I'm long overdue in noting the unfortunate end of the Franklin Cultural Center board's efforts to fund and build an arts center here. The organization was chaired by Don Dorson (read his letter after the jump). So much for local community amenities.
I also just started reading a newly published book called THE CUL-DE-SAC SYNDROME: TURNING AROUND THE UNSUSTAINABLE AMERICAN DREAM. And there's Franklin - a favorite for authors and journalists needing an object lesson in sprawl economics - on page 53:
High-growth areas nearly always translate into higher property taxes. One study in Dane County, Wisconsin, where the tax burden is among the highest in the United States, showed that while the county's population grew 12 percent from 1990 to 1996, total property taxes soared 3.57 times faster than the population. Part of the reason is that developers rarely pay the long-term costs of building communities. Impact fees are often minimal.Once subdivisions are built, builders are off the hook to fund schools parks, roads, and other infrastructure. In fact, the disparity between what a single-family home costs taxpayers and what developers pay is huge. In Franklin, Wisconsin, just south of Milwaukee, each new home cost taxpayers more than $10,000 for schools and services in 1992 (it was considerably more by 2008). The developer's contribution: $813 per home. Impact fees vary from locale to locale, but they never cover the full cost of development.
Dear Franklin Cultural Center Board Members, Committee Chairs and Volunteers.
As you are aware the steering committee has been reviewing the Arts Market report which we commissioned several months ago. The report concludes and the steering committee agrees, that there is no support for our vision of a free standing arts facility servicing multiple needs built with private donations and self sustaining in the future.
Over the past year it has become apparent to me that I have failed to build enough support for our concept in spite of the efforts of many dedicated individuals like yourselves. From the start it was an ambitious goal. The vision would have required that numerous entities within the city of Franklin to work together and to “think outside” the box of traditional tax and spend mentality of providing public services. It would have required that the various entities such as the school district and the city and a group of citizens to work together, give up a little control and adjust their vision on how to best provide needed facilities such as a community center and an auditorium. However difficult of an accomplishment that would be, the rewards would have been great: To create a truly unique attraction in Franklin for all the south suburban communities. The facility which would have stimulated economic growth. The facility would have also created an identity, a focal point and a sense of community pride without placing additional burdens on the property tax payers of our community.
However, with few exceptions such as Mayor Tom Taylor, Our leaders could not conceive or even seriously explore, any other way to provide for the needs of a growing community than to build costly individual facilities on the backs of taxpayers. Our concept was met with apathy by most and opposition by a few. In order to build an outstanding community it takes visionary thinkers and risk takers such as Dr. and Mrs Schmalz. Conventional thinking results in the common place or mediocre. Sadly, there are too few in our community willing to take risks and dream of what could be if only they widened their scope. Sadly , another generation of school kids will go through the system using the multipurpose room as performance space, our seniors won’t have a decent place to meet in their own community and we will have to travel to other communities for entertainment venues as a result. At least until such time that a massive spending referendum is approved by the taxpayers of Franklin.
That all aside, I have to thank you all for your hard work and dedication to the cause. Several of you have stuck with the project since the beginning others have come and gone over the years, but either way, I can’t thank you enough. Through your efforts we brought professional acts such as John Mcgivern, Flanagan’s Wake and Late Nite Catechism from Chicago. Additionally, we should all be proud of our own productions like Divas and Divine Desserts, The Art of Nature exhibit or Jingle Bell Jazz which all featured local talent. We raised money, not only to support our own efforts but for Hurricane Katrina relief, we made donations to the school band and conducted cooperative fundraising events with the Friends of the Franklin Public Library and the Milwaukee Area Land Conservancy and were involved in fundraising for two major Eagle Scout projects. These events brought the performing arts to our communities and enjoyment to young and old, provided performance opportunities for our local artists and children and promoted Franklin as a place where community arts programs were thriving. I am very proud of all we have accomplished. I know I had a great time pulling these events together. I will miss the anxiety we shared wondering if people will come to our events and the “rush” you get when the phone starts ringing for ticket sales.
I also want to be sure to thank our sponsors and supports. Several companies and individuals have supported our efforts. To name a few Harley Davidson, KS Remodelers (ald. Ken Skowronski), Klement Sausage (Jeff Klement) and Reann Holms who could consistently be counted on for sponsorships. And Alderman Wilhelm who would by blocks of tickets and in turn to donate to seniors and other who would otherwise not have had the opportunity to attend our events. Lastly I don’t want to forget some of the city’s often unsung hero’s. Those dedicated public servants of the City Clerks office and Department of Public Works who work with many of the city’s service organizations and non- profits to make sure the various permits are filed on time and have supported our work behind the scenes.
