MPA Badge November 2013 - Milwaukee Police Association

November 2013
A Message from the President
By Michael V. Crivello, MPA President
This “Badge” represents the last of the year; therefore, I shall
take this opportunity to wish all of our members, family and friends
a wonderful Thanksgiving, a very Merry Christmas & Holiday
Season – may God bless our New Year!
I remain so very honored and humbled by the opportunity to be the
president of your association. The police officers, forensic investigators, and detectives that proudly serve the City of Milwaukee truly
are professionals. Your executive board of the Milwaukee Police
Association remains at the ready to care for the needs of our membership. I am certain you’ve heard it many times if you attend our
membership open meetings, interacted with me at an internal investigation representation or critical scene, or seen me at your work
location – I shall state it again, “I work for you”! Your EBoard
subscribes to the same. A member’s call is always welcomed; get
to know your stewards and trustees: Vice President Mark Buetow,
Secretary/Treasurer Shawn Lauda, Trustees Dale Bormann, Glen
Podlesnik, Gary Brown and Trustee Elect Dennis Baisley.
The year of 2013…long, difficult, and successful; while short
staffed and exposed to relentless crime concerns culminating in
the last few months of an explosion of criminal activity – the law
enforcement of this community has not surrendered. While we had
our share of injuries, some extremely serious in nature, our officers
have remained in the fight. It is dangerous out there! Watch out for
each other, stay safe and know this association shall never stop advocating for your safety concerns – to include getting to: two mansquads as a norm; rather than the anomaly. Nonmembers and family
members can help us: forward your message to the chief, common
council, and mayor – insist on partners for your loved ones!
While recognizing we’ve navigated through some difficult waters,
we have also had the opportunity to rejoice in success, fellowship
and future prospective. The relaxing of the archaic residency rule
was long overdue, and most simply, it was just the right thing to do.
While the law is of benefit to current and potential officers, it represents even greater opportunity to communities no longer absolutely
defined by boundary. To note: few officers have moved beyond the
city boundaries and of those selling homes have actually witnessed
sale higher than assessed value (=/>15k). Think about that…first
there is no rush for the border as city leadership attempted to scare
the citizenry with, but more interesting (as the MPA had argued) the
sales of quality homes benefit the city tax base.
The MPA welcomed, albeit small, a new recruit class to the
Milwaukee Police Academy. Every new member counts, each of
you are significant and gravely needed. Welcome aboard – we
enthusiastically look forward to your graduation!
I, along with my wife had the opportunity to meet a retired member and reunite him with his, believed to be lost forever, special item
of importance. While traveling with his wife, David Ritchie was
forced to surrender his money clip to the TSA at the Milwaukee
Airport. The Ritchies’ were on the way to Arizona to visit family
in Phoenix, Arizona. David had the money clip, which had his initials on it and “Milwaukee Police”, for twenty years. It also had an
extremely dangerous concealed single blade nearly an entire inch
in length; David surrendered the knife without incident. No telling
what…such a dangerous money clip could have caused. His only
alternative would have been to take the item back to his car, which
most likely would have resulted in missing the aircraft departure.
David, “This money clip had sentimental value and I hated to give
it up, but I didn’t have time to go back to my car so I forfeited my
clip.” So a Saturday drive out to the Ritchies’ in Waterford resulted
in smiles and wonderful opportunity to meet a great couple enjoying
retirement…but how did we get the money clip?
A few months had passed from the confiscation of the knife,
and fate – if you will, began to move forward. Joe Anderer and
Dan Wesolowski were at the “free issue” government consignment
warehouse/store outside of Madison – they were there looking for
items of value that could be used by the MPD. This location is a
government turn-in (military/TSA... other) area where law enforcement can request procurement. They spotted the item. After a discussion as to, first this must belong to a member, and then what
could they do to figure out who was the disenfranchised owner?
They decided to claim the item with intent to return it to the rightful
owner. Joe brought it to the MPA
office where Team MPA member
(Lisa) accepted the item and ultimately the assignment of searching for individuals with matching
initials. Eventually she located a
prospect, made a call, and the rest
is history. Thanks Joe and Dan for
caring enough to recover the clip
and thank you Lisa for not giving
up until you matched a name with
the initials. David Ritchie served
the City of Milwaukee Police
Department 1973-2003.
How about that Max Siepert? Max is the young man who
selflessly left his savings on the counter of the Greenfield Police
Department counter and unassumingly left without expectation.
He gave from the heart expecting nothing in return. On October
23, 2013 we (MPA) invited Max and family to stop by the office to
be recognized by the Association.
Max is the grandson of fallen MPD officer Michael Draeger
[10.20.1969 – 12.28.1974]. We say it – we mean it, “we never forget”!
PO Michael Draeger’s legacy lives on strong! His daughter
Bridget and her husband Andy are raising an incredible family.
Max a sixth grader and little brother Sam in third grade, both are
incredible young men. Well it turns out Sam, too, is a giver; he conPRESIDENT, continued on page 2
PRESIDENT, continued from page 1
6310 W. Bluemound Road
Milwaukee, WI 53213
Office Telephone (414) 778-0740
Fax (414) 778-0757
www.milwaukeepoliceassoc.com
Editor............................................Gary Brown
Milwaukee Police Association
Executive Officers and Board Members
President.......................... Michael V. Crivello
Vice-President........................... Mark Buetow
Secretary/Treasurer..................... Shaun Lauda
Board of Trustees
Dale Bormann
Glenn Podlesnik
Gary Brown
Legal Counsel.............................. Jon Cermele
Legal Counsel.................... Brendan Matthews
Legal Counsel............................. Patrick Ritter
Secretary-Supervisor...............Candy Johnson
Staff Specialist.......................... Lisa Gonzalez
Photographer................................T.J. Lambert
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700 West Virginia St. | Suite 700, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Jenny DeBack, President
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Ellen Imp, Composition Specialist
The Milwaukee Badge is the official publication of the Milwaukee Police
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Publication: The Milwaukee Badge
Issue Date: November 2013
Statement of frequency: Published four times a year in
Jan. 1, March 1, July 1 and Oct. 1.
Authorized Organization:
Milwaukee Police Association
6310 West Bluemound Road
Milwaukee, WI 53213
(414) 778-0740 • Fax: (414) 778-0757
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tributed to the original collection of monies put together by Max
for donation to the Greenfield P.D.
