Thank you to everyone who participated in and contributed to the Oscar Mayer Special Area Plan (OMSAP) during the public input phase. Your thoughts and input are valuable to our community and to me.

You may have read in the Wisconsin State Journal about the OMSAP contamination and future development at the Oscar Mayer site. Oscar Mayer was the source of major contamination, and in the past they contaminated soil, air and water with PFAS. From a social environmental justice lens, city staff has failed to address those issues and the community has reached out to me with those concerns. They are asking the city to provide more information and to address contamination issues, especially in Buildings 43 and 50. 

We are going through a time of historic flooding and climate change, and neighbors have expressed deep concerns about the future development at the Hartmeyer wetland and upland area. I stand with the surrounding neighborhood associations and community and fully support preserving all 30 acres of the natural area of Hartmeyer. 

In addition, there is conflict over opening Coolidge Street to Packers Avenue. Overwhelmingly, the people living on this sleepy, tree-lined street have spoken up against opening it to vehicle traffic. Many of them have families and small children who play in their yards or in Eken Park (bordered on one side by Coolidge). I’m hearing time and time again from you that the heavy traffic and increased noise, dirt and dust are not welcome and not good for our community. 

There is confusion as to why this topic is up for debate and spending taxpayer dollars when the community overwhelmingly affected by this is in opposition to opening it to automobile traffic. In this issue as well, I stand with our community and support opening Coolidge Street only to bicycle and pedestrian entry from Packers Avenue. 

I did not support the plan as it is because of the Hartmeyer and Coolidge Street issues.