Officials of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation and Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center expressed “disappointment” after the Whitefish Bay Village Board meeting last week failed to take its final vote on the renovation and expansion of the Karl Jewish Community Campus.
The board had “provisionally approved” at its March 24 special meeting revised proposals for the campus facilities and had expressed the intent of taking a final vote at the April 9 meeting.
The board would have had to approve a new ordinance governing the property, a “planned development district” unique in the village; and a development agreement between the village and the MJF, owner of the campus.
The board was also scheduled to consider and vote on a “statement of intent” drafted by Trustee Kenneth Berg indicating that the board would deem the approved project “the maximum allowable development appropriate” to the site.
But the board did not vote on any of this. Instead, village attorney Christopher Jaekels was assigned to draft a new version of the ordinance and development agreement, incorporating concerns aired at the meeting, including possible requests proposed by the MJF.
The board members were to receive the draft earlier this week. They would then have until April 24 to read and send comments back to Jaekels.
After that Jaekels would draw up the final wording, and the board would vote on the measure at a meeting scheduled for May 5.
Jay Roth, executive vice president of the JCC, said he felt disappointed at the conclusion of last week’s meeting, which lasted from about 8:30 p.m to about 11:40.
“The board had said it wanted to resolve this and we hoped it would,” Roth told The Chronicle Monday. “Conceptually they had the outlines, they could have voted pending the final details of the development agreement and ordinance. But they did not vote.”
Stephen L. Chernof, chair of the MJF steering committee for the campus development project, also felt “very disappointed. After two-and-a-half years of study and restudy, it seems to me this is more than ripe for a decision confirming what they already preliminarily agreed on.”
Roth said he and MJF attorney Bruce Block were meeting with village staff “to make sure all the details of those two documents are being worked out and all the questions raised by the trustees … have been answered and addressed,” and “to make sure the two documents jibe….”
Moving the vote to May 5 means that the village board will contain new trustee Rita Cheng, who won the election held April 1 for the seat vacated by Raymond Krueger.
Cheng’s involvement on the seven-member board “is of concern,” said Roth. Those neighbors of the campus opposed to the project signed a valid “protest petition” last year requiring by law that the board approve the rezoning of the campus by a “supermajority” vote of six-to-one or better.
One trustee, Scott Beightol, has already announced that he will vote against the proposal. Moreover, campaign records on file at the WFB village hall show that Cheng received significant support from members of the Stop Expansion group opposed to the plans.
Nevertheless, Roth pointed out that the board on March 24 voted six-to-one in its provisional approval, and “hopefully, Cheng will recognize the needs of the center and that village board vote.” He added that he “would be happy to work with her.”
Chernof said of Cheng, “I would hope she is a reasonable person and that she will understand that what we propose is in harmony with the neighborhood and is suitable for our property.”
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