10/24/19 Oregon Observer

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Thursday, October 24, 2019 • Vol. 135, No. 17 • Oregon, WI • ConnectOregonWI.com • $1.25

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Oregon Observer The

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Village of Oregon

Perry fixes will wait for traffic study Board discusses a variety of shortterm, long-term options to improve safety EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group

Photo by Mackenzie Krumme

Asher Tilley, 3, shows off his freshly painted face during Fall Fest Saturday, Oct. 19 at Prairie View Elementary School.

An autumn celebration Three hundred pumpkins from a local farm were decorated during the 5th annual Fall Fest on Saturday, Oct. 19 at Prairie View Elementary School. During the event more than 340 participants enjoyed

decorating pumpkins, coloring, a bouncy house, balloon animals, face paint and even a projection of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Badger game. Hay bales were scattered throughout the school to create a fall theme. And a free photo booth rounded out the fun for families. Pure Integrity Homes organizes the event each year and Anna Petrie, team manager at

PIH, said it allows employees to be connected to Oregon. “This is a way for us to be present in the community,” she said. The 50/50 raffle brought in $250 for the PIH scholarship given to a senior each year. To view or buy the photos in the slideshow, visit smugmug.com Contact Mackenzie at mackenzie.krumme@wcinet.com.

Inside See more photos of Fall Fest Page 20

Oregon School District

Passing the torch after 3 decades Long-time district leader Busler retiring at end of school year SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group

The end of this school year will be very different one for Brian Busler. After more than three decades working with

educators and students, first as a business manager and since 2006, the Oregon School District superBusler intendent, B u s l e r, 5 8 , a n n o u n c e d Tuesday he plans to retire at the end of the year school year, on June 30. School board members are expected to make an

announcement on the superintendent transition plan at their Monday, Oct. 28 meeting. In a letter to school board members last week, Busler wrote “it has been the highest honor to be a part of the Oregon School District community and serve as your superintendent for the past 14 years.” Busler leaves with a new elementary school under construction in Fitchburg after a successful 2018

referendum and with voters already aware of plans for a middle school to be built just north of the Village of Oregon in the next few years. Busler said he’s “committed to ensuring a seamless transition” to the school’s next superintendent and has been working with school board members on succession and transition plans. “Our district’s future is

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Inside Oregon Focus 2019

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Three hundred pumpkins donated during fall fest

With mounting concerns about pedestrian safety on Perry Parkway, the Village of Oregon is looking into short and long-term solutions. Those will be based both on data findings and feedback from the public, trustees said during a lengthy discussion Monday night at the Village Board meeting. Possible immediate fixes include increased police presence and enforcement at the intersection of Janesville Street, crossing guards wearing more r e f l e c t ive g a r b , m o r e crossing guards in general, additional flashing beacons, fresh paint on crosswalks where they aren’t yet striped, LED-lit stop signs and increased educational efforts. The most feasible longterm solution might be installing stoplights at the

intersection, the board determined. Discussion of a roundabout came up briefly, but members of the public and the board concurred that would be too ambitious and tedious. The first step, trustees agreed, is conducting a traffic and warrant analysis. That could take several months, public works director Jeff Rau told the Observer in an email Tuesday, Oct. 22. “I must always remind people that these things take time and it is important to evaluate options and make sure correct decisions are made,” Rau wrote. “One board member mentioned last evening that sometimes ‘improvements’ can actually have an adverse effect and we don’t want to create more problems with quick fixes.” He said the village first will contact engineering firms to seek proposals for the study of the Perry Parkway intersection, which will then be brought before the Oregon Village Board for approval. “Once released, the engineer will need to collect field data including


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