A water sample collected in Sparta in early August indicated the presence of coliform bacteria, but city officials say the problem has since been dealt with.

The city notified residents about the matter in an Aug. 18 letter signed by Public Works Director Jordan Skiff.

The letter indicated the positive sample was collected on Aug. 3.

"As a precaution, we have increased the chlorine concentration in our water supply," states the letter.

"People with severely compromised immune systems, infants and some elderly may be at an increased risk," it continues. "As a precautionary measure, any ice cubes, beverages, baby formula or other food items made with water between Aug. 3 (the date of the positive sample) and Aug. 12 (the date the chlorine concentration was increased) should be discarded and their containers or ice makers cleaned."

Sparta City Administrator Ken Witt said only one sample taken of the city's water supply tested positive.

"The positive sample came during that really hot, humid week," he said.

"It was only that sample, and tests on samples before and after come out negative," continued Witt. "My theory is that the sample was bad because we didn't have a positive sample after that, but the DNR requires notification."

Witt said the positive test was the first in the city in at least 15 years.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 30, 2010 issue

 A trio of resolutions appealing recent personnel committee decisions on hiring will go before the full Monroe County Board when it gathers for its monthly meeting Wednesday.

The resolutions, offered to the full county board by the human services board, regard the replacement of an economic support employee and a family and children social worker, as well as the posting of a clerical position.

The first two resolutions concern the replacement of retired employees, which the personnel committee did not approve.

In addition, the personnel committee also opted against posting the clerical position.

Funds for all three positions are already included in the county's budget, but all three were denied in the wake of the county's current vacancy control policy, which requires that all employee hirings receive approval from the personnel committee.

In all three cases, the human services board voted 5-1 to ask the full county board to reverse the personnel committee's decisions.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 23, 2010 issue

 With a new business and a pair of large expansion projects in the works, Sparta is in the midst of a banner year for commercial growth in the city.

The Sparta Planning Commission tonight (Monday) will discuss and take action on site plans for three business projects.

The first project concerns the construction of a new salon in the city's East Side Business Park.

Norwalk hair stylist Mary Nading is planning to build a new facility so she can relocate her business from Norwalk to Sparta.

Pending approval from the city, Nading's current Norwalk business will move into a new 3,200-square-foot facility in Sparta.

According to plans submitted to the city, Nading's business is presently called Styles Unlimited, but its name will change when it moves to Sparta.

The planning commission also will address a pair of large expansion projects in its old industrial park - one at Multistack and a second at Mathews Inc.

The Multistack expansion project includes the construction of a new 32,000-square-foot addition on the southeast corner of its existing Maple Avenue facility.

Mathews Inc. is planning a 28,000-square-foot addition, which will be located on the east side of the archery company's River Road location.

A parking lot that currently sits on the Mathews expansion site will be relocated as part of the proposed project.

Sparta City Administrator Ken Witt said site plans for all three projects are on tonight's planning commission agenda, and will likely go before the full city council at its monthly meeting Tuesday.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 16, 2010 issue

 The Monroe County Public Safety and Justice Coordinating Committee will discuss and take action on a resolution that would eliminate a pair of county positions and create a third.

Monroe County Board Chairman Rick Irwin said the resolution, which will go before the committee at its monthly meeting this (Monday) evening, is aimed at combining two positions into one to help reduce county expenses.

The measure, if passed, will eliminate the positions of emergency management director and communications center administrator, and create a director's position that will oversee both departments.

The county began looking at the issue after Monroe County Sheriff Dennis Pedersen announced he would relinquish control of the communications department June 7.

Pedersen's decision came in the wake of a May 26 decision by the board that effectively delayed the process of hiring a new communications center administrator.

At the May 26 meeting, supervisors addressed a resolution seeking to halt the hiring process for a new communications center administrator, but took no action after agreeing to send the matter to the personnel and bargaining committee.

Pedersen said the board's decision halted a hiring process that was already well underway.

Despite Pedersen's warnings, supervisors decided to delay the process by sending the matter to the personnel and bargaining committee.

"In the end, the board chose to ignore our recommendation to avoid interfering with efforts to fill the position," Pedersen said. "Clearly, a majority of the board is of the view that it can better determine staffing (and) operational issues relative to the communications center."

Pedersen called the board's decision an "attempt to micro-manage staffing (and) operational issues", and said the decision was counter-productive.

Pedersen's decision has prompted Irwin to call a special meeting of the county's public safety and justice coordinating committee in June.

At that meeting, Monroe County Dispatcher Darlene Pintarro was tapped by the committee to serve as interim administrator of the communications center.

Pintarro's hiring, however, only serves as a short-term solution, prompting the committee to begin searching for a permanent fix.

Irwin said consolidating the two departments seems to be a logical way to remedy the situation and save the county some money at the same time.

"This resolution takes a look at combining dispatch and emergency management," he said.

"It will create a director that's in charge of both departments," Irwin continued. "The long-term benefit would be to save some money for the county."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 9, 2010 issue

 A three-person subcommittee of the Sparta Park Board will help determine the future of the city's municipal pool.

Sparta Mayor John Sund Monday appointed park board members Kevin Riley, Kevin Schmitz and Tom Brown to the subcommittee, and charged them with reviewing the matter.

Sparta City Administrator Ken Witt said the city can afford to build a new facility in 2014 without increasing the tax levy.

The question now is what type of facility to build.

"The city council has been talking for years now about replacing the pool," Witt explained.

"We're constantly having issues with the pool," he continued. "There's always something going wrong, and it's on the wish list for the council."

In a memo for the park board, Sund asked for an investigation, report and recommendation on a new indoor pool and a new outdoor water park, likely on the lines of the outdoor aquatic center in Black River Falls.

Sund wants the subcommittee to look into estimated costs of each facility, as well as estimated operation expenses for both.

In addition, the mayor asked the committee to come up with a rough idea of what each facility would look like.

The subcommittee's findings will be used to come up with a referendum question concerning the future of the pool that will likely go before the public next year.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat August 5, 2010 issue

 Tom Barrett, Democratic candidate for Wisconsin governor, says the proposed policies of his GOP opponents would drive the state deeper into debt.

 Barrett, who was campaigning at the Monroe County Fair Saturday, has been critical of Republicans Scott Walker and Mark Neumann, saying the plans they set forth would add nearly $2 billion to the state's already $2.7 billion structural deficit.

 "When you look at their proposals when it comes to taxation they're talking about lowering taxes on the wealthiest people in the state and making corporate tax cuts," he said. "The impact of their proposals is $1.8 billion."

 Barrett, who attributes those figures to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, insists those policies would put a financial stranglehold on the state, making it impossible to deal with real concerns.

 "If you care about property taxes, if you care about education, if you care about public safety, it will be virtually impossible to deal with those issues with the proposals they're putting forth," said Barrett. 

 He has drafted a plan, which can be viewed at his website, that he says puts Madison on a diet.

 Among its proposals are combining the healthcare purchasing power of local and state government officials to achieve economies of scale and drive down the cost of health insurance in the marketplace.
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 2, 2010 issue

 The winding down of the war in Iraq and eventually Afghanistan could reverberate at Fort McCoy, according to Linda Fournier, public affairs officer at the military reservation.

Her remarks came at Spartaís Cracker Barrel Breakfast Monday.

Over the past few years, the readiness training center ARRTC and the 84th Training Command have left the facility. But the number of affected jobs, about 300, was offset by the shifting of the 88th Regional Support Command from Fort Snelling, MN to Fort McCoy.

That relocation resulted in construction of an $11 million administration center built near the Main Gate.

What may have an impact on area work opportunities, however, is the on-going reduction of 150,000 troops in Iraq, said Fournier.

Conversely, the war in Afganistan, now demanding 30,000 troops to wage, is being escalated until 2011 when withdrawals are anticipated to start.

Fort McCoy was one of 10 Army posts used for training and mobilization in the war effort, but the number of garrisons used for that purpose is being slashed to eight, and Fort McCoy was one of two bases proposed to discontinue the mission.

The economic impact would be the loss of about 100 contract-jobs and a number of military personnel, who rent from landlords off post, said Fournier. Motel operators in Sparta and especially Tomah, which has more rooms, might feel the pinch too.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat July 29, 2010 issue

A pair of resolutions recommending an increase next year in dog licensing fees will go before the Monroe County Board at its monthly meeting Wednesday.

The resolutions, which were sent to the full board by the sanitation, planning and zoning and forestry committee, recommend a fee increase in three areas.

Both resolutions are designed to encourage the spay and neutering of dogs in an effort to reduce the number of stray animals in the county.

The first resolution recommends increasing the dog license fees for both male and female animals which are not spayed or neutered from $20 to $25.

The resolution recommends the per-animal fee for spayed and neutered dogs remain at the current rate of $10.

The second resolution sent to supervisors by the sanitation, planning and zoning and forestry committee focuses on the county's kennel fees.

The committee is recommending kennel fees for up to 12 dogs be increased from the current rate of $85 to $125 in 2011.

Kennel fees for 12 dogs and above shall remain the same, according to the resolution.

If the resolutions are passed by supervisors Wednesday, the new fees will go into effect on Jan. 1 of 2011.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald July 26, 2010 issue

 On the recommendation of the district attorney's office, Monroe County Circuit Judge Michael McAlpine dismissed all charges against Robert Lichtie last Thursday.

 The eleventh-hour motion came one week before the 70-year old defendant was to go on trial for a number of home invasions, including the 2006 robbery of Harold Gahler, who was 89 when intruders broke into his rural Sparta residence, bound his hands and robbed him.

 Monroe County District Attorney Dan Cary said he filed the motion to dismiss after new information came to light that jeopardized his case against Lichtie.

 "After the review of additional materials, some provided by the defense, I felt I could not prove my case beyond a reasonable doubt," said Cary.

 Defense attorney John Matousek characterized that information as "overwhelming evidence" of his client's innocence.

 In a letter to Cary, Matousek provided what he called "thorough evidence" that would cast reasonable doubt on Lichtie's involvement in the crimes he is accused of committing.

 Cary charged Lichtie with racketeering under an organized crime statute, requiring the prosecution to prove the defendant's involvement in at least three crimes.

 Besides the Gahler case, Cary planned to implicate Lichtie in a burglary at the Shanty Town Tavern in Jackson County and another at a Trempealeau County residence, both in 2003.

 The state's case rested solely on the credibility of Michael Thompson, a 37-year old acquaintance of Lichtie who testified Lichtie was the mastermind of the crimes.

 Matousek, however, argued Thompson is a pathological liar who changed his story several times while being interrogated by Monroe County detectives.

 Matousek also submitted affidavits from witnesses providing alibis for Lichtie and contradicting Thompson's statements.

 In addition, he claims detectives encouraged others implicated in the crimes to change their stories in exchange for some measure of leniency.

 Last week, Cary filed a criminal complaint against Thompson, charging him with robbery by use of force, false imprisonment and second degree reckless endangerment in the Gahler case.

 Both Lichtie and Thompson are facing charges in Illinois after Authorities in Hawthorn Woods arrested the two men earlier this year, accusing them in a December 2008 home invasion.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald July 12, 2010 issue

 The top clergyman at the Sparta United Methodist Church(UMC) has left for a greener pasture.

 Reverend David Carlson, pastor at UMC for the past 14 years, has relocated to Beloit.

 Carlson officially started at River of Life United Methodist Church this week.

 The move comes after the pastor there announced his retirement earlier in the year. 

 A bishop looks at each church in the state and determines its needs, explained Carlson, who had the longest tenure in the Sparta church's 150-plus year history. 

 "We are leaving behind a lot of friends and people close to us because of ministry," said Carlson. "It is hard to go because of the people and we are sad to leave."

 Sparta is a place Carlson and his wife, Barb, raised their five children, the youngest of whom just graduated. 

 Though a tough move, Carlson is embracing it full force.

 "There are new challenges before me and we are where the Lord wants us to be."

 Carlson said River of Life is a church that needs some life breathed into it. They have a new Hispanic congregation there, something Carlson is familiar with, as the UMC hosts a Hispanic congregation as well.  The church is also at the very beginning stages of raising funds to build a new facility, so Carlson is looking forward to being in on that process.

 Carlson, who is starting his 31st year of ministry, said he loves "preaching, teaching, motivating, studying ministries and reaching out" and he plans to bring all of those tasks to the table in Beloit.

 "Making connections and changing lives has always been a joy for me," he said.

 Carlson also showed confidence in his successor, Pastor Rey Diaz.

 "He'll be good for Sparta," said Carlson.

 Diaz comes to Sparta after a double-duty at churches in Lake Geneva and Delavan.

 "It was great and very delightful news to serve this great community," said Diaz, who's actually been a guest preacher at UMC before, while he was chair of the National Hispanic Plan for Ministry.

 "It is a great honor and privilege to serve in this community and I look forward to meeting people everywhere in this town," said Diaz.

 "I bring to Sparta my 33 years of experience of building leadership and inspiring people," he said. "I am a pastor called to serve everybody in the community."

 In 1973, Diaz came to the United States from the Dominican Republic at the age of 23. He, like so many others, came in search of the American Dream and a better life. He fully admits that, at the time, he had no interest in serving the Lord. He aspired to be a baseball player. He also sought higher education, but was not allowed to enroll in college until he became a U.S. citizen, which he went to work on right away.

 Along the way, he played ball with a church group at the behest of an aunt. He was swayed by the prospect of playing ball, but was discouraged by the fact that it would be with a church group.

 A teammate became deathly ill and Diaz, who never prayed, asked God to heal him.

 "If you heal this man, I will serve you," Diaz prayed. 

 One day, Diaz saw the man, fully recovered, on the street. 

 "I heard God's voice, 'I finished the first part of the agreement. Now, it's up to you.' From then on, I started serving God," said Diaz.

 While working part-time, he attended the College of New Rochelle in New York for eight years. He graduated in 1988 and continued his education at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL. He then earned his doctorate in ministry from New York Theological Seminary.

 Diaz, who has three grown children, is engaged to a woman in the Dominican Republic. She and her children will join Diaz eventually.

 "I am a loving person. I like to meet people. I like to talk a lot and I like to listen," said Diaz. "No matter how big the problem might be -- I am here to serve and to inspire people to live so they can reach the potential God made them with."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat July 8, 2010 issue

 Steve Johnson followed in his father's footsteps when he chose a career in law enforcement, and now he is hoping to take that career to the next level.

Johnson is one of five candidates running for Monroe County sheriff on the Republican ticket this fall.

A former Sauk County sheriff's deputy, Johnson currently serves as police chief in the villages of Norwalk and Wilton.

When asked why he decided to seek the sheriff's seat in Monroe County, Johnson's answer was simple.

"The people," he said.

"I think that (Monroe County Sheriff Dennis Pedersen) has the department moving in a direction that is going to benefit the community, and I want to keep that ball rolling," Johnson continued. "They are big shoes to fill, and I like to see more teamwork involved - not just in the department, but in the community as a whole."

Pedersen announced last month that he does not intend to seek a second term as sheriff.

While Johnson is impressed with the job Pedersen has done over the past four years, he would like to make some minor changes in the department.

"I want the community to be our eyes and ears," he said.

"We are here to provide a great service, and the people of Monroe County deserve it," Johnson added.

"I'd also like to educate the community on the things going on in the department," he continued. "I'm not sure the people are quite aware of what goes on in the department and what the job of sheriff involves."

Johnson said giving that knowledge to the people will help ensure that he does a good job if he's elected.

"I'd like the people to know why we are here," he said. "That way they can hold me accountable."

Johnson also is a strong believer in teamwork, and he would like to see the citizens become more involved in the decision-making process.

Johnson worked for the Sauk County Sheriff's Department from 2000 to 2006, and ran unsuccessfully for Sauk County sheriff four years ago.

In addition, he has worked for the police departments in Hillsboro and Ontario.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat July 1, 2010 issue

More than 30 people sat in the gallery as Brent Wilkinson pleaded guilty to first degree intentional homicide in Monroe County Circuit Court last Thursday afternoon.

 With his attorney John Matousek by his side, Wilkinson pleaded guilty to murdering his estranged wife, Teresa Williams Wilkinson, at her Warrens home last July.

 Judge Thomas Lister, a Jackson County judge, presided over the plea hearing at which a plea agreement was reached between Matousek and Monroe County District Attorney Dan Cary. 

 "The minimum term imprisonment is 20 years, the maximum is life without the possibility of parole, plus five years [for the domestic abuse allegation]," said Lister.

 The lawyers agreed to recommend Wilkinson be eligible for parole after 25 years.

 Lister told Wilkinson he is not bound by the court to adhere to the plea agreement and he is able to sentence Wilkinson to the maximum possible period of incarceration under law.

 "Did you act with the intent to kill Teresa [Williams Wilkinson]?" asked Lister, to which a barely audible Wilkinson replied, "Yes, your honor."

 Wilkinson remained soft-spoken throughout the hearing as he agreed to give up his right to a jury trial and admitted the allegations in the criminal complaint were true.

 A charge of first degree reckless endangerment was dismissed, but was read in and can be considered for sentencing purposes.

 Lister found Wilkinson guilty of first degree intentional homicide with the use of a dangerous weapon as a domestic abuse offense.

 A pre-sentencing investigation was ordered and Wilkinson's sentencing is set for September 9 at 1:30 p.m.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 28, 2010 issue

Mark Jerdee was enjoying his own retirement party when he learned that his former boss - Monroe County Sheriff Dennis Pedersen - was not planning to seek another term in office.

But Jerdee, who retired from his detective sergeant's post May 7, had been enjoying his time away from his former job as the county's top investigator.

"I had no thoughts of running for sheriff at that time," Jerdee offered. "I had only been retired for three weeks, and I was kind of liking it."

But the phone calls started shortly after that, and Jerdee, who ran unsuccessfully for sheriff in 2006, began to think about tossing his hat into the ring one more time.

I received phone calls from current (sheriff's department) employees, past employees and friends," Jerdee said, adding that all encouraged him to run for sheriff.

"I thought about it long and hard, and talked it over with my wife," he added.

"I guess the needs of the many outweigh the needs of one," Jerdee continued. "I thought if I could help out, I'd come back."

Jerdee, who lives in Wilton, is one of five candidates running for Monroe County sheriff on the Republican ticket.

He has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement, and believes his knowledge of the department makes him a strong candidate for sheriff.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat June 24, 2010 issue

Laird Raiten retired from the Monroe County Sheriff's Department in January after serving for nearly 25 years.

But now Raiten is hoping his time off will be short.

The former patrol officer has tossed his hat into the ring in the race for Monroe County sheriff, and is currently the only candidate running on the Democratic ticket.

Raiten said he decided to run for sheriff at the encouragement of some of his former colleagues on the force.

"I had the support of a lot of the guys," offered Raiten.

"Several of them told me I needed to run," he continued. "I felt if I was going to run, now is the time, since Mr. Pedersen isn't running for sheriff."

Current Sheriff Dennis Pedersen announced last month he will not seek another term in office this fall.

Raiten, a 1975 graduate of Brookwood High School, worked full-time for the sheriff's department for 23 years until he retired on Jan. 31.

During his career, Raiten also served as an emergency vehicle operations course trainer for the department.

He received his degree from WTC.

A big issue facing the candidates for sheriff this year in the county's jail overcrowding problems.

Raiten believes the issue is an urgent one, but he was not in favor of the county's now-defunct $30 million justice center project.

"We need to build a new jail and we need to get the overcrowding under control," he said.

"We're spending an awful lot of money (housing inmates out of county) that we could be putting toward a new jail," Raiten continued. "But talking to the people that I know, I could hardly find anyone who wanted to spend ($30 million) on that justice center."

Raiten said he supports a downtown site for the jail, and is open to building a new facility or expanding the county's current jail.

"I support a downtown site if that's where (the county board) wants to build," he said. "Some people have approached me saying they don't want to see it move from downtown Sparta."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 14, 2010 issue

Monroe County Sheriff's Department patrol officer Fritz Degner has been around long enough to remember when area law enforcement officials concentrated on "community policing".

And now the nearly 20-year police veteran wants to bring back community policing to Monroe County as part of his campaign for sheriff.

Degner, a 1985 graduate of Sparta High School, is one of five candidates running for sheriff on the Republican ticket in Monroe County.

While he was initially skeptical of a run for sheriff, Degner said his wife, Laurie, finally convinced him to toss his hat into the ring.

"I wasn't overly keen about the idea to begin with....I have eight years before I can retire," he said,

Degner also admits he didn't run against his boss, Monroe County Sheriff Dennis Pedersen, who announced last month he would not seek a second term as sheriff.

"I decided to run when (Pedersen) chose to retire," continued Degner. "I want to bring some younger blood into the office."

While the hot campaign issue is likely to be the county's jail overcrowding problem, Degner has other issues he would like to address if he's elected sheriff.

"When I first started in law enforcement, the Monroe County Sheriff's Department was a leader in our area for being involved with the community at large," he said.

"We had a DARE Program, our deputies taught classes for underage alcohol awareness, our K-9 officer routinely went to the schools in the community to give talks and demonstrations and our deputies volunteered their time with the safety patrol and post-prom activities for some of the high schools in the county," Degner continued.

Somewhere along the way, however, those programs fell by the wayside, and Degner would like to at least bring some of them back.

"It is my plan to try and bring back some of the programs we used to do, get our officers back out into the communities so people know who their officers are, and bring the community back into community policing," he added.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat June 17, 2010 issue

Tomah police have finally come forward with details in the April 27 murder of Vance Evans after  a 46-year old Big Rock, IL, woman surrendered to authorities. 

 Tammy S. Cole turned herself in  to the Boone County Sheriff's Department in Belvidere, IL, at around 6:30 p.m. Thursday. 

 Cole had been the subject of a search since Monroe County authorities issued a warrant for her arrest the previous day for first degree intentional homicide.

 Until then, Tomah Police had kept information on the murder close to the chest, telling the Sparta newspaper last Tuesday they had no suspect, much less a person of interest, in the case.

 According to the criminal complaint filed in Monroe County Circuit Court last week, Mary Mclain, Evans' girlfriend, discovered Evans' body at his residence at 316 Woodard Ave., at around 1:30 a.m. and called 911.

 Mclain told investigators she spoke to Evans on the phone the night of April 26 and Evans told her "a pshyco bitch from Illinois" was at the residence and he couldn't get rid of her.

 Mclain said she later received a call from a female using Evans' cell phone. She said she couldn't understand the woman and the call was terminated. When she called back, the woman answered and told Mclain she was going to shoot her, the complaint indicates.

 After that, Mclain went to Evans' residence where she discovered his body. Investigators later determined that Evans died from a single gunshot to the back of the head.

 Among the evidence discovered in the residence was a .38 Special revolver, which held a spent casing in the chamber. A bullet removed from the inside header of the interior front door was determined to have been fired from the handgun.

 Investigators also determined Cole was the source of DNA left on a beer can and a pair of leather gloves located in the residence. In addition, they lifted Cole's fingerprint from Evans' cell phone, which was recovered at the scene.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 14, 2010 issue

More than five weeks have passed since the suspicious death of a Tomah tavern owner, and police still arenít able to rule out foul play or call the death a homicide.

