Last CHC Hearing Draws Large Crowd
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Cool, damp weather may have delayed some of the produce at local farmers markets, but seasonal favorites like strawberries, asparagus and greens are available, along with a host of other foods, handmade items and fun! See our story on Middleton and Cross Plains farmers markets, pages 10 & 11. VOL. 127, NO. 27 THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019 MIDDLETONTIMES.COM SINGLE COPY PRICE: $1.25 Last CHC Hearing Draws Large Crowd Meter Increase for Fire Protection in Effect as of July 1 By Michelle Phillips of municipalities still use the Times-Tribune tax levy system, according to MIDDLETON–A change in the PSC. Cities around Dane the way public fire protection County have now switched to fees are collected went into the water meter system for fire effect on July 1. The City of protection fees. Middleton will now place a fee The public fire protection on water meters based on the charge covers the cost of fire- size of the meter. The fee had fighting and extra capacity previously been a part of prop- needed in the system to pro- erty taxes. vide enough water to fight a fire State imposed tax levy lim- within the water utility district. its for cities in Wisconsin have Costs include a portion of wells, caused municipalities to come pumps, storage facilities, water up with new ways to collect the mains, hydrants, and an esti- tax, which is regulated by the mated quantity of water used Wisconsin Public Service Com- for this purpose. The money is mission (PSC), and required for not used to fund the Middle- all cities, villages and towns. ton Fire District, but rather the The amount collected through Middleton Water Utility’s abil- property tax in Middleton was ity to provide water during a approximately $485,000 per fire. year. Statewide about 60 percent See Meters page 3 Stock Photo County Holds Public The stock photo above is merely listed as “in the United States,” but may offer a glimpse of how the rolling hills in the Driftless Area would appear if the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line is approved later this summer. At a hearing last week, area residents, community groups and business people turned out for one, last public hearing before the Public Hearing on Quarry Service Commission ahead of their vote. By Cameron Bren By Kevin Murphy Times-Tribune proposed to extend between Mount Horeb Area School and Randall doesn’t expect Times-Tribune the town of Middleton and District Superintendent Steve the line’s owner’s American SPRINGFIELD–The Dane County Planning and Develop- MADISON–It was their Dubuque, IA wasn’t wanted or Salemo was among the first Transmission Co., ITC, and ment Department held a public hearing on June 26 at the Town of last chance to tell the Public needed. to testify at the July 27 public Dairyland Power Cooperative, Springfield Town Hall to answer questions and provide informa- Service Commission of Wis- The crowd that overflowed hearing. Salemo said the need to give a second thought to the tion for residents who live near a proposed quarry expansion east consin (PSC) that a power line the PSC’s largest hearing room for the line is based on a false impact it would case. of Hwy 12 and south of Co Hwy K. Yahara Materials president to oppose the construction of premise that energy demand is “It’s hard to believe the util- Tim Geoghegan and Dane County Assistant Zoning Administra- the Cardinal-Hickory Creek increasing, He urged caution ity companies would monitor tor Daniel Everson responded to residents expressing concerns or (CHC) power line needed to be taken on a decision that will a 120-mile-long line for garlic asking questions. make the arguments that would have profound consequences on mustard. There needs to be a Yahara Materials submitted a revised reclamation plan for the convince the commissioners, the area. The impact on human management plan in place (for existing Meinholz Quarry for expanding sand, gravel and lime- who after more than two years health the electro-magnetic invasives) or it will be a disas- stone extraction in Dane County, which regulates quarries along of study, would vote this sum- fields the line would create ter for southern Wisconsin,” with the DNR. Because the land that Yahara Materials wants to mer on the line’s fate. needs further study. she said. expand their operation on was approved in a 1969 plan only an “The fullest impact of the Like others who were sworn amendment is required rather than a new plan entirely. lines are not yet realized,” he in and testified, Randall seemed A reclamation plan provides the intent from the