HOLD THE PRESS!

Unless your are dead or undead  you know that our Mayor John Dickert

shown here

is resigning as Mayor to talk the job of executive director for  Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative.

details of when he will resign as of 13:00 3/27/17 is not known by this reporter.

I can tell you that reading the form 990 this group Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, is not a rich group and by  my reading of the 990, the last director only received about 110,000 a little less then what Mayor Dickert gets in wages (I will assume The Mayor will be able to get travel, health care  paid that adds to the 110K but say  another 30K or so)

Stories from the street (how much faith you want to put in them is up to you) is that the news getting out was some what unplanned for catching some but not all in surprise.

I can not help but think that without Dickert’s arm twisting that both the Arena and Machinery Row is like dead for with an special election the City will be able to hold a VOTE to see if the public wants an Arena, with public feelings running very much anti arena this would never pass killing any more spending on what I feel is a  Satanic project only serving Mayor Dickert’s ego and lining his pals pockets

Why now vs say when his term ends?

Good question I do not believe at all is the idea that he must act to save the Great Lakes more likely this has much more to do with his getting out as the getting is good:

1. The Journal Times reports that the Tax credits for  Machinery Row are in trouble http://journaltimes.com/news/local/tax-credits-for-machinery-row-project-in-doubt/article_c7da9df4-e333-5c01-a665-ced928188291.html
2. Oh recall the Dickert made Racine a sanctuary city? Guess what Looks like Racine will lose a bunch of money from the feds http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/27/jeff-sessions-says-hell-punish-sanctuaries-cities/ I much rather have police then an Arena. With the Feds going to work and get back past monies how do we repay that since we are all ready in so much debit?

What other Fed money might be in trouble maybe HUD funds? What will Racine do?

Maybe if your Dickert you bail

and If you thought that was interesting I give you this:

The Tick Corry Mason is running for Mayor!

Yes the Carpet Baggier himself Mason is running for Mayor, and you thought things could not get worse well they can!

Mr I love to tax I love to spend your money wants to be Mayor

Very interesting I did not see this turn of events happening.

I believe that Mason have more power in State office vs trying to save Racine from Bankruptcy or in the Tick’s case put us there faster!

Goes to show on any day anything can happen!

 

Will West Racine See The Next TIF?

From the Racine Journal Times 3/25/17 http://journaltimes.com/business/local/west-racine-struggles-with-storefront-vacancies/article_3c784ccf-b068-5542-bf1c-047a317595da.html

 

…“There’s more empty stores than ever,” Bob Barina, owner of Bob’s on Washington, said bluntly. And he should know: Barina has had his shop at 3213 Washington Ave. for 53 years.

When Nelson’s closes, that block alone will be five vacant storefronts there — six if one includes the former Piggly Wiggly which has a Grove Avenue address but faces Washington Avenue” …

True West Racine the last true neighborhood is now well as I call a dead area with little if anything to bring anyone to shop.

There is a CVS, a Diner, a few other shops far more then say downtown but not the place it once was.

Some say that its because the full line grocery closed years ago, some that the parking meters scare visitors off, that the Farmer’s Market that Mayor John Dicker hated that once was a jumping place left, to me all the above combined ended this area.

I need to add here here that the Paper did not cover the efforts of Copy Cat Music to bring visitors to West Racine for years at the owner’s own expense nor what I saw as little buy in to events like the Art Walks to bring attention to West Racine.

Well now they do not need to that anymore I can recall the last Art walk or like event, can you?

The question now is what will the City do?

I think I know from the same story

… “Another big problem, Sopczak said, goes back to the Piggly Wiggly grocery store closing many years ago.

“We’ve all seen the eyesore that’s been in place since the Pig moved out,” he said. And the building’s out-of-state owner has shown no particular urgency about filling it, Sopczak observed.

That means West Racine lacks a large destination business to help support smaller ones, he said. “There’s no dominant business to drive people in on a daily basis.”..”

