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Jefferson Street, Verona, WI • www.fourwindsmanor.com Inside Spring election 7 contested local races District 1, Seat 1 Mayor District 3, Seat 6 Kids special section Pages 14-19 Dorothy Krause Rich Tate Dan Carpenter Zyronia Mims Schools VASD plans month full of outreach on District 1, Seat 2 District 4, Seat 7 referendum Page 11 Steve Arnold Jason Gonzalez Community Police department Anne Scott Wanda Smith Tom Clauder William Horns fundraising for new K-9 unit Page 12 District 3, Seat 5 District 4, Seat 8 Sports Uncontested Jay Allen Aaron Richardson Richard Tony Hartmann Hammersley Julia Arata-Fratta Dan Bahr Edgewood swims to fourth at state Page 20 In near repeat of 2015, mayor, six aldermanic seats up for grabs SCOTT GIRARD The third-place finisher, Marc Jones, received Business Unified Newspaper Group Inside 491 votes, and has since thrown his support behind Gonzalez in an advertisement in this Voters would be forgiven if they were to look month’s Star. at their ballot April 4 and flash back to the 2015 Read questionnaires from the six Four other alders are also actively supporting election. contested council races Gonzalez: Carol Poole (D-1), Julia Arata-Fratta Once again, the incumbent mayor faces a (D-2), Dan Carpenter (D-3) and Tony Hartmann challenge from a sitting alder, and six alderman- Pages 26-28 (D-4), according to Gonzalez’s campaign web- ic races could change the face of the Common site. Arnold has the endorsement of Dorothy Council the winner will work with. lead.” Krause (D-1) and a candidate for the other Dis- This time, Mayor Steve Arnold is in the Arnold acknowledged he was “disappointed” trict 1 seat, Wanda Smith, as well as area politi- incumbent position instead of the challenger, with the results, but decided to change “tactics a cians like state Rep. Jimmy Anderson and state Distillery blends art as he was two years ago when he ran against bit” in response. Sen. Mark Miller, according to his campaign Shawn Pfaff. His challenger, District 3 Ald. endorsements page. with spirit of “It causes me to rethink my campaign, so my Jason Gonzalez, won a three-way primary race idea of just seeing people at the doors is not Council races innovation by 358 votes, 1,703 to 1,345. going to work against the seven or eight people “I was pleasantly surprised,” Gonzalez said of that are out campaigning against me and basi- Whoever wins the top spot will be working Page 31 the primary result. “I wasn’t outright surprised, cally telling lies,” Arnold said. “We obviously but I was nonetheless surprised it was such a big need more reach.” Turn to Election/Page 29 PRSRT STANDARD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID UNIFIED NEWSPAPER Meet Me At Tralee GROUP Opening Summer 2017 5410 Nobel Drive, Fitchburg, WI 53711 Studio, 1 and 2 Bedroom Units Available avanteproperties.com 608.441.9999 adno=509115-01 ConnectFitchburg.com 2 March 10, 2017 Fitchburg Star Library seeks ‘Community Helpers’ for new volunteer program KATE NEWTON Because the library has also plans to seek input from Unified Newspaper Group more teens requesting vol- both teen patrons and library unteer time than they have If You Go staff to make sure they have Teens looking to get more “weekly spaces,” Hernandez What: “Community Help- a voice on “causes that are involved in their local com- said the program seemed like ers” meetings for teens important to them.” munity will have a new, a good way for teens (the 13-17 “We’re kind of in the cen- ongoing opportunity to do program is geared mostly ter of the community, if not so at the Fitchburg Public toward ages 13-17) to record When: 6-7 p.m. Thurs- physically, so we’re trying to Library’s new “Community an hour they can then submit days, March 16 and April be leaders and help the com- Helpers” program. to the National Hours Soci- 6 munity around us,” she said Teen librarian Jamie Her- ety, their church group or Where: Fitchburg Public of the library. nandez hosted the inaugural other organizations they’re Library, 5530 Lacy Rd. The next two meetings of meeting of the program Feb. involved in. Even if they’re Info: 729-1760 the “Community Helpers” 16. Participants gathered to not recording volunteer time, group will see participants make toys and trinkets for they’re welcome to stop by writing letters of apprecia- animals in the care of the and participate, she added. Photo by Kate Newton tion to veterans and active Madison-based rescue group “I already have my Ellie Harris (at left) and Jordyn Maas, both juniors at Mad- the instructions for the toys military service members Shelter From the