On behalf of all our members the MPA presented Max with
a $250.00 check – Andy (dad) said it will be a great addition to
his son’s scholarship fund. We also presented each boy with a
MPA T-Shirt, a MPD cap and an MPA challenge coin. The boys
truly enjoyed their visit to the office and the accompanied tour to
Shawn’s sports memorabilia filled office. We were gifted by the
warm reception of appreciation
when we presented Bridget
(mom) with a plaque. The
plaque had her father’s picture,
years of service, and badge on
it – no doubt it was meaningful.
Jana Schoberg of Modern
Woodman moved by Max’s
selfless generosity also wanted
to reach out to recognize young
Max. Modern Woodman presented Max with the Modern
Woodman hometown hero
certificate and awarded Max
a $100.00 check of which he
could present to the charity of
his choice.
We shared some cake…special inscription identifying Max
as a hometown hero…goodbyes and memories of a great
meeting as the adorable Siepert
family left our lodge …and one more gift before
leaving: Max, very unexpectedly, presented us with a monetary gift. We accepted and
agreed to abide by request that
we would use it to help those
affected by family loss due to the hazards of the vocation.
Brother Michael Draeger looking down…no doubt was grinning
ear-to-ear with pride – proud father; proud grandfather!
Mike Crivello
President, Milwaukee Police Association
…may God Bless the entire community and keep our officers safe
November 2013
Shielded Hearts – When Hyper-Vigilance Pays Off
By Leah Palmer
Being the wife of a cop isn’t always easy. In fact, it can be
extremely difficult at times. Some days he simply cannot turn off
his state of “super-alertness”, otherwise known as hyper-vigilance.
When we’re out to a nice dinner or trying to relax, this state of
mind can get on my nerves. However, there was one time I was
grateful for his training.
One day, my LEO and I were taking our daily walk with our
two dogs and our infant on a warm, pleasant summer evening. We
were talking about our days as we walked when suddenly his “cop
radar” went on and his ability to have a regular conversation went
off. He spotted two young males wearing oversized hooded sweatshirts, walking in the middle of the street; they were glancing our
way a little too often. We normally would have turned right to go
on our street, but we kept walking straight to avoid them. “They just
look suspicious,” my husband said. I started to feel anxious as well,
because something about the way they were looking at us scared me.
Then, not ten seconds later, a squad car pulled onto our street and
parked a few houses down. We both looked at the squad, looked at
the young men and looked back at the squad as if to say, “Please go
check them out!” The young men seemed aware of the squad as well,
because they moved onto the sidewalk. We kept walking in the opposite direction and hoped that the police would at least drive by them.
About ten minutes later as we looped back around to our street
we saw four squad cars parked at the nearby elementary school
with their lights on. We knew then something had happened and
that my husband’s intuition had, sadly, probably been right. He said
he would look up the report later at work and we went home.
The next morning I received a text from my LEO telling me that
the police found drugs on one of the young men and that the other
one had a loaded gun (carrying illegally). If that wasn’t bad enough,
the report also listed our address as the place where police stopped
them. My family had walked within a few feet of these men and they
had walked right past our house! My heart sped up and tears began
to form in my eyes. Being a LEO wife I often hear “bad” stories that
scare me, but this was way too close to home. Literally.
Now, were we in direct danger? Probably not. However, maybe
we could have had some sort of encounter with them. Maybe, had I
been alone with our baby, they would have tried to steal my phone.
Maybe they would have seen where we lived and scoped out our
cars. Maybe they would have followed our 10-year-old neighbor
boy to the park and harassed him. Maybe a drug transaction could
have gone wrong and that gun would have been fired.
Too many “maybes” ran through my head as I read the text from
my husband. I am so glad that he had been aware of our surroundings when this happened and that we avoided the men. I’m also
extremely grateful for the officers who caught up with them and
took the drugs and gun off the street. Justice was served that day!
If you are looking for someone who understands those “maybes”, then check out Shielded Hearts.
Leah Palmer writes on behalf of Shielded Hearts, Inc. Shielded
Hearts is a community of women in long-term committed relationships with men in law enforcement. We encourage hope in police
life through education, friendship, service and faith.
Shielded Hearts – Ten Feet
By Angie Kasal
“Ten feet.” Those two words were uttered by my husband this
weekend in a story he was relaying to me about a traffic stop he
made last week and I must admit, I am reflecting on them a lot. The
story goes like this…
He was assisting another Law Enforcement Officer on a traffic accident on one of the State Highways. He was trying to help
the semi that was involved in the accident with merging back on
the freeway, when a motor vehicle swerved around his squad and
went flying by them at a high rate of speed. My husband decided
to pursue the speeding vehicle and make contact. After finding
the offending driver and trying to run the plates (I have to admit
he was pretty upset that the computers were down at the time) he
addressed the situation as follows: “Sir, today is your lucky day.
I was planning on giving you a ticket for the way you swerved
around us and were speeding, but my computer is down.” (For the
record, the driver admitted at this time that he was wrong.)
November 2013
My husband continued with: “Instead, what I would like you to
do is look ahead of you. Do you see that yellow line? Every day I
am ten feet from death. The ten feet on the other side of that line
is what is allowing me to make it home to my family every day. I
have six kids that I go home to every night. Who do you think will
take care of them and raise them if something happens to me while
I am working?”
The driver responded with: “I am truly sorry. I promise to be
more careful and pass your words on to my friends and family.”
And then he shook my husband’s hand.
Ten feet – two powerful and scary words.
Angie Kasal writes on behalf of Shielded Hearts, Inc. Shielded
Hearts is a community of women in long-term committed relationships with men in law enforcement. We encourage hope in police
life through education, friendship, service and faith.
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November 2013
CHRISTMAS PARTY
AMERICAN LEGION
MILWAUKEE POLICE
POST 415
At the H.A. Todd Post 537
South 92nd Street and West Beloit Road
WEDNESDAY,
DECEMBER 11th, 2013
6:00 PM-10:00 PM
LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE
Food, Beverages, Door Prizes
and “Raffles”
Legionnaires, Veterans and Friends
are welcome to join us for a relaxing time!
Call for more information or for tickets:
Bruce Jensen 414-257-2591 ~ Alfonso Salinas 414-587-7172
Richard Thompson 414-758-8569 ~ Don Brockman 321-9211
November 2013
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By Glenn Podlesnik
Thank you to all sponsors, golfers and volunteers that helped to
make this year’s annual golf outing a huge success. For the first time in
years we reached the maximum number of participants – 144 golfers!
