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Grove Notes Cottage Grove's Reporter |
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Contact Us * About Us * Advertise TOP STORIESPage Updated: January 18, 2012Half Marathon, Chicago Relay Bring Running Fun To Cottage Grove While it is uncertain where the exact start is for the April 21 inaugural Spring Parkinson's Half Marathon it is known that runners will funnel into Glacial Drumlin's trail head and travel at least across Uphoff and Ridge roads. Town Order Appraiser Pay Tax Error The Town Board voted 5-0 in favor of having Accurate Property Tax Appraisal pay a $99.40 personal property tax error for work done on a residental home assessment. Huston Give Royster Haul Update R.G. Huston Company reported to the Town that they have completed about one third of the soil hauling for the Royster-Clark project job. Find out everything going on in your neighborhood you need to know about. A motion to indefinitely stop merger study discussions between the Town and Village of Cottage Grove drew opposition from Merger Study Committee members from the Town and Village, with the group eventually denying its passage by a 6-2 vote at the January 9 meeting.
Truck Traffic, Alleged Soil Contamination Questions over a continuous stream of dump trucks traveling over Town roads and alleged contaminated soil being stockpiled at Nora Pit were at the fore of discussion during the December 19 Board meeting. May Be 2 weeks Before Fires Cause Known Fire departments from Sun Prairie and Deerfield came to the assistance of the Cottage Grove Fire Department firefighters to help put out a fire at Landmark Cooperative's Grain Elevator in the 4000 block of County Highway N. $740 More Asked For Grant Application Storm Water Engineer Chuck Nahn will be at the Town’s January 2 Board meeting to explain why he is requesting an additional $740 for further work on a hazardous mitigation grant. Find out if there is anything going on in your neighborhood you need to know about. Property Owners May Face Fees Whether to charge property owners requesting land use changes was the main discussion topic for the Board as it considered implementing a preliminary development agreement. The Board voted a reluctant 5-0 in favor of opting into the Dane County’s emergency management radio system “DaneCom.” Town electors approved the 2012 budget, including a highway expenditures of $595,105 and a $477, 619 tax levy, a .42 percent increase from 2011. Board Splits On Recreation Funding It was a spirited November 21 Board meeting discussion over whether to grant the Village’s parks and recreation program $5,000 of its 2012 Town budget dollars. Business Offers To Repair Road The Town OK'd Safe Guard Storage Owner Mike Niebuhr offer to repair road damage he anticipates to inflict on Luds Lane during construction work that will be going on at his business this spring. Town To Buy $6,015 Road Sweeper Purchase of a new $6,015 road sweeper was approved by the Board at its November 22 meeting. Employee Grivance Procedure OK'd The Town established its employee grievance procedure by making minimal changes to a copy of the Dane County Towns Association Grievance Procedure. New Flag Pole Light More Energy Effcient The Town will split the cost of two new lighting fixtures to illuminate the flag in front of Flynn Hall. Welcome Sign Installations Scheduled The four Cottage Grove welcome signs have been purchased and they will be installed November 28 and 29 at the Town line borders along county highways N and BB. Many local crafters will be on hand to sell handcrafted items at reasonable costs at Glacial Drumlin Middle school. The reconstruction of I-94 in Dane County has been completed just in time to handle increased traffic volumes for deer hunting season and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Southwest Region. The Town shut down a nearly yearlong merger discussion at the Merger Committee’s November 14 meeting. The Town relinquished ownership of Keena Drive and a portion of Kennedy Road north of Blackhawk Air Field. Snowmobile Club Prepares for Season The Cottage Grove Snowmobile Club is ready to ride this winter after receiving Board approval for its 2011-12 season trails. Woman Asks What It Chances are if you live in the American Heritage neighborhood of Cottage Grove near the park you know Edie Rose. Consultant Bid Extended to 2012 A revised Town building inspector contract was approved containing language added regarding building permit fee collection and fee transfer to the Town as well delivery of quarterly inspection reports to the town clerk. Grievance Procedure Decision Tabled The Board decided to delay a decision on the Town’s employee grievance procedure until its November 21 meeting, allowing time to clarify some information with Attorney Mark Hazelbaker. Building Inspector Contract OK'd A revised Town building inspector contract was approved containing language added regarding building permit fee collection and fee transfer to the Town as well delivery of quarterly inspection reports to the town clerk. Merger Group Begins Work On Questionnaire Committee member expect to have work on the document completed and mailed out to Cottage Grove residents with the December property tax mailing. $5,200 Election Budget Hike Expected For 2012 The addition of a second assembly district in the Town and a new law requiring persons to show identification prior to voting are the primary reasons for the projected budget increase. Merger Study Money Request Sparks Criticism Strong crticism of the Merger Study Committee came when it became known that there would be a request to split the cost with the Village on the $8,000 Phase 2 of a three phase merger fiscal impact analysis. 'No Weapons' Sign Proposal Shot Down All signs pointed to no signs being posted that would restrict persons from carrying concealed weapons into Town buildings. Nora Road’s rustic road designation will remain intact. This due to a 4 to 1 vote of the Board, at its October 17, which denied designation removal. Baxter Road Scheduled For Resurfacing Baxter Road is scheduled to have its top layer milled off and the road will be resurfaced next year. The Town adopted Resolution 2011-7, which is a list of fees including liquor licenses, blasting permits and emergency response reimbursement, among others.
