Statewide Arc conference to held in Prairie du Chien in '03
Some groups might be taken aback when faced with the question of how to hold a convention for a statewide organization in a community which does not have conference facilities, but The Arc - Wisconsin has few doubts about the potential success of the event.
Arc will be holding their statewide conference in Prairie du Chien Oct. 30 and 31 of 2003, with up to 350 people expected.
Planning has been underway for a while to overcome the obstacles of having the event in our community.
The problem of where to hold conference sessions has been solved by scheduling the event for the same time as the annual state teacher's convention, thus allowing the use of school buildings.
Motel rooms for up to 350 people shouldn't be a problem since the
tourism season pretty much ends as soon as the leaves drop, earlier in October.
Jim Hoegemeier, executive director of The Arc - Wisconsin Disability Association, recently spoke to the Prairie du Chien Rotary Club about the organization and the 2003 event.
The mission and vision of The Arc-Wisconsin (formerly known as The Wisconsin Association for Retarded Children) is to promote and advocate quality of life for persons with developmental and related disabilities, said Hoegemeier.
The Wisconsin Council for Mentally Retarded Children was officially incorporated in 1949. These people worked to improve the conditions at the state institutions.
 Since that time, The Arc has played a major role in establishing the first sheltered workshops, day care programs and schooling for
developmentally disabled children. They have worked to establish
community programs and to provide community living arrangements for those with disabilities, said Hoegemeier.
The Arc concentrates on allowing developmentally disabled persons to flourish in their communities. That is also the goal of Lori Knapp Incorporated (LKI) of Prairie du Chien. For 30 years, LKI has worked toward this same goal. When the Arc - Wisconsin board of directors, which includes Don Knapp, Jr. of LKI, started discussing holding the convention someplace different, he and the board president thought that Crawford County would be the perfect place since community-based services started here.
In 1972, LKI was started by Don (Sr.) and Bette Knapp so their daughter, Lori, who is developmentally disabled, could live in her home town in a family-like environment. In November of that year, Lori and seven other developmentally disabled children became the first group home of its kind in the state.
Knapp admits the logistics to having a major conference in Prairie du Chien are different than a place with a convention center, but he says the obstacles, such as transportation, can be overcome.
One way they are doing this is asking organizations, such as the Prairie du Chien Rotary Club to get involved. Many of those attending the convention will be experiencing Prairie du Chien for the first time and may need an informal "guide" to show them around when they arrive.
About 40 percent of those who attend the convention will have
development disabilities. The others will be those who love and/or care for people with disabilities.
The convention may feature a concert by actor and musician Chris Burke ("Life Goes On") who performed in Prairie du Chien a few years ago.
For more information on the Arc 2003 Convention in Prairie du Chien, contact Don Knapp at (608)326-5536.

RR hearing examiner says close Haydn Street crossing, citizens angered
Stating that the Haydn Street Railroad Crossing is not necessary for public convenience, and its closure would promote public safety, Douglas Wood, hearing examiner for the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Railroad is recommending its closure.
"The Haydn Street crossing is redundant and unnecessary for vehicular traffic. Eliminating a redundant crossing serves the public interest," said Wood.
He is recommending BNSF remove the crossing surface and the roadway approaches at Haydn Street between Oct. 28 and Nov. 1, 2002.
"We feel our testimony was not heard nor was it relayed to the
commissioner," said city residents Sharon Frazier and Keith Coburn. The two also own and operate Frazier's Old Faithful Inn, the business which will be most affected by the closure.
More than 100 people gathered on Dec. 11 for a public hearing on the crossing closure. About 25 people testified, all of whom were against the closure. Many testified that if the main issue is safety for the citizens, then the crossing needs to be kept open for emergency vehicles to have faster access across town. Many also stated at the hearing that closing Haydn would also add to congestion on Blackhawk and Washington Streets.
Although the city council adopted a formal resolution declaring the
city's neutrality and the city registered as neutral on the question
whether Haydn should be closed, the Mayor, several aldermen and even the city administrator testified in opposition to the closure.
Frazier and Coburn feel the hearing was unjust. "The hearing examiner (Mr. Woods) was biased. Anyone we've talked to that was at the hearing said it sounded like he had his mind made up from the start," they said.
"His decision was based not on the facts, but what he chose to present to justify his conclusion," said Frazier and Coburn.
Wood said in his report that the sight distance is inadequate in all
quadrants at the Haydn Street crossing. Although no train-vehicle
accidents have occurred at this crossing since 1973, he states accidents that do occur there will likely be "quite serious" if a through train is involved due to their 50 mph speed.
Wood states in his report that there is an "excessive" number of
crossings from Webster Street to Washington Street. There are six
at-grade crossings in eight blocks within 2/3 of a mile measured along the track. Of these six crossings, Haydn Street has the lowest average daily traffic count of 1,100.
He says the closure will add no travel distance for nearly all users of Haydn Street. Motorists traveling north could simply go two blocks north on either Illinois Street, Wacouta Avenue or Beaumont Road to Washington Street to access Marquette Road. Motorists traveling south to Blackhawk Avenue could use Michigan Street, Wacouta or Beaumont.
Wood said on  Dec. 12 a DOT traffic expert testified that the amount of additional traffic would not significantly impact that congestion. Even if all of the Haydn Street traffic diverted to Blackhawk Avenue it would only add two or three vehicles per minute during the peak traffic hour, he stated.
