Residents request attention be paid to St. Feriole Island streets
By Correne Martin
Concern over the quality of the city streets on St. Feriole Island was a topic not even on the agenda at the start of Tuesday night’s regular Prairie du Chien Common Council meeting. But Cathie and Tom Nelson, members of the St. Feriole Island Memorial Gardens committee, utilized the public comment period of the meeting to address deterioration of those streets and inquire about when a plan for repairs is going to be made.
“I mailed a letter to all the council members and never heard back,” Cathie Nelson remarked.
Her husband, Tom, added that he’s asked on several occasions that something be done to fix potholes and certain problem areas on the streets, namely on Fourth Street in front of the gardens, and “nothing was done.”
He wondered what the city’s process is to accomplish the repairs he deems necessary, and said he as well as other members of the gardens committee would be willing to help facilitate any action.
Mayor Dave Hemmer assured the Nelsons, “We’ll do our best to figure out a way to come up with some money for that.”
Hemmer asked City Planner Garth Frable, who confirmed that the city has applied for funding for improvements to Villa Louis Road, but he said the city has yet to hear back on rewarding of that funding.
Cathie asked if some of the money accumulated by the city in St. Feriole Island trucking usage tariffs could be used to upgrade portions of the roads in that location.
“This is where our tourists come,” she reminded the council.
While she wasn’t told no, Alderman Edward Hayes-Hall shared that the city is intending to use several hundred thousand dollars toward repairing the eroding Lawler Park river wall.
Mayor Hemmer explained after the meeting that the tariff money collected was once considered to be a fund solely for St. Feriole Island projects. However, nothing was ever written in “black and white,” he said.
Alderman Todd Myers thanked the Nelsons for their hard work at the gardens. But, he said, funds used toward street improvements within the city are often filtered toward more regularly used roadways first. He acknowledged that St. Feriole Island streets have been neglected however. Neither he nor any of his fellow aldermen disagreed with the need to pay some attention to street quality on the island.
“I don’t disagree that something should be done,” Hemmer added. “But there are many city streets that need improvements. We have to prioritize them.”
Alderman Nate Gilberts motioned, at the end of the meeting, to put this issue on an upcoming council agenda for further exploration of what improvements can be done in a timely manner and how they can be funded.
Rezoning for
new Eagles Club
The council approved an ordinance rezoning property along South First Street, just off the Highway 18 Bypass, from a low-density residential district to a highway commercial district in order to accommodate excavation and construction for a proposed new Eagles Club that the Eagles Aerie 1502 recently purchased there.
Monte Ames, Eagles president, said the state aerie requires that they have the property zoned properly before plans can move forward.
Past President Steve Slaght added, “We don’t have any plans yet. No architect has been hired yet. We have to go through the state and national aeries and get their approval before drawings will be drafted.”
A couple residents who live in the area of the proposed club expressed a few concerns Tuesday night. Tom Mara and Kay Langham said they, as well as their neighbors, were generally OK with the concept of the Eagles Club relocating there, but they hope a storm water plan will be part of the process.
Mayor Hemmer said city staff and the council “will make note of that.” He said a storm water plan would be required.
Langham also worried about the potential of loud noise coming from the club once it opens. Acknowledging that, Alderman Ron Leys asked if the Eagles had plans for outdoor entertainment specifically. Slaght said the club has never had outdoor music. Though the new club is anticipated to be much larger than the current facility, it’s solely to accommodate indoor entertainment. He said he assumes there’ll be an outdoor patio, but basically for smoking.
New Spit and Whistle
liquor license
According to City Attorney Lara Czajkowski Higgins, there is an offer to purchase the former Suzy’s Bar at 1000 S. Beaumont Rd., through People’s State Bank. She said Curtis Bender applied for the liquor license to be transferred to him for the new business. She recommended the council only approve the transfer, contingent upon the sale of the facility, which is anticipated to close on March 23.
