Pioneering the Future!

We’re on the web!

www.platteville.org

City Manager: Larry Bierke 348-9741 ext 2222 citymanager@platteville.org Police Chief: Doug McKinley

348-2313 mckinleyd@platteville.org Fire Chief: Dave Izzard 348-2313 issardd@platteville.org EMS Director: Brian Allen

348-1835 allenb@platteville.org Public Works Director: Howard Crofoot 348-9741 ext 2240 crofooth@platteville.org Planning Director: Joe Carroll

348-9741 ext 2235 carrollj@platteville.org Building Inspector: Ric Riniker 348-9741 ext 2236 rinikerr@platteville.org Finance Director: Duane Borgen

348-9741 ext 2227 borgend@platteville.org

City Clerk: Jan Martin

348-9741 ext 2226

martinj@platteville.org

Recreation Coordinator: Jordan Burress

348-9741 ext 2242

burressj@platteville.org

Museum Director: Steve Kleefisch

348-9741 ext 2270

stevekleefisch@yahoo.com

Senior Center Director: Connie Steinhoff

348-9934

srcenter@centurytel.net

Library Director: Carolyn Schuler

348-7441

cschuler@plattevillepubliclibrary.org

Platteville Housing Authority: Barb Argall

348-9741 ext 2233

argallb@platteville.org

Communications Specialist: Angie Donovan

348-9741 ext 2257

donovana@platteville.org

City of Platteville Contact Information

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Volume 1, Issue 1

CITY OF PLATTEVILLE

NEWSLETTER

Inside this issue:

Letter from the City Manager 2

Snow Removal Information 3

Platteville EMS 4

Museum & Police Department Information 5

Public Works & Rental Licensing 6

Finance Department & Permit Parking 7

Permit Parking Map 8-9

Common Council President Letter: Preserving the Core

Library & Water and Sewer 10

Streets Department & Recreation Department 11

Platteville Senior Center 12

Holiday Recycling Schedule & Alt. Side Parking 12

Commissions, Boards & Commitees 13

Airport & Spring Election Information 14

Parks Dept., Road Construction, & Jobs 15

Contact Information 16

November 2012

It has been a difficult autumn as your city council has struggled to produce a budget which

balances the needs of Platteville citizens with the fiscal realities we face. An already tight budget was

dealt an additional $237,000 setback as one revenue source from the state dropped by that much.

Unfortunately, our budget problems aren’t going away. We are running out of capital expen-

diture money for things like roads, equipment, and replacement of infrastructure. Previous councils borrowed heavily while interest rates were low in order to catch us up on road repair and replacement,

but we’re running out of borrowing capacity. We must find ways to shift normal budget

expenditures to capital expenditures, reduce road expenditures, or find other revenue sources.

We can’t borrow our way out of this. Not only is that not sustainable, nobody has ever

borrowed their way to prosperity. Each time we borrow more it means next year’s budget must

include additional money to start paying it back.

*****

I’ve long believed there are six basic core services any municipality must do: Police, Fire, Ambulance, Street Re-

pair and Maintenance (including plowing), Water and Sewer, and Waste Management (garbage pickup).

We also have core quality of life programs, things like our library, parks, recreation programs, senior center, muse-ums, art gallery, and so on. These programs are what make a community a great place to live, instead of simply a place to

park our cars and sleep.

Without the basic services core, the city would eventually disintegrate. Imagine roads deteriorating into gravel,

water leaks, sewer backups, no emergency responders. Without the quality of life core, there would be little other than eco-

nomic reasons for living here.

We have struggled this fall to protect and preserve our core. This, I think, we have largely done. But each year it

is harder to do.

This is why we focus so much on economic development and include budget items to promote it. Growth in the tax

base is needed to help pay for what we do. One benefit, for example, of the new Rountree Commons is an annual $100,000

payment to the city in lieu of taxes; that helps.

Our budget problems require us to rethink what is necessary--and what is nice but not necessary. We may have to prune services that are nice, but not crucial, so that we can preserve our core.

There are some who believe we should solve our budget shortfalls by simply raising taxes. It’s an easy answer, I

suppose, but I don’t believe it should ever be our first answer--only a last resort.

But we haven’t done that for five years. During that time we’ve cut spending, and cut again. City Hall is no

longer open on Fridays. Hourly employees now work 37 hour weeks, not 40 hour weeks as before. We have absorbed

some positions as workers left or retired during the year, leading to a net decrease in the number of full-time City employ-

ees.

We’ve cut out a lot of fat. The problem now is how to avoid cutting into muscle--our core.

We need you, our citizens, to help guide us as we move forward. What things should your city government do

and, just as important, how should we pay for it?

Common Council President, Mike

Dalecki

Dear Platteville,

2012 has been a year of many new things here in Platteville. From the new resi-

dence hall opening on campus, to new employees at City Hall, new parking ordinances to new businesses in our community, through it all one word comes to mind…change.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines change as, “To give a different position,

course, or direction to.” The first change came at the beginning of 2012 with new hours at

City Hall, now being open Monday thru Thursday from 7:15 am to 5:00 pm. These hours

will continue through 2013. This change was followed by the hiring of the new Communi-

cations Specialist in April. This new position was created to better market Platteville to

new businesses, residents, and students and is responsible for maintaining the social media

sites for the City, Channel 36, the City’s website, writing press releases, and helping Platte-

ville and its businesses receive recognition, awards, and grants.

As winter changed to spring, road construction began, first with the State DOT

project on Water Street, then the City began work on Jewett, and 2nd Streets. The 2nd Street project was completed in August and the Jewett Street project was finished in early Octo-

ber. The State DOT project on Water Street is running on schedule and should be com-

pleted mid-November. I know that construction is an inconvenience at times, but the final

results make our city more attractive to visitors and nicer for all of us. We at City Hall

would like to thank everyone for their patience this summer while these projects were com-

pleted.