landowner or Table of Contents said. exasperated that after investing quarry operator for how the land will be used once the extrac- tion is complete. In the case of Meinholz Quarry reclamation plan Local 1-3, 5, 10-11 Sherrill Randall, of Middle- in energy saving appliances and ton, described the “beautiful lighting, or burying their utility Geoghegan said the plan is to return it to agricultural use by filing valley and ridges,” of the famed lines, a major power line would it back in with soil. Opinion 4 Driftless Area the 345-kilovolt encroach on their property and Throughout the hearing both Geoghegan and Everson stressed line would cross on 150-foot- their lifestyle. that while the reclamation plan lays a path to agricultural use that could change, and the plan could be amended based on the changes Lifestyles 6-7 tall rusty steel poles. Including Many indicated that they the 120 acres that she and her moved away from urban areas in the market or development. Geoghegan said he could not give a husband, Doug, have worked to enjoy a rural lifestyle and definite outcome of the eventual land use. Cross Plains 8 to eradicate invasive species would move away if the power “Twenty-five years from now I can’t tell you what is going to and create habitat to encourage line was approved. happen. I’m not going to give you some sugarcoated answer, but that is our plan,” Geoghegan said. MHS Honor Roll 9 threatened bird species. Property values also were “We see owls, eagles and at stake. An owner of an IT Everson explained the history behind the reclamation plan say- hawks fly over ridges of the business said he would lose ing that it was passed by the legislature after quarries around the Sports 12-18 Wyoming Valley, but the line $200,000 to $400,000 from state had been abandoned. He noted that there have only a few would loom over the area for the value of his 17 acres in the cases where the state has had to take control of the quarry and it has never happened in Dane County. Legals 17-20 at-risk birds,” she said, which Town of Springdale if the line could pose a danger to them. crosses it. He doubted there Geoghegan said the reclamation plan initially is for agriculture Once a utility corridor is cut would be any compensation for but eventually could be anything, depending on who purchases the Help Wanted 20 through their property, inva- sive plant species will follow See CHC page 5 See Quarry page 3 PAGE 2 TIMES-TRIBUNE THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019 Westphals Recount 50 Years in US and as a Married Couple By Katherine Perreth The geology collection had dig in the mid-’80s. His worn Times-Tribune been growing from the 1800s, T-shirt reads, “I DIG Dinosaurs, MIDDLETON–No bones Westphal said, but was “not 1984 Faith S.D. U-Wisconsin about it, or rocks, minerals or good enough, for the needs.” Geology Museum.” For three fossils either, for that matter, the In fact, on his second day “field seasons,” students and love between Klaus and Marga- on the job, he received a phone volunteers excavated, he said, ret Westphal remains palpable. call from a teacher who wanted and then the university con- Their love story, beginning in to bring her students. Westphal structed a display. 1964 at university in Tübingen, dissuaded her. “It was dilapi- “Klaus was on a mission to Germany, still blooms as the dated,” he said of the collection. bring the first dinosaur to Wis- Middleton couple celebrated Soon another teacher called. He consin,” said Slaughter. And their 50th wedding anniversary suggested she take her class on although dinosaur replicas may on June 28. a field trip to Milwaukee to see be found in Madison, the Ge- “Our honeymoon was a a proper exhibit. That wasn’t ology Museum’s duck-billed boat ride over here to America, feasible, she said, so Westphal dinosaur is the only actual skel- through the St. Lawrence Sea- relented. “That was the begin- eton, he said. way,” Margaret said. ning of the tour program,” he It may be a favorite specimen “On the Poseidon,” chimed said with a wry grin. for children, but Westphal is in Klaus. They expected to stay Now, 52,000 visitors annu- loath to name his. “That’s like two or three years. ally come through on the tour asking a mother or father who In 1969, the University of program, said Dr. Richard is their favorite child,” he ex- Wisconsin (UW) Geology De- Slaughter, current director of plained. “They’re all special.” partment hired Dr. Klaus West- the museum. About 500,000 As director, Westphal insti- phal to become director of the have participated in the tour tuted one very special day for Geology Museum. He held that program in the past five de- the kiddies.