Draft RTA Plans - Part 2

Part Two of the Draft RTA transit plan:



Plan for Transit



D. THE PROCESS





1. Public Participation



From its very first public meeting of March 4, 2010 the Dane County Regional Transit Authority has encouraged public comment on its role and assignment and no meeting has passed without the public offering comments.



The RTA guaranteed public participation in its work by adopting at its first meeting a resolution that it would not impose the statutorily permitted sales tax without a positive vote in a referendum by the voters of the RTA.



The RTA has rotated its meeting locations throughout the RTA geographic area to encourage citizens from around the region to be able to attend and comment. To date meetings have been held in the following communities.

The City of Madison

The City of Middleton

The City of Fitchburg

The City of Monona

The City of Sun Prairie

The City of Verona

The Village of Waunakee

The Village of Shorewood Hills

The Town of Westport



At meetings around the region local communities have presented information on comprehensive plans, land use plans, and transit plans. The RTA board members have been addressed or met with representatives of current transit operators and providers including Madison Metro which has other community partners, the Monona Lift, the Sun Prairie shared ride taxi system, and specialists in Elderly and Handicapped transit services. Transit Commissions have been consulted in Fitchburg, Sun Prairie, Monona, and Madison. Results from the Waunakee/Westport transit survey have been presented.



A web site DaneCountyRTA.org has been established which posts agendas and minutes of the RTA in addition to these being posted with the Dane County Clerk. Draft principles approved by the RTA for the transit plan have been posted. Links are provided to other sources of transit planning and information including the Madison Area MPO and Transport 2020.



2. Advisory Group



The RTA has formed an Advisory group of citizens to broaden participation in transit planning. The group includes additional municipal officials, members of several local transit commissions in the area, major employers and labor, business and environmental groups, and citizens. The Advisory Committee is expected to provide comments on draft documents and assist the planning process.



3. Ongoing Review of Planning



The RTA members have acknowledged the need for ongoing and more detailed planning beyond a plan for transit for voter consideration at a referendum. The Madison Area MPO does transit planning as part of the overall transportation planning for the area. The RTA does not seek to duplicate that work but rather build on it. The several transit operators and area municipal governments also do more detailed transit plans and the RTA will benefit from their efforts again avoiding duplication.



4. Local Government Input



Once a draft plan for transit is prepared local governments within the RTA area and in Dane County outside the RTA will be provided copies. The plan will be shared with the Madison Area MPO, which does comprehensive transportation planning including highways and other modes. Comments are welcomed.



5. Public Hearing



The RTA will hold a public hearing on the Plan for Transit. All are welcome to attend and voice concerns, comments, support or opposition.





6. Outreach and Education



Upon approval of a plan for transit services in the RTA area the RTA members will communicate the plan to the press, public bodies and citizens. RTA members appointed by specific jurisdictions will, as part of their ongoing relationships, present the plan to the appointing authorities. The plan for transit services will be on the RTA website. Again copies of the approved plan will be provided to local governments. Speaking engagements and media opportunities will be sought and welcomed.



7. Referendum



The RTA will seek support for the plan of transit services at a referendum of RTA voters at a regularly scheduled election.

Draft RTA Plans - Part 1

A draft transit plan from the Dane County RTA (three parts):



PLAN FOR TRANSIT


(12/21/10 Draft for Discussion Only)



A. THE WHAT- Scope of Regional Transit Services

While Dane County is one of the brightest stars in Wisconsin’s economy and is one of the fastest growing regions in the state, its transportation network is fragmented and lacks transit options that would benefit the region economically.



The goal of the Plan for Transit is to lay out the framework for an interconnected transportation network that focuses on improving the transit system on a regional level. The plan must be dynamic, adapting to changes in demographics and changes in development patterns that occur over time.



The transit system of Dane County’s future must be fully integrated into other modes of transportation, making a seamless connection for users whether they enter or exit the transit system on foot, by bicycle, from an automobile or as an airline passenger. The transit system must be cost effective and convenient for all users. We envision the transit system improving its service to passengers who rely completely on transit for mobility as well as those who choose transit for various reasons.



Building such a system will take time and improvements will need to be phased in over time. This Plan for Transit is broken into three phases of development. Phase 1 will focus on the immediate improvements needed for the system that would be operational within one year of adopting the plan by approval of a referendum. Phase 2 incorporates improvements that would be operational within two years of plan adoption. Phase 3 consists of long term improvements that require much additional study and further fiscal analysis before moving forward.



Phase 1



Expanded Local and Express Bus Service in the Dane County Regional Transit Authority Service Area.



Bus service is the primary form of transit within the region and will continue as the predominate form into the foreseeable future. Current service serves Madison residents fairly well with service in neighboring communities very limited.



• Regional Express Bus Service



Cost Range: $2,500,000 to $3,000,000



Phase 1 improvements would begin to address these shortcomings by providing new express bus service between Madison and seven neighboring communities: Sun Prairie, Waunakee, Westport, Verona, Fitchburg, McFarland and Stoughton. Service would consist of peak hour service with up to six buses between Madison and each community, depending on demand.



• Expanded Service Between Madison and Adjacent Communities



Cost Range: $1,500,000 to $2,000,000



Service between Madison and its immediate neighbors would be improved during Phase 1. Service between Madison and Monona, Cottage Grove, Middleton and Fitchburg would be expanded, allowing commuters in those communities better transit choices. New service would include half hour service during peak periods and hourly service throughout the day.



• Improved Service Within Current Metro Service Territory



Cost: $2,500,000 to $3,000,000



Madison Metro has several service deficiencies as a result of costs of service rising more rapidly than revenues. As a result, many commuters find themselves missing connections or experiencing inconveniences through delays and sub-optimal routes. Improvements in the core service area would benefit all riders by providing better connections and transfers.



Improvements would consist of increasing bus frequencies on three core routes (2,4 and 6) with 15 minute headways until 6:30 p.m.



Restored service from previous reductions includes increasing frequency of service on route 4, upgrading route 7 to route 3 on weekends and holidays and improving routes 16 and 18 so there will be significantly better coordination with arrivals at transfer points to facilitate transfers.