As summer rolled around, Platteville Recreation activities were in full swing. Our

Recreation Coordinator, Jordan Burress, did a fantastic job coordinating all the activities

and events throughout the summer. Her hard work and dedication to programming brought

NFL Flag Football and a Youth Dance Sampler to our fall and winter programming. It is

great to be able to expand the services we are offering the youth of our community!

Summer has led to the construction of Well #5 in our Industrial Park. Well #5 is replacing Well #2, which has served Platteville for over 100 years. This well hopefully

will provide Platteville with a water supply for another 100 years. Construction was all

over town this summer, with Emmi Roth beginning their new cheese factory in the Indus-

trial Park, and the UW-Platteville campus having completed Rountree Commons and broke

ground on a new residence hall. In addition to all the new construction, there were many

other redevelopment projects going on in the community, including the addition of: Jimmy

Johns, the Noodle Company, Windy Cove, American Roots Country Store, MVP Cuts, and

Calabria all opened on Main Street, along with an expansion of Momentum Bikes and Los

Amigos. SPIREON added a Platteville location in the old Blue Cross/Blue Shield building,

Fidelity Bank opened in the old Blackhawk Engineering Building, and Tritent International

Agriculture purchased the building that Swiss Valley Cheese Company vacated earlier this year; and this isn’t even a complete list of all the new commercial activity that has been

happening. Welcome to all the new businesses and congratulations to all those who have

expanded!

Now that we have moved into autumn, the students are back in school and every-

one has adjusted to new routines. The Common Council and I, along with all our depart-

ment heads, have been working on the 2013 City budget. This is always a challenging

time, trying to maintain the services we have been offering amid state budget cuts and try-

ing not to burden the taxpayers with more fees. In the past 10 years, the City has only had

an 8% property tax increase. That’s less than the national cost of living index and below

that of most of our neighboring communities. We have also been able to provide services

to residents in Platteville for many years that other communities haven’t. With that being

said, we are now being forced to make some changes that will occur in 2013. First of all, there has been an increase in many of the Recreation Department fees. . Not having had an

increase in many of these programs in the past 5 years, we needed to increase fees to cover

our expenses of the programs, purchase new equipment (which is also increasing in cost),

and pay fees that other organizations charge us, such as the Red Cross for swim lessons.

(cont. on page 3)

Letter from the City Manager

Did you know?

Platteville’s

2012 property

tax rate is

$7.2262 per

$1,000.

Page 2 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

Larry Bierke

City Manager

Platteville Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is currently accepting applications for Day-time Emer-

gency Medical Technicians (EMT) and Advanced EMT (Intermediate Technicians). Platteville EMS

is the ambulance service provider to the City of Platteville and seven surrounding town-

ships. Platteville EMS is a paid on call service operating at the Advanced EMT level (Intermediate Technician) and averages 1000 calls a year. Shifts are 12 hours and run from 6 am to 6 pm and 6 pm

to 6 am with a degree of flexibility.

Qualifications: Applicants must be at least 18 years old (state requirement for EMT licensure), must

possess High School diploma, GED or equivalent education. WI license (ability to gain WI licensure) at EMT or Advanced

EMT level. Ability and desire to take minimum (required) call schedule of 72 hours per month and ability to drive ambu-

lances (skill and driving record). To see all job requirements and functions please review the Emergency Medical Techni-

cian job description found on the City’s website, www.platteville.org under the Careers tab.

Applicants will be required to participate in oral interview, skills assessment and extensive background checks.

Applications are available online selecting the “General City Employment Application” link on the careers page on the

website, or from the City Clerk’s office located in City Hall at 75 North Bonson Street.

We are in charge of street reconstruction. We are wrapping up the 2012 construction season with the Water Street

project. It is a DOT project and is on track to be finished and fully open to traffic by mid-November. Contrary to rumors, the

roundabout at Madison Street IS constructed properly and will not be removed or re-done.

Looking ahead to 2013, our program has been reduced due to budget. Our signature project is Broadway, from Main Street to Stevens Street. We look to replace underground utilities, upgrade and narrow the street to minimize maintenance

while providing access to drivers. Another project is Stonebridge Road. We intend to do a number of improvements to the

water lines to improve flows and capacities in the neighborhood. We intend to upgrade the culvert and road to support vehi-

cles for the next 25 years or so. Fourth Street between Ridge and Camp is another project. We intend to narrow the street,

ensure the underground utilities are upgraded, install curb & gutter as well as a new street. As much as possible, within the

confines of the rights-of-way, we hope to minimize the “jogs” in the street alignment. Our final project is a portion of Ever-

green Road. We hope to receive a Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA) grant to bring up the road to standards to sup-

port many heavy trucks and milk tankers needed by the Emmi-Roth cheese plant being built. This grant will pay for half of

the cost of road improvements. The design and construction supervision for these 2013 projects is done by Delta 3 Engineer-

ing to support the City’s needs.

Day Time Emergency Medical Technician

Platteville Emergency Medical Service

Maintaining the Beauty of Our Parks

Page 15 FALL 2012 NEWSLETTER

Platteville Road Construction

Parks Maintenance is performed by a small crew led by foreman Dan Brinkman. Kevin Butson and Dennis Hoffman are

permanent employees and Mike Klinkhammer is a seasonal employee to make sure our parks are in tip-top shape. They

maintain the pool and playing fields for recreation programs. We hire a number of summer employees to mow our many

parks. To support our efforts, we have recently begun an Adopt-A-Park program. Through the City Manager’s Office, a person, family, or group can sponsor a park. This means periodically picking up fallen branches and garbage. We ask for

monthly walks in the park to identify items to be repaired. If the person or group wants to do more to beautify the park,

such as planting and maintaining flower beds, this is also allowed.

Alaine Olthafer and Andy Lange were hired on August 1, 2012 as the two newest Platteville Municipal Airport employees.