Cant guess let me tell you

1. the City calls the old Pig store a blight
2. with a roof from  the looks of it leaks the city gets a repair or raze order
3. The Building comes down forcing the CVS to move or the owner sells to the City
4. The City helps form a group perhaps the same group that runs the Uptown plan to do a study.
5. This group comes up with a plan to form a TIF to pay for revitalizing the area and attracting business to include a bar to bring folks to West Racine
6. This will also include an ask for a light rail to bring in the rich from Chicago who we are told bag beg our mayor for a way to shop in Racine

Best the two aldermen from this area are hard core Dickert backers as is  Jim Spangenberg who sits on the Racine Redevelopment Authority and loves Dickert’s idea of an Arena

Of course West Racine just like Downtown just like Uptown and the whole city will continue to fester but do not worry Dickers pals will make good money! \

Maybe Doug Nickleson who also sits on the RDA who loves the arena can be talked into opening yet another bar!

Why do we spend so much on Downtown?

We sure spend the money on Downtown Racine.

Yet why do we?

If you do not drink, what is there to do?

There is no grocery store, no place to shop for your kid’s clothing. No place I can think of that I or anyone I know can go to buy cloths.

There is no book store ( but we do thank God have a great library) I can think of nothing for kids to do (yes the Heritage is a fantastic museum, but its not set up as a play area for kids)

There is a drug store, a nice bugger place, one eclectic store that is of some interest. What else? A few art galleries that come and go and a Hat store I my self can think of anything other then a few more diner type places. Oh yes the Cycle store + motorcycle store.

I can think of bars lots and lots of bars, and more bars! Off hand 7 bars if I drove downtown I get the exact count is that what we are spending so much money on is an area that drunks can go to part on at?

Is that the idea of the Arena is to draw more to our happy party place?

Sure hope not

Party on Racine!

Why is only a little money!

 

So the City got the go ahead to spend another 500 to 600K on a study that will say we so need this arena (if the study came back and said we had no need would the consult ever work again?)

Note the word in bold ANOTHER, looks like from a commentator in the Journal Times today the City has all ready spend over 100,000 on this idea of an Arena so now the city has pissed away almost 3/4 of a million dollars on this.

I wounder how much we spent on the failed Porters project?

You know a redevelopment that would draw the rich to Downtown a mixed use idea that now is only well a field of gravel.

And lets not forget

Machinery Row

You know the project that we lost what 4 million on? That we lent the developer that he is in default on.

But now will be two housing projects!!!

Go us go Racine!

And the lies are spun

From the Journal Times  http://journaltimes.com/news/local/dickert-arena-proposal-would-bring-hundreds-of-jobs/article_8e143ead-e62d-5ca0-ba8a-250698a0a399.html  “…

While that’s been taking place, Mayor John Dickert has been working behind the scenes and in tandem with the county to make the project a reality.

“This is a community opportunity,” Dickert said. “This is not a city or county thing or anything else. This is all of us partnering together on an opportunity to create jobs.”

Those jobs are a vital benefit of the arena proposal, which was presented publicly for the first time to the County Board Tuesday. The $40 million events center would add more than 300 jobs as well as 450 construction jobs during the building process, according to Dickert. …”

Well now let just look at his track record on projects our fine Mayor has talked about

Team Porters   Number of Jobs 0  Site is now a field of grass

Delta Hawk Jobs promised 100 Jobs created ??  Business sold to another local company no report ever given that I am aware of, we were that if X jobs where not created the money given by the City of Racine would be “clawed back” no idea if that was ever stared nor occurred

Machinery Row a 60 Million project city loans given Grants received for the project

so far..

The loan not paid back talks to extend loan payments, from a review of city of Racine information on line not happening and from what I can find from the City and county of Racine the properties are behind on taxes! Yes Machinery Row is NOT paying taxes (gee I thought they would have to?). We are also told that work on the Brownfield issues are being done as I type this, however the most number of cars I have seen at this site is 3 so I can only think that no this is not happening.

From what I can see and read from pubic information is nothing is going on at the site and Machinery Row like Porters is well kinda dead

Of course we have the 800K “lost” loan from a building on Main st as you know from the Journal Times the paper work securing this loan kinda of sorta got lost not filed not done in the first place.

Damn Racine is good when it comes to doing/following up on  projects

Questions that should be ask include is the Brewhouse at Reef Point Marina paying rent yet?

How many “Boaters” outside the Zip code of Racine have come to Reef Point Marina? Is it covering its own costs?

How much money has Venue Works lost in running Festival Hall last report is 300K in the red. Gee how much money can they lose on this?

Our Mayor of course is saying what a great place a arena would be for the area you know the Jobs we have the folks coming to downtown Racine etc You know the lies we have been told for years and years but this time it will be different.

