At a special meeting Tuesday evening, Prairie du Chien Common Council approved the hiring of James Gitz as the new city administrator, but was almost snowed under by the task of revising the city ordinance regarding street plowing.

Gitz was one of four candidates who underwent final interviews this past weekend. An attorney who served as mayor and city administrator of Freeport, Ill., Gitz had been the first choice of city department heads in Prairie du Chien. Gitz had also served as legal counsel for the City of Urbana and was an Illinois 35th Distract state senator.

Mayor Cheryl Mader said Gitz had stated the he was interested in the quality of life in this city, that his objectives matched those of the city, and that he wanted to make a difference.

When the question arose over the amount of Gitz's agreed salary, $75,000 plus benefits, Council member Dave Hemmer said that all of the top four candidates were currently making between $71,000 and $73,000, and the city needed to offer something more.

Council member Frank Pintz cast the sole dissenting vote in authorizing the agreement. Pintz, a member of the finance committee, said that $71,000 had been budgeted and he felt the city should stick to the budget.

The other major issue of the evening was revising the city ordinance regarding alternate side parking during the winter.

The objective was to change the current ordinance, which requires alternate side parking every night during snow season beginning Nov. 15, regardless of whether or not it snows. Street Superintendent Rodney Fishler had also suggested the no-parking hours„currently set at midnight to 6 a.m.„be extended to noon to expedite snow plowing

A new ordinance, intended to make parking less bothersome for residents, would require alternate side parking only if it snows, and that is the point at which the discussion became bogged down in a blizzard of words.

A major problem pointed out by City Attorney Tom Peterson was what constitutes 'snow.' He said that theoretically, people could challenge a ticket with the argument that they did not move their vehicles because there it was 'flurrying' or sleeting rather than snowing.

Fishler said that the city usually plows when the snow reaches two inches. However, predicting the amount of snow in advance and notifying people that parking regulations would go into effect remained a problem. Council member Phil Dagnon suggested that the ordinance go into effect only when the city declares a snow emergency.

Council member Jaaren Riebe moved that alternate side parking go into effect from midnight until the following noon when there is a forecasted snow event of two inches or more, and remain in effect for 48 hours after the end of the snow.

Peterson was asked to draft the ordinance and have it ready for approval at next week's council meeting. Until then, residents are asked to abide by the current ordinance, which goes into effect Nov. 15.

In other business, council reviewed and approved a proposed lot division by Wal-Mart, creating a separate lot at the former Murphy's Oil site.

Area hunters getting ready for gun-deer season

Numerous hunters in Crawford County have expressed concerns regarding the upcoming gun-deer season, which runs from Nov. 17 to Nov. 25. Crawford County Conservation Warden Mike Cross is available to answer any questions hunters might have regarding "earn-a-buck" or any other hunting regulations.

Cross said that Crawford County is divided into two deer management units. Most of the county consists of Unit 74B, which is a "herd control unit." 74B is not an "earn-a-buck" unit. Cross said that hunters will receive one free antlerless tag with their deer hunting license. If a hunter hunts in the archery season and the gun season, they would receive a free antlerless tag for each of those seasons.

In 74B, tags can be used in any order. A hunter can kill a buck first or a doe first. The order doesn't matter. Cross said that the tags are labeled so that hunters know which tag to use. If a hunter bags a buck during the archery season, he or she should tag it with the tag labeled "archery buck." If a hunter bags a buck during the gun season, he or she should use the "gun buck" tag. If a hunter bags a doe, he or she should use the antlerless tag.

"We've tried to make it easier," said Cross about the straight forward tagging rules.

In addition to the free antlerless tag that is given with the purchase of a deer hunting license, hunters may also purchase an unlimited amount of antlerless tags for $2 apiece. Cross said that these tags are valid in any "herd control unit."

The other deer hunting unit in Crawford County is Unit 71. Unit 71 is that part of the county east of Highway 61. Unit 71 is a "herd reduction area of the CWD Zone." Unit 71 is an "earn-a-buck" unit. Hunters in 71 receive four free antlerless tags with the purchase of their license. Hunters in 71 must kill a doe before they can kill a buck.

Cross said that if a hunter kills a doe in 71, he or she will get a "buck validation sticker." That hunter then can kill a buck. A hunter in 71 can kill an unlimited amount of deer. They must, however, kill a doe before killing each buck.

If a hunter kills a doe in Unit 71 and then does not get a buck, their buck validation sticker will carry over into next year's season, said Cross. A hunter who kills a doe this season and who doesn't get a buck, can kill a buck first next year. If they wish to continue hunting, they then must kill a doe before they kill another buck.

Unit 74B and Unit 71 are designed to reduce deer populations, said Cross. Cross noted that 74B may or may not become an "earn-a-buck" unit next year. "That is unknown at this time," he said.

"People have been good and have been calling to make sure of the regulations," said Cross. "Hunters have called to make sure that they have interpreted the rules correctly, and, in most cases, they have."

Cross said that anyone with questions about the deer hunting season can call him at (608) 326-2915.

"If you get the chance, I would go," said River Ridge sophomore Cora Halverson, "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and you learn so much."

The opportunity of which she speaks is the People to People Summer Leadership Summit, an organization created by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956 and open to eligible students in grades 6 to 12.

Cora was nominated in eighth grade by her teacher, Laurie Laufenberg, who recently died of cancer. Cora submitted the necessary records, application forms and recommendations, and learned of her acceptance„a year in advance„by the end of that school year. Cora's parents were willing and able to pay for her trip (the student's family pays all expenses), and she flew to Washington, D.C. July 9, where she was met and transported to George Washington University, the conference site.

She, and approximately 300 other students from all over the world, participated in an intensive week of visiting monuments and museums, classroom lectures, team building exercises, and learning about other cultures through interacting with each other.

Of the many places they visited„the Lincoln Memorial, Monticello, the Washington Monument, the National Air and Space Museum and the Vietnam Memorial, among others„she found the Holocaust Museum the most impressive. "There was so much information it was mind-boggling," she said, "and on the walls were the names of people who died in the holocaust."

Despite all the tours and sightseeing, however, it was what she did and learned that Cora found the most impressive. They had classes and workshops on being pro-active and making good choices, being open to other people's opinions, being leaders and standing up for themselves. They did team building exercises and visited with admissions counselors from three different colleges to learn about gaining acceptance to the colleges of their choice.

They spent a day working on a vegetable farm in Virginia, pulling weeds and fertilizing. The food raised on the all-volunteer farm is donated to shelters.

The Director of Homeland Securities addressed the group about his job and explained some of the situations his organization has encountered.

Cora returned from her trip July 18, and feels as if she has grown from her experience. "I feel more confident now," she says, "and I'm more willing to express my opinion." She is involved in volleyball, softball and forensics, and works at Orchard Manor Nursing Home.