News & Notes: April 16

Abendschein Park improvements advance

Despite the presence of the Butler's garter snake, nearly $400,000 worth of improvements to Abendschein Park, 999 E. Drexel Ave., will advance later this spring.

As part of phases I and II of the Abendschein Community Park Master Plan, the city will update the parking lot and pedestrian pathways, storm sewer and detention pond, skate park, open-air shelter, play structure area and soccer fields on the east side of the park.

The Oak Creek Common Council on April 6 conditionally approved four separate contracts for the projects, and the city received word April 13 from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources that the area is designated at a "tier 2" snake habitat, which means it does not have significant conservation value and will not impact planned improvements.

City Engineer Wayne St. John said work should begin in May, and improvements should be completed by the end of summer. Other improvements scheduled for 2010 and beyond include a concession building with restrooms, water, sanitary sewer and electrical service, stream bank stabilization, a pedestrian bridge over the creek, and further expansion of the pedestrian pathway network.

Improvements will be funded with impact fees and capital improvement project dollars.

Official election results change slightly

Although it does not change the outcome of the election, the official vote totals for the Oak Creek-Franklin School Board are slightly different than those reported April 7.

According to the city clerk's office, official vote totals are as follows:

Kathleen Borchardt (i) – 3,107

Jim Gilmeister – 2,468

Thomas Robe (i) – 2,121

The board of canvassers met April 8 to review the results.

Franklin's vote totals were not included in the results announced April 7, Deputy City Clerk Christa Miller said. Borchardt received 210 additional votes, Gilmeister received 151 and Robe received 114.

The only other discrepancy was the votes reported for mayoral write-in candidate Mark Verhalen. Verhalen received 131 votes, not 135 votes.