Ryan McCue, the current mayor of Cudahy, is up for reelection in 2010. As a new resident of Cudahy – albeit one that’s not completely unaware of what’s been going on in Cudahy – I’ve been thinking a lot about how I’ll vote when it’s time to go to the ballot box for local elections.
So what I’m wondering is if Mayor Ryan McCue deserves another term in office. What has he done as Mayor to merit being given another term in office? At the risk of sounding like Randy Hollenbeck, I can’t name a single significant accomplishment of Mayor McCue’s. Sure, he handled the fire at the Patrick Cudahy plant well, but what else has Mayor McCue done? I know one of planks of then-candidate McCue’s mayoral platform was, “Encourage Positive Economic Development,” but quite frankly, I haven’t seen a lot of positive economic development in Cudahy since Ryan McCue was elected mayor. There’s no doubt that could be in large part due to our nation’s economic downturn shortly before George W. Bush left office, but I still find it hard to believe the lack of new economic development in the City of Cudahy is completely due to the economy.
So if Ryan McCue doesn’t deserve another term in office, then who should Cudahy’s voters elect to serve as mayor? Thus far, the only candidates who’ve announced they’re definitely running to unseat Mayor McCue are Kevin Fech and Tony Day, but I expect to see at least one more candidate jump into the race. Day, whose campaign treasurer is Bob Jursik – husband of County Supervisor Pat Jursik – seems to have locked up the support of the Cudahy “establishment,” but having read a little about Kevin Fech, I’ll be curious to see what kind of campaign he runs.
I’ll try to get interviews with each of the Cudahy mayoral candidates once the field takes shape, so keep your eyes peeled!
I must agree with this blog. Cudahy has had some promising business ventures approach them for development in the Cudahy area. Examples are the proposed Wal-Mart store (already shot down), and a movie theater (Cudahy has none) in the long abandoned Kohl’s Supermarket.
They have hired a head of Business Development that has yet to show the public anything more than proposals and shallow promises for developmnent in the City of Cudahy.
Now, maybe I am wrong in my assessment, but just what is being done to promote concrete business development and of course future employment in Cudahy?
John, I agree 100% with what you’ve written, though I’ll note the movie theater proposed for Cudahy didn’t fall through for a lack of trying on the part of city officials; that fell through because of funding issues, if I’m not mistaken.
Dear Zach and John,
I suggest that you educate yourselves as to the real economic and social impact a Wall Mart has on a small community. If all Mayor McCue did in the last 3 years was to stop Wall Mart, he’s got my vote. Also Kudos to the Mayor for not jumping on racially motivated,”keep the outsiders out of our communities on Halloween”, bandwagon.
Earle, I wasn’t necessarily opposed to keeping Wal-Mart out of Cudahy, but I’d like to hear from you as to what Mayor McCue has done to promote business growth in Cudahy.
Dear Zach And Earle,
O.K., so maybe Wal-Mart is a bad example. I respect your support of the mayor, and maybe Obama also. That is YOUR choice. But, please explain to me first, what business ventures have you seen during his administration. Hot air is only good for lifting balloons.
You must admit that the only significant growth in Cudahy is in the number of bars, or bars that have closed or changed hands. A nice addition would be a restaurant that is other than Fast Food or “Family” type. Fine, or even upscale dining is hibernating somewhere, but not in Cudahy.
Are there any economic incentives for someone looking to open a new business in Cudahy? And another question. Just what is being none to court people to take that forward first “Baby Step” to even take interest in opening their new business in Cudahy? What about creating incentives for existing businesses, in other municipalities, to add another location in Cudahy. We certainly aren’t lacking for available space to locate businesses. A LOT of empty storefronts, and empty lots, in Cudahy. Will the destiny of Cudahy be lots of vacant land with pretty “Available” signs? Sometimes you just can’t make a silk purse out of a sows ear.
We are, in a down economy. But economic growth lies in the hands of the adventurous and those willing to take a chance on an idea. The banking community is not exactly promoting economic growth either. Maybe a retired banker, like Tony Day, would be a “New Day for Cudahy”.
I would like to see some more of your thoughts. By the way I am a retired business owner and still working and going strong at 66!
Dear John, With all due respect, I don’t understand how you can say that the banks aren’t promoting economic growth, and then support a retired banker. Bankers played a big role in creating this, “down economy”. A Wall Mart is a terrible choice for any small community, but Tony Day would have supported it. With a Wall Mart in Cudahy, no new or existing small business would have a chance. Even Pick and Save and Walgreens, who put the smaller pharmacies and grocers out of business, would in their turn be gone. If the bustling business center of the third ward has become a bedroom community of condos, what does that tell us about the future of Cudahy? Manufacturing is gone, and no amount of business growth going to bring it back. I worked for 40 years as a set-up man at Allen-Bradley. My job is in China. I suspect you are a Republican, and you probably think I’m a Democrat, but it saddens me that the true conservatives are gone. I miss them. Where is Barry Goldwater when you need him?
Dear Zach, I suggest that there is a time to promote business growth, and a time to let it rest. Promoting business in Cudahy at this time would inevitably lead to many business failures, and then, when the time is right, Cudahy will have a tarnished reputation in the business community. There are certainly many,”quality of life”, issues that need to be addressed so that Cudahy is ready when the time is right for business expansion. Always remember, We are lake property. People talk about empty store fronts and business developement. “It’s the lake, stupid”.(I don’t mean you.)