Olthafer is a flight instructor and Lange is the aircraft mechanic. This is the first time the Platteville Airport has employed a

full-time certified flight instructor and the first time in over 20 years they have had a full-time aircraft mechanic.

Prior to moving to the Platteville area, Lange was employed as a aircraft mechanic and Olthafer was doing project manage-

ment for Polatis, a Swiss company who manufactures single engine turbo props. Andy had attended Colorado AeroTech to

achieve his degree in Aircraft Maintenance, which he has been doing for 13 years. Alaine graduated from Minnesota State

University in Mankato with a BS in Aviation with an emphasis in Professional Flight. She has been working as a certified

flight instructor for four years.

The Platteville Airport has a plane you can rent for $110/hour including fuel. To get your pilots license, there is a minimum

requirement of 40 hours, but most take 45-50, said Olthafer. Alaine stated there are 5 people taking lessons currently, but

she could handle 10-12 regular students.

Andy is able to do on-site maintenance on planes housed at or landing in Platteville, since it is more convenient to have

work done locally versus having to go elsewhere to get things taken care of. He said, “Being a mechanic has drastically changed. Not doing the work, but the avionics. It used to be very old school and now planes have almost videogame tech-

nology.”

For being a smaller airport, the Platteville Airport is pretty active, mostly with private planes, and is an important part of the

community. Aviation has become a big part of entrepreneurship as it can save those in business a significant amount of

money by being able to fly in and out of the airport in their hometown, especially if the company has its own plane. Ap-

proximately 30 aircraft are based at the Platteville Airport, which boasts 20,000 operations per year (each take off and land-

ing are individual operations). This is more than any others in the area which makes it a significant part of the Platteville

community.

Platteville Airport Hires Flight Instructor and Full-Time Mechanic

Page 14 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

An election will be held in the City of Platteville on Tuesday, April 2, 2013, the following offices are to be elected to succeed the

present incumbents listed. The term for alderperson begins on Tuesday, April 16, 2013. All terms are for three years.

Office Incumbent

Alderperson, District 1 (Wards 1-2) Michael Dalecki

Alderperson, At Large (Wards 1-8) Steven Becker

Information concerning aldermanic district boundaries may be obtained from the City Clerk at 75 N Bonson Street, Platteville, WI.

The first day to circulate nomination papers is December 1, 2012, and the final day for filing nomination papers is 5:00 p.m., on

Tuesday, January 2, 2013, in the office of the city clerk.

If a primary is necessary, it will be held on Tuesday, February 19, 2013.

Spring Elections

SNOW SHOVELING

Wisconsin Statute 66.615 and Chapter 4.09 of the Municipal Code requires all property own-

ers to keep public sidewalks cleared of snow and ice. The sidewalk must be cleared of snow and ice the entire width and length. Wisconsin Statute 66.615 also gives the City the respon-

sibility to have unshoveled sidewalks cleared and to bill the property owner. If the bill is not

paid within 30 days, a 1% interest rate will accrue until the bill is paid in full.

Municipal ordinance states that all sidewalks shall be cleared of snow and ice within thirty-

six hours after a snow storm. After thirty-six hours, the Director of Public Works may cause

the sidewalks to be cleared. Clearing will start after consideration has been given to local

conditions (amount of snowfall, street conditions, weather reports, etc.).

PLACING SNOW AND WASTE ON CITY STREETS Chapter 4 (4.03) No person shall remove or cause to be removed form any private property

any snow, slush, or waste material of any kind into the city streets or onto other public prop-

erty in the city.

Direct any questions to the office of the Director of Public Works, (608)348-9741, Ext. 2238.

The City’s eventual goal is to make the Recreation Department budget neutral, meaning all expenses are covered by pro-

gram fees. For the majority of programs, the fees for residents of Platteville only increased $5. One and two family

dwellings will also have a fee for garbage and recycling added to their tax bill. This service, provided by Faherty, Inc, is a

vital part of our community to help keep the Platteville clean and inviting to visitors, residents, and students. Another big change Platteville saw in 2012 was permit parking. The original permit parking area was imple-

mented south of Pine Street between Water Street and Hickory Street. It was created to help the neighborhood ensure

parking privileges remain, given the 600 new neighbors moving in at Rountree Commons, and it appears to be working

nicely. The City is also working on assigned parking areas in downtown Platteville for those who reside or work down-

town. Ninety-two parking spaces will be assigned on a first come, first served basis in five different lots in the downtown

area for $360 per year, equating to $30 per month. Assigned spaces will be 24/7 parking, guaranteeing the person as-

signed to the spot a place to park no matter the time of day or night. As with all new things, there will be a few road

bumps and challenges, but once fully implemented, these two parking areas will make Platteville an even better place to

live, work, and shop!

I hope you enjoy the first newsletter the City of Platteville has produced. We will be designing these twice a year

to keep you up to date on what is and has been going on in Platteville, where we are Pioneering the Good Life!

Sincerely,

Lawrence Bierke

City Manager

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Letter from City Manager, cont.

In Winter 2010-2011,

Platteville had 49

inches of snow.

In Winter 2011-2012,

we only had 27

inches.

How much are we

going to get this

season?

Page 3 FALL 2012 NEWSLETTER

Platteville Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is a city department which serves the residents and visitors of the

City of Platteville and the Towns of: Belmont, Elk Grove, Platteville, Smelser, Harrison, Ellenboro, and Lima. Platteville

EMS is overseen by an EMS Administrator who reports to the City Manager and Common Council. The Platteville Area

Ambulance Committee serves as an advisory body for Platteville EMS and is compromised of members from each of the towns we serve and a council liaison.

