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Council addresses truck route, residential development
During their Tuesday night meeting, the Prairie du Chien Common Council addressed a variety of issues, including changes to the local truck route. Once Cliffwood Drive and Frederick Street are completed, local truck traffic will be using those streets instead of Miller, Beaumont and N. Main, per the council's action. An amendment to the ordinance pertaining to residential development lighting sparked a discussion about residential development as a whole. Some council members felt that more incentives should be offered to residential developers like those given to business and industrial developers, such as the city paying for water, sewer and streets (similar to what is done in TIF districts). Some members felt that more incentives should be offered instead of asking residential developers to pick up the tab for lighting too. Despite the discussion, the measure to include lighting in the developers ordinance passed 8-3. In other business, the council asked the Park and Rec Board to once again review the user fee schedule (for events) on St. Feriole Island, and to address a "no parking fee policy" and moving the bleachers from the rodeo grounds. The board had already reviewed these items and kept the policies the same, but the council voted to have the board look at the issue again. The council denied a request for payment from the Crawford County Highway Department for tree trimming on Wildernest Road. The county mistakenly trimmed trees and brush on that road and asked the city to pay $792. Calling the work a "hatchet job," the council denied the payment and said that residents on that road are quite upset with the mess which was left behind. Parks Director Mark McWilliams told the council he had spoken to La Crosse Heating and Ventilation about the needed air exchange equipment for Hoffman Hall, and the project will cost less than the $6,500 he had budgeted. The council approved extending the no parking area on the north side of Wells Street new Bluff View School a short distance further than it currently is to help improve safety.

PdC bass pro reels in awards
After six years as a professional bass fisherman Jeff Ritter of Prairie du Chien continues to reel in lunkers as well as accolades and awards as he climbs further towards the upper echelon of his sport. Ritter's second-place showing at the WalMart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Tournament Sept. 15 in Prairie du Chien boosted him to a first-place finish for this season's Great Lakes Division of the WalMart BFL League. On Day 1 of the Prairie du Chien tournament, Ritter registered a limit of five bass that tipped the scales for a total of 14 pounds, 6 ounces to take the lead in the tournament. On Day 2, Ritter again caught a limit of five fish, weighing in at 14 pounds even for a two-day total weight of 28 pounds, 6 ounces, good enough for Ritter to claim the top overall spot in the Great Lakes Division of the BFL. Ritter's second-place finish in the Prairie du Chien Tournament and his first-place overall finish in the Great Lakes Division of the BFL, not only earned him trophies, cash and merchandise prizes, it also qualified him for a regional WalMart BFL tournament in Kentucky in October. The winner of the Kentucky regional tournament will receive a grand prize of a new pickup truck and a new bass boat. "It's a lot of fun, and it's a highly competitive sport," Ritter said in noting that there will be 120 fishermen at the Kentucky tournament. The top six at the Kentucky tournament will qualify for the All American Tournament later this year, at which the grand prize is $100,000, Ritter said. Ritter has fished for three years in the Great Lakes Division of the WalMart BFL and this year fished in one EverStart Series - Northern Division event. Having fished in tournaments all over the Midwest, Ritter has competed against and beaten some top nationally-recognized bass anglers, including Kevin Van Dam, Jim Tutt, Dave LeFibre and Eric Holte. Ritter said that he is currently seeking sponsors and hopes to compete in the Forrest L. Wood (FLW) Tour, considered the top professional bass fishing circuit. In addition to the WalMart BFL and EverStart Series, Ritter has also been busy fishing Team Supreme events with his father Sam as his partner. The two teamed up earlier this season to take 10th at a Team Supreme tournament at Mark Twain Lake in Missouri and will also compete in the Team Supreme National Championship at Table Rock Lake, Missouri. Ritter also continues to fish all local bass tournaments and has consistently placed amongst the top finishers. For those wishing to get started as a professional bass angler, Ritter suggests that they enter a tournament as a co-angler, as he did in his early professional career. Ritter explained that a co-angler has a much lower entrance fee and is paired up with a professional bass fisherman. Not only does the co-angler get to ride along in the pro angler's boat, he may get to use the pro's equipment as well. "You've got to be very persistent and you've got to learn from everybody you're paired with," Ritter said in explaining what it takes to become a successful professional bass fisherman.

