City waives block party fees

It's block party time in West Allis, and this time it'll be $25 cheaper.

To encourage neighbors to get together and meet each other and encourage a neighborhood feeling, the Common Council on Tuesday voted to suspend the usual $25 block party fee for the rest of the year. All the other requirements for block parties will remain, however, including getting a permit and abiding by rules for when street barricades are to be taken down.

Alderman Michael May proposed the fee suspension as a result of comments he heard while door-to-door campaigning this year. He said a lot of longtime residents said they wished they knew the newcomers, and the new kids on the block wished they knew the long-timers. The $25 block party fee seemed to be an impediment, May said.

To make up for the $300 to $350 in lost fees, May said he is waiving the health and dental coverage he is entitled to as an alderman, which will more than cover the revenue loss.

The block party fee will be back next year.