Spring Green, Wisconsin
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020 Vol. 1, No. 1 Free, Single-Copy
Wisconsin Water Alliance presents award to Novak, Marion questions motive Quincy Aston-Lott, Managing Editor Madison, Wis. – Last week, the Wisconsin Water Alliance (WWA) presented its first ever Outstanding Water Legislator of the Year Award to five state lawmakers, including Representative Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville). The WWA is a non-partisan, state-
New developments, gadgets coming to Plain
wide organization whose mission is, “to protect the state’s water resources and advocate for sound water policies that benefit families, cities, businesses, farmers, and others.” The award was presented to legislators, “who are leading efforts to address the pressing water issues facing the state. The award recognizes a commitment to advancing
sound water policy that protects the environment while allowing the resource to power our state’s economic engine,” according to their release. Mike Huebsch, WWA president, praised Novak when announcing the awards, “Wisconsin Water Alliance is pleased to present the Outstanding Water Legislator of the Year Award
to Representative Todd Novak for his demonstrated commitment to protecting our state’s water resources. From recreation to industry, water is central to Wisconsin’s success and requires reasonable action that addresses the diverse water-related issues facing our state.”
See Alliance page 8
Last Spring Green farmers market of the season
Emilie Conlon, Editor-in-chief
Village contracts for construction services The Plain Village board approved contracts for development of a housing subdivision and project on Nachreiner Avenue at its Oct. 14 board meeting. The board contracted with Strand Associates, an engineering company out of Madison, to design building plans for a housing subdivision. The village will provide sewer lines for the housing development, and Kraemer Brothers construction in Plain will be involved in construction. According to the contract, the project is projected to be completed by December 2021. The village also contracted with Strand Associates to handling the bidding process and inspection for a construction Project on Nachreiner Avenue, which will be constructed concurrently with the housing development. “We had a discussion with Strand Associates, they’re going to pigtail this on the Nachreiner project,” said Village President, Raymond Ring. “It will help from the standpoint of having people on site.” The Nachreiner Avenue project is expected to be completed in December 2021. The village board also approved the use of funds for a 2021 Ford F550 snow plowing truck, for $45,169, and the use of funds to purchase a John Deere loader for the public works department, for $74,223. “When we bought the loader, the agreement was to always try and turn it in 10 years for resale value, we ended up getting $80,000 for it [the previous loader], and a new loader only cost us like $74,000, so the resale value idea worked out really well,” said John Ruhland, public works director. “We got $44,000 for the plow truck we had, it worked out good with the resale value again.”
See Construction page 8
Photo by Emilie Conlon, Editor-in-chief Patrons pick up seasonal goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, baked goods and coffee at the last Spring Green outdoor farmers market of the season on Saturday. The market will continue with pre-ordered, pick up in the parking lot of the Spring Green Library, starting Oct. 24. For a full list of vendors available for pre-order, see page 6.
Clerks report having plenty of poll works for Nov. 3 Emilie Conlon, Editor-in-Chief Clerks in villages and townships around the area have said they are seeing a high number of absentee ballots requested, but are prepared for in-person voting for the Nov. 3 election. Clerks throughout the area have reported having plenty of poll workers to take on in-person voting on election day, many with enough for alternates. In the town of Spring Green, Clerk Vicki Terpstra said the office expects to have plenty of volunteer poll workers for election day, and actually had the opportunity to train all new poll workers prior to the April election, that will also be volunteering in November. “We actually had a whole new crew that we had to start up in April,” said
Terpstra. “It’s been good, we’ve had a lot of people step up to the plate.” While area clerks expect to have enough poll workers, Sauk County Clerk Becky Evert in a press release stated that many municipalities in the county were in need of poll workers for election day. According to the press release, any citizen over can serve as a poll worker, and is encouraged to apply by contacting Evert via email, at becky.evert@saukcountywi.gov. Town of Clyde Clerk Deanna Brennum expects to have plenty of poll workers on election day, but still encourages residents to volunteer, as COVID-19 has caused a state-wide shortage.
“I have my poll workers in place with alternates if someone is not able to make it,” said Brennum. “If you are interested in becoming a poll worker, please contact your county clerk. Because of COVID-19, there is shortage and poll workers are needed throughout the state. While in-person absentee voting began Tuesday, and the deadline to request an absentee ballot passed, village and town clerks have reported high numbers of absentee ballots. Village of Spring Green Clerk Wendy Crary said over 500 absentee ballots have been requested.
