VOL. 127, NO. 13 THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019 MIDDLETONTIMES.COM SINGLE COPY PRICE: $1.25 Renewal with Fire Bill Chang Named Cross Plains Village Administrator By Rob Westerlund overseeing the day to day ad- Times-Tribune ministrative tasks necessary for CROSS PLAINS–The Cross city operations through the im- Plains Village Board voted on plementation of policies crafted March 21, to hire Bill Chang, by the common council and util- the current City Administrator ity commission. He prepared the of Arcadia, as city budget with the new village assistance from administra- all city depart- tor and clerk. ment heads, di- Chang will be rected internal replacing Cait- city operations lin Stene who and external had previously relations, heard served as ad- concerns and ministrator/ requests from treasurer/clerk the community, from Oct. 2016- and advised the Jan. 2019. Mike mayor, common Axon, who has Bill Chang council, and been acting as other boards and the interim administrator/clerk, commissions. will return to his role as director In Chang’s new role in Cross Michelle Phillips-Times Tribune of Parks and Recreation. Plains, he will have many re- Chang’s, who was city ad- sponsibilities, including direct- Mike Healy of Adaptive Restoration watches the flames as he burns off a field near the bike trail at Parview Rd. and ministrator of Arcadia since See Chang, page 14 Fairway Pl. on March 22. Prescribed burns help to renew the land and allow desirable plants to grow. Feb. 2015, was responsible for School Board Approves Public Comments Collected District Solar Agreement for CHC Tranmission Line By Michelle Phillips worries is health concerns over he stated. By Cameron Bren be the largest solar array in the Mavroulis said. Times-Tribune Times-Tribune the high voltage lines in which The landscape and ecosys- state. At least for a little while, A model of potential energy MIDDLETON–Dozens of some studies have shown to af- tem of the unique Driftless Area MIDDLETON–The Middle- before Madison moves ahead savings presented to the board citizens from around the Drift- fect brain development in chil- were touched upon again and ton-Cross Plains school board with a similar project and Dane estimates the agreement will less Area, as well as those dren or cause leukemia. Though again. Mary Sprague told the approved an agreement with the County Regional Airport. save the district about $28,000 across the southwest section of the National Cancer Institute has crowd that everything would City of Middleton and Madison School district superintendent annually over the 30-year the state, came out to give public decried the claims that electro- be threatened by the line and Gas and Electric (MGE) for a George Mavroulis said the dis- agreement. comments on the Federal Draft magnetic field (EMF) emissions said Military Road Trail would long-term subscription to the trict was approached by MGE “As you can see there are Environmental Impact State- are harmful. be “horribly scarred” by the community solar project being Scott Schmitt and asked to be significant energy savings but ment (EIS) for the Cardinal Frank Sandner expressed construction of the power lines installed at Morey Field Mu- part of the project. even more importantly what is Hickory Creek (CHC) transmis- concern over the lines proxim- and surrounding area would see nicipal Airport. “This is a project we are ex- does for the environment and sion line posed by American ity to schools and children ex- reduce revenue from recreation. As part of the effort to reach tremely excited to be a part of,” reducing our footprint and uti- Transmission Company (ATC). posed to EMFs. “There are four “We have to protect the thou- 100 percent renewable energy Mavroulis said. “We were in- lizing green energy in a really The line would run 120 miles schools that I know of that are sands like me that have donated use by city government by the vited to be a part of this project creative way,” Mavroulis said. from Dubuque, IA to the Town affected by this project. In the millions of volunteer hours,” she year 2040, the city partnered and it is very unique, very few Mavroulis touted one of the of Middleton in western Dane written information I submitted, added. with OneEnergyRenewables like it in the United States.” major benefits of the agreement County. I cited a list of studies that say Representatives for RUS and MGE to create what will Mavroulis said the district’s being that the district won’t The meeting, held on March there is evidence that developing and SWCA, the environmental legal counsel worked with have to deal with maintenance 20 at the Marriott Madison West brains in