ìWeíre working on tying a lot of things together,î Tomah Police Chief Wesley Revels said this week about circumstances surrounding the shooting of Vance Evans, 53.

Evans was found dead at his home on Woodard Avenue in Tomah April 27. Unconfirmed sources say he sustained a bullet wound between the eyes.

Although people in Tomah and Illinois, where Evans used to live until about 10 years ago, have been interviewed about the shooting, evidence pending processing at the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory is expected to be crucial in determining which direction the case will take.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat June 10, 2010 issue

The Monroe County Board approved a salary freeze for a pair of county officials last month.

The salaries for the county sheriff and clerk of courts will remain at their current rate through 2014.

The resolution, which became necessary after supervisors voted down raise recommendations for both elected officials in April, was forwarded to the full board by the personnel and bargaining committee.

In April, the board took up an earlier personnel and bargaining committee resolution recommending annual one-percent raises for the sheriff and clerk of courts through 2014.

The recommendation included setting the clerk of courts' annual salary at $47,957 in 2011, $48,437 in 2010, $48,921 in 2013 and $49,410 in 2014, while the annual salary for the sheriff would have been $68,306 in 2011, $68,989 in 2012, $69,679 in 2013 and $70,376 in 2014.

That resolution failed, however, when supervisors voted 14-10 against the proposed salary increases at the April 20 board meeting.

At the April meeting, supervisors Gail Chapman, Bob Retzlaff, Mary Cook, Sharon Folcey, Bruce Humphrey, Bill Blanchard, Carol Las, Nodji Van Wychen, Wesley Cornett and Douglas Path voted in favor of the proposed raises.

Supervisors Jim Kuhn, Gene Treu, Jim Schroeder, Craig Buswell, Keith Kenyon, Larry McTaggart, Dan Olson, Anthony Boltik, Brian Buswell, Richard Yarrington, Ed Westphal, Jim Rice, Adam Hayden and Monroe County Board Chairman Rick Irwin cast dissenting ballots.

The action promoted the personnel and bargaining committee to reconsider the recommendation, and bring back a subsequent resolution at the board's May monthly meeting.

The new committee recommendation was to freeze the annual salaries of the sheriff and clerk of courts at their current rate through 2014.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 7, 2010 issue

Dispatcher Darlene Pintarro has been named interim administrator of the Monroe County Communications Center.

Pintarro, who has worked in the department since 2004, was named to the post by the public safety and justice coordinating committee during a special meeting Wednesday evening.

The measure became necessary last week, when Monroe County Sheriff Dennis Pedersen announced he would relinquish control of the communications center at the end of the week.

The sheriff's department assumed oversight of the communications center about a year ago following the retirement of former Director Mark Loether.

However, Pedersen opted to relinquish control of the communications center last week in the wake of a decision by the Monroe County Board, effectively delaying the hiring of a new administrator to head up the department.

"The sheriff gave notice to the administrator, myself and (board vice chair) Carol Las last week that he would no longer handle the communications center effective on midnight June 6," explained Monroe County Board Chairman Rick Irwin. "As of 12:01 a.m. on June 7, we have no oversight of the communications center."

Irwin said the committee's task at hand Wednesday was to come up with a temporary solution to the problem.

Irwin said Loether had initially agreed to return and head up the department temporarily, but decided against it because of personal reasons Wednesday morning.

Monroe County Personnel Director Ken Kittleson said he asked Loether and Pedersen for their recommendations concerning an interim administrator, and both named Pintarro as a possible candidate for the job.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat June 3, 2010 issue

  Monroe County Sheriff Dennis Pedersen announced late last week that he will not seek another term in office.

Pedersen, who took over as sheriff after defeating incumbent Pete Quirin in 2006, said last week he plans to retire when his current term expires in January.

"My decision to retire is something I have thought about for some time. I came to the decision a couple of weeks ago," offered Pedersen. "I've had a long career in law enforcement, and it's time for me."

Pedersen said often times a career in law enforcement requires putting your job before your family.

He believes the time has come for him to put his family first.

"I have six beautiful grandchildren that are at an age where they want to hang out with Grandpa," said Pedersen. "I want to focus my time and energy on my family, and enjoy my retirement before I'm too old to enjoy it."

While Pedersen has enjoyed his time as sheriff, he admits the job has been a challenging one at times.

"There have been some frustrations along the way - I'm not going to sugar-coat it," he admitted.

"But none of that has to do with why I'm leaving," Pedersen added. "I think I'm leaving for all the right reasons."

Perhaps one of the more frustrating events of Pedersen's tenure as sheriff was the controversy surrounding the now-defunct $30 million justice center project.

Pedersen was a vocal proponent of the project, which was derailed in the wake of a pair of recall elections that ousted eight pro-justice center supervisors from the Monroe County Board.

"I've been very clear and fairly vocal that the county needs to stop talking about (the jail overcrowding problem) and make some decisions to move forward," Pedersen offered.

While Pedersen is open to curtailing the overcrowding problem through some forms of alternative sentencing, he believes strongly that a big part of the solution is "a modern jail system".

Despite the failed justice center project, Pedersen is hopeful that the county's building committee is focused on moving forward with a solution.

"I am optimistic that the building committee is focused on getting the job done," he said.

"I guess the best term would be 'very cautiously optimistic'," continued Pedersen. "There are people who are working on the current building committee that are serious in trying to address the problem."

However, he also believes the board needs to address the matter with a sense of urgency.

"My sharpest criticism is that everybody agrees something needs to be done, but all they ever get done is more talk about it," Pedersen said. "Hopefully, they are able to work this to fruition."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 1, 2010 issue

The Sparta School District could be down to needing $15,000 in budget reductions, after middle management and administrators offered to proceed with salary concessions.

 The two bargaining groups offered to take smaller package increases for the 2010-2011 school year. 

 The two groups were approved for 3.8% package increases, but have offered to take 3.1% increases instead to help with the budget reduction issue.

 According to Superintendent John Hendricks, one-year agreements are typical, but negotiations haven't started yet.

 The lower package increase would result in $11,000 in savings, with the bulk coming from administrative salaries. Another $3,000 was saved when the administration was re-structured. Earlier in the year, the school board approved a part-time high school assistant principal and also restructured the elementary school principals at Lawrence Lawson and Southside.

 Hendricks said the offer is on the table for the school board, but no formal action has been taken. He indicated the board might have another solution by the time it meets next.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat May 27, 2010 issue

  A pair of consultants from the National Institute of Corrections performing an assessment of the Monroe County Jail are confident a better use of justice programs could dramatically cut down the inmate population.

 However, they insisted the county is still in need of a new jail and accompanying courtrooms.

 Warren Cook and Mark Goldman presented the findings of their study to an audience of around three dozen Thursday, including a number of Monroe County supervisors, department heads and members of the public, in the basement of the courthouse.

 The presentation was the second of two informational sessions the men held last week.

 Cook cited a litany of problems with the current facility including:

 ïA poorly designed jail with long rows of cells that are not continuously visible to staff, making it difficult for jailers to observe inmate behavior or for supervisors to manage staff.

 ïNo separation of inmates from the public when escorting them to courtrooms.

 ïA booking office that is inadequate and, along with other parts of the jail, is visible to the public.

 ïA sally port that accommodates only one vehicle.

 ïToo few cells and too little inmate capacity, making it impossible to segregate different classifications of inmates, especially Huber inmates..

 ïA lack of air conditioning and poor ventilation, affecting both inmates and staff.

 ïA non-suicide resistant facility, that is depressing, especially for the mentally ill.

 ïNo recreational areas.

 While he didn't stop there, Cook did say with the alternative programs at the county's disposal there is little need for most of the inmates in the jail to even be there.

 "You need to determine which inmates need to be incarcerated and which would benefit better through programs," he said. "Research shows a lot of people get worse by being incarcerated."

 He recommended beefing up the county's current alternative programs, including two OWI programs for multiple offenders and the community service program in addition to adding other programs.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald May 24, 2010 issue

After being passed from the public safety commission to the planning commission with various changes, the Sparta City Council Tuesday amended the original beer garden ordinance.

 Establishments seeking to build a new beer garden are required to have a 200-foot setback from the fence of the beer garden to the property line of a residentially-zoned property.

 Music is not allowed in beer gardens, but special requests may be made. A beer garden may be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

 Each of these guidelines was discussed at length over several meetings last week and this week. And, Mayor John Sund used his power to break tie votes twice at the full council meeting.

 Setbacks of 300 feet, and even zero setbacks, were discussed. When it came time to vote, aldermen Mark Jacobs, Carlos Holcomb, Ed Lukasek and Kevin Riley voted in favor of the 200- foot setback. Aldermen Ron Button, Jim Church, Norm Stanek and Connie Anderson voted against it.

 The mayor voted in favor of the setback.

 Many aldermen also thought closing the beer garden at 10 p.m. was too early. Voting to keep the closing time at 10 p.m. were Holcolmb, Lukasek, Riley and Button. Voting against that time were Church, Jacobs, Anderson and Stanek.

 The mayor broke the tie and voted in favor of a 10 p.m. closing time.

 People may go outside to smoke in the beer garden after that time, but alcohol consumption is prohibited.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat May 20, 2010 issue

  A 44-year old truck driver from Canada, who led police on a bizarre chase Thursday through Monroe County that ended in a nearly 90-minute standoff near Sparta, finally went before a judge earlier today (Monday).

 Beant Singh Gill of Ontario, Canada, was charged with three felonies in Monroe County Circuit Court, including first-degree reckless endangerment,  fleeing a traffic officer and hit and run. He was ordered held on a $20,000 cash bond.

 The 23-mile pursuit began around 2:20 p.m. near Oakdale when a Wisconsin State Trooper observed a semi tractor-trailer being operated erratically as it traveled west on Highway 16.

 The semi failed to stop when the trooper tried to pull it over. The fleeing vehicle passed through Tomah, where Tomah city police joined the chase. As the semi approached Sparta, police say it drove into oncoming traffic and was being operated without regard for safety.

 Police laid a number of spike strips in the path of the truck, which succeeded in deflating most of its tires but the driver still refused to pull over. The pursuit went through Sparta, where the semi sideswiped a dump truck and left debris from shredding tires in its wake.

 The truck finally stopped in the middle of the highway in front of the Equity Co-op Livestock Sales barn just west of Sparta, where a standoff ensued. Nearly 20 police cars, including Tomah, Sparta, Monroe County and state cruisers, surrounded the truck.

 Police, who had drawn their weapons and taken cover behind their cars, tried coaxing the driver from the cab using a loud speaker. After failing to get a response, a group of four officers approached the cab from the back, protecting themselves behind bullet proof shields.

 In a volley of fire, they shot out the driver's side window with non-lethal bean-bag rounds, before backing away.

 Gill, who reportedly does not speak English, later emerged from the cab carrying a back pack and approached officers despite being ordered to the ground.

 In a second volley of shots, officers pelted Gill with the bean-bag rounds, hitting him several times. Gill then dropped the bag and managed to return to the cab.

 A team of police, including an interpreter from Ft. McCoy, using the La Crosse County Sheriff's Department's armored Bearcat, managed to persuade Gill from the cab and he was taken into custody.

 After the arrest, a bomb-sniffing dog alerted police to the possibility of explosives in the truck. The highway was closed for several hours and nearby homes were evacuated.

 The cargo was later discovered to be pallets of Monster energy drinks.

 Monroe County Sheriff Dennis Pedersen described Gill as seeming sleep deprived.

 Gill is a Sikh from India and speaks Punjabi, which contributed to the confusion in the incident.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald May 17, 2010 issue

The Sparta Planning Commission will learn of a proposed new park in the heart of Sparta at its monthly meeting Monday.

Sparta Community Development Director Todd Fahning will unveil the proposed project, which includes improvements along Beaver Creek in downtown Sparta from the covered bridge to the Franklin Street bridge to the north.

The city's plan includes improvements to habitat and access to Beaver Creek, which is already designated as a Class 1 trout stream, as well as additional pubic parking in the area and improvements to neighboring businesses.

The proposed project, which Fahning says is in its early stages, may be funded by reallocating funds already included in the city's budget.

Improvements to the back of businesses would be funded with loans from the city's Block Grant Program, using $150,000 reallocated from the city's Downtown Facade Loan Program.

An additional $50,000 would be needed to demolish the old Ray's building and create additional parking.

Fahning is optimistic additional funding for improvements will come from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources grants, Trout Unlimited grants and federal fishery grants.

"I believe the creation of this park, and the improvements to both access and aesthetics, will increase the business potential and utilization of downtown for recreation," offered Fahning.

Fahning said once completed, the park would become a destination point for both tourists and local residents.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat May 13, 2010 issue

 As Monroe County officials try to piece together a new building project to address jail overcrowding, an underlying debate on alternative sentencing programs remains a big part of the puzzle.

 While those programs appear to have a proven record of efficacy, opinions vary on their limitations and how they should affect the size of a future facility now being planned.

 The Monroe County Justice Systems Dept. offers two OWI programs for repeat drunk drivers, a community service program and a sentencing diversion program, all of which impact the jail's daily  inmate population.

 Peggy Thorson, the county's justice program coordinator, oversees those programs and is a strong believer in both their ability to curb recidivism and their capacity to decrease the inmate population.

 The two OWI programs, one for second offenders and the other for multiple offenders with up to five violations, include alcohol and drug assessments and face-to-face meetings with victims of drunk drivers and offenders who have caused a fatality while driving under the influence.

 For those who participate in the multiple OWI program, only a quarter of their sentences are spent in jail. They are released with electronic monitoring bracelets to serve the remainder of their time.

  A private company does the electronic monitoring for $22 a day per inmate, which includes remote sobriety testing and timely apprehension of violators.

 Thorson said the cost of the program is borne by the inmates, who pay $80 for the second OWI program and $350 for the multiple OWI program. 

 The community service program allows eligible inmates to work off part of their sentences or fines by performing community service. For inmates, every day worked is a day knocked off their sentences. The two-fold benefit is a $55-a-day savings for not having to house inmates for the full term of their sentences and, in turn, opening up vacancies for other prisoners.

 The diversion program generally is for first-time offenders who have made "bad decisions" and have been given a second chance to mend their ways. If they can stay out of trouble for a given amount of time and follow court ordered sanctions, often including treatment, they avoid jail time and can have their convictions removed.

  Diversion clients, as they are called, also bear much of the cost of the program through fees.

 According to Thorson, all four programs have generated at least $300,000 in fees or avoiding the cost for housing inmates. And that is under a departmental budget of $200,000.

 But it's not just the monetary benefit Thorson likes about the programs.

 "I like the component of treatment," she said. "Alcohol and drugs are the main problems. Eighty to ninety percent of the people in jail are there because of problems associated with alcohol and drugs."

 Sheriff Dennis Pedersen is charged with operating the jail, where the proverbial rubber meets the road when it comes to dealing with inmates who have entered the criminal justice system.
 He admits that his philosophy on incarceration is a bit more conservative.

 "I believe that if somebody should be in jail then somebody should be in jail," he said, but noting it is the judges who sentence criminals to jail and they obviously do it for a reason.

 Still, he agrees there is a place for electronic monitoring and treatment programs, but jail should be part of the sentence, too.

 Pedersen thinks there should be a hybrid system where inmates serve part of their sentences in jail. If they prove themselves to be serious about adhering to the rules, then they can be released on electronic monitoring or avail themselves of other justice programs.

 However, he adds, the justice system has to recognize there are incorrigible criminals who should be kept incarcerated for their entire sentences.

 While Pedersen makes no bones about his law-and-order philosophy, he insists he is the recipient of undeserved criticism for the increased cost for housing prisoners out of county.

 Because of the lack of jail beds in Monroe County, prisoners have been shipped to facilities in neighboring counties in order to meet capacity guidelines.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald May 10, 2010 issue

 An agreement that is likely to result in the sale of Three Bears Lodge in Warrens may be just what the doctor ordered for Monroe County.

A corporation formed by members of the Dippen family has reached an agreement with a court-appointed receiver to purchase the 93-room hotel, convention center, indoor water park and restaurant that has been closed since September of 2008.

The agreement still needs to be approved by a judge at a June 3 hearing, but if the sale goes through it will come as a big financial help to the county.

"It's very good news," said Monroe County Treasurer Annette Erickson.

The county has not collected property taxes for Three Bears Lodge since July of 2007.

"We've been holding the delinquent taxes since the second half of 2007 and all of 2008 and 2009," offered Erickson. "And we have yet to receive anything this year."

To date, the county is owed just over $1.2 million in delinquent property taxes for Three Bears Lodge.

"Of that total, $166,000 will be in interest," said Erickson.

"That is good for the county because we've been holding the delinquent taxes for nearly three years," she continued.

The delinquency has been a big problem because Monroe County is responsible for distributing property tax dollars to municipalities, even though it isn't collecting all of the taxes.

Once the delinquent taxes on the property are paid, Monroe County will be in a much better position financially.

"This will put us where we're going to be in good financial status," Erickson said.

"We won't have to worry so much," she continued. "We will be able to build our general fund and have the money we need to continue the operation of the county."

Erickson admitted the county would be in dire straits without the sale.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald May 3, 2010 issue

 Rumors circulating that Jellystone Park in Warrens is on the verge of being purchased can't be substantiated.

 Chatter on the rumor mill last week had a potential buyer  of the Three Bears Lodge and water park, which are currently in receivership, in contact with Ft. McCoy officials to see if the military could ensure occupancy if the hotel were reopened.

 The rumor also had only the hotel opening with the water park to remain closed.

 Jolene Rhea, the village of Warrens clerk, said she heard the rumor but wasn't sure if there was any validity to it.

 "I've heard so many rumors that unless I see something in writing I don't pay much attention to it," she said, adding the receiver has not been in contact with the village on a pending sale of the property.

  Rhea said the village did have right of refusal over a new buyer but that stipulation was made with the previous owner and she isn't sure if it is still valid now that property is in receivership.

 The village was given the right of refusal to ensure any new owner could meet the obligations of the tax incremental finance (TIF) district created for the hotel and water park expansion.

 Monroe County Treasurer Annette Erickson also said she wasn't aware of any pending sale of the property.

 However, she is hoping the rumor is true because it would mean the county would get paid over $1 million in back taxes on the property.

 But more importantly, she said, it would get it back running, creating jobs and bringing more revenue into the county.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 26, 2010 issue

An amendment to a city ordinance regarding the razing of buildings was approved by the Sparta City Council this week, in one of the last acts of the 2009-2010 council.

 "The problem we had is people take too much time [when razing buildings] -- months and months," said Todd Fahning, director of economic development.

 A permit is good for two years, so essentially a person had a great length of time to slowly take down any old buildings standing in the way. Now, while a permit is still good for two years, a person has 30 days from when the razing begins to complete it.

 Alderman Norm Stanek requested the item be discussed and was prompted by the long period of time it took the Morrow Home to demolish the houses along South Water Street that it acquired for expansion.

 "It took almost four or five months to get all the buildings down," he said.

 It was noted that if a person or business owns more than one property to be torn down, as in the case of the Morrow Home, it could concentrate on one property at a time, demolishing it within 30 days before moving on to the next property. 

 Buildings halfway torn down become a public nuisance and dangerous situation for youth, even though the buildings may be on private property, indicated Fahning.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 22, 2010 issue

 Two arrests have been made in connection with a number of burglaries in Sparta earlier this month.

 Arrested were Jeremy L. Busch, 221 1/2 N. Water St., and Nathan B. Kohls, 508 Central Avenue, both 19. 

 Kohls was charged in Monroe County Circuit Court with burglary and misdemeanor theft, each as a repeat offender, and is in jail in lieu of a $5,000 cash bond. 

 Busch was to be charged with receiving stolen property, but he did not appear at his bail bond hearing last week and a $1,000 warrant for his arrest was issued. 

 Kohls is accused of burglarizing Speed's Bicycle Shop, Sparta Masonic Temple, the Evans Bosshard Park Rotary building and the United Methodist Church.

 About $600 worth of change and merchandise including socks, gloves, handlebar grips and two bicycles were taken from Speed's. A door was discovered pried open when the owner arrived April 6.

 Outside, a pair of socks was discovered, as well as human feces nearby, the criminal complaint indicates.

 The evening of April 6, police reportedly saw Kohls walking through the Masonic Temple parking lot. When police checked the building later, a door was discovered forced open and money boxes were found damaged.

 Later, another officer spotted Kohls, Busch and a third man, who was not arrested, riding bicycles. The trio were questioned and it was discovered the serial numbers to the bikes ridden by Kohls and Busch matched those of the ones stolen from Speed's.

 Kohls also possessed a backpack. Inside, police found two paintball guns, paint balls, a hammer, Allen wrench, a large amount of change, beef jerky, and four data cartridges. He was also reportedly wearing gloves similar to the type taken from Speed's.

 Kohls was arrested for possession of stolen property, a misdemeanor. The officer told Kohls he would log the inventory of Kohl's backpack and advised he could pick the backpack up at the police station the following day, according to the complaint.

 While the officer was taking inventory, he discovered one of the data cartridges belonged to the United Methodist Church.

 Immediately, officers went to the church in the early morning hours of April 7 to inspect for a possible break-in. They found gouges in a door where forced entry occurred. Inside, a soda machine was tampered with and other signs of entry were observed. 

 A wheelchair belonging to the church was discovered in a nearby alley a short time later.

  Also on April 7, a golf cart was found on the bank of Perch Lake, near the dam. Police later learned the golf cart was taken from the Rotary storage building at Evans Bosshard Park. Two paintball guns and paint balls were also missing. Splotches of paint were on the floor and cans of fake snow were sprayed throughout the building.

 When Kohls returned to the police station to pick up his belongings, he was arrested for the subsequent burglaries.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 19, 2010 issue

Father James Leary, pastor at St. Patrick Church in Sparta for the past 11 years, will be reassigned at the end of June.

The popular Leary, a member of the Capuchin order based in Detroit, will head St. Joseph Catholic Church in Appleton, a downtown parish of 1,220 families in the Diocese of Green Bay. His new mission involves a role in the administration of the Catholic school system in Appleton as well.

In Sparta, Leary succeeded the late Father Mark Walljasper, who he credits with a smooth transition for a flock of 1,100 families and pledges to do the same for the clergyman who replaces him.

Leary has no idea as to that cleric's identity, but he suspects a diocesan priest and not a member of a religious community will fill his shoes.

Originally from Stevens Point, but with family in Tomah, Leary did charitable work in Detroit, including service in a soup kitchen, before the opportunity arose to head a parish with a $760,000 annual budget.

Without a doubt, the most profound achievement of the departing priest's tenure was the fundraising and construction of a new school on South "L" Street, costing $2 million.

The building came into existence during two phases, replacing a facility which served the parish for 78 years.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 15, 2010 issue

While there are still many unknowns surrounding a delinquent service payment to the state from the Village of Warrens, Department of Administration officials are hopeful an agreement between the two bodies can be worked out.