See Election page 8
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WednesdaY, Oct, 21, 2020
EDITORIAL
opinion/editorial
OUR VIEW: This shouldn’t have to be said, but please wear your mask One of our editors, while covering a health committee meeting in a neighboring county last week, encountered an example of the deeper harm not masking up can cause, in the workplace, in the community and in public service. At the meeting, several committee members, county staff, members of the public AND the chair of the health committee itself, were attending mask free, with very little social distancing. A masked member of the committee opted to speak during public comment, making her disdain of the lack of masks known, and rightfully shamed the room for failing to take seriously the biggest reason they were all gathered there together, representing public health while choosing to ignore public health safety guidelines. After chastising those in the room, she announced she’d likely be resigning from the committee because she couldn’t support their negligence. This speaks to a larger issue that
deserves its own editorial, we should be doing everything we can to retain those passionate community members that choose to volunteer their time serving on public bodies to work for the greater good. By choosing to not wear masks or practice social distancing at meetings, public officials are sending the message to their constituents that they have a true lack of care for the well-being, health and safety of the community. This lack of caring seems to say, “We’re going to gather in this large group, without masks and without distancing, and then continue on with our non-quarantine lives throughout the community, not considering if we’re infected and if we could infect you too.” The same applies when public officials, local, state or federal, lollygag around and play politics on any sort of action they have the opportunity to take to protect and help everyone. By not wearing masks, the officials also send a similar message to the employees for the entity they represent,
one of carelessness and disregard for their health. Public officials are often looked to as role models in the community, and by not taking a pandemic seriously in public, they, in effect, encourage others to do the same. We should be celebrating public officials that are conducting themselves and taking action both in ways that assist and protect the common good, and ridiculing those that refuse to wear a mask and take action that protects our community. Last week, Sauk County Public Health Officer, Tim Lawther, served his last day on the job after tendering his resignation, with just over a year under his belt. His recent statements reflect a bevy of complaints he had regarding the county and its supervisors largely failing to take the pandemic seriously. Again, we risk pushing passionate and competent people out of roles in a time we need them most Lack of seriousness surrounding a public health crisis results in what we’ve seen around our state especially
in the last two weeks—every day it seems we’re setting record highs for new positive cases, schools shutting down, hospitals at or near capacity and field hospitals being pressed into use. Sounds like something straight out of a dystopian novel, right? Sadly, because so many have chosen to be selfish and disregard the health and safety of our community, their constituents, this is now the dystopian world we live in. COVID-19 has been on our collective conscience since the end of last year, we’re all sick of hearing about it, we’re sick of having to wear a mask when we’re trying to get out and enjoy some of the year we have left, but we run the risk of some of us having zero years left if we continue down the path we’re on. Let’s get this right so we can concentrate on the things that build community and bring it together. We’re eight months into this pandemic, just wear a mask. Oh — and cover your nose too.
Honorary Editor Column: Birth of Valley Sentinel, a welcoming David Giffey, Honorary Editor As a reader and writer I welcome another newspaper…Valley Sentinel. Journalism has taken undeserved punishment for years. It’s time to place blame where we think it belongs, and then to move on. I blame impatience not only among readers, but also among owners, advertisers, the newspaper industry in general. Here are some recent statistics: Close to 100 U.S. towns and cities, on average, suffered the loss of their newspapers each of the last 15 years. Depending on your personal choice, the demise of all those newspapers was due to 1) lost ads; 2) social media (such as Facebook); 3) greedy owners; 4) disinterest among readers; 5) your choice. Yet here in Spring Green and the River Valley, the norm is reversed. A new newspaper is being born right now. It’s almost miraculous, and obviously challenging. Congratulations and wishes
for good luck are in order for those who courageously are stepping forward with Valley Sentinel. My name is presently listed in the masthead. My title is “honorary editor.” It’s there because I support more, rather than fewer, newsGiffey papers. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with only half the editorial board so far, so we haven’t had the chance to have a lengthy discussion to solidify goals and purposes. As with any editorial process and any publication, it’s unlikely I will agree with everything in the VS. But I am more than happy to
welcome the new paper. Emilie Conlon – she’s listed as Editor - wrote recently: “I’m sure we must be viewed as misguided by some to start a publication in the middle of an on-going pandemic, but we can’t think of a better time to build and foster community and to come together to sustain and support the things that make our area special.” What did she mean, exactly? We’ll see. I hope Valley Sentinel attracts gifted writers and inquisitive readers who look to its pages for news about politics, government, and more. Newspapers and journalists work hard to tell the truth as they see it. It’s difficult to tell the truth, and somewhat easier to ignore it. Emilie also said, “This is a volunteer position for [me] and our entire team. We volunteer our time simply because we have been inspired by the River Valley….”
I think journalists should be paid, no matter how passionate they may be. Yet I know there have been times in the nearly 60 years I’ve worked as a journalist when the importance of getting paid took a back seat to the nature of the message. So be it. Some years ago, I wrote in a newspaper column: “Traditional community mirrors of the type offered by newspapers have been systematically shattered—as I see it—in a greedy rush to compartmentalize ‘we the people’ into packaged goods identified by zip code or income or gender or age or some other convenient measure, and to discourage us from standing up for what we feel in our hearts to be truly important, truly truthful.” May Valley Sentinel shine as “…truly important, truly truthful.”
