Selected Presidents Letter
President's Letter
Feb 10, 2010
PDF Version: 2010-Feb-10-President's Letter.pdf

President's Letter
February, 2010
Nadine S.Walsten
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and the time we honor those who
are special in our hearts. This year I have an opportunity to have my
Belgian granddaughters (and my daughter) with me. Eva, 5 ½ years, loves
parties and so we are going to have a belated Valentine’s Day Party with her
decorations and cookie toppings. Sara, 2 ½ years, will be Eva’s assistant in
all things. With the huge clothing sales, I was able to purchase a party dress
for each girl, which has required several descriptions over the phone as Eva
tries to imagine how beautiful she will be. Kids bring me back to what’s
really important: Make each day “young” and your day is truly priceless!
I’m sure you are tired of hearing about economic development (and the
economy in general) but with the temporary (hopefully) closing of one of
our businesses, the threat of another closing, and the expansion at the
Brooklyn Community Bank delayed, it is not an exaggeration to say our
commercial base is struggling. Why does this matter? When you add the
current depressed economy, our harsh increase in sewer rates and our empty
storefronts altogether, the message sent is this is a dying town and buying a
house or establishing a business here is ill advised. That impacts on all of
us. But there is a resilience and strength in our community as well. Our
property values have remained, in spite of the last year and a half,
surprisingly constant. We have had foreclosures and individuals leave
because of threat of foreclosure, and these numbers (hard to pin down
exactly) have been less than would be expected. The percentage of
delinquent taxes, an indicator of local financial stress, is 7% for Green
County Village residents and 4% for Dane County Village residents. This is
very sobering but given the national picture, better than average. Most of
all, the activities and commitment of so many members of our committees
with a “can do”, “won’t quit” attitude is testimony that the most important
factor needed for any community to recover is here in abundance.
This spring, the Economic Development Committee and the Planning and
Zoning Commission will be seeking your input on a number of subjects.
Such as, quality of life ideas, community land use planning, business parks,
downtown rehabilitation, where do you shop, what business would you like
to see in Brooklyn, and, generally, who are you and what do you want
Brooklyn to be in a few years, or in 20 years, to name a few. This

Archive

• Dec 10, 2010 President's Letter December, 2010 YEAR END REPORT
• Nov 13, 2010 President's Letter
• Oct 12, 2010 President's Letter
• Sep 08, 2010 President's Letter
• Aug 11, 2010 President's Letter
• Jul 20, 2010 President's Letter
• Jun 14, 2010 President's Letter
• May 12, 2010 President's Letter
• Apr 07, 2010 President's Letter
• Mar 11, 2010 President's Letter
• Feb 10, 2010 President's Letter
• Jan 12, 2010 President's Letter

View all from: 2012 2011 2010 2009