The former Chairman of the golf outing committee, Mark
Sikora, recently retired. While I wished him the best with his
future, I worried about my own! I was assigned to replace Mark as
the golf committee chair and although I have attended outings in
the past, I have never been available to attend the M.P.A. outing.
Knowing the love of history and tradition of our members, both
current and retired, I feared the unknown. I did not want to be the
trustee that ruined this special event.
Luckily for me I had a great source for information. I leaned
on those that hold the most knowledge on these issues, our office
staff, Candy Johnson and Lisa Gonzalez. I would like to thank
them both for all of their hard work, which made this outing a
success. I would also like to thank them for their patience; I’m sure
I drove them nuts with my constant worrying!
This year’s outing was a little different than years past. The board
decided to donate a portion of the days proceeds to a charity. As we
discussed the many causes that deserve our attention we decided
to support one that hits close to home. The Wisconsin Chapter
of Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) immediately came to
mind. C.O.P.S. exists to minister to the needs of families who have
suffered the loss of a law enforcement officer, whether those needs
are emotional, psychological, financial or legal. I reached out to
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the C.O.P.S. board secretary, Denise Held, and they were excited
to have us on board.
If you attended the event hopefully you took a few moments on
Hole #8 to speak with the C.O.P.S. representatives, Jeff Harbridge
and Harold Wienke. It was an honor to have them at the event to
educate us all on this important cause. I am proud to inform you
that due to the generosity of the sponsors and golfers we were able
to raise $4,000 for C.O.P.S.
A special thank you goes to Jana Schoberg and Modern
Woodmen for going above and beyond, with their matching funds
donation of $1,000 to C.O.P.S.
I would also like to take a moment to thank our Honorary Chair
of the event, Senator Leah Vukmir. Senator Vukmir comes from
a law enforcement family and was crucial in helping to eliminate
residency rules throughout the State. Thank you for all of your
support Senator Vukmir!
We were also happy to have senate candidate Van Wanggaard
join us for the event. He too was crucial in supporting our battle
regarding residency. Van stated, “I really enjoyed attending your
outing and the opportunity to spend time with all of you!” Thanks
Van, it was a pleasure having you attend.
Congrats to this year’s winning foursome, Dan Keller, Brian Young,
Paul Terriquez and Rick Michalak, who shot an impressive 8 under
par. This year’s winners each took home a M.P.A. gym bag, Ben Hogan
GOLF, continued on page 7
November 2013
GOLF, continued from page 6
visor, a dozen M.P.A. golf balls, tees and…bragging rights! Look for
your names to soon be on a plaque displayed at the M.P.A. hall.
Hole #17 was once again the par 3 with a chance to win a brand
new Silverado, provided by Ewald Chevy Buick of Oconomowoc!
Janine Kolbeck from the Ewald Automotive Advantage Program
manned this hole with Norm Schmidt. This year we came about four
inches from having a winner! Steve Bass from the Metropolitan
Milwaukee Association of Commerce hit the flagstick and the ball
dropped straight down, just missing the hole by four inches. We
decided that Steve was so close he could jump into the Silverado,
start it up, but not drive it away! Maybe next year we can finally get
a winner. Janine and Norm would like me to remind you all to stop
in and get your complimentary $200 Maui Jim sunglasses!
Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors we had some great
raffle prizes, such as signed Packer footballs, brand new drivers,
overnight accommodations at the Pfister, Hilton and Hampton Inn
to a wheelbarrow full of booze and much more! (Of course, the
wheelbarrow full of booze was a huge success.)
Diamond Sponsors:
Altria Client Services
American Behavioral Clinics, SC
Annex Wealth Management
Cermele & Matthews, SC
Ewald Automotive Advantage Program
Fuchs and Boyle, SC
International Union of Police Associations
Lucas Security Inc.
Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce
Milwaukee Deputy Sheriffs’ Association
Milwaukee Police Supervisors’ Organization
Milwaukee Professional Fire Fighters Assn. Local 215
Modern Woodmen
Mutual of Omaha
Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin
Redefined Realty
Rounding Third – Toetz Enterprises
School Choice Wisconsin
Will Enterprises
Wisconsin Professional Police Association
Gold Sponsors:
Komisar Brady & Co., LLP
Milwaukee Police Department Executive Command Staff
Stages Photography
Your Home Buying Agency, LLC
November 2013
A special thanks to Western Lakes Golf Club owners Greg and
Paula Essig for welcoming us to their beautiful course and great
facility. Your staff made the event almost effortless.
I look forward to running the event again next year and already
have plans to make it more exciting, with larger raffle prizes and
new on course events. So…save the date: Tuesday, August 26,
2014! Be sure to sign up early, because I plan on selling out again!
Photos from the event were captured by TJ Lambert, owner of
Stages Photography. Copies will be made available and can be
picked up at the M.P.A. office.
Once again, I would like to thank all of the volunteers: Candy,
Lisa and the entire M.P.A. Board for helping to make this a great
event! Let’s also not forget the most important people who made
this event possible…you! Thank you golfers, members, retirees,
guests, friends and sponsors!
Please take a few moments to read over the names below. These
are the companies that support us and we should all show our
appreciation by patronizing their businesses.
Silver Sponsors:
JKL Remodeling and Home Repair, Inc.
La Perla, LLC
Wisconsin Vision
Raffle Prize Donors:
Alioto’s Restaurant
Associated Bank/Keith Saeger
Burton & Mayer, Inc.
Business Journal
Butch’s Old Casino Steak House
Care-a-lotta (Bartolotta Charitable Fund)
Cermele & Matthews, SC
Comedy Sportz
1855 Project.com
Fast Park & Relax
Green Bay Packers
Greg and Paula Essig & Western Lakes Golf Club
Hampton Inn – Milwaukee Airport
Harley-Davidson Museum
Healing Hands Therapy Center, LLC
Herbert H. Kohl Charities, Inc./Milwaukee Bucks
Hilton Milwaukee City Center
ISE Consulting/John Tralongo
Klement Sausage Co., Inc.