In a letter sent to 31st District Sen. Kathleen Vinehout last week, DOA Environmental Improvement Fund Capital Finance Officer Michael Wolff indicated his department intends to give Warrens additional time to make the $265,000 payment, which is due May 1.

"It is the intention of the DOA to enter into a forbearance agreement with respect to payments due May 1, 2010, with the village at this time until additional information regarding the economic viability of this development is known," explained Wolff.

"The DOA intends to work with the Village of Warrens to establish a plan of finance," he continued.

The payment is for water and sewer fund loans the village secured from the state as part of the Tax Incremental Financing District formed when Three Bears Lodge was constructed in Warrens.

Earlier this month, Warrens officials warned the state the village would be unable to make the payment, and asked the state to defer it for several years.

Warrens officials have asked the DOA to defer the interest payment until May 1 of 2012 and the principal payment until May 1 of 2014.

If an agreement can't be worked out, the possibility exists that the state would force Monroe County to include the $265,000 payment as a special state charge on the village's tax levy.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 12, 2010 issue

Sparta Mayor John Sund earned another term in office, but not without a fight.

Sund came out on top in a three-way race for mayor in Tuesday's Spring Election, outdistancing challengers Tony Angelini and Ryan Huggett.

The incumbent mayor garnered 902 votes, while Angelini, a downtown businesses owner, finished a close second with 721.

Huggett, a custodian for the Sparta School District, finished a distant third with 289 votes.

"I'm very pleased with the results of the election," said Sund, who earned his second three-year term in office. "I know we have two new aldermen, and Connie (Anderson) is back on the council again."

While the campaign leading up to Tuesday's election was controversial, Sund said it's time to move forward.

"I want to continue to seek new industries, and also make sure we maintain the ones we already have," said Sund.

"I would like to continue to make the downtown active by seeking new niche-type businesses," he continued. "And I'm excited about extending the bike trail from the chamber to downtown with the new bridge we're trying to get built in Ben Bikin' Park."í

Sund said he is looking forward to his next term in office.

"I think the next three years will be exciting," he said.

"We're moving ahead, and that's what we are going to be working on - making Sparta a better place to live," concluded Sund.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 8, 2010 issue

One of the area's most active political seasons will culminate in a much anticipated election tomorrow (Tuesday).

 Likely, the most watched race will be that for Sparta mayor, where voters will chose between incumbent John Sund and his challengers, local businessman Tony Angelini and Sparta School District employee Ryan Huggett.

 The other clearly contested race in the city is a repeat of the 2008 election with incumbent DeWitt "Woody" Woodworth facing Connie Anderson for the 5th Ward aldermanic seat.

 In the 1st Ward, the names of incumbent Ted Radde and Jim Church will appear on the ballot, even though Radde announced last month he was discontinuing his candidacy.

 Current 7th Ward Alderman Mark Jacobs is running unopposed, as is Carlos Holcomb, who is running to replace 3rd Ward Alderman Gary Peterson. Peterson did not seek re-election.

 Mark Magnus, who is running for Sparta municipal judge, also will be on the ballot. Scott Lindemann has mounted a write-in campaign for the seat but his name won't appear on the ballot.

 While J. David Rice is the sole candidate running for the Monroe County Circuit Branch III seat, a race between Mark Goodman and Kerry Sullivan-Flock will determine who will replace branch II Judge Michael McAlpine, who is retiring at the end of this term.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 5, 2010 issue

    Fire which got away from property owners kept the Sparta Rural Fire Department busy this week.

 The department was called out to a property in Leon about 8:45 p.m. Monday after several motorists on State Hwy. 27 near Cty. Hwy. X phoned in a wayward blaze.

 Phil Mlsna was burning off a waterway, according to Chief Mike Arnold. He apparently left the blaze unattended and the flames kicked up in the evening, thanks to the wind. 

 Twenty-four hours later, the fire department was back at the same property. Mlsna apparently started burning off the waterway again and left the scene. Once more, concerned passersby called it in. 

 Arnold said he connected with Mlsna and told him to cease and desist. 

 "I told him, 'No more burning until we get rain," said Arnold, who noted that advice is good for everyone.

 The DNR has suspended all permits and Arnold has advised anyone seeking a permit it is far too risky to burn right now.

 As of today(Thursday), the fire risk is deemed Very High.

 Tuesday afternoon, the department was called out to the Paul Ahnen property at 6745 Dayton Avenue.

 Ahnen apparently had a controlled fire Sunday, but the high winds fanned the ashes to embers, and the embers ignited forest land, Arnold indicated.

 "This one could have been a whole lot worse. We actually saw smoke when we came atop the Cataract hill," he said.

 Though no structures were threatened, the blaze was heading south, toward the road.
 "My main concern was to keep it on the south side of Dayton Avenue," said Arnold.

 The Monroe County Sheriff's Department closed the road and the Cataract First Responders also assisted.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 1, 2010 issue

    A rural Norwalk man convicted in Monroe County Circuit Court of growing marijuana on property he farmed on Cty. Hwy. XX won't be doing any jail time.

 Instead, John J. Kowitz, 42, whose charges were dropped from felony manufacturing  marijuana to misdemeanor possession, will pay the court $2,315. Kowitz pleaded guilty to the reduced charge on March 4.

 As part of an agreement with the court, Kowitz will pay $100 a month until the amount is paid in full.

 Kowitz was arrested last October after authorities received Crimestopper tips informing them the defendant was growing marijuana on a relative's property.

 According to the criminal somplaint, a Monroe County Sheriff's deputy discovered 19 marijuana  plants growing in  a corn field and located another 133 grams of dried marijuana in a  heat-sealed bag.

 Two other area men are awaiting trial in connection with two of the largest marijuana growing operations ever discovered in Monroe County.

 Last fall, authorities charged Charles Vlasak, 54, Elroy, and Robert Mathison, 47, Tomah, with felony manufacturing marijuana in an amount greater than 20 pounds. 

 In late September, police served a search warrant on a pair of properties Vlasak owns in the Town of Glendale in southeastern Monroe County. They discovered 401 cultivated marijuana plants with an estimated value of $802,000, growing between corn rows.

 Authorities allege Vlasak destroyed another 1,207 plants with an estimated value of $2.5 million prior to the execution of the search warrant.

 Mathison's alleged operation was discovered in the Town of Lincoln in northeastern Monroe County. During a search of his property, authorities found 1,297 cultivated plants with an estimated value of $2.6 million, also growing between corn rows.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 29, 2010 issue

    Cataract School supporters are hitting the campaign trail hard, in order to save their school.

 Earlier this month, it was announced that closing the rural school was on a list of about 30 things the Sparta Area School District can do to cover budget woes.

 A 24-person budget reduction committee met several times with the intent of reducing the Sparta School District's budget by about $600,000.

 The committee presented a list of 30 possible reductions totaling $900,000, in order for the Sparta School Board to have a broad list of options when considering the cuts.

 Closing Cataract School, which currently serves about 50 students, would equal a net savings of $97,500, the committee deduced.

 That number is based on personnel costs and the amount to operate the school. Superintendent John Hendricks indicated additional transportation costs, plus an estimated loss of 10 students who would perhaps open-enroll out of the school district was figured in.

 Arlene Sprague, a Cataract PTO member and mother of two children who attend Cataract, is one of many parents outraged at the thought of the school closing.

 Her concerns are two-fold.

 "They don't have a plan of action of what's going to happen to our children," she said. "Also, people in town don't realize it will also affect their children."

 When Leon School closed several years ago, the district made an attempt to keep the students together when transferring them to other schools, Sprauge indicated. She is unaware if the same consideration will be given to Cataract students. 

 It might be a moot point, if SAGE numbers are increased.

 The SAGE program keeps class sizes small. A current bill in legislation would increase the number of students in a classroom from 15 to 18. 

 Hendricks said he is working on a number of possibilities, if the school board votes to close the school, but there are a variety of factors, including those listed by Sprague.

 "We don't know how many students will [open enroll-out]," said Hendricks, who also noted the SAGE number could change.

 When the Cataract students are transferred to Sparta schools, other children might be bumped to different classrooms as well, thus, it's not just a Cataract problem, Sprague indicated.

 "They've got to make room for 50 more kids," she said. "If [classrooms] are already at capacity, where are they going to go?"

 Closing the school would also displace eight people. There are four teachers, an educational assistant, a part-time kitchen staff member, a part-time custodian and the building secretary. However, the least senior employee in the same position is the one who would be affected, not necessarily the Cataract staff.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 22, 2010 issue

    A Sparta Police Department investigation has cleared Monroe County Supervisor Richard Powell of any civil or criminal misconduct in a Feb. 12 incident at the Monroe County Administrative offices.

The investigation, conducted at the request of Monroe County Sheriff Dennis Pedersen, stemmed from an incident that took place at the Monroe County Clerk's office.

According to reports concerning the incident, Powell became loud while requesting information from employees at the office.

Authorities were notified of the incident when a panic button was pushed at the office.

However, an initial investigation into the incident conducted by the Monroe County Sheriff's Department determined the panic button was pushed inadvertently.

While the sheriff's department conducted an initial investigation, Pedersen decided to request the Sparta Police Department take over the case in order to avoid any potential conflict of interest.

Sparta Police Chief Mike Kass informed Pedersen of his department's findings in a March 4 letter.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat March 18, 2010 issue

    A crowd of nearly 1,000 invaded Sparta High School Saturday to participate in the Sparta Rotary Club's fourth annual Outdoor Expo.

The event, which included several kids' activities, went off without a hitch, according to organizer Todd Fahning.

"I thought it went really well," said Fahning.

"I was very happy with the turnout," he continued. "It's a big community event, and I think the kids were all having a great time."

Kids events included a large trout pond, a casting contest sponsored by the Black River Bassmasters of Sparta, a Center Shot archery contest, a bean bag toss and several youth and adult raffles.

"The trout pond was a little slow at first. I think the water was too cold in the morning," said Fahning.

"But when the water began to warm up around noon, they really started to bite," he continued. "It was busy all day long, and they really caught a lot of fish in the afternoon."

The trout pond was sponsored by the Cataract Sportsman's Club.

In addition to providing the trout, rods, bait and tackle, club members showed the youngsters how to clean the fish they caught.

The event included about 20 vendors as well, and a chili cook-off and Texas buffalo hunt raffle sponsored by the Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 15, 2010 issue

    After an in-depth discussion and several failed motions, the Sparta Board of Public Works voted 5-2 in favor of granting a Holmen developer a credit for future development work.

Jim Young of JC Enterprises brought the issue to last monthís public works meeting. He indicated he was being treated unfairly because property owners of Prairie Avenue were being compensated $2.50 per square foot for right-of-way, when he gave a 23-foot outlot to the city in order to comply with the rig-of-way for the future Prairie Avenue reconstruction project.

He was told the project would be completed within three to five years, and the two spec homes he built ? one on Prairie Avenue and one on the corner of Prairie Avenue and Douglas Street ? hopefully would be sold by the time the construction began.

In order to comply with future right-of-way regulations, Young built the homes accordingly and indicated compensation is routinely given because the city pays for right-of-ways during construction. According to city administrator Ken Witt, there wasnít money in the 2009 budget to pay him for the right-of-way. Instead, Witt offered that the city pay the $1,400 resurfacing costs, which usually is assessed to the property owner when new utilities are connected.

When the city learned it would not be receiving stimulus money for the Prairie Avenue project down the line, the project was moved up and other city street projects shifted since Prairie Avenue is in such bad shape.

Young contends that he would not have built the homes at all if he knew the road construction would be pushed up. He has since sold one of the homes.

Young indicated he is taxed at $1.09 per square foot. He adamantly told the board he wasnít seeking compensation at the rate of $2.50 per square foot ? the rate other property owners in the area received ? nor was he seeking compensation for both houses ? just the one that hasnít sold.

ìI am not interested in getting any compensation for that,î said Young. ìIím looking for 1,909 square feet, equaling $2,080.

He also said he has no problems paying the special assessments, just the same as other property owners. However, if they are paying special assessments and being compensated for right-of-way, he should be given the same consideration.

Board member Dick Laxton agreed.
ìIf you pay everyone else for right-of-way, you should pay him,î said Laxton.

Board members John Ryder and Norm Stanek disagreed. Ryder didnít feel Young was slighted in any way,, but also felt a discussion about finances should be discussed at the finance committee, not the board of public works.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat March 11, 2010 issue

    The Monroe County Building Committee Friday voted to hire a Depeer, WI, firm to help the county develop a project to address its space needs in the jail and courthouse.

 Committee members chose Performa over two other firms, including MTNT Properties Inc., of Sparta and DLR Consulting of Chicago. All three companies made presentations to the committee over the last two months.

 Performa has indicated to the county it will charge up to $83,000 for its service, which includes assessing the county's current assets and exploring options that use existing facilities before building new.

 Its study also will determinie future staff and space needs, taking into account the use of justice programs that provide alternatives to incarceration. The firm said it will develop two or three design plans, including construction and operational budgets, in six to eight weeks and will be able to complete a project in 12 months.

 MTNT, which submitted a $70,000 proposal and whose local representative is Reinhard Mueller, seemd to be the favored firm among the committee. However, it was passed over because of a company it partnered with for the proposed project.

 County Administrator Catherine Schmit said Steinmann Facility Development Consultants, which is the management construction firm MTNT was to collaborate with on the project, failed to respond to repeated requests for references.

 While MTNT did have positive reference, building committee members agreed that the lack of communication from Steinmann, which would lead the project, wasn't acceptable. 

 DLR, which came in with the lowest proposal, $40,000, didn't survive the reference phase. Schmit said the firm submitted references on a few projects, which turned out to be favorable.

 However, she said she was aware DLR performed work for Columbia and La Crosse counties, neither of which were listed as references. Schmit contacted the counties, both of which gave the company a negative review and one idicating their experiece with the company ended just short of litigation.

 Committee member Bruce Humphrey, whose district includes downtown Sparta, said he liked Performa because its representatives seemed positive about the possibilities of a downtown project.

 "They start the process by doing a complete assessment of what we can do in the space we already have," he said. "That gets us to a point where they give us options before going to a design phase. I think this is the way we need to do this."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 8, 2010 issue

    A new off-road vehicle has already paid off for the Sparta Rural Fire Department.
Rural Fire Chief Mike Arnold said his department purchased the 2010 Polaris 6X6 UTV recently, and brought it into use during a call a couple of weeks ago.

ìWe had to take it out during a sledding accident, and it worked out very well,î explained Arnold.

According to Arnold, an area woman fractured her hip in the sledding accident, which took place more than a half-mile into a wooded area.

Instead of having to carry the woman out to the ambulance, emergency medical officials were able to transport her on the UTV, which is fully equipped with a Stokes basket and a long board.

ìWe had to travel partially on a snowmobile trail, but we were able to safely transport the individual to the ambulance,î said Arnold.

While the UTV got through its first assignment with flying colors, Arnold said the process of setting up the off-road vehicle is ongoing.

The UTV is equipped with a 75-gallon tank for water, a five-gallon foam cell and the Stokes basket to transport victims.

It also has brush capability, as well as EMS capability.

ìWe still want to get a major trauma kit on it, and a chain saw,î said Arnold.

ìThis project is ongoing,î he continued. ìWe felt going in that this was going to be a two-year project.î

Arnold said the uses of the new UTV are many.

ìWe can use it on the bike trail, snowmobile trails, in sledding accidents - the uses are endless,î he said.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat March 4, 2010 issue

   Sparta Alderman Ted Radde announced he is quitting his seat on the city council effective today (Monday).

 His resignation comes on the heels of a controversy involving emails from a Rice Lake couple who turned down a contract to run The Greens. City Administrator Ken Witt forwarded the coupleís first email, explaining the reason they were backing out of the agreement, to all city alderman.

 However, the second email, which gave a different explanation for the coupleís decision, was not sent on.

  ìThey seem to have changed their mind on why they changed their mind,î said Radde, referring to the contradictory nature of the two emails.

 But his biggest objection to the way the matter was handled, he says, lies with the city.

 ìThe second email should have been made public,î he said in an interview Monday morning. ìI still havenít gotten a copy of the second email so I donít know what was in it.î

 ìThe gist is Iíve lost the trust of the staff and I canít work in a situation where I donít have the trust of the staff.î

 Radde, who is general manager of Monroe County Publishers and the publisher of the Sparta Herald, has served 14 years as alderman in the First Ward.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 1, 2010 issue

    Monroe County supervisors Wednesday voted against paying a pair of outstanding bills related to the now-defunct $30 million justice center project.

The bills - one from Market & Johnson and one from Venture Architects - have been questioned by county officials since the project was killed in the wake of recall elections that swept eight new supervisors into office last fall.

Market & Johnson served as the construction manager on the project, while Venture Architects was hired to design the justice center.

Market & Johnson contends the county still owes the firm nearly $112,000 for meetings its representatives attended during the justice center planning stage.

The bill was the second submitted by Market & Johnson since the project was derailed late last year.

The building committee voted in November to pay the first bill submitted by Market & Johnson, which totaled $23,757 for work it had completed on the project.

The second bill was questioned, however, because some county officials felt Market & Johnson couldn't justify the charges.

A $30,000 bill submitted by Venture was questioned as well, again because some supervisors felt they also fell short of justifying the charges.

The building committee recommended the county pay Market & Johnson $25,000, but agreed that the county doesn't owe anything to Venture.

Market & Johnson responded by saying they were unwilling to accept the county's offer to settle for $25,000, and both matters went before the full board Wednesday.

The county board voted 18-5 to pay nothing to Market & Johnson, and 16-7 to pay nothing to Venture Architects.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat February 25, 2010 issue

   A Monroe County Supervisor is under investigation after he was allegedly involved in an incident at the county clerk's office earlier this month.

Monroe County Sheriff Dennis Pedersen confirmed this (Monday) morning that his department is looking into the alleged incident involving District 10 Supervisor Richard Powell.

"We are gathering data some data to determine whether there are any criminal implications involved at all," explained Pedersen.

According to reports of the incident, Powell became loud while requesting information from employees in the county clerk's office.

Authorities were notified of the incident when a panic button in the office was pushed.

"He was there doing some business at the clerk's counter, and he was quite agitated - making all sorts of allegations," said Pedersen.

"We're just doing some fact-finding right now," he continued, adding that the alleged incident took place around noon on Friday, Feb. 12.

"I think what was happening was inappropriate, judging from statements given from the people who were there," said Pedersen. "We will turn it over to the Sparta Police Department to see if it requires law enforcement action or action by the county board."

Pedersen said findings of his department's investigation will be turned over the Sparta authorities in an effort to avoid any potential conflict of interest.

Powell, who defeated Simon Wells in an October recall election, has been openly critical of Pedersen and his department.

"To avoid any perception problems, rather that just jumping into this, we'll do some fact-finding and then hand it off to another agency," Pedersen explained.

Pedersen said the investigation has determined that the panic button at the county clerk's office was pushed inadvertently.

"We did determine that the (panic button) was not intentionally pushed to get us to respond," he said.

For his part, Powell admits he was agitated, but does not feel his actions warrant punishment.

"I did raise my voice," said Powell.

"I was trying to obtain public information from them, and they refused to give it to me," he added.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald February 22, 2010 issue

    The Sparta community has lost one of its most colorful sons.

Karl E. Krueger, a former presidential candidate and 1965 graduate of Sparta High School, was killed in a crash on the Iowa boarder near Omaha, Nebraska Tuesday.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, Krueger, 62, was pronounced dead at the scene of a five-vehicle accident on Interstate 29 in the Missouri Valley.

An over-the-road truck driver, Krueger grew up in Leon, but has lived in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for the past several years.

Always politically active, Krueger was known for his unconventional campaign tactics.

He used a memorable sky-diving ad during a run for the 3rd District Congressional seat in the 1990s, and passed out "Krueger for Congress" baseball caps only to those willing to give up a hat of their own.

An Army veteran who spent three tours of duty in Vietnam, Krueger embarked on another unconventional campaign in March of 2007, when he announced his candidacy for president on the Democratic ticket at the Mid-America Truck Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

While Krueger was serious about his politics, he never took himself too seriously.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat February 18, 2010 issue

   A La Crosse County developer plans to ask city officials to reconsider a decision made by the Sparta Board of Public Works last week.

Jim Young of JC Enterprises in Holmen addressed the board with his concerns over special assessments and right-of-way compensation related to a road renovation project on Prairie Avenue.

Young subdivided a parcel of land on the intersection of Prairie Avenue and Douglas Street and constructed two new spec homes on the property in the spring of 2009.

Aware of the three to five-year plan to reconstruct Prairie Avenue, Young worked with city officials to determine the proper set-backs prior to developing the property.

"I worked with the city and I knew at some point Prairie Avenue was going to be redone," explained Young.

"I didn't want to build to the current specs, I wanted to build to the future specs," he continued. "They told us the project was coming in three to five years, so I wanted to build conforming lots."

Young said he paid to have the property surveyed so he knew where the right-of-way was going to be once the road project began.

In an effort to expedite the process of sub-developing the parcel, Young agreed to deed over 3,795 square-feet of land to the city for future right-of-way when the road project began.

However, Young believed at the time that the Prairie Avenue project wasn't going to begin for three to five years.

"The city said it wanted the right-of-way in exchange for us subdividing the property," offered Young.

"I considered sitting on it so I could be paid for the right-of-way, but we were told (the road project) wasn't supposed to happen for three to five years," he continued. "In three to five years, those two homes would have been sold and it wouldn't have been an issue."

While Young has since sold the Douglas Street home, he still owns the home on Prairie Avenue, and he is responsible for the $1,763 special assessment on the property.

Young is concerned that he's now being assessed for a project he was told was going to take place in three to five years down the road, and at the same time is not being compensated for his right-of-way like the other property owners on the street.

The city plans to pay other property owners on the street $2.50 per square foot for the right-of-way.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald February 15, 2010 issue

    The third time wasn't a charm for the Sparta Park Board's effort to choose a new concessionaire to run The Greens restaurant at River Run Golf Course - and neither was the fourth.

Just a week after the third prospective concessionaire declined the contract, a fourth candidate withdrew as well.

Ray Erickson of Sparta was selected from a field of five candidates interviewed during a special park board meeting Monday.

Wednesday, however, Erickson withdrew his name from contention.

"We just felt we weren't going to be able to make the money we would need to make for both me and my wife to be there at one time," explained Erickson.

"It has to be a full-time commitment," he continued.

Because three candidates have already withdrawn after being recommended for the position, Chairman Norm Stanek decided to have the park board pick an alternate candidate as well.

The park board chose Bev Flock of Sparta, who was elevated to the city's top choice after Erickson declined the offer.

Sparta City Clerk Barb Pederson said Flock still faces approval from the full city council when it gathers for its monthly meeting Tuesday.

If Flock is approved, Pederson said she plans to open The Greens as soon as possible.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat February 11, 2010 issue

   A Rice Lake couple who offered a contract to run The Greens restaurant at River Run Golf Course in Sparta decided last week they are no longer interested in the endeavor.

