Presidential Posts

Thursday, April 21, 2011

DM e-News: Cleanups, Easter Egg Hunt, Bike stuff & more

Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood e-News  
                                                                                                           April 21, 2011


The DMN e-News and an occasional hard copy DMN News are published by the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association (DMNA) on an “as-needed” schedule.  The Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association, Inc. has been working to unite neighbors to solve mutual problems and promote fellowship among neighbors since 1973.
                President, Jeff Glazer, president@dunnsmarsh.org 277-1778
                News contact, Mary Mullen, communications@dunnsmarsh.org 298-0843
             Website: http://www.dunnsmarsh.org  
              On Facebook: http://facebook.com/note.php?note_id=378988848623
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Wow!  With Earth Day/Week and Spring, there’s no end of activities planned in and near the neighborhood.  No calendar this time.  Just check out the headlines and their dates.  Then read the articles that appeal to you.  The sun’s out at this minute, most of the snow has melted, and the grass is green as green can be.  Spring is here!  
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ARTICLES (All articles compiled or written by Mary Mullen unless noted otherwise.)

        EVENTS  (in order)
1 - Apache Pond Ground-Breaking Ceremony, April 23
(Attachment: “1 Pond/Marsh event map.jpg)
2 - Tentative Schedule for Apache Pond Construction Given
3 - Neighborhood-Wide Spring Clean-Ups , Saturday, April  23
                             
(Attachment: “1 Pond/Marsh event map.jpg”)
4 - Watershed Biking Tour Planned, April 23
5 - Fitchburg’s Spring 2011 Electronics Recycling & Shred Day Events, April 23
6 - Neighborhood Kids Invited to Hunt Easter Eggs, April 24
7 - Seminar for Condo Board Members, Leaders, & Unit Owners, April 30

                        (Attachment:  “2 Condo seminar flyer.jpg”)
8 - Bike Madison Spring Fair, Family Event, May 1 at Wright Middle School
9 - Arboretum Native Plant Sale, Saturday, May 7
10 - Teaching Safe Bicycling: “Train the Trainer” Workshop, Sat., May 7
                                   
(Attachment: “3 bike wkshp brochure.jpg”)
11 - Home Compost Bin Sale, May 7
12 - Worms Busy Making Tents
13 - Neighborhood Council Meets May 17
        
         The “ADS”
13a - Free Black Raspberry Plants
13b - Have a Handyman (or woman) to Recommend?
           
            GOVERNMENT
14- Local Election Results Give Fitchburg and Madison New Mayors
15 - How to Contact Our City Elected Officials
16 - How do the Budget Repair Bill and the Wisconsin State Budget Affect Metro Transit?
17 - Alder Brian Solomon’s Update from 4-13-11

          OTHER
18 - RSVP of Dane County Seeks Volunteers Age 55+
19 - 2011 Fitchburg Toilet Rebate Program Detailed
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ARTICLES

EVENTS  (in order)

1 - Apache Pond Ground-Breaking Ceremony, April 23 (Attachment: “1 Pond/Marsh event map.jpg)
 
The neighborhood is invited to attend the ground-breaking ceremony for the wet pond that will be constructed at the foot of Apache Drive at Crescent Road.  It starts at 8:30 am, Saturday, April 23 and will be held on the site.  Here’s the agenda.
 
8:30 am - Welcome (Rick Eilertson) and Introductions (Confirmed attendees so far include: Shawn Pfaff, Fitchburg Mayor; Dorothy Krause & Carol Poole, Fitchburg Alders and DMNA members; David Martin, RCC and DMNA member; Ed Bartell, City Forester/Naturalist; Holly Powell, Fitchburg Transportation Intern; Bonny Lundy, FACTv.)

8:35 am - Brief History of preservation of Lots 19 and 20, Belmar Plat - Mary Mullen, DMNA Communications

8:40 am - Brief Update on status and schedule of the Apache Drive Wet Pond project - Rick Eilertson, Fitchburg Environmental Engineer

8:45 am - Question/Answer session

~8:50 am - Begin Waterway Cleanup of Dunn's Marsh
                                                    from Rick Eilertson, Fitchburg Environmental Engineer

 
 

 
2 - Tentative Schedule for Apache Pond Construction Given

For the latest and most accurate plans for the Apache Drive wet pond construction, it would be best to attend the ground-breaking ceremony on Saturday, April 23, at the pond site at Crescent Road and Apache Drive.
 
However, tentative plans as of March 25 were as follows:
 
Week of April 25 - The Contractor (Iverson Construction) is anticipating starting construction work:     install erosion control, tree protection and tree trimming
 
Week of May 2 - Begin utility relocations and start grading for the pond.
 
Sun., May 22, 9am to 11am - A volunteer rain garden party is anticipated with the All Saints Lutheran Church Youth Group and area neighbors interested in participating.
 
Friday, June 24 - Grading work is anticipated to be completed.

Friday, August 12 - Final completion is anticipated in August 2011.

Fitchburg has a web page available at: http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/departments/cityHall/publicWorks/ApacheDrivePondConstruction.php <http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/departments/cityHall/publicWorks/ApacheDrivePondConstruction.php> for interested persons to keep updated on the Apache Drive Wet Pond progress.

Planners are currently putting identification and stormwater information signage ideas together for this pond and are interested in any signage ideas you may have (eg: Facility Identification sign, wet pond/stormwater drainage schematic showing how the pond works, native vegetation benefits, animals present - frogs, birds, etc.).

Please feel free to contact Rick Eilerston at rick.eilertson@city.fitchburg.wi.us <mailto:rick.eilertson@city.fitchburg.wi.us <mailto:rick.eilertson@city.fitchburg.wi.us> > 270-4264 direct, 235-0412 cell if you have any ideas or suggestions related to this information.
                                      based on information from Rick Eilertson
 
 
 
 
3 - Neighborhood-Wide Spring Clean-Ups , Saturday, April  23
                             
(Attachment: “1 Pond/Marsh event map.jpg” for the marsh clean-up)

Take a little time off from shopping for your Easter bonnet this Saturday before Easter by joining one of the three - yes, 3 - spring clean-ups in the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood.  They are an opportunity to have fun with neighbors as well as to clean up the unsightly litter that’s accumulated during the winter.
    
Adjacent to the Marsh…
You can start at 8:30 by attending the ground-breaking ceremony for the Apache pond on Crescent at the foot of Apache Drive. The agenda for the ceremony is detailed in the first e-News article.
 
The Dunn’s Marsh Waterway clean-up of the area below Crescent Road will start right after the very short ceremony and will run until about noon.
 
Volunteers are encouraged to wear boots and bring work gloves, but some gloves will be available.  Be forewarned: Restroom facilities are often not convenient to the planned cleanup locations.   Participants will go home with a free tote bag as a gift.

Allied Area…
Then at 10 a.m. join fellow cleaners at the Boys and Girls Club, 4619 Jenewein.  This group will be working in the Allied area from 10:00 until 2:00.

Avalon Village…
Your third choice is the Avalon Village area across from Walgreens. Meet at 10 am in the Community Room of Avalon Village offices, 4647 Atticus Way.   Kids who participate and return a bag of litter will receive an Easter basket.
 
 

4 - Watershed Biking Tour Planned, April 23

At 1 pm on Saturday, April 23rd, the Fitchburg Public Works Department will host a Watershed Bicycle Tour beginning on the Capital City State Trail at the Syene Road Trail Head.*  A state trail pass is required for the ride. Daily trail passes are available for purchase at the Syene Road Trail Head for $4. Riders needing to purchase a Trail Pass should bring a check or exact change.   
 
Rick Eilertson, City of Fitchburg Environmental Engineer, will lead the tour and provide information on stormwater management facilities and natural springs on the route.  Possible sites for recharging treated wastewater may also be explored during the tour.  The tour will be an easy ride, approximately 5 miles in length and 2 hours long.
 
*Further details on the Waterway Cleanup and Watershed Biking Tour Maps will be posted at www.city.fitchburg.wi.us <
http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us>  closer to the time of the events.
 
from Fitchburg Update, City of Fitchburg website
http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/documents/newsletter.pdf <http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/documents/newsletter.pdf>
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       rick.eilertson@city.fitchburg.wi.us <mailto:rick.eilertson@city.fitchburg.wi.us <mailto:rick.eilertson@city.fitchburg.wi.us> > 270-4264 direct, 235-0412 cell                                                                                                                                                                                                      
 
 


5 - Fitchburg’s Spring 2011 Electronics Recycling & Shred Day Events, April 23

The City of Fitchburg, Oak Bank, Surplus-IT, and Pellitteri Waste Systems have scheduled Fitchburg’s Spring 2011 Electronics Recycling & Shred Day Events on Saturday, April 23rd, starting at 7:30 a.m.
 