Koss Corporation
Metro Cigars
Milwaukee Admirals
Milwaukee Chophouse
Milwaukee County Zoo
Milwaukee Pedal Tavern
Milwaukee Police Association and Executive Board
Pfister Hotel
Potawatomi Bingo Casino
Surg Restaurant Group
Wisconsin Vision
Zaffiro’s Pizza
Goody Bag and Additional Donors:
AFL-CIO Investment Trust Corporation
Associated Bank
Milwaukee Police Association
Modern Woodmen
Mutual of Omaha
Waterstone Mortgage/Tim Good
Will Enterprises
Wisconsin Union Labor Agency
Wisconsin Vision
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Supporting the Cause
By Glenn Podlesnik
If you attended this years M.P.A. golf outing at Western
Lakes Golf Club, you probably took special notice of the
sponsorship sign on the 10th hole. This year while researching how to organize and fund a charity golf outing, I came
across an interesting sponsorship sign. The sign simply stated,
“This hole was sponsored by your Police Chief. Enjoy your
day!” I loved the fact that a Police Chief would sponsor a
hole and support his troops, so it was then that I decided I
would approach Chief Flynn and offer him the same opportunity. Not only was the Chief interested in sponsoring a hole,
he took it a step further, challenging his Executive Command
Staff to reach into their pockets and contribute to our listed
charity, C.O.P.S. (Concerns of Police Survivors). I’m proud to
inform you that they all rose to the occasion and contributed
to sponsoring a hole – 100% of their sponsorship money was
donated directly to the charity.
The morning after the outing, President Crivello and I surprised the Command Staff with a Milwaukee Police Association cake to show our appreciation for their contribution.
I would like to thank Chief Flynn and the entire Executive
Command Staff not only for supporting C.O.P.S., but our outing as well!
If you talk with any of the following Executive Command
Staff members, please take a moment to share your appreciation!
Pictured is President Crivello and Chief Edward Flynn, who surprised the staff with a cake in appreciation of their contribution.
Pictured is Denise Held, along with the MPA members, holding
a check presented to C.O.P.S.
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Chief Edward Flynn
Assistant Chief James Harpole
Assistant Chief Edith Hudson
Assistant Chief Kurt Leibold
Inspector Mary Hoerig
Inspector William Jessup
Inspector Carianne Yerkes
November 2013
Roth IRA
An important piece to your financial puzzle
By Paul Thomas
Many of you may be looking for
more choices to grow your retirement nest egg or wish to have another
bucket of income to rely on for those
unexpected events in life. A Roth
IRA is a fantastic addition to your
current deferred compensation plan.
A Roth IRA, like a traditional
IRA, is not an investment, but a
tax-advantaged vehicle in which
you can hold some of your investments. You need to decide how to
invest your Roth IRA dollars based
on your own tolerance for risk and
investment philosophy. How fast
your Roth IRA dollars grow is
largely a function of the investments you choose.
For 2013, you can contribute up to the lesser of $5,500 ($6,500 if
you’re age 50 or older) or 100 percent of your taxable compensation
to a Roth IRA. You may also be able to contribute up to $5,500 to a
Roth IRA in your spouse’s name even if he or she receives little or no
taxable compensation ($6,500 if your spouse is 50 or older). If you file
your federal income tax return as single or head of household and your
Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) for 2013 is $112,000 or
less, you can make a full contribution to your Roth IRA. Similarly, if
you file your return as married filing jointly and your MAGI for 2013
is $178,000 or less, you can make a full contribution.
Total contributions to Roth IRAs will not affect your maximum
amount that you can contribute to your 457 plan. If you contribute
the maximum allowed to a traditional IRA for any year, you cannot contribute to your Roth IRA at all for that year. If you make a
partial contribution to your traditional IRA, your allowable Roth
IRA contribution for that year is equal to the difference between
the annual IRA contribution limit and the amount contributed to
your traditional IRA (or vice versa).
There are a few reasons why you should take advantage of the
Roth IRA contributions. (Always consult your tax professional for
tax advice):
1. You can open a Roth as long as you have earned income.
2. You can withdraw Roth IRA contributions whenever you
want, tax- and penalty-free. If you withdraw earnings prior
to 59-1/2, then there will be a 10% penalty on those earnings.
3. You can withdraw all of your contributions and up to $10,000
of earnings to buy your first house, tax- and penalty-free,
once the account has been opened for at least five years.
4. Roth IRAs give you more flexibility to maximize your contributions to the account each year. While you’re still limited
to $5,000 in annual Roth contributions, you get a 16-month
window to fund the account.
5. Roth IRA withdrawals are easier to do than from your current 457 plan.
6. Even when you’re gone, your Roth IRA will still be doing
well. You can pass your account funds on after you die, and
heirs get to receive this money in annual or lump-sum distributions in the same tax-free way that you would have.
If you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact
me at 414-359-1613, Ext. 244 or by email at paul.thomas@
mutualofomaha.com
BUSINESS LISTINGS
RETIRED AND
RESIGNED
Jon Johnson, Retired MPD
Real Estate Broker 30+ years
Century 21 Reich & Roberts
414-507-3587
NAME
Retired
APPOINTEDRETIRED
BAKER, David L.
FRANCIS, Marilyn
HARGROVE, Judy A.
09/24/1984
09/23/1985
09/30/1991
06/23/2013
07/21/2013
06/29/2013
Resigned
NAME
APPOINTEDRESIGNED
GILDER, James T.
12/09/2002
MORRISON, Robert A. 04/28/2003
RITMANICH, Michael A. 08/05/2013
VAGNINI, Michael A.
12/06/2004
November 2013
06/28/2013
08/03/2013
08/14/2013
06/19/2013
15
FLANK STEAK
PARMESAN
WAZETTE’S
KITCHEN
By Shirley Waszak
DEAR READER,
What a summer this has been. First it was cold, then hot, followed
by really hot, then really cold. Scheez! What a roller coaster ride it
has been. I’m not superstitious, but could the thirteen in the year
2013 have anything to do with it? I don’t know, but I have to blame
something for my flower catastrophe. Be prepared for some real
whining and bellyaching sprinkled here and there in my story.
Like most gardeners, I sit in the house during the long winter
months waiting for spring. Sitting on the couch, I read all the
gardening and flower catalogs I received. By March I had received
23 catalogs. Some catalogs I ordered from, some I didn’t.
Two years ago, I had a hanging basket filled with yellow
Calibrachoa flowers. Calibrachoa flowers are also known as
Million Bells. The flowers were stunningly beautiful. I wanted a
lot of them for 2013. Seeds take too long. I wanted plants. In April,
I looked on EBAY and found what I wanted. They were tiny plants
about the size of my thumb. Shipping was $15.00. That was more
then the plants cost, but that’s what I wanted.
The weather at the end of April was warmer then usual, and like
a rookie gardener I planted the flowers right away and put them
outside. The nights turned cold and all the plants died.