Platteville EMS covers roughly 138 ½ square miles and serves a population of roughly 18,000 people. We provide

pre-hospital emergency and non-emergency medical care and transport to sick and injured. Platteville EMS also provides

interfacility (hospital to hospital, hospital to nursing home and hospital to residence) transports as well. Platteville EMS

currently operates two ambulances at the EMT-Intermediate Technician level which in the State of Wisconsin is considered

an Advanced Life Support level. One ambulance is staffed every minute of every day with a crew of trained professional

EMTs. Our other ambulance is staffed for special events, interfacility transports and times when multiple ambulance calls

are received at the same time. Platteville EMS averages approximately 1,000 calls of service a year. To the end of Septem-

ber this year we have already had 778 calls of service. If this rate continues, we will be once again over 1,000 calls for the

year.

In addition to the day to day duties of responding to 911 calls and other requests for ambulance services, Platteville EMS participates in a number of special events throughout the year. Platteville EMS provides medical standby and ambu-

lance services for UW-Platteville events (Spring Commencement, Town Hall meeting, Six Rivers Football Jamboree, foot-

ball games, Welcome Back Concert and Winter Commencement). Platteville EMS also provides special event standby for

Platteville High School Varsity football games. Throughout the year, Platteville EMS also is involved in presentations at

the Platteville schools, presentations to UW-Platteville groups and classes, presentations to local civic organizations, and

presentations to the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Daisies and Cub Scouts. Platteville EMS also participates every year in South-

west Health Center’s Strawberry Festival, Family Connections On the Move, and Platteville Dairy Days Tractor Pull.

Platteville EMS also participates in the two annual parades that are held in Platteville every year (Dairy Days and UW-

Platteville Homecoming). Platteville EMS, along with the Platteville Police Department and Platteville Fire Department, co

-sponsor the Platteville Citizen’s Academy. Members of the community are given a glimpse of what the public safety agen-

cies in the city do on a daily basis and some of the training that goes into our positions. Citizen’s also participated in a

mock disaster which involved all three public safety agencies working together. Platteville EMS is staffed with a dedicated group of individuals that answer the calls 24/7. We have a full-time

EMS Administrator, a part-time Assistant EMS Administrator and twenty-four (24) EMT-ITs, RNs and EMT-Bs. The com-

bined years of service for the Platteville EMS staff is 141 years, while our combined total years of experience is 167 years.

We have staff that has been with us for less than half a year and we have staff that have been with us for 27 years. The staff

of Platteville EMS currently includes Brian Allen (EMS Administrator), Ryan Kowalski (Assistant EMS Administrator),

Emily Mowry, Jessica Lange, Corey Straubhaar, Carla DeLaMater, Roger Lange, Adrianne Woolford, Trevor Brunette,

Gereld Moore, Anna Buss, Brian Day, Christopher Baird, Tina Davies, Joel Graham, Michelle Kitelinger, Kassondra

Woolford, Syver Rundhaug, Jacob Schultz, Christopher Belanger, Brian Kitelinger, Matt Riley, Tim Jacobson, Irv Lupee,

Alissa Mumm and Connie Marzofka. Platteville EMS also has a medical direction team comprising three doctors from

Southwest Health Center’s Emergency Department. The team consists of Dr Mark Bogner, Dr Bruce Lindsay and Dr

Mitchell Lewis. Platteville EMS members are currently working on the replacement of our oldest ambulance. We have met with

many vendors and looked at many different ambulances and have finalized the specifications for the new ambulance. We

anticipate ordering the new ambulance before the end of the year and will have delivery of it in early spring of 2013. Platte-

ville EMS also has a proposal in front of the Common Council to raise the rates that it charges for services. These rates

were closely reviewed before the proposal was recommended to the Council for action. The proposed rate increase is being

made to make the Ambulance/EMS department a budget neutral department, meaning that no tax money (from City tax

payers or Town tax payers) will be needed to fund the day to day operations of the ambulance service as it will be fully sup-

ported by user fees.

Platteville EMS would like to ask all residents to help us out by making sure that your house number can be clearly

and easily seen from the street. In an emergency situation and often times in non-emergency situations it is hard to find

house numbers. It is important to have the house numbers visible as that is what we look for in order to find where we are

needed to go. Per City Code Chapter 23, house numbers must be four (4) inches tall and at least ½ inch in width. Platteville EMS is currently accepting applications for day-time EMTs. Please see the posting in this newsletter

for further information.

Platteville EMS: We Keep The Beat

Page 4 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

The City of Platteville has

openings for the various

committees, boards, and

commissions that help

guide the direction of the

City and the Common

Council. Each commission,

board, and committee meet

at different times through-

out the month and year. A

complete schedule can be

found below.

Meeting Schedule

Each Board, Commission, and Committee for the City of Platteville meet at the times and dates posted below. Current and archived agendas and

minutes are available on the City’s website, www.platteville.org. All meetings are open to the public and everyone is invited to attend.

COMMON COUNCIL – 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers

AIRPORT COMMISSION – 2nd Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Airport

ARTS BOARD – as necessary

BOARD OF APPEALS (ZONING & ET ZONING) – 3rd Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers

BOARD OF REVIEW – meets in the City Hall Council Chambers annually the first Monday in May or within 30 days of that date. The meeting

may last longer than one day.

COMMISSION ON AGING – 3rd Friday of each month at 9:00 a.m. at the Senior Citizen Center

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD – as necessary

COMMUNITY SAFE ROUTES COMMITTEE – 3rd Monday of the month at 6:00 p.m. in the G.A.R. Room

FREUDENREICH ANIMAL CARE TRUST FUND – meet Quarterly.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION – 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers

HOUSING AUTHORITY – last Monday of each month at 3:30 p.m. in the GAR Room

LIBRARY BOARD – 1st Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Library

MUSEUM BOARD – 3rd Wednesday of the month at 5:00 p.m. at the Museum

PARKS, FORESTRY, AND RECREATION COMMITTEE – 3rd Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers

PLAN COMMISSION – 1st Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers

POLICE AND FIRE COMMISSION – 1st Tuesday of each month at 5:00 p.m. in the All Purpose Room at the Police Station

REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY – 4th Monday of each month at 5:00 p.m. at Mound City Bank Motor Branch

ROUNTREE GALLERY BOARD – 1st Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Rountree Gallery (April – November) and the G.A.R. Room

(December – May).

WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION – 2nd Monday of each month at 4:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers

ALL OTHER BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES – as necessary

Page 13 FALL 2012 NEWSLETTER

Police and Fire Commission

Members

Application forms for the

City of Platteville Boards

and Commissions are avail-

able in the City Clerk’s

office in the Municipal

Building at 75 N Bonson

Street, Platteville, WI ,

online at

www.platteville.org.

Please note that most posi-

tions require City residency.

Boards, Commissions, and Committees

Current Vacancies

Airport Commission

Arts Board 7/1/10 (5)

Board of Appeals (Zoning) (2)

Board of Appeals (ET Zoning)

Board of Review

Community Development Board

Historic Preservation Commission (2)

Rountree Gallery Board

Platteville Senior Center: Fun for All Ages

Imagine someone asked you to describe a senior center. Would you say it is a place where older people (older than you, of

course) sit around playing cards and bingo? Well, it’s time to update your vision! Senior Centers have changed!

The Platteville Senior Center recognizes that today’s senior citizens recognize that staying active and engaged in the commu-nity are important to healthy aging.

Benefits

Social Connections

We never outgrow the need for a social life. This desire doesn't fade as we grow older. In fact, some elderly people become

lonely after the passing of a spouse, less frequent visits from family and the physical limitations that may prevent getting

out on a regular basis. Senior centers provide a diverse group of peers to spend time with.

Interacting with others will decrease the risk of depression.

Maintaining contact with others may help to delay or prevent the onset of cognitive decline. Entertaining Activities

Senior centers regularly schedule activities geared toward their clientele. From bingo night to potluck dinners to live enter-

tainment, the senior center is often a favorite place for senior citizens to find entertainment. These activities keep them

active, which promotes their mental and physical well-being.

Physical activity available at some of these centres will maintain or improve muscle and bone mass. These are important for overall health and in particular can delay the onset of diseases like osteoporosis and provide more avenues for interac-

tion.

Promoting Independence

Senior centers give older people a renewed sense of independence. With a full schedule of social activities and friends to

meet at the center, the elderly feel like they are doing their own thing. When seniors rely on their families for all of their

transportation and human contact, it can make them feel dependent and unhappy. Many senior centers provide free trans-

portation for seniors to and from their homes so that they can come and go as they please, furthering the feeling of inde-

pendence and freedom. Fitness programs. A number of local community centers, churches, fitness centers, and senior centers offer exercise pro-

grams specially designed for older adults. Regular exercise helps you stay functional and healthy.

Health Screening

Senior centers regularly schedule health screenings and make flu shots and other treatment available. This convenient op-

tion encourages seniors to get checked for health problems without making addi-

tional appointments with doctors, and they get to do it in a place they want to go anyway. These screenings and treatments benefit seniors by providing early detec-

tion of health problems and increasing their chances for longevity.

One of the best ways to stay in good mental and physical shape as you age is to get out

and enjoy yourself. Take advantage of the programs and services offered to senior citi-zens so you can make the most of life.

Platteville Senior Center is located at 55 S Court St. Their phone number is 348-348-

9934.

If you normally receive service on

Monday, Solid Waste and Recy-

cling will be picked up on Mon-

day, December 24th and Monday,

December 31st.

If you normally receive service on

Tuesday, Solid Waste and Recy-

cling will be picked up on

Wednesday, December 26th and

Wednesday, December 31st

Holiday Garbage & Recycling Schedule Alternate Side Parking Regulations

From November 15 to April 1 of each year, there shall be

no parking on alternate sides of the street between 2am and

6am. During this time, parking is as follows: No parking

on the side of the street with even numbered houses on even

days and no parking on the side of the street with odd num-

bered houses on odd days. This ordinance is only valid for

streets where overnight parking is usually allowed.

Page 12 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

On Monday, October 8th and Wednesday, October 10th the Platteville Police Department hosted two neighborhood

meetings in the city. The first meeting was held in a Campus parking lot at the corner of W. Main St. and Hickory St.

and the second meeting was held in Indian Park on N. 4th St. The attendees snacked on hotdogs and punch and inter-

acted with numerous Police Officers who were there to host the events. The focus of the meetings was to get long term city residents and college students who live off campus to meet and interact in a laid back social setting. We want

students and year round city residents to get to know their neighbors and what the community expectations of behav-

ior are before we experience any conflicts due to differing ideas of acceptable behavior. We also believe that once

community members get to know each other, they will feel more connected and less likely to engage in behaviors that

will potentially cause conflicts.

We also took the opportunity to answer questions from attendees and provide information related to services offered

by the City. Our officers also talked about areas of mutual concern such as City ordinances and our enforcement phi-

losophy. Officers explained the open burning rules in the city, how the noise ordinance applies, and they also touched

on issues like how to be a good neighbor. Officers explained the Police Department’s “zero tolerance” stance regard-

ing ordinance violations such as excessive noise, underage consumption, trespassing, criminal damage to property, theft, open intoxicant violations and other offenses. We explained that we strictly enforce these ordinances based on

the belief that these violations tend to erode the quality of life enjoyed by everyone in the

community.

Officers also explained pertinent parking regulations, including the prohibition against park-

ing on lawns and discussed issues that new renters need to be aware of such as the maximum

number of unrelated tenants (4) that can live in a rental unit. Officers also explained the

Castle Doctrine which allows Wisconsin residents to utilize force, including deadly force to

protect themselves based on the assumption that if and when someone is attempting to

unlawfully enter or break into their home, they don’t have to be actually presented with the

threat of bodily harm. Based on the Castle Doctrine, a resident is given the privilege to act first before an actual threat is presented. This becomes an issue numerous times a year in

Platteville when we have usually intoxicated individuals mistakenly try to enter the wrong

home or apartment. Prior to the passage of the Castle Doctrine legislation the situation usu-

ally resulted in a good scare for the resident and a citation and ride in the back of a squad car for the intoxicated indi-

vidual. Now a much more serious outcome could result from essentially the same scenario.

