Milwaukee's west side residents share priorities ahead of city planning meeting
Milwaukee is asking residents to help shape the future of the city's west side for the next 10 to 20 years, and neighbors say they already know what needs to change.
The West Side Area Plan will serve as a roadmap guiding how money and resources are spent across dozens of neighborhoods — from safety and small business to education. A public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Marshall High School.
I talked with people who live in the area about what they think should be the priority.
Shannon Ross grew up near 47th and Meinecke. He says investments should start with young people.
Watch: Milwaukee residents share west side priorities ahead of city's 10-to-20-year planning meeting
"For me, education is the most important thing right now… specifically black and brown youth, the need for getting investment is so key for the future," Ross said.
He says preparing youth for emerging industries is critical.
"These changes are happening now… Let's start looking at how to prepare and be positioned to take advantage of what's coming and be ready for the changes," Ross said.
Others say, before anything else, fix the streets.
"The roads are in very bad," Kathleen Berry-Burks said.
Berry-Burks says reckless driving is also a concern.
"Sometimes you never know which direction a person is going to drive in… and the speed," Berry-Burks said.
Business owner Kamara Carter of House of Vitali-TEA at the Sherman Phoenix says safety and infrastructure directly impact his business.
"It affects me because my customers have to come to me. If their tires and their axles are getting broken out there on the streets—It's taking more money out of my business," Carter said.
He also believes investment in healthy food options is essential.
"I'm really big on investing in nutrition. Our brain needs certain minerals. I feel like we ain't eating right — so our brain ain't even getting the minerals we ain't eating like we're supposed to," Carter said.
Joshua Liston-Zawadi says meetings are important, but action matters more.
"To call a meeting is one thing. To actually use the input you get is another. If you're gonna actually use it, I'm for it," Liston-Zawadi said.
For many neighbors, the message is simple: If the city is listening, now is the time to prove it.
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