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City library fountain may cease, Bridgeport ends incorporation

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The century-old artesian well and fountain in front of the Prairie du Chien Public Library is leaking water and poses a long-term liability issue to the future of the library. It may not be able to be saved as part of the library renovation and expansion project. (Courier Press file photo)

By Correne Martin

It’s looking like the artesian well and fountain in front of the Prairie du Chien Memorial Library may not be saved in the facility’s planned 2017 renovation and expansion project. The Prairie du Chien Common Council learned Tuesday night that the well, which is a century old, is leaking water and poses a long-term liability issue to the future of the library.

“It’s leaking deep underground and they don’t know where it’s going,” Mayor Dave Hemmer said.

The project is now expected to include a plan to cap the well, according to a memo provided to the council by the former city administrator, Aaron Kramer, before he vacated his post last week.

“That’s a pity because it’s kind of iconic,” Alderman Ron Leys stated. “I hate to lose that fountain; people love it.”

Despite city administration’s perspective, the council had its share of questions. After hearing the payment schedule for the capping, both Leys and Alderman Edward Hayes-Hall wondered if a new well might be drilled.

Kramer’s memo proposed the $79,000 capping be paid by the water department, which regulates public and private wells within the city. He said the 2014-2016 water capital budget has a remaining balance of $86,807. Kramer recommended $7,500 be transferred to the 2017 water department general fund and, then, the remaining $79,000 be transferred to the library capital campaign fund to pay for the well capping. Any unspent funds from that would be transferred back to the water department.

“It sounds like you’re going to have to line it and completely cap it, so then you might as well drill a new well,” Hayes-Hall said.

The council tabled the matter and passed the well capping issue on to the public works committee for further discussion and to get answers for its questions.

Bridgeport dismisses intent to incorporate
The potential of Bridgeport wanting to become an incorporated village went public on April 19, 2015, when the community filed an incorporation petition with Crawford County Circuit Court. On July 22, 2015, Bridgeport published a notice of that intent. According to previous Courier Press reports, the city of Prairie du Chien subsequently intervened, approving, at an Aug. 4, 2015, council meeting, a resolution indicating willingness to annex the entire township into the city, as authorized by state statute, because it’s a party of interest to the petition.

Since, both municipalities have kept abreast of the other’s steps in this matter.

On Feb. 10, this year, the city filed a motion to dismiss Bridgeport’s incorporation petition with the Crawford County Circuit Court. The city’s motion and accompanying commentary argued that Bridgeport’s incorporation petition was deficient in several ways, specifically, that it failed to demonstrate certain minimal requirements set forth in Wisconsin statutes and that it failed to meet the formal statutory requirements of such a petition.

In accordance with the court’s order, Bridgeport had until March 10 to file a response. On March 6, Bridgeport’s attorney, James Hammes, informed the court and the city that Bridgeport had decided to withdraw its petition to incorporate.

“Rather than engaging in extensive litigation involving the sufficiency of the petition, [Bridgeport] has elected to withdraw the petition,” Hammes said in a letter to Judge Robert Van De Hey. “This request, however, should not be construed as an acknowledgement that either the procedure undertaken by the city of Prairie du Chien or the arguments presented by the city has any merit.”

Bridgeport requested the court enter an order approving the withdrawal and dismissing the matter “without prejudice.”

Such a dismissal, according to City Attorney Lara Czajkowski Higgins, means the matter can be filed again.

“Therefore, it is possible that Bridgeport will elect to file another petition at some point in the future,” she said.

Other business
The council began discussion about the use of golf carts in and around the Prairie du Chien Correctional Institution. The matter was sent to the public works committee to get more specifics, such as which city street crossings would be involved. Police Chief Chad Abram relayed a message from PDCCI’s warden that the institution has been using golf carts for some time but wants to “get something on the books so it’s legit.”

The council also learned of a proposed ordinance prohibiting occupancy of vehicles as living quarters within the city-owned parking lots in the downtown district. The police department and public works committee will also discuss further details and come back to the council with a recommendation.

An opening for a wastewater treatment operator was created in the city by the retirement of Terry Meyer and promotion of Glenn Goodrich to WWTP superintendent. The council approved posting the position.

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