August 23, 2006

Lawler Park Wall to be repaired, boat landings improved

Prairie du Chien residents may soon see some activity at the Lawler Park Wall and at various boat launches in the city. Steve Hendrix, the chairman of the Harbor Commission said that the commission has recommended that the city take advantage of the very low water level in order to conduct repairs to the wall and to construct improvements to landings.

The Lawler Park Wall, which was built around 1860, has pockets and holes in it that need to be repaired in order to stop further erosion for the time being. The majority of these holes are normally below the waterline. Due to the low water conditions, however, the wall is much more accessible for repairs now.

Hendrix said that the patching could begin within the next week. He also said that these patching repairs will not be the end of projects on the Lawler Park Wall, which will be one of the components of the 20-year plan that will be established for commercial harbors, boat landings and the Marina in Prairie du Chien.

Hendrix said that the objective would be to keep the historic appearance of the wall, while also coming up with a plan for its long-range maintenance. Hendrix estimated that it could cost approximately $500,000 over the long-term to complete the wall properly. Hendrix stressed that none of the money used for the immediate repair of the wall and its future maintenance, as well as improvements to the city's boat landings, will come from taxes. All of the funds will be raised from grants and from the city's boat launch fees.

Hendrix noted that there are two commercial harbors in Wisconsin that are on the Mississippi River, one at La Crosse and one in Prairie du Chien. The Harbor Commission is looking into obtaining historical and commercial grants for the maintenance of the wall and improvements to landings.

"We're very optimistic," he said. "You've got to start somewhere."

Hendrix noted that use of the river has increased tremendously and that has contributed to the erosion of the Lawler Park Wall. "River traffic has increased 100 fold in the last 10 years including fishermen, barges, jetskis, pleasure craft and powerboats," he said.

In addition to grants, Hendrix noted that the city raises about $23,000 per year in boat launch fees, which in turn are used for the maintenance and improvements at the city's five boat landings.

The two most improved landings in recent years have been the Campion Boat Landing (next to the wastewater treatment plant) and the St. Feriole Slough Boat Landing (commonly referred to as the Marina Landing). Hendrix said that the City Council has approved of improvements at the St. Feriole Slough Landing. There will soon be eight more pieces of concrete added, each piece will be eight feet long and approximately 12 feet wide. The hump that has been formed at the end of two ramps due to powerloading will be dug out and each ramp will be made longer so that the scouring out of a hump will cease to be a problem. The cost of this project is $25,000, which comes entirely from boat launch fees.

With the water so low, it is a good time to conduct the improvements. "It gives us the opportune time to get in and work on them," said Hendrix, who noted that it is hoped that the lengthening of the two ramps at the St. Feriole Slough Landing will be completed by the end of September.

As a side note, Hendrix said that the Mississippi River Stage at Prairie du Chien was the lowest it has been in the last 30 years when it was at 6.3 feet earlier this summer. He said that in 1976 the river stage hit 5.8 feet. "We were almost to the point of closing the landings," he said in explaining that state law would have governed such a decision.

Hendrix said that a minor drainage problem at the Campion Landing will be addressed by laying down a special type of cloth material and putting small rocks on top of it to stop erosion.

The Harbor Commission is also looking into the possibility of increasing the parking space at the Campion Landing and the St. Feriole Slough Landing. Hendrix said that the field in front of the St. Feriole Slough Landing will be raised up so that it is not wet all of the time and gravel will be spread on top of it. He said that parking should be increased by about 30 more rigs. He estimated the cost at $20,000 to be paid for by boat launch fees. It is hoped that the parking project will be done by this fall.

"The community has been very supportive and patient," said Hendrix about all of the improvements. Hendrix noted that the Harbor Commission and the city are always looking for citizen input, especially concerning the establishment of the 20-year plan. He said that there is a blue questionnaire that people get when they pay their boat launch fees and constructive suggestions are always welcome.

Hendrix also said that the Harbor Commission will recommend that the mayor appoint an ad-hoc committee in order to help form the 20-year plan. The committee will consist of two members of the public, one person from the Harbor Commission, the City Planner and one City Council member. This ad-hoc committee will explore all aspects of the Marina, the boat landings and the commercial harbor.

The establishment of a 20-year plan will give the Harbor Commission direction, said Hendrix, who also noted that having such a plan will make it much easier to get state and federal grants.

Hendrix noted that the Harbor Commission is made up of volunteers who strive to protect the community's interests. "We are there to make sure they get their money's worth," he said.

West charged with first degree intentional homicide

Homicide suspect ordered to undergo competency testing

A rural Eastman woman, Mona J. West, was officially charged with first degree intentional homicide at her initial appearance in Crawford County Circuit Court Monday afternoon.

Judge Michael Kirchman said that there was probable cause to charge West with first degree intentional homicide. West faces life in prison if convicted.

West appeared in court with her attorney, public defender Russell Hanson of Westby, who told Judge Kirchman that he doubts whether West is competent to stand trial.

"I doubt her competency," Hanson said. "I doubt that she is capable of understanding these proceedings or in assisting in her own defense."

Kirchman ordered that West undergo competency testing to be done by the State Department of Health and Family Services. A hearing concerning the status of West's competency testing has been scheduled in Crawford County Court for Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 2 p.m.

West, 42, has been charged with shooting and killing her boyfriend Gus D. Brown III, 43, in the mobile home that they shared at 29446 Highway 27 in the town of Eastman. West had admitted to investigators that she shot Brown with her .380 semi-automatic pistol at approximately 11:30 p.m Aug. 14.

According to the criminal complaint, West went to the home of a woman friend in Bagley the morning of Aug. 15 and told the friend that "she had done something terrible, she had shot Gus." West called the Grant County Sheriff's Department at approximately 6:30 a.m. Aug. 15 to report the shooting and later turned herself over to a Crawford County Sheriff's deputy at the Murphy USA gas station located near Wal-Mart in the town of Bridgeport.

According to the complaint, Brown's body was found lying face up in a pool of blood in the doorway of a bedroom in the mobile home. A semi-automatic handgun was found next to his head.

On Aug. 16, Dr. Robert Huntington III conducted an autopsy at VA Hospital in Madison. Dr. Huntington said that Brown had been shot twice, with one bullet entering the body through the back and going through a blood vessel from the heart, causing massive internal bleeding. Huntington told investigators that the second bullet was shot through the top of Brown's skull and traveled through his brain, lodging in his neck, according to the complaint. Huntington told investigators that both gunshots caused fatal wounds, the complaint said.