Ryan Larson and Amy Beil we're offered the contract to run The Greens by Golf Course Superintendent Barry McMullin after the park board recommended them from a field of three candidates interviewed at the Feb. 1 meeting.

According to Sparta City Administrator Ken Witt, Larson and Beil backed out one day later because of the reception they received during the interview process conducted by the park board.

"On Tuesday, they called back and declined, saying they were no longer interested," explained Witt.

"They did not get a good feeling from the crowd of people at the park board meeting," he continued. "We did a poor job of selling Sparta to them, and they decided Sparta was not the place for them."

According to Witt, the interview session was open to the public, and members of the audience were allowed to ask questions of the applicants.

"Questions were coming from everywhere. It was a fairly unstructured meeting," he said.

"The applicants were having to turn around in their seats in order to answer questions - it wasn't set up very well at all," continued Witt. "More structure would have been better. It really turned into a free-for-all with people just shouting out questions."

Witt sent an e-mail to Larson and Beil expressing his regrets.

"I am sorry we did not do a better job of selling Sparta as a place for you to come," wrote Witt. "I was disappointed to hear that you had a change of heart about becoming the new concessionaires at River Run Golf Course.

While Witt indicated questions were coming from all directions, Larson and Beil singled out mayoral candidate and Sparta business owner Tony Angelini in their e-mail response Wednesday.

In the e-mail, Larson and Beil said they "had a bad feeling" after the interview process was completed.

"The young man in the back that owned the pizza place really turned us off, and I felt as though we intimidated him," said Larson.

"In a smaller town, it only takes one person to ruin it for a business, and I had a terrible feeling that was the guy," he continued. "We talked a lot about it, and we're sad to say 'no', but thought it was the best financial choice at this time."

Angelini, who actually recommended the park board pick Larson and Beil as the new concessionaires after their interview, said he was only trying to help the process.

"Sparta should be glad I was there," he said.

"I have a lot of knowledge in the restaurant and bar business," continued Angelini. "I am very successful."

Angelini and his wife, Kelly, have owned Angelini's Pizzeria in downtown Sparta for seven years.

"This is all a political stunt," offered Angelini.

"There were a dozen people in there asking questions, but they're pointing the finger at me," he added.

"I was just trying to help out Sparta...trying to help out the taxpayer," continued Angelini. "The questions I was asking were questions the park board should have been asking."

Angelini believes the park board is rushing the process of hiring a new concessionaire for The Greens.

"Right now, they just want to fill a spot. Once they sign the contract, they don't care," he said.

"My concern is getting someone in there who is going to be there for the long term, not the short term," Angelini added.

He said the fact that Larson and Beil were scared off after the meeting shows they were not the right fit for Sparta in the first place.

"For them to say they intimidated me is a lame excuse to get out of the deal because they didn't have their priorities straight," speculated Angelini.

Angelini said the park board should be looking to local restaurant owners for help in the process.

"The park board doesn't know anything about the restaurant business," he said. "Asking them to pick a concessionaire is like asking Stevie Wonder to teach you how to drive."

Since he announced his candidacy for mayor, Angelini has been frequenting city meetings in an effort to learn more about local government.

"I'm going to the meetings in case I get lucky and win the mayoral campaign," he said. "And if I don't win, at least I'm getting educated."

With Larson and Beil out of the picture, the park board is now charged with picking a new concessionaire.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald February 8, 2010 issue

    As far as picking a new concessionaire to operate The Greens is concerned, the Sparta Park Board is hoping that three times is a charm.

The board, at its monthly meeting Monday, tapped a Rice Lake couple to operate the bar and restaurant at River Run Golf Course in Sparta.

The decision marks the third concessionaire selected by the board in the past six months.

The first two concessionaires recommended by the park board were unable to fulfill their commitment, leaving the city with little time to select someone to operate the facility for the 2010 golf season.

Board members are hoping that's past them for a while, however, after unanimously recommending Ryan Larson and Amy Beil as the new concessionaires.

Larson and Beil, both 24, have extensive restaurant experience despite their young ages.

Larson, a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point graduate, managed the pro shop and bar operations at RiverEdge Golf Course in Marshfield while in college.

Beil managed a Pizza Hut in Marshfield, worked at an upscale brewery in college and for Larson at the golf course as a restaurant manager and bartender.

"I am fully aware of how each part of the business works hand-in-hand with the other," explained Larson in his presentation to the park board.

"Golfers who enjoy their round of golf have a better chance of coming into the restaurant/bar after their round to continue their pleasurable afternoon," he continued.

"While in the bar, if the customers receive great customer service, at affordable prices, there is a better possibility of them coming back to River Run to enjoy another round of golf."

Larson believes The Greens offers a chance to build a solid business.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat February 4, 2010 issue

   Even though a plan to implement a statewide district football proposal was derailed last week, it is likely the Mississippi Valley Conference will see some changes by the 2011 season.

 The WIAA Board of Control voted 8-2 last Wednesday to scrap the football conference realignment proposal but acknowledged the need to address the issues the plan was designed to resolve.

 The plan, which only dealt with football, would have created seven statewide divisions based on school enrollment rather than geography. Each division would have been split into eight, eight-team conferences, playing a seven-game conference schedule.

 Sparta would have been in the same Division 3  conference with Adams-Friendship, Black River Falls, Mauston, Onalaska, Portage, West Salem and Wisconsin Dells.

 Sparta is currently in the Mississippi Valley Conference with Holmen, Onalaska, Tomah, and the three La Crosse teams, Central, Logan and Aquinas.

 Many schools objected to the plan because it canceled out long-time rivalries and increased travel distances and expenses.

 But without the proposed realignment, many schools still face concerns over enrollment disparities among conference members, and scheduling difficulties due to conference sizes.

 Sparta High School Activities Director Bill Tourdot favored the plan because it would have addressed the current competitive imbalance in the MVC created by enrollment disparities among its members.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald February 1, 2010 issue

    A Monroe County Jail inmate, found dead in her cell Tuesday, apparently died from unknown causes as did her sister four months ago.

Adrianna M. Seroy, 37, Tomah, was discovered unresponsive in bed by jail staff just before 6 a.m., according to Monroe County Sheriff Dennis Pedersen.

She was taken to Franciscan Skemp from the jail where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

The La Crosse County Sheriffís Department and Monroe County Medical Examiner Toni Wissestad are investigating.

A state investigator will do a separate investigation in the future.

Cause of death is unknown and an autopsy is pending.

Pedersen said Seroy was jailed Nov. 4 on a probation hold and to serve a sentence for misappropriating identification.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat January 28, 2010 issue

  A recall effort that resulted in the ousting of eight Monroe County supervisors last fall may serve as a springboard to the State Assembly for one rural Sparta man.

Dennis Clinard, chairman of the Monroe County Taxpayers Relief Committee (MCTRC), will announce his candidacy for the 92nd District Assembly seat in Black River Falls and Tomah Friday.

Clinard was instrumental in forming the MCTRC, which successfully recalled eight incumbent supervisors who supported a proposed $30 million justice center.

Clinard, who will run on the Republican ticket, is seeking to oust incumbent 92nd District Rep. Mark Radcliffe of Black River Falls.

ìIím going after him,î said Clinard in a telephone interview this (Monday) morning.

ìIt isnít a personal thing...itís much like we experienced with the recall,î he continued, ìPeople need to have someone go to Madison and exercise common sense and judgement.î

Clinard said it is wrong for Radcliffe to ìgo down to Madison and vote right down the line with the Governor on every single issue.î

ìI want to go down there and let the rafters ring.î Clinard said.

ìThere are others down there who want to do the right thing.î he added.

ìYou arenít going to make it happen if you donít try,î continued Clinard. ìThatís what Iím going to do - Iím going to win this election and go down there and make a difference.î

Clinard said his decision to run for Assembly came after the recall election.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald January 25, 2010 issue

    An over-the-road truck driver from Racine probably wonít face the death penalty in Illinois in the fatal stabbing of a Sparta man along Interstate 94 in north suburban Chicago.

David Seddon, 48 was charged with first degree murder in the January 15 slaying of Alan Lauritzen, 40, also a truck driver.

First degree murder in Illinois carries the punishment of death by electrocution, but its reserved for the most aggravated of cases. Also, the state has a temporary hold on executions.

Potential punishment for Seddon, if convicted, probably wonít be known until his February 9 preliminary hearing at the Second District Courthouse in Skokie.

The potential penalty was not mentioned at this weekís bond hearing, but Andy Conklin, a spokesman with the Cook County Stateís Attorney Office, said the possible sentence likely will be 20-40 years in prison.

The fatal incident escalated just before 11 a.m. after 10 miles of CB radio banter between the two men. The heated dialogue was because Seddon thought Lauritzen, father of two Sparta High School students, was tailgating him.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat January 21, 2010 issue

  Monroe County's bargaining committee settled labor contracts with five of the county's unions earlier this month.

 The agreements, which still need to be ratified by the county board and the unions, add nearly $262,000 to the county's labor costs.

 The courthouse, highway and Rolling Hills unions, as well as the two human services collective bargaining groups, all agreed to identical tentative settlements.

 Each one-year contract calls for a 1.5% wage increase retroactive to January 1, and an additional half-percent increase on October 1.

 Changes to health insurance include increases in the deductibles for both single and family plans. Under the contract, a single plan goes from $250 to $450, while a family plan jumps from $500 to $900.

 However, office visit co-pays, which were $30, are eliminated under the proposed agreement.

 The monthly premium for a single plan is $605 and $1,422 for a family plan. Employees pay 13% of the premium or $79 a month for the single plan and $185 for the family plan.

 Personnel director Ken Kittleson told the finance committee last Thursday that initially the county was looking at a 20.5% increase in health insurance if it remained the same as last year.

 However, he said the unions agreed to a change, eliminating office visit co-pays with all charges going toward the deductible.

 Kittleson also said the county's initial offer was for a zero-percent increase in compensation and included other cost-saving measures.

 "Furlough days and wage freezes were all on the table," he said.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald January 18, 2010 issue

    After nearly a decade of setbacks and skepticism, there's some light at the end of the tunnel for the Animal Shelter Construction Fund (ASCF).

ASCF President Nancy Reidy said this week that her group is very close to working out an agreement with Monroe County officials concerning the construction of a new animal shelter.

"We are going to the zoning committee Monday," said Reidy.

The group has been raising funds for the construction of a new animal shelter since 2002, and currently has close to $400,000 for the project.

While the recent changeover on the county board due to recall elections in late October and early November slowed the process a bit, Reidy is optimistic an agreement will be worked out in the near future.

"We were very close," she said.

"We wrote a proposal that has to be approved by zoning before it goes to the full board," continued Reidy. "With three new people on zoning, we had to rewrite the proposal, so we kind of had to take a few steps backwards."

The new proposal is ready to go, however, and Reidy is confident an agreement with the county is on the horizon.

"We are working with the new group, and it looks like we will be moving forward," she said. "We'll know more Monday."

The group has asked the county for a tract of land on Sparta's east side near the current Monroe County Animal Shelter.

If the county agrees to lease the land to the group, the new shelter will be constructed east of the current shelter on the north side of Highway 16 near Theater Road.

According to Reidy, her group currently has enough money to begin construction of the new facility once it reaches an agreement with the county board.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat January 14, 2010 issue

 The Monroe County District Attorney's office last month filed formal charges against a Sparta man involved in a two-car crash that took place nearly a year earlier.

Peter K. Lukasek, 53, of 14938 Gale Road is facing two felony charges, one misdemeanor and three citations for his role in the Feb. 16, 2009 accident that severed another car in two.

According to a police report, a 1992 Oldsmobile driven by 68-year-old Daniel Steinbrink was exiting the Kwik Trip parking lot onto Highway 27 when it was struck broadside by a 2006 Honda driven by Lukasek.

The impact of the collision severed Steinbrink's vehicle in two, sending the rear half of the car onto a snowbank on the other side of the street.

Steinbrink suffered serious injuries, and was transported by Sparta Area Ambulance Service to Franciscan Skemp Healthcare in Sparta, and then transferred to Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse by Med-Link helicopter.

Lukasek also was transported to Franciscan Skemp Healthcare in Sparta by Fort McCoy Ambulance, and later transferred by ambulance to Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center.

The severity of the accident prompted a joint investigation by the Sparta Police Department and the Wisconsin State Patrol's accident reconstruction team.

While a majority of the police work was concluded in a timely manner, the investigation went on for several months while authorities waited to receive information from a black box located on one of the autos involved in the crash.

The black box was to be sent to Honda Motors in Japan so information contained in it could be downloaded and diagnosed, but Sparta Police Chief Mike Kass said it has not yet been returned.

"We don't anticipate we ever will (get the black box back)," explained Kass.

"The information, I think, would have just confirmed the state patrol's reconstruction," he continued. "They were pretty confident in what they have determined."

The investigation was eventually wrapped up, and the case was sent to the district attorney's office for review.

Formal charges were filed against Lukasek on Dec. 19 of 2009, including felony second-degree recklessly endangering safety and felony reckless driving causing great bodily harm.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald January 11, 2010 issue

    A leaking valve on a natural gas meter caused the evacuation of about 80 people from the Sparta/Barney Family Community Center as the temperature hovered near zero Tuesday evening.

Sparta Parks and Recreation Department Director Brad Gilbertson said he received a call at 5:45 p.m. after a suspicious odor was detected in the building.

"A parent in the building had called 911 because she smelled a faint odor of natural gas," explained Gilbertson.

"The police department came and also smelled an odor of natural gas, so we started to evacuate the building," he continued.

According to Gilbertson, about 30 children, parents and instructors who were at the community center for a jazz dance class were evacuated from the building on East Montgomery Street and sent across the street to the Child Center Gym.

In addition, about 40 people in the Boys and Girls Club of Sparta were evacuated and sent to the Sparta Ice Arena, which also is located across Montgomery Street.

Gilbertson said he arrived at the scene shortly before 6 p.m. and conducted a search of the facility with Sparta Fire Chief Scott Lindemann.

"We went through the entire building to make sure no one was left inside, and to check for the odor of natural gas," he said.

"We detected a faint odor or natural gas (inside), so we proceeded outside and when we got near the meter we could smell natural gas," Gilbertson added.

He said We Energies officials arrived at the scene and replaced the faulty valve on the outside meter.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat January 7, 2010 issue

 Time is running short for the City of Sparta in its efforts to secure a new concessionaire for The Greens Restaurant at River Run Golf Course.

City officials have tapped two prospective concessionaires for The Greens since former concessionaire Sarah Johnson opted out of her contract in November.

Both of those candidates were unable to take over the contract, however, leaving the city with less than three months to find someone to take over the operation before the 2010 golf season gets underway.

With time running out, City Administrator Ken Witt said the park board is willing to listen to any and all offers from people interested in running the restaurant and bar.

The last contract offer the city approved required the concessionaire to pay $21,000 in rent for the facility annually.

Witt, however, said that isn't the only way to structure the contract.

"If somebody wants to structure it differently, we'll listen to their offer," said Witt.

"Something like a lower rent if they are willing to pick up the cost of utilities," he added.

"We do need to recoup a certain amount of the cost to run the facility, but we are willing to do that either way," continued Witt. "We're not going to pay someone to run the restaurant, but as long as our cost is being covered we're willing to listen to all proposals."

While time is running short to find a new concessionaire, Witt said he is optimistic something can be worked out before the traditional start of the golf season April 1.

"This is where we were at two years ago," he said.

"The place was closed over the winter," Witt continued. "It was after that (that a new concessionaire contract was approved), so it is still possible to find someone."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald January 4, 2010 issue

    A Sunday afternoon fire resulted in the complete destruction of a rural Sparta home and all of its contents.

Sparta Rural Fire Chief Mike Arnold said his department was called to the fire at 20312 County Highway AA in the Town of Wells shortly before 5 p.m.

"The fire was called in by a passer-by," Arnold offered.

"It was bad," he continued. "When we turned out onto Highway 71 and crossed the Interstate bridge, you could see the fire."

Arnold said the three-story log home was owned by Stacey Weber, but no one was there when the blaze broke out.

"When we arrived, the home was fully engulfed," said Arnold.

According to Arnold, cold temperatures and the magnitude of the fire, coupled with a steep, icy driveway, made the fire a difficult one to fight.

"The driveway was very, very slippery," he said.

"I was standing on a truck with the emergency break on, and it was sliding backwards," continued Arnold. "And we had a tanker that got stuck."

The department had to set its trucks up on Highway AA and pump water to the fire.

Arnold said the Monroe County Sheriff's Department closed Highway AA for the better part of four hours.

"The fire was contained to the residence, and we were able to protect two adjacent garages," said Arnold. "But the home was a total loss, as well as all of the contents inside it."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat December 29, 2009 issue

 While it was effectively dead after recall elections in late October and early November ousted eight incumbent supervisors, a proposed $30 million justice center project is likely to meet its official end Tuesday when the Monroe County Board gathers for its monthly meeting.

Eight pro-justice center supervisors were replaced by new supervisors during the recall effort, and the controversial project was halted when the board voted to reject a project design submitted by Venture Architects.

While it stopped the project in its tracks, that action didn't put an officials end to the proposed $30 million plan.

That is likely to happen this time around, however, when supervisors discuss and act on four resolutions forwarded by the building committee.

The resolutions, if adopted by supervisors, will rescind previous board action that set plans for the justice center project into motion.

The first resolution focuses on the proposed site of the justice center along Highway 16 on the east side of Sparta, while the second and third will rescind the retention of Market and Johnson as the construction manager and Venture Architects to design the facility.

The final justice center resolution to go before the board Tuesday will rescind a previous resolution which authorized the bonding of up to $30 million to construct the facility.

With eight new supervisors who ran in the recall in an effort to stop the project, it's likely the board will approve all four resolutions Tuesday, which will put an official end to the $30 million plan.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald December 21, 2009 issue

 The Monroe County Building Committee this week continued to discuss a pair of outstanding bills related to the now-defunct $30 million justice center project.

The bills - one from Market & Johnson and one from Venture Architects - are being questioned by county officials.

Market & Johnson served as the construction manager on the controversial project, while Venture Architects was hired to design the justice center.

The committee met in closed session Monday to discuss a $111,894 bill submitted by Market & Johnson.

The bill was the second submitted to the county by Market & Johnson since the project was derailed in the wake of a recall election that unseated eight pro-justice center supervisors.

In November, the committee voted to pay a bill for $23,757 from Market & Johnson for work it completed on the project.

Kevin Renley of Market & Johnson attended a Dec. 7 building committee meeting in an attempt to justify the $111,894 bill, contending his firm should be compensated for meetings its representatives attended during the justice center planning stage.

"They submitted a breakdown of their hours spent coming to meetings...building committee and design team meetings," explained Irwin.

"They previously said they never kept track of those things, so they went back and tried to justify the $111,000," he continued.

Irwin, however, said there is nothing in the contract between the county and Market & Johnson concerning compensation for attending county meetings.

After meeting to discuss the bill in closed session, the committee went back into open session and voted 5-1 to have Monroe County Corporation Counsel Kerry Sullivan-Flock draft a counter-offer letter to Market & Johnson.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald December 17, 2009 issue

  With two weeks already elapsed since candidates could begin declaring their candidacies for April's ballot, there is finally something to report on the Sparta School Board election.

 Board president Wayne Jenkins, who is one of two board members whose seats are up for election in April, won't be running for another three-year term.

 Jenkins, a nine-year veteran of the board, filed non candidacy paperwork with the district office last week. Besides holding the position of board president, Jenkins also has been chairman of the finance and facilities committee.

 His absence from the race leaves fellow board member Paul Solberg the lone candidate unless he also declares non-candidacy.

 Candidates for school board aren't required to circulate nomination papers but only need to submit  declarations of candidacy to the school district office.

 Solberg or any other candidates have until January 5 to declare their candidacies.

 While that front seems quiet, another city race has developed Michael C. Fanning, 220 N. Myrtle St. #1, has thrown his hat into the ring, for Sparta Municipal Judge.

 He will face off against former state trooper and current Sparta Fire Chief Scott Lindemann for the seat being vacated by Mark Goodman, who is running for circuit judge. 

 The only other developments for the April election come from the county, where Gene Treu has taken out nomination papers for the District 3 seat being vacated by Harv Simmons.

 Sparta's District 18 Supervisor Dan Olson, who was voted onto the board in last October's recall election, also is circulating nomination papers for another term.

 Two other products of the recall, Jim Schroeder and Bill Blanchard, also have papers in circulation as do incumbent Tomah supervisors Ed Westphal and Jim Rice.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald December 14, 2009 issue

 Two of the newest members of the Monroe County Board were elected to coveted spots on the highway committee Tuesday night.

Dan Olson and John Powell, both of whom were seated on the board as a result of recent recall elections that ousted eight incumbent supervisors, will join supervisors Julie Radke, Chuck Bluske and Carrol Wallerman on the five-member body.

Prior to Tuesday's meeting, Monroe County Board Chairman Rick Irwin indicated four new members would be elected to the highway committee.

According to Irwin, state statues outline a one-year term for members of the highway committee - the only committee which is elected by the board.

To stay in line with the state statutes, Irwin was planning to hold an election for four new members.

Two of the new members would replace former Highway Committee Chairman Simon Wells and former Vice Chairman Jim Kuhn.

Wells and Kuhn lost their supervisory seats in the recall effort.

The other new members were to replace current committee members Radke and Bluske, Irwin said, because they were elected to the body in April of 2008, and had both served longer than the one-year term outlined in the statutes.

Wallerman will remain on the committee because he has only been on it for a short time after replacing Cedric Schnitzler in the wake of his resignation from the board over the summer.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald November 30, 2009 issue

 The Monroe County Board will elect four new members to its highway committee when supervisors gather for their monthly meeting Tuesday.

The re-election is necessary because two supervisors who formerly served on the committee were defeated in an Oct. 20 recall election.

Highway Committee Chairman Simon Wells and Vice Chairman Jim Kuhn lost their seats on the board in the recall.

Wells was defeated 377-105 by challenger Richard Powell, while Kuhn suffered a 116-114 defeat at the hands of John Powell.

While only two seats are vacant, newly elected Monroe County Board Chairman Rick Irwin said the board is planning to replace two additional members of the highway committee.

"Carrol Wallerman will stay, because he was elected less than a year or so ago," explained Irwin. "The other four members will be new."

Wallerman was elected to the highway committee earlier this summer as a replacement for former Supervisor Cedric Schnitzler, who resigned this summer.

Wallerman said the board's leadership, which includes himself and Vice Chair Carol Las, decided to elect four new members because of the state statutes.

By state statute, the highway committee is the only county body that's elected by supervisors.

In the past, an election to fill the highway committee was held every two years after a county board election.

The highway committee terms, which are coveted by some supervisors, were two years in length in the past.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald November 23, 2009 issue

    By February, Sparta City Hall will have an entirely new look.

 The Sparta City Council voted 6-2 in favor of remodeling the facility.