• Network of Strategically Located Park & Ride Lots



Cost: $18,225,000 capital, $750,000 (annual operating)

Note: Assumes 15 ‘typical’ park-and-ride locations throughout RTA area.







TODAY:



There are three well-used park-and-ride lots that are integrated with the existing transit system. The City of Madison operates the 167-stall North Transfer Point and 10-stall North Town Center (at the Northport and Sherman intersection) lots, while the State of Wisconsin operates the 227-stall Dutch Mill site (on East Broadway, near the interchange of the Beltline and Highway 51/Stoughton Road). In addition to fixed route transit, intercity buses currently serve the NTP and Dutch Mill sites. It should be noted that there are also numerous locations around the metro area where suburban drivers park near bus stops and utilize transit to reach their destination. Within Dane County, the State also operates seven peripheral park-and-ride lots that are not connected to the transit network. These facilitate primarily informal reverse-commuting and car pooling.



FUTURE:



The RTA will coordinate with WisDOT, the UW, MATC, and major employers on siting, developing, and operating up to 15 park & ride lots along major travel corridors near the edge of the metro area (ideally in conjunction with mixed use development) in addition to improving / expanding operations at existing park & ride sites. Planned or potential locations include:

• Highway 14 corridor near the Beltline in Middleton

• Near the Middleton Springs Shopping Center in Middleton

• Mineral Point Road west of the Beltline (in the vicinity of Pleasant View Road or Junction Road)

• Near the West Transfer Point and South Transfer Points

• Along the Fish Hatchery Road and Highway 14 corridors in Fitchburg

• Along Highway 51 in McFarland and Stoughton

• Cottage Grove Road near Grandview Commons

• Interstate 94 at Highway N (north of Cottage Grove)

• In the vicinity of Highways 19 and 151 in Sun Prairie

• Near the I-39/90/94 interchange with Highway 19 in Deforest

• Along Highway 113 near Waunakee.



To maximize utilization of the parking lots and transit system, it is necessary to link the transit and parking policies of the University of Wisconsin and other major employers and agencies.



Link to map showing potential and planned park & ride sites: http://www.madisonareampo.org/planning/documents/ParknRideUrban_Page.pdf



• Improved Elderly and Disabled Service



Cost: T.B.D.





TODAY:



Metro provides paratransit service on a demand responsive, advance reservation basis for persons who are unable to use Metro’s regular fixed-route service. Persons must be certified as eligible to receive the service in accordance with guidelines established by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Service is provided within three-quarters of a mile on each side of regular routes, excluding commuter routes, and is provided during the same hours that the fixed-routes operate. The service is provided door-to-door or curb-to-curb, depending upon the passenger’s needs. Metro provides directly operated service on weekdays, but contracts with private providers for weeknight and weekend service and other service that it does not have the capacity to handle.



The City of Monona contracts with a private provider for service, called Monona Lift, which is designed for the elderly and persons with disabilities, but is also available to the general public. The service is a point deviation system with scheduled stops at fixed checkpoints along a general route. Buses deviate up to three-quarters of a mile from the general route between the checkpoints to pick up/drop off elderly and disabled passengers with an advance reservation.



The Federal Transit Administration does not require ADA paratransit services to be provided in conjunction with certain types of fixed-route services, including commuter service. Nevertheless, it is Metro’s longstanding practice to maintain a fairly comprehensive paratransit service area.



FUTURE:



Metro Transit is currently systematically evaluating the costs associated with increasing elderly and disabled transportation services. Over time, the RTA will assess whether to expand the service area to, for example, one mile of fixed route service.





• Improved Shared Ride Taxi Service



Cost: T.B.D.





TODAY:



Shared-ride taxi service is a form of door-to-door, demand-responsive transit (i.e., no set routes or schedules) similar to the familiar taxicab service. The difference is that with shared-ride service, passengers with different origins and/or destinations may be transported simultaneously. Shared-ride taxi systems operate with scheduled service hours and days of operation. Requests for service may be made upon demand or up to 24 hours in advance. Subscription trips are accepted, but are purposely limited to ensure on-demand service.



Shared-ride taxi service is the best way to provide transit service in outlying, lower-density areas that have not been designed for efficient transit service and where there is ample free parking. Currently, the Cities of Marshall, Sun Prairie and Stoughton contract with private providers for this service, although Marshall is not located within the RTA service area.



FUTURE:



In Phase 1, this demand-responsive service will be offered to areas (communities and neighborhoods) currently lacking fixed-route transit service, at least into the early evening hours. Some communities, such as Verona, are already studying how the shared-ride taxi model could be used as a feeder service to a commuter bus route.



Future phases?



Link to map showing types of transit service: http://www.madisonareampo.org/maps/documents/SERVICES.PDF

Brewers Blogger Has Local Roots

I recently learned that Jim Breen, the blogger who broke the news about the Brewers' trade for pitching star Zack Greinke, grew up in Cottage Grove and graduated from Monona Grove high school.


Jim's uncle Matt lives in Monona and passed along the news. Jim Breen writes a blog called Bernie's Crew blog. Breen scooped the nation by being the first to announce the trade that brought Greinke to Milwaukee. Breen beat national writers like Buster Olney and Ken Rosenthal as well as Tom Haudricourt, Brewers beat writer for JS Online.
You can also follow him on Twitter.
Along with the earlier acquisition of Shaun Marcum, the Greinke trade propels the Brewers' rotation from a major problem to a major plus. Whereas the Brewers rotation had consisted of one #1 (Gallardo), one #2 (Wolf), and three guys who might be #5's, it now includes two #1's (Gallardo & Greinke), two #2's (Wolf and Marcum), and a #5 (Narveson).

They gave up a lot of young talent in the trade, but they weren't going to get what they needed for Fielder so it makes sense to keep Fielder and go for it in 2011. They do need to shore up the defense up the middle. 

Point - Counterpoint?

The Herald Independent ran an exchange of letters between Monona alders Scott Munson and Mike Veserat in the December 9 and December 23 issues.