It was my fault the flowers died. I planted too early. A week later
I ordered more plants from the same shipper. This time I waited
until the second week in May before putting the plants outside.
Then we had an unusually hot spell and all the plants died.
Undaunted, I ordered more Calibrachoa plants for the third time.
This time I had to order from a different shipper. The plants were
delivered via Priority One Mail. The lady mailman came to our door
and handed the box, UPSIDE DOWN, to The Waz. She advised him
to be careful. The box was spilling dirt out of one of the corners. You
can imagine the mangled, broken mess I found inside. The plants
were destroyed. That was strike three for those flowers!
I had spent a lot of money and had no flowers. You’ll laugh at
what I did next. I bought 24 metal flowers! I went online and found
a place that sold items at a discount price. They had large 5-inch
wide metal flowers on 18-inch stems. They came in several colors
16
1-1/4 pounds flank steak, trimmed
1/2 cup parsley, stemmed
1
garlic clove
2
slices of bread, quartered
3
tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4
teaspoon white or black pepper
1/4
teaspoon salt
1egg
2
teaspoons water
1-1/2
tablespoons oil
Cut the steak into 4 equal pieces. Flatten slightly between
sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Score diamond
pattern lightly on both sides with a sharp knife.
Place parsley and garlic in food processor; whirl until
chopped. Add bread, Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt;
whirl until medium-size crumbs. Place crumb mixture on
large plate.
In separate bowl, beat together egg and water with fork.
Dip both sides of each steak in egg, then crumb mixture;
place on waxed paper.
Heat oil in large, nonstick skillet over medium-high
heat until very hot. Reduce heat if the oil starts popping,
splattering or smoking. Gently add steaks and cook
4 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Do not
overcook or steaks will be tough. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings.
and had little butterflies and bees on them. Finally my neighbors
had flowers to look at! I hope these flowers don’t rust before I can
replace them with real flowers next spring!!
? ? AMAZING GARDEN HINTS ? ?
Pumpkins make fun autumn planters. Just cut off the tops of
the pumpkins and scrape out the seeds and fibers. Put pots of
chrysanthemums inside the pumpkins for a bright fun planter.
While you’re at it, why not salt the pumpkin seeds and roast them
in the oven since you’ve got them all ready to go?
*
*
*
The Waz didn’t write an article this time. He said he didn’t have
any information because he didn’t run into anyone. If you have any
news to tell him contact him at wazsjungle@mindspring.com.
The Waz never got into computer stuff, so I’ll have to get your
e-mail and pass it on to him like I have in the past.
Until next time, BON APPETITE!
WAZETTE
November 2013
Join Us For The
Annual
Milwaukee
Police Association
CHRISTMAS
PARTY
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.
Serb Hall
5101 W. Oklahoma Avenue
All Active and Retired Members
are invited to attend
November 2013
17
Wisconsin Police Department’s
New-Style Patches
In the last issue, eight
new-style Wisconsin Police
Departments were pictured showing descriptive
designs. Their colorful cloth
emblems will continue in
the next issues.
The person that laid out the
design for new-style Wisconsin Police emblems certainly
had a creative way of denoting what the city is noted for,
using Indian symbols, some
used patriotic design and
sometimes using just the Wisconsin State Seal.
The four photos hold the following departments: Chilton PD, Calumet County; Combined Locks PD, Outagamie County; Village
of Crivitz PD; Marinette County; Cuba City PD; Grant County;
Dane PD, Dane County; Darlington PD, Lafayette County; Village
The
Milwaukee
Badge
18
of Dresser PD, Polk County; Edgerton PD, Rock County.
These eight Wisconsin patches have these kind of designations
within the patch as aforementioned. Chilton PD emphasizes the
Indian culture of the area. Combined Locks PD has a patriotic
design with the bald eagle and USA Flag within patch. Crivitz PD
patch holds the recreation symbols of the area and was incorporated as the Village of Crivitz in 1974. Cuba City PD has wording
“City of Presidents” using a red/white/blue colorful background.
Dane PD used the WI State Seal since this is the Capital City of
Wisconsin. Darlington PD patch holds the county courthouse as
Darlington is the County Seat for Lafayette County. Dresser PD
has the train within the patch as the Soo Line RR was built through
this area in 1885. Edgerton PD used the State Seal for their newstyle patch and is the area where tobacco got its start.
Donald E. Brockman
3345 S. 77th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53219-3818
patchman238@att.net
November 2013
Wisconsin Police Department’s New-Style Patches
With progression coming along, the movement of new looks in
police shoulder patches is one of the fields taken seriously by collectors. The new-style police patches obtained in the last several
years continue on in the four photos showing the progress that is
taking place with the descriptiveness within most of these eight
patches. Fox Lake PD, Dodge County; Town of Fox Lake PD,
Dodge County; Frederic PD, Polk County; Freedom PD, Outagamie County; Town of Geneva PD, Walworth County; Green
Lake PD, Green Lake County; Town of Hartford PD, Washington County; Town of Hayward PD, Sawyer County.
Some of the patches show their location within the state, like Fox
Lake PD. The outline of Wisconsin is within the Fox Lake PD patch
showing the lake in blue and a gold star for the city. The lettering in
the patch is prominently done using different sizes and widths.
Town of Fox Lake PD has POLICE in large lettering on top
of the patch with a 7-pointed star in the middle with Town of Fox
Lake, Wisconsin underneath on a gray background with white lettering. The Town of Fox Lake has an area of 36 miles and completely surrounds the City of Fox Lake.
Frederic PD patch is shield-shaped holding a round circle in the
middle with the State Seal on a black background with prominent
lettering of Frederic Police. Frederic was established as a sawmill
town because of the hardwood timber between 1902-1906 and, at
that time, was the largest hardwood sawmill in the United States.
The Town of Freedom PD is a brightly-colored patch of yellow lettering with white lines emphasizing the lettering on a green background.
The middle of the patch holds the yellow rays of the sun with a farm
scene and a shamrock in the middle on a white background. Freedom
lies halfway between Appleton and Green Bay and dates back to 1830.
Town of Geneva PD patch holds the State Seal on a blue back-
November 2013
ground with three white stars and the scales of justice superimposed
on a black background with white lettering surrounding the blue middle. The first people in the area of Geneva were “mound builders” and
the next inhabitants were the Potawatomi Indians. The first settler was
in 1836 and much more historical writings were found of this area,
which prompts me to remind the reader it would be worthwhile to take
time and read and travel to enjoy the history of Wisconsin.
