nov 8-10, 2004

Community Services Program up and running
Board approves director, secretary and several coaches
As of Nov. 1, the Community Service Program to be run by the Prairie du Chien School District has begun and offers several programs for area youth and adults. At a special School Board meeting Nov. 4 at noon, Board President Mary Jorgensen and Board members Russ Gillitzer, Brian Edwards and Barb Matejka voted to approve High School Assistant Principal-Athletic Director Joe Zydowsky as the new Community Activities Director. Zydowsky's contract will be increased from 245 days to 260 days to accommodate his new position. Likewise, the board voted to increase the contract of Stacy Hendrix from 230 days to 260 days to accommodate her position as secretary to Zydowsky in his newly added role. Board members Joe Atkins, Ron Goodman and Mark Forsythe were not present for Thursday's meeting. The Community Services Program is for all adults and children residing within the Prairie du Chien School District. It is the first time that the district has offered such a program, which will be run on $130,000 under "Fund 80" in the district budget. The School Board will need to approve the Community Services Program each year. As of Nov. 1, youth programs include girls and boys basketball, wrestling and gymnastics. "We are also looking to expand programs in the spring, summer and fall," said Zydowsky following Thursday's meeting. Zydowsky emphasized that all programs are for all children, regardless of school affiliation. For instance, a home schooled child, a parochial student or a public school student can participate in any of the youth programs. Zydowsky said that the youth programs will be expanded to include track in the spring and cross country and volleyball in the fall. At Thursday's meeting, the board approved several youth basketball coaches at $1,200 per position. Girls basketball coaches are: fifth grade, Bernetta Bartels; sixth grade, Randy Corlett; seventh grade, Tracy Fernette and eighth grade, Chris Mezera. Boys coaches are: fifth grade, Dave Petrowitz; sixth grade co-coaches Ted Sheckler and Jeff Long; seventh grade, Mike McCoy and eighth grade Gary Stram. Dale Hanson was approved as wrestling coach and Becky Nommensen will be the youth gymnastics coach at $600. Wrestling will be offered to boys in grades six through eight and gymnastics will be offered to girls in grades five through eight. Non-sports activities may be offered as well and Zydowsky said that a Community Services Committee will soon be formed to review proposals. The Community Services Committee will consist of administrators, school board members and community members. "We're open to proposals for new programs," said Zydowsky. Proposals for youth or adult activities should be submitted to Zydowsky. The committee will then review the proposal. If the committee recommends a proposal to the School Board, the board will then vote on whether to add it as a new Community Services program. Adult programs that will soon be up and running include adult first aid, CPR and AED defibrillator training by the district's nurse Karen Riley. Also, open walking, open gym and adult weight room hours will be available at the high school to men and women. Zydowsky said that there may be a nominal daily fee for the use of these facilities. Various computer classes for adults have also been discussed as possible future programs. "Money has been budgeted to add programs this year," said Zydowsky, who noted that Community Services is open to other areas of interest. At Thursday's meeting, the school board also approved Mike Hollenbeck as the "behind-the-wheel" instructor in driver's education for the remainder of the 2004-05 school year at $20 per hour. Because the behind-the-wheel portion of driver's education is now under Fund 80, Zydowsky said that it will only cost $150 per student. All parents who have previously paid the $425 fee for driver's education will be reimbursed the difference, which is $275.

Savings from the sun and wind
Home energy costs may hit record levels this winter. The hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, war and uncertainty have hit the wallets of homeowners hard. What if instead of paying the utility bills each month, the utility company credited your account for the power you produced? Rich Bannen knows that this is part of the benefit of alternative energies. He is the local representative for Bay Solar Power Design, a company his brother started in 1994 in the San Francisco bay area. Rich and his brother John are Wisconsin natives who grew up near Madison, but their family roots go back several generations to the Boscobel area. John Bannen moved to California, and when his first son was born, he decided to stay home with the baby. His wife had a good job as a pharmaceutical research scientist that could support the family. John had been researching solar and alternative energies to install at their own home. He spent so much time educating himself that he became pretty knowledgeable, and with very high energy costs in California, he saw an opportunity to start a business. "It's really taken off," said John. "We've had to hire people. In California, it's the new gold rush," he said. Solar panels on his family's 2,000 sq. foot home provide all of the electricity, including heating for a small pool and a hot tub. His electric bill? About the price of a modest dinner out for two ‹ $24 per year. During the summer weekdays when his solar panels are cooking along producing more energy than the family's household uses, the utility company credits their account, rolling their meter backwards. In the winter and in the evening when the household uses more electricity, the utility charges them off-peak rates. After visiting his brother and learning about his business and doing a little market research, Rich decided to bring the Bay Solar company home to Prairie du Chien. Rich has been running the business part-time from his home since August. He works full-time as a welder at Rivertown Ironworks. But he recently sold his first solar set-up to a man with a remote piece of property near Mt. Zion. Installing alternative energy at the customer's hunting property was much more cost efficient than paying tens of thousands of dollars to get a powerline put in. Part of the beauty of alternative energy is how it can "make a difference for everybody," says Bannen. What he means is that the technology is useful for remote properties, city homes and even farms. "I've had a lot of farmers calling lately," Rich said. Rich says that many people in places like Wisconsin think that solar can't work here because we don't have as sunny a climate as California. Bannen says don't believe it. The increased efficiency of new solar panels makes them capable of creating electricity at 40 percent capacity even on cloudy days. Wind power is another exciting possibility, according to Rich Bannen. In this area, many open ridge top locations offer excellent wind power opportunities. River Ridge School recently installed a wind power generator at their building, and Bannen donated a $3,500 wind generator to Prairie du Chien High School. Wisconsin and Iowa offer grants and incentives to homeowners, businesses and institutions that install renewable energy systems. These incentives can help with site assessment, offer cash back on equipment installation costs, low interest (1.99%) loans, and reduced property tax rates. Alliant Energy also offers programs similar to California utilities, that rollback customer's meters when their home energy systems are in peak production. Installation costs vary widely, but do represent a substantial investment in your property. The costs save money over the long-term and the higher energy costs are, the quicker homeowners gain return on their investment. For example, John Bannen said it would cost $2,000 a year to fill a propane tank at his family's new cabin. For the cost of four tanks of propane he was able to install a renewable energy system at the cabin and pay no utility bills there, ever. John Bannen sees a movement toward what he calls "zero energy homes," new houses that use radiant floor heat, solar hot water systems and powered completely by their own solar and wind systems. Rich Bannen thinks that with the great incentives offered in this area, we may not be far behind. "The timing is right," he said.

For more information on renewable energy incentive programs in Wisconsin, call the Renewable Energy Information Center at (800) 762-7077, or visit www.focusonenergy.com In Iowa, call Chad Stobbe at Iowa DNR at (515)242-5852 or visit the renewable energy website at www.state.ia.us/dnr/energy/MAIN/renewable/incentives.html

Call Rich Bannen at Bay Solar Power Design at (608) 412-0132.

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November 10, 2004

November 8, 2004