and electromagnetic consulting firm conducting the MGE’s and the city’s legal or investing in equipment. in Middleton, offered a chance field poses a danger.” He told meetings, refused to answer counsel to develop the agree- “We have no capital costs, for people to state their concerns the crowd. questions of the crowd and re- ment. basically Scott came to us and or support for the line and was “I live in Barneveld school minded it was for comments “It was a very collaborative ef- said ‘how would you like to be conducted by the USDA Rural district where we recently only. They would not answer fort to reach this agreement,” a part of this,’ and your energy Utilities Service (RUS). Not a passed a referendum taxing the Times-Tribune’s questions bills will drop,” Mavroulis said. single person spoke in support ourselves substantially for im- after the event, and at press time, Table of Contents “We said what is the catch and of the line, and when asked by provements to our school. Work emails to the agency went unan- Local 1-3, 12 there really wasn’t any.” one of the commenters for a is in progress on those improve- swered. Board member Sean Hyland show of hands as to who sup- ments. Now we learn our kids The preferred line is one of how the rate structures would ported the line, not one hand will be going to school near and seven options for the project. Opinion 4 be impacted at each building. went up. unnecessary, 345kV power line. The other options include five Schmitt said the agreement This was the sixth and final That’s seven hours a day for six additional routes through Wis- Lifestyles 5 would emulate having solar meeting conducted by RUS, years,” he continued. consin, and the seventh option panels at each of the school dis- which included two in Iowa. Dr. Another concern that re- is no action, which means not trict buildings. He said a por- Gloria Belkin, who spoke out sounded with the crowd was building the line at all. The lat- Election 6-10 tion of the solar array would be against the power lines attended property values. Multiple indi- ter of which seems to be the pre- designated to the district and as all of the meetings and said that viduals took to the podium and ferred action of most. County 11 long as it is generating energy the reception was about the same told of how their property values Copies of the EIS can be that would reduce the cost at at each location. She added that would decline if the line runs downloaded at cardinal-hicko- each building. there were accusations against through or near their property. rycreek.com. Written comments Cross Plains 13-14 Schmitt said once the agree- ATC at a meeting in Peosta, IA, One person said the reduction in are due by April 1 and can be ment was approved by the city claiming they had been lied to value would be 15-40 percent. submitted at comments@cardi- Sports 15-22 council it would be submitted an elderly woman to get her to Dan Bower of Mt. Horeb said nalhickorycreekeis.us. Mailed to the state’s Public Service turn over land for the project. the preferred line runs 150 ft. letters must be postmarked no Commission (PSC) for ap- About 20 people gave com- from his house and he has been later than April 1, and sent to: Legals 18-24 proval. The council approved ments, each to last no more than told his property value would SWCA Environmental Consul- the agreement unanimously five minutes, and cited a range drop by 40 percent. “That is just tants, ATTN: Cardinal Hickory Help Wanted 23-24 and is scheduled for review by of concerns over the transmis- a hard number to swallow–it’s Creek EIS, 80 Emerson LN. Ste the PSC. sion lines. One of the main going right through my place,” 1306, Bridgeville, PA 15017. PAGE 2 TIMES-TRIBUNE THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019 LOCAL Middleton Senior Center Serves Entire Community By Michelle Phillips event, May 8, will honor 12 teers, or even buy a greeting city and donations and in addi- Times-Tribune veterans and begin with break- from a rack full cards in the tion to Derrickson, has five full MIDDLETON–When fast at 8 a.m. Those interested facility. time employees and two part April Events Tammy Derrickson came on as in receiving a quilt can apply at The center also opens itself time employees. It relies heav- the director of the Middleton the center. up to groups in the community, ily on volunteers, with a core April 3, 11:30 a.m.-12:30p.m.–Apple Annie the Clown. The main focus, of course, providing a centrally located Senior Center six months ago, group of about 22, and more April 9, 11:30 a.m.–Library Work Day with library direc- she saw its downtown location is senior citizens and helping meeting place.