The Electronics Recycling Event will be held 7:30-11:30 a.m. at Surplus-IT’s warehouse (901 Watson Avenue).  Look for directional signage from the intersection of Fish Hatchery Road and Greenway Cross heading to the east.
 
Items Accepted:
Free!: Computers, LCD (Flat panel liquid crystal display) monitors, printers, stereo equipment, electronic media (cds, dvds, floppy disks, magnetic tape, etc .), styrofoam packing peanuts, lead acid and other recyclable batteries
                   $5 Charge: Microwaves, other Kitchen Electronics

                  $15 Charge: All CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) Monitors

                  $25 Charge: TVs less than 27”, Refrigerators, Dehumidifiers, Air Conditioners

                  $35 Charge: TVs 27” or larger

Please contact Lee Shinefield (Surplus-IT) at 209-8000, lee@surplus-IT.com or Rick Eilertson, Environmental Engineer, at 270-4264 or rick.eilertson@city.fitchburg.wi.us, with any questions about this event.
 
 
The Shred Day Event will be held 7:30-10:30 a.m. in Oak Bank’s parking lot at 5951 McKee Road.  Look for Pellitteri’s Shred Truck in the parking lot.  This event provides shredding to destroy your confidential paper documents.  Up to 5 bankers boxes of confidential paper documents can be shredded and recycled for FREE!   Please contact Jeff Potter (Pellitteri) @ 257-6232 ext 323,
jeffp@pellitteri.com
or Rick Eilertson, Environmental Engineer, @ 270-4264 or rick.eilertson@city.fitchburg.wi.us, with any questions about this even .
 
Information about other options for recycling may be found in Fitchburg’s 2009-2011 Recycling Guide on Fitchburg’s web page www.city.fitchburg.wi.us <
http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us> .  Hard copies are available in the Lobby of Fitchburg City Hall

from Fitchburg Update, City of Fitchburg website
http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/documents/newsletter.pdf





6 - Neighborhood Kids Invited to Hunt Easter Eggs, April 24

Hello!  We will be having an Easter egg hunt on Sunday, April 24th (Easter) at 10:15 a.m. at Prairie Unitarian Universalist Society, 2010 Whenona Drive.  This event is for children of nursery school age through 6th grade. Neighborhood kids are invited to participate in the hunt.
 
Eggs big and small will be hidden on the Prairie lawn and they will be filled with little goodies.
 
Parents are welcome to either help supervise their kids on the hunt or join adults in the church service.  There’s no obligation one way or the other.  Ordinarily, at Prairie, kids attend the first part of the service along with their parents, about 15 minutes. But, as mentioned, if neighborhood parents and kids just want to join the Easter egg hunt, come at 10:15.
 
The Sunday service, which starts at 10:00 am, will be a Freedom Seder. The Seder is a feast of freedom, remembering the triumph of an oppressed people over their oppressor. The Exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt has become a metaphor for deliverance from all types of bondage.   With the stunning events taking place right now all over the Middle East, this year’s Seder will be especially meaningful.
 
If you are interested in learning more about the Easter Egg Hunt, contact Rebecca Malke, Director of Religious Education, Prairie Unitarian Universalist Society at youthcoordinator@uuprairie.org <mailto:youthcoordinator@uuprairie.org>  or call her at 695-3435.
 
Prairie UU Society provides free use of their space for meetings of the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association, and in return, the Association carries news of special events to which the neighborhood in general is invited. Of course, as with most churches, visitors are welcome at any time.
                                                                        Invitation from Rebecca Malke
                   
 
 
 
7 - Seminar for Condo Board Members, Leaders, & Unit Owners, April 30
                        (Attachment:  “2 Condo seminar flyer.jpg”)

If you live in a condo as an owner, are a leader or board member of your condo association, this message is for you.  
 
You participate in a free 2-hour seminar from 9:00-11:00 am on Saturday, April 30.  Arrive at 8:30 a.m. for refreshments and on-site check-in.  The location is Stark Company Realtors, 702 N. High Point Rd., Madison.  
 
Many important topics will be covered including the nuts and bolts of running a condo association, what boards can do to prevent fraud, the importance of audits, steps to problem solving, and more.
 
Those planning to attend should register ahead of time so that seminar planners can made appropriate plans for refreshments and materials.
 
See the attachment for the registration form.  Call the Community Associations Institute- WI office if you have additional questions:  (262) 532-2440

 


8 - Bike Madison Spring Fair, Family Event, May 1 at Wright Middle School

Celebrate the return of spring and the promise of many fun-filled days of biking by participating in the first annual Bike Madison Spring Fair, on Sunday, May 1.  The Bike Madison Spring Fair is an opportunity to get ready for spring by learning or refreshing your skills with workshops such as Bike Maintenance 101, Bike Commuter 101 and many more.
 
This free, family-oriented event will feature Madison School Community Recreation kids’ activities, a chance to try out Metro Transit’s Rack-n-Roll program, and Madison Police Department Bike Tours
 
The Bike Madison Spring Fair will be held on Sunday, May 1, 2011, 11 am-3pm at Wright Middle School, 1717 Fish Hatchery Road.  It’s all free!  
 
For a complete list of the many events, go to http://www.cityofmadison.com/bikeMadisonSpringFair/
This event sounds like a real winner!
 
 
 
 
9 - Arboretum Native Plant Sale, Saturday, May 7

A tradition established in 1990, the Friends of the Arboretum Native Plant Sale takes place the Saturday before Mother's Day each May, offering a large crowd of enthusiastic gardeners more than a hundred species of native plants suitable for a variety of soil and light conditions.
No plants are dug from the wild. All are native to the area and, once established, require minimal care. During the sale, experts are available to answer questions. Members of Friends of the Arboretum receive a 10 percent discount on all plant purchases.
The 2011 Native Plant Sale takes place on May 7 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the large tents next to the Arboretum Visitor Center.  Get there by entering the Arboretum Drive just down the hill on Seminole Highway, north of the Beltline.  Available to buy are native grasses; woodland, prairie and savanna plants; trees and shrubs.
 
Native plant information sheets are available for the eighteen native shrubs, trees, vines and four plant mixes for prairie, savanna and rain gardens that are available to order.
Also check out the year-round garden tools and related merchandise for sale.
                                               information from UW Arboretum website
 



                                                                                
 
10 - Teaching Safe Bicycling: “Train the Trainer” Workshop, Sat., May 7
                                   
(Attachment: “3 bike wkshp brochure.jpg)
 
For information about how to teach kids safe bicycling, and why they get into the types of crashes they do (it's not the same reasons or same crash types as adults) there is a free class being offered in Fitchburg by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation on Saturday, May 7.
 
Although there is no fee for this training, participants must sign up ahead of time.   The brochure with registration blank is attached, or go to http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/vehicle/bicycle/docs/tsb-brochure.pdf    
 
Further questions can be directed to Larry Corsi, WIsDOT-BOTS (608) 267-3154 or larry.corsi@dot.wi.gov

Wouldn’t it be nice if a group of parents from our neighborhood would attend this workshop and then organize a training for our kids?



 
11 - Home Compost Bin Sale, May 7

The Dane County compost bin sale has been scheduled for Saturday, May 7th. Earth Machine home compost bins will be available for sale at the Alliant Energy Center, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Bins will be sold while supplies last.
 
The Earth Machine bins will be sold for $45 each (normally $100). Compost turners ($15 each) and Kitchen scrap pails ($7 each) are also available for purchase.
 
This is a one day only sale. It will be held rain or shine. Cash or checks only, no credit cards.  The bins will be sold on a first come, first served basis . No advanced registration is necessary.
 
The Earth Machine bin is made of black recycled plastic . It has a locking lid on the top and a door at the bottom for removing finished compost.  The bin is easy to assemble and the unassembled bin will fit in the back seat or truck on most automobiles.
 
Please check
http://www.cityofmadison.com/streets/compost/CompostBinSale.cfm <http://www.cityofmadison.com/streets/compost/CompostBinSale.cfm>  for further details as the event approaches.
 
from Fitchburg Update, City of Fitchburg website
http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/documents/newsletter.pdf <http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/documents/newsletter.pdf>

 
 


12 - Worms Busy Making Tents

No kidding.  Worms do make tents.
 
I’m not talking about the tent worms that weave tents in trees and defoliate them.  No, not at all. I’m talking about the ordinary angleworms that live in the ground.  They are the ones that are very busy making tents right now.
 
If you have left some leaves on the ground in your yard all winter, the worms are now coming to the surface and dragging them down into the ground to eat.  And then their castings fertilize your yard from below!  It’s nature’s way of raking your lawn and spreading fertilizer.  Nothing you have to do at all!
 
To see these worm tents, just look closely for little heaps of leaves about 3 inches in diameter and about an inch high.  Pick up one of these tiny piles.  Underneath each one, guess what you will see.  A worm hole!  Show your kids.  They’ll love discovering this little sign of wildlife at work.
 
Worm holes naturally aerate the soil too.
 