Here is Scott's letter:


Dear Editor:
 Each year, three of the six seats on the city council are up for grabs. The alders that are running for re-election this year are Jim Busse, Doug Wood, and Mike Veserat. According to Monona’s City Clerk, Joan Andrusz, the only candidates that have submitted papers to run for these seats are the incumbents (as of 12/7). All three of these men are outstanding public servants and I am honored to sit on the council with them. However, a democracy thrives only when its elections are actually meaningful. Unchallenged candidates are unlikely to knock on doors, talk with their constituents, and explain their positions on the issues affecting our city. Monona’s voters deserve to be able to cast consequential ballots.


I would encourage Monona's civic-minded residents to consider becoming candidates for our common council. Our city enjoys a reputation as an active democracy with extremely high voter turnout, but we need a contested election to make that turnout meaningful. The deadline to submit papers for the spring election is 5 p.m. on Tuesday January 4, 2011. Election Day is April 5, 2011.




Here is Mike riposte:

Dear Editor:

December 9th's paper had an interesting call to civics by none other than Monona’s very own Alderman Scott Munson. This letter stated that uncontested aldermanic seats leads, to among other things, a lack of meaning. I believe this means something else. I believe that there are many qualified future council members, many of whom are worried about keeping their own lights on, let alone the city’s. The biggest omission in this letter, however, is for over a decade, we have had an uncontested race for mayor.  I hope he doesn’t consider this position meaningless.

Mike Veserat
Monona Alderman


My reaction: What the...?

I think Alder Munson was simply observing that elections only have meaning if they are contested. He did not say that uncontested elections make the elected position meaningless. Alder Munson did not address the why some people choose not to run, so he did not discuss specific reasons why some people, who might otherwise be inclined to run for public office, don't run due to their personal circumstances.

Alder Munson didn't mention the mayoral election, but I would infer that he also favors a contested mayoral contest. Now that Bob Miller and Jeff Wiswell have announced their intention to run for mayor, we are having a contested mayoral election for the first time since 1993 when then-alder Kathy Thomas and Tom Metcalfe squared off for the open mayoral position. Mayor Metcalfe held the position without another challenge until Robb Kahl won in an uncontested race in 2003. Mayor Kahl faced no opponent in any of the succeeding elections either.

(At least that is my recollection; there may have been others that I am forgetting.)

The Wayback Machine

The Herald Independent recalled the time 15 years ago when a few Monona residents who had installed new copper pipes suffered from 'copper intoxication'. Adam Mella, the HI's crack editor (really, irony not included) lists only stomach cramps as a sysmptom, but anyone who lived here at the time will recall the real attention grabber: green hair.

But what causes this hair? Rainbow rotini, Lucky Charms, rainbow cake, or perhaps or LSD?

PICK A BOOK is Back - at Wisconsin's Number 1 Public Library

PICK A BOOK is Back!

Give the Gift of Literacy by purchasing a book or DVD for the Monona Public Library - an item of your choice from the bulletin board in the Children's Room. Choices ranging in price from $4 to $24 are available.

It's Easy! 1. Pick a book that you would like the library to own, 2.

Take the white "tag" down and 3. Go to the Circulation Desk to pay for that item. When the book or movie arrives, we will put your name or family name or another name you indicate on a bookplate. We will now be having a year-round Pick a Book Bulletin board. Thank you to the many patrons who made this suggestion!

Potter Fest Returns to the Monona Public Library - December 29

Potterfest 3

This Wednesday

December 29, 2010
Wednesday 2:30 to 6pm

The Monona Public Library, 2010 Wisconsin Library of the Year, and the Teen Advisory Board present our third annual Harry Potter Fest Saga. Planned and hosted by teens this event is for those in grades 6 to 12. Registration can be done online, by phone: 608-222-6127, or in person 1000 Nichols Road, Monona Public Library.

Potterfest 3

December 29, 2010



Wednesday 2:30 to 6pm

Welcome

Our first grandchild, Kaitlyn Jessica.



Born at 9:45 PM, December 24, 2010.

With Aunt Lindsay

6 pounds 9.5 oz



Grampa Doug. We go to the same hair sylist.



With Aunt Lacey

Prairie Dog Corner - Not the Cute Furry Prairie Dogs

The "Prairie Dog Corner" of 1865 had nothing to do with prairie dogs and everything to do with double-dealing railroad stock manipulators.

The owners of railroads operating in Wisconsin were struggling to stay in operation in the wake of the Panic of 1857. One railroad's misery was a stock manipulator's dream - or perhaps a nightmare. Rapid consolidation was underway that would leaveWisconsin with two  railroads - Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway and the Chicago & North Western - operating all  trackage in the state (excepting 86 miles operated by very small roads).

The Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway managed a major growth spurt when it swallowed whole the Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Company. The Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Company was an association of bondholders organized to acquire and operate the bankrupt Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad.

In 1850, the Milwaukee & Mississippi RR had built and operated the first track in the state between Milwaukee and Elm Grove via Wauwatosa. See Wisconsin Railroad Timeline and The Railroads of Wisconsin, 1827-1937, Railway and Locomotive Historical Society (1937).

In brief, the Wall Street brokerage firm Henry Stimson & Company (with others) quietly bought up all common stock shares of Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Company (i.e. they cornered the market). They then called in short sales. When the short selling brokers tried to buy shares to cover their position they found that shares were only available at stupendously inflated prices (the stock's share price rose from $64.50 to $230 in ten days). Short selling involves selling shares one does not own on the premise that the shares will be cheaper by the time one actually has to deliver the shares. In other words, you are betting the stock will go down - the more the better.

The 'corner' succeeded marvelously. Stimson & Company now owned a dominant position Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Company. Life isn't always fair, but sometimes it is not only fair but also wildly hilarious. The Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Company's charter denied any say in the company's management to common stock holders until a $2,556,000 mortgage was repaid. Stimson & Company found itself unable to control the company it owned lock-stock-and-barrel.

