The FCJ reaches over 12,000 households each week. Washing Prohibited A discussion ensued when it was Continued from Page 3 noted that under 736.04 Prohibitlimit on the number of active ed Activity there was a prohibition mines was appreciated. Bakke of washing with water and the use said the eight could be in a row, so of chemicals or flocculants. Screenthe limitation would not prevent ing and sorting at the mining site clustering. Findings of fact could will be allowed. limit the size of a cluster due to Larry Thompson, Reilly Conroad traffic in an area. Bakke said struction, complained that the proit just about always comes back to hibition of washing at the site will road use. increase truck traffic as 30 to 40 Ron Garrison, geologist from percent is removed in the washing Milestone Materials, added that process. This material would have the number one determinant as to be trucked back to be used for to whether there could be a clus- reclamation. Swanson insisted it ter is geology or sand availability. shouldn’t increase truck traffic as Graves suggested Bakke’s lan- the trucks hauling to the processguage limiting the number of ing site have to come back. active mines be added to 736.07 The DNR manages water approas number 5. priation at the state level. Williams
MINING
Cris Gastner, Community and Business Development Specialist from CEDA and Fillmore County EDA Office, reported on information he had gathered as to effects of industrial sand mining on economic development in Wisconsin communities. Photo by Karen Reisner
Monday, September 24, 2012 argued that the DNR is not a sufficient source to regulate water as state standards don’t exist. Tara Wetzel, Mathy Construction, maintained large water volume permits from the DNR are the hardest to get. Committee member Donna Rasmussen said the SWCD can review water appropriation permits and comment on them. Enough comments can cause the DNR to seek further information. Williams said the prohibition on washing on the mining site is also about not industrializing the Ag District. Rita Leduc insisted the extent of the Jordan aquifer is not known. It bothers her that the ordinance language allows sand mining to be within 10 feet of the water table, as sand is a good filter. She reported that in Wisconsin certain herbicides have shown up in the water supply in the central sands region. Leduc declared we “can’t live without water.” Numerous people expressed their support for the prohibition of washing with water. A motion to move Ordinance 736 to the Planning Commission was approved with the additional language limiting the number of active mines at a time within the county. The Planning Commission will further discuss and refine the language before a public hearing is scheduled. Committee chairman Tom Kaase said the work of the committee along with the input from citizens attending has helped us become more educated on this subject.
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FILLMORE COUNTY JOURNAL
Page 13
Chatfield school year off to a good start By Mitchell Walbridge With another school year back in session, Chatfield School Board members met on September 17 to see how students are approaching the new academic year. Both Principals Craig Ihrke and Randy Paulson were present to give insight. Irhke and Paulson had coinciding messages to bring to the board that the new school year is off and running well. In these first few weeks both the elementary and high school have been getting components such as fire and bus safety refreshed in the minds of both students and staff members. Chatfield High School is once again implementing the SMART Goals program which will be fully operational by the beginning of October. Elementary Principal Craig Ihrke reiterated the importance of the 100 Book Challenge and stressed that at least one parent should attend the parent evening on September 25. This will encourage both reading at home and parents to become “at home coaches” to their children’s reading literacy development. Community Education Director LuAnn Klevan also addressed the board Monday night on the district’s pre-school program. This year the pre-school program is offered in a newly formed, full day setting. Of the 93 pre-
school age children attending Chatfield, 40 have opted to do the full day program. Klevan stated that this will help the students by creating fewer transitions for the children in addition to getting more accustomed to the school’s atmosphere. Finally, Klevan mentioned that the mission statements and objectives for the community education department will be analyzed to make sure that they are relevant and updated to current needs and goals. Superintendent Ed Harris mentioned some financial information dealing with the district’s preliminary levy for the fiscal year 2013. It will be nearly unchanged from last year. Also, the 2012 budget is expected to come within one percent of projected expenditures. He gave recognition to Carol Lyon crediting her for all of her work on the budget. To conclude the meeting the board hired contracts for Kate Kennedy as a high school paraprofessional. Also, contracts were approved for Pauline Schriever and Paula Jobes to share the school nurse position for this school year. Finally, Hammell Equipment had a bid accepted for the next two years for snow removal. The next meeting is set for October 15, 2012.