                                                                                    by Mary Mullen
 
 


13 - Neighborhood Council Meets May 17

The regular meeting of the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association Council will be held on Tuesday, May 17, 2011, at 7 pm at Prairie UU Society, corner of Whenona and Crawford Drives.
 
Any resident is welcome to attend.  As a courtesy, let President Jeff Glazer know in advance, 277-1778 or jglazer75@gmail.com


 
The “ADS”
 
The DMNA is offering residents the opportunity to advertise free items they want to give away.  Contact the e-News editor to get your free ad into the next newsletter.
 

13a - Free Black Raspberry Plants
I have an overabundance of black raspberry plants I’d like to give away free.  They are very hardy and are good producers.  Mary Mullen, 298-0843 or mmullen@chorus.net to make an appointment to come dig them.
 
 
13b - Have a Handyman (or woman) to Recommend?
One of our older neighborhood residents has asked for recommendationsfor a  “handyman” you have used who is both competent and reliable.  If you have had a good experience with a handyman or handywoman, please forward this information to the editor of the e-News.  
 

 
 
GOVERNMENT

14- Local Election Results Give Fitchburg and Madison New Mayors

Voters gave both Fitchburg and Madison new mayors, Shawn Pfaff for Fitchburg and Paul Soglin for Madison.
 
In aldermanic races, Fitchburg District 1 voters chose Dorothy Krause, a resident of the Dunn’s Marsh neighborhood, over Kevin Peterson and returned Carol Poole, also a neighborhood resident, to her position.  Carol ran unopposed.  In the Madison 10th District aldermanic race, Alder Brian Solomon won handily.
 
Fitchburg
Mayor (2-year term)
Shawn Pfaff 3,857  (54.56%)
Jay Allen (I) 3,165  (44.77%) [I=Incumbent: the person in office before the election]

City Council (2-year terms)
District 1, Seat 1
Dorothy Krause 566  (54.05%)

Kevin Peterson 478  (45.65%)
District 1, Seat 2
Carol Poole 833 (ran unopposed)
The turnout in Fitchburg District 1 was 46.8%.  Other Fitchburg districts had a turnout of 46.9%, 62.9%, 60.0%, and 55.2%.
 
 
 
Madison
           
Mayor
                        Paul Soglin  44,542 (49.76%)
                        
Dave Cieleswicz  43,829 (48.96%)
            
Madison City Council (2-year terms)
           District 10
Brian Solomon (I) 2,841 (69.24%)
Thomas Farley 1,233 (30.5%)

For complete results, go to http://www.countyofdane.com/clerk/elect2011b.html#race43  The results are from the official canvass as of  April 8, 2011, 12:19:24 pm.  Totals don’t add up to 100% because of write-in votes.



15 - How to Contact Our City Elected Officials

Open government is all about having access to elected officials so that they can hear our concerns and consider them as they conduct their meetings and make decisions. Here’s contact information for several very local officials.

Dorothy Krause, Fitchburg District 1, Seat 1 Alder
Phone: (608) 271-7532    e-mail: dorothy.krause@city.fitchburg.wi.us <mailto:dorothy.krause@city.fitchburg.wi.us>
2105 Apache Drive,Fitchburg, WI 53719
 
Carol Poole, Fitchburg District 1, Seat 2 Alder
Phone: (608) 273-3168     e-mail: carol.poole@city.fitchburg.wi.us
4518 Crescent Road, Fitchburg, WI 53711
 
Mayor Shawn Pfaff,  Fitchburg
Phone: (608) 278-8344 Office: (608) 270-4215   e-mail:  shawn.pfaff@city.fitchburg.wi.us <mailto:shawn.pfaff@city.fitchburg.wi.us>
5205 Day Lilly Place, Fitchburg WI 53711
 
Mayor Paul  Soglin, Madison
Phone: (608) 266-4611
https://www.cityofmadison.com/mayor/contact/mayor.cfm <file://localhost/mayor/contact/mayor.cfm>   will give you a web-based form to fill out.
City of Madison Mayor Paul Soglin | Mayor's Office, 210 MLK Jr Blvd, Room 403, City-County Building, Madison, WI 53703
 
Brian Solomon, Madison District 10 Alder
Phone: 608-294-9289     district10@cityofmadison.com   or briansolomon@charter.net
2148 West Lawn Ave, Madison, WI 53711

All-purpose contact information for city of Madison: https://www.cityofmadison.com/mayor/ <file://localhost/mayor>
This give access to many resources in the Mayor’s office and City Hall including “Report a Problem,” the city weekly meeting schedule, city committee information and more.  You can even volunteer to be on a city committee, board, or commission.  I recently had a successful result from using “Report a Problem” when I reported the pile of furniture on Britta that had not been picked up earlier.

 
 
16 - How do the Budget Repair Bill and the Wisconsin State Budget Affect Metro Transit?
Bus riders may have heard that the State of Wisconsin’s new budget laws will have an effect on bus service.  Will the Budget Repair Bill and the biennial budget affect Metro Transit?  

The short answer is that yes, they will. But the good news is that effects aren’t expected to hit until 2012.
Metro Transit and City of Madison staff have been carefully reviewing possible financial implications of the proposed Budget Repair Bill and state budget.  Metro has released a Question and Answer document to try to answer the many questions that passengers have been asking.

Below is a sampling of questions and answers.    The Full Q&A document, updated to April 14, can be accessed at http://www.cityofmadison.com/metro/BudgetEffects/index.cfm <http://www.cityofmadison.com/metro/BudgetEffects/index.cfm>

How do the Budget Repair Bill and the Wisconsin State Budget affect Metro?

Budget Repair Bill: Once in effect, there are elements in the bill that result in the elimination of collective bargaining by public labor unions. It is the opinion of the City of Madison that this elimination, or a significant reduction in collective bargaining, could put Metro’s federal transit funding at risk as according to Section 13(c) of the Federal Transit Act.

The Budget Repair Bill would only remove collective bargaining in situations where a current labor contract is not in place.

Metro Transit has a signed agreement with Teamster Local 695 currently in place through March of 2014. As a result, it is the opinion of city staff that losing federal funding due to violation of Section 13(c) of the Federal Transit Act is unlikely to be an issue until April, 2014.

With this signed contract, Metro and city staff will have time to carefully review the elements of the Budget Repair Bill with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and plan for whatever effects the bill could have on federal funding to Metro Transit.

Wisconsin State Budget: After initial analysis, staff estimate Metro Transit will lose approximately $1.8 million dollars in Wisconsin state aid starting in 2012. Also, transit funding would be removed from the State Segregated Transportation Fund and instead come out of the General Fund, which is potentially a less stable and reliable source for future public transportation funding. The General Fund supports education,
corrections, aids to low-income families, and many other public services.

Additionally, Madison, Middleton, Town of Madison, and Fitchburg will receive reductions in State Shared Revenue, which may impact the funding of their local share.

With this potential loss of funding, will Metro shut down?
           No. Metro will be looking at several measures to offset any possible budget cuts. These could include a potential new revenue source such as provided by a regional transit authority (RTA), an increase in fares and/or advertising revenues, and others. Expense cuts would also be considered for offsetting state budget cuts.

Will fares increase?
           To make up for budget shortfalls, every revenue-generating option will be considered. However, these budget cuts are not expected to occur until 2012. Metro supports the continued consideration of an RTA as a possible new revenue source.

These are some of the other questions that are addressed: When could this all happen? Will there be service cuts? Will Metro stop offering paratransit service? If other human service programs are reduced by budget proposals, will Metro Paratransit Services be available to persons who have funded trips or agency fares? Will budget cuts affect services in Middleton, Verona, Fitchburg and on the UW Campus? I’m hearing troubling rumors about the future of Metro Transit in Madison. Are they true? What can I do?

For current answers to these questions, go to http://www.cityofmadison.com/metro/BudgetEffects/index.cfm <http://www.cityofmadison.com/metro/BudgetEffects/index.cfm> .  For more information on this or other parts of Metro service, contact the Metro customer service center at (608) 266-4466 or email mymetrobus@cityofmadison.com.  Or visit www.mymetrobus.com <http://www.cityofmadison.com/metro/about/index.cfm> .


17 - Alder Brian Solomon’s Update from 4-13-11

Greetings D10 Neighbors. Hope this finds you well. I've added many names in the last couple weeks, so want to remind everyone: if you want to have your name removed from this list, please just let me know. Otherwise, hope this District 10 update is informative and hope it finds you well.
                                        Peace, Brian
 

Election: Alder. First, thank you to District 10 residents for their overwhelming show of support. It is an honor to serve you and I look forward to two more years. Second, I want to thank Tom Farley for running a spirited and respectful campaign. He has a beautiful family and I have a great deal of respect for the great work he does in the community (Chris Farley Foundation, ALRC, Madison Arts Commission). I wish him the best and look forward to continue working with him.