Stimson, et al., didn't get to be successful stock manipulators by giving up at the first roadblock. They devised a clever plan - in a duplicitous sort of way - to fleece the rubes after all. Stimson knew that the Wisconsin legislature had issued the charter under which the Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Company operated and therefore could amend it. They seemingly blundered by openly seeking the introduction of an amendment to give votes to the common stockholders. The bill was quickly exposed and rejected. At the same time, however, another bill was insinuated onto the legislative docket that appeared to deal only with a corrupt petroleum company (Merk at page 229). I reality, the bill granted voting rights to Stimson's common stock. It passed in an end of session rush of legislative activity (some things never change).

My primary source is Frederick Merk's indispensable Economic History of Wisconsin During the Civil War Decade published by the State Historical Society in 1916. You can download Merk's book free at Google Books.

The following excerpt from a private research site concerning the history of the Milwaukee Road details how the deal worked:

In New York, the brokerage firm of Henry Stimson & Company began overt speculation in Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien stock. The brokerage had quietly purchased all available common stock of the railroad, and had loaned these shares to various persons and businesses, subject to a short call. In early November. 1865, the brokers suddenly called in all of the stock. The New York Stock Exchange was besieged by traders attempting to purchase shares to satisfy the short call. Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien stock skyrocketed, and the Stimson traders were able to sell their remaining shares at these high prices. The New York Times remarked that the corner was "the sharpest and beyond all precedent the most sudden corner known to the forty years' history of the New York Stock Exchange." Prairie du Chien being French for prairie dog, the corner was memorialized as the "Prairie Dog Corner." Tremendous profits flowed to the speculators.


It would happen often with the Milwaukee Road.

The New York speculators retained a majority of the common shares of the Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien stock, but they were surprised to learn that this was non-voting stock according to an unusual provision of the railroad's charter. An agent of the brokerage managed to slip a provision into a last minute legislative measure -- ostensibly designed to regulate petroleum companies in Wisconsin -- but which converted the non-voting common stock of the railroad to voting stock: the speculators now had control of the company, which they offered to the Milwaukee & St. Paul, which accepted, trading share for share.

Hypocrites of the Year?

The NCAA has snared evil doers in Columbus, Ohio and has put the hammer down. Or maybe it was a an inflatable mallet.  

From what I've heard six OSU players for selling stuff they got because they play college football for the Buckeyes. Two of the  players made first-team All Big Ten (running back Daniel "Boom" Herron and offensive tackle Mike Adams ) and two got honorable mention (quarterback Terrelle Pryor and receiver DeVier Posey). Defensive lineman Solomon Thomas was the fifth player named. A sixth player, Jordan Whiting, must sit out one game.

The NCAA deemed their violations to be so heinous as to require five game suspensions for each of them - beginning next year. But wait, don't the Buckeyes play in the Sugar Bowl in a week or so? Why not suspend them now? Why wait? $$$$$.

Here's the story on ESPN with Pat Forde's commentary.

That players would sell Big Ten championship rings among other things suggests the players really don't have any appreciation of how privileged they are. But, everyone else is making big bucks off of their athletic ability. Yes, they get a college education - don't say it's 'free' however. They work for it. An athlete who can make the difference between a good team and a championship team is worth millions of dollars to the university they play for and the conference they play in.

I don't have a good way to fix what ails college sports without killing it at the same time. But delaying the punishment to next year is bizarre, but it is also consistent with letting Cam Newton play this year on the grounds that it was his father who asked for the money from Mississippi State and not him. Everyone who makes big money off college sports gets the immediate benefit of keeping these players on the field right now. 

The powers that be want these athletes to play in the Sugar Bowl so that those powers can rake in cash. It would be poetic justice if these five players refused to play in the Sugar Bowl.

***

But the scariest thing I came across in reading up on this story is a 2011 NFL draft projection that has Monona Grove's & UW's Gabe Carimi being picked by the Bears with the 23rd pick! It's great he's projected to go that high in the draft, but the Bears?!

JJ Watt is projected to go #14 to Tennessee.

Miller Tweets

Monona mayoral aspirant Bob Miller has started tweeting - he calls it mononabob (I really think I should get a share of the royalties). 

Put in mind of the old E.F. Hutton commercials. "When Bob Miller Tweets, people listen."

Bob Miller Announces His Candidacy

Here is Bob Miller's press release:

Bob Miller announces his candidacy for Monona Mayor.


In announcing his candidacy, long time resident and businessman Bob Miller said, “Monona is a wonderful community I have been proud to call home for the past 21 years. This is an exciting time for our city with substantial new commercial development underway, a safer and revitalized Monona Drive and continued efforts to welcome new families to Monona. I am proud to have participated in many of these initiatives and by serving as Mayor, I will work hard to preserve and enhance those qualities that make us want to live, work and invest in Monona’s future.

It is important to capitalize now on these successes, but to also work to revitalize those areas of the community that require attention. We need to retain and improve our family-friendly qualities like our parks, lakefront and community services. As mayor, I would work in a positive way to foster open communication between the city and its residents, maintain the city’s fiscal strength and essential services like police and fire protection and help Monona move towards a more sustainable future.”

Miller is owner of Compound Profit Wisconsin, a business financial services company in Monona. He previously served one term as a Monona alder. Currently, he is chair of the Community Development Authority. Miller also serves on the Monona Drive Advisory Committee and the Sustainability Committee. Previously, he served on Personnel and Finance Committee, Broadband Telecommunications Advisory Board, Ad Hoc Marketing Committee and the Mass Transit Authority.

Involved in many civic and community service organizations, Miller serves on the Yahara Lakes Association Board, The Natural Step Monona Board and The Sewing Machine Project Advisory Board. He served on the boards of the University of Wisconsin Journalism School Board of Visitors, the Urban League of Greater Madison, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, CTM Madison Family Theatre Company and the Madison Boychoir. Miller recently assisted in the successful “Booked for Life” fundraising campaign for the Monona library and headed up fundraising for the original library expansion. An active volunteer in the Monona Grove schools, which his two children attended, Miller teamed to help create the high school vocal department’s parent volunteer group - MG SINGS.

