going to take back the city from this crime wave?  What are the corrective actions being taken?

Where was the Mayor condoning the behavior of people vandalizing the people involved in a possible recall of him?  I pleaded for him to come out and denounce those actions, but he was silent.

Where is the Mayor’s meet the Mayor meetings to inform the public what is going on in the city?  Since I just mentioned it, wait it will happen shortly now!

While the recall may have fizzled, mostly because the people who would like to become Mayor next didn’t come forward.  Because what good does a recall do if the people are too afraid to run?

I just wish headlines would not be stories about illegal drugs in Cudahy and that at least four confirmed fatal drug overdoses in Cudahy, but those are the facts! 

Wait, looks like you can add to that - Another heroin overdose death suspected here

We have to stop wishing things would get better and actually do something about it!

It would be nice to live in a city that you feel safe in, is growing and moving in the right direction.  That just isn’t happening in Cudahy with Mayor McCue.  2009 is upon us and let us hope that those that would like to run for Cudahy’s Mayor are formulating ideas and strategies for running in 2010.  We cannot afford another McCue term.

It is not just “I” that thinks Mayor McCue is not doing enough for the city take a look at the public forum below and do a search on Mayor.  Very interesting comments.

What should be done with The Thirsty Moose tavern?

http://www.cudahynow.com/global_includes/forums/forum_cu_moose_tavern.asp

So what does the next Cudahy Mayor have to bring to the table?

Must be concerned about the crime in Cudahy and actually do something about it!  Talk is cheap, but actions speak volumes.

Must be really Pro-Business!  Not the talk, but the walk.  They need to actually show that Cudahy IS business friendly, not just campaign on it, but follow through! 

Condos are not everything (Condo sales at a trickle due to stagnant market)

http://www.cudahynow.com/story/index.aspx?id=638608

They need to be more open to the press with transparency as the real outcome not just talk about I will have an open door policy and lines of communications will be open.  They must keep the lines of communication to the public open.  John Q. Public always needs to know!

Accountability of the time and coming and goings - I was told that Mayor Hohenfeldt would send memos to everyone at City Hall that he would not be in the office.

So what whispers of names are blowing in the wind that might be considering a run for Cudahy Mayor you might be asking!

Here are a few rumors or wild speculation on my part of names surfacing that I have heard about.

Whose names are people talking about for a run at Mayor in 2010?

Jack Vaccaro, Robert Goss, Sara Eberhardy, Lee Barczak (now that he lives in Cudahy), some would like Joe Henika or Alderman Joe Mikolajczak from district one and maybe ex Mayor John Hohenfeldt.

One rumor being tossed my way was that McCue would not run in 2010, but put his support behind Lee Barczak in hopes if Mr. Barczak won he could in turn make McCue the City Administrator.

Maybe Cudahy could be this lucky - Almost half of council may seek mayor's post

Do we have a crime problem in Cudahy?  You would have to be a fool not to think so!

Just look at the report of activities investigated by CPD Officers this past week:

This data is provided by the Cudahy Blockwatch Activity Weekly Report

1 – Death Investigation

7 – Burglary

2 – Damage to Property

3 – Entry into Locked Vehicle

3 – Arrest Warrant (DOC, SMPD, MCSO)

3 – Domestic Violence (cleared)

1 – Arson

1 – Violation of Domestic Abuse Injunction (cleared)

3 – Theft (one case cleared)

1 – Operate Auto w/o Owners Consent

2 – Attempted Burglary

1 – Licensed Premise Open after Hours (cleared)

1 – CCW (cleared)

1 – Underage Consumption (cleared)

1 – Battery

1 – Sexual Assault 4th Degree (cleared)

2 – Armed Robbery (investigations pending)

1 – Sexual Assault of a Child (investigation pending)

1 – Missing Juvenile (located)

1 – Death Investigation – Drug Overdose

1 – Search Warrant – 3600 block of E. Squire Ave

1 – Possession with intent to deliver – Heroin (cleared)

Just as every city does, but we only truly care what our city does.  Let us work together and lower the crime!  Let us get pride in Cudahy and take back the streets!  If we have city people who don’t see the light, make them or replace them.