Election: Mayor
. I want to thank Mayor Dave for eight unbelievable years of service to our city. It was a pleasure getting to know Dave before becoming alder and working with Dave the last four years. Most of you know I supported Paul for Mayor because of my disagreements with Mayor Dave over some big priorities. I am really looking forward to working with our new Mayor. But I want to thank Mayor Dave for his incredible eight years of service.
 
Redistricting. The new proposed redistricting maps have come out and, sadly, I no longer live in District 10! We have a ways to go on this, but if the new maps were adopted, Alder Shiva Biedar-Sielaff and I would need to run against each other in 2013 if we both wanted to continue serving. The population in Madison truly is shifting, but I sure hope we can find some alternatives to the current proposal. Here are the maps, if interested:  http://legistar.cityofmadison.com/detailreport/matter.aspx?key=24099 <http://legistar.cityofmadison.com/detailreport/matter.aspx?key=24099> .
 
Alternate Side Parking Rules. Are over forever! Well, at least until November (hopefully it’ll feel like forever!). They ended on March 15th and don’t go back into effect until November 15th. One of the sweet joys of summer…
 
Upcoming Events:
Ø     Goose Management Listening Session. April 20, 6:30 – 8:00, Park Division’s Goodman Maintenance Facility (1402 Wingra Creek Parkway). For more info: www.cityofmadison.com/parks <http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks <http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks> > .
Ø     Recycling Opportunity. Clean and Green Middleton, Saturday April 23 from 9-1 at 1600 Aspen Commons near Greenway Station. Drop off for local charities and recycle all in one place. St Vinnies, ReStore, Kiwanis, and others will be on hand to collect clean and working clothing, household goods, furniture, eyeglasses and more. There will also be cell phone, scrap metal, non-tube flourescents, lawnmower (no gas), printer, and other recycling. And disposal of computers, TVs, stereo equiment, etc (for a fee). And paper shredding from 9 – 11 am. Visit http://www.ci.middleton.wi.us/ <http://www.ci.middleton.wi.us/> for more information.
Ø     10 for 10. On Saturday, June 11, participating Monroe Street businesses will offer a 10% discount all day to anyone who has purchased a card for $10. Cards will be offered to non-profits and schools in the area. The groups get to keep their profits. More to come…
Ø     Bike Safety Rodeo. Thursday, May 26 from 6:30 – 7:30 at Randall playground.
 
Southwest Bike Path: Monroe / Regent Crossing. I’m meeting with staff in late April to discuss. Project should get started in early May. Here is a link to current thoughts on the path crossing: http://www.cityofmadison.com/bikeMadison/planning/project.cfm?id=19 <http://www.cityofmadison.com/bikeMadison/planning/project.cfm?id=19> .
 

Allied Drive Update. Check out the article neighborhood president Selena Pettigrew and I wrote for today’s Cap Times: http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/article_296d564e-dde6-5099-9678-a5b1ccaec18f.html <http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/article_296d564e-dde6-5099-9678-a5b1ccaec18f.html>

Edgewatered. Not to reignite the debate, but I thought you’d be interested in this article that ran in the Isthmus a few weeks ago: http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=32902 <http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=32902> .
 
Sustainability Plan. Madison has worked hard on its newest sustainability plan. It is just draft at this point but is making the committee rounds (we discussed at last night’s Transit Parking Commission meeting) and is out for public comment. There is a survey, a Powerpoint, and a plan available at www.cityofmadison.com/sustainability <http://www.cityofmadison.com/sustainability <http://www.cityofmadison.com/sustainability> > . Please check it out and offer feedback!
 
 
OTHER

18 - RSVP of Dane County Seeks Volunteers Age 55+

       RSVP of Dane County, Inc. is recruiting seniors 55+ who are interested in making a difference in their community through volunteer service.  RSVP volunteers contribute their talents and energy working in a variety of non-profit agencies in the community.  If you are interested in volunteering, please contact info@rsvpdane.org or 238-7787.                                    from Nancy Madden nmadden@rsvpdane.ogr <mailto:nmadden@rsvpdane.ogr>



19 - 2011 Fitchburg Toilet Rebate Program Detailed
        The City of Fitchburg is offering rebates of up to $100 for residential properties who replace and dispose of their high water using toilets with EPA WaterSense-rated High Efficiency Toilet (HET) models.  Toilets eligible for rebate must be a HET (which use an average of 1.28 gallons per flush) and must be on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense list. Any toilet that meets the criteria and is purchased after January 1, 2011, will be eligible.  Rebates will be in the form of checks sent to the property owner of record; the check amount will not exceed the purchase price of the toilet.
         Participants in the program must be Fitchburg Utility District residential or commercial customers.  Qualified customers are those who own single-family homes, condos, or apartments built prior to 1994 which are serviced by the Utility.  Rebates are for replacement of existing larger-capacity toilets manufactured prior to 1994, and are not for new construction.  Rebates will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, until funding is no longer available.  
         The program is limited to one rebate per single family home, condo unit, or apartment unit, with a maximum of 5 rebates per apartment complex . Eligible replacement toilets must be HETs listed on the EPA WaterSense website.
         To apply for a toilet rebate please submit the original, dated sales receipt for the HET toilet showing the manufacturer’s model name and number, and a completed Toilet Rebate Application Form to the Fitchburg Utility . For additional program information and/or to obtain an application form, please visit our website @ www.city.fitchburg wi.us/public_works/forms.php
 
from Fitchburg Update, City of Fitchburg website
http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/documents/newsletter.pdf
           

-----end of the April 21, 2011 Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood e-News ---------------
                                              Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Neighborhood (more) News addition

Additional Remarks on Article 6a Even Locally, Campaign Finance Gives Pause for Thought”
(which appeared in the April 4, 2011 Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood e-News)
 

A response from a reader of the e-News prompts me to add to the article that is referenced above about campaign finance.  (Skip down to the fourth paragraph if you remember the article.)
 
In general, the article was about how campaign finance has been a hot issue since the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that corporations must be treated as if they were persons when it comes to financing electoral campaigns.
 
This led to a brief discussion in the article about the referenda that are on today’s ballot.  Both a Madison and a Dane County referendum let voters express their opinion about whether the U.S. Constitution should be amended to state that only human beings, not corporations, are entitled to constitutional rights and to establish that regulating political contributions and spending is not equivalent to limiting freedom of political speech.
 
An issue that many people have with the Supreme Court decision is that under the Court ruling it can be very difficult to know who is funding campaigns.  I then stated that “Knowing who contributes to a campaign and how much they give, might help with making a decision in the voting booth.”
 
At the end of the article, I looked at campaign finance reports from an aldermanic election in Fitchburg to  show how knowing about the funding might help a voter decide how to vote.  The reader suggested that I might want to disclose that I am the campaign treasurer for one of the candidates, Dorothy Krause.
 
I replied positively.  In fact, I noted that in preparing to write the article, I had thought of starting the article with that information, but when I widened the subject to focus first on the Supreme Court decision, I did not include it.
 
Of course, the facts from the 2 candidates’ campaign reports remain the same, regardless of this additional information.
 
I would also like to say that there are two other reasons for not including the fact that I am the treasurer for Dorothy Krause’s campaign.  One is that I thought that this knowledge could perhaps sway voters since I am well-known to readers of the e-News.
 
A second reason is that I did not want anyone think that the neighborhood association was endorsing her – or any candidate.  The bylaws of the DMNA do not permit the Association to endorse candidates.  
 
This does not prevent individuals who are members of the DMNA or members of the DMNA Council from endorsing whomever they wish to endorse (or oppose) as long as they don’t give the impression that they are or might be speaking for the DMNA.
 
The DMNA has not endorsed any candidate in this or any other race during this election or any past election.  The Association may take positions on issues and lobby as hard as it is able to on those issues.
 
You might ask why this information is coming to you so late on election day.  A couple of reasons. First, I didn’t see the message until about 8:30 pm last night, and I like to give myself a chance to think before I respond in a public forum.  Second, I served as an election official from 6:00 am until after 1:00 pm today, then needed to vote at my own polls, and then have some lunch. And finally, it does take time to write.
 
Oh, and by the way, I probably never would have in my life looked at a campaign finance report if I hadn’t had to file reports as treasurer in a campaign.  I took on the job reluctantly since I am already way too busy:  the tipping point was that I looked on the job as a learning experience.  I’ll tell you that Wisconsin does expect a lot of good record-keeping, and I think that’s good. The laws are in place to assure that candidates have a fair contest.  They are available to the public for the mere asking.  That’s what open government is about.
 
So, as long as I was turning in a report, I thought it would be interesting to look at the report of the opposing candidate.  When I turned in the March 21 report on the deadline date, I also filed an open records request for the other candidate.  I am always full of curiosity.
 
And that, in a nutshell, is how this part of the article even had a chance of seeing the light of day.
 