The Green Lake PD patch holds the triangular small scene of a
sailboat in white with a green background representing the lake. The
lettering “Green Lake” is in green and Wisconsin is in black in bold
lettering, all on a white background with a dark strip across the patch
holding the white lettering “Police Dept.” The beauty of Green Lake
was discovered in 1937 and a mill was built there in 1871.
The Town of Hartford PD has a central colorful scene and
clearly pronounces in white letters “POLICE” on top of the patch
and surrounding the scene within a blue circle is white lettering,
reading “Town of Hartford, Wisconsin”. This is all on a black background with an edging of yellow. The Town of Hartford surrounds
the City of Hartford and is home to Pike Lake.
The Town of Hayward PD has a “Screaming Eagle” patch. The
Town of Hayward surrounds the City of Hayward.
The cities of Wisconsin hold a wealth of historical information
for anyone that wishes to delve into their interesting background.
Travelers from other states are welcome to visit and enjoy our colorful and beautiful surroundings.
Donald E. Brockman
3345 S. 77th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53219-3818
patchman238@att.net
19
Support your Police!
The MPA is currently in contract negotiations for a successor
agreement. On October 16, 2013 President Crivello attended the
budget hearing for the police department. There were some issues
of concerns brought before committee that raised concern. The
following was correspondence addressing the concerns and a few
important non-contractual items:
October 17, 2013
City of Milwaukee
Common Council/Finance and Personnel Committee/Alderman
Michael Murphy, Chair
200 East Wells Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
RE: 2014 Milwaukee Police Budget
Alderman Murphy,
On October 16, 2013 I was present at the entire Milwaukee Police
Budget Hearing. Immediately following the hearing I approached
you regarding the unfortunate fact that you did not afford me an
opportunity to speak at the hearing. I certainly appreciate your
acknowledgement: that it was nothing more than an oversight
and that you held no intent as to not hearing the concerns of the
Milwaukee Police Association (MPA), and that you pledged to
accept written documentation of what I would have otherwise verbally presented. It had been your practice to acknowledge the presence of labor association leadership; therefore I respectfully waited
for the chair to call for comment. I trust that the rapid adjournment
was not intended to prevent the hearing of the Associations concerns; further I respect your true consideration of the following:
1. Furloughs
2. Radio functionality
3. Detective positions
4. Staffing/Attrition rate
1. Furloughs must be questioned relative to practicality. While we
have recently been exposed to an absolute spike in criminal activity, we continued to furlough our officers. More curious, at the same
time we furlough our officers we (City/ MPD) are paying them overtime. Furloughed today – paid overtime tomorrow; it certainly does
not appear to be proper management. When suddenly the city erupted
with criminal activity many officers still had yet to serve an unpaid
furlough day. Considering only MPA members that would equate to
approximately 1,600 man-days; we could have gained 1,600 eight
hour straight pay shifts rather than directing officers to overtime.
With that being said, you must take pause to consider the effect
of furloughing our officers at a rate of three furlough days for the
2014 Budget. This action is equivalent to an excess of 4,800 mandays. This comes at a time when our officers are already performing at an accelerated tempo – a pace that simply is unsustainable.
I will remind you that our officers (all) that are mandated to take
furlough days will not be afforded an opportunity to take them
when all other city employees do; that being in-conjunction with
holidays or other advantageous times. Our officers work 24/7,
365 days a year. They are not afforded the luxury of extending
weekends and holidays with furloughs. In-fact, due to the furlough
staffing balance, obtaining additional off days has become more
difficult. Additional off day requests are extremely important considering the demands of the occupation. Our force is fatigued.
Furlough deliberation should consider: Public safety/Officer
Safety, the morale and welfare of the serving force, and the lack
of documentation illustrating other means of budgetary relief
20
requests and endeavors; or the recognition as to what they (officers) have already given. There is no doubt a smaller force equates
to less opportunity to interdict the criminal(s) while engaged in the
act committing crimes…the public subsequently is less safe. Of
equal (arguably greater) concern is it [furloughing] places our officers’ safety in jeopardy; our patrol officers rarely work two-man
squads. One-man squads are extremely more dangerous to both
the officer, as well as, an encountered criminal. An officer is more
likely to be injured, while at the same time he/she is more likely
to escalate the level of force simply to survive a one-to-one battle.
As to the morale and welfare of the force…consistently I hear of
the lack of appreciation for these men and women relative to what
they must deal with daily. I routinely have discussions whereas an
officer had planned to work beyond twenty-five years, but now
count the days. I am extremely proud of the professionalism of
our officers; they have answered a calling that offers great reward
while the service equally demands just as much or greater in
return. Our officers deserve to know they matter, especially when
they have demonstrated partnership and community to the city. I
remind you that our officers voluntarily ratified a contract which
included a two year zero pay raise, all officers paying 12% towards
health care; the contract also positioned the department to address
the staffing issue by hiring new recruits at 25% less than previous.
2. Alderman Murphy you committed as to the functionality of
the radio system. Specifically I recall your comment to be near to
…it’s not an election year therefore there has been no complaints
regarding the radios. The chief sat mute. Let me be perfectly
clear, this radio system remains an absolute concern of our
members’ and the Association that represents them. The IT director fully understands and has distinctly addressed the flawed purchasing process which brought this system to Milwaukee. I have
on numerous occasions requested contact information relative to
the successful implementation process of the same Harris product
for law enforcement use in any other municipality – there has been
none presented. The radios remain an absolute safety concern!
Additionally, as we move forward with the Potawatomi project
be forewarned, the radios are nonfunctional within their building.
The IT director is aware and has stated he is addressing the issue.
3. I certainly appreciate your inquiry directed to the chief relative to the detective staffing issue; however, I am troubled by his
response. He effectively stifled your concerns, reflecting on an
overstated interaction he encountered shortly after his arrival in
Milwaukee. If the encounter developed as the Chief recalls it, he
would have been right to be concern; however, it would be rare
in nature, if not isolated to that single experience. For well over
the twenty years preceding the arrival of this chief the detective
rank maintained near full staffing – rarely did the percentage
between the actual staffing and the authorized strength move but a
few points. It currently stands at a 30% deficit. This creates many
issues of great concern: fewer detectives equates to overworked
officers, which are expected to perform beyond their training
while not afforded adequate time to conduct quality investigations;
detectives are true force multipliers, as they can relieve officers
freeing them to return to active patrol while facilitating reasonable
enhancement to response times; detective corps had performed
invaluable human intelligence procurement; detective duties once
produced immeasurable oversight to officers – I illustrated this to
the Common Council in a letter (Oct. 2012), the unfortunate investigative errors that took place at District Five would never have
SUPPORT YOUR POLICE, continued on page 21
November 2013
SUPPORT YOUR POLICE, continued from page 20
occurred under the previous structure; while there remains many
more examples of the importance of a properly staffed detective
corps – I will conclude with an observation. Detectives, quality
credible sleuths do not just happen. The greatest crime solvers this
city has experienced were grown through a process of mentorship
– without a continuation of fostering techniques and skills in those
that will replace us we will falter.