 While the votes were to approve bids from each of four construction contractors, the approval was essentially in favor of a change from a full-time to a part-time position for the deputy clerk, a pill several aldermen had a tough time swallowing.

 "The [deputy clerk] position is an extremely important one and there needs to be continuity, should Barb [Pederson, the city clerk] not be re-elected," said Alderman Ed Lukasek, who has continually maintained the position should remain full-time.

 Alderman DeWitt Woodworth agreed. He suggested that a part-time deputy clerk would not be able to handle particularly busy times at city hall.

 Pederson admitted the idea of a part-time deputy clerk was initially a cause of panic, but she has since gotten used to the idea.

 In fact, a cashier, utility billing clerk and accounting clerk will be cross-trained to pick up some of the deputy clerk's former duties, such as filling out forms for bartender licenses and absentee ballots. 

 Another duty previously completed by the deputy clerk involved working elections. That slack will be picked up by Jeanne Sue Choutka, the community development office secretary. 

 The bulk of the part-time deputy clerk's time will be spent on payroll.

 Alderman Ron Button has also been in favor of a full-time deputy clerk all along, but he "reluctantly" voted in favor of the remodeling project at the end.

 Another bone of contention regarding the project was the timing, blamed on a poor economy and the fact that the Monroe County Board experienced a recall election for its decision to pursue a project viewed unfavorably by citizens.

 "I will repeat what my constituents have said: It is not an appropriate time with the economy the way it is to be spending over a quarter of a million dollars," said Lukasek. "Folks have also said they don't want to see the gym off-line for recreational purposes."

 The entire council agreed the furnace and air conditioning unit replacement is needed, which is a large chunk of the remodeling costs.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat November 19, 2009 issue

 It doesn't look like the new Monroe County Building Project Committee is going to put the justice center issue on the back burner.

 The committee, which includes two holdovers and four new members, met last Thursday to begin  mapping out a new direction for a possible building project.

 Bruce Humphrey and Ed Westphal are the only two original members of the committee, which was shaken up after recent recall elections seated eight new county board members.

 Also on the committee are County Board Chairman Rick Irwin, who was elected the committee's chair, Brian Buswell, Bill Blanchard, and Jeff Antony.

 Blanchard, who faulted the previous board for failing to sell the project to the public, proposed starting anew by figuring out what the county can afford.

 "We need to build to a budget, not budget to build," he said.

 Humphrey said what the county can afford is subjective. While he believes a downtown project likely would be the least expensive building option, he thinks the cost of operating a facility is more important than the price tag on construction.

 "The operation side is much more critical because of the levy limits," said Humphrey. "On the debt levy side we have more room under the ceiling."

 Opponents of the $30 million justice center contended the addition of new employees to staff the jail would bust the county budget because their salaries would go under the already tight levy cap.

 "Even adding one employee is problematic," added Humphrey.

 Sheriff Dennis Pedersen, who estimated it would have taken an additional 14 new employees to man the proposed jail at the dog pound site, told the committee determining accurate staff levels for a jail requires a building design. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald November 16, 2009 issue

    The imminent closure of two Sparta retailers was learned this week, and the loss of both was blamed on the sluggish economy.

The patron store, also known as the cheese store, at Foremost Farms USA in Sparta, will shut down Friday.

The retail outlet serves the public and especially milk haulers who brought their product to the dairy. Buts as a result of a restructuring move, milk haulers are now being directed to other area Foremost Farms locations in Alma Center, Richland Center and Waumandee in Buffalo County.

The dairy cooperative has 16 plants in Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota and a central office in Baraboo.

Alan Schroeder, plant manager, said the revamping means the Sparta facility will concentrate on processing whey protein, which is marketed nationally and internationally.

ìWeíre changing our focus and not receiving milk from haulers,î said Schroeder. ìItís not economically feasible for us.î

The Sparta Foremost Farms plant will continue to operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week, according to Schroeder. It employs 41 people in laboratory, clerical and production capacities.

The patron store sells cheese, butter and other dairy items and the one worker there will be absorbed by the remaining Sparta Foremost Farms operation, located off East Wisconsin Street.

Discontinuing business is also in the offing for Cís Hallmark, 117 S. Water St. which will be closed through Friday to prepare for a going-out-of business sale that will begin Saturday.

Owners Mike and Cindy Arenz faulted the downturn in the economy for the demise of the store.

The couple acquired the business a purveyor of greeting cards, gifts and collectibles in early 2007 and put up for sale several months ago.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat November 12, 2009 issue

With a little less than one month before candidates can take out nomination papers for Sparta mayor, outspoken businessman Tony Angelini has decided to be the first to throw his hat in the ring.

 "As a business owner I know politics and business don't mix, but because I have a big mouth, because I've said it to many people in the past, I have to do it." said Angelini. "I've always been a man of my word."

 Angelini, owner of Angelini's Pizzeria & Ristorante in downtown Sparta, has been unequivocal about his feelings toward the leading bureaucrats in the police department and city hall.

 His ongoing battle with both have been fodder for numerous letters to the editor -- both praising and admonishing Angelini -- in the Sparta newspapers.

 He said his number-one priority would be to effect a shakeup in the offices of both the city administrator and police chief.

 Beyond that, he said he wants to make more activities available to kids to keep them off the street. He believes the gym at city hall should be left intact and used for city-run recreation programs for kids in the immediate area.

 The jail and county offices should remain downtown, too, said Angelini. 

 A former employee of the Chicago Public Works Department, Angelini also has plans for improving winter snow removal. But he cites his own entrepreneurial experience, which created a number of jobs in the community, when he insists there are untapped business opportunities in Sparta,

 He says he would use that experience to try to provide more creative incentives for businesses to locate in Sparta.

 Angelini started his business six years ago after buying and renovating a Water Street storefront to accommodate his Italian restaurant. He later bought the adjoining building and expanded the business.

 He also bought and renovated a rundown building on Oak Street, what is now The Scoreboard, turning it into a bar, which he later sold.

 "I will run City Hall like I run my business -- no BS allowed," said Angelini. "If some don't like it, too bad.

 "I'm not here to promise to lower taxes or anything else I can't do, until I know the situation that's already there. I've never been a politician and I don't plan on being a politician."

 Angelini doesn't intend to run a traditional campaign either and says don't expect to see him going door to door or giving speeches. But he says he will make himself available to anyone who wants to talk to him.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald November 9, 2009 issue

    Despite winning in two of four municipalities and tying in a third, Monroe County Board Chairman Dennis Hubbard found himself on the inside looking out Tuesday night.

Hubbard, the county's District 13 supervisor, was the latest incumbent board member to fall victim to a recall effort.

Hubbard was defeated by challenger Jim Schroeder 158-140 in Tuesday's recall election held in the townships of Jefferson and Sheldon, a portion of the Town of Wellington and the Village of Melvina.

Hubbard was one of nine supervisors targeted in the recall by the Monroe County Taxpayers Relief Committee as a result of their stance on a proposed $30 million justice center.

Hubbard was one of 13 supervisors who voted in April to move forward with the controversial project.

The MCTRC set out to recall all 13 pro-justice center supervisors, and successfully forced recall elections in nine supervisory districts.

In an Oct. 20 recall election that focused on eight supervisors, incumbents Chuck Schwarz, Jim Shilling, Jim Kuhn, Teresa Pierce, Bob Helming, Pete Peterson and Simon Wells were defeated by challengers in their respective districts.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat November 5, 2009 issue

The Monroe County Board will consider adopting a tax levy of just over $16 million Wednesday, when it gathers at Sparta High School for its annual meeting and budget hearing.

Supervisors will consider a proposed 2009 tax levy of $16,006,533, as well as a proposed budget of $44,404,230.

This year's proposed tax levy is up approximately $1.6 million from the 2008 levy of $14,411,285, while the 2010 proposed budget shows an increase of just over $1.3 million.

When its all added together, the end result will be a 2009 mill rate of 6.391, up .414 from the 2008 mill rate of 5.977.

Monroe County Administrator Catherine Schmit said the increased mill rate will result in an estimated tax increase of $41 on a $100,000 home.

That figure, however, reflects only the county's portion of the 2010 tax bills to be sent out in January.

Also included on those bills will be taxes levied by the school district and the city.

According to Schmit, a majority of the budget increase can be attributed to the county's obligation to pay back a loan totaling $923,000 in principal and interest it secured earlier this year to compensate Venture Architects for its work on a proposed $30 million justice center.

County officials had hoped to pay the loan back after it bonded for the justice center project, but that plan was dashed with the recent successful recall effort that effectively halted the project in its tracks.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald November 2, 2009 issue

    While plans for a new $30 million justice center in Monroe County remain on the table, it was glaringly obvious Wednesday night that the proposed project has no future with the newly elected board.

Supervisors, including six new board members who were sworn in Wednesday as a result of last week's recall election, stopped short of halting the project.

However, two thirds of the board voted to rescind the approval of a project design by Venture Architects that had been adopted by supervisors at last month's meeting.

Sparta Supervisor Keith Kenyon used County Board Rule 13 to bring the matter back for reconsideration.

Rule 13 allows any supervisor voting on the prevailing side of a resolution or question to bring it back to the floor for reconsideration at that meeting or the next meeting of the full county board.

In September, Kenyon voted in favor of the Venture Architects' design, but clarified his position by saying he planned to bring it back to the floor this month.

While supervisors voted 16-8 last month to approve the design, Kenyon expected last week's recall election could change the make-up of the board.

With six new supervisors sworn in Wednesday, Kenyon's predictions came true, and he was able to successfully bring the design of the controversial project into question.

Kenyon referred to the landslide vote in the Oct. 20 recall election as the reason for bringing the matter back in front of the board.

"The citizens of Monroe County have spoken, and I think we should listen to what they have to say and reconsider this," Kenyon offered.

Seven of eight supervisors on the ballot in the recall election, which focused on the proposed $30 million justice center project, lost their seats on the board.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat October 29, 2009 issue

Pending formal requests for recounts, seven new supervisors will be seated Wednesday, when the Monroe County Board gathers for its monthly meeting.

Monroe County Clerk Shelly Bohl said the seven new supervisors elected in Tuesday's recall election are slated to be sworn-in at the start of the meeting.

According to Bohl, the board of canvassers met Thursday morning to verify the results of the recall vote, and signed a certification that took affect at 5 p.m. the same day.

Bohl said there were minimal changes in the unofficial results reported following the election.

"We had a few changes on scattering votes, but none of the other physical numbers changed," Bohl said.

Bohl said the county now has to wait three business days before the results of the eight recall races become official.

"We have to wait three business days for recall petitions," she said. "Any candidate has until 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, to file a petition for a recount."

With the results of some races being very close, chances are good we may see some of the losers requesting recounts.

In District 12, incumbent Jim Kuhn lost to challenger John Powell by just two votes, while challenger Brian Buswell defeated incumbent Bob Helming by only four votes in District 20.

Kuhn filed a petition for a  recount in the tight District 12 race today (Monday). That recount is scheduled to take place Wednesday in the county clerk's office.

Bohl said others have until 5 p.m. Tuesday to submit a formal request for a recount.

"If the recount period would pass without incident, a certificate of election would be issued to the (winning) candidates," Bohl offered.

"However, if a recount petition is files, a certificate of election cannot be issued in that district, and the incumbent would continue the duties of his or her office until a certificate of election is issued," she continued.

The winning candidates in elections that are certified at 5 p.m. on Tuesday will be seated on the board the next day.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald October 26, 2009 issue

    If there was even any doubt as to how Monroe County residents felt about the construction of a proposed $30 million justice center, it was whisked away at the polls this week.

Also whisked away in Tuesday's Monroe County Board recall election were seven supervisors who favored the project.

Voters in eight supervisory districts hit the polls, and seven of the eight incumbent supervisors on the recall ballots were defeated by challengers opposed to the controversial justice center project.

The recall effort was started earlier this year by a grassroots group called the Monroe County Taxpayers Relief Committee (MCTRC).

The MCTRC formed after the board voted in April to move forward with its plan to construct a $30 million justice center along Highway 16 on Sparta's east side.

While the MCTRC had hoped to recall all 13 supervisors, only eight who favored the project were on the ballot Tuesday.

Another recall election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3, when voters in District 13 will decide between Monroe County Board Chairman Dennis Hubbard and challenger Jim Schroeder.

MCTRC Chairman Dennis Clinard said he was not surprised by the results of the recall election.

"I felt all along that we were going to win six or seven seats," said Clinard.

"I was a little surprised by the margin of victory in some races," he continued. "I think that speaks to how the people feel. They didn't say 'No', they said 'Hell No'".
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat October 22, 2009 issue

Two Sparta teenagers were injured as the result of a one-vehicle crash that took place north of Sparta early Sunday morning.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff's Department, a car being driven by 17-year-old Martha Wilms of Sparta was traveling south on Highway 27 in the town of Little Falls when it left the road onto the southbound shoulder of the highway.

Authorities believe that Wilms over-corrected while attempting to get her vehicle back on the highway, causing it to cross the northbound lane of traffic.

The vehicle then traveled into the ditch on the northbound side of the road, where it struck several trees.

A press release from the Monroe County Sheriff's Department indicated Wilms suffered life-threatening injuries in the crash, and was transported by Med-Link Air helicopter to Gundersen-Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, where she was initially listed in critical condition.

A passenger in the vehicle, 19-year-old Ellyn Herrman of Sparta, sustained injuries in the crash as well.

Condition reports on the crash victims were unavailable as of press time this (Monday) morning.

The accident took place around 1:30 a.m. just over a mile north of County Highway S.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald October 19, 2009 issue

    Two Monroe County men are facing substantial prison sentences after the Monroe County Sheriff's Department uncovered two of the largest marijuana-growing operations in the state late last month.

According to Monroe County Sheriff Dennis Pedersen, investigators discovered one large growing operation in southeastern Monroe County Sept. 22, and uncovered the second a week later in northeastern Monroe County.

"I think it's safe to say these are the two largest growing operations ever discovered in Monroe County," offered Pedersen at a press conference in the Monroe County Courthouse Tuesday morning.

Jed Sperry, special agent in charge of the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Eau Claire office, concurred with Pedersen, saying the operations were large, even on a state level.

"They rank right up there," he said.
"These were very large growing operations," continued Sperry. "I have seen other ones that have been bigger, but this is a very substantial case."

As a result of the discovery, the two Monroe County men are facing prison sentences of 15 years or more.

Charles W. Vlasek, 54, of 33320 Owl Avenue, Elroy, is expected to be charged with one felony count of manufacturing marijuana in an amount greater that 10,000 grams or more than 200 plants.

Vlasek, whom authorities say was cooperative, was not arrested, but has agreed to make an initial appearance in Monroe County Circuit Court Oct. 19.

Robert J. Mathison, 47, of 6475 State Highway 12, Tomah, faces the same charges as Vlasek, only as a second offender.

He was arrested, booked and appeared in court Oct. 9, but has since been released from custody after posting a $5,000 cash bond.

Pedersen said his department received information suggesting the existence of two large marijuana-growing operations several weeks ago.

"Anticipating a large scale, resource intensive law enforcement investigation, the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ), Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) was asked to join the investigation in concert with the sheriff's department," explained Pedersen.

"Based on tip information and law enforcement investigative efforts, large marijuana grows were confirmed at both reported locations," he continued. "Search warrants were obtained for each location."

Pederson said the first search warrant was executed on a pair of properties owned by Vlasek in the town of Glendale.

During the search of the Vlasek properties, 401 cultivated marijuana plants with an estimated value of $802,000 were discovered by authorities.

"During this investigation, it was revealed that, sometime shortly before execution of the search warrant, Charles W. Vlasek had destroyed approximately 1,270 marijuana plants," said Pedersen. "The value of the destroyed plants is estimated at $2.5 million."

While Vlasek is expected to face charges, he has yet to be arrested.

Monroe County District Attorney Dan Cary explained that not everyone accused of a felony is arrested on the spot.

"Mr. Vlasek was cooperative," said Cary. "He showed law enforcement where the plants were and he has no criminal history that I am aware of."

Mathison's operation was discovered Sept. 29, after law enforcement officials executed a search warrant on his property in the Town of Lincoln.

During the search, police discovered 1,297 cultivated marijuana plants valued at $2.6 million.

"Also located were two drying rooms hidden in the ceiling of a shed and the milk house," said Pedersen. "On a table in one of the drying rooms, investigators found 27 pounds of drying, processed marijuana buds."

Pederson said the value of the processed marijuana has not yet been determined.

Vlasek faces a sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a fine not to exceed $50,000.

Mathison, who can be charged as a repeat offender, faces a 19-year prison sentence and up to a $50,000 fine.

Cary said complaints have been filed in Monroe County Circuit Court in both cases.

Authorities do not believe the two cases are related, and Cary said they will be handled separately by his office.

According to Cary, the busts were significant.

"This is not the typical 'ditch weed'," he said.

"These are transplanted marijuana plants placed within corn fields, in between rows of corn," Cary continued. "There was a substantial number of plants at both locations."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat October 15, 2009 issue

In just over a week, Monroe County voters will take to the polls to decide the fate of eight supervisors, and likely with it, the fate of a proposed $30 million justice center.

Eight supervisors and eight challengers will square off on the ballot in a rare recall election Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Supervisors facing recall all voted to move forward with the county's proposed $30 million justice center in April.

In District 5, which includes all of the towns of Greenfield and Adrian and part of the towns of Angelo and LaFayette, incumbent Teresa Pierce faces off against challenger Andy Kaftan.

Incumbent Simon Wells faces a challenge from Richard Powell in District 10, which includes all of the towns of Leon and Wells and part of the town of Angelo.

In District 11, which includes the villages of Norwalk and Wilton, all of the town of Ridgeville and part of the town of Wilton, incumbent Carrol Wallerman is being challenged by Thomas Arendt.

The District 12 race, which covers all of the town of Portland and part of the village of Cashton, pits incumbent Jim Kuhn against challenger John Powell.

In District 16, which includes wards 13, 16 and 17 in Sparta, incumbent Jim Shilling is being challenged by Larry McTaggart.

Incumbent Chuck Schwarz faces a challenge from Dan Olson in District 18, which includes wards 1, 2, 4 and 6 in Sparta.

In Tomah, incumbent supervisors Bob Helming (District 20) and Pete Peterson (District 21) are being challenged, respectively, by Brian Buswell and Bill Blanchard.

District 20 includes wards 1,2 and 3 in Tomah, while District 21 covers wards 4, 5, 6 and 7.

While not all voters in Sparta will be able to vote in the recall election, the ballot does include a city-wide referendum.

All city voters will be able to weigh in on the referendum, which also centers on the $30 million justice center.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald October 12, 2009 issue

    In April Monroe County voters will no longer elect just one circuit court judge. They will choose two, and both will be administered oaths of office August 1.

A third Monroe County judgeship is being created by the state in deference to a demanding case load.

In addition to that, Judge Michael McAlpine, the jurist in Branch II of the countyís circuit court system, disclosed in a letter to Monroe County Bar Association members he will not be an incumbent candidate in April.

McAlpine wrote that his 17 years on the bench have been challenging, rewarding and an honor. But the purpose of the letter was not only to inform the legal community but also persuade eligible lawyers to consider administering justice as a career move.

ìI encourage each of you who qualify for election to give serious and thoughtful consideration to serving as one of our new circuit judges,î he penned before praising those in his profession.

ìI want all of you to know how much I have admired your professional efforts on behalf of your clients,î he continued.

McAlpine also had kind words for a predecessor, Judge James W. Rice; a deceased colleague, Judge Steven L. Abbott; and a judicial peer, Todd L. Ziegler, describing them as dedicated, intelligent and just.

McAlpine, 64, mentioned no reason for his intended departure, but told the Democrat it wasnít prompted by health concerns.

ìIdeally, I wanted to work another three years, but I didnít think it was fair to voters to elect me for six years and leave office after three years.î he said. ìIíve always thought it was better to go out when healthy and be able to contribute and give back in other ways.î
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat October 8, 2009 issue

As the Oct. 20 Monroe County Board recall election draws near, candidate forums and rallies are being scheduled across the county.

So far, three such events are on the slate, including one Friday evening at The Zone on Highway 21 just north of Sparta.

Two of the events are being touted as recall rallies, including Friday's at The Zone and another scheduled at Burnstad's European Cafe in Tomah Tuesday, Oct. 13.

The recall effort being pushed by the Monroe County Taxpayers Relief Committee (MCTRC) came about earlier this year, after 13 Monroe County supervisors voted in April to move forward with a proposed $30 million justice center project.

The grassroots group was successful in forcing recall elections for nine county supervisors, eight of which will be opposed on the ballot for the Oct. 20 vote.

Supervisors targeted in the first recall Tuesday, Oct. 20 election include Teresa Pierce, Simon Wells, Carrol Wallerman, Jim Kuhn, Jim Shilling, Chuck Schwarz, Bob Helming and Pete Peterson.

A second recall election for the seat currently held by Monroe County Board Chairman Dennis Hubbard will be held Tuesday, Nov. 3.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald October 5, 2009 issue

    In spite of overwhelming opposition from citizens, the Monroe County Board Wednesday voted once again to move forward with its proposed $30 million justice center.

Outside the courthouse, several dozen protesters carried signs showing their opposition to the project.

Inside, nearly two dozen citizens addressing the board told supervisors they were in favor of a two-year moratorium that would have put an immediate stop to the project.

But when the dust cleared near the end of the marathon five-hour meeting, the controversial justice center project that spawned a recall effort remained unscathed.

Supervisors voted down the proposed moratorium, which was offered to the board by Tomah Supervisor Pete Peterson.

Peterson, who still favors construction of the $30 million facility, proposed the moratorium as a "cooling-off period".

Prior to Wednesday's vote, 19 of 20 citizens who addressed the board during a public comment period told supervisors they favored the moratorium.

Sheila Brookins said she conducted a survey concerning the justice center, and only three of the 250 people who responded indicated they were in favor of the $30 million justice center.

"These red flags have been up for a long time, and you have ignored the people of Monroe County," Brookins said.

"Open your eyes, please," she continued. "Please get some common sense before it's too late...vote for this moratorium."

Many who spoke were concerned about increased taxes related to the project, arguing that they will adversely affect people living on fixed incomes.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat October 1, 2009 issue

A moratorium that would halt construction of a proposed $30 million justice center may be the last item on the agenda, but it will take center stage Wednesday when the Monroe County Board gathers for its monthly meeting.

Supervisors will discuss and likely take action on the moratorium, which is being offered up by Tomah Supervisor Pete Peterson.

The resolution, which if approved would stop the project in its tracks, asks the board to impose a two-year moratorium on the controversial project.

While Peterson still favors the county's proposed $30 million justice center, he's just not sure the time is right for such a costly project.

Peterson said his change of heart on the project came after conversations with a pair of bank presidents in Tomah.

"As it stands, I do support the project," offered Peterson. "But I am willing to back away from it because both (bank presidents) say the current economic conditions don't support it."

In addition to the moratorium, Peterson would like to see a committee consisting of county residents formed to look into its implementation.