OK, enough of this.  For those of you who want to reread the original article, it’s included below.
                                                                                                                        Mary Mullen
 
 
 
6a - Even Locally, Campaign Finance Gives Pause for Thought
                                     
[originally in the 4-4-11 Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood e-News)

Is a corporation a person?  Is money (free) speech?  Who should be able to contribute to a campaign?  How much should they be able to contribute?  How much should they or the campaign have to divulge about their contributors?
 
These are issues that float up to the surface during every political campaign, or it might be more accurate to say that sometimes they explode like fireworks or bombs.  Funding a campaign is a nightmare or at least the substance for anxiety or bad dreams for the candidates.  It’s like a horserace, perhaps, to an impartial onlooker.  The rules are laid out in campaign finance law and the handbooks that go to a campaign treasurer.
 
A big dust storm has been raised by the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that declared that corporations are to be treated like persons for campaign finance.  Madison voters will have 2 chances to say how they feel about that decision.  Both Dane County and the City of Madison have a referendum on the ballot.  Those referenda ask if the U.S. Constitution should be amended to state that only human beings, not corporations, are entitled to constitutional rights and to establish that regulating political contributions and spending is not equivalent to limiting freedom of political speech.
 
A YES vote means the voter agrees that an amendment is needed to establish that a corporation isn’t a person.  A NO vote suggests that the voter may agree with the Supreme Court decision or just doesn’t think we should mess with the constitution for an issue like this.    Part of the argument for a YES vote has been that during this election – and all future elections unless the law is changed -  that it’s difficult to know who is funding campaigns.  Knowing who is supporting a candidate can be important in deciding which messages to believe or deciding which candidate to support.
 
Does this affect our most local elections of all – the aldermanic elections?  Well, knowing who contributes to a campaign and how much they give might help with making a decision in the voting booth.
 
Let’s take a case in point, the District 1, Seat 1 alder election in Fitchburg.  The two candidates are Kevin Peterson and Dorothy Krause.
 
A look at their campaign reports reveals that both have raised about $1,100.  So in this regard, they are running neck to neck.  This figure is from the most recent reporting period which ended March 21, 2011.
 
But what else can one learn from their reports?
 
First of all, they have different numbers of contributors.  Mr. Peterson had 10 contributors, and the highest 2 contributors each gave $250 each, while the lowest contributors gave $25.  Ms. Krause had 19 contributors, with the highest 2 individuals contributing $100 each, and the lowest giving $10.
 
Secondly, one might look at who the contributors are since all local campaign contributors who give more than $20 must be named and their addresses given.  Those giving over $100 must also list their employer and the employer’s address.
 
Here’s where more differences emerge.  Since Dorothy Krause had no individual contributors giving more than $100, their employers aren’t known.  However, Progressive Dane, a political committee, did contribute $200 to her campaign.
 
Kevin Peterson’s two biggest contributors were retired and thus did not have to give an employer. Another big contributor is the president of Brown Sales, a contract sewing company in Fitchburg, while the fourth is in the banking business at the Oak Bank in Fitchburg.  
 
Other Peterson contributors, although their employers aren’t given, are well-known names to residents of Madison or Fitchburg, since they are in real estate, development, or banking in the area.
 
For information about the content of their candidacy, one can always consult the League of Women Voters Candidates Answers at http://www.lwvdanecounty.org/content/fitchburg-alder
                                                                                                                       
by Mary Mullen                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
 
 

Monday, April 4, 2011

Neighborhood News 4-4-11


Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood e-News  
                                                                                   April 4, 2011


The DMN e-News and an occasional hard copy DMN News are published by the Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association (DMNA) on an “as-needed” schedule.  The Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association, Inc. has been working to unite neighbors to solve mutual problems and promote fellowship among neighbors since 1973.
                President, Jeff Glazer, president@dunnsmarsh.org 277-1778
                News contact, Mary Mullen, communications@dunnsmarsh.org 298-0843
               Website: http://www.dunnsmarsh.org  
              On Facebook: http://facebook.com/note.php?note_id=378988848623
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Editor’s Note:  This edition of the 4-4-11 e-News contains 2 articles not included in an edition sent to part of the neighborhood earlier in the day.  The additional articles are #1a about the prairie burn and #6a about campaign finance.  These articles will be provided separately to those who received the earlier edition.  No attachments this time.  (Yeah!  or Boo!?)
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Calendar
 
Mon., April 4, 6:30-8:30 pm – Garden registration.  
Boys & Girls Club, Jenewin Rd.

Tues., April 5, 7 am to 8 pm – Spring general election.  
Headstart Building on Red Arrow Trail near MacDonald’s for Madison residents, in Fitchburg at Fire Station #2, 5415 King James Way. (See articles 24-33 for ballot items.)
 
Wed., April 6, 5:30-7:30 pm – Verona Rd. Information Session with WisDOT about Whitney Way/Beltline improvements. Toki Middle School Gymnasium, 5606 Russet Road, Madison. (See article 25-33 for ballot items.)----

Tues., April 19, 7 pm – DMNA Council Meeting
Prairie UU Society Bldg., corner of Whenona & Crawford.  Any resident may attend, but only Council members may vote.  Notify President Jeff Glazer of your interest in attending.
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Articles

Nature in the Neighborhood                                                                                                                           
1 - Madison Versus the Beavers  
(Attachment: “Beaver work.jpg”)
1a - Prairie Burn Scheduled for Tuesday, April 5, South of Dunn’s Marsh

Voting & Government
2 - VOTE!  VOTE!  VOTE!  Tuesday, April 5
3 - Madison's Cab Companies are Providing Free Rides for Voters April 5
4 - Want to Vote, but Aren’t Registered? How to Register at the Polls
5 - Don’t Know if You Are Registered?
6 - If you can’t make it to the polls on April 5…
6a - Even Locally, Campaign Finance Gives Pause for Thought
7 - About the Governor’s Budget Bills

It’s the Law
8 - Law Requires Installation and Maintenance of Carbon Monoxide Alarms/Detectors In One- and     
    Two-Family Dwellings, effective February 01, 2011
9 - Illegal to Open Car Door Without Looking
10 - Flashing Yellow Arrow Allows Left Turn with Caution

Opportunities
11 - Terra Firma Newspaper Covers “News about Fitchburg & Slightly Beyond”
12 - For Women Interested in Careers in Engineering and Design
13 - Free First-Time Home Buyer Education Classes -  Every 2nd & 3rd Tuesday (Starts April 12)
14 - HospiceCare Offers Free Q & A Seminar on Advance Care Planning, April 12
15 - Healthcare Moves Toward Relaxing Hospice Eligibility
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ARTICLES

Nature in the Neighborhood

1 - Madison Versus the Beavers  

A short video on You-Tube highlights Dunn’s Marsh and the removal of a dam that a family of beavers built there. Over the past several years, beavers built a dam that raised the level of the marsh 2 or 3 feet.  
 
In the video, Madison stormwater engineer Greg Fries explains that the dam was partially responsible for flooding over Seminole Highway several times last spring.  That’s why it and the beavers had to go.
 
The dam was located about 250-300 feet west of Seminole Highway within the channel that runs to the culvert under Seminole Highway.  The entire channel is about 500 feet long from the open water of the marsh east to the culvert.
 
Maintenance crews went in with chest waders in August 2010 to remove dam material, but the beavers immediately started rebuilding. Madison then waited until January 2011 when the ground was well frozen.  Putting down “bog mats” – something like railroad ties lashed together – to protect the marsh soils from compacting under heavy equipment, engineers took in machinery to completely destroy the dam and dredge the channel.
 
Fries noted that this was the very first time in his 20 years of work for the City of Madison that beavers have ever been an issue in the City.
 
The You-Tube video can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaSeplYXI-A, or simply google “Madison versus the Beavers” to find it.  
 
The 2-minute video was created by neighborhood resident Patty Stockdale.  It features some footage of beavers at work – not our actual beavers – as well as a few sentences by the author of this article and a longer interview with Fries.
by Mary Mullen                           
                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
 
1a - Prairie Burn Scheduled for Tuesday, April 5, South of Dunn’s Marsh

Weather permitting, the City of Fitchburg will be conducting a prescribed burn at the Dawley Conservancy Park and Harlan Hills Park on Tuesday, April 5.  (So, no need to call the police or fire department if you see smoke just south of our neighborhood.)

The purpose of the burn is to promote native prairie vegetation regeneration in our attempt to recreate a prairie at this site.  Prescribed burns are an essential tool for restoring and maintaining prairie, oak savanna and oak woodland habitats.  These habitat types have declined dramatically throughout Wisconsin since initial European settlement in the mid 1800s.
 
 Despite the rarity of these habitats, healthy prairies, oak savannas and woodlands support a disproportionate amount of biodiversity and harbor many regionally rare and declining species.  The burns will be conducted by BioLogic Environmental Consulting, the company the City has hired to care for some of its prairies and conservancy areas.