Miller is an active member of the Monona Optimists, the Monona Chamber of Commerce and the Monona Grove Businessmen’s Association. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin Journalism School, Miller previously managed WKOW-TV and Discover Mediaworks.

Miller resides at 5907 Winnequah Rd. with his wife, Pam and has two grown children, Wyatt and Rebecca.

For more information contact:

Bob Miller

bobmiller@tds.net

(608) 222-1922

Must Read Story in JS Online

There is an amazing story in today's Milwaukee JS about a little boy with a literally unique illness. "When he ate, painful holes called fistulas would open, leading from his intestine to his skin." There was a story in yesterday's paper about the use of gene testing to figure what was happening and how to treat it.

The Milwaukee JS is running a three-part series.

Jake Anderson sent along word this morning that the little boy lives in Monona (when he's not in the hospital). (The story didn't mention the family's residence, but the Nic Volker Club Facebook page lists his location as Monona. Based on that  felt OK stating the residence here.)

Bob Miller is All In

Shortly after getting the news that Mayor Robb Kahl was not running for reelection as Monona's mayor, I got a call from former alder Bob Miller that he does plan to seek election as Monona's new mayor in 2011.

He promised a written statement later, which I will pass along.

Mayor Kahl Decides to Bow Out

The city council received an email from Mayor Robb Kahl earlier today with the news that he has decided not to seek a fifth term as mayor of Monona. Here's his message:

Gentlemen:



I made Pat and other department heads aware yesterday that it is not my intent to seek a fifth term as Mayor. I have truly enjoyed the experience and am humbled by the confidence the electorate has placed in me but it is simply time to move on. I know many will speculate that this move has something to do with me joining Scott Walker's administration. While I acknowledge I have been approached and I have met with them, as of today I have not accepted any offers for employment with them. This decision is independent of that appointment process but rather based simply on the fact that I have been in elective office 10 years now and I have four children age 6 and under and I can run for and serve in elective office anytime I want but I can only be a part of their childhood once.


I look forward to serving out my term and wrapping up some pressing items to make sure my successor has a smooth transition. I wanted to call each of you but with family commitments last night and this weekend I am not sure I can accomplish that and I wanted each of you to hear this news from me first. Thank you and Happy Holidays to you and your families.



Robb Kahl


Mayor


City of Monona

Greener Monona

If not Bluer and Brighter (or was it Breezier?), we are making progress in making Monona greener in at least two ways: using less energy and saving greenbacks in the process.

The Monona Sustainability Committee met this week and  heard from a citizen about excessive outdoor residential lighting, discussed several initiatives, and heard a report on the city's 25X25 Plan.

New Staff: The new committee staff for the Sustainability Committee, Andrew Hagen and Jeff Greger attended the meeting. Andy is the city/school cable guy. Jeff is the Assistant to City Eng./GIS Specialist. He did much of the work to put the 25X25 plan together, esp. data collection and analysis.

Pat Marsh will continue to staff the committee on an as needed basis.

The agenda is here. We also handed out homework to the committee members, but, hey, could you help me do my homework? Pleaaaassse?
 

Green Monona Tour. Putting the Tour on Cable TV and city website.

We want to record green things people do/have/practice in their homes or businesses. They do not have to be on the actual Green Monona Tour to be on the Virtual Tour. These clips will be on the website and cable channel. We will add a few as we can and they can be filmed at any time of the year. Suggestions welcome.




Green Monona Map.

Green Tips. 25X25 Education Initiative


As part of the city's 25X25 Plan, we are committed to doing community education intiatives. The Committee wants to come up with "5 Tips that You Can Do" and build an education program around them. Put up the list all over town.

Some could be easy, some could be hard. We need to express the idea/thing/practice in a few words. Suggest a green tip.

***

Personally, I'm hoping we can work in the Green Weenie somehow - Pittsburgh Pirates, Bob Prince and all that.



The Committee is still working on defining the purpose of the map. We are looking for examples (and have found some).

http://www.greenatlas.org/intro.html with a map of Milwaukee.

http://www.greenmap.org/

http://www.opengreenmap.org/home

And one for Dubuque: http://www.opengreenmap.org/greenmap/dubuque

Watch this video - a 9-1/2 minute PBS clip about Dubuque about the greening of that city. (There is a bit of the East Coast bias - sort of "Gosh, Dubuque, Iowa?)

Racine Google Map.

What places/businesses/projects around town should be on the map? Suggestions welcome.

MG Student Competes in Cable Contest - You Vote

Andy Hagen of the Monona/MG community cable sent this message:

Hello Everyone,

Connor Stevens, one of my students/employees from the Cable Department is one of five finalists for the Fox 47 MSG2TEENS video contest. He produced a 30 second commercial to warn other kids about texting and driving. You can watch all of the finalists and vote for your favorite at this website:

http://www.fox47.com/sections/contests/msg2teens/

If his video wins, the commercial will air on Fox 47 early next year, Connor gets a new laptop, AND the school district gets $2,500! If you have a few minutes, please watch his video, and vote. Connors is number 3.

Thank you,

Andy

I am not suggesting that you cram the ballot box, but after you watch you won't hesitate to vote for Connor. Watch all five. It takes about 3 minutes and they are all really well done.

Whatta They Got That We Ain't Got?

Maysville, Kentucky is getting daily Amtrak service. Madison, Wisconsin almost got 6 train per day.

But then Maysville is the county seat of Mason County, Kentucky, with a population of almost 9,000. And Maysville is slambang across the Ohio River from Aberdeen, Ohio. Ahoot, Maysville is the principal city of the Maysville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Mason and Lewis counties!

Maysville even has a road connecting it to Lexington, despite the efforts of President Andrew Jackson who vetoed the road in 1827. Some scholars speculate he just didn't like Maysville.....

Madison, Wisconsin has over 200,000 residents, but no Amtrak service and no bridge over or tunnel under Lake Monona.

***

I once drove across the Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge at night during a heavy thunderstorm and lived to tell about it, which is more than can be said for Simon Kenton.