Both meetings were well attended and we hope to continue hosting similar events in future years.

Police Department Holds Neighborhood Meetings

Page 5 FALL 2012 NEWSLETTER

Officers perform Kids Care ID Kits at one of the neighborhood meetings.

Rollo Jamison Museum Events & Activities

Keeping Christmas will be the theme of this year’s Christmas ex-hibit at the Rollo Jami-son Museum. Period settings from the 1840s, 1870s, 1920s, and 1950s will show visitors how our ances-tors “kept”, or cele-brated, Christmas. The room will be domi-nated by the 14’ Victo-rian Christmas tree, and the electric toy

trains will help get eve-ryone in the holiday spirit. Performances by local choral groups are scheduled; check the museum’s website for exact dates and times. The exhibit will be open daily Dec. 3 – Dec. 23. The Rollo Jamison Mu-seum Toy Train Exhibit is scheduled for Feb. 2-3 and 9-10. Standard

gauge and O gauge trains will fill the room with the hum of wheels and toots of whistles. There will be a play area for young engi-neers to try their skill at loading cars and run-ning floor trains. The Rollo Jamison Mu-seum Winter Lyceum programs will take place on Sunday eve-nings in March of 2013.

Three programs are being planned, and the dates and topics will be available on the museum’s website. For information about any of these museum programs, go to www.mining.jamison.museum, or

call 348-3301.

Public Works is composed of a number of different departments and functions. Engineering has Howard Crofoot - Director,

Dan Allen – Engineering Technician and Monie Konecny – Administrative Assistant. This group provides direction and support to the rest of the department, plus provides mapping, Ordinance enforcement, and contract supervision of design &

construction. Read about the following departments throughout the rest of the newsletter: Water & Sewer, Maintenance,

Streets, and Parks.

Solid waste (garbage) and recycling for single family houses and duplexes are done through a City contract with Faherty,

Inc. A portion of these services is scheduled to be placed on the tax roll as a separate charge. Collection will remain the

same as in 2012. The east side of the City to Second Street and Bayley Avenue is collected on Monday. The west side is

collected on Tuesday. For Monday holidays, the collection is moved to Tuesday & Wednesday. For 2013, the spring & fall

clean up will remain. Spring clean up is the Monday or Tuesday prior to the Memorial Day holiday, May 20 & 21, 2013.

Fall clean up is the Monday or Tuesday prior to the UW-Platteville Homecoming weekend, usually in October.

Page 6 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

The City of Platteville has recently adopted changes to Chapter 33, the Rental Code, and other changes to the rental inspec-

tion and licensing program. A summary of the changes is as follows:

1. Several definitions were modified to clarify which residential properties are subject to the rental code and the rental

licensing program. Specifically, the code now states that any dwelling unit that is occupied by the property owner, or only by the property owner’s parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and/or spouse are not subject to the

requirements of the ordinance. Properties that are owned by UWP or the Board of Regents of the State of Wiscon-

sin, and operated by the UWP as student housing, are not subject to the requirements of this ordinance. All other

non-owner occupied residential properties shall be licensed.

2. The penalties for violations of the rental code were raised by $50.

3. The rental license application is now required to include two contact phone numbers regarding the rental property.

An email address is also requested to be included for improved communication.

4. All leases for dwelling units subject to the ordinance shall include in the lease, or in a document attached to the lease,

the following language: City Ordinance Chapter 33 regarding rental licensing standards applies to this property. Maximum occupancy limits apply to this unit. Unless this unit is an approved rooming house, this unit may be occupied by no more than four (4) unrelated persons, or less, depending on the size and number of bedrooms. Units located in a Limited Occupancy Residential Over-lay district may be limited to no more than two (2) unrelated persons as provided in Section 22.0514 of the Municipal

Code. For more information, contact the City at 608-348-9741.

5. The language in the code has been changed to clarify when a handrail or guardrail is required: Every flight of stairs having more than three risers, and every open portion of a stair, landing, balcony, porch,

deck, ramp or other walking surface, including a roof that is used for ingress, egress or emergency egress,

which is more than 24 inches above the floor or grade below, shall have guards.

6. The language regarding clear space in a kitchen has been changed to match the building code requirement. Kitchens

shall have a clear passageway of not less than 30 inches between the front of countertops and appliances or walls.

7. A requirement for carbon monoxide detectors has been added. One carbon monoxide detector shall be installed on

each habitable level of the dwelling unit, including the basement, if any fuel burning appliance is present in the

dwelling unit. 8.The rental sanctions portion of the ordinance (Section 33.31) has been modified to remove any reference to the accu-

mulation of points for ordinance violations.

9. The City will begin sending postcards to property owners to remind them that their rental license will soon expire.

The postcard will be sent approximately 90 days prior to the license expiration date. It will be the property

owner’s responsibility to arrange an inspection of the unit and complete any necessary repairs so that the property

meets code and the license is renewed prior to the expiration date.

10. Any license that is renewed after the date of the license may be subject to a $25 late fee.

11. Any license that is not renewed within 30 days of the license expiration may be subject to a citation for each day the

unit remains unlicensed.

