A motion by Kris Hampton to indefinitely stop merger study discussions between the Town and Village of Cottage Grove drew opposition from fellow 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. 

Merger discussions abruptly stopped after the last meeting in November where Town members expressed interest in stalling further talk, but new life was breathed into the group leading to a January 30 meeting at the Village Hall at 6:30 p.m.

Hampton, a Committee’s Co-chairperson and Town Chairman, and Committee member Mark Hepfinger were the two votes in favor of the motion.

Kris Hampton

Hampton started out the meeting by reading an unofficial executive summary he said came from the Town.  The summary, which he passed out copies of to Committee members before read it to the group, said that a merged entity may make sense over the long term but it may take several generations before it will become palatable to everyone.  Hampton’s reading of the summary went on to say that there’s been an expectation that a merger will happen as fast as possible, but maybe it should be looking at a slower pace process.  He went onto name the issues of concern to Town residents that should be worked out between the Town and Village boards prior to bringing the choice of whether to merge to referendum.  Among the list were issues of burning and hunting rights, law enforcement allocation and farmland preservation. 

“There are people in the town who have talked to me,” said Hampton.  “They aren’t in favor of it now.  It will take time to win their trust over that things will be close to the same for their enjoyment in life and enjoyment in the community.”  He said it would be better for them to recognize that now versus when they would actually become part of the village.  “I don’t think we need to rush it.  We need to build their confidence by doing some of the things that are outlined in the executive summary that could be done and not negatively affect either the Village or the Town.”

After listening to Hampton, Committee member and Village Trustee Micah Zielke said he saw stalling the Merger Committee’s work as equivalent to ending merger discussion altogether.  “I just view it as extremely empty,” said Zielke, responding to the motion put forth by Hampton.  “Some of the things to stress to work on before a merger happens is exactly what the Merger Study Committee is supposed to do.” Looking at it from a “new village” perspective, composed of the existing Town and Village, is what Zielke said that the Committee was discussing and with that came inclusion of interests such as rural rights and farmland preservation. 

Mike DuPlayee

“Either we really think it’s something that’s going to take place or something that should be investigated further as to whether it could take place from a recommendation standpoint or not.  We haven’t even scratched the surface of any major topics on the tax rates.  I think the joint merger committee is very receptive…again I haven’t heard any opinions as to there’s individuals who don’t want farmland preservation as part of it, that there’s not going to be some rural affairs or some semblance of some type of committee going forward.  I agree that ordinances on zoning need to be taken into consideration but that’s for us to work on together and there’s no better format than a formal merger study committee.  A no vote tonight I can all but guarantee that a merger will never happen or it will be a long time coming."

Regarding Hampton’s plea to slow down the study process, Zielke said he was unopposed to taking time needed to gather information.  Zielke, throughout the past year of merger meetings, has been the most vocal proponent of shooting for a goal to have a merger referendum on the November 2012 ballot.  “I am sure there are people out there who misconstrued my enthusiasm with trying to railroad it through,” said Zielke, adding that his reason for the November push was to get maximum voter turnout, during what is anticipated to be a highly popular 2012 presidential election.  Zielke said that would be the optimal way to maximize the voices of the public from a voter perspective. “It wasn’t my agenda; it wasn’t anybody else’s agenda; it was purely to get voices heard from that perspective.”

Coming off the heels of Zielke’s comments, Committee member and Town Supervisor Mike DuPlayee backed his Village counterpart’s argument to continue the Committee’s work.  “I agree with Micah,” said DuPlayee, adding that he has been disappointed in the whole study to date.  “A lot of talking and no action.  These issues are what we decided the Merger Committee should look at, and I think if we admit to ourselves whether we were honest in the beginning I think that’s a big portion of this because all of the information I’ve received says it all comes down to trust.  You have to trust your fellow board members; you have to trust the people you’re working with.  You have to trust the Village administration just like they have to trust us. But until you can get past that obstacle there is no sense in moving forward.”