 
 
Sure, the bridge looks picturesque standing there in the sunshine.Ha! Don't be fooled. The dude was ugly.  

The Hardware Arrives

So guess who won his Fantasy Basbeall League Championship - again? Here's the hardware to prove it - my team is the No FRNs as in "No Flaky Railroad Nuts" allowed. An FRN is a rail fan in polite parlance.

Other words are sometimes substituted for 'flaky', but my former boss still claims he really called a railroad executive a "flaky nuthead" and not a - well, you can guess.

Trophy Boy was too excited to hold his head still.

Just look at those eyes. Fortunately, no drug testing of Trophy Boy.

You can see even more photos of Trophy Boy on photobucket.

Three Recommendations for History - and One for Laughs

Submitted for your consideration are three books of history. The first two relate to Wisconsin and both involve the UW's Frederick Jackson Turner Professor of History William Cronon. The third, being about the decline of British aristocracy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, doesn't.

Wisconsin's Past and Present: A Historical Atlas by Wisconsin Cartographers' Guild with an Introduction by William Cronon. An astonishingly excellent collection of maps. Most of the maps are the creation of six Wisconsin cartographers that are uniquely insightful.

The atlas is particularly strong on ethnic histories. Just an example, the series of maps on the native nations of Wisconsin helped me understand - at last - where the tribes came from and where they lived in Wisconsin.

You can sample the book on Google Books.

(One disappointment is the woefully inadequate & inaccurate assessment of railroads in the state.)

***

Cronon authored my second recommendation:

Nature's Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West (New York: W. W. Norton, 1991).

I've pitched this book before. It's a great read. It's won just a few prizes.
Bancroft Prize for 1992

Chicago Tribune's Heartland Prize for best non-fiction work of 1991

One of three nominees for the Pulitzer Prize in History, 1992

George Perkins Marsh Prize for 1992 for Best Book in Environmental History published in 1990 or 1991 given by American Society for Environmental History

Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Award for 1993 for the best book in forest and conservation history published in 1991 or 1992 given by the Forest History Society

Award for Outstanding Achievement Recognition to Nature's Metropolis by the Wisconsin Library Association Literary Awards Committee

Honorable Mention for 1992 to Nature's Metropolis in the John Hope Franklin Prize competition, American Studies Association

Geographic Society of Chicago Publication Award for 1991

A review:

http://www.duke.edu/~ekb6/Review,%20Nature's%20Metropolis-3.pdf.

A critical assessment of the book.

A summary of the book.

***

My third offering is The Decline and Fall of the British Aristocracy by David Cannadine. This intensely factual forms around a simple thesis: The British aristocracy plunged from the top of the world primarily because of the collapse of agricultural prices in the 19th century (circa 1880) and secondarily, the almost concomitant extension of suffrage to ever greater numbers of common people. The British aristocracy was a landed elite. Their wealth was almost entirely in the value of their lands for agriculture and the rents the lands could generate. I found the simplicity of the explanation very attractive; how many big things are really just that simple?

As described here:

In 1880, Cannadine informs us, the members of the British aristocracy (which he defines as landholders with 1,000 acres or more) were the "lords of the earth." They were a tiny minority, only 7,000 families in a country of millions. Yet this "tough, tenacious, and resourceful elite" owned four-fifths of the land in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Cannadine richly details the various ways in which the decline manifested itself. The fall was swift - it started and was completed within the span of a single lifetime. They had to sell, sell land, sell art, sell houses, sell it all. (When the going gets Toff, the Toffs get selling.)

At times the meticulous exhaustive detail can get to be a bit much, but the occasional skimming along to the next topic is permitted. His accomplishment is collecting such a vast amount of information, compiling it, and still managing to present it in an interesting the fashion.

One wonders why anyone would bother to write another book on the topic.

More books by Cannadine.

The book was written in part during a time of intense grief for Cannandine and his historian wife Linda Colley. The dedication to Cannadine's Aristocracy gives the stark facts: 'In memory of Harriet Fenella Saffron Cannadine, born 3 February 1988, died 19 March 1988.'

'With a cot death,' Colley goes on, 'you have no time to contemplate or prepare yourself. It's not like an illness, where someone is not very well, then getting worse, then at risk of dying. With this, 20 minutes ago your child was alive and now she's dead. You're left with the feeling that there must have been a mistake. Harry must be all right. In a couple of hours somebody will bring her round.'


Cannadine felt exactly the same. 'I kept thinking, this is all a dream, I'm going to wake up and everything will be all right. And of course it isn't. It changes your life for ever.'

He recalls that time: 'We emigrated, sold a house, and had the birth and death of Harry all within six months. We grieved in different ways. You felt as though all your skin had been torn off and the nerve endings exposed, and all social interaction became unbearable. It has left me with a permanent sense of the random risk of catastrophe in life. I don't think I shall ever forget that. You lose all sense of the natural order of things - for instance, that it's natural for children to outlive their parents - even though you've only got to read Dickens to know that that's not necessarily true. It's not fear, but a recognition of the transient nature of the human condition.'

Colley takes up his thread: 'It made us different people. Once you know how completely and suddenly the earth can open up at your feet and the worst can happen it also, paradoxically, leaves you more afraid of everything else. David began to suffer very badly from vertigo, which he never had before. I would worry terribly if ever he was late. I'd think, the car has crashed, he's dead, he's been mugged. Yet at the same time you're not afraid of anything because you think, the worst has already happened

.

***

Finally, if you want a good laugh at the expense of the British aristocracy, try out a goodish bit of PG Wodehouse, like the new paperback Just Enough Jeeves: Right Ho, Jeeves; Joy in the Morning; Very Good, Jeeves.

Dean House Christmas Open House Rescheduled to December 19

The Historic Blooming Grove Historical Society has rescheduled the Dean House Christmas Open House this Sunday, December 19 from 2-4 at the Dean House, 4718 Monona Drive. Music, refreshments and tours. A special feature of the open house will be the restored cutter on display on the back porch.