BioLogic will provide the City up to 24 hours advance notice of the burn, and they will notify all appropriate authorities prior to the burn. Their burn crew consists of trained firefighters with all the equipment necessary to keep the fire under control. In preparation for the burn, BioLogic will be mowing or cutting vegetation around the areas to be burned. These temporary paths will be used to contain the fire within the park.
 
On the day of the burn, we ask that you avoid visiting the park until the burn is complete, so the burn crew may do their work safely and efficiently. The burn will be conducted on a day when weather conditions allow for a safe burn with minimal smoke impact on your neighborhood and local roads. However, we recommend keeping windows and doors closed to keep smoke or the smell of smoke out of your home.

For more information, please contact City Forester Ed Bartell at 608-270-4289 or Mike Healy, Restoration Ecologist with BioLogic Environmental Consulting, at 608.277.9960 or mhealy@gobiologic.com.  
 
For further details on the role of prescribed fire for maintaining oak woodland, oak savanna, and prairie, please visit:
http://www.prescribedfire.org/assets/documents/oakWoodlandFactsheet.pdf
http://www.prescribedfire.org/assets/documents/oakSavannaFactsheet.pdf
http://www.prescribedfire.org/assets/documents/tallgrassPrairieFactsheet.pdf
from Ed Bartell, City of Fitchburg Urban Forester & Naturalist



Voting & Government
 
2 - VOTE! VOTE!  VOTE!  Tuesday, April 5

Coming to you this Tuesday, April 5 – the chance to vote for alders, Mayor, County Executive, a Supreme Court Justice, and on a referendum about whether a corporation should be legally be considered the same as a person.
 
In our neighborhood, Madison voters go to the Head Start building on Red Arrow Trail near MacDonald’s.
 
Fitchburg voters from the neighborhood vote at Fitchburg Fire Station #2, 5415 King James Way, near the intersection of Verona Road and Co. Hy. PD.
 
By now, if you watch television or read any local newspapers, you should be well-informed about the candidates.  Several races offer stark contrasts between the candidates.  In others, the differences are more nuanced.
 
Recent events in Madison suggest that the candidates we elect make a huge difference in what happens.
 
For a very brief thumbnail sketch of the races
                                                                                                by Mary Mullen
 
 
 
3 - Madison's Cab Companies are Providing Free Rides for Voters April 5

Union Cab and Badger Cab will be driving people to the polls between 7 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on April 5. Union Cab said this service allows everyone in the community to have a voice next Tuesday. Their marketing manager, John McNamara, said it's often the case that those who live furthest from their polling place are also the ones who don't have access to transportation.
 
"People who normally might not feel enfranchised, specifically because they have to cross a six lane highway, and walk a mile and a half, or take an hour long bus ride to get to their polling place, for those people, this definitely is going to allow them to really feel more able to vote," McNamara said.
 
This is the first time these companies are opening up their services to the public.
 
People are encouraged to set up times in advance if they know when they'd like to go to the polls. To set up a ride, call 242-2000 or 256-5566.
 
           This article originally appeared on the Channel 3000 website at                  
           http://www.channel3000.com/news/27365742/detail.html and is used with permission.
 
 
 
4 - Want to Vote, but Aren’t Registered?  How to Register at the Polls

Q:  Can I vote if I’m not pre-registered?
A:  Yes, if you bring to the polls all the proper documentation required for registration.
 
Q:  What documentation is needed in order to register at the polls?
A:  Two items
  1. If you have a valid Wisconsin driver’s license or Wisconsin state ID card, you must be able to provide its number.  You do NOT have to show it election officials.  If you do not have a Wisconsin driver’s license, you must provide your Social Security number.
  2. Proof of residence that shows your current and complete name and your current and complete residential address. (P.O. boxes are NOT proof of residence.) Many items are allowed as proof of residence, but the one you use must show the address where you live now.  You must have lived there for 10 days.   Any of these are legal proof of residence.

·     A current and valid Wisconsin driver license.
·     A current and valid Wisconsin identification card.
·     Any other official identification card or license issued by a Wisconsin governmental body or unit.
·     Any identification card issued by an employer in the normal course of business and bearing a photo of the card holder, but not including a business card.
·     A real estate tax bill or receipt for the current year or the year preceding the date of the election.
·     A residential lease which is effective for a period that includes election day (NOT for first-time voters registering by mail).
·     A university or Edgewood College ID, if you are on the certified housing list (must include photo).
·     A gas, electric or telephone service statement (utility bill) for the period commencing not earlier than 90 days before election day.
·     Bank statement.
·     Paycheck.
·     A check or other document issued by a unit of government.

Q:  Do I need to show ID at the polls?
A:  No. No one needs to show ID unless you are registering for the first time and choose one of the ID items above as proof of residence.  There is a legislative proposal that would require voters to show ID at the polls, but that bill has not passed.  Nothing has changed since the last election.  (At election training, the Madison trainer mentioned that the legislature may also pass a law requiring every voter to sign the election list.)
 
Q:  What are the requirements for voter eligibility?
1.     United States Citizen
2.  Age 18 or older by Election Day
3.  Resident of your municipality (Madison or Fitchburg)  for at least 10 days before the election
4.     If convicted of a felony, have completed the terms of you sentence including probation, parole, or extended supervision (Be “off paper.”

 

5 - Don’t Know if You Are Registered?

If you are not sure if you are registered, you can look up your voter registration.  Start at https://vpa.wi.gov/ and click on the first link:  Look up your voter registration and polling place location.
 
Here you can also view your voting history, your absentee ballot status (if you voted absentee), see who is currently in office, and view a sample ballot.
 
This is an interesting site.  I found out that I first registered on 6-12-64.  My voting history on this site starts in 1986, and shows that I voted in 79 elections since then.  Data may be incomplete prior to 2006.  Mine was incomplete since I know I voted ever since 1964.
 
 

6 - If you can’t make it to the polls on April 5…

If you know a day or more ahead of time that you won’t be able to go to the polls on April 5, you may vote absentee at your city clerk’s office.
 
In both Madison and Fitchburg, you can vote the week before the election up until Saturday noon, April 3. You can also vote absentee in the clerk’s office on Monday April 4.
 
In Madison, the clerk’s office is in the City-County Building.  In Fitchburg, it is in the City Hall on Lacy Road.



6a -  Even Locally, Campaign Finance Gives Pause for Thought

Is a corporation a person?  Is money (free) speech?  Who should be able to contribute to a campaign?  How much should they be able to contribute?  How much should they or the campaign have to divulge about their contributors?
 
These are issues that float up to the surface during every political campaign, or it might be more accurate to say that sometimes they explode like fireworks or bombs.  Funding a campaign is a nightmare or at least the substance for anxiety or bad dreams for the candidates.  It’s like a horserace, perhaps, to an impartial onlooker.  The rules are laid out in campaign finance law and the handbooks that go to a campaign treasurer.
 
A big dust storm has been raised by the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that declared that corporations are to be treated like persons for campaign finance.  Madison voters will have 2 chances to say how they feel about that decision.  Both Dane County and the City of Madison have a referendum on the ballot.  Those referenda ask if the U.S. Constitution should be amended to state that only human beings, not corporations, are entitled to constitutional rights and to establish that regulating political contributions and spending is not equivalent to limiting freedom of political speech.
 
A YES vote means the voter agrees that an amendment is needed to establish that a corporation isn’t a person.  A NO vote suggests that the voter may agree with the Supreme Court decision or just doesn’t think we should mess with the constitution for an issue like this.    Part of the argument for a YES vote has been that during this election – and all future elections unless the law is changes -  that it’s difficult to know who is funding campaigns.  Knowing who is supporting a candidate can be important in deciding which messages to believe or deciding which candidate to support.
 
Does this affect our most local elections of all – the aldermanic elections?  Well, knowing who contributes to a campaign and how much they give, might help with making a decision in the voting booth.
 
Let’s take a case in point, the District 1, Seat 1 alder election in Fitchburg.  The two candidates are Kevin Peterson and Dorothy Krause.
 
A look at their campaign reports reveals that both have raised about $1,100.  So in this regard, they are running neck to neck.  This figure is from the most recent reporting period which ended March 21, 2011.  
 
But what else can one learn from their reports?
 
First of all, they have different numbers of contributors.  Mr. Peterson had 10 contributors, and the highest 2 contributors each gave $250 each, while the lowest contributors gave $25.  Ms. Krause had 19 contributors, with the highest 2 individuals contributing $100 each, and the lowest giving $10.
 
Secondly, one might look at who the contributors are since all local campaign contributors who give more than $20 must be named and their addresses given.  Those giving over $100 must also list their employer and the employer’s address.
 
Here’s where more differences emerge.  Since Dorothy Krause had no individual contributors, their employers aren’t known.  However, Progressive Dane, a political committee, did contribute $200 to her campaign.
 