PdC inventor hopes for tidy profit with cleaning unit
While all inventors hope to make a tidy profit, a Prairie du Chien man has taken that concept literally in his hopes to clean house on the cleaning industry market. Tom Stevens of Steven's Cleaning Service and Supplies, 126 S. Wacouta Avenue, has designed a "Mobile Versatility Unit," that would make house cleaning and many other types of cleaning much easier. The mobile versatility unit is a plastic unit with several compartments by which a person can easily carry a roll of paper towels and other cleaning products. The unit would keep supplies neat and organized in one easily accessible unit. Stevens, through his experience in the cleaning supply business, came up with the idea for the unit in 1997 and received a design patent in 2000. "I thought there had to be an easier way to store and transport cleaning supplies while doing housework. This would make house cleaning a much simpler task," said Stevens, who noted that the unit can also be used by painters, for automotive work, for industrial purposes and in the medical field, among others. "Cleaning products, tools, whatever is needed for the job can be carried in the unit," Stevens said. Stevens is seeking a utility patent for his portable cleaning supply carrier through the help of Invention Submission Corporation of Pittsburgh, which is also helping to promote the product in an effort to gain a license or joint venture with a company that would manufacture the unit. Stevens also said, however, "In the back of my mind, I would like to manufacture the product myself." Stevens said he found the whole process of trying to gain a patent intriguing and that he has four or five other ideas he would eventually like to have patented. "I've had great support from my wife Jackie, my brother Tracy and my dad Jack," said Stevens. "It's been fun." Advice that Stevens would give to other prospective inventors is to be persistent and to stay local. "I try to stay local and try to be able to talk to people directly," he said. "Bigger isn't necessarily better." The Mobile Versatility Unit, designed by Tom Stevens of Prairie du Chien, is designed to make household cleaning, as well as automotive, industrial and medical cleaning faster and easier.

Heated exchange follows Prairie du Chien board's non-vote on QEO
With an overflow crowd of about 60 teachers in attendance, many wearing signs stating the amount their salaries will be dropping, the stage seemed set for a confrontation pending the Prairie du Chien School Board's vote on whether to re-implement the Qualified Economic Offer (QEO). It was the board's non-vote that spurred the confrontation, however. The special meeting was called Tuesday night because the validity of the board's 3 to 2 vote to implement the QEO in May was questioned per the board's own policy, which states that a majority of the whole board, (four members) was needed in such matters. Board President Mary Jorgensen said that the board was going to enter closed session because they were expecting a call from the district's lawyers concerning the QEO issue. Board member Merle Frommelt excused himself from the closed session due to a conflict of interest. Upon emerging from the closed session about an hour and 45 minutes later, the board entered into open session, then immediately adjourned, as most board members and administrators bolted from the room, leaving the teachers in stunned silence and bewilderment for a moment. The silence was broken by teacher Randi Kluesner who said, "What does this mean?" District Administrator Jim O'Meara said that the board considers the QEO to be still in effect. He said that it is the district's lawyers' interpretation that the original vote is valid and does not violate board policy. One board member, Mary Ann Garrity, stayed and fielded questions concerning the board's policy and the validity of the board's May QEO vote. Emotions were running high on both sides and the exchange soon became heated. "Listen buddy, I voted against this (the QEO) in the first place, so you don't tell me..." said Garrity after receiving some "boos" of disbelief when she told teachers that in cases such as the QEO, the board's policy of needing four members for a majority is not in effect. She said a majority of the five-member quorum that was present in May is all that is needed. Garrity responded to questions concerning how much the school district's legal fees are by saying, "Maybe you should talk to LeRoy (Roberts) about the union's legal fees and how much he is costing the district with all those grievances. You are your own worst enemy." The exchange ended after a man in the audience began to use vulgarities and other board members came back into the room to help usher Garrity out. Teachers pointed out to the press that the man who had spoken with rude language was not a teacher. Teachers in the board room also discussed not doing anything at school after 4 p.m., including not helping out with sports and other activities. During the May vote, school board voted 3-2 to implement the QEO, with board members Joseph Atkins and Mary Ann Garrity voting against implementing the QEO. Merle Frommelt abstained due to a conflict of interest and Brian Edwards was not present. A QEO can be implemented when the district and the teacher's union are deadlocked in negotiations and cannot reach an agreement for a new contract. Teachers in the district have been working without a contract since July 1, 2001. The QEO means that the teachers will receive a total package (salary and benefits) pay raise of 3.8 percent, as mandated by the state. In other business Tuesday night, the board: *Approved a trip by the high school choir to Carnegie Hall. The trip will be in April, 2003 over Easter break. *Approved four student requests for Youth Options.