Of course it will be sure you know I got this great bridge for sale in New York

 

 

Let’s spend money we do not have

Does it hurt yet? Because you are going to learn to take it

From The Journal Times 8/24/16

“…

RACINE — A new study recommends a $40 million Downtown Racine events center attached to a 135-room hotel, though uncertainty about funding looms over discussions.

A conceptual plan presented Tuesday to the Racine County Board calls for a 3,800-seat arena to be built on vacant land at the southeast corner of Lake Avenue and Gas Light Drive.

In addition to the Milwaukee Bucks Developmental League team, officials say a United States Hockey League franchise has expressed interest in a Racine arena, which would also host concerts and other events.

A proposal on how to fund it has not yet emerged. An arena would cost about $40 million, according to the study from Hunden Strategic Partners….”

Lets be bold here did you think that Hunden Strategic Partners was NOT going to say that this the idea of an arena was not going to be the best thing since White bread? If they did how many more studies would they be hired to do, after all how much money will be generated in Downtown Racine even if nothing is ever built?Think of the Grants that could be received for this project! Think of the paid trips the Mayor and his pals could go on! Think of the booze that could be sold! Think of the cash only income near by business could make the sets of books one could have!

Of course we are told that crowds will come from Milwaukee and Northern IL to see our worse then Farm teams play, the backers of this plan must have not heard of

The Bucks

The Blackhawks

The Cubs

The Milwaukee Admirals

The White Socks

The Wave

Get the point?  The number of sports teams to see without ever coming near the Racine exits?

Looking at our population we are told that we would be the base of support to for the teams (right sure of course)

We would be paying the 40+ Million that this would cost this being on top of the 200 Million debit we now have oh the joy of the City of the Racine.

Now word is that the Hockey Team in the Newspaper is NOT the only Hockey team to use this but an NHL team owner will offer to move a Farm team here (and Big Foot is coming too)

Word is too that a “Named Hotel Chain” wants to come to Racine and build the Hotel with no ” tax payer” funds (you heard about Big Foot right?)

I will be following this story closely

 

Are you ready Racine for what is coming?

Are you ready for what is coming? You know you want it after all you been fucked by :

Point Blue

Team Porters

Machinery Row ( Wait til you hear the new idea AND who will pay the bills)

From the Journal Times 8/21/16

“…

The Racine County Board on Tuesday will hear the results of a recent study centered on the possibility of constructing an arena in Racine.

Moreover, the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting mentions the possibility of a hotel in connection to the arena. On Friday, Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave declined to provide details about the hotel in advance of the meeting.  …”

As much as Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave declined to provide details (and why should he he only works for us but looks like he is controlled by Mayor John Dickert)

I will speculate:

1. The location is Downtown Racine thinking the old WE Energy site on Lake St
2. The hotel a long time goal of Mayor John Dickert and will include a convention center thinking this be the filled in 5th St Marina that the County can not sell nor has found any interest in. What better way to dispose of a White Elephant then sell it to the tax payers?
3. The Sports arena will include an indoor Ice rink something else a long time goal of the Downtown Racine crowd wants badly maybe something called for in the Root Works plan
4. The Ice rink we will be told would be used by An NHL farm team we will be told would be moved or started in Racine
5. That the convention center of course would be ran by the same company Venu Works that only loss 300K last year and has trouble filling the Festival Hall in Racine
6. the cost (about say 50 Million) would be split between The City of Racine County of Racine and forced loans I mean donations from the Racine Business community

That local Sport player (s) from Racine we will be told will buy naming rights, to honor another local sports hero.

That there are a few 100K in grants to kick the project off (and pay the developer?)

Of course the report will say  there is a HUGE need for a Sports Complex and Hotel/Convention center. We will be told that many from Chicago would come to Racine to see the Sports team Ice Skate then spend $$ in Downtown Racine, after all just go downtown and see all the cars from IL, and the line of cars coming to Racine on Hwy 11 to visit this Hell hole I mean great city.

Now how will Machinery Row impact this when new details on that project comes out?

Overall just know your not taxed enough and need to pay more to allow the pals of John Dickert to make money off you now be good and bend over because its coming

 

 

Machinery Row! Is dead dead dead or a new set of lies? With update!