Kevin Peterson’s two biggest contributors were retired and thus did not have to give an employer. Another big contributor is the president of Brown Sales, a contract sewing company in Fitchburg, while the fourth is in the banking business at the Oak Bank in Fitchburg.  
 
Other Peterson contributors, although their employers aren’t given, are well-known names to residents of Madison or Fitchburg, since they are in real estate, development, or banking in the area.
 
For information about the content of their candidacy, one can always consult the League of Women Voters Candidates Answers at http://www.lwvdanecounty.org/content/fitchburg-alder
                                                                        by Mary Mullen                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
 
 


7 - About the Governor’s Budget Bills

Who in Madison, or for that matter anywhere in the U.S., could avoid being aware of the Wisconsin budget protests that rocked the Capitol for weeks and still aren’t over?  Or who could have missed the fact that the Wisconsin legislature (Republicans in favor only) voted to strip most public unions of their collective bargaining rights?
 
But did you know that both the budget repair bill and his biennium (next 2 years) bill propose far, far more than that? Many proposals are controversial.
 
No doubt everyone knows that the budget repair bill would cut public workers’ take-home pay by requiring workers to pay more of their health insurance and pension costs.  (But this would not affect police or firefighters.) This bill also
  1. Allows the governor to sell state-owned power plants without a bidding process
  2. Takes away union organizing rights from some of the least well-paid workers who may be making only $10 an hour:  home health care workers and family child-care workers
  3. Completely strips employees of the UW Hospital and Clinics of their unions and repeals collective bargaining for UW faculty and staff
  4. Gets rid of 35 top civil service jobs in state agencies and instead makes them appointed positions that the governor fills with persons of his choice.  And more.

One proposal that probably isn’t controversial in any way is the one to restructure debt to take advantage of better interest rates.  (At least I think that’s the content and purpose of the proposal.)
 
The governor’s 1,345-page budget for the biennium (next 2 years) would affect many other areas including education, programs for senior citizens, the environment, and a lot more.
 
A very few of the many controversial proposals in this bill are highlighted below.  There are many more in the bill that has 1,345 pages.
 
1. $843 million in funding would be cut from school districts (about $550-560 cut per pupil) and funding for many school aid programs would be eliminated completely including aid for children-at-risk programs; alternative education grants; English for Southeast Asian children; grants for advanced placement courses; grants for alcohol and other drug abuse prevention and intervention programs; grants for improving pupil academic achievement; grants for nursing services; grants for preschool to grade 5 programs; grants for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs; and supplemental aid.  (But money freed up from these programs would be used to fun initiatives to improve elementary student reading and create a new student information system that would track how students do in school.)

2. Public schools would get even less funding since more can be diverted to independent charter schools, and caps would be lifted on the number of participants and income eligibility in the charter schools. In addition, teachers in independent charter schools would not have to meet the same stringent licensing requirements that public school teachers do.

3. There’s a  $71.6 million cut to technical college districts.

4. Those participating in the SeniorCare prescription drug program would also have also buy Part D Medicare drug coverage

5. It would eliminate the Wisconsin Arts Board as a state agency and transfer it to the Department of Tourism, cut the board’s staff from 10 positions to 4, and cut state funding for the arts by 73%.  (Currently Wisconsin is 38th among the states in arts funding according to the Arts Board.)

6. It would repeal the state’s recycling law and stop all state aid for recycling programs.

7. It would roll back rules to protect Wisconsin waters from toxic algal blooms.

8. It would reduce phosphorus and sedimentation limitations to that of surrounding states.

9. Several juvenile correctional facilities would be closed and the inmates moved to other facilities. Ethan Allen School in Waukesha would closed, and the inmates moved to Lincoln Hills School in Lincoln County.  The Southern Oaks Girls School in Racine County would be closed and the girls would be moved to Copper Lake School in Lincoln Hills.
 

If you are a bear for punishment, browse through the 116-page budget summary at http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/waow/walker_budget.pdf    The details don’t start until well into  the document.
 
There are surprises.  Right now the Department of Natural Resources is responsible for soil erosion control regulation.  This budget would transfer soil erosion control regulation for commercial sites to the Department of Regulation and Licensing which is being reorganized as the Department of Safety and Professional Services.
 
Check out the effects on schools on the website of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards: http://www.wasb.org/wasb-preliminary-analysis-of-governor-walkers-proposed-2011-13-state-budget.html

Hearings are being held on different parts of budget proposals now.
                                                                                                by Mary Mullen
  
 
It’s the Law

8 - Law Requires Installation and Maintenance of Carbon Monoxide Alarms/Detectors In One- and    
         Two-Family Dwellings, effective February 01, 2011

Carbon monoxide (CO) is the leading cause of accidental poisoning in the United States. The Wisconsin Legislature acted in 2010 to create statutory language requiring carbon monoxide detectors to be installed in all new and existing one and two family dwellings effective February 1, 2011.  This law requires carbon monoxide detector installation in all one and two family dwellings which have attached garages or contain any fuel burning appliances

What is Carbon Monoxide (CO)?
Carbon monoxide is often called, “The Silent Killer.” Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created as a byproduct of any fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) because of incomplete combustion of the fuel.

Can Carbon Monoxide Cause Poisoning?
Yes, carbon monoxide can cause poisoning.  High levels of carbon monoxide can be fatal, causing death within minutes.

What Are The Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include any or all of the following: short- ness of breath, nausea, dizziness, light headedness, flu-like symptoms, or headaches.

What Does This New Law Mean For Me?
• One-and two-family dwellings for which a building permit is issued on or after February 1, 2011 require carbon monoxide alarms that are interconnected and directly wired to the dwelling’s electrical service, with a backup battery supply.
• Existing dwellings (all structures in place before February 01, 2011) may use battery- powered, single station (stand-alone) alarms - they are not required to be interconnected.
• Alarms must be installed in the basement and on each floor level except the attic or garage.
 • The law applies only to dwellings that contain CO producing appliances/sources. CO
sources may include, but are not limited to: attached garages (vehicles), space heaters, fireplaces (wood or gas), supplementary heat sources, wood, pellet, etc ., stoves, gas supplied (LP or natural) water heaters, gas (LP or natural) supplied clothes dryers, gas appliances (LP or natural) used for cooking, or any sources that use coal, wood, petroleum products, or other fuels that will, or could, emit CO as a by-product of combustion.
 
Who Is Responsible For The Installation of Carbon Monoxide Detectors?
• The owner of the property is responsible for installations.
• Owners must repair or replace defective alarms within five (5) days of written notice from an occupant or an inspector.
• Authorized inspectors may enter dwellings to inspect alarms when requested by owners or occupants. • Tampering with any alarm device is illegal, dangerous, and can cause serious liability concerns.

Where Should Carbon Monoxide Alarms Be Installed?
• Carbon monoxide disperses in air much the way smoke does. You need to install Co alarms on every floor that contains one or more sleeping areas and in the basement.  Devices shall be installed within 21 feet of the centerline of the door of the sleeping areas in the exit (egress pathway.) If you have, or purchase, a combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarm, you do not need to install a stand alone carbon monoxide alarm . For existing homes you can install battery operated devices or you can also purchase units that plug into an outlet . These devices still need to be spaced accurately, but allow owners to use the building’s electrical system to power the devices.  Never install any detection device without always reading and following the manufacturer’s instructions .
• On floor levels that do not contain a sleeping area, a carbon monoxide alarm shall be installed in a common area on each floor level.

Where Can I Obtain A Carbon Monoxide Alarm & How Much Do They Cost?
• Carbon Monoxide Alarms can be purchased at a large variety of big box retail and hardware stores, as well as via the internet .
• The average cost of a carbon monoxide alarm can range from between $25 to $50 per device depending on the type.
• The alarms will be stand alone or combination units, powered by batteries, tied into the home’s electrical system or interconnected with battery backup.  Remember if your unit does not have battery backup, if you lose electrical power, you lose protection.
• Installation must follow manufacturers’ instructions. Those instructions are provided with all new devices either in the box or printed on the box.
Alarms used in Wisconsin must be listed and labeled by Underwriters Laboratories (UL2034). This is indicated on the package, as well as on the unit itself.
 
What Is The Life Span of a Carbon Monoxide Alarm?
The average life span of a carbon monoxide alarm is five (5) years. However, this life span may vary according to manufacturer. Always check the manufacturer’s instructions for confirmation of the life span of each unit.

How Often Do I Test My Carbon Monoxide Alarm(s)?
Test your carbon monoxide alarm once a month according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

How Do I Maintain My Carbon Monoxide Alarm(s)?
• At least monthly, use your vacuum cleaners hose attachment and upholstery brush to gently remove dust from the interior and exterior of your carbon monoxide alarms.  This is the same practice you should already be using with your smoke alarms.
• Install carbon monoxide alarms in locations free of heavy dust and away from household chemical fumes to help the alarm work best.
• Never paint a carbon monoxide alarm or any detection/alarm device.
 
