It has been about a year since the latest session of contract negotiations began between the teacher’s union and the Prairie du Chien School District.

Negotiations have reached a sufficient stalemate that mediation has now begun. The mediator from the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission has met with both sides once and will study the situation in an effort to find ways to get both sides to come to a voluntary settlement regarding the 2007-2009 school years.

"Both sides, the school board and the Prairie du Chien Education Association have been working hard for a voluntary settlement," said District Administrator Drew Johnson. "The process has been very professional and cordial."

The main issues in the negotiations have been the health insurance policy for the teachers, some language issues regarding tax sheltered annuities and the salary and benefit package.

"As far as language, benefits and salaries, we are relatively far apart," said Johnson, who noted that the school board is getting close to a final offer.

"My guess is that by the end of February, the process will be over one way or another," Johnson said.

If the mediation process fails, the mediator would then send a "letter of impasse" to both parties. Johnson said that the next step would be then be either a qualified economic offer (QEO) or binding arbitration.

Binding arbitration would mean that the arbitrator would select either the school board’s offer or the union’s offer, nothing in between. A QEO would mean that the district would give the teachers a total (salary and benefits) package raise of 3.8 percent for the 2007-2009 school years.

"A QEO would be more than likely," said Johnson, should the mediation fail.

The last time there was a settled contract was the 2003-2005 school years. During 2005-2007 period, there was a QEO.

Johnson said that the tough economic situation that has been faced by nearly all of the school districts in the state over the past few years plays a part in the negotiations. He noted that several area districts have had to have a referendum in recent years in order to exceed the state imposed revenue limits. Many district’s contingency funds, such as that of Prairie du Chien, have been dwindling and are getting to low for comfort.

"We are one of the lowest spending districts in the state per pupil," said Johnson. Johnson noted that Prairie du Chien’s revenues have gone up by approximately 2 percent each year, while at the same time their expenses have gone up by about 4 percent, a situation faced by numerous districts throughout the state.

Locker room project to proceed

The Prairie du Chien School Board Monday night voted to approve proceeding with repairing and upgrading the locker rooms at the high school.

Various locker rooms have had problems with plumbing and leaking, which has caused damage over the years.

District Administrator Drew Johnson said that there are four locker rooms at the high school, three of which need repair. There are two main locker rooms, one for boys and one for girls. There is also a boys wrestling and baseball locker room and a girls "sports" locker room.

The project will begin with the wrestling and baseball locker room first because it is in most need of repair. Then the two main locker rooms will be worked on. The girls sports locker room is almost brand new and doesn’t need any work done.

The project includes plumbing upgrades, the raising of the lockers, a new ceiling and a new epoxy floor. The project is part of the facilities improvement referendum approved in October of 2007 and will probably begin this winter.

The locker room project is expected to cost about $500,000, said Johnson.

Former city resident ‘Strutts’ her stuff as Klondike Kate

By Megan McCormick

McGregor and Prairie du Chien are home to royalty. Well, almost. Darci Strutt, daughter of McGregor residents Joanne and Don Strutt, was named as the St. Paul Winter Carnival’s Klondike Kate Jan. 7.

Klondike Kate has been central to the Winter Carnival for almost four decades. The role requires a lot of singing and even more sass, according to her parents.

"She said she had to take naughty lessons," said JoAnne Strutt.

The Klondike Kate character is a boa-flaunting, lipstick-wearing saloon-singing charmer with talent and beauty to boot. Strutt’s singing voice took root at Living Faith Parish Methodist church in McGregor where she sang in the choir from an early age.

Family influenced Strutt’s decision to go for the "cold." Her husband was crowned king of the Hudson, Wis. Pepper Fest at one time, and her daughter was a princess.

This year was Strutt’s second time running for Klondike Kate. Last year, judges said she was too nice for the part. A year and some acting lessons later, Strutt has won the title.

The 48-year-old North Hudson, Wis. resident impressed the audience of 350 by singing renditions of "A Guy What Takes His Time" and "Hey, Good Lookin’" in the final round of the competition.

She competed against six other Twin Cities women for the title and won through the process of elimination.

The competition traditionally marks the beginning of the Winter Carnival, which runs from Jan. 22 to Feb. 1. A special cabaret performance featuring Strutt and former Klondike Kates will take place Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn East in St. Paul.

Mr. and Mrs. Strutt said she plans to be in at least one parade or event per weekend for the next year, some of which take her out of the country into Canada.

"She enjoys it," said Mrs. Strutt. "She just loves it."

Born and raised in McGregor, Strutt eventually moved across the river to Prairie du Chien, where she worked at 3M and served as choir director at the United Methodist Church. Today she lives in North Hudson, Wis. with her husband, three children and two step-children. The cabaret singer is also a grandmother to one grandson. A mistress of mischief by night, by day Strutt works as an information security specialist for U.S. Bank.

Whether she’s taking care of her family, working at the bank or singing cabaret, Darci is the epitome of a renaissance woman. McGregor and Prairie du Chien are part of the legacy.

A grouse comes to call in rural Ferryville

By Gloria Derksen

Saturday, Jan. 10, I was walking away from the full view door at the south side of my rural home, but something made me look back—just a feeling I’d say. It’s a strange feeling to have a confluence of opposite reactions—I was startled, surprised and yet I recognized the ruffed grouse at my door.

I’d never seen her before except in a picture Fred and Sharon Alverson of Ferryville had shown to me of the grouse that strutted on their deck. Fred told me he was followed by the tame bird when he went deer hunting in November. When Fred wanted to "call" the grouse, he’d use his automatic garage door — simply opening and closing would beckon her. For a while before Christmas, Fred thought she was gone for good, but by New Year’s day she was back, even loitering at the door. "It’ll come in if you let it," Fred told me by phone when I called him.

The surprising aspect to seeing this bird at my door was that between the Alverson’s home and mine was the enormous bluff and thousands of feet, more than a half-mile as the crow flies. I’m not sure if I could say ‘as the grouse flies,’ because I’ve only seen her waddle through snow, slowly strut on my porch area, or flap up to perch on a twig or the lumber pile. When she was on the twig, I was amazed she could balance, and the twig did not get crushed by her obvious plump weight.

One of my earliest impressions was that she resembled a rugby ball, so I do call her "Rugby" and she turns her head to look at me (but I could call her anything to have her look).

I was too quick on my impulse to grab my camera. I dropped it, batteries flying and damaging the closure. I worried that while I wasted time trying to get this back together, she’d be gone! What a waste then, when I could be just enjoying her closely, and instead I’m fiddling with a camera. I didn’t need to worry though. She was around for hours. I talked to her as I followed her around my porch, sometimes inching into the snow to nibble stems of blackberry branch or weeds. I remembered Fred relating how she liked a bit of apple, but I only had some grapes and dried fruit, which she nibbled as fast as I could toss it. That was a joy! She got very close to me, within a foot.

I hope Rugby is around for quite a while because she’s quite welcome here. I file this experience where all wondrous nature close encounters go, in with my most cherished memories.