"I would like to see county-wide representation," Peterson continued. "I'm asking for a two-year moratorium, but at the end of the first year I would like to have the committee review it."

If such a thing as the economic conditions of the county would improve, Peterson said he would not be against an early re-start of the justice center project.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald September 28, 2009 issue

    A cow running rampant through Sparta has been turning heads for the better part of the week.

 A heifer calf got loose at Sparta Veterinary Clinic Monday when owners Joe and Bridgette Krantz took her in for regular shots.

 The calf ran west into a nearby subdivision and the Sparta Police were called. 

 "They tried to coax it back with food, but it didn't work," said Lieutenant David Living-ston.

 Later that day the calf, a Hereford black angus, was spotted in a subdivision behind the Sparta High School, and the Sparta Police Department night shift was called out to the West Division Street area late Monday/early Tuesday morning.

 Livingston said a veterinarian was present and ready to tranquilize the animal in an effort to reclaim it. 

 Unfortunately, neither the vet nor police could get close enough to the animal to administer the tranquilizer.

 In order to corral the calf close enough to be tranquilized, an officer deployed a Taser. Livingston said the Taser was deployed as many as three times, but all attempts were ineffective.

 There have been quite a few sightings over the last several days. The most recent report was a mile north of town on State Hwy. 27.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat September 24, 2009 issue

      The Sparta Park Board will likely decided who the next concessionaire will be to take over The Greens restaurant at River Run Golf Course in Sparta.

The board will meet at 6:30 p.m. in Sparta City Hall to interview three prospective concessionaires.

The matter went before the board earlier this month, but members decided to delay their decision for a couple of weeks.

"They decided to delay it until Sept. 21," said Sparta City Administrator Ken Witt.

"I think they wanted to talk more with the different applicants," he continued. "It was a late night already, because there were quite a few things on the agenda, so they asked them to come back on another night."

All three bidders have local ties, according to Witt, and include Rick "Grizzy" Schmitz and Penny Kremer, Patty Kuderer and Brian Smith.

Each submitted a proposal to run the bar and restaurant at the golf course to the park board.

Schmitz, who operated Rick's Pork Roasting Grills, and Kremer plan to serve a basic menu that includes burgers and sandwiches, along with basic appetizers and daily lunch specials.

The couple also plans to hold a Friday night fish and chicken fry, as well as specials for Saturday and men's and women's golf nights.

Kuderer, who operated the Sparta Grill in downtown Sparta for 11 years, is interested in starting with a basic menu also, but plans on serving breakfast at the establishment as well.

In addition, Kuderer will look at expanding the business to include buffet specials.

Smith, a Sparta High School graduate, has experience in the restaurant business as well, having worked as a chef in Italy and a catering supervisor at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Smith is planning on a more extensive menu, to include rice and pasta dishes and fish and poultry selections.

Witt said the bids of all three prospective concessionaires are very similar.

"I don't think they will base it on price," said Witt.

"They will probably base it on experience and the restaurant concept they are proposing," he continued. "When I take a look at them, I can see a distinct difference in all three of the proposals."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald September 21, 2009 issue

   The City of Sparta is at the center of another lawsuit brought on by the owners of a former nightclub.

 A lawsuit was filed Wednesday against the city by James and Scott Murphy who each were denied liquor licenses for the former Dimensions nightclub at 210 S. Water Street.

 The city received a copy of the suit late Wednesday afternoon. The document is a petition of action for inverse commendation and seeks compensation for the taking of a property.

 City Administrator Ken Witt said the Murphys and their lawyer, Patrick Houlihan, claim the property cannot be used for anything other than a bar/nightclub and, since the city has refused liquor licenses to Scott Murphy and James Murphy, and revoked a license held by Patrick Murphy, there is no use for the property, thus the city has in effect "taken" the property from them.

 The suit lists a timeline of events beginning in February 1999 when a permit was issued to then-owner Michael Donskey for a nightclub. The suit states that the property has been licensed as a bar for the past 31 years.

 The building was owned by Scott and Patrick Murphy and was purchased from them by their father, James, in July 2008. Patrick Murphy was granted a liquor license in June 2007 after Scott Murphy was denied one due to a felony conviction in 1988.

 The suit follows all action made by the city council from 2007 to present. It also claims several acts of discrimination by the city against the Murphys.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat September 17, 2009 issue

      The Monroe County Finance Committee last Thursday ran into some difficulty trying  to attach a potential cost to a justice center moratorium resolution that will go before the full board later this month.

 The proposed moratorium, citing economic conditions, calls for a two year delay on constructing the justice center. But the measure allows for a review of the moratorium after only one year.

 The majority of the finance committee, which is charged with determining a fiscal impact on all resolutions that go before the board, seemed determined to put a price tag on suspending construction.

 "Recognizing there is a cost for doing nothing is important," said committee chairman Teresa Pierce.

 But determining that cost seemed a bit more difficult.

 "How do you arrive at a fiscal note," said Keith Kenyon, the lone justice center opponent on the committee, which also includes Dennis Hubbard, Jim Kuhn and Chuck Schwarz.

 Kenyon made a motion to send the measure forward without a fiscal note but it died for a lack of second.

 Kuhn then suggested a fiscal note of $3 million, or $1.5 million for each year, citing increases in the cost of borrowing and the cost of materials.

 According to the construction schedule drawn up by Venture Architects, the Milwaukee firm that designed the project, ground breaking is set for October. It has warned that a start date beyond that would put the project into the winter months, increasing construction cost.

 Kenyon accused the justice center proponents of fast-tracking the project so it could vote on the plan, bids and bonding at the Sept. 30 board meeting.

 "Why not wait a month?" asked Kenyon. "Why do you have to rush it?"

 Pierce responded that the county has asked Venture to get the plans done as fast it could.
 "Starting work in a winter environment is not that favorable," added Hubbard.

 Another factor, however, is a recall election scheduled for October 20, which is targeting justice center proponents. If that election unseats enough of those supervisors, it would likely kill the project. As it stands 10 supervisors seem to be against building the proposed $30 million justice center, while 14 are for it.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald September 14, 2009 issue

  The Sparta Park Board Tuesday delayed its decision on who will take over The Greens restaurant when the current concession contract expires in November.

The board, at its monthly meeting, elected to wait a couple of weeks before choosing between the three applicants seeking the contract.

"They decided to delay it until Sept. 21," said Sparta City Administrator Ken Witt.

"I think they wanted to talk more with the different applicants," he continued. "It was a late night already, because there were quite a few things on the agenda, so they asked them to come back on another night."

All three bidders are local, according to Witt, and the bid prices are similar.

"I don't think they will base it on price," said Witt.

"They will probably base it on experience and the restaurant concept they are proposing," he continued. "When I take a look at them, I can see a distinct difference in all three of the proposals."

The new concessionaire will replace Sarah Johnson, who has held the contract for the restaurant and bar at River Run Golf Course for the past two years.

Johnson opted out of her three-year contract a year early, and will be finished at The Greens in mid-November.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat September 10, 2009 issue

     After being presented initial figures last Wednesday, the Monroe County Finance Committee is looking for a way to pare its 2010 budget by $518,000.

 The state only allowed the county a 3% increase over the 2009 levy, giving it a $14,955,301 cap. The mil rate on that amount is $5.972 per $1,000 of equalized value, holding steady over last year's rate of $5.977.

 Equalized value in the county increased by $90 million this year, which is nearly $30 million less than the jump it took last year.

 According to Tina Osterberg, the county's accounting manager, most of the budget overrun, $430,000, is attributable to a decrease in general revenue. Income from sales tax, interest on investments and shared revenue is all down from last year.

 And while it isn't as great, the expense side of the ledger also is presenting problems. Even though the finance committee held departments to a 0% increase over their 2009 budgets, the clerk of courts, circuit court and district attorney's office each came in with bigger budgets.

 The district attorney asked for a $73,000 budget increase to cover two and a half new positions. The clerk of courts requested a $29,000 increase for a new position beginning July 1.

 That position, which is prorated for a half year, will provide support for the new district court judge being seated next August. The circuit court, surprisingly, only increased its 2010 budget by $4,000.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald September 8, 2009 issue

     If things move along as they have been, a recall election targeting 10 Monroe County Board supervisors could be scheduled sometime in mid-October.

Monroe County Taxpayers Relief Committee Chairman Dennis Clinard said this (Thursday) morning that his group continues to move forward with its recall effort.

According to Clinard, recent conversations with Monroe County Clerk Shelly Bohl lead him to believe a recall election date could be determined in the not too distant future.

"She has given us some idea that she thinks it's possible a recall election could be held anywhere from mid-October to Oct. 20," said Clinard.

That recall election, likely the first of two, will target supervisors Jim Shilling, Chuck Bluske, Chuck Schwarz, Julie Radke, Pete Peterson, Teresa Pierce, Simon Wells, Jim Kuhn, Bob Helming and Carrol Wallerman.

Three other board members - Kyle Gibbens, Bob Retzlaff and Board Chairman Dennis Hubbard - are targeted as well, but recall petitions on those supervisors were not filed with the initial 10.

Recall petitions for Hubbard and Gibbens were filed last month, but the MCTRC has yet to file a petition for Retzlaff. 

The MCTRC is targeting all 13 supervisors who voted to support the county's proposed $30 million justice center in April.

Clinard said he's received word from Bohl that Gibbens has chosen to challenge the recall petition filed against him, while Hubbard will not file a challenge.

The next step for the MCTRC is to file a rebuttal against Gibbens' challenge, which Clinard said he intends to do shortly.

"We intend to get our rebuttal back as soon as possible," he said, adding that he's not concerned with the challenge of Gibbens.

"Not in the least," said Clinard.

If the rebuttal against Gibbens is okayed and the recall petitions are certified by Bohl, Clinard is hopeful a second recall election for Hubbard and Gibbens can be held sometime in November.

As for Retzlaff, Clinard said his committee has yet to get enough signatures to force a recall.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald September 3, 2009 issue

     Pete Peterson still favors Monroe County's proposed $30 million justice center, he's just not sure the time is right for such a costly project.

That's why the Tomah supervisor is backing off his support of the controversial plan a bit by proposing a two-year moratorium on the project.

Peterson said last week that he plans to introduce a resolution calling for a two-year moratorium on the project at next week's monthly meeting of the administrative and executive committee.

"The resolution has been written, and I'll present it to (the committee) next week," explained Peterson.

Peterson said his change of heart on the project came after conversations with a pair of bank presidents in Tomah.

"As it stands, I do support the project," offered Peterson. "But I am willing to back away from it because both (bank presidents) say the current economic conditions don't support it."

Peterson went on to say that one president actually supports the current justice center plan, but believes the project should be put on hold until the economy recovers.

In addition to the moratorium, Peterson would like to see a committee consisting of county residents formed to look into its implementation.

"I would ultimately like to see a committee made up of citizens who play important roles throughout the county," he said.

"I would like to see county-wide representation," Peterson continued. "I'm asking for a two-year moratorium, but at the end of the first year I would like to have the committee review it."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 31, 2009 issue

     A resolution to approve a referendum on a $30 million justice center is likely to take center stage when the Monroe County Board gathers for its monthly meeting Wednesday.

The resolution, which came out of the administrative and executive committee at the suggestion of District 3 Supervisor Harv Simmons, calls for holding a referendum on the project at a special election.

A longtime proponent of a referendum on the project, Simmons said he pushed the resolution to give the committee a chance to send it to the full county board, rather than force the issue with a Rule 21 resolution.

County Board Rule 21 allows any resolution to be placed before the full board so long as it has the signatures of five supervisors.

"This is a committee that controls a great deal, and I thought the best move would be to bring it forth to this committee," he continued.

Committee Chairman Pete Peterson said he favors a moratorium on the project, but is not in favor of holding a referendum.

"I talked to two or three bankers in Tomah, and they suggested we have a moratorium for a period of time," he said.

"I do favor a moratorium for those reasons," continued Peterson. "I will give my support to a moratorium, but I will not give my support to a referendum."

Simmons said he believes the resolution would effectively work as a moratorium if a referendum is held.

"This stops the project - the people will tell us that," he said.

"This is the worst economy most of us have ever seen," continued Simmons. "The people don't need to be hit with this now...we just can't afford it."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 24, 2009 issue

   Some members of the Monroe County Board appeared flabbergasted when the Sparta City Planning Commission tabled the site plan for the proposed justice center.

 The commission listened intently while Venture Architect Tom Poweleit went over the site plan, but in the end voted to table it, citing only half the plan was presented.

 The planning commission must approve site plans for all new construction in the city limits before building permits can be issued. However, the city's Smart Growth Plan, which calls for the courthouse to be used for government purposes, also was a consideration.

 The city wants a funded plan for what will become of the current Monroe County Court-house in downtown Sparta. It has been suggested that the health and human services departments will be moved from Rolling Hills to the downtown structure, but there has been nothing officially voted on in that regard by the full county board. 

 Monroe County Board Vice Chair Julie Radke was present at the meeting, along with a slew of other county supervisors.

 She said the property and purchasing committee in-vestigated the possibility of moving the health and human services departments to the court house. 

 Supervisor Keith Kenyon said those departments primarily consist of office staff, and to subdivide the courthouse to offices would cost approximately $4-6 million -- a figure the county board has not included in the justice center estimate.

 "You are asking this group here to approve something without a plan," said com-mission member Bob Halverson. 

 "We requested a funded plan, not a proposed plan, for the downtown courthouse and you don't have that," said Mayor John Sund.

 Radke wondered where in the Smart Growth Plan it states that a funded plan is a requirement. 

 Commission member Ron Button informed her that portion of the plan is stated in a city ordinance -- a recent addition.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 20, 2009 issue

     A movement to unseat 13 members of the Monroe County Board took a big step forward last week, when the Monroe County Taxpayers Relief Committee (MCTRC) filed recall petitions in 10 supervisory districts.

MCTRC Chairman Dennis Clinard turned in the petitions to Monroe County Clerk Shelly Bohl Friday morning.

Petitions filed Friday are seeking to recall 10 of the 13 supervisors who voted to move forward with a $30 million justice center in April.

Those supervisors include Jim Shilling, Chuck Bluske, Chuck Schwarz, Julie Radke, Pete Peterson, Teresa Pierce, Simon Wells, Jim Kuhn, Bob Helming and Carrol Wallerman.

ìThis does not mean we are not seeking to file recall petitions in the other three districts - we are,î explained Clinard.

ìWe just felt, in light of the fact that the county board may try to move forward with this project, that we should file the 10 petitions on which we have more than the sufficient number of signatures required,î he continued. ìBut we do intend to bring all 13 supervisors to bear.î

The other three supervisors targeted in the recall are Bob Retzlaff, Kyle Gibbens and Monroe County Board Chairman Dennis Hubbard.

Clinard said MCTRC volunteers continue to circulate petitions in those supervisory districts.

Clinard said his group has eight confirmed candidates to run in the proposed recall election.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 10, 2009 issue

  Harv Simmons has tried - and failed - on three separate occasions to convince his fellow Monroe County Board members that a referendum is needed concerning the proposed $30 million justice center.

Now Simmons, the board's District 3 supervisor, is taking his battle one step further.

Simmons will present a resolution requesting a referendum on the justice center project at the administrative and executive committee meeting Tuesday.

"It's a non-binding referendum, but they all are," explained Simmons, noting that Wisconsin counties cannot hold binding referendums.

According to Simmons, approval of the resolution by the full board will give county taxpayers an opportunity to weigh in on the proposed justice center.

"On three occasions, I stood before the entire county board and said we should listen to the will of the people, but nobody would listen," said Simmons. "There was no interest."

Simmons decided to take the resolution before the administrative and executive committee to give supervisors a chance to go on record concerning a referendum.

"The purpose of it being written this way is so it carries some weight from the committee to the entire board," he said.

"It doesn't tell the county board how to vote, but at least it will be on the record," continued Simmons. "If they turn it down in writing, it will still go before the county board."

Simmons went on to explain that if it fails in committee Tuesday, he will take another route using Rule 21 to get a referendum resolution in front of the full board.

"If it fails, I'll take it (to the full board) anyway. All I need is five signatures," explained Simmons.

"I don't want to do it that way," he continued. "I'm trying to follow proper procedure."

While supervisors didn't warm quickly to the idea of a referendum at first, Simmons is optimistic some may be beginning to change their minds.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat August 6, 2009 issue

     The addition of Tomah businessman Brian Buswell to the slate over the weekend has increased the number of confirmed candidates in a Monroe County Board recall effort to eight.

Monroe County Taxpayers Relief Committee (MCTRC) Chairman Dennis Clinard said this (Monday) morning that Buswell, a 1974 Sparta graduate, has agreed to oppose District 20 Supervisor Robert Helming in the proposed recall election.

Clinard and other MCTRC members spent five days gathering signatures on recall petitions at the Monroe County Fair in Tomah last week.

The MCTRC is hoping to recall all 13 supervisors who voted in favor of the county's proposed $30 million justice center in April.

"We have seven (recall petitions) filled," said Clinard.

"We want to continue gathering signatures, and probably wrap-up that part of the process during the week, and turn them in on Friday," he continued.

The MCTRC initially hoped to turn in all 13 recall petitions today (Monday), but decided to wait until the end of the week because of the interest generated at the fair over the weekend.

"We want to make sure that everyone who wants to sign (a recall petition) has an opportunity to sign," Clinard offered. "And we want to make sure we do well in the districts where we have candidates."

Clinard said the response has been overwhelming across the county, and especially high in some areas.

"We're well over the number of signatures we need in some cases," he said. "In one district, we needed 177 signatures and we got 234."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald August 3, 2009 issue

  Details concerning what it must have been like for Teresa Wilkinson moments before she was shot to death have come to light in the form of a criminal complaint against her accused murderer. 

 The complaint against her husband, Brent Wilkinson, 37, Tomah, was filed late last week, after Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Michael McAlpine ordered him held on a $1 million cash bond for first degree intentional homicide and first degree reckless endangerment, both with the use of a dangerous weapon.

 According to the complaint, Teresa Wilkinson's 15-year old daughter called 9-1-1 just before 11 p.m. July 22. She said someone broke into her house in Warrens and shot her mom with a shotgun, which was still there.

 When police arrived, EMTs were attempting to revive Teresa Wilkinson, to no avail. A spent shotgun shell and the weapon, a 12-gauge shotgun, were located. 

 The victim's daughter was visibly upset and shaking, according the complaint. She told police she was upstairs in her bedroom when she heard a loud bang on the front door. She then heard her mother and stepfather, Brent Wilkinson, arguing. She heard a lot of banging and items being thrown around the house. 

 At some point, Teresa Wilkinson yelled for her daughter to stay upstairs in her room. The young girl then heard several loud bangs, followed by the front door slamming shut, the complaint indicates. She saw a truck leave the driveway and emerged from her room to find her mother lying on the floor, bleeding. She then called 9-1-1.

 Police learned Wilkinson was possibly staying with his brother in Tomah and requested assistance by the Wisconsin State Patrol in locating Wilkinson's vehicle.

 He was subsequently located by the state patrol and Tomah Police Department, according to the complaint, and was taken to the Monroe County Jail for questioning. 

 When found, Wilkinson appeared intoxicated, with blood on his clothing and hands, the complaint indicates.

 Wilkinson told police he and the victim were married for eight years and dated for two years prior to the marriage. She had two children from a previous relationship. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat July 30, 2009 issue

     A revised contract between the City of Sparta and the chamber of commerce for tourism promotion was approved by the city council at its meeting last Tuesday.

 Last month, the chamber requested a change in the amount of funds it receives for tourism. The money comes from the city's room tax revenue. 

 The chamber requested additional money go to administration as the staff is doing more to promote tourism, such as creating and updating a website and attending trade shows. The money was previously earmarked for other types of advertising, such as print, radio and television ads. 

 The chamber receives 6% of the city's room tax revenue. Of that, 42% was allocated for tourism promotion, while 21% was earmarked for chamber administration. The remainder was split between the hockey debt service -- 21%, and 16% for special projects.

 The agreement has remained the same for the past five years, since the city contracted with the chamber to promote tourism.

 Last month, the chamber basically requested flip-flopping the amount doled out for tourism and administration. Chamber representative Louis Zanon requested 22% for tourism and 41% for administration, leaving the rest the same.

 City Administrator Ken Witt re-worked the contract to something more feasible for the city and presented it to Zanon and chamber executive director Holly Grady.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald July 27, 2009 issue

 Engineer Reinhard Mueller of MTNT Properties presented possible expansion op-portunities for the justice center downtown to the city of Sparta Planning Commission Monday evening.

 He offered the ideas to the Monroe County Board this spring, but received a lackluster reception.

 "The county denied MTNT a seat at the table back in April," he said, explaining that he submitted a proposal pro bono, so he might as well present his ideas to an entity that is interested in listening and instigating a discussion.

 His ideas include expanding the current courthouse and jail facility to the north. He said landowners there have agreed to sell, however no price tags have been discussed.

 The landowners include the Tim Kress estate, which owns the current Gundersen Lutheran Behavioral Health building and homeowner Bruce Wanlass.

 Audience member Gene Treu said he indicated to county board members that landowners were willing to discuss selling, but the information fell on deaf ears.

 Included in one of Mueller's options is closing  West Main Street to the middle of the museum complex. This option is feasible, as the hospital has already done so a block to the west.

 He also indicated adding a second story to the jail is "absolutely possible," but he was unsure off hand about the cost of such an endeavor. 

 "Is it cost effective? Well, that we're going to have to look at a bit harder," he said.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat July 23, 2009 issue

    A Monroe County Board recall gained more steam last week, as the candidate filed for the effort to replace several supervisors doubled from two to four.

The Monroe County Taxpayers Relief Committee (MCTRC), the grassroots organization pushing the recall effort, held two more meetings last week and over the weekend.

MCTRC Chairman Dennis Clinard said four people have committed to running against four seated supervisors, including three from Sparta.

According to Clinard, the candidates include Larry McTaggart, Anthony Boltik and Dan Olson from Sparta and Andy Kaftan from the Town of Angelo.

McTaggart will run against District 16 Supervisor Jim Shilling, Boltik will take on District 19 Supervisor Chuck Bluske and Olson will face District 18 Supervisor Chuck Schwarz.

Kaftan, a Sparta attorney, plans to run against District 5 Supervisor Teresa Pierce in the proposed recall election.

Clinard said a meeting at the Tee Pee restaurant in Tomah Thursday drew close to 30 people and several other prospective candidates.

"It went really well. I was very pleased with the turnout," offered Clinard.

"Again, there were a lot of questions and a lot of interest," he continued. "And we had a couple of people who are interested in being candidates, but who wanted the weekend to talk with their families about it."

In fact, the amount of interest in the recall effort has prompted Clinard's group to up the number of supervisors targeted for recall from six to seven.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald July 20, 2009 issue

 While several names concerning a replacement for Monroe County District 4 Supervisor Cedric Schnitzler have been circulating over the past week, no one has stepped forward as an official candidate.

