Community Corner

Falls Honors Holz Family for Numerous Contributions to Village

Family has provided continued maintenance of the park near Mill Street and Appleton Avenue.

The village recognized Bill Holz’s family Monday for its contributions to the village and its continued maintenance of John. S. Taylor Park.

Taylor Park, the village’s smallest park, is a memorial to the only Menomonee Falls officer to die in the line of duty. John S. Taylor was killed Aug. 6, 1977, after his squad car was broadsided by another vehicle while pursuing a 17-year-old suspect. The park was officially dedicated to Taylor in 1982.

“John was a personal friend of mine. We go back decades. Me flipping burgers and him busting bad guys,” Bill Holz said.

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The Holz family donated flagpole and the lights at the park. The family also cuts the grass, weeds the flower beds, plants the annuals and keeps the park in top shape.

“The Public Works Department has never had any concern about the maintenance in John Tylor Park,” said Director of Public Works Arlyn Johnson. “The Holz family did an outstanding job providing a beautiful park for the people of Menomonee Falls.”

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Police Chief Anna Ruzinski said Holz’s contributions go further than just maintenance of the park. She said the Holz family has donated equipment to the police department, the DARE program, the traffic unit’s motorcycle program and the tactical enforcement unit.

Ruzinski said the biggest contribution to the village by the Holz family was Officer Scott Holz, who is a 13-year veteran with the police department. 

Ruzinski presented Bill Holz with a plaque to recognize his family’s contributions to the community.

“It’s been my honor and my family’s honor to serve the village this way and contribute not only to the village, but to the police department which we hold very dearly, and especially John,” Bill Holz said.

Trustee Michael McDonald also added that Holz was instrumental in the initial negotiations of the village landfill site, and served on every landfill committee. McDonald said Holz is impact on those negotiations helped fund Village hall, the library and other significant village developments.

“You truly are one of the gems of our village,” said Village President Randy Newman.


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