Beaver Dam To File Grant Application For Watermark
5/20/14 – The Beaver Dam Common Council Monday night approved moving forward with a grant application that could help fund a portion of the proposed Watermark Senior and Community Center. The Community Development Block Grant could be worth up to a half million dollars. The price tag on the project totals just over $2.1-million dollars but when the cost of the donated building is factored in, the city needs to come up with around $1.6 million. There is already over $300-thousand dollars cash in the building account and another $766-thousand dollars in pledges. Revenue from the downtown Tax Increment Finance District could bring in another $300-thousand dollars. Grant writer Chuck Soolick with MSA Professional Services says that leaves a gap of as little as $287,000. Soolick says that money could come from grants, additional fundraising or taxpayer dollars. Last night’s action does not legally bind the city to immediately identify the funding source. However, if the city’s grant application is approved, officials would have to address for the shortfall in order to collect the money. Council President Jon Litscher says he would not have voted in favor of the guarantee for matching funds last night if there was a “hard-fast” obligation of city tax dollars to cover the funding shortfall. Litscher says he would make no commitment to use taxpayer dollars on this project. The state Department of Administration is expected to announce grant awards during the first week of August. At that time, the city would have to vote to accept the grant and also have to vote on the funding sources for the shortfall. The city would then have until June of 2016 to break ground on the project.
Reconstruction Designs Approved, Residents Object
5/20/14 – The Beaver Dam Operations Committee last night approved basic designs for this summers planned reconstruction of South Lincoln Avenue. The $660-thousand project runs from Judson Drive to East Davis Street. About a dozen residents turned out last night saying they generally support new curb and gutter and concrete street improvements. However, there was overwhelming opposition to the removal of trees along the project route and also against installation of new sidewalk, the cost of which will be shared with the property owner. City officials will hold a public hearing in July and based on the input from that meeting, the designs could be altered.
Fitzgerald Fields Voter ID Questions During Office Hours
5/20/14 – The public had the opportunity to discuss statewide legislative issues and concerns in Beaver Dam Monday. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald is holding office hours throughout his district and says he has fielded several questions about the status of the state’s Voter ID laws. A federal judge struck down the law earlier this month. The Juneau Republican says the Supreme Court has the opportunity to set a new course for the photo ID issue in the state. He says that decision may include some remedies for the legislature as to what direction they should go moving forward. Fitzgerald says the primary holdup of the bill is the requirement that an affidavit be presented to the voter on the day of the election. The affidavit would require a signature from the voter claiming they are who they say they are. He says the decision on this bill is torn. Fitzgerald says some legislatures say the affidavit would be adequate, but others think that’s not tough enough, and that you need some other type of system that verifies identity. He says if you have a driver’s license or if you have state issued ID then that would sufficient but if you are unable to present any of those types of identification they want something stronger than just simply an affidavit that you would sign. There was discussion that the legislature would consider a modified voter ID bill co-authored by Beaver Dam Representative Mark Born Fitzgerald says there is zero chance that this decision is going to happen by election this November.
West Nile Detected In Dodge County Crow
5/20/14 – Wisconsin has recorded its first case of the West Nile virus this year in a dead crow found in Dodge County. State health officials say it’s a sign that infected mosquitoes are in that area — and folks are urged to take precautions to make sure they’re not the first human victims of the year. People, birds, and horses all get West Nile from mosquito bites. The skeeters get the virus by feeding on infected birds. Last year, Wisconsin had 16 confirmed human cases of West Nile. That was a small number compared to 2012, when cases spiked throughout the nation’s mid-section and four Wisconsinites died from the virus. State officials say most West Nile cases don’t show up until August or September — but folks can protect themselves now, by staying away from standing pools of water, and using insect repellent when outdoors.
Statewide surveillance activities related to West Nile virus began on May 1. People who have a question about a dead bird should call the Dead Bird Reporting Hotline at 1-800-433-1610. People should not handle dead birds with their bare hands, but should use gloves or a clean plastic bag to pick up the bird. Horse owners should contact their veterinarian to get their horse vaccinated against West Nile virus or if they suspect their horse is ill with West Nile virus infection. For more information on West Nile virus, go to dhs.wisconsin.gov/communicable/ArboviralDiseases/WestNileVirus/Index.htm
Mayville Discusses Emerald Ash Borer Concerns
5/20/14 – City officials in Mayville discussed the dangers of the Emerald Ash Borer last night at their Public Works Committee meeting. This week is Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week in Wisconsin. Director of Parks Recreation and Public Works Mike Kurutz says it is important that the public is educated on this problem. He says it is important especially in regions that have not had confirmed siting’s, that any discoveries of the bug are reported so the DNR can track the problem. He says there are a lot of ash trees in the city so people should know the conditions of the trees. Kurutz says there are some easy ways to identify the Emerald Ash Borer, including S-shaped markings on the trees. Also, if the tree dies from the top down and woodpeckers will go after the larvae in the tree. Handouts are available at Mayville City Hall for those interested in more information.
Columbus School Funding Referendum Is Today
5/20/14 – Three of the eleven polling places in the Columbus School District will be closed for today’s referendum election. The Columbus School District covers parts of Columbia, Dane and Dodge Counties. Upon request from the township clerks of Otsego, Fountain Prairie and Lowell the School Board approved a resolution to allow those townships to close for the special election. The handful of voters from those townships are allowed to cast their votes at a nearby polling place. Three or less families from the school district in reside in each of these townships. Keeping these polling sites open with three election officials on duty all day was considered to be impractical. The district is seeking voter approval to buy 88 acres of land in the city for $1.3 million dollars. If approved, taxes would remain at the same level over the next ten years because district debt service is being retired. There are no immediate plans to build any new school buildings.
Talgo To Sue Walker Over Milwaukee-To-Madison Train
5/20/14 – While Governor Scott Walker campaigns for re-election, one of the biggest disputes of his 2010 campaign will be fought out in court. Train-maker Talgo says it will file a lawsuit that accuses the Republican Walker of acting in bad faith, when he effectively killed a high-speed rail line for which Talgo had built two trains in Milwaukee. Before it could file suit, the company was required to file a damage claim. Yesterday, the State Claims Board rejected 66-million dollars in damages for Talgo, saying the matter would best be resolved in the court system. Walker’s chief legal counsel is on the board, and he abstained from yesterday’s vote. Had the board agreed to pay the claim, Walker and his fellow legislative Republicans would have had the final say on it — most likely making a court case inevitable. Walker made his opposition to the proposed high-speed rail line from Milwaukee to Madison a key issue in 2010, after former Governor Jim Doyle accepted 810-million dollars in federal funds for it. Just before Walker took office, he gave back the money. Meanwhile, Talgo kept building the two trains during 2011. The state officially rejected them at the start of 2012, saying they didn’t comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. By the end of that year, Talgo canceled its contract with the state. State officials said Talgo never completed its manufacturing and testing process for the trains. Talgo has since moved to Seattle.
