A Message from the Mayor

By Mayor Kathy Ehley

Winter 2016-2017 is expected to bring more snow and cold to Tosa. Removing snow is perhaps the most intense and frustrating chore we have to endure every winter. Please check out the tips from the City’s Department of Public Works to make this task less burdensome this year.

Winter can be hazardous and safety is very important to all of us. Please pay attention to winter storm warnings; protect your home by keeping your furnace in good working order; and keep your pipes from freezing. Watch out for your neighbors, especially the elderly or disabled. Keep the sidewalks clear of snow and ice so residents can walk all year round. I’ve always been struck by how Wauwatosa pulls together during storms and I’m proud of everyone who picks up a shovel, clears a hydrant, and helps a neighbor or someone with a stuck car. That neighborliness and community is what we are all about.

I’m so proud of our snow removal crews who work around the clock during severe winter storms. I joined them to learn first-hand the conditions in which they work. Our City employee are hard-working and dedicated to taking care of you. Many are recognized for their work and I have started sharing these accolades with our Aldermen at Common Council meetings. I want to share a few with you:

Our Water Department won the first Project of the Year Award from the American Water Works Association for their work to keep water flowing without interruptions from the east side to the west side of Tosa over the freeway during construction. They used cutting-edge technology to find a simple solution to a complex problem and saved millions of dollars.

Engineer Maggie Anderson recently became the City’s first and only Floodplain Manager making us a leader in the industry. She will help the City moving forward with plans for flood control.

Our Department of Public Works created a new interactive leaf pickup schedule this fall so you can find out the exact date leaves will be picked up in your neighborhood.

City Hall and Library employees were surprised with cookies from St. Matthews Lutheran Church as appreciation for all the staff does for the community.

A business owner in The Village saw construction workers carrying a man in a wheelchair over missing pavement and helping a woman with a cane navigate uneven pavement in The Village during the road construction. The owner felt she witnessed the beauty of life here in the midst of a difficulty time for small business owners with access to many businesses hampered.

We truly have dedicated employees committed to providing you with the best service and finding new ways to work effectively and efficiently.

Winter can also bring fun. Walk to The Village this holiday season and check out the new streetscape look. Join the festivities in The Village when the CP Holiday Train returns on December 6 (Please bring your food or cash donation.) and the Tree Lighting happens on December 9. Support our local shops and restaurants. They will be most grateful for your business and you can help Tosa stay vibrant.

Join in a winter sport. Go sledding, ice skating in Hart Park, cross-country skiing on the trails or try curling at the Muellner Building. Bundle up and drink plenty of hot chocolate.

The City strives to be prepared and keep operations functioning normally but winter weather can change quickly. Know that the safety of our employees and our citizens remain our foremost concern. We should all be prepared to slow down when driving and be prepared for delays and closures. We will keep you informed of city operations. Be safe and find the joy in Wauwatosa in the winter.

Mayor Kathy Ehley

Snow Removal Tips

City’s main goal is to remove snow from the streets and make travel safer. Here’s how you can help.

Stay off the roads if you can.

Drive slowly and stay back from plows. City plows are big dump trucks and less agile than smaller truck plows. It’s more difficult to maneuver around you and blowing snow can keep them from seeing you.

Don’t pass a Salter or Snow plow. Remember conditions in front of them are worse.

Plows don’t intentionally push snow into your driveway. To reduce the amount of snow plowed in front of your driveway, place as much snow to right side of it as you face the street. If you leave a space for snow, plow will push it there.

Or wait until the snowplow passes your driveway to shovel out. If heavy snow, know that plows will come through again.

Shovel out mailboxes and fire hydrants.

Shovel an area at the curb for your garbage and recycling carts. Please do not put in street (they block plows) or on sidewalk (too far away for truck arm to reach).

Fun Facts About Winter Road Maintenance

City salts and plows 184 miles of public roads in Wauwatosa.
City plows dead-end streets and alleys.
City plows 10 city-owned parking lots and the Police Department, City Hall and Library and Public Works parking lots.
City plows public property sidewalks, bridge walks (including Watertown Plank Road Pedestrian Bridge) and bus stops.
City fills 36 salt barrels throughout the city.