January 10, 2007

ATTN: Michael Zimmerman, Chairperson
Allied Task Force

I am a single, divorced, white, attractive mother of four grown children, seven Grand Children and almost three Great Grand Children (the last one due to be in this world by the end of January). I have been on my own for many years without any assistance of any kind. Yes, I am tough and a survivor and very proud of it. I am originally from St. Louis, MO but have lived in Wisconsin for about 35 years. I am a positive thinking person but a realist also. And here is my reality. My children will not come visit me since I moved to Allied Dr. about 23 years ago. I have lived in the same apartment on Allied Dr. for all of these years and I am still thinking positive, but also being a realist. They have constantly told me to move. I have constantly replied “things will improve” and I like my apartment and my courtyard and my birds, squirrels, trees and flowers. My friends will meet me up at a store parking lot before coming down to my apartment building. I have worked for the State/University of Madison for 27 years. I am telling you think because I want to let you know that I have been around long enough to know what can be done in and for Allied Dr. “if” the power on high/to be for our City of Madison would just face the facts and reality themselves.

I want to be able to have my family and friends feel safe and comfortable when they come to visit me and this has not happened. I do not want people from the neighborhood walking up to me or my friends/family asking for money or cigarettes or anything else. This will never happen as long as we have all of the “freebies” handed out to these people. The first thing needed to be done is to put the “Service Providers in building 2349 on Allied somewhere else as soon as possible. These people are not doing a service for our Allied neighborhood except to keep the undesirables here along with their friends and relatives. Free handouts and a place to meet and ask/or tell others like themselves where to go for more freebies and drugs is not going to clean up this neighborhood. Think about it – it just makes common sense.

The persons who keep saying to keep Allied neighborhood the same are the very people who do not live in the area (they live in nice homes out of this area) or the persons who use and abuse the freebies.

To get on the right track we need to be more restrictive with whom we rent to or whom eventually hopefully we sell to. We need people who respect themselves and others and take pride in themselves and their neighborhood. Even with the different nationalities bringing their own style of living can be taught that we can be clean and respectful of ourselves and others. Until we get a netter class of people, nothing will ever change. I will be moving unless something positive happens soon. I would like to see the building I live in and the surrounding buildings remodeled. No need to completely tear them down. I personally would like a 3-bedroom condo with a patio (like I have now) and a courtyard (like I have now). Yes, a lot would have to be remodeled but I can suggest how this can be done also if someone would just ask me and then repeat it correctly to the persons who count and can get something done. I would be willing to purchase this condo after the remodeling for a reasonable price. Get more people like I and the area/neighborhood could and would change for the better. If the people who get the freebies now can not afford to purchase then they need to move to another area. Maybe back to Milwaukee or Chicago. If this does not happen now I personally will be moving to a better neighborhood and paying higher rent or purchase price for the same thing I could get in the Allied neighborhood but at least my children and grand children will feel safer and will be willing to visit me.

Please take my interest to heart and think hard about what changes need to be made before it is too late and nothing will ever change. If someone wishes to contact me to discuss this further I can be available.

Thank you in advance for considering my suggestions and ideas.

C. Brown
2347 Allied Dr
Madison, WI 53711