Local

After extended public and aldermanic comments, the Middleton Common Council rejected a proposal from the Middleton Cross Plains School District to rezone fields adjacent to Middleton High School as institutional and conservancy, with strong instruction not to submit a revised zoning request with artificial turf fields as the playing surface. The 7-1 vote occurred after more than a half hour of public comment about the issue from the public, which included one athlete and two coaches who favored the plan to construct artificial turf baseball, softball and lacrosse fields as well as new restrooms, press box, lights and batting cages. The council rejected the amendment to the Middleton Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map as well as both rezoning requests despite 5-4 approval by the Middleton-Cross Plains Board of Education and an approval recommendation from the Middleton Plan Commission.

CROSS PLAINS – The Cross Plains Lions Club announced a $400,000 campaign to raise funds to construct a pavilion in Zander Community Nature Park.

The Lions called the proposed 30-by-40-foot open-sided structure their “Legacy Project” and have been prompting since 2016, Lisa Laschinger, a capital campaign committee member, told the village board last week.

Engineer Tom Lauber, who built this “locomotive,” keeps it on schedule at Saturday morning’s Trout Days. 

The Middleton Common Council bid goodbye to two departing alders — Kendra Wochos and Jenifer Cole in districts 2 and 4 — and welcomed newly elected alders Kim Madden (District 2) and Todd Kalish (District 4) along with returning alders Lisa Janairo (District 6) and Randall Crow (District 8) during its April 16 meeting. 

The Middleton Common Council bid goodbye to two departing alders — Kendra Wochos and Jenifer Cole in districts 2 and 4 — and welcomed newly elected alders Kim Madden (District 2) and Todd Kalish (District 4) along with returning alders Lisa Janairo (District 6) and Randall Crow (District 8) during its April 16 meeting. 

 The Bike Rodeo held Friday, March 29 at Elm Lawn Elementary brought many young bicyclists to learn about the rules of the road plus bicycle repair, obstacle courses and swag distributed by the City of Middleton Police Department. 

Fourteen speakers and 9 more residents who registered in opposition April 3 won their fight against city hall when the Middleton Common Council rejected a change to the Future Land Use map and postponed a rezoning request for a former auto body shop on Terrace Avenue.

The Middleton Cross Plains Area School District board of education voted 8-1 to approve the compensation package for teachers at the March 18 meeting. The vote came after 50 minutes of discussion, with an estimated 60 teachers on the sidelines, listening attentively as board members weighed the potential impact school district programs, the overall budget, ability to attract and retain teachers, etc. Board members Todd Berry, Marni Ginsberg, Bob Greene, Bob Hesselbein, Tabitha Hansen, Sheila Hibner, Catherine Kells and Gail Shepler voted in favor of the motion to establish the $51,000 base rate for a first year teacher. Simrnjit Seerha voted against the motion.

Middleton’s mayor would have the option of appointing a new Plan Commission chairperson other than herself, or appointing herself to continue serving on the commission, if the Middleton Common Council approves the second reading of an ordinance amendment at its next meeting.

Alders, along with Mayor Emily Kuhn, debated the ordinance change during the first reading of the amendment as part of the March 19 council meeting agenda.

Check Out Page 4 to see the full story on St. Peter’s Famous Fish Fry. Check Out Page 5 for scenes from Open Kettle Farms Maple Syrup Weekend.