From The Journal Times http://journaltimes.com/business/local/racine-committee-to-discuss-machinery-row-in-closed-session/article_bfaacc4e-3fe7-5dbc-8bfc-bb987ff9130a.html

“… The Racine Executive Committee will meet in closed session at 7 p.m. today to discuss Machinery Row, the proposed mixed-use, riverfront redevelopment along Water Street. No open session will follow…”

Why what might this be about?

Could it be the fact that the loan from the city of Racine to Rodney Blackwell for this project even after an extension has not been repaid AND I can find nothing about another being granted. Might is be about that? From the records I can find (like none) there is no proof he has paid the City of Racine anything and with no signed agreement between the city and Blackwell approved by the Aldermen will he ever?

Did the City here unlike on the Main Street fiasco file a lean on the properties? Did Blackwell sign a personal responsibly note on this loan or could he simply walk away or in his case drive away?

Might it be what one discovers when searching Tax records on the properties making up Machinery Row will that be discussed?

This reporter thinks that Blackwell can not do this project and will claim to be looking for partners to help him finish something maybe low income housing maybe an Arena perhaps a Casino God knows what.

All bets are off if we ever see dime one back from yet what is looking like another failed project under Mayor Dickert

Note

there was a meeting of the Executive committee  last night on Machinery Row with no action taken, two points No action needing to be reported in the meting minuets taken. Any information given was not shared with the reporter from the Journal Times nor any Alderman said anything.

My guess and after living under Mayor John Dickert if all was going well there would have been a press event.

So the question is when will we know how bad things are in Machinery Row how will the City explain this away?

Take this opportunity to check on the project as I would and the J-T should with the property and tax records.

A search on how well Rodney Blackwell is doing with his projects in Iowa might be useful too.

How do you lose 800K

From the Racine Journal Times 8/6/16  link http://journaltimes.com/news/local/mayor-aldermen-discuss-k-loan-in-closed-session/article_bb6b4cb7-a371-5659-81b3-0414b556c72a.html

… “RACINE — The City of Racine’s Executive Committee met in closed session Thursday evening, at least in part to discuss an $800,000 loan the city proposed writing off in June.

The Executive Committee includes Mayor John Dickert and five aldermen — Dennis Wiser, Q.A. Shakoor II, Melissa Lemke, Jeff Coe and Terry McCarthy. Dickert said Friday that the meeting was called to keep the aldermen informed on the latest with the loan, made to the now-defunct Main-Lake LLC, between 1993 and 1995 to fund housing at 419-425 Main St.

“It was really just advising the council as to what’s going on,” the mayor said. “A lot of council members have been asking about it so we just wanted to say this is where we’re at.”

State law allows city officials to meet in closed session to discuss strategy with legal counsel. Dickert couldn’t comment on the exact progress made on evaluating the loan. …

when last we read the City of Racine was going to write off the 800K loan made in the 1990’s for the building had been sold twice (if not three times) and if I understand right a lean was never placed on this building and as the story,

… “According to the June release, Elaine Ekes, the city’s consulting attorney, determined that the city would be unable to recoup the loan because the Main-Lake enterprise has dissolved. There was also no collection agreement with Main-Lake’s former parent company, The Alexander Company Inc., a Madison-based real estate developer, or any sort of mortgage taken out on the loan.

The Alexander Company’s president, Joe Alexander, said his company ceased involvement in Main-Lake in late 1997.”

Strong word on the street is that the City of Racine is going to sue to recover the loan.

Who would they sue? The current owner has a clean title, as my guess is the lat owner did, as we will find, all owners did, So then who will the City sue?

How do you not follow what must be SOP anytime  the city makes a loan THAT big?

Or maybe something else might explain what I can only call gross misconduct.

What do you think happened?

Begs the question what is going on with Machinery Row, after all  been three months and no word on what is going on with the loan the City gave on this. Why?

 

 

 

So

Just for fun thought I come by and see what if anything was new here. After all I have not posted anything here since 2015 then since I was not using this anymore I delete the site.

Then ….

I saw that people still came here that was kinda a shock more shocking was to see that comments were being left, not by spam botts trying to post some type of ads but from others who took the time to read what I had to say then take the time to write something.

More amazing is that it was from the hater group, so this poorly written with shit grammar and worse spelling blog is so upsetting the Pro Dickert  types that they are moved to defend him and his policies.

Very interesting and kinda motivating if only to be a burr in the side of our Mayor who I still see as being the number one reason why Racine is even more then ever falling into ruin

How is Team Porters doing anyway?