 4718 Monona Drive in Madison, Wisconsin, was built in 1856 for Nathaniel W. and Harriet Dean.

: Nathaniel W. Dean (1817-1880) moved from New York to Madison, Wisconsin, in 1842 and succeeded as a dry goods merchant and real estate speculator. He also farmed 508 acres, producing grain crops and livestock. He was instrumental in the growth of the town of Blooming Grove and donated land for the original Town Hall and the Commonwealth Cemetery. He also served in the State Assembly and as a regent of the University of Wisconsin.

Both photos by James Steakley.


Historic Blooming Grove Historical Society
P.O. Box 6704 Monona, WI 53716

http://www.bloominggrovehistory.org/

hbghs@tds.net



***

THE HISTORICAL MARKER DATABASE has info and photos by Gordon Govier of Monona about the Dean House and other Monona landmarks.

Here is a great booklet on Indian Mounds of Madison and Dane County. For reasons unknown ot me, the booklet does not include any of the Monona mounds, such as the Outlet Mound.

Prior post: http://mononadoug.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-open-house-at-dean-house.html

Monona City Council Report - December 6, 2010

The Monona City Council met tonight (Monday, December 6 at 7:30 PM).

Ding-dong the sign is dead.

1. Unfinished Business (Approval Requested Unless Otherwise Noted).

a. Consideration of Resolution 10-11-1740 Approving the City of Monona’s 25 x 25 Plan for Energy Independence (City Administrator). Passed 6-0.

b. Consideration or Ordinance 11-10-621 An Ordinance Amending Chapter 13 of the Code of Ordinances Concerning Billboards (Plan Commission). City Planner Paul Kachelmeier's report gives an extensive summary of the Plan Commission's discussion at their November 22 meeting. Rejected 6-0.

This revised version of the prior proposal would have amended the ordinances to conditionally allow billboards in the Gateway zoning district (along the Beltline). The rejection of the proposed ordinance effectively kills the outdoor advertising sign at Ahuska Park. I had supported keeping the sign revenue in the budget, but my mind was changed by several factors. No one I talked to was in favor of more billboards. Also, thanks to alder Scott Munson for alerting us to the sign's very large energy usage (equivalent to about 4 or 5 homes), which would have been paid by the sign company, but seemed inocnsistent with our efforts to reduce the city government's enrgy usage. I also took note of the very intelligent and persuasive arguments presented by Brian Grady and Ben Redding. I thought alder Jim Busse made a very effective appeal tonight to the basic ugliness of these signs and the value of preserving the views in the area.  

The loss of the $22,500 in revenue will require a budget amendment, which will either be to reduce spending or increase use of the reserve fund (or a combination). It is too late to change the city's levy for 2011. We'll see what the Mayor proposes, but I'd be surprised if it involves cutting the park & rec position that was added in the budget.

2. New Business.

a. Convene in Closed Session under Wisconsin Statute section 19.85(1)(g) Conferring with legal counsel for the governmental body who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved (Litigation status report, Attorney Cole). This was mostly a status report on pending litigation (Bourbon Street and Stephanie Miller).


c. Consideration of Resolution 10-12-1731 Establishing an Ad Hoc Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Committee (Mayor Kahl). Passed 5-1 (Wiswell opposed). Focus is initially limited to the sotuh Winnequah Road stretch. If the Committee can resolve the issues there, then it may move on to other areas. By the way, if you think you have safety issues on your streets, contact the staff, mayor or alders.

d. Consideration of Resolution 10-12-1742 Approving the Low Bid and Authorizing Staff to Proceed to Contract to Raze and Remove Parcels at 4505 and 4603 Monona Drive (CDA). These are the two parcels the city purchased in the past year. Passed 6-0.

e. Consideration of Resolution 10-12-1743 Approving the Low Bid and Authorizing Staff to Proceed to Contract for Assessment Services (City Administrator). Passed 6-0.

g. Consideration of Resolution 10-12-1747 Calling Upon the State of Wisconsin and Dane County to Lower the Levels of Lakes Mendota, Monona, and Waubesa (Ad Hoc Flood Mitigation Committee). Passed 4-2 (Kugle and Wood opposed the specific call for lowering all of the lakes by 10").

Christmas Open House at the Dean House

An invite from the Board of Historic Blooming Grove Historical Society to attend the Christmas Open House at the Dean House, 4718 Monona Drive, this Sunday, December 12 from 1 - 4 pm. We will be having harp music, refreshments and tours. A special feature of the open house will be the restored cutter on display on the back porch.
Historic Blooming Grove Historical Society http://www.bloominggrovehistory.org/
hbghs@tds.net

Monona City Council Preview - December 6, 2010

The Monona City Council meets this Monday, December 6 at 7:30 PM. Here's the agenda. The packet is here.

1. Unfinished Business (Approval Requested Unless Otherwise Noted).


a. Consideration of Resolution 10-11-1740 Approving the City of Monona’s 25 x 25 Plan for Energy Independence (City Administrator).

b. Consideration or Ordinance 11-10-621 An Ordinance Amending Chapter 13 of the Code of Ordinances Concerning Billboards (Plan Commission). City Planner Paul Kachelmeier's report gives an extensive summary of the Plan Commission's discussion at their November 22 meeting.

2. New Business.

a. Convene in Closed Session under Wisconsin Statute section 19.85(1)(g) Conferring with legal counsel for the governmental body who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved (Litigation status report, Attorney Cole).

b. Reconvene in Open Session Under Wisconsin Statute Section 19.85(2).

* c. Consideration of Resolution 10-12-1731 Establishing an Ad Hoc Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Committee (Mayor Kahl). Appointments To the Ad Hoc Committee on Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety:

a. Chris Homburg
b. Branda Weix
c. Kathy Thomas
d. Alderman Mike Veserat
e. Alderman Doug Wood
f. Alderman Dennis Kugle
* d. Consideration of Resolution 10-12-1742 Approving the Low Bid and Authorizing Staff to Proceed to Contract to Raze and Remove Parcels at 4505 and 4603 Monona Drive (CDA). These are the two parcels the city purchased in the past year.