4. The ebbs and flows of hiring and promoting are what cause
the cyclical damage to the conduct of duty; which can be linked
directly as a causation of outcome while analyzing flawed behavior of law enforcement. With underscore staffing must remaining
constant, while we closely monitor and study the attrition rate.
Without doubt there is a correlation between retirement and individual treatment of force members. I have offered in partnership
with the department to study why officers (more than in the past)
count the days to retirement. Quality exit interviews need consideration – this is currently not accomplished. While not solely
founded in concern of the looming explosion of retirement eligible
individuals, it is a driving factor. Within the next five years, starting next year, our association alone will represent the possibility
of 337 retirement eligible members. This is a direct result of deviation from hiring consistency – the recruit classes beginning in
1990 will/ have matured and are ready for retirement.
This committee and council have the opportunity and authority
to take the appropriate action in addressing the aforementioned
issues. The MPA respectfully challenges the committee/council to
correct the existing problems, as well as, to reject furloughs in
the 2014 budget.
Sir/ Ma’am, to those that have taken the time to read, consider,
discuss, and respond to this letter I applaud you. This beautiful city
has much potential and I am proud to have served her admirably.
Our city has much potential – we must embrace “public safety is
the cornerstone to the success of any great city”.
Cc. Ashanti Hamilton, Nick Kovac, Milele Coggs, Joe Dudzik
Ccc. Willie Hines, Jim Bohl, Joe Davis, Jose Perez, Willie Wade,
Bob Donovan, Terry Witkowski, Tony Zielinski, Bob Bauman,
Bob Puente
Sincerely,
MILWAUKEE POLICE ASSOCIATION
Michael V. Crivello
President
Local #21, IUPA, AFL-CIO
crivello@milwaukeepoliceassoc.com
Milwaukee Retired Police Association Membership Application
Renewable Every January 1st
Please check: ____NEW ____RENEWAL DUES $5.00
$____DONATION
Make checks payable
and mail to:
MRPA
P.O. Box 340877
Milwaukee, WI 53234-0877
Name:__________________________________________________ Birthdate:______________________
E-mail Address:_________________________________________________________________________
PLEASE PRINT YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS CLEARLY!
If this is a renewal and nothing else has changed since last year, mark this box: 
Address:_______________________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip:_________________________________________________________________________
Phone:_________________________________________________________________________________
Spouse’s Name:__________________________ Wedding Anniversary (mo/day/year):______________
I completed 25 years with the MPD in (Year):______ and/or Retired in (Year):______
SNOWBIRDS: List your winter address and the months you will be there and we’ll send the newsletter to
you:___________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
November 2013
21
47 floors, 94 flights, 1,034 steps – straight up!
ARE YOU READY FOR THE CHALLENGE?!
To benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Thursday, November 14, 2013
US Bank Building
777 E. Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53202
5:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is proud to announce its
24th year of “going vertical” to defeat cystic fibrosis (CF),
a life-threatening genetic disease that affects approximately
30,000 children and adults in the United States.
Climbing for a Cure is a pledge-based stair climb event
in which nearly 450 participants will meet at the US Bank
Building, the tallest building in Milwaukee, to face the footrace
of a lifetime: 47 floors, 94 flights, 1,034 steps – straight up!
Participants will have a chance to compete as individuals
(racer or walker), relay teams of three or combined-time teams
of three. Once participants reach the top, they will have the
opportunity to enjoy amazing panoramic views of Downtown
Milwaukee before heading down to the post-climb celebration
complete with food, drinks, entertainment, and awards!
The most anticipated element of this high-energy, fun event
is the special competition for police and fire departments.
22
Each team of three competes as a combined-time team, in
full gear!
Who will be awarded the traveling trophy this year?! The
winning team will take home the traveling trophy to display with
pride until November 2014, when they have the opportunity to
return and defend their title! Winning team members and station
name are engraved on the trophy each year.
Climbing for a Cure is a pledge-based event with
each participant raising a minimum of $75 in pledges to
participate. All paid participants will receive a Climbing for
a Cure t-shirt and water bottle! Net proceeds from this event
will go toward CF research, care and education programs.
For more information or to register, please contact Julie at
the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – Wisconsin Chapter at: 800472-7720 or wisconsin@cff.org or visit our event web page
at: http://wisconsin.cff.org/climb
November 2013
Residency and Real Estate
By P.O. Greg Szablewski (Ret.)
The content contained below is intended
to provide information that can be used by those wishing
to buy a new home outside of Milwaukee
and should not be considered advertising for services.
In January 2014, I’m confident the courts will rule in your favor
regarding the residency you deserve. Suffice it to say that the MPA
has fought long and hard for this change in law and despite the
Mayor’s continued blatant failure to follow the law, you will persevere in the long run. He will be left, once again, licking his wounds,
more worried about razing foreclosed properties and going door to
door with a ridiculous co-sleeping campaign, than dealing with the
real issues that make Milwaukee a safe place to live.
But I digress for a moment…
Background and Historical Perspective
For many years, while residency rules were in place, I helped
employees from many city departments move their families out of
Milwaukee while they maintained a legitimate residence within the
city limits proper. Throughout the years, I came to understand personally the issues and potential risks associated with city workers
doing this because IT WAS NEVER CLEARLY EXPLAINED BY
ANYONE WHAT IT MEANT TO ACTUALLY LIVE IN MILWAUKEE! At that time, there were archaic guidelines from the
80s and 90s that were still being used to determine an employee’s
primary residence. It was a so-called high stakes “game” that was
being played where the rules were set by Internal Affairs and the
rules are always changing as they saw fit. It was completely subjective whether or not an employee was living in Milwaukee and
THEY DETERMINED if a violation was taking place.