"There is no doubt that Blackhawk Avenue suffers from congestion but closing Haydn Street will have a minimal impact on that congestion," said Wood.
He stated since traffic will still need to get from one side of the
tracks to the other, closing the crossing will not reduce the total
number of potential conflicts. "Frequently, it is suggested that
spreading the traffic over two crossings instead of one crossing would be safer. Closing the crossing will increase safety due to the 'queuing effect.' The queuing effect works to reduce accidents because it reduces the number of drivers that must make a decision to stop for an approaching train. In essence, after one driver stops, other drivers are much less likely to pass and go across the tracks," said Wood.
Frazier and Coburn say although the railroad feels Haydn isn't needed and motorists and pedestrians can use Blackhawk and Washington, that wasn't the case on Jan. 3 when the train broke down and the only open crossings in town were Haydn and Washington. All the traffic from town tried to use those two crossings.
Wood says the existing signals are overall inadequate, but they will be adequate until the crossing is closed.
The city did propose standard end-of-road barricades on each side of the crossing. Wood believes that it is reasonable for the BNSF and the state of Wisconsin to split the cost (50/50) to close the Haydn Street crossing, including the installation of barricades, and removal of the crossing.
Wood recommends that BNSF and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation also share the cost for the construction of a sidewalk along Marquette Road and Washington Street, including a sidewalk crossing at Washington Street.
He recommends that the city relocate the crossing guard from Haydn Street to Washington Street. Pedestrians could then cross the tracks at Washington Street.
Washington Street is about 1000 feet north of Haydn Street. Wood says because the Catholic school, which is the primary pedestrian
destination, is located one block north of Washington Street, directing pedestrians from Haydn to Washington Street would not increase travel distance for most users.
Constructing a sidewalk crossing at Washington St. would save about $125,000 to $200,000 in state and federal safety funds compared to constructing a pedestrian crossing at Haydn Street, Wood says.
He is recommending the city install sidewalks on the east side of
Marquette Avenue from Haydn Street to Washington Street, along the south side of Washington Street between Marquette Road and Michigan Street by the closure date of Oct. 28. BNSF and the DOT would then reimburse the city for the costs.
Frazier and Coburn  contend there were false and distorted statements made by Mr. Woods in his recommendation. They point out in Wood's recommendation he states, "The police lieutenant testified that he and his officers frequently use the Haydn crossing. Other testimony disputed this assertion.'' They say there was no other testimony disputing what the lieutenant stated. "If anything there were other officers and retired officers that backed up his statement," they stated. "It seems the only other testimony considered was concerning the Catholic
children. What about the children that use the public schools and mall, which was also brought up?"
The city has filed for an extension of the 15 days for comment on the matter, since the next council meeting is not until March 5. They were granted a two-week extension.
Frazier and Coburn are holding a open meeting at Frazier's Old Faithful Inn, Feb. 26 and 27 from 6-8 p.m. regarding the appeal process for anyone who is interested. Everyone is welcome.

City seeks input on boat landing upgrades
Prairie du Chien is an historic river city, but it is high time that its
boat landings are upgraded from the dilapidated relics that they are. This was the prevailing sentiment at a public hearing on the matter expressed by concerned citizens at city hall Thursday night.
"We need to develop a priority and a plan for all the city's boat
landings," said Dennis Kirschbaum, state DNR warden from Crawford County.
Kirschbaum, along with 20 other residents, offered several suggestions for the improvement of the landings during the informational gathering headed by City Administrator Gary Koch and Mayor Mary Jane Faas. "One of the main problems is that these landings were not originally engineered for today's bigger boats," said Kirschbaum, who suggested that, along with upgrading the landings to accommodate different types of boats, the city pass an ordinance prohibiting power loading.
While the city needs to develop a plan for each of its landings,
Kirschbaum pointed out there is currently a permit for the upgrade of one landing.
That landing appears to be the landing near Prairie du Chien's
wastewater treatment plant, where a possible land purchase could open the way for expansion of the landing to the north.
Koch said that the city is currently in negotiations with Bill Hubbard and John Vippong, who each own land north of the wastewater treatment plant boat landing.
Several residents suggested that all five of the city's landings need
more parking space as well as the proper permanent gradation to
accommodate large or small boats and trailers.
Courtesy docks, no wake zones and concrete ramps were repeated
suggestions for the improvement of the city's boat landings.
Possibilities for the wastewater treatment plant landing also included a fish-cleaning house and a proper garbage receptacle with a lid.
Koch and others said that the main concern should be to create and
maintain "usable landings" at all sites in order to eliminate the
various problems mentioned, including lack of parking, trailers getting stuck and boats getting swamped.
Koch suggested that one possibility for raising the needed funds would be to apply to the State Riverway Commission in order to receive "50-50" funding by which the state and the city would each pay half.
Beginning last summer, the city has charged a $10 yearly boat launch fee for residents and a $20 fee for nonresidents. The daily fee is $5. These funds are earmarked for the maintenance or upgrade of the landings. Koch said that in the year 2001, the city collected a total of $21,259 from boat launch fees.
More hearings concerning the maintenance of boat landings will be
scheduled in the future.