SELL YOUR HOME EASIER! Local, Experienced & Trusted Get the RIGHT Real Estate Advice... Get Geiger JASON GEIGER It’s your paper! (608) 277-2167 Friday, October 10, 2014 • Vol. 1, No. 8 • Fitchburg, WI • ConnectFitchburg.com • $1 Office Next to Great Dane - Fitchburg GeigerRealtors.com adno=368693-01 Inside Study up on elections and the city budget plans Page 5 Schools Find out what’s in the Oregon referendum Page 14 Sports Network reaches across diverse groups to share ideas, resources SAMANTHA CHRISTIAN people in Fitchburg, 17.2 percent were Unified Newspaper Group Hispanic or Latino, 10.4 percent black or African American and 4.9 percent Asian. Fitchburg is a growing city with more Those numbers are nearly double what the ethnic, economic and religious diversity averages were for the state of Wisconsin, than most of Wisconsin. at 5.9, 6.3 and 2.3 percent, respectively. Rather than allowing these perceived Haslanger saw the city’s increasing differences to divide the community, an diversity and geography as a way for area unlikely pairing of faith leaders and city churches to reach out and cross some of officials created a dialogue that has taken the perceived racial, economic and ethnic on a life of its own. boundaries. Meanwhile, Pfaff was seeking VAHS girls golf From initiating the Good Neighbors Per- ways to keep various parts of Fitchburg – makes state sonal Essentials Pantry and coordinating particularly the developing northern Fish volunteer efforts at the senior center and Hatchery Road corridor and urban core – Page 18 area schools to acting as a support system connected as it became more diverse. ‘Fitchburg is a during times of crisis, groups that were “We are a microcosm of Dane County,” once simply discussing issues faced by the said Pfaff. “Fitchburg is a very complex Community very complex and community are now creating relationships, and diverse community with a lot of great diverse community branching off and finding solutions. attributes, but one of the things we needed “The (Fitchburg Faith Network and City to do is connect people.” Photos by Samantha Christian with a lot of great Leaders) as a whole has not taken action The city has taken steps to help create an or positions. It is more of a network- inclusive atmosphere among its residents, attributes, but one ing place,” said Pastor Phil Haslanger of who are split among three school districts. ‘It’s a really of the things we Memorial United Church of Christ. It built the Fitchburg Public Library in interesting This network began shortly after Mayor 2011 and collaborated with the Fitchburg needed to do is Shawn Pfaff was elected in 2011 hoping to Optimists for a splash pad in 2013. religious mix in this Fitchburg’s West connect people.’ improve Fitchburg’s sense of community But having grown up in a small town in community.’ and Haslanger studied findings from the western Wisconsin where the church and turns love of Shawn Pfaff 2010 U.S. Census Bureau. Phil Haslanger animals into a job The data showed that of the 25,000 Turn to Faith/Page 24 Page 27 Business The first goodbye a community education it easy,’” he said. “So I had Hartwig becomes first event, he was a bit stressed. to run home … I had to quick career firefighter to “I was telling my driver, get it out of the back room, ‘Keep moving, we gotta get and it’s kind of a mess of retire from Fitchburg there,’” he told the Star. old clothes as I’m sorting SCOTT GIRARD Worse, it was because he through this stuff.” Unified Newspaper Group hadn’t brought the neces- He was still buttoning sary clothing that they were up the shirt as the truck Mike Hartwig hates to be running late. The truck had pulled into the Station 1 late. to stop by his house, just parking lot off Lacy Road, This laser tag is So on his final day as about five minutes from when he looked up and not for kids a firefighter in the Fitch- Station 2, on the way so he noticed something was dif- burg Fire Department Sept. could grab the outfit. ferent from the commu- Page 30 26, when he and his truck “I didn’t bring in my Class nity education events he’s Photo by Scott Girard were a few minutes behind B uniform because I thought, Mike Hartwig had to wipe away tears after sharing hugs, hand- for what he thought was ‘Ah, we’re just going to take Turn to Retire/Page 26 shakes and stories with some of his colleagues. 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Unified Newspaper Group Neighborhood The start of fall may seem feedback Above,Jenny Skrenes, of Madison, tries to warm up her 3-year-old twin like a strange time to think sons Carson, left, and Cameron, right, during the event. about gardening, but the There was initial pushback topic has been weighing on from a few skeptical residents Left, Finn Meicher, 2, of Madison, gets an elevated view from a seat in a the minds of some Fitchburg who wanted to know why fire truck. residents in recent weeks. Greenfield Park was spe- The Park Commission cifically chosen rather than is considering a proposal another location in the city. to allow Fitchburg Fields, Thompson said Green- a nonprofit organization field Park seemed to be best that grows produce for area suited because of its current food pantries, to relocate use, accessibility to park- to a portion of a parcel of ing and water and perceived land attached to Greenfield neighborhood interest. Park for its operations come Some neighbors noted that springtime. most properties in the area The group had previ- already had large enough ously been cultivating a yards to accommodate a per- one-fifth-acre garden space sonal garden, eliminating the at the corner of Lacy Road need for neighborhood plots. and Fahey Glen through an However, a couple of agreement with a private people spoke up in sup- landowner since 2009. port of the idea, saying Amanda Hall, executive they wouldn’t mind having • Warm Water & Small Classes director of Fitchburg Fields, another spot to garden. approached the Park Com- Others brought up the • Baby Otters up to Rec Swim Team mission with the group’s concern that a garden might proposal to farm .25 acres bring an increase of traffic of Greenfield Park as a com- to the quiet street, posing Swim ◆ Believe ◆ Achieve munity garden, and then, in a safety threat. Questions consultation with the parks of who would pay for the department and city plan- water usage from the fire Ongoing Registration! ning office, offer neighbor- hydrant and whether or not hood plot portions of the rest the water pressure would be of the .9-acre parcel to indi- adequate were also raised. viduals/families. Some people also worried Although community gar- the gardens could be vandal- dens are permissible on city ized or neglected over time park property, this is the first and become an eyesore. • Open Family Swim • Birthday Parties time one would possibly be Although the community (608) 630-9800 established in a park in the members who were familiar adno=364753-01 City of Fitchburg, and the with Fitchburg Fields con- www.madisonswimacademy.comadno=372645-01 idea is causing some waves ceded that the organization’s 5200 Anton Drive, Madison WI 53719, Fitchburg in the neighborhood. garden had been well-kept, Photos by Samantha Christian they did not know what Tricky timeline would happen when the A frigid fire The Park Commission group managed neighbor- reviewed the proposal at its hood plots for the first time. open house Sept. 18 meeting and request- Overall, neighborhood resi- dents felt as though they were Despite the chilly, rainy and ed that a neighborhood meet- ing be held to present the pro- not being represented, that the even flurry weather Saturday, process was moving too fast 1845 Bus-Hwy 18-151 hundreds of children and posal to interested parties and www.camper-corral.com Mt. Horeb their families still came out gather feedback. and that the city had a history to explore the Fitchburg Fire A letter dated Sept. 19 of neglecting the park. Department’s Open House. notified residents living Potential solutions Above, a firefighter hands within 300 feet of Greenfield LOW Prices Everett Hietpas, 2, a sticker Park that a neighborhood Thompson addressed the while he and his brother meeting would be scheduled issues from the neighbor- Fall Clearance Sales Event Ethan Hietpas, 4, of Madison, for Oct.