Going forward, there are a few people working towards a more conventional means of providing performance space in our community. I wish those people luck. However, personally I have no interest in pursing this option. I believe the opportunity to building an “Arts Center” attached to a school as something unique has passed. The market is now flooded with Muskego, South Milwaukee, Greendale and Greenfield and others all claiming their auditoriums as “Arts Centers”. Some such as South Milwaukee do a better job than others but most do not live up to the promise of providing a venue for the greater community to enjoy.
After much soul searching I have decided to recommend to the executive board that we suspend all operations of the FCAC until such time as a suitable 501(c)3 organization is formed or found that we, with Dr.and Mrs Schmalz’s, approval, will donate the remaining funds we have in our accounts.
Again thank you all for sharing the vision and your tireless work to accomplish the goal.
Don
As you are aware the steering committee has been reviewing the Arts Market report which we commissioned several months ago. The report concludes and the steering committee agrees, that there is no support for our vision of a free standing arts facility servicing multiple needs built with private donations and self sustaining in the future.
Over the past year it has become apparent to me that I have failed to build enough support for our concept in spite of the efforts of many dedicated individuals like yourselves. From the start it was an ambitious goal. The vision would have required that numerous entities within the city of Franklin to work together and to “think outside” the box of traditional tax and spend mentality of providing public services. It would have required that the various entities such as the school district and the city and a group of citizens to work together, give up a little control and adjust their vision on how to best provide needed facilities such as a community center and an auditorium. However difficult of an accomplishment that would be, the rewards would have been great: To create a truly unique attraction in Franklin for all the south suburban communities. The facility which would have stimulated economic growth. The facility would have also created an identity, a focal point and a sense of community pride without placing additional burdens on the property tax payers of our community.
However, with few exceptions such as Mayor Tom Taylor, Our leaders could not conceive or even seriously explore, any other way to provide for the needs of a growing community than to build costly individual facilities on the backs of taxpayers. Our concept was met with apathy by most and opposition by a few. In order to build an outstanding community it takes visionary thinkers and risk takers such as Dr. and Mrs Schmalz. Conventional thinking results in the common place or mediocre. Sadly, there are too few in our community willing to take risks and dream of what could be if only they widened their scope. Sadly , another generation of school kids will go through the system using the multipurpose room as performance space, our seniors won’t have a decent place to meet in their own community and we will have to travel to other communities for entertainment venues as a result. At least until such time that a massive spending referendum is approved by the taxpayers of Franklin.
That all aside, I have to thank you all for your hard work and dedication to the cause. Several of you have stuck with the project since the beginning others have come and gone over the years, but either way, I can’t thank you enough. Through your efforts we brought professional acts such as John Mcgivern, Flanagan’s Wake and Late Nite Catechism from Chicago. Additionally, we should all be proud of our own productions like Divas and Divine Desserts, The Art of Nature exhibit or Jingle Bell Jazz which all featured local talent. We raised money, not only to support our own efforts but for Hurricane Katrina relief, we made donations to the school band and conducted cooperative fundraising events with the Friends of the Franklin Public Library and the Milwaukee Area Land Conservancy and were involved in fundraising for two major Eagle Scout projects. These events brought the performing arts to our communities and enjoyment to young and old, provided performance opportunities for our local artists and children and promoted Franklin as a place where community arts programs were thriving. I am very proud of all we have accomplished. I know I had a great time pulling these events together. I will miss the anxiety we shared wondering if people will come to our events and the “rush” you get when the phone starts ringing for ticket sales.
I also want to be sure to thank our sponsors and supports. Several companies and individuals have supported our efforts. To name a few Harley Davidson, KS Remodelers (ald. Ken Skowronski), Klement Sausage (Jeff Klement) and Reann Holms who could consistently be counted on for sponsorships. And Alderman Wilhelm who would by blocks of tickets and in turn to donate to seniors and other who would otherwise not have had the opportunity to attend our events. Lastly I don’t want to forget some of the city’s often unsung hero’s. Those dedicated public servants of the City Clerks office and Department of Public Works who work with many of the city’s service organizations and non- profits to make sure the various permits are filed on time and have supported our work behind the scenes.
Going forward, there are a few people working towards a more conventional means of providing performance space in our community. I wish those people luck. However, personally I have no interest in pursing this option. I believe the opportunity to building an “Arts Center” attached to a school as something unique has passed. The market is now flooded with Muskego, South Milwaukee, Greendale and Greenfield and others all claiming their auditoriums as “Arts Centers”. Some such as South Milwaukee do a better job than others but most do not live up to the promise of providing a venue for the greater community to enjoy.
After much soul searching I have decided to recommend to the executive board that we suspend all operations of the FCAC until such time as a suitable 501(c)3 organization is formed or found that we, with Dr.and Mrs Schmalz’s, approval, will donate the remaining funds we have in our accounts.
Again thank you all for sharing the vision and your tireless work to accomplish the goal.
Don
$813 per home? That helps explain some things!
Posted by: Greg Kowalski | October 19, 2009 at 09:37 AM