"We have not received anything yet," said Monroe County Clerk Shelly Bohl this (Thursday) morning.

Citing increased business and family obligations, Schnitzler stepped down from his county board seat last week.

Bohl said the county has already advertised for a replacement, and will be accepting letters of interest from prospective candidates through July 31.

The process for replacing Schnitzler will be up to Monroe County Board Chairman Dennis Hubbard, who said earlier this week that he will seek the advice of the full board before making a decision on that matter.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat July 16, 2009 issue

    An attorney with the Wisconsin Newspaper Association called an improperly noticed meeting held in Monroe County Friday afternoon unprecedented.

The meeting in question, a gathering of the justice center building committee, was held at 1 p.m. Friday in the Monroe County Human Services building north of Sparta.

While the meeting was properly noticed on the county's website, agendas sent to Monroe County Publishers office earlier in the week had the location blacked out.

The building committee normally meets in the county board room at the Monroe County Courthouse, but that room was unavailable Friday, prompting county officials to move the site.

Monroe County Corporation Counsel Kerry Sullivan-Flock, who was informed of the improper meeting notice late Friday afternoon, said this (Monday) morning that the blacking out of the site was an honest mistake.

"In this age of technology, our computers can do all sorts of things in color," explained Sullivan-Flock.

"The person who does the agendas will, on her computer, highlight the location for the exact opposite reason of what happened here," she continued. "On her computer, she highlighted (the meeting location) in red."

According to Sullivan-Flock, the agenda is them e-mailed to the county clerk's office, where it is forwarded to all media outlets and others requiring a meeting notice.

The county clerk's office has a color printer, so when the agenda was printed, the red-highlighted location was still visible.

"Unfortunately, when she sticks in the fax machine, the red turns to black," Sullivan-Flock.

The highlighted location was black on all agendas received at Monroe County Publishers.

"It is unprecedented. I have never heard of that situation presenting itself before," said WNA attorney Bob Dreps.

"It's obviously very serious," he continued. "One of the most important items is where and when the meeting takes place."

Dreps said he believes the blacked-out notices are a violation of the opening meetings law, but there is an easy remedy county officials can use to correct the situation.

"If it were pursued, one of the remedies would be to void any action that was taken (at the meeting in question)," he said.

Rather than file a formal complaint with the district attorney or the attorney general, Sparta Herald Editor Pat Mulvaney has agreed to allow the county to handle the matter in-house, as long as any and all action taken at Friday's meeting is null and void.

"The suggestion that they redo the meeting in a properly noticed place is not at all inappropriate," offered Dreps.

"That's among the available remedies for an improperly noticed open meeting," he continued. "The quickest way to resolve the matter is to do the meeting over in a properly noticed public gathering."

Sullivan-Flock said she's told the county employees to refrain from using computer-generated highlighting on future meeting notices, and she believes the situation has been corrected.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald July 13, 2009 issue

    Over a year and a half after the death of 67-year old David Endres due to injuries he allegedly received in a downtown Sparta nightclub, the disposition of the case is still pending.

 However, the Herald has obtained a copy of the Sparta Police Department's in-vestigation of the matter through an open records request.

 Those documents revealed police referred the case to the Monroe County District Attorney's office recommending charges against an employee of Dimensions III, where the incident took place on December 23.

 Police recommended Douglas Mikel, a bouncer at the now defunct establishment, be charged with second-degree reckless injury and second-degree reckless homicide, both felonies.

 Sparta Police Chief Mike Kass told the paper that it was his department's opinion that those two laws had been violated.

 "Our belief is the bouncer's actions did meet the definition of reckless," said Kass. "(Mikel) had other avenues he could have taken to mitigate the situation."

 According to the investigation report, Endres had made threats to other customers in the bar the night of the incident. 
Mikel later attempted to escort Endres from the premises after Endres took a swing at him. As Mikel held Endres and walked him toward the exit, the two fell and Endres hit his head.

 Endres was taken outside where others noticed he was bleeding from an ear. He then was helped into a cab, which took him home where another bar patron assisted him into the apartment.

 That evening he was found unresponsive in his bed. He was taken by ambulance to the Sparta hospital and then to Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, where he eventually died. An autopsy later attributed Endres' death to head trauma.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald July 6, 2009 issue

 As pleas for a referendum on the Monroe County's proposed $30 million justice center increase, some supervisors are concerned about the cost of holding a special election.

At last week's monthly county board meeting, Supervisor Pete Peterson speculated holding a special election for a referendum would cost $40,000.

In addition, Peterson said his constituents have expressed concern over the number of jail studies that the county has paid for over the years, and he believes a referendum is just another study.

Sparta Supervisor Harv Simmons, however, continued to push hard for at least an advisory referendum on the justice center.

Supervisors on both sides of the issue contend they have the support of their constituents, but Simmons said the best way to find out what county residents want is to ask them in the form of a referendum.

To date, Simmons' pleas have fallen on deaf ears, but a glance at the letters to the editor in Monday's Sparta Herald reveal that momentum for a referendum may be increasing.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat July 2, 2009 issue

    It looks as if the second time around will be a charm for Monroe County and its efforts to hire a county administrator.

Administrative and executive committee Chairman Pete Peterson told the full county board last week that the hiring process is going well.

This is the second go-around for the county as far as hiring an administrator is concerned, because the first candidate tapped by the hiring committee decided not to take the job.

That may have been a blessing in disguise for the county.

County officials conducted the first hiring process themselves, and only received 16 applicants for the position.

After the top candidate turned down the job, the administrative and executive committee decided to seek the help of a professional hiring firm.

Peterson said the latest attempt to hire an administrator, conducted by Dr. Stephen Hintz of Public Administration Associates, drew 50 applicants from 21 states.

The applicant field has since been pared down to 13 candidates, many of whom have experience in the field of public administration.

"We are quite pleased with the applicant field," said Peterson.

"We have 13 semifinalists, and all have some type of major league experience," he continued.

According to Peterson, six semifinalists have substantial experience as county administrators, while one has served as an assistant county administrator and another has experience as a municipal administrator.

In addition, three have municipal management experience and two have management experience in other large scale organizations.

"It's quite a good problem to have," Peterson said of the experienced candidate pool.

"This is our first-ever county administrator," he continued. "This person is going to have to make (his or her) own way, and it will be helpful to have been through the wars before."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 29, 2009 issue

 Venture Architects gets paid and Monroe County's $30 million justice center project moves another step forward.

That's what the Monroe County Board - by the slimmest of margins - decided at Wednesday's monthly gathering of supervisors.

The board voted to authorize a short-term loan from the Community State Bank of Norwalk in the amount of $900,000 to pay Venture for its work on the project.

The resolution passed Wednesday says the loan, secured at an interest rate of 2.65 percent, will be paid off from the bonding of the justice center, which has yet to be approved by supervisors.

"This will pay off the total amount of money we owe Venture," said Supervisor Teresa Pierce. "We only owe them about $500,000 now, but we need to make sure we get the bidding done...we need to pay them."

While county officials were looking to secure the loan to pay Venture, the discussion Wednesday focused more on the entire justice center project.

About a dozen members of the public were on hand to voice their concerns over the project, and the discussion became a heated one almost from the start.

Monroe County Sheriff Dennis Pedersen was asked by County Board Chairman Dennis Hubbard to tame a couple members of the crowd when the discussion came to a boil.

Pedersen told spectators that they were to follow the instruction of Hubbard, or risk being asked to leave the meeting.

Early in the meeting, an unidentified spectator accused county officials of conspiring with city officials to raise taxes in order to pay for the justice center.

While the argument had no credence, the spectator said the sole reason for the recent revaluation in Sparta was to pay for the justice center.

Hubbard ruled the man, who had been recognized to speak by Supervisor Simon Wells, was out of order and asked him to take his seat.

Supervisors opposing the loan said accepting it was the point-of-no-return for the proposed justice center project.

While he admits the county needs a new jail, Supervisor Keith Kenyon is opposed to the costly plan some supervisors are pushing right now.

"We can build a jail, and Venture is going to get paid, but they don't need it all right now," he offered.

"We've got to come to our senses here people, we're going to be hung with these bills, but we can't afford them," continued Kenyon. "We've got to look at something else. If we approve this tonight, you're committing to $30 million."

Other supervisors voiced concerns over the fact that Venture has yet to speak to Sparta officials about the project, which will be completed on county land that lies within the city limits.

Supervisor Harv Simmons said he spoke with several city officials prior to Wednesday's meeting, and all confirmed they have not had in-depth discussions with Venture officials concerning the project.

The city has to approve the design of the facility and issue the proper zoning permits before the project can begin.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat June 25, 2009 issue

    What was billed as a listening session on the Rolling Hills Nursing Home last Wednesday, ended with a local businessman leveling accusations at several Monroe County Board members.

 County board supervisors Cedric Schnitzler and Harv Simmons held the listening session in the county board meeting room, where Rolling Hills Nursing Home Administrator Lauriann Grosskopf gave a presentation on the care facility.

 However, Eugene Treu, an outspoken critic of the county board and the county's plan to construct a $30 million justice center, requested information from Schnitzler and Simmons on how to register an Open Meetings Law complaint against a group of supervisors.

 Those supervisors include county board chairman Dennis Hubbard, vice-chair Julie Radke and supervisors Simon Wells, Chuck Bluske and Kyle Gibbens.

 Treu alluded to a gathering of those supervisors after the April 22 Monroe County Board meeting where justice center proponents, who include all five of those supervisors, were victorious in resuscitating the project after a four-month moratorium.

 Treu said the five supervisors were seen dining together at the Sparta Pizza Hut. He later said that information came from another county board supervisor, who confirmed witnessing the gathering.

 Wells, Bluske and Radke are members of the county's highway committee and constituted a quorum of that body. Highway committee chairman Cedric Schnitzler and committee member Jim Kuhn weren't present.

 Treu also pointed out that Gibbens is an employee of Scott Construction, which the highway committee awarded over $500,000 in paving material bids two days later.

 One of those bids resulted in a $213,785 contract for asphalt pavement for a Cty. Hwy. Z project, even though Scott Construction's bid was nearly $13,500 higher than that of Mathy Construction and Highway Commissioner Jack Dittmar recommended the committee take the lower bid.

 Radke, who made the motion to accept the Scott bid, said she preferred the rock Scott would be using in the asphalt because it comes from the Menn quarry and is reputed for its hardness.

 She added Cty. Hwy. Z hasn't been redone in several decades and has a good deal of truck traffic. Wells was the only dissenting vote on that bid, while Schnitzler was absent from the meeting.

 In a subsequent conversation with the Herald, Radke insisted the gathering at Pizza Hut was innocent.

 "I really have no idea what we discussed," she said. "All we did was go eat.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 22, 2009 issue

 The Sparta City Council Tuesday passed a resolution declaring support for continued use of the courthouse in downtown Sparta.

 The declaration states that the courthouse has been a significant presence in downtown Sparta for more than a hundred years and the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) has recommended it be maintained and used for appropriate county governmental purposes.

 The resolution shows the city supports Monroe County and the continued maintenance of the historic courthouse building in downtown Sparta.

 It passed unanimously, but not without plenty of discussion about the proposed justice center expansion itself.

 Alderman Gary Peterson, chairman of the HPC, said he brought the resolution to the council because the HPC feels council approval is needed to encourage county officials to keep the jail, courthouse or both downtown.

 Several aldermen relayed that citizens in their wards are not against a justice center. They are against moving a justice center out of town. 

 Alderman Ed Lukasek said that's the word from his constituents. 

 "They want the functionality here in the city of Sparta and they don't want it out of the city limits," he said. 

 Alderman Ron Button called the courthouse downtown's "core" and also felt the council needed to make an official statement of support.

 "If the council is neutral to support the downtown, then they shouldn't be here," he said.

 From the audience, Reinhard Mueller, who as a construction designer has offered to help the county find alternatives in order to keep the facility downtown, said a message needs to be sent to the county from Sparta officials.

 "There needs to be a clear message out there that Sparta is not against this," he said. "Architecture is not dead. There are ways to construct an addition there," he added, noting it could be done along "K" Street.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat June 18, 2009 issue

    The City of Sparta may be asked to take an official stance on where it would like to see the county build its justice center.

 Last Thursday at a joint meeting of the Monroe County Property and Purchasing Committee and the city's Historic Preservation Commission (HPC), at least one city official was leaning toward a downtown project.

 "Personally, I would like to see it stay here (downtown)," said Sparta Alderman Gary Peterson. "It would be a tremendous loss to the downtown if it went to the dog pound (site)."

 HPC chairperson Sandy Perry echoed that sentiment and asked why the city hasn't taken a stance on where it would prefer a justice center be located.
 "The city council is not taking a position on it," said Sparta City Administrator Ken Witt, who also attended the meeting. "It's letting the county choose what it wants to do."

 HPC member Connie Anderson, a former city council member, took issue with the projected $30 million cost of the of the project the county is currently pursuing.

 "Thirty million dollars is a lot of money to one of the poorest counties in Wisconsin," she said, noting that residents on fixed incomes would be especially vulnerable to a property tax increase to fund the building.

 "I'm not in favor of my tax dollars going to a $30 million (justice center) when I need money for pills to stay alive," added Anderson.

 County supervisor Ed Westphal of Tomah, an opponent of the proposed justice center, pointed out the operational costs of the facility would force the county to exceed the levy limit. That would require the county to hold a referendum asking residents to approve a hike in their taxes.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 8, 2009 issue

There was some excitement in Sparta Wednesday night when a car landed in Perch Lake following a high speed chase.

 Sparta police responded to a driving complaint about 11:15 p.m. on the city's west side, according to information issued by the department.

 As Sparta police arrived, a Monroe County sheriff's deputy also spotted the suspect car and attempted to pull it over. However, the driver sped off and both the Sparta police and Monroe County Sheriff's Department deputy gave chase.

 The vehicle turned out to be stolen. It crashed through Ruth Dennison's yard at 649 E. Main St., then sped south through the Sparta VFW parking lot and plunged into Perch Lake. It came to rest about 50 feet into the lake, the report indicates.

 The driver, Joshua Fleming, 28, Prescott, abandoned the car, leaving his 45-year old passenger, a Cumberland man, as it began to sink.

 The passenger was trapped inside at first, but was able to free himself after the car sank. He then sat on top of the submerged car and was soon rescued by the Monroe County Dive Team.

 The passenger was not arrested.

 Fleming tried to swim across the lake -- away from police. He reached the middle of the water and yelled for help. 

 A fireman who lives nearby, Brian Van Wormer, responded with a boat. He took two Sparta police officers to the suspect in peril, and he was rescued. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat June 4, 2009 issue

   The Monroe County Building Project Committee last Friday awarded the Community State Bank of Norwalk the bid on a $900,000 short-term loan.

 The local lending institution offered the lowest interest rate of the five area banks that offered bids. Under its conditions, the county will pay 2.5% interest if it goes with a three-month loan and 2.65% if it chooses a six-month or 12-month term. There also is no penalty for pre-payment.

 The county is borrowing the money to pay accumulating bills from Venture Architects of Milwaukee, which is designing the controversial $30 million justice center.

 Building committee chairman Dennis Hubbard and committee member Julie Radke abstained from voting, citing financial ties to the Norwalk bank.

 The matter still needs to go before the full county board later this month where it will require either a three-quarters or simple majority vote to be approved. The committee is waiting for a determination from Corporation Counsel Kerry Sullivan-Flock on whether a super or simple majority vote is needed for the measure to pass.

 Supervisor Keith Kenyon, who is not a member of the committee but attended the meeting, was against borrowing the money.

 "If this goes to term, we'll pay $26,000 in interest. I'm not sure we need to pay Venture in advance," he said, referring to ambiguous language in the architect's contract. 

 The only committee member voting against awarding the bid to the Norwalk bank was Ed Westphal, who also doesn't believe the county should be taking on the debt.

 Voting in favor of the motion were Bruce Humphrey, Teresa Pierce and Chuck Schwarz.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald June 1, 2009 issue

  A measure to restore $20,000 in cuts to the Monroe County Corporation Counsel's 2009 budget will go before county supervisors when they gather for their monthly meeting Wednesday.

The resolution, which was forwarded to the full county board with a 4-1 vote of the finance committee, calls for the transfer of $20,000 from this year's county administrator's budget to the corporation counsel's budget.

If approved, the move will make up for $20,000 in cuts made to the department during the annual budget process last year.

County officials had looked into the possibility of contracting out for the services provided by Monroe County Corporation Counsel Kerry Sullivan-Flock after the cuts were made, but little progress has been made on that proposal.

Instead, the finance committee is recommending transferring the unused funds from the administrator's budget.

The county had hoped to have an administrator on board earlier this year, but the top candidate from the initial hiring search opted not to take the job.

County officials have since restarted the search for an administrator, and are planning to contract with a professional search firm in an effort to attract more and better-qualified applicants.

Also on the agenda Wednesday is an update on the hiring of a county administrator.

In other county business this month, supervisors will hear updates on the county's jail liability insurance coverage, as well as a facilities update on the current courthouse.

In addition, an update on the justice center building project will be given to supervisors, including a look at additional personnel, projected operating costs, utility hook-ups and a highway permit application.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald May 26, 2009 issue

Dozens of members of Sparta High School's Class of 2009 cashed in last week, receiving nearly $300,000 in scholarships to various colleges, universities and technical schools.

School officials and representatives handed out a whopping $286,995 to student at the school's scholarship and awards banquet last Wednesday.

Lacey Buchda topped the list for Sparta, receiving the $60,000 Ripon College Pickard Scholarship.

Catherine Stuntebeck cashed in to the tune of $50,400, earning a $27,600 University of St. Thomas Academic Scholarship and a $22,800 St. Thomas Award.

Skyler Erickson received a $24,000 scholarship from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, while Natalie Larsen received a $20,470 scholarship from Cottey College and Dustin Crocker picked up an Extra Effort award worth $20,000.

Jeremiah Kremer received a $12,000 Mayo Foundation Scholarship, while Wisconsin All-State Scholars Buchda and Chelsey Oswald each earned an Academic Excellence Scholarship worth $9,000.

Buchda and Oswald earned the scholarship as the top two students in the class.

Other big winners included Josh Knoll with a $6,000 Viterbo University Athletic Scholarship and Ryan Deicher with a $4,000 Winona State University Music Scholarship.

Buchda and Oswald also received Sparta Academic Scholarships worth $1,000 apiece, while Ben Korte, Mollie Ostrander and Oswald each earned a Prescott O. Piper Memorial Scholarship worth $1,000.

Erikka Ashwell received the Mark D. Wall Rotary Memorial Scholarship worth $1,000, while Winona J. Haney Memorial scholarships worth $1,000 each went to Buchda, Larsen, Jordan Isensee, Samantha Ruedy, Chantal Skon, Antoni Walker and Rebecca Brooks.

Ruedy also earned a $1,000 scholarship from Cargill.

Aaron Freeman was the winner of the $1,000 Lee Wells Memorial Scholarship, while Ashwell and Alyssa Rybarczyk each earned a $1,000 award from the Auxiliary of Franciscan Skemp Healthcare.

Buchda earned a $1,000 scholarship from the Mabel Dupee Foundation, while Isensee took home a $1,000 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Freshman Honor Scholarship.
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat May 21, 2009 issue

  Monroe County will look at short-term borrowing in effort to make good on an outstanding bill of nearly $1 million from Venture Architects for on its proposed $30 million justice center project.

Tom Poweleit of Venture told the county's building committee Friday that the design effort for the justice center is 51 percent complete.

Design work on the project was halted in December, when the county board voted in favor of a four-month moratorium on the project,

The project began again earlier this month, when supervisors voted 13-9 against stopping the $30 million project to look at less costly solutions to its jail overcrowding project.

Poweleit explained that the project can be let out on bids when the design work is 75 percent complete.

"That looks to me to be about eight to 10 weeks away," said Poweleit.

Poweleit, however, said Venture cannot proceed with the design phase until the county pays his firm at least $524,000 for work that's already been completed.

"Right now, we are in the most intense part of the design effort," he said.

The county has paid $300,000 on its Venture bill, but still owes an outstanding balance of $524,000.

In an effort to get the design phase of the project moving again, building committee member and finance committee Chairman Teresa Pierce recommended the county pay look at short-term borrowing from a county financial institution.

Her motion to allow County Board Chairman Dennis Hubbard and Monroe County Clerk Shelly Bohl to work with local banks to secure the financing needed to pay Venture up to $900,000.

The total Venture bill - 6.75 percent of the total cost of the project - will be $1,716,225 when all design work is completed.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald May 11, 2009 issue

A flare-up of a hot spot caused major damage to a home in downtown Wilton early Monday morning.

According to Wilton Fire Chief John Dougherty, his department was called out twice to the home of Wilton veterinarian Miller Yoder on Walker Street.

Dougherty said the first call to Yoder's home came about 7 p.m. Sunday.

"We were there Sunday night to hit a hot spot in the attic, which we thought we got out," explained Dougherty. "It was a warm spot up in the attic."

The hot spot apparently flared up again later, prompting another call to the Yoder home at about 3 a.m. the following morning.

Dougherty said the fire coming from the roof was visible when his department arrived at the scene a second time.

"The roof was half on fire when we got there," he said. "We got it knocked down about 4:30 in the morning."

Dougherty said 22 members of his department responded to the second call, along with nine members of the Norwalk Fire Department and four firefighters from Kendall.

While the fire was severe, Dougherty believes his department was able to save some of Yoder's home.

"It burned the roof off of his house," offered Dougherty.

"We (saved) the upstairs, but there's a lot of water damage," he continued. "I think they'll try to salvage some of the house, but I haven't heard back from the insurance company on what their call will be."
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat May 7, 2009 issue

  With the potential for swine flu cases to reach pandemic proportions, local officials aren't taking any chances.

 "We're preparing for the worst and hoping for the best," said Monroe County Health Officer Sharon Nelson. 

 The county health department has set up a command center in case the disease, now being called by its scientific name, the H1N1 virus, explodes in the county.

 Last Thursday, Governor Doyle declared a public health emergency and as of last Friday, the World Health Organization was in stage-5 alert with stage-6 being the highest.

 "That's a strong signal that a pandemic is eminent," said Nelson.

 However, as of this morning (Monday) the number of swine flu cases worldwide remained just below 1,000, with the majority of them in Mexico.

 A total of 226 cases had been confirmed in the U.S. as of today. Wisconsin has three confirmed cases, two in Milwaukee County and one in Adams County, and nearly 70 probable cases.

 Worldwide the death toll due to swine flu remains at 27, with all but one of those cases occurring in Mexico. The other death was in the U.S. but involved an infant from Mexico.

 Nelson said the H1N1 virus is spread just like the virus in a typical flu season, which comes to end around this time of year. The seasonal flu, Nelson, points out, accounts for thousands of deaths in the U.S. each year.

 Still, she is taking this strain of the disease very seriously because it is a "novel" virus and new to humans.

 "We have no immunity to it," she said. 