What Should I Do If My Carbon Monoxide Alarm Sounds?
• Get all occupants in the building outdoors immediately.
• Call 9-1-1 from outside your home.
• Report all symptoms to emergency medical personnel that arrive on scene.
• Do not go back inside until the fire department advises that it is safe to do so.

from Fitchburg Update, City of Fitchburg website
http://www.city.fitchburg.wi.us/documents/newsletter.pdf

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

9 - Illegal to Open Car Door Without Looking

It's now Wisconsin law that people inside a motor vehicle need to look before opening their doors. If they hit a car/bike/person with their door, they can be cited. Not all law enforcement personnel are familiar with the change in law specifically protecting bicyclists, which was made in 2009.
 
The conflict in the law before was that it was illegal to obstruct traffic with your car door, but it was also illegal to bike within 3 feet of a car. Police assumed that if a bicyclist was hit by an opening car door, the bicyclist was too close, and the bicyclist could therefore be cited. The 3-foot rule was removed for bicyclists and the law was made more explicit to state that car doors cannot be opened into bicycles/bicyclists.
 
The impetus for the change was one of the pharmacists at Community Pharmacy, who was cited after being sent to the hospital for injuries she sustained when a motorist whacked her with their car door. She fought it and it got Fred Risser's and others' attention. So thank her next time you go to Community Pharmacy.
 
                                                Kathryn Kingsbury (Bikies listserve)
 


10 - Flashing Yellow Arrow Allows Left Turn with Caution

The City of Madison is implementing a new traffic signal display to provide a safer, more efficient left turn for motorists.  The flashing yellow arrow left-turn indication is a new type of display that can replace the circular green indication for left turns at selected signalized intersections.
 
How does it work? A flashing yellow arrow means left turns are allowed, but you must first yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians and then proceed with caution.
 
What should motorists do when approaching the flashing yellow left-turn signal?  Drivers should stop at the intersection, and yield to oncoming traffic.  When it is safe, make your left turn and proceed through the intersection. After it flashes, the flashing yellow left-turn arrow then becomes the steady (non-flashing) yellow left-turn arrow.  
 
Drivers should treat the steady yellow arrow just like a standard yellow light.  Prepare to stop before the red light appears.
 
One advantage of the flashing yellow arrow is that traffic engineers can control the signal so that during certain times of the day the flashing arrow is used and at other times of day the steady green arrow is used instead.  The steady green arrow means you can simply turn left.

To review signals and their meaning:
 
                         
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 
 
Opportunities
 
 
11 - Terra Firma Newspaper Covers “News about Fitchburg & Slightly Beyond”

Sometime back the Fitchburg Star stopped publishing.  A new newspaper, TerraFirma, has taken its place.  It’s a good place to read about Fitchburg news “& slightly beyond” as the masthead declares.
 
The March issue of TerraFirma is full of news and opinion about the two Fitchburg mayoral candidates. All of the Fitchburg alder candidates who have opposition are also featured in that issue.  
 
The hardcopy can be picked up free at local businesses and at the Fitchburg City Hall.  Subscriptions are $25 annually for residents and $35 for non-residents and can be ordered online at http://www.terrafirmafitchburg.com/ or sent to 2784 Ledgemont Street, Fitchburg, WI 53711
 
The online TerraFirma carries recent comments about the mayoral race and some of the major articles from back issues of the paper.  One article that might interest many people in our neighborhood is called “The Crumbling Arboretum.”  
 
Publisher/editor/sales/janitor duties at TerraFirma are all handled by Kurt Gutknecht.
                                                                                                        by Mary Mullen
 
 


12 - For Women Interested in Careers in Engineering and Design, April 13-23
 
Do you know a woman interested in entering a career in Engineering & Design?
 
Then tell her about the FREE Exploring Careers in Engineering & Design Workshop, a short-term, non-credit course sponsored by the Tools for Tomorrow:  Women in Trades & Technology Program.  The workshop runs from April 13 – 23, 2011 with classes scheduled for 3 evenings and 2 Saturdays taught by faculty with assistance from students and industry professionals.
 
Career areas include Architecture, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Design, Electronics and Electrical Engineering.  Information on financial aid and next steps for enrollment will also be provided.  And, if a woman has already narrowed her career search to one of these programs, she has the option of attending that class alone.
 
For more information contact, Mary Knight, Tools for Tomorrow:  Women in Trades & Technology Program, Madison Area Technical College, 2125 Commercial Ave., Madison, WI  53704
                       mknight@matcmadison.edu  (608) 246-5286
                       


13 - Free First-Time Home Buyer Education Classes -  Every 2nd & 3rd Tuesday (Starts April 12)

If you dream of owning a home, here’s a way to get prepared. Attend first-time home buyer education classes.  
 
Classes are held the second and third Tuesday of every month April through November, 6:00 to 9:30 pm. at 1922 S. Stoughton Road, Madison.  Call Project Home at 246-3737 to register. The April classes are on April 12 and 19.  
 
Potential home buyers must attend both sessions in order to qualify for a national home buyer education certificate.
 
In addition to the classes, home buyers will be able to receive one-on-one budget and credit counseling at GreenPath, Inc. local office. This one hour appointment, in addition to the 7 hours of classroom time, fulfills the minimum standard for national home buyer education certification programs.   These classes, based on the NeighborWorks America’s Realizing the American Dream curriculum and manual, will meet the certificate requirements for all down payment assistance and lending programs.
 
The first night is designed for anyone even remotely interested in purchasing a house and will include: budgeting/money management; credit including credit reports/scores and how to improve credit scores; mortgage basics including steps, ratios and prequalifying; overview of special lending programs and down payment assistance; fair lending practices; shopping for a home – what to consider; home buying team;  working with a realtor

The second night is designed for purchase ready home buyers and will include more detailed information about money matters, home inspection, homeowner’s insurance, home warranties, and the closing process and forms.
Information from Ellen Bernards EBernards@Greenpath.com
by way of the WI Dept. of Financial Institutions

 
 
 
14 - HospiceCare Offers Free Q & A Seminar on Advance Care Planning, April 12

Give a gift to your family:  advance care planning. A free Q & seminar is offered by HospiceCare on Tuesday, April 12, 6:30-8:00 pm at HospiceCare Inc., 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Madison, WI 53711.
 
This free session emphasizes the importance of making decisions about future medical care and sharing your wishes with your loved ones. This presentation provides the materials, documents and instruction that enable you to start the process of preparing an advance directive — either a Power of Attorney for Healthcare or a Living Will. Pre-registration is requested for this free community seminar.  Contact Carrie at (608) 327-7202 or carrie.glantz@hospicecareinc.com


 
 
15 - Healthcare Moves Toward Relaxing Hospice Eligibility

In the future, patients may be able to get curative treatment and hospice services simultaneously, thanks to a provision of the new healthcare reform law. The law calls on the Health and Human Services secretary to run several pilot projects testing the “concurrent care” model to determine whether it helps patients and saves Medicare money.
 
Currently, many patients and families struggle with a dilemma: They must give up curative treatment to receive end-of-life counseling and care. It’s a major reason many people resist entering hospice, sometimes until just days before they die.
 
This difficult trade-off would seem to make financial sense, but a program funded by Aetna Inc. proves otherwise. Aetna is one of the few private insurers that already allows patients to seek both aggressive treatments for life-limiting conditions and hospice services at the same time. The results?
 
After Aetna began its so-called “concurrent-care” program in 2004, the number of patients who decided to use hospice services nearly tripled, while their use of acute-care services, such as trips to the ER, dropped significantly. The company’s costs went down, and patients felt better.
 
While we await the results of Medicare’s concurrent-care pilots, parents of pediatric patients who are covered by Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program no longer have to choose between treatment and hospice. The “Concurrent Care for Children” section of the healthcare reform act allows children receiving curative treatment to have hospice services at the same time.
 
 “Typically with pediatric (chid) patients, the biggest struggle is that parents feel like they have to give up on their child,” says Carrie Cowan, Rock In-home Team Leader, describing the difficult choice between curative treatment and comfort care. “Parents cannot do that.”
 
Carrie’s team recently served a 9-year-old patient who’d been receiving care through UW Children’s Hospital for about 7 years. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act of 2010, the patient was able to continue receiving curative treatmentwhile also having hospice services. The patient’s father accepted hospice services because he didn’t have to give anything up—his daughter’s UW doctors, her place on the transplant list, her treatments and full-code status. It gave him something to hold on to as he made the transition from curative treatment to hospice.
 
The team’s goal was to educate the father so he would make good decisions. When faced with his daughter’s final crisis, her father chose comfort over treatment. “He knew the treatment would have been painful for her and that she would not have gotten better,” says Carrie. “My hope is that, at the end of the day, he will know that he was a good advocate for his daughter.”
                                                                                    from HospiceCare
 
 

----------END of the April 4, 2011 Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood e-News ------------
                     Thanks for reading.