Earle, Ryan McCue has been mayor for years, so it’s not as if he hasn’t had ample time to get some things done when it comes to business development.
Earle:
Wal-Mart is a poor example, but still an example of a trend of the current administration of Cudahy. It was only meant to be an example.
Yes, Tony Day was a banker at Chase’s local branch. They had a branch manager that boasted a picture on his desk of the head of Chase shaking his hand. He lasted about two weeks before leaving of his own accord. Tony could have stayed longer, but chose not to. Kind of tells you about large corporate banks. Their trend, past and present, is to give loans that have collateral to back them up on the individuals part beyond the amount asked for. They also want your first born child. Now Democrat or Republican or Conservative or even Liberals can’t deny that the current President flip-flops to what the weather conditions are. If favorable public response is happening, he goes with the flow and pushes on. If negative public response is detected, he changes to adapt to the public opinion. So goes it with banking.
He supports bailouts of a defective banking system that has been broken for a very long time. If it is in trouble, throw money at it. And what about the bonuses?
Bankers are all people, individuals, and Tony Day is no different. He had a job that changed. So he took retirement and opted to go into the political sector to promote change from a different perspective. Nothing wrong with that.
It isn’t rocket science to see that Cudahy also needs change, and change starts with you and me. Unless we debate like this everyone goes along in the same flow, accepting change unquestionably as it happens. Maybe even grumbling a little. Hopefully what we discuss here is an example of a difference of opinion that others will read and start to question themselves where they haven’t before.
I think that in the future, not maybe in our lifetime, retail will be gone as we know it.
The Internet will be the source of obtaining product. The small craftsman or shopkeeper will be a thing of the past. As you sit at your computer do you realize that within a short time the Desktop Computer will disappear? It will be replaced by the Laptop or Notebook Computer. It makes sense to carry your computer with you through your daily life as you now do with your cell phone. When you come home, like parking your car in the garage, you will “Dock” the Laptop and it will connect automatically to your Printer, Webcam, etc..
Our daily shopping might be done at a Cyber Cafe. Go in, sit down, coffee and sticky bun in hand ….. log in and shop in comfort. After all do you drive from place to place checking prices before buying? No, we use the telephone or Internet for that.
“The Times they are a changin'”. Cudahy MUST change or as they say, lose market share. Change is eminent and the mayor is’t working. Solution? Change mayors.
I agree with Zach. He’s had PLENTY of time.
And what’s more, if we put aside economic development, what else has Mayor McCue done? What accomplishments does he have on which he can justify reelection?
Be a “Social Butterfly” of course!
Dear John, Well and good, but when all is said and done, Tony Day would have welcomed Wall Mart, and Ryan McCue kept them out. I not only live in Cudahy, but I own rental property here. Well kept rental property. (you see, I’m a capitalist.) So I have some little stake in this community. A Wall Mart would have destroyed Cudahy before the internet shoppers could have made Wall Mart irrelevent. It seems to me that you, I, and Ryan McCue understand that Wall Mart is not the future of anywhere, so why would you support a canidate that doesn’t understand that? The same for business developement in Cudahy. There used to be a music store up the street, I order all my music on the internet. The pet store up the street said they would have to special order an item for me. I can do that myself. Again, what businesses are going to fill these empty store fronts? The future of Cudahy is Lake Michigan and homes, not business developement. You are not going to have high end restaurants and shops until Cudahy takes its place as a Lakefront community of homes. A silk purse from a cows ear? Now that takes vision.
And what’s Mayor McCue done on the “home front?”
O.K. Earle. Check Mate from Zach. Answer the man as best you can.
Dear Zach and John, As I said at the begining, If all Mayor McCue did in 3 years was stop Wall Mart…
It took courage, it took vision… and then there was his halloween stand. What more do you want from the Mayor of a small town? I’m beging to suspect that there is more than political discourse here. Social Butterfly? Looks like this is more on a personal level. Sorry gentlemen, but your not singing to the Choir here.
Check mate?
let me guess
Australia?
No, chess
Last time I looked Cudahy was not a small town, but a City. That’s why they call it the City of Cudahy. I don’t think one would classify Patrick Cudahy or Ladish small town.
What we are really trying to say is that a City Mayor should act like a City Mayor. Not a small Town “Good Old Boy”.
I hope that your previous comments don’t sway toward Cudahy becoming a “destined” bedroom community and abandoning business other than retail just because the wind seems to be blowing that way in your mind. And if Halloween is a major stand I think we are in trouble.
If that is to be deemed a “Major Accomplishment” where are we really going without him being replaced through the election process?
Now just when, and why, did Australia come into play? Earle are you secretly planning to open a Cudahy Zoo with Koala Bears as the first occupants?
And, in the interest of full disclosure, my great grandmothers maiden name was Koch.
Just being playful John. Please adress the Wall Mart question.
I thought Wal-Mart was a dead issue ….. along with Cudahy’s business future. You did say it was for homes and condos, not business didn’t you? And not to open another wound but what about his Ice Skating Spectacular. Was that an idea or what?
And I was just being playful with the Koch reference. The Koch brothers are richer than the Wall Mart Family. I won’t do it any more. I’ll be serious if you’ll be serious.
I was VERY serious about the Skating Rink. Don’t you think it worthy of mentioning as part of this discussion. By the way Warren Buffet is a friend of mine in Omaha, Nebraska. I think he’s got a little more clout than the Walton or Koch families. And not because of Warren!