The company Olson keeps, and its effect on Franklin
During this election season, we’ve worked to open the doors for residents to learn how small items, that may at times seem insignificant, can have a large impact on community-wide decisions. In particular, we’ve covered some manipulative political tactics employed by Olson’s supporters, while Olson himself attempts to take the high road. There is something to say about the company one keeps, which makes the distance closer than it appears.
Mayor Olson does not appear to recognize the importance of communication to the Council members he needs to work with. His accomplishments have been little during his first 3 years. He flashes feel-good photos of businessmen in suits and continuously hounds us about the success of a $1.5 million dollar playground, while refusing to acknowledge neighborhood concerns and the recalled Alderwoman, Janet Evans, that he threw under the bus to make it happen. Ask yourself - Have you ever heard Olson give credit to Alderwoman Susanne Mayer, who brought the project before the City? He is quick to place blame and even quicker to take credit.
Under the heat of the election, he depends again on help from his friend, the Baleful Blogger, to resurrect a nearly decade-old sex offender ordinance. Little gets mentioned of the parents support and lobby efforts behind it, the work of the City attorney’s office, or that everyone on the Council supported it. He’s always ready to take credit with a camera nearby (see photo to the left).
The reality is our current Mayor has no solid record of accomplishment on a community center or economic development. He’s a master of distraction by adding more flashy photos to latch onto any feel-good news so he can be the "Johnny-on-the-spot" Facebook poster.
It’s unclear where he truly stands on the Ballpark Commons (BPC) development because while he states support, he adds displeased adjoining property owners to open Economic Development Commission seats and accepts campaign donations from NIMBYs of the project.
No worries, Olson saves the tax-day with the idea of a 2nd business park along 27th Street near the Milwaukee/Racine County Line. However, he has no realistic plan to address building in floodplains or moving the, ah-hum, “gentlemen’s club” within its borders. Still, he is giving it more attention than BCP, which now contains retail, offices, residential and possible hotel components in the only area that has served as some type of “downtown” for Franklin. But wait...
FT decided it could be interesting to peer into Olson's recent campaign donations and Mayoral citizen positions/appointments. FT is fairly confident readers will be interested in what will be covered next in the world of drinking Olson's Koolaid.