Northside News – Page 161 – A free community newspaper

Mark Miller, State Senator

Elected Officials

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October 3, 2019

Year of clean drinking water

Governor Tony Evers’ declaration that 2019 be the Year of Clean Drinking Water is a great step toward finally addressing the crisis facing many Wisconsinites. Solutions take time, but, thanks to Governor Evers, we are finally in a position to ensure no more environmentally detrimental policies pass and we can be proactive in protecting our waters.

In every corner of the state, the message from the people of Wisconsin has been consistent: Wisconsin must do more to reduce or eliminate groundwater contamination, reduce runoff into navigable waters and address the dangerous sources of contamination, like lead pipes and products containing PFAS, nitrates/nitrites, viruses and bacteria.

I currently serve on the Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality. Since March, the Task Force has traveled to 13 different cities across the state, listening to citizens, scientists and industry representatives about ways to improve the quality of Wisconsin’s water.

Governor Evers’ budget addressed many of these issues, most of which were cut or reduced by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Hopefully, many of these initiatives and funding will be restored as a result of the work by the task force.

As the schedule for the task force draws to a close, I look forward to working with my colleagues on the task force to introduce meaningful legislation that will actually address the concerns raised during the public hearings and help make 2019 truly the Year of Clean Drinking Water.

Paul Rusk, District 12 Supervisor

Elected Officials

Paul Rusk

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October 3, 2019

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To prepare for the many challenges coming with the 2020 spring presidential primary and fall presidential election, the Dane County Board recently upgraded the election specialist position in the county clerk’s office. Dane is consistently the highest turn-out county in Wisconsin, a closely divided purple state at the epicenter of foreign interference in our national elections. This key position will manage a special team focused on election security. Dane is a complicated county with local elections, including school and referendums in select communities, that must be managed well before, during and after Election Day, simultaneously with next year’s federal election.

With so much national attention focused on the importance of fair elections without foreign interference, it is fortunate that Dane County uses individual ballots, providing a paper trail if needed. Our polling places are well staffed with locally trained poll workers with each voter using an individual paper ballot. Should a recount be needed, the ballots can be reviewed individually. My late grandmother, born in 1899, started voting when women obtained the right to vote in 1920. She was 21. Like me, she would be pleased with our local process and appalled about foreign governments interfering in our electoral process.

In Dane County a scan of each ballot cast is available on the Dane County Clerk’s website following the election, which is considered a national best practice. There is also a separate document that shows how each vote was counted. This helps to prove each vote is individually counted and facilitates audits and recounts if needed. Election results are not official until the board of canvas meets soon after each election.

I urge each and every one of you to exercise your voting opportunity, which is crucial to the future of our democracy.

Supervisor Rusk can be reached at 249-9667 or rusk@countyofdane.com.

Joe Parisi, Dane County Executive

Elected Officials

Joe Parisi

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October 3, 2019

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Dane County stands with Planned Parenthood

From routine checkups to questions about our overall health, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin serves Dane County residents through a number of steps in our health care journeys. The services this organization provides our friends and family can be lifesaving, and it plays a key part in maintaining the overall wellness of our community.

Growing dissonance in our nation’s political landscape has placed the many resources provided to our loved ones by Planned Parenthood under attack in recent years. It is because of this harmful rhetoric and significant cuts to funding at the federal level that I want to make the following very clear: Dane County stands with Planned Parenthood.

With approximately 60,000 patients who rely on Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin each year, Dane County understands the importance of supporting our state’s largest reproductive health care provider. We’ve invested more than $600,000 in Planned Parenthood services and programming since I became county executive in 2011.

Thanks to Dane County’s financial support, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is able to provide individualized education in areas of anatomy, physiology, sexuality, birth control methods and decision-making. Our funding also helps cover the costs of providing physical exams, administering labs and compiling health history so the proper evaluation, diagnosis, treatment or referral can be given.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin provided 915 sexual education programs and trainings for nearly 18,000 participants across Wisconsin in the past year — an achievement made possible in part by county funds. Our involvement has also enabled Planned Parenthood to pursue human trafficking prevention curriculum right here in Dane County.

For over 80 years, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has played a vital role in serving the needs of our community. Dane County stands with Planned Parenthood because we recognize the value of investing in the health and well-being of our residents.

Michele Ritt, District 18 Supervisor

Elected Officials

Michele Ritt

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October 3, 2019

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Each quarter, the Dane County Land Water Resources Department offers an update regarding the recent Flooding Task Force recommendations. The following is from the update in late August.

At the time of the update, all the lakes in the Yahara chain were at summer maximum. Efforts continue to lower them further. The Babcock and LaFollette Dams continue to be fully open, processing as much water through as possible.

Dane County has two additional aquatic plant harvesters this year. In addition to these, we also have a barge that can offload the harvesters while they are at work. This saves the harvesters from having to travel back to the shore, offload and travel back to the place where they left off. This is making the process much more efficient and allowing much more harvesting to happen. Currently, there are seven harvesters at work on the Yahara River. The flow of water is dramatically improved with the harvesting. It is estimated that Lake Monona would be a foot higher without the harvesting efforts.

The county also plans to remove sediment from the system. In order for this work to happen, there is a lengthy permit process through the Department of Nature Resources. The process is nearly complete for the section of water from Lake Monona to Lake Waubesa. Work will hopefully begin in October 2019 for this section. The permit application for other areas is also in process.

While rainfall levels are still high and there is still a high level of water in the system, the efforts are making a positive change. I look forward to the continued work to make the system work more efficiently.

Please feel free to contact me with any concerns or issues. I can be reached at 608-335-6827 or ritt.michele@countyofdane.com.

Syed Abbas, District 12 Alder

Elected Officials

Syed Abbas

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October 3, 2019

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Hi Neighbors,

I want to update you all regarding the workforce/senior housing project on Huxley Street.

The project is moving forward and the developer is planning to submit the project submittals in October. I am planning to organize another neighborhood meeting in late October or early November with the developers present so they can bring neighbors up to speed and answer questions and concerns.

Some highlights of the project are: 61 senior housing units, 50 workforce multi-family units, 2,000 square feet of commercial space, 10% of the total 111 units will be market rate, solar panels on the roof, electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lot, no-cost internet services for residents, and a dedicated play area for children.

As your alder, it is my priority is to create equitable housing for our seniors and our working-class families. I believe this project will help the community, especially keeping the development of Oscar Mayer in mind. With the increase in density, the project will help local businesses. Once the project gets finalized, I will urge city engineering to review the traffic flow if the project secures Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) funding.