Changes Regarding the Rental Inspection & Licensing Program

Inside Public Works

The Street Department is another department of Public Works. Under the direction of Superintendent Paul Budden, this

area is responsible for maintenance and repair of over 52 miles of local streets, 5 miles of State Highways, storm sewers, traffic &

parking signs and our 8 traffic signals. They also are in charge of Greenwood and Hillside Cemeteries. He coordinates building &

grounds maintenance for City Hall, the Library and Senior Center. He works with the Parks Department to provide maintenance of all parks and facilities. The City Forester – Dave Duggan – is also our permanent Cemetery Maintenance person. In the summer, we

hire temporary employees to assist with lawn care of the Cemeteries. As Forester, Dave is responsible for the health of City owned

trees in streets and other public lands. We had an Arborist help identify our public trees and assign risk based on the health and vis-

ual appearance of the trees. Over the past few years we have removed over 50 high-risk trees and this year, with help from a DNR

grant, we are replanting 41 trees to begin replacing the trees. One service we provide is brush removal. Staff is proposing to make

this a paid service in 2013. A homeowner would contact the City Manager’s office with the address of the brush pile next to the

curb. After the cutoff date, Street Department crews would be dispatched to pick up the brush. The homeowner would be billed for

the time & expense of removing the brush. Homeowners have the option of taking their brush to the compost pile on Stumptown

Road themselves at no charge.

One of the most visible aspects of the job is snow removal. With our budget cuts, there are fewer people which could

stretch our response time. We are looking at 10 – 12 hours to clear City streets in a “normal” snowstorm of 3 – 4”. We promoted Jason Genthe to Assistant Street Superintendent. He will lead the crews, plus he works on traffic signs and signals. Jerry Roberts,

Nick Seng, Paul Taber, Kevin Tanner and Mike Timmerman round out the crew. Jay Richards is our mechanic, keeping city vehi-

cles – including police squad cars - running smoothly and filling in as a snow plow driver as needed. We ask people to be patient

with our efforts. Please do NOT shovel snow from driveways into the street, it is against City Ordinances. Also, you are reminded

that City Ordinances requires property owners with public sidewalk to shovel those sidewalks the entire width and length of the side-

walk – including the corners – within 36 hours after a snowfall.

The Recreation Department has been busy wrapping up our youth fall programs and our adult pro-

grams are in full swing! This fall, we offered NFL Flag Football for grades 1&2 and 3&4 and had

47 kids participate to make up four teams in each age group. Kid rceive a replica NFL jersey and set

of flags to kep at the end of the season. This program has not been offered since 2008, so we’re glad to bring it back. We hope next fall it will be even bigger!

We also offered Youth Dance for the first time and the interest was fantastic! We offered three

different “sampler” classes for ages 3&4, 5&6, and 7&8. The kids were introduced to ballet, tap, and jazz

during this six-week program. We are looking forward to offering more dance classes in the spring.

Youth Tennis, Youth Soccer, Introduction to Sports, and Start Smart Soccer round out our fall

recreation programs for children and I can’t thank our instructors and staff enough. I received multiple

emails regarding how great our programs and staff are! Without great staff, our programs would not be

the same.

Our Saturday morning themed Preschool Workshops are offered once per month from October

through March and offer kids ages 3-5 the opportunity to play games, do arts and crafts, and create vari-

ous treats. The themes vary from October’s “Halloween Spooktackular” to December’s “Winter Won-derland” to March’s “Kids in the Kitchen”. Registration deadlines do not apply to these programs, but

register early to ensure a spot for your child.

We had eight teams participate in our Adult Coed Softball league that ran from August 19th-

October 28th. Our Adult Women’s Volleyball League has 24 total teams in two different divisions. Our

summer leagues also consist of Women’s Sand Volleyball, Coed Sand Volleyball, Men’s Slow Pitch

Softball and Coed Slow Pitch Softball. Interested in entering a team in an adult league next year? Con-

tact our office for registration deadlines and to have team registration information mailed to you.

We have also been working on new sponsorship opportunities within our department. If you or

your business are interested in sponsoring a youth sports team, or donating to our Recreation Scholarship

fund to help low-income families participate in our programs, please contact our office today!

Our summer recreation program brochure will be out in early March, so stop by to pick up your

copy or check it out on our website. Deadlines for summer programs do apply, so please watch for those. We hope you’re having a great fall! Don’t forget to get outside and play!

Rollin’ with the Street Department

Recreation Department in Full Swing This Fall

Page 11 FALL 2012 NEWSLETTER

Several weeks ago I visited a high school class to talk about a career as a library professional. It took a lot of hours of reading,

writing, re-writing, and re-thinking the message I wanted to impart about my chosen occupation. When all was said and done,

the greatest misconception that I wanted to correct was our mission. While libraries have been associated with books for cen-

turies and people often think that books are the reason libraries exist, it was Benjamin Franklin, in 1731, who identified our

true purpose as an institution: free access to information.

For years, as each new technological format was introduced, we have heard that libraries would become obsolete.

However, just because a new medium arrives doesn’t mean an old medium dies out. We still have radio in an era of HD

broadcasting; we still have handwritten notes in an age of online cut and paste; and we still have reading in an age of videos,

DVDs, and e-books. That will continue; but the nature of reading will change as it has changed all along. Librarians are still

keepers of the word and will continue to be so, no matter how the information is delivered. Technology simply reshapes the

reading habit.

When I entered the library field, books were the mainstay. But again, books just provided access to information

whether it was for a research project, a school report, personal gathering of information on a subject, or pleasure reading.

Times have changed and libraries have moved forward with technological advancement. Truth be told, librarians are the origi-

nal search engines. We don’t have all the answers, but we certainly know how to go about finding them.

Library managers recognize that today’s patrons don’t necessarily visit the library solely for books anymore. They

come for high speed Internet service on public computers. They attend classes and programs. They check out the latest DVDs.

They read newspapers. They place holds to borrow computers. In the near future, in addition to Overdrive services and our

popular Playaways, we will be offering the opportunity to check out Kindles, Nooks and their relatives – either loaded with

books or for the opportunity to check out the devices to determine which piece of equipment to choose as a personal purchase.