Boards To Decide Fate Of Merger Study Phase 2 Taking a cautious approach moving forward, the Merger Study Committee decided at its October 10 meeting to approve a budgetary and expenditure analysis of what a merged Cottage Grove would look like. Cottage Grove Man Faces Cocaine Charges A Cottage Grove man and one of the other man were charged with conspiracy to possess crack cocaine with intent to distribute. Cottage Grove Man Shot with BB Gun A neighbor dispute in Cottage Grove ended with a 52-year-old man being shot with a BB gun on the evening of October 4. Road Repair Contract Reached With ATC ATC agreed to changes and additional conditions to a road repair reimbursement agreement between the power line contractor and the Town. Grader History Remains A Mystery Now that the Public Works Department has its 2011 Ford pickup, the Board has decided that it’s time to sell the 2001 Ford truck. Town Extends Garage Tenent's Lease 3 Years Auto repair shop owner Dennis Viney is proof that being a good renter pays. Town Selling 2001 Pickup Truck Now that the Public Works Department has its 2011 Ford pickup, the Board has decided that it’s time to sell the 2001 Ford truck. Merger Group Members See Promise In Baker Tilly Report The Cottage Grove Merger Study Committee had an enthusiastic tone after hearing Baker Tilly’s fiscal forecast for a merged Cottage Grove. Longer Poll Waits Expected With New Voter ID Law A new law requiring voters to show a valid pictured identification in order to vote may be cause for debate between Democrats and Republicans, but it is cause for concern at the Cottage Grove Town Clerk’s Office. Town Has Questions For ATC On Roads Use Too many questions and legal concerns remained for the Town to make a decision on a road repair reimbursement agreement with American Transmission Company. Hmong Farmers Continue To Cultivate New Life A constant blur of autos flash by, seen through the thin stand of trees separating the roadway from the field where Nina Xiong works her way down a long row of radishes. She kneels every few feet to pick those that are red and ready to be sold at the Hilldale Farmer’s Market in Madison the following morning. County's TDR-S Overlay District Adopted The newly approved County transfer of development rights sending overlay district is another layer of zoning apart from the Town's existing sending and receiving districts. Resolution Next Step To Road Vacation Notices will be sent to two landowners occupying the stretches of roadway the Town plans to vacate on a section of Kennedy Road and Keena Drive. Cross-Town House Haul Called 'Ambitious' Doug Allen’s plan to move a 47 by 47 foot home from its current foundation at 4618 County Road N to his property on Nora Road was called “ambitious” by one Town Plan Commission member. County Zoning Ordinance Approved For Nora Road Construction A citizen request for a dead end sign on Brown Thrush Trail was turned down by the Board at its September 19 meeting. Brown Thrush Trail Sign Request Denied A citizen request for a dead end sign on Brown Thrush Trail was turned down by the Board at its September 19 meeting. Old Pull-Type Grader May Have Been Town's In'50s Public Works Head Jeff Smith will investigate and report to the Board on an old pull-type grader thought to have been once owned by the Town. The Board scheduled October 4, 12, 18 and 19 for 2012 budget workshops. WIC Will Work Out Of Town Hall The Women, Infants and Children of Dane County program will be setting up shop at the Town Hall from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. every second Friday starting in 2012. Merger Group Prepares For 2 Public Presentations The Merger Group made management and steering committee assignments, and tagged October 6 and 10 meetings to present to the public its report on the projected financial impact of a merged Cottage Grove. Redistricting Creates Ward Without A Home When the next election comes around there is a very good chance Cottage Grove’s Ward 7 will have a zero percent turnout at the polls. County TDR Plan Headed To Planning Board The next step for the Town in adopting Dane County’s new TDR sending district overlay is passage by the Town Plan Commission at a September 19 meeting at 6:30 p.m. Town, Village Will Work Together On Road Job The Town’s public works crew will work with the Village maintenance staff to reconstruct a culvert at Sandpiper Trail near Mourning Dove Drive. A new stop sign will be placed on the west side of the Mourning Dove Drive-Sandpiper Trail intersection. Board Enforces 2 Acre Lot Limit After some Board debate regarding lot size, everyone came to an agreement that Dave Hanson’s certified survey map would be approved for exactly two acres. ATC Road Repair Agreement Postponed A decision was postponed on how to move forward with a road repair agreement between the Town and American Transmission Company. American Dream Growing In Cottage Grove A 2-year-old Nina Xiong fled for her life with her parents and two brothers from their home in Laos to Thailand where they lived for 12 years before coming to Madison, Wisconsin. Town Hall Packed During Rustic Road Debate Town residents from both sides of the Nora Road debate came out to argue over a pending decision that could lift the road's longtime rustic designation. Speaker Shares Verona Merger Experience David Combs emphasized the importance of a “long-term vision” and total commitment while moving forward with the consolidation process and doing everything possible including going door-to-door to educate residents. Merger Study Report Delivery Date Set A financial report detailing the budget impact of a merged Cottage Grove will be delivered to the Merger Study Committee on October 6. |
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