DOT, city residents discuss possibility of widening portion of Marquette Road
The volume of traffic and the safety of motorists may result in the removal of up to 16 residences and 10 business on Marquette Road in the future. On Wednesday night, 70 local residents and businesses owners attended a informational meeting at city hall to learn more about the possibilities to improve Marquette Road from Iowa Street to Blackhawk Avenue. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and the consultant team led by CMH2 HILL are proposing that that one-quarter mile stretch be widened to six lanes. The improvements will not be made until at least 2010. "The purpose of the meeting is to describe concerts to address existing and future deficiencies and gather input," said Dan Dupies of CMH2 HILL. The proposal includes right turn lanes, left turn lanes and a raised center median. This would increase the needed right of way from 66 feet to up to 103 feet. One plan being considered has most of the needed right of way on the east - this plan would displace 11 residences and 8 businesses. The "west plan" would displace 13 residences and eight businesses. A third plan which takes the needed land from both sides of the street. This would displace 16 residences and 10 businesses. These figures do not include any of the gas stations, which may have displacement of pumps but not of their main structures. In all of the plans there are three businesses - Prairie Cabinet Shop, American Family Insurance and Carquest - and two homes which will be displaced. "Keep in mind nothing is set in stone at this point," noted Dupies. Dupies and DOT officials did note other plans for Marquette Road, such as stoplights being installed at Iowa Street and the possibility of a pedestrian overpass of Marquette Road and the railroad tracks at Wells Street. Marsha Erickson, District 5 Relocation Agent spoke about the services and payments to home and business owners and tenants who are displaced by public projects. She explained how they come up with the purchase price through an outside assessor, payment for moving costs and payment for business reestablishment at a new location. They can also pay other costs such as those for closing and or incidental charges. The Highway 18 corridor study began in 1999 and concluded in 2000 with a report titled "The Prairie du Chien Area Transportation Study." Since then, the DOT and CMH2 HILL have been working to narrow down alternative solutions. Even if traffic is diverted to another street, predicted future traffic volumes warrant improvements. Marquette Road from Iowa to Blackhawk currently has a crash rate four times over the state average, and volumes are predicted to go up 72 percent during the next 30 years. The study area begins at the intersection of Highways 18 and 60 in Bridgeport and extends northwesterly about 8 miles to the County K/Highway 35 intersection north of Prairie du Chien. This phase of the study focuses only on the area of Marquette Road/ Highway 18 between Iowa and Blackhawk. CMH2 HILL and the DOT will now review the input from this public meeting and begin to refine the alternatives. Once an alternative is chosen, another design phase will being and funding possibilities will be looked at.

Universal purchases portion of Quality Wood
Universal Forest Products (UFP) announced Thursday an agreement with Quality Wood Treating Co. Inc. to acquire its facility in Prairie Du Chien, which produces Everx¨ composite decking. In addition, Quality and UFP have agreed to provide treated wood products from Quality's locations in the Midwest. Quality expects total sales in excess of $125 million for fiscal year 2002. Chuck Linnell, president of Quality Wood, explained Friday that Quality Wood sold the portion of the business known as the Everx¨ and "Reman" (remanufacturing) facility. The rest of the business, known as Quality Wood will remain under local ownership, including Quality Wood's corporate headquarters. The remainder of the business will be selling pressure treatment of lumber to UFP. Linnell said that Quality Wood employs about 100 people, about 55 of which will be affected by this acquisition. It is still unknown how employees will be affected, or what type of reorganization will take place, both with the UFP facility and at Quality Wood. The management teams of both companies will be meeting over the next few weeks to work out their plans. No layoffs have been announced at this time. Mark Deremo of UFP's marketing department said they were not yet ready to announce any details about staffing at the Prairie du Chien facility, but he noted that in the eight years with the company they have increased the number of employees nationwide from 3,000 to 7,000. "We are excited to be become part of the Prairie du Chien community and it is our hope and expectation that the company will continue to grow and expand through this acquisition," said Matt Missad, executive vice president of UFP. "We're excited about this expansion into composite wood manufacturing which, combined with our TechTrim manufacturing and vinyl products, fits perfectly with our goal of being a leader in the supply of alternative wood products in the United States," said William G. Currie, UFP's vice chairman and chief executive officer. "While preserved wood continues to be the best selling product in the marketplace, many customers are willing to pay the premium for low maintenance alternative wood products, like Everx¨." Steve Welter, chief executive officer of Quality added, "The composite wood market for our Everx¨ product is expanding rapidly, and UFP's resources will allow Everx production to meet the demand. UFP's national presence should allow for distribution throughout the US." Currie described the wood preservation agreement with Quality as an opportunity for UFP to expand its relationship with regional professional dealers and independent retailers, in addition to increasing its ability to service the major national D-I-Y chains. "We believe the treating industry will be consolidating over the next few years, and we intend to stay ahead of the curve. This agreement enables us to provide a variety of treated products and alternative wood products to our customers in an efficient and timely manner, while increasing our market share," said Currie. Welter concurred, stating, "As an independent treater it is becoming increasingly difficult to meet the demands of our customers in a cost effective way. By teaming up with UFP, we can focus on producing a quality product, while relying on UFP's strengths in procurement, marketing, sales and customer service." Universal Forest Products markets, manufactures, and engineers products for D-I-Y retail home centers, structural lumber products for the manufactured housing industry, engineered wood components for the site-built construction market and specialty wood packaging for various industries.