At risk was the employees’ pension. It was not a lifestyle that
many city employees wanted to participate in, given this risk, even
though many had thought about it and wanted to do it.
After seeing the success and happiness of the families that actually decided to move out, and in following up with the city employees about any regrets or mistakes with their decision, I became one
of those employees as well.
After a few years of contemplating doing it myself and having
seen the many other families that had already made the move, along
with researching the different communities, my family decided it
was time for them to move.
In July 2002, my family moved out of Milwaukee, while I spent
the last six years of my career still living in Milwaukee. They settled in the Town of Waukesha (excellent schools, country living,
low taxes and close enough, yet far enough away) and I settled in
around the Serb Hall area.
Given my background in real estate, having helped these aforementioned families and my desire to give my kids a better education, word
must have quietly and quickly spread because I had more city employees contacting me than ever before about this whole “moving out of
Milwaukee” issue. After hearing what I had to say about the pros and
cons, many city workers moved their families out, some did not.
As one city employee put it, I had become the unofficial “underground” move-out-of-Milwaukee expert.
Fast forward to Gov. Walker’s passage of the residency law, and
none of these issues and concerns apply to anyone today who wants
to make a better life for themselves and their families.
But there are still some important things that need to be considered if you’re contemplating moving out of Milwaukee.
November 2013
Considerations
If you’ve been considering or have already decided to move out of
Milwaukee, but are waiting until the lawsuit is settled, that’s understandable. But there are things you should consider doing right now
that will put you in a position of advantage when it’s time to “make
the move”. Before I get into my 3 key points, you must know that
outside of Milwaukee proper, real estate didn’t take “as big” a hit in
value and currently prices are quickly moving back up and in most
areas, it is now a seller’s market. That means that, as a buyer, you
will be in somewhat of a disadvantage when it comes to offering a
price on a property. Just keep this in mind as you read on!
Three Key Points
The first and best piece of advice I have for you is to get your
financing preapproved. Use a local mortgage company and stay
away from the online lenders or those who advertise on TV and
who require you to mail away your sensitive documents. Lender
preapprovals only last for 90 days, so it may seem a little premature
to do so, given the pending lawsuit; however, preapprovals are routinely extended if nothing has changed in your financial life. Not
everybody finds a new home in 90 days, so having to extend the
preapproval is “usual and customary” stuff.
Getting preapproved starts with having your full credit report
pulled to make sure nothing appears on it that shouldn’t be and that
your scores are where they need to be. The “free” credit reports
aren’t going to work in this situation. You should have the credit
report pulled from a reputable mortgage company. Believe me
when I tell you that these reports are completely different than
those “free” ones we all here about.
With credit report pulled, the preapproval process begins and
usually takes less than 2 days to complete. A full loan application
is taken; including income and asset verification and all is submitted to the lender. Once preapproved, the lender commits to borrowing you “X” amount of dollars and sets that money aside for 90
days. If you buy within that time period, the money is available to
you. If you don’t, the preapproval expires and can be resubmitted
WITHOUT A NEW CREDIT REPORT for a fresh 90 preapproval.
The second thing that should be done is determining how much
new home you can afford and where you’d like to live. Obviously,
Milwaukee isn’t in the equation for you, thanks to Tom Barrett
taxes and failed MPS, among other things.
This is where another conversation needs to take place. There
are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. The discussion will include things like: what’s my timeframe, how much
house can I really afford, what’s my current house worth, should I
sell first and then buy, am I even able to afford a new house, where
are the best schools, etc.
Everyone’s situation is personal and these questions and concerns are best addressed during a meeting. During the meeting(s),
either in person and on the phone or both, a plan of action can be
developed and put into place.
Desired communities and neighborhoods will be determined
and the likes, needs and desires of the new property should be
established. Once complete, any available properties in the MLS
(multiple listing service) that meet as many of your requirements
as possible will be emailed to you. The MLS system is the system
Realtors use to list and find properties.
Once you’re entered into it, you will receive live updates about
REAL ESTATE, continued on page 24
23
REAL ESTATE, continued from page 23
new properties that come on the market and/or any price changes.
The biggest advantage for you during this step is going to be that
you can now begin to effectively monitor and visit different properties in desired communities and get to “know” the nuances of
each area and property you look at. It doesn’t hurt to get out there
and actually start looking at properties so that you are prepared and
educated when it’s time to write an offer.
The third thing that needs your attention depends on whether it’s
determined you must sell your existing house in order to buy a new
one outside of Milwaukee. Many times, this is the case because most
people, including cops, can’t afford both mortgages and even if they
could, they don’t have the down payment money needed to buy the
new property. Buying in the surrounding counties is NOT at all like
buying a home in Milwaukee. There are separate and distinct considerations that must be addressed such as well/septic, surveys, etc.
In cases like these, my recommendation is to hire a full service
Realtor at a reduced listing commission. They are hard to find, but
do exist. I have several reputable agents that I can recommend to
help you sell your Milwaukee property.
When it’s time to buy, you should be using the services of an
Exclusive Buyer’s Agent. By using two different agents, one to sell
your Milwaukee property and one to help you with the new property, you avoid the potential conflicts of interest that abound in the
real estate world.
This is especially important when you are the buyer, specifically
because the market has turned in favor of the sellers, especially
24
outside of the City of Milwaukee. You are going to want to make
sure your interests as a buyer are being looked after, especially
when the system is designed to protect the seller’s best interests.
Conclusion
So to offer a quick recap:
1. While waiting for the lawsuit to be settled, your financing
will have been preapproved and waiting in the background.
2. You’ll have time to research your interested communities
even further and will be receiving MLS listings of properties
that you can actually look at.
3. And finally, you’ll have set yourself up with a full service
Realtor to list your Milwaukee home when you’re ready to
do so and you’ll have a different Realtor, who is an exclusive
buyer’s agent, and probably several new properties that you’ll
want to look at while the lawsuit is settled.
Once you decide the time is right for you to buy outside of Milwaukee, by taking these three easy steps, you will be in a much
better position to get the home that you want on terms that are
beneficial to you as a buyer.
About the Author: P.O. Greg Szablewski (Ret.) is both a licensed
Real Estate Broker with Your Home Buying Agency LLC and a
loan officer with White Oak Mortgage LLC. I invite you to call me
at any time at 414-870-6102 or email me at: greg@whiteoakmortgage.
net or greg@yourhomebuyingagency.com with any questions or
visit www.representingthebuyer.com
November 2013
November 2013
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November 2013