Some patrons come simply for a place “to be,” or to experience a place of community. I came into my position as a

public library user and, as a Director, that is the filter through which I evaluate everything – from new staff to services to pro-

grams. As we begin to turn the calendar of another year, it’s time to evaluate the services we

currently provide, all toward a greater goal of providing free access to information for all peo-

ple . . . in any format. So what’s working for you? What are some best practices that you

would like to have your public library provide? What are some of your thoughts about what it

takes to improve the patron experience, engage the community, and help the staff to succeed?

Send your ideas to me at cschuler@plattevillepubliclibrary.org. Let’s make Platteville Public

Library the learning place of a lifetime.

Your library card: Small enough to fit in your pocket; Big enough to change your life.

The Water & Sewer Department is one of the departments of Public Works. This department is responsible for

providing safe drinking water to Platteville citizens and treating wastewater to ensure we maintain clean water. The Su-

perintendent is Irv Lupee. He has licenses for both water and wastewater operations. He supervises 3 sections: Water

Plant, Wastewater Plant, and Maintenance. We will have 2 water plant operators who provide clean water to the City. Roberta Glasson is one of our operators and we have closed the window for applications for the second position. We

hope to have our newest person on board soon. Our water comes from 3 wells – Well 3, 4 and 5. Well 5 is our newest

well and will be operational by the end of 2012. We plan to hold an open house sometime in January for citizens to see

our set up.

We have 4 employees at the Wastewater Plant. The foreman is Dennis Moen. He has over 30 years of experi-

ence in wastewater. Jeff Frederick is our Lab Technician. He tests the wastewater to ensure we are treating it to meet or

exceed Wisconsin DNR standards. Our 2 operators are Tom Blankenberg and Mike Stymiest. They keep the plant oper-

ating at peak efficiency.

We have 5 employees in Maintenance. The foreman is Kevin Hall with over 20 years experience with the City.

Kevin Loeffleholz, Brian Okey and Tim Peacock maintain the water distribution system and the wastewater collection

system. There are over 50 miles each of water and sanitary sewer lines that they are responsible for with more than 560 fire hydrants. We have Dave Bradley who is our Cross-Connection Inspector and Meter Technician. He makes sure our

water meters are running accurately and inspects buildings to detect and eliminate potentially unsafe conditions. In the

office is Julie Abing who provides billing and customer support.

Platteville Public Library: Access to Information

Water & Sewer Department: Going with the Flow

Page 10 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

Pre-schoolers enjoying a "Panda"monium story hour at the

Platteville Public Library

Earlier this year, the City of Platteville initiated a permit parking zone to preserve the residential parking near the newly

constructed 600 -plus bed Rountree Commons residence hall on the southwest side of the city.

Two free permits were issued to the owners of one, two, and three family dwellings in the Permit Parking Zone. Single family, owner-occupied dwellings may stop in the Police Department for up to an additional 2 permits. Renter occupied

homes may not.

If you are visiting someone in the permit parking zone, you can stop by the Recreation Department at City Hall or the Police

Department to pick up free guest passes. Passes are only valid for up to 3 days in a row and no more than a total of 12 days

per year.

On pages 8-9 you will find a map of the permitted zone along with a sample of the permit. So far, this program has been

working very well for the residents. The permit parking zone works as follows:

No Parking 3am-6am: Spaces in yellow allow for parking anytime with our without a permit except from

3am-6am.

4 hour parking: Spaces in light blue are 4 hour parking every day, but no parking 3am-6am.

Permit Parking or 15 Minute Parking: Any green space is parking for 15 minutes only or requires a per-

mit.

Permit Parking or 2 hour parking: You may park in orange spaces for up to 2 hours Monday-Friday from

6am-6pm only without a permit OR you can park there for any amount of time WITH a permit.

As a reminder, the longest you can park on any allowed City street anywhere in town is 48 hours. Per City ordinance, no

vehicle shall be left on any city street for more than 48 consecutive hours without being moved. See the City’s website for

more specific parking information.

The UW-Platteville campus has notified the City that they have ample parking still available on campus and that students

can still purchase residence hall, commuter, and remote parking passes from the UW-Platteville Campus Police Department.

The Finance Department for the City of Platteville currently has four employees and now handles the com-

bined duties of the Treasurer’s Office and the Water & Sewer Department Office. Duties include budget-

ing, accounting for receipts and payments, payroll, many human resource items, and other duties as may

be required. Office hours in 2012 are from 7:15 A.M. until 5:00 P.M from Monday – Thursday. Payments to the Water & Sewer Department can be made in the Water & Sewer Department

Office during working hours. In front of City Hall there is a drop box in which payments may be depos-

ited 24 hours per day. Payments may also be mailed to PO Box 780. We also offer an Automatic Payment Withdrawal from

a checking or savings account. There is no cost to the customer and the amount of your billing is taken out on the due date on

the 20th of each month.

The Water & Sewer Department also offers a third party online/phone pay option where you can pay your bill by

credit card or debit card for a fee of $2.99 per transaction, with a maximum transaction amount of $300. You will need to

have your account number in order to complete your transaction. To pay by phone dial 1.877.885.7968 selecting option 1 or

online at www.platteville.org (look for the link under City Depts., then click on Water & Sewer Department) select “Make a

Payment”.

Payments to the City of Platteville Treasurer’s Office can also be made during working hours, placed in the drop box in front of City Hall, or mailed to City of Platteville, PO Box 780. City of Platteville property tax bills are normally mailed out

from our office by December 15th. Property tax payments are due by January 31st. A payment option for Real Estate taxes is to

use the installment plan. First half taxes are due by January 31st to the City of Platteville, with the second half taxes due by July

31st to the Grant County Treasurer.

A new payment option will be available this year for the payment of property tax bills. Credit card and e-check

payments may be made in our office or online. When using a credit card or debit card, a 2.39% fee will be charged. Fees for

using E-checks will be $1.50 for payments up to $10,000 and $10.00 for payments over $10,000. More information on this

option will be forthcoming.

Permit Parking Zone

Finance Department: Water & Sewer & Treasurer Combine

Page 7 FALL 2012 NEWSLETTER