Sculpture Park Board launches drive for three new statues

The project will kick off Oct. 23 with a media day at which representatives from area newspapers and television stations, as well as community members, will be introduced to the next statues planned for the park: those of John Lawler and Emma Big Bear.

The day will begin at 10 a.m. with a media visit to Bluff View Middle School, where students will display statues they are sculpting under the guidance of Florence Bird, the artist for the Sculpture Park.

At 11 a.m. ceremonies will begin at the Sculpture Park, with proceedings emceed by Prairie du Chien Mayor Cheryl Mader, and everyone is invited to attend.

At that time, Pat and Janet Leamy are issuing a challenge to the city: if the city can collect money to pay for one of the statues by June 1, 2008, they will pay for a third statue, which they will then identify, to be placed in the park.

At 11:30, Michael Douglass, curator of the Villa Louis, will give a history of John Lawler's life.

Visitors will have an opportunity to watch St. Gabriel's 4th grade students doing rubbings of the Firecircle plaques, view a replica of the pontoon bridge and a portion of the chain from the original bridge and meet with the Leamys and with artist Florence Bird.

A lunch of brats, beans and root beer will be served following the presentation.

Although there will be many ways to make donations, one option is to purchase memorial bricks, which will be inscribed and placed along the front of the park donor board. People might want, said Tom Nelson, board member, to give a gift in memory of a deceased family member or in honor of someone.

Emma Big Bear spent her childhood and young adult life in Wisconsin, but spent the rest of it in Iowa in the Marquette-McGregor area. Emma claimed to be a direct descendent of early 19th century Winnebago Chief Decorah, and is cherished as the last full-blooded Native American to live by traditional means in Clayton County. She died in 1968 at the age of 99.

John Lawler, a native of Ireland, came to Prairie du Chien in 1857. A major figure in Prairie du Chien's history, he is perhaps best known for the railway pontoon bridge which spanned the river from Prairie du Chien to Marquette for over 100 years. Lawler became a wealthy man, and was Prairie du Chien's greatest philanthropist.

For more information, contact Tom or Cathy Nelson, pdcnellie@centurytel.net or Florence Bird, (608) 588-2473 or florence@florencebird.com

Prospects are good for revised storm water plan

Although no official action can be taken until details are worked out, the initial meeting of the ad hoc storm water committee produced a rough plan which can now be drafted into an agreement for action at the next council meeting.

That was the report presented to Prairie du Chien Common Council at last evening's meeting. Terry Meyer, superintendent of the city wastewater department, outlined the highlights of the plan.

A group of businesses have agreed to fund and complete several of the city's high-priority storm water projects. Those identified projects are the Jackson Street bridge replacement, ditch modifications and Fillmore Street inlet modification. Work in the Bennett Hardwood/Design Homes area, another high priority project, has already begun.

The city attorney would be asked to amend the storm water ordinance to remove the proposed utility and budget portions. That, said Meyer, would alleviate the concerns of the businessmen who did not want a storm water utility in place and yet give the city a storm water ordinance. The ordinance would give the city more favorable consideration for any future state grant applications.

Meyer said the committee hoped to meet again this week to work out the details of the agreement, which would include the projects to be done, monetary commitments, engineering, construction, mapping and other items for a three year period.

Council member Joe Ruskey, who had also worked on the Storm Water Technical Advisory Committee which drafted the utility proposal, said he felt it went well. "It all comes down," he said, "to whether we can get an agreement that's fair to everybody. I feel we're headed in the right direction." Council member Jaaren Riebe, also on the committee, said one of the fears of the business community was that they would complete the storm water work and the city would then approve creation of a utility. The group arrived at the idea that there be no utility for the three-year length of the contract. After that, the issue could be re-examined if needed.

In other business, council:

*Approved the promotion of Terry Sprosty to the position of Detective in the police department.

*Accepted the donation of an ATV from the Brisbois Bowman Archery Club, to be used in LaRiviere Park for maintenance and other needs, with the stipulation that drivers receive training for safe operation of the vehicles.

*Issued a proclamation declaring October United Way Month.

*Passed a resolution requesting that Congress permanently exempt the Delta Queen from the provisions of the Safety of Life at Sea Act of 1966. The resolution states that the Delta Queen, a designated National Historic Landmark, already has adequate safety provisions and yearly inspections by the Coast Guard, and the Safety at Sea Act was meant to apply to ocean-going vessels whose routes are remote from land