Taylor Scott, Managing Editor
Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief
The Village of Spring Green Board met April 14 virtually to stamp their approval on the Farmer’s Market location, complete the several meeting process of allowing ATV’s and UTV’s on village roads, to accept the resignation of Trustee Robin Reid as she transitions to village president — and to request the attendance of an ice cream truck owner at their next meeting to answer questions.
The board again approved the use of the Spring Green Community Library parking lot as the location of the Farmer’s Market. Spring Green Farmers Market Managers Jane Hauser and Stacey Feiner said the market runs from 9 am – noon, May 15 thru Oct. 16, and from 10 am – 11 am, Oct. 23 thru May 7, 2022 for pickup of orders. Hauser, in her capacity as trustee, recused herself on the vote.
The board suspended the third reading and approved the proposed ATV/UTV ordinance that would allow ATV’s and UTV’s on village roads. The board had asked Police Chief Mike Stoddard to include a sunset clause that would require that the ordinance be considered again in a year. Trustee Joel Marcus objected to the approval of the ordinance, and both Hauser and Marcus objected to the suspension of the third reading of the ordinance.
Area resident Ed Lilla spoke out with concerns that signage would be posted in front of his house. Wisconsin River Runners ATV Club members Jeff Freel and Jeff Johnson reassured Lilla that would take his concerns into consideration when posting signage.
Village Clerk Wendy Crary clarified that the ordinance would be in effect starting Thursday, April 22. Freel and Johnson advised that the routes cannot be used until signage goes up and they were expecting up to a 30 day wait time to receive the signs.
After discussion about fairness of variances and a suggestion to refer the applicable ordinances to committee, the board approved a variance request from David and Monica Pilon to allow a second driveway and to exceed the allowed driveway width for their property on Monroe Street.
The board then approved a resolution authorizing the submission of a Community Development Investment Grant application to Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to support Karin Miller’s grant application seeking to renovate the Spring Green General Store building second floor to add housing units.
The board postponed action on a mobile food vending application submitted by Kyle Vesperman of Vesperman Farms LLC for an ice cream truck, asking that Vesperman attend the next meeting and answer questions.
Area business owner Terry Shifflet spoke regarding concerns that approving the permit for a food truck from out of the area could be viewed as a “slap in the face” to downtown businesses. Trustee Michael Broh clarified that they can’t discriminate based on the business, but only based on location and times. Marcus brought attention to the fact that there isn’t currently an ice cream shop downtown and that trucks like this can complement the downtown’s offerings, Reid agreed that trucks like this can complement and supplement but offered a motion to table the discussion until the next meeting. Vesperman Farms’ ice cream truck had been scheduled to be in Spring Green Sunday, but was forced to cancel in light of the decision.
The board convened into closed session under section 19.85(1)(c) of the Wisconsin Statutes for “considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility” to discuss action regarding candidates for the Director of Public Works and Police Department Patrol Officer positions.
Crary confirmed action was taken by the board to offer employment to the top candidate for both positions.
Other actions taken by the board:
- Approved burn requests submitted by 1.) Brad Hutnik, Chuck Schreiber and Mark Baenen, and 2.) Robin Reid.
- Approved easements for the Woodbury Sanitary Sewer Project.
- Approved the resignation of Reid as village trustee effective April 19. Reid was elected village president in the spring elections.
Village of Plain
The village of Plain also met for its regular board meeting on April 14, where it discussed the possibility of an art project being installed at the villages budding business park in preparation for Fermentation Fest in 2022.
Fermentation Fest, a 10-day biennial festival that celebrates farming, food and art in Sauk County, had a stop in Plain in 2020, that brought over 1,000 new people to the Village President Ray Ring.
The festival’s organizers approached the village with the idea of an evolving art installation in the business park, Event Organizer Donna Neuwrith with Wormfarm Institution, the organization that puts on the festival, appeared with the board on Wednesday to discuss the issue.
She informed the board that a specific art piece or timeline for installation was set, it would be designed, installed and cared for by a group of young architects the institute provides with scholarships to encourage artists and dynamic designs.
The village gave the Development and Planning Commission permission to continue working with Fermentation Fest on the art installation.
Other actions and discussion the board took includes:
- Second reading and adoption of Ordinance #213-21: updating verbiage of parking at 1015 Cedar Street.
- Second reading and adoption of Ordinance #214-21: strengthening firearm and projectile ordinances to prevent hunting within the Village limits.
- First reading of Ordinance #215-21: changing ATV club in charge of signage, which includes a name change for the club currently responsible for signage.
- Approved a liquor license for Pat Mahoney in the Village for April 15, 2021 through October 15, 2021.
- Approve a Class A, intoxicating Liquor License for Country Crossroads Floral and Gifts, LLC, Agent: Carrie M Walsh, for the period April 15, 2021 through June 30, 2021
- Hired Addison Brey for the position of Assistant Rec Director. Trustee Brian Brey abstained from voting.
- Hired new Lifeguard Charlotte Ferstl.
- Hired Brandon Verthein for the position of Seasonal Public Works Helper. Brandon was employed with the village through grants in the 2020 spring/summer season, because the village hired him as a returning employee it will receive the first three months of his pay subsidized.
- Paid Application No. 4 for MZ Construction, Inc. in the amount of $221,829.23 for the WWTP Headworks Upgrade Project.
The next village meeting will be May 12 at 7 p.m. at the Village Municipal offices.
Village of Lone Rock
The village of Lone Rock met April 13 for its regular monthly board meeting, where it took a variety of routine actions and discussed a skate park in the village.
WisCoat, an asphalt company out of Lone Rock, Owner Marvin Joles presented an idea for a Skate Park to be built on the concrete slab that remains from former basketball courts, which the board approved.
Joles created a logo for the 50 ft by 50 ft concrete slab, and offered WisCoat to do repairs on the concrete, as well as provide and install a 24 ft by 8 ft ramp. The park would also have a smaller ramp, a four-way ramp and a rail.
The park would also include an area featuring the names of donors who help provide the additional ramps. Royal Bank offered to cover the cost of a fence around the park and some ramps and rails. DZ’s, Ray and Alice Hatfield also donated to the park.
“I know this was presented a while ago, but now you see these in every town around us,” said Joles. “I always like to make things a community effort.”
Joles brought his son, Eli Joles to address the board about his desire to have a skate park in the village.
“I like skating because it’s fun, I can do tricks and make friends. I would like a skate park in Lone Rock because it’s where I live and where my friends live. If we had a skate and scooter park in Lone Rock, then we wouldn’t have to go to other towns for their skate parks,” said Eli. “A skate park would be good for kids my age because it gives us something else to do in town, kids have a lot of fun at scooter and skate parks.”
Marvin is hoping to have the park operational by the middle of June.
Other actions and discussion the village took at its April 13 meeting include:
- Approving a kennel license for Jack and Julie Day.
- Approved an operators license for Alexis Kast at DZ’s
- Approved having a Spring Clean Up April 28 2 p.m.-6 p.m. and May 18 a.m.-10 a.m. for village residents only.
- Allowed the development of village wide garage sale.
The next village board meeting will be May 11 at 7 p.m. at the village office.