Storm. requirements (for school), ison West High School, braid a fleece toy together as they they made so they could do it from 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Hernandez, who got her but I wanted to do extra,” work their way through the toy-making stations. at home, as well. March 16, and cleaning up own dog from the organiza- said Sonia Miller, a freshman Hernandez said “Commu- the neighborhood around the tion, said “they were happy at Edgewood High School. nity Helpers” is on the library library from 6-7 p.m. Thurs- that (the library) thought of “I really like animals, so I braided pull toys, and feath- made, they were tempted to calendar monthly through the day, April 6. them” – the first of many thought why not?” er and wands – grew to an take the toys home to share summer months and, depend- For information, call 729- community impacts she The collection of toys – impressive stockpile by the with their own pets. Brenda ing on the response, should 1760. hopes the Community Help- cat “puzzles” made of toilet end of the hour-long pro- Boutelle, a senior at Madison have no problem continuing ers will generate during their paper rolls glued in Kleen- gram. Some attendees were West High School, said she considering how many ideas Contact Kate Newton at monthly meetings. ex boxes, fleece balls and so impressed by what they planned to show her friends she has for the program. She [email protected]. City of Fitchburg Elect Dog park engineering can start city committees to begin city can now contract with Council approves looking at the proposal to an engineer to develop a site In brief TOM funding, private give recommendations back plan, stormwater manage- to the council. ment and erosion control and Citizen support CLAUDER group will help But the discussion on the bring that to the Plan Com- proposal began with a push mission, likely at its March Nearly 20 people sub- mitted slips in support of SCOTT GIRARD to deny the funding alto- meeting. the dog park plan during a Unified Newspaper Group gether for the time being, The council also put off a mainly because the site – at vote on a more comprehen- March 2 public hearing at Irish Lane and Fish Hatch- sive outline of specific costs the Parks Commission. Despite a discussion that The only resident to turned contentious at times ery Road – has yet to be the FDPA would cover, a approved. document called a memo- speak was Marc Jones –the Alderperson Feb. 28, an agreement with former mayoral candidate the city will allow engineer- Ald. Patrick Stern (Dist. randum of understanding. A District 4, Seat 7 City of Fitchburg 2), who sits on the Finance few alders said the process who finished third in the ing work to begin on the pro- Feb. 21 primary – who said posed Fitchburg dog park. committee, moved to deny created a sense of inevitabil- “In the upcoming Election in the City of Fitchburg, I urge the agreement after the com- ity that the dog park would he supports the dog park The Common Council was but wants to make sure Fitchburg residents in District 4 to vote for Tom Clauder. set to consider an agreement mittee voted against it. But get built, criticizing the entire As chairperson of the Town of Madison, I have had the Ald. Jake Johnson (D-4), process of the park’s devel- the city is “frugal,” does it with the Fitchburg Dog Park “smart” and includes prop- opportunity to work with Tom on City issues. We also Advocates to outline what who founded the FDPA, said opment. worked on City & Villages Association topics. Tom works not approving it Tuesday The Parks Commission er screening to respect the the group and city would neighbors to the north. hard to represent all of the City of Fitchburg interests. each pay for, including costs would kill the project. passed the dog park site Please vote for Tom as your representative of engineering to create a site “The dog park is done if plan at its March 2 meeting, Site plan for District 4 and all of Fitchburg.” plan. we (deny) this,” Johnson and the Plan Commission is said. expected to discuss it later The Parks Commission Jim Campbell, Chairperson While some alders were not ready to approve the full The council ultimately this month. recommended approval Town of Madison agreement, they came to a approved the city’s $3,800 of the dog park site plan compromise, to pay for engi- for part of the engineering Contact Scott Girard at March 2, which Common on April 4th neering costs now and work costs, with the other $1,200 [email protected] Council will likely con- out the other issues at a lat- needed at this time expect- and follow him on Twitter sider for final approval VOTE March 28.