Cedarburg, News Graphic 07/18/2013
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THURSDAY JULY 18, 2013
$1 Volume 131 Number 57 • 2 Sections 16 Pages County
Ozaukee
OZAUKEE COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1883
Conference honors Grand opening
Meeting sought on voucher schools
Cedarburg High School baseball coach Jack Friess among local North Shore Conference baseball honorees.
Thiensville Village Market grand opening features an array of seasonal vegetables.
Page B1
Page A8
Remember those yummy homemade desserts?
Wild blue yonder
Three lawmakers invited to explain their budget vote to M-T School Board
kitchens and bringing Fearing legal action own them into the post on the Friday of the month. Legion switches to third An estimated two dozen make desserts at store-bought treats women home and bring them to the post, where they are sold for for fish fries $4 a slice.
By Dave Fidlin News Graphic Correspondent Mequon — The chief administrator of the MequonThiensville School District shared his thoughts on two weighty issues concerning public education this week. Using his superintendent’s report to sound off on issues of concern, Demond Means continued to chastise efforts to expand the school voucher program across the state. Last month, Means sent a letter to three state legislators – Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills; Rep. Dan Knodl, RGermantown; and Rep. Jim Ott, R-Mequon – about the legislation and its possible implications on public schools. Darling, who co-chaired the Joint Finance Committee that reviewed Gov. Scott Walker’s 2013-15 biennial budget, went on record recently and shared her reasons for supporting the voucher program. But Means, who blasted the decision at the district’s June board meeting, continued to express concern about the long-term impacts on public education. “I’m very concerned about what the next steps are,” Means said Monday as he continued his discussion of the issue. Means said he is sending a formal invitation to Darling,
See VOUCHER, Page A8
By Lisa Curtis News Graphic Staff
Photo by Deb Kranitz
Trailing a cloud of decorative smoke, a model plane climbs skyward during the AstroWings Radio Control Model Flying Club’s annual Fun Fly on Saturday at We Energies Field in the Grafton area.The event featured an array of model planes, some patterned after civilian planes and others after military aircraft.The event benefits Boy Scout Troop 840. For additional Fun Fly photos, see Page B8.
Friday's Question: What do you think of a state law that prohibits organizations like Cedarburg’s American Legion post from serving homemade desserts at their fish fries?
INDEX Classified . . . . . . . . . B7-8 Community . . . . . . . . . . B4 Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . A7 Education . . . . . . . . . . . B6 News . . . . A1, A3-5, A8, B3 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . A8 Ozaukee People . . . . . . . A2 Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . B5 So. Ozaukee . . . . . . .A6, B8 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-2
But Ronsman said that is not compliant with state law, which requires that anything sold at the fish fry be made in a state-inspected kitchen. “If someone wanted to come to our kitchen and make desserts, they can,” he said, adding that the auxiliary women’s home kitchens are probably cleaner than a lot of those approved by the state. But he said it can only take a bad egg to create a problem. “It’s a pre-emptive strike,” he said. Cedarburg Legion House Chairman Gene Szudrowitz said the issue came up a couple years ago and has been discussed occasionally. Now they have decided to take action. “You’re gambling; that’s the problem,” he said. “We no longer want to gamble.” The new, purchased desserts won’t cost the customers anything more. He said the homemade ones were not exactly free to the post because each baker received free tickets to the fish fry. (Lisa Curtis can be reached at lcurtis@conleynet.com.)
Grafton OKs $78,000 annual pay for fire chief William Rice to fill new full-time position
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Cedarburg — The illness a young boy suffered several years ago will affect what’s on the menu at the monthly Cedarburg American Legion fish fry. As soon as this Friday, favorites such as the homemade apple kuchen, the Ho Ho tortes and the pumpkin cheesecake will be replaced with store-bought desserts that some say will not go as far and will definitely cost the Legion more to serve. It is a proactive move by post members, however, after a Legion post elsewhere in the nation was sued when a child got sick from something he ate at the post, said Cedarburg Legion member Terry Ronsman, who oversees kitchen operations during the fish fries. “We said, ‘Let’s err on the side of caution,’” Ronsman said. Since the start of the fish fries some 25 or 30 years ago, members of the Legion auxiliary have been preparing an array of baked goods in their
By Melanie Boyung News Graphic Staff Grafton — The village board voted to approve a compensation plan for the new full-time Grafton fire chief Monday, removing the final hurdle for William Rice to begin his tenure as the village’s first-ever fulltime fire chief. The board voted to approve the package 4-3, with Jim Grant, Richard Reick and Susan Meinecke dissenting. Rice’s compensation package includes a starting salary of $78,000, as well as insurance benefits, use of a department vehicle, paid holidays and retirement benefits. Grant indicated compensation as
the reason for the dissent, not any objection to the choice of fire chief. “It’s not our job to choose a chief. That’s already been done,” said Grant. “It’s our job to decide about Rice salary. I believe when he’s starting he should start at the middle to bottom of the range, at about $68,000. Then, he can certainly rise as he gains experience.” According to village President Jim Brunnquell, the village usually begins a new department head’s salary at just below the midpoint of the pay range; village Administrator Darrell Hofland indicated the pay range for fire chief is approximately
$68,000 to $92,000. “I look forward to this being the start of many successful years,” Brunnquell said. Rice possesses previous fire department management experience, having spent 16 years as a chief officer in the city of Wauwatosa Fire Department. He has also been part of MABAS, the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, for as long as it has been operating in Wisconsin. He and several other firefighters in Milwaukee County had their department established as a MABAS department and joined the emergency mutual aid program. “When we did that, we brought a lot of other counties with us,” said Rice. In addition to his full-time career as a firefighter, Rice has volunteered with the Grafton Fire Department for the past five years. Rice has already
lived within the Grafton community for 17 years. “Any department going through changes, it’s difficult,” he said. “It’s important that everyone knows I respect what this department has done the past 117 years. We need to rely on that same volunteer staff.” The board also issued a collective thank you to the members of the police and fire commission for their work in finding a new fire chief, and another thank you to the volunteer members of the Grafton Fire Department for their dedication and support during the process. According to comments made by Rice and Hofland after Monday evening’s meeting, Rice can and will now start as soon as possible. (Melanie Boyung can be reached at mboyung@conleynet.com)
Cedarburg Town Board approves digital signs Signs may rotate and twinkle By Dave Fidlin News Graphic Correspondent Cedarburg — Digital signs will be permitted in the town of Cedarburg, following a narrow vote last week by members of the town board.
During their regular monthly board meeting, officials voted 3-2 in favor of a proposal that will give businesses and organizations the opportunity to install digital signs within certain parameters Since January, the plan commission has been weighing the pros and cons of allowing digital signs throughout the town. As defined, the signs may be able to rotate, feature moving parts and contain
reflective elements that sparkle or twinkle in the sunlight. The ordinance does come with a number of caveats. For example, businesses and organizations operating near one of the town’s busiest areas – the 5 Corners intersection – will not be allowed to install electronic signs that scroll because the feature has been deemed as too distracting to motorists.
Other stipulations include that benchmark signs not exceed 32 feet in length. Also, when a sign does depict animation, flashing or scrolling, only one color is permitted. The board had varied opinions while deliberating on the issue last week. Supervisor Gary Wickert took aim
See SIGNS, Page A8
August 1, 2013 2:04 pm /