News – November 20, 2016

Beaver Dam To Vote On 2017 Budget On Monday

 

11/20/16 – City officials in Beaver Dam are expected to adopt the 2017 budget tomorrow night. The $15.6-million-dollar document includes a tax levy of $9.9-million dollars, up around $147-thousand dollars, or two-percent from the current year. The mill rate is currently estimated at $10 even, down ten cents. The budget as presented comes in below state-mandated levy limits. Non-union city employees will see a pay increase of two-percent. The budget also includes the addition of a police detective dedicated full-time to drugs along with $27-thousand dollars for portable radios and $25-thousand dollars for taser guns. Not included in the police budget is funding that would allow the city to join the sheriff’s departments countywide records management system, though it remains a line item in the event alternate funding is found. The Fire Department budget includes a new full-time paramedic but does not include any funding for much talked-about water rescue boats. Community Activities has $10-thousand dollars earmarked for a mural to be painted on the Watermark. The Parks Department has $19-thousand dollars for a second dog park. The common council meets at 8pm tomorrow in the Beaver Dam Municipal Building.

 

Vessey Praises Student Body Involvement In Veterans Program

 

11/20/16 – Beaver Dam Schools Superintendent Steve Vessey had high praise for the student body at a recent high school event. On Veteran Day, the high school hosted its annual program for area veterans and many local vets were in attendance. Vessey took time out of this week’s school board meeting to share his impressions of the way students behaved. Vessey said the National Honor Society students did a wonderful job putting the on the program and said the behavior of students in general was “outstanding.” He says there were 1100 teenagers who said not a word in the entire gym during three moments of silence. Beaver Dam VFW Post 1163 also had praise for the students. On their Facebook page, the VFW “commended students, teachers and staff on a wonderful program” noting that the “honor, respect, and sincere gratitude was deeply felt” and saying they are “proud to be a part of a community and country that honors its veterans.”

 

MPTC Shoeboxes For Troops A Success

 

11/20/16 – Moraine Park Technical College is doing something for our military men and women deployed overseas this holiday season. Moraine Park President Bonnie Baerwald says they gathered small gifts to fit into Shoe Boxes to send to military personnel overseas. A similar effort last year led to 35 filled shoe boxes. This year they wanted to fill up 50 shoe boxes. She says they were overwhelmed by the response. On November 9th they pooled their resources and were able to create 140 boxes. Baerwald thanks everyone who was able to help out with donations. She says it speaks volumes about the generosity of the community.

 

Ground Broken on UW Fond du Lac Student Housing

 

11/20/16 – Construction crews halted work on a new student housing facility long enough this week so officials could hold a ceremonial groundbreaking for the 121-bed facility. UW Colleges and UW-Extension Chancellor Cathy Sandeen says the housing will open the doors for more opportunities on the campus. Fond du Lac County Executive Al Buechel says over 50 years ago community stakeholders pushed to bring a University Center to Fond du Lac and that commitment has continued over the years with expansions. He says student housing is important to the growth of the campus and community. The facility will open to students in time for the fall 2017 semester.

 

Hazelhurst Appealing To Baldwin For Wolf Hunt Consistency

 

11/20/16 – A Wisconsin Senate Republican from northern Wisconsin is again pushing to have states regain control of their wolf populations. And this time, he hopes to convince a leading Democrat to get on board. Senator Tom Tiffany of Hazelhurst says the federal courts and Congress need to stop what he calls “ping ponging” — moving Upper Midwest wolves on and off the federal endangered list as was done in recent years. Now, Tiffany and G-O-P state Representative Adam Jarchow want to enlist U-S Senate Democrat Tammy Baldwin to get behind their cause. Tiffany says other Democrats might follow along if they see Baldwin — who was just named secretary of the Senate’s Democratic Conference — support a delisting. It would let the state approve the killing of wolves that damage farm crops and livestock, and it could bring back a hunting season that animal rights supporters strongly oppose.

 

Wisconsin Is Second Most Active State For Small Businesses

 

11/20/16 – A new report says Wisconsin is the second most active state in the nation for small business activity, one place higher than last year. The Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City has come out with its annual “Main Street Entrepreneurship Index” — and it found that about 700 of every one-thousand Wisconsin businesses are well established small companies with 50 employees or fewer, and have been open for at least five years. The report also says a little more than half of businesses that open in the Badger State make it through their first five years — there’s a relatively high rate of ownership, as six-point-five percent of Wisconsin adults own businesses as their main jobs. Aaron Hager of the state’s Economic Development Corporation says the figures show a strong culture for small business in Wisconsin, with resources available that can help. The Kauffman Foundation is the same one that earlier rated Wisconsin last in the nation for small business startups.

 

BDACT: Final Performance Of ‘Town Hall Tonight’ Today

 

11/20/16 – This afternoon is the final performance of Town Hall Tonight. The Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre is presenting the historical play which based on actual events as the city celebrates its 175th Anniversary. Town Hall Tonight originated as a book by Beaver Dam-native Harlow Randall Hoyt that detailed the city’s downtown concert hall in the 1890’s. The production includes songs, humorous stories, melodramatic skits and a group of actors who brought some of the greatest vaudeville shows and performers to Beaver Dam’s own Town Hall. Town Hall Tonight is on the stage of the Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre at 2pm. Tickets start at $10 and are available at Rechek’s Food Pride or at the box office of the theatre at 219 North Spring Street.

 

Last Chance For Beaver Dam Leaf Pickup

 

11/20/16 – Beaver Dam residents have until tomorrow to get their leaves to the curbside for pick-up. Leaves should be placed in the terrace areas of the street edge in loose piles for collection by city crews. After Monday, city crews will make one more round around the city in no particular order.