POSSIBLY CAN. >> NOW, THIS BUDGET MUST BE FINALIZED BY MAY. >> ONLY ON 12 TONIGHT, THE MILWAUKEE RESCUE MISSION IS HEADING TO COURT TO BUILD A NEW ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTER IN NEW BERLIN. THE PETITION ASKED THE JUDGE TO ENSURE THE PROJECT ALONG I-43 MOVES FORWARD, DESPITE OBJECTIONS FROM SOME RESIDENTS. 12 NEWS NICK BOHR HAS THE STORY. >> THIS VACANT SITE IN NEW BERLIN, ALONG I-43 AND MORELAND. SUDDENLY THE FOCUS OF COMMUNITY SCRUTINY. >> THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS. KEEP THAT IN MIND. >> AND NOW, LEGAL ACTION. MILWAUKEE RESCUE MISSION WANTS TO MOVE ITS NEW JOURNEY ADDICTION TREATMENT PROGRAM FROM THE DOWNTOWN CAMPUS AND EXPAND IT IN A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED FACILITY. >> THE PETITION IN CIRCUIT COURT IN WAUKESHA COUNTY IS PROBABLY THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT WAY FOR US TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO RESOLVE THIS. >> PAT VANDERBERG IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE MILWAUKEE RESCUE MISSION. EVEN THOUGH THE PROJECT’S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, COMMUNITY GROUPS ARE ASKING THE CITY’S BOARD OF APPEALS TO HALT IT. LEADING THE MISSION TO FILE A LAWSUIT. >> WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE GOOD EXPERIENCE, GOOD TRACK RECORD, AND IF WE INCREASE THE SPACE, WE CAN JUST HELP A LOT MORE PEOPLE AND, YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT’S PART OF OUR CALLING. >> VANDERBERG SAYS THIS SITE HERE BEHIND ME IS PERFECT FOR THIS PROJECT. IT’S OUT OF THE WAY ALONG THE FREEWAY. THEY’RE BIG ENOUGH TO EVENTUALLY SERVE ABOUT 100 MEN AT A TIME, AND THE ZONING ALREADY PERMITS WHAT THEY WANT TO BUILD HERE. >> IT’S REALLY KIND OF VERY NONDESCRIPT KIND OF SPOT WHERE IT’S GOING TO BE. I’M PRETTY CONFIDENT ONCE, ONCE IT’S BUILT AND OPERATING LIKE NOBODY’S EVEN GOING TO REALLY KNOW WE’RE THERE. >> VANDERBERG HOPING A JUDGE WILL INTERVENE AND ALLOW THE PROJECT TO MOVE AHEAD. >> WE’VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO IN THE PROCESS AND AND, YOU KNOW, GOT THWARTED. AND WE THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT IS JUST UNFAIR. AND AND SO THAT’S, THAT’S WHAT WE’RE HOPING THAT THE COURT WILL AGREE WITH US, AND THEN WE’LL JUST BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. >> IN NEW BERLIN, NIC
Milwaukee Rescue Mission suing to expand in New Berlin
Addiction recovery programs would be moved to new site, more than doubling current program capacity
The Milwaukee Rescue Mission has filed a petition in Waukesha County Circuit Court, asking a judge to reject an effort to block the construction of a new drug and alcohol addiction treatment facility in New Berlin. The New Journey Program is currently based at the Rescue Mission’s site at 19th and Wells streets in Milwaukee, serving about 40 men. It is separate from the Mission’s homeless outreach program, which provides free meals and temporary housing to thousands of men each year. Milwaukee Rescue Mission President Rev. Patrick Vanderburgh told WISN 12 News in an interview Tuesday that their addiction treatment program has more applicants than they can serve, and many of them are coming from areas outside of the city of Milwaukee. He explained that is their motivation in seeking a separate facility solely for the addiction treatment program, which is to be built in an industrial park in New Berlin along Interstate 43 and Moorland Boulevard. “We know that we have good experience, a good track record, and if we increase the space, we can just help a lot more people. And, you know, just feel like that is part of our calling,” Vanderburgh said. “We just felt a calling from God, like, let’s make this available, yes, to our traditional population, who, many of whom are experiencing homelessness, coming off the street and struggling with an addiction, but in addition to that, guys who are coming from outside of the city.” After the project received unanimous Plan Commission approval late last year, citizen groups formed to try to block it. They’ve asked for the city’s board of appeals to force the plan commission to reconsider the project. But the lawsuit filed Friday asks a judge to disallow that review, saying the groups don’t have grounds to object at this stage. A hearing is expected to be scheduled in the next two months.
The Milwaukee Rescue Mission has filed a petition in Waukesha County Circuit Court, asking a judge to reject an effort to block the construction of a new drug and alcohol addiction treatment facility in New Berlin.
The New Journey Program is currently based at the Rescue Mission’s site at 19th and Wells streets in Milwaukee, serving about 40 men. It is separate from the Mission’s homeless outreach program, which provides free meals and temporary housing to thousands of men each year.
Milwaukee Rescue Mission President Rev. Patrick Vanderburgh told WISN 12 News in an interview Tuesday that their addiction treatment program has more applicants than they can serve, and many of them are coming from areas outside of the city of Milwaukee.
He explained that is their motivation in seeking a separate facility solely for the addiction treatment program, which is to be built in an industrial park in New Berlin along Interstate 43 and Moorland Boulevard.
“We know that we have good experience, a good track record, and if we increase the space, we can just help a lot more people. And, you know, just feel like that is part of our calling,” Vanderburgh said. “We just felt a calling from God, like, let’s make this available, yes, to our traditional population, who, many of whom are experiencing homelessness, coming off the street and struggling with an addiction, but in addition to that, guys who are coming from outside of the city.”
After the project received unanimous Plan Commission approval late last year, citizen groups formed to try to block it. They’ve asked for the city’s board of appeals to force the plan commission to reconsider the project. But the lawsuit filed Friday asks a judge to disallow that review, saying the groups don’t have grounds to object at this stage.
A hearing is expected to be scheduled in the next two months.