 Nelson is warning people to take the same precautions they would during the regular flu season. She pushes frequent hand washing along with the use of hand sanitizer gel as the best preventive measure.

 She also recommends sneezing and coughing into a tissue and then throwing away the tissue.

 Flu shots given this season won't provide immunity for the swine flu and Nelson doesn't expect a vaccine for H1N1 to be on the shelves until fall. Symptoms for swine flu are the same as the seasonal flu, which include fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, and possible nausea and vomiting.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald May 4, 2009 issue

One of the first actions of the new Sparta School Board Tuesday evening was to approve the retirements of four teachers with a combined service of 127 years. It also said goodbye to longtime board member, Dr. Mark Hemmerich.

 Hemmerich's 16-year stint on the board ended with well wishes by colleagues and superintendent John Hendricks, who presented the longtime board president with a plaque.

 "It's been a fun run. It really has," said Hemmerich. "I have enjoyed working with the administration, staff and board. I hope I've done some good."

 Hemmerich was appointed to the board in 1993 to finish out a term held by Jan Ward. He has been re-elected ever since, but decided not to seek re-election this year.

 During the reorganizing of the board, newcomer Lee Culpitt was welcomed into the fold and Joan Cook, who has been on the board since April 2003, took her regular seat at the table.

 Longtime board vice-president, Wayne Jenkins, was elected to serve as president in Hemmerich's vacancy. Jenkins has served on the school board since 2001.

 Taking Jenkins' spot as vice-president is Janet Horstman, who has never held office on the board. She was elected in April 2005.

 Paul Solberg was chosen to continue as clerk, a position he's held since 2003. He was appointed to the school board in November 2002. Gary Kirking will remain treasurer. He has been in that post since 2005 and a member of the school board since 2003. 
 Solberg will continue to chair the Personnel and Educational Initiatives Committee. Cook and Horstman continue to make up the remainder of the committee. 

 Kirking will preside over the Finance and Facilities Committee, with Culpitt and Theresa Burns-Gilbert making up the rest of the committee.
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 30, 2009 issue

Despite overwhelming support from the members in the public in attendance, an effort to halt a proposed $30 million justice center in Monroe County came up shy at Wednesday's Monroe County Board meeting.

After a more than six-hour meeting, supervisors voted 13-9 against a resolution that would have stopped the project in its tracks.

The resolution, which was forwarded to the full board by supervisors Rick Irwin, Harv Simmons, Mary Cook, John Rusch and Keith Kenyon through County Board Rule 21, called for a halt to the project so other, less expensive, options could be explored.

Irwin has opposed the $30 million project since he was elected to the board in April of 2008.

Wednesday's resolution comes on the heels of one passed in December that placed a four-month moratorium on the justice center project.

Irwin explained that the resolution imposing the moratorium called for the county to look at and attempt to resolve four issues pertaining to the proposed justice center.

Those issues included the current economic conditions, the true cost of the proposed justice center, the disposition of the courthouse and an effort to find lower-cost alternatives.

Irwin told his fellow supervisors that none of those issues have been addressed to date.

Rusch has also been a vocal opponent of the proposed justice center, citing the county's current budget crunch as the main reason he is concerned about the project.

While Rusch conceded the county could construct the justice center by bonding for its cost, he believes running the new facility will be a difficult task because of state-imposed spending limits.

The spending caps do not apply to bonding for new construction, but they do limit the amount the county can levy for each year.

While a new justice center will eliminate an estimated annual expenditure of $1 million to house inmates out of county, Rusch believes the cost to run the facility will be an additional $1 million a year.

"I'd like to know where we're going to cut $1 million out of the budget to cover these expenses," said Rusch.

"No matter how you look at it, it's a whole lot cheaper to send them out of county," he continued. "If I was the guy in charge - if this was a dictatorship - I'd send them all out of county."

County Board Vice Chairman Julie Radke spoke out in favor of the project, saying county supervisors need to have a vision of the future.

While she realizes the cost of the proposed facility is high, she fears delaying the project at this point will only drive up the price.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 23, 2009 issue

  A public gathering Thursday concerning the proposed $30 million justice center was little more than a rehash of past arguments.

 Around 30 people, including around a dozen county officials, attended the what was billed as a public input session hosted by Monroe County Board supervisors Cedric Schnitzler and Harv Simmons.

 Representing the proponents of the project was Teresa Pierce, the finance committee chairman, who believes the new facility would deal with the county's jail space needs, while addressing courthouse security and minimizing the county's exposure to liability.

 County board supervisor Rick Irwin, who opposes the project, argued the proposed facility's operational cost are beyond the county's financial capacity.

 Besides putting the county $1.5 million in the red by 2012, the proposed justice centers first full year of operation, Irwin said the project fails to address the current courthouse. Estimates to remodel it for use by other departments are between $4 million and $6 million.

 Irwin has intorduced substantially cheaper alternatives involving building onto the current courthouse, which he said will serve the county's needs.

 Sheriff Dennis Pedersen, who also attended the meeting, expressed his frustration over the lack of progress on the issue.

 "Two decades of debate has become absolutely absurd," he said, also noting that courthouse security is as important to him as the jail overcrowding situation.

 "We can't lose sight of these courthouse security issues," Pedersen added, questioning how the county is going to deal with another courtroom and judge that are due to be on board by August 2010.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 20, 2009 issue

A hot carbon particle from a tractor's exhaust is the likely cause of a woods fire that burned close to 250 acres west of Sparta Tuesday evening.

According to Sparta Rural Fire Department Chief Mike Arnold, the fire started shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday on a farm owned by Jack Buswell on County Highway BC.

Arnold said Buswell's brother, Mark, was operating a brush hogger behind a tractor when the blaze ignited.

"Mark had been out there for a couple of hours, and on his fourth trip around, he said he felt heat on the back of his neck," offered Arnold.

When Buswell turned around, he saw the brush was on fire, and the blaze was also present in the prairie grass behind the vehicle.

"He pulled off the field and called 911 immediately, but the fire was already off and running," said Arnold.

The call came in at 3:49 p.m. Tuesday, and Arnold said he knew there was trouble as soon as he saw the smoke and flames on his way to the blaze.

"As I turned up BC I could already see the fire was moving up the first ridge, and I knew we were going to have trouble with this fire," he said.

"There were 20 to 25-foot flame heights," continued Arnold. And, of course, the winds were coming out of the east at 10 to 14 miles per hour pushing the fire from east to west."

Arnold said several other factors led to the seriousness of the fire, including the extremely dry conditions and the terrain in the area.

"We tried to pinch it off, but we had a problem with the left flank," said Arnold.

"The hilly terrain made it so difficult, and the rocks and ledges," he added. "What really hurt us was that the relative humidity was about seven percent - that's very dry."

While Arnold estimated the fire burned between 200 and 250 acres, he was very pleased with the effort of all the emergency response teams involved in fighting the blaze.

In addition to the Sparta Rural Fire Department, Arnold said units from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in Tomah and Black River Falls, the Sparta City Fire Department, Fort McCoy Fire Department, Bangor-Burns Fire Department and Sparta City Fire Department responded to the scene of the fire.

"I can't thank everybody enough," he said. "We worked very well together."

And the effort paid off too. Arnold said despite some people being evacuated from their homes, no structures were damaged in the fire, and no one was seriously hurt or injured.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 16, 2009 issue

  Opponents of the proposed $30 million justice center presented a case to the Monroe County Public Safety Committee Wednesday they hope will convince the county board to kill that project and reinvigorate an effort to build downtown.

 Supervisor Rick Irwin from the Town of Wilton, who is spearheading the effort, shot holes in the current justice center proposal at the dog pound site and offered alternative building plans for the downtown area that are estimated to be half the cost.

 Irwin and four other supervisors will be offering a resolution at the April 22 county board meeting, calling for a halt to the justice center project and looking at less costly alternatives. The measure also suggests that remodeling and adding on to the present courthouse should be among those options (see related story).

 Irwin reiterated a previous argument to the committee, essentially telling it that the numbers don't add up. According to his figures, which he backed up with abundant documentation, the county could build the $30 million structure, it just couldn't afford to operate it.

 He submitted numbers showing by the end of  2012, the first full year of operation for the justice center assuming it is built on schedule, costs associated with the new facility, including staff and main-tenance, will leave the county $1.5 million in the hole.

 Irwin points out that doesn't take into account wage and operating increases in other departments during the same time period, which could add substantially to the projected deficit.

 Local businessman Gene Treu, who also attended the meeting, presented other figures he said show county taxpayers aren't able to shoulder the burden of debt associated with the justice center.

 Treu compiled statistics showing delinquent taxes in the county had doubled in the past year while the number of foreclosures and the unem-ployment rate both had spiked by over 60% in the same time period.

 He also had data that indicated debt from bonding $30 million, combined with a dropping property values and a stagnant construction rate, would cause the county portion of the tax bill to jump nearly 40% by 2014.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 13, 2009 issue

Opponents of the sale of alcoholic beverages in Sparta earned another big victory at the polls during Tuesday's Spring Election.

A pair of referendums pertaining to the sale of beer and liquor within the city limits were once again defeated at the polls.

A referendum which would have allowed the sale of beer in city grocery and convenience stores went down 1,030 to 921, while a referendum concerning the sale of liquor in Sparta was soundly defeated by a margin on 1,133 to 809.

Eddie Habhegger, the owner of Fast Eddie's on Highway 21 northeast of Sparta, was pleased with the vote.

"I was praying all the time that we would win," Habhegger said.

"I had confidence in the people of Sparta," he continued. "I think the people realized what I've been talking about all these years - that alcohol belongs in bars and liquor stores."
Habhegger said most bars and liquor stores are family-owned, and the owners have better control over the sale of alcohol because they are the ones operating their businesses on a daily basis.

"I sure do thank the people of Sparta," concluded Habhegger.

Proponents of allowing beer and liquor to be sold in the city said they would attempt to pass another referendum in two years.

Chad Monty, a part owner of the Sparta Travel Center BP convenience store along Highway 16 on the city's east side, was disappointed with the defeat.

"It is unfortunate that, as a result of the 2009 referendum, Sparta's citizens, guests and neighbors will not have a choice in Sparta for retail beer, wine or liquor," said Monty.

"As long as I have customers whom my family-owned business cannot serve, I will fight for them," he continued. "It is a sad day in Sparta for many who believed that freedom of choice and free enterprise would win over the printed lies and scare tactics in a 46-year-old ban."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat April 9, 2009 issue

 It was seven years ago on Easter Day that Connie DeGeorge and Kale Kvistad II went missing from their Douglas Street home in Sparta.

 They disappeared on March 31, 2002 and their skeletal remains weren't discovered until December 2004 in a wooded area north of Cataract, leaving investigators with the difficult task of trying to piece together evidence from a nearly two-year old crime scene.

 According to the lead investigator of the double homicide, Monroe County Detective Jeff Sullivan, the case has always been on the front burner.

 In fact, Sullivan has been working on the case since it landed on his desk five years ago. And his persistence has paid off.

 "We feel very confident that we're going to be bringing this to a conclusion in the near future," he said.

 With new revelations from witnesses as far away as Texas, Sullivan  feels sure charges will be filed in the case.

 "This case never went cold," he said. "It has been kind of a difficult case with the bodies being out in the elements for two years."

 The investigation also hit a wall, Sullivan said, when one of the two chief suspects in the murders, Troy Hogan, was found dead face up in Beaver Creek in downtown Sparta.

 His death, which was ruled a drowning by the state coroner, fed rumors that some sort of conspiracy was afoot. But Sullivan is certain no foul play was involved in Hogan's demise.
 While Sullivan was hesitant to release any new details in fear it could hamper the investigation, he did say new information from witnesses has reinvigorated the case.

 The other suspect previously named in the homicides, Larry Schaffer, 40, is currently in the Ozaukee County Jail, where he is serving a six-month sentence on eight counts of failing to provide child support.

 Prior to that, Schaffer, who was Hogan's brother-in-law, was incarcerated in Dallas, TX, after dousing his girlfriend with lighter fluid and attempting to set her on fire.

 Investigators said DeGeorge and Kvistad died from gunshots to the head.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald April 6, 2009 issue

 Two Sparta residents are calling for an investigation after discovering an apparent "deal" between the city and a local developer that has kept the assessments of the developer's properties stagnant for the past six years.

 Local Realtor Duane McClain and Tony Kiel, a professional assessor, have asked the Wisconsin Department of Revenue to look into why the city's assessors have kept the values of certain lots at Aspen Fields subdivision at $2,000, while other lots are being sold for more than $20,000.

  The developer, Dave Evanson of Onalaska, actually owns two subdivisions on Sparta's west side. The first development, Aspen Fields, lies to the south of Highway 16 and north of the La Crosse River.

 When it was built in 2001, it had over 100 lots, which at the time were assessed at $2,000 each. All but around 35 lots have been sold, and while the purchased lots have been reassessed in excess of $20,000 after their sales, the assessments for Evanson's vacant properties remain at $2,000.

 Jeremy Erickson, Monroe County's real property lister, caught the inconsistency while going through records after last year's city-wide reassessment.

 At that time he called Mark Sund, the city's assessor, to ask him if there was a digit missing from the property values of Evanson's lots. He said Sund informed him the figures were correct and that there was a "deal" between the city and the developer.

 Erickson said the word "deal" threw up a red flag because he knows any such arrangement would go against state law. That opinion was confirmed by a department of revenue spokesman.

 Erickson also noticed that 80 other Evanson properties in his adjacent development called River Trail, which was assessed for the first time in 2007, had dropped from their full value of over $20,000 to between $12,000-$13,500 after the city-wide reassessment.

 Vacant lots in a third development called River Wood, which isn't owned by Evanson but is adjacent to his River Trail subdivision, are assessed at full value -- over $20,000.

 So who made the deal -- which apparently is that Evanson's unsold Aspen Hills' lots would remain at $2,000 for 10 years? No one seems to know. City Administrator Ken Witt said the city council made that deal with Evanson before he came to Sparta. However, he added, it was a verbal agreement and no written documentation of the deal exists.

 Even so, he agrees the "deal" isn't legal.

 "First of all the city council can't do that," he said. "Every property has to be assessed at full value."

 Witt said he first became aware of the discrepancy when Evanson's second subdivision, River Trail, was completed in 2006. He said Evanson complained that those lots were all assessed at full value and informed Witt of the deal on his Aspen Hills properties.

 Witt said he told Evanson the city couldn't honor the deal and that the tax rolls would be fixed the following year. That's when the Appleton firm Associate Appraisal Consultants, LLC, performed the city-wide revaluation.

 Apparently, Associated Appraisal had placed the assessed values of Evanson's Aspen Hills' lots at around $20,000. But sometime between open book and the Board of Review, the firm had changed those values back to $2,000.

 "We never had a chance to review those changes," said Witt. "The assessor said they made a mistake but no one will admit to it."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 30, 2009 issue

 A resolution to transfer more than $100,000 from the general fund to cover a shortfall in the 2008 clerk of court's budget will top the agenda when the Monroe County Board gathers for its monthly meeting Wednesday.

According to the resolution, the shortfall is the result of both an overage in expenses and a shortfall in revenue in 2008.

"The clerk of court's budget for 2008 did experience an overage in expenses in the amount of $25,940.82, and a shortage in revenue of $86,793.35," indicates the resolution. "Due to this overage, it is necessary for there to be a transfer from the 2008 general fund to the 2008 clerk of court's office budget."

The budget shortfall totals $112,374.17.

The resolution was forwarded to the full board from both the public safety and justice coordinating committee and the finance committee.

The public safety and justice committee voted 7-0 to recommend the resolution be passed by the full board, while the finance committee cast a 5-0 vote in favor of the measure.

Because the transfer is not part of the 2008 budget approved by the full board, the resolution to transfer the funds needs a two-thirds majority vote of supervisors to pass.

In other board business Wednesday, supervisors will hear a pair of updates - one on the justice center building project and a second on the hiring of a county administrator.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 23, 2009 issue

A fifth suspect in the rash of armed burglaries in rural Sparta was charged in Monroe County Circuit Court this week.

 David R. Ortiz, 19, 608 Maple St., was charged with two counts of armed burglary, four counts of theft of moveable property, and two counts each of criminal damage to property and misdemeanor theft. He is in jail in lieu of a $2,500 cash bond. 

 Ortiz, Skyelar Alm, 20; Charlie Richards, 19; and two 16-year olds, all of Sparta, are accused of breaking into a number of rural homes in the past several weeks.

 According to the criminal complaint against Ortiz, a Monroe County Sheriff's deputy was investigating the break-in of a Garland Avenue home February 24 when she was informed of another victim on Garland Avenue.

 At the home of the first victim, a full length glass window in an outside door was broken out. Inside, a baseball bat was sitting on the kitchen table. All of the cabinets in the kitchen had been rifled through, as well as drawers in other rooms, according to the complaint. Various containers of change were missing from several different rooms.

 The second victim said she came home from work and immediately noticed a service door to the garage was unlocked. The door between the house and garage was also open. When she entered the house, the homeowner saw drawers open with the contents on the floor.

 Closet and drawer contents throughout the house were disturbed and strewn about. A patio table had been thrown through a large picture window. Change, jewelry and other items were missing.

 Officers lifted shoe print impressions from both the scenes.

 Police were dispatched to a Falcon Avenue residence March 4 when the home's burglar alarm sounded. 

 When officers arrived, they saw two sets of footprints leading away from the house. More prints were discovered near the back deck, where a patio door was shattered. However, it did not appear as if would-be intruders gained entry. 

 Shoe and tire prints were taken from the scene.

 Later that day, police were dispatched to a Jackpot Avenue home. Again, a patio glass door was shattered and drawers were disturbed. Old checks, cash, coins, a handgun and extra magazine, and a display case with antique guns were missing, the complaint indicates.

 On March 9, a resident on Hawk Road discovered her dog was locked in the garage. The dog is usually kept in the basement while the owners are at work. The homeowner found her house ransacked. Several electronic devices, including a video game console, an Ipod and digital camera, and two handguns were missing.

 The last burglary occurred on Cty. Hwy. Q March 11, but the alleged burglars were frightened away by a neighbor who spotted them. 

 The neighbor told police he saw a Ford van in the driveway and two male subjects inside the house. As he approached, the two suspects ran. One waved a gun in the air, toward the neighbor, before they both got into the van and left.

 Hours later, a juvenile reported the same van as stolen. Eventually, the teen admitted he and another teen broke into the Cty. Hwy. Q residence, but left when the neighbor approached. He allegedly admitted he waved a gun at the man, which was taken from the Hawk Road residence. The teen told police he threw the gun in a ditch, which police later recovered.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
Monroe County Democrat March 19, 2009 issue

 As it stands right now, Grace Street property owners will not be assessed for the cost of a new sidewalk, but residents of the neighborhood still have concerns over a road reconstruction project planned this summer.

"I don't even want the project to happen," said Sherry Hininger of Warrens.

Hininger and her husband, Jeff, recently purchased a 34-unit apartment complex that abuts Grace Street at 1003 St. Anne Street.

"I understand the city needs to make improvements, but at whose cost?" asked Hininger.

While the Hiningers won't be assessed for the cost of a sidewalk, they will be responsible for covering the cost of curb and gutter for the project.

"It's still going to be $8,000 to $9,000 without the sidewalk," she said. "We can't afford that."

Hininger also is concerned the city isn't doing enough to inform the property owners about the project.

She was upset because property owners were not informed about a public works committee meeting held Wednesday evening concerning the project.

"Why are they not contacting us, when it's a huge issue for us?" she said. "We should be contacted anytime they're talking about the project because it concerns us."

Patty Danick, who lives at the intersection of Grace and St. Anne streets, also is upset with the way city officials are handling the project.

Like Hininger, Danick believes the city could have done more to inform area property owners about the project.

"They need to be listening to people," she said.

"I really think we have a right, before they get started, to have a say in this," continued Danick. "My biggest thing is how the city goes about it - they dictate."

A public hearing was held concerning the proposed sidewalk last month, and the city council voted against assessing property owners for its cost.

If the sidewalk is included as part of the project, the city will foot the bill.

City Administrator Ken Witt said officials will decide next month whether or not to construct the sidewalk.

The public works committee discussed the matter earlier this month, but decided to wait before making a final decision on the sidewalk.

According to Witt, the sidewalk is included as a line item in the project bid, so city officials could opt to accept a bid and exclude the sidewalk.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To read this entire article please see the
The Sparta Herald March 16, 2009 issue

  A staffing plan for the 2009-2010 school year proposed at the Personnel and Educational Initiatives Committee of the Sparta School Board Tuesday included a reduction of five teachers at the high school.
 Four of the teachers cut would be from core academic areas.

 The staff reductions are needed to address a deficit projected to be $400,000 if state aid, enrollment numbers and other factors remain the same. 

 Superintendent John Hend-ricks said $100,000 of that could be taken off the top if the district and all staff members practice prudent spending for the rest of this school year. 

 He presented a plan to the committee that he called a ìmenu for considerationî. He urged the committee to listen to his explanation of proposal, then take comments from the audience, which included a dozen teachers who may be affected.

 The proposed reductions include cutting the entire driverís education program for a savings of $20,000. 

 That would displace the driverís education teacher, Larry Severson, who has been in that position for 11 years. Earlier this year, Severson learned he would not be up for renewal as football coach, either.

 Hendricks said just 75 kids enrolled in the course next year, a declining number. In fact, enrollment numbers at the high school are down significantly, which is why the majority of staff cuts are coming from the high school, he indicated. 

 Severson said the driverís education enrollment number is not entirely accurate, as it does not include students who enroll in the summer program. It also does not include students who are home-schooled or attend parochial or other private schools. 

 Also, the program is only available to students beginning their sophomore year. Severson suggested opening it up to second semester freshmen, who would certainly increase enrollment.

 The other cuts include a full-time high school English teacher, full-time high school math teacher, half-time high school social studies teacher, half-time LMC teacher, full-time High Point teacher, full-time middle school teacher and a reduction of a substitute-calling secretary, which is already in place.

 Hendricks said eliminating the substitute-calling secretary position would be a savings of about $45,000, but software to implement an automated system, already in place, is in the neighborhood of $20,000. 

 Other people affected would be high school English teacher Laura Veglahn and math teacher Rachel Wimer, although she could possibly move to another position as she is licensed in another background.  The social studies position being cut in half would affect Mark Bullen, who is a full-time teacher now. Sue Quale is the LMC teacher, but Hendricks indicated shifts in duties may allow her to retain full-time status. The actual person to be affected at High Point is unclear at this point, Hendricks indicated.

 ìThis is a reflection of declining numbers and how registration came out,î said Hendricks. He suggested the middle school position be reduced because a large class is moving out of eight grade. That person, Tom Nissalke, could move around to other grade levels instead, Hendricks indicated.

 Those involved in the reduction are due to a lower amount of students signing up for their classes next year. As for the LMC, Hendricks said that is due to a decline in use.

 The total amount saved by the reductions is estimated at $360,000, should the school board decide to adhere to Hendrickís proposed plan.