WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
VOL. 119 NO. 39 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
SPORTS: Soccer stretches shutout to four games. PAGE 17
Osceola to buy Fullerton property for fire hall
DNR
Many turtle species lay eggs in spring, attempting to cross roads as they look for suitable territory.
The Osceola Village Board approved the purchase of the former Fullerton Lumber property last week, with the intent of repurposing the site as a fire hall. With the full support of all members of the board, the five members attending a special board meeting on April 17 unanimously approved the purchase of the former Fullerton Lumber property. Two members could not attend due to scheduling conflicts. The 9.03-acre site comes with two build-
ings, together totaling more than 41,000 square feet of readily available space. “The closing of the Fullerton Lumber business presented a strategic opportunity for us,” said Village Administrator Joel West. “The existing site will provide immediate, much-needed space for the fire department and more.” The current fire hall building, built in the mid 1940s, is seriously inadequate for modern day housing and operations of the fire de-
partment, according to Osceola Fire Chief Don Stark. A new building and/or temporary relocation options have often been explored, most recently as a part of the development of the new Village Hall/Discovery Center project. Stark believes the Fullerton will be an improvement. “The new site will make the fire hall more efficient,” he explained. The large trucks and equipment will have easy and speedy access – both exiting and on the return – to better
serve the needs of the community in times of emergency. The new building will offer improved design and construction, making it more operationally efficient. In addition to the new fire hall, plans are being made to utilize the space for future public works maintenance and storage. To allow for this $900,000 acquisition and $700,000 in necessary improvements, the village has repriorSEE VILLAGE, PAGE 23
Turtles crossing BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
It’s a tough time of year for turtles. In a quest for suitable places to lay eggs, the notoriously slow creatures often attempt to cross roads. Inevitably, some get hit. Because those turtles are prevented from reproducing, the impact on future population is magnified. The loss of a single adult female turtle can have a significant effect, according to Andrew Badje, a conservation biologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The phenomenon has become a leading cause of declining turtle numbers in Wisconsin. It turns out drivers can help by reporting their observations of turtles crossing the road, successfully or not, to the Wisconsin Turtle Conservation Program (wiatri.net/inventory/ witurtles). “If people report their sightings, it allows the DNR to assist counties
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in installing culverts or bridges when they apply for permits to do roadwork in areas that have sightings of crossings,” explained Osceola resident Melanie Weberg. “These allow for turtles to cross safely.” Last year, concerned citizens were part of a successful effort to install a turtle crossing on State Highway 66 in Portage County, one of the most dangerous crossings for turtles in the state. Although Wisconsin’s turtles typically nest from late May to early July, Weberg noted that she has seen several turtles already this year. If turtles can safely cross the road without help, it is best to allow them to do so. If motorists plan to pull over and move a turtle from the road, they should check carefully for oncoming traffic before helping the turtle cross in the direction it’s headed. Many species can be grasped SEE TURTLES, PAGE 23
SUBMITTED
A rendering by engineering and architectural firm SEH shows what the future Polk County Highway Department building might look like.
County debuts webpage for new highway facility Plans to select construction manager BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Polk County administrators announced last week a new webpage to share developing plans for the new Highway Department building. Titled “New Highway Facility Takes Shape,” the page is on the county’s existing website under the Highway Department sec-
tion (direct link: tinyurl.com/ md7lce6). County Administrator Dana Frey said the page was created to ensure transparency as plans for the facility develop. “Anybody can go to one place and get the very latest information,” he explained. In March, the county board gave initial approval to buy land and a building in Balsam Lake from Bishop Fixture & Millwork to use as part of a new facility for the Highway Department. They
also gave the OK to exchange land with the Village of Balsam Lake for increased acreage. “The process is underway, on time,” said Frey last week. Contracts are under review and Frey expects the Bishop property to close in mid to late June. The next step, according to administrators, is to select a construction manager to oversee the project’s schedule, budget SEE HIGHWAY, PAGE 23
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