DuPlayee, who voted unsuccessfully with fellow Town Supervisor Mike Kindschi to approve the Town to allocate $4,000 for Phase 2 of Baker Tilly’s merger feasibility study, said the Town deciding against paying was the wrong response.  “We decided that we should split the cost,” he said, adding that the Village anted up $5,000 for Phase 1 of the study, which came back with a positive opinion.   

“I don’t see why this Merger Committee shouldn’t work on these other issues to move forward.  It’s foolish to think the Town and the Village are going to act the same no matter what, unless the vehicle is there to use.  If the Merger Committee is still active and still willing to work on these issues then I think the Merger Committee needs to seriously make that effort to go forward.”

While agreeing with DuPlayee’s  points, Hepfinger said he would vote for the motion. “I am of the opinion after sitting here after all these however many months that although this merger thing is significant for the Village it’s way more significant for the Town because of the rural issues and whatnot.  It’s the Town that I think needs to decide first whether it wants to have a merger because basically the decision that is going to be made is (the Town) getting eaten piecemeal by the city of Madison or all at once by the Village of Cottage Grove, and the Town need to decide first whether they want that and under what circumstances.  Then the village can decide and go or no go on that.  But I haven’t gotten the impression it is something that the Town really wants.”

Zielke responding to Hepfinger’s comments about the Town being “eaten piecemeal” (annexed over time by its neighbors) said that this was not the goal of the merger but rather a side issue. “The goal of the merger is not to protect the Town from being gobbled up by the village of Cottage Grove or the city of Madison.  The goal all along has been to preserve the Cottage Grove community.  And as part of that is preserving the current service levels that we all enjoy today at approximately the same cost going into the future.  And what that does is protects what is currently known as the Cottage Grove community which is the Town and Village combined.”

Agreeing with the “Cottage Grove community” focus, Committee member and Town resident Dave Muehl said that the study continuing is for the best interest of the future of the community. “I think it’s best for the Cottage Grove community and the culture that we want to survive through many generations,” said Muehl, adding that being your own destiny rather than somebody else’s seemed like a good approach.

Taking a proximity perspective, Committee member and Village resident Don Brinkmeier said there are likely differing opinions on the merger from Town residents depending on whether they live on the east or west side, or are near or far from the Village.  Concerns over annexations and fear of being forced to hook into municipal sewer and water systems are among the talk coming from concerned Town residents.  “A lot of people I know are nervous about septic issues, especially if their homes are close to the village, but I think by continuing on we can answer some of those questions so we can inform all of the residents. 

“I thought the goal was to get it so they could put it to a vote and let the people decide what they want to do.  My idea was that we were supposed to keep working and get more information so people can make an informed decision.”

Committee Co-chairperson Diane Wiedenbeck said she would like the Committee to move forward, if that was what the group desired.  Committee member and Town resident Dave Morrow spoke in favor of the group moving ahead.  “This does provide a platform, these discussions,” said Morrow.  “I think perhaps we’re at a pretty important crossroads, coming to a mutual understanding of what that trust might be.”

After hearing everyone’s input, DuPlayee turned to Hampton and questioned how the process would move forward without a Committee in place.  Hampton replied saying he didn’t say the Merger Committee had to go away.  “Both boards can come back and say you can continue to work on this ordinance and that ordinance, the whole list of whatever would be in the executive summary.  But don’t think that’s going to happen in six months.”

It doesn’t have to happen in six months, said DuPlayee. “It’s obvious there is a lot of work that this executive summary entails.  I am saying we need to have a formal merger committee study this stuff to move forward on these issues.  I am just trying to comprehend what everybody sees as the community of Cottage Grove.  I can see the rural aspects of it; I can see the Village aspects of it.  But we need to find some way to merge those two ideas and without this Merger Committee going forward I don’t think you have a platform with which to bring it forward to the public."

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