* e. Consideration of Resolution 10-12-1743 Approving the Low Bid and Authorizing Staff to Proceed to Contract for Assessment Services (City Administrator).

f. Consideration of Resolution 10-12-1744 Amendment to Independent Contractor Agreement with Foth Infrastructure and Environment for Engineering Services for Monona Drive Phase II (Ad Hoc Monona Drive Advisory Committee).

* g. Consideration of Resolution 10-12-1747 Calling Upon the State of Wisconsin and Dane County to Lower the Levels of Lakes Mendota, Monona, and Waubesa (Ad Hoc Flood Mitigation Committee). This is starred for immediate action, but it is not clear to me why.

***

Jen & Robb Kahl welcomed a new Monona resident to their home this week - Kennedy Hope Kahl, a beautiful baby girl. All are at home and doing well. Congratulations - again! 

A Cubbie for All Time

The sad, but not entirely unexpected news that Cub great and radio broadcaster Ron Santo died yesterday from complications related to bladder cancer. Santo had also suffered from diabetes for many years.

Born and bred a St. Louis Cardinals fan, I grew up when Santo played third base for the Cubs. In the Sixties the Cardinals won the pennant so often it seemed like a birth right or a natural event like the changing of the seasons. I didn't realize until the Cards were suffering through a 14-year drought that winning pennants wasn't foreordained.


Ron Santo and the infamous black cat curse at Shea Stadium.


Of course, Cubs fans could do a 14-year losing streak standing on their heads. It's hard to believe that a team with Santo, Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins, and Ernie Banks didn't make the World Series. (Was there ever another team with three Hall of Famers that never made the World Series?).

Santo was one of the very best players not in the baseball Hall of Fame. Willams, Jenkins, and Banks are all in the Hall of Fame, but not Santo. Bill James, among many others has made the argument that Santo deserves to be in the Hall. It would be a damned shame if they put him in when he can't enjoy it because it clearly would have meant so much to him. The only greater shame would be not putting him.

The guy lived and breathed for the Cubs and baseball. I always enjoyed listening to him on WGN radio because he put his heart on the line every single game the Cubs played (not a wise thing to do with the Cubs involved). He was an awful announcer in a lot of ways, but his passion made you want to listen. His "Oh, nooooo' call always made you wonder exactly what was happening, but left no doubt that it was bad for the Cubs.

Hear the Oh, nooo call. I was at this game - the call is from the infamous Brant Brown game in Milwaukee when Bronw let a flyball clang off his glove and almost cost the Cubs a spot in the playoffs. The look on the faces of the Cub fans was priceless.

Santo was a great player, but what stood out for me in later years was listening to his unbridled enthusiasm knowing that here was a guy being gradually whittled down by diabetes. He had multiple amputations and you knew he had to be suffering, but you couldn't tell by listening to him. 

***

More on why Santo belongs in the Hall:

http://www.thecubreporter.com/2008/12/05/hall-fame-case-ron-santo-part-1-3

The lovable loser Cubs have a myriad of curses to explain their chronic ineptness. One of the better ones involves the black cat pictured above.

Wikipedia describes the events:

On September 9, 1969, the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets faced each other at Shea Stadium. The Cubs' division lead over the Mets had dropped to just 1.5 games, and this game was considered to be critical. Midway through the game, fans surreptitiously released a black cat onto the field. The cat headed straight for the Cubs' Ron Santo in the on-deck circle, then made a beeline for the Cubs' dugout where it seemed to stare down all of the players. Cubs manager Leo Durocher's superstitions were borne out, as the Cubs not only lost that game, but much of the rest of the season, as they would post an 8-17 record for the month and ultimately lose the National League East to the Mets by eight games.

ou can buy the autographed black cat photo at:
http://www.autographedbaseballphotos.com/include/bounce.asp?i=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prosportsmemorabilia.com%2FProductDetail.aspx%3FpfId%3D33-45149%26cj%3D33-45149

Monona Pancake Breakfast - December 11

The Monona Grove Optimist Club is hosting a Pancake Breakfast with Santa on December 11 at the Monona Community Center (lower level).



Date: Sat - 12/11/2010



Time: 8:00 AM


Location: Monona Community Center - Senior Center

Join the Monona Grove Optimist Club for the 3rd Annual Pancake Breakfast with Santa on Saturday December 11, 2010 from 8 am - 10 am at the Monona Community Center. All you can eat pancakes!

There will be a coloring contest for the kids and an opportunity to get your picture taken with Santa!
Cost is $5 per person, $2.50 for children ages 3-10, 2 & under are free.

***

Pancakes? And for all these years I thought Santa liked cookies and milk.

Monona Public Library Names New Director

The Monona Public Library Board selected Interim Director Erick Plumb as the new leader to succeed the late Demita Gerber. (Well-deserved, in my opinion.)



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:


Monona Public Library Names New Director

CONTACT:

Andrew Taylor, President, Monona Public Library Board

608-347-1048, ataylor@artsaxis.com



After a national search and intensive interview process, the Monona Public Library Board has selected Erick Plumb as its new Director. Plumb, who came to Monona in 2006, had been serving as the library's Assistant Director since 2009, and as Interim Director following the sudden illness and passing of former Director Demita Gerber in 2010. Plumb begins his new position immediately.



"Erick has shown true leadership and innovation during a challenging time for our Library," said Library Board President Andrew Taylor. "He has been a key partner in the work that led to our selection as the Wisconsin Library Association's Library of the Year in 2010. And he is a great choice for our next evolution in service and support to the community."



"I'm thrilled that I will continue to serve the people of Monona," Plumb said. "Over the past four years, I've come to care deeply about this community, and have been amazed at the extraordinary level of support the community gives to its library. We have a terrific staff that is always looking for innovative and improved ways to serve Monona."


Plumb is a graduate of Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, and received his Master of Library Science from Indiana University in Bloomington. He was honored with a Mayoral Award in 2009 for valuable contributions to the city of Monona, and a "Webby Award" from the Wisconsin Library Association in 2008 for his design and development of the Monona Public Library web site.