The Badger Project is a nonpartisan, citizen-supported journalism nonprofit that focuses on Wisconsin state government and politics.
opinion/editorial
WednesdaY, Oct, 21, 2020
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Rep. Considine: Recognize farmer sacrifice throughout the pandemic Dave Considine, D-Baraboo COVID-19 has impacted us all in many ways, and through it all Wisconsin’s agricultural producers have continued to work hard to provide us with nutritious food. A recent study from the independent polling and research firm Gallup showed that Americans view the farming and agriculture industry with a 69% positivity rating. In Wisconsin, many of us see the dedication of our farmers firsthand. Despite the many challenges they have faced throughout these uncertain times, they continue to work to provide
for people in Wisconsin, the United States, and the world. Wisconsin’s economy is largely driven by agriculture from cheese to ginseng. Considine Our local rural economies are supported by agriculture producers, processors, and those in the food sup-
ply chain. Farmers deserve recognition for all of the sacrifices they have made for our communities throughout the past years and especially the past several months. COVID-19 has forced many farmers to make difficult decisions as the supply chain faced hardship. As a former farmer, I understand the fragility of the food supply chain and the hard work that goes into ensuring your community continues to have food on the table. Thank you to all of our essential agricultural producers for your dedication. As the ranking member on
the Assembly Committee on Agriculture, I am committed to helping you. I promise to continue to encourage targeted and sustainable investments in the agricultural industry so our farms – the hearts of our rural communities – continue to beat. If you don’t live or work on a farm, choose to support local producers next time you go to the grocery store. Our support is as essential as their hard work.
Sen. Marklein: Unemployment audit results disappointing Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green My office has received 524 contacts related to unemployment compensation claims since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic – 22 this week alone! I have heard from 221 individuals who needed help to receive their unemployment compensation, including 22 this week, and there are still several who have not received their checks! The legislature has been consistently working with the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) to seek help for our constituents and to increase funding, staffing and capacity to accommodate the influx of unemployment compensation claims since the Governor’s original shut-down order last spring. We allocated more money, authorized more positions and allowed the department to contract with an outside vendor for a call center to help them answer phones. Unfortunately, all of this expansion has not helped. There are still people who have not received their checks!
This is very concerning as the Governor has issued a new Executive Order to reduce capacity in many businesses to 25%. I understand why he made this decision, but I am concerned about the people who may be filing for unemployment in the coming weeks due Marklein to this new order. The department did not have a plan and was not prepared for the predictable massive number of claims last spring. Are they prepared now? I hope that Amy Pechacek the new Transition Director of DWD has made the changes necessary to serve the people who are waiting from last spring – as well as those new filers who will be accessing the program this fall. When
the Governor asked former Secretary Caleb Frostman to resign, I was hopeful that new leadership would improve the department. I continue to monitor the situation. But I also continue to receive calls from constituents who are still waiting on checks. This is why I was eager to review the Legislative Audit Bureau’s (LAB) recent audit of the Unemployment Insurance Call Centers. The scope of the audit was to figure out why so many claims are still delayed, individuals have not received their checks and the phones are still not being answered by DWD or the private vendors who are supposed to be taking up the slack. You may read the full audit report here. The audit found that from March 15, 2020 to June 30, 2020, 38.8 million of the 41.1 million total telephone calls (93.3%) to the call centers were blocked or received busy signals. 6.2% were abandoned by the individuals before speaking with the call centers. Only 0.5% of calls were answered by DWD.
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PO Box 144 Spring Green, Wisconsin 53588 USA (608) 588-6694 editor@valleysentinelnews.com valleysentinelnews.com Editorial Editor-in-Chief Emilie Conlon Creative Director/ Editor Morgan Marlenga Managing Editor Quincy Aston-Lott
From March 15, 2020 – July 31, 2020, DWD spent $9.3 million, including $6.3 million to vendors, to staff the call centers. They doubled their staff from 90 on March 31, 2020 to 188 on July 31, 2020. But the calls were still not being answered. The LAB said, “We recommend DWD include in its weekly reports to the co-chairpersons of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee the total number of telephone calls that were unable to reach the call centers, develop a records disposition authorization for its telephone call data, and require the two entities that operate call centers to report certain contractually required information on their performance.” While much of the Unemployment Compensation program may be accessed online, anyone who is in ad-
See Audit page 4 Deadlines: The display and classified
Valley Sentinel is published in Spring Green, Wisconsin every Wednesday by Lower Wisconsin River Valley Sentinel, LLC. Legal Editor Gerry Strang, esq. Honorary Editor David Giffey Interns Graphic Design/Pagination Amber Mueller Editorial/Social Media/Marketing Matthew L. Beyer
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Editorial Policy
On certain topics in areas of great community interest, the editors of the Valley Sentinel may take positions they believe best represent and serve the interests of the community. Any opinions or positions taken by the editorial board are separate and distinct in labeling and substance from the community journalism that appears in the rest of the publication and does not affect the integrity
Letter to the Editor Policy
Letters submitted for consideration are subject to fact-checking and editing for space and clarity. Submissions must have a compelling local community interest. Letters to the editor must fit within a 500-word limit, and include name, city and phone number. Phone numbers are for office use only and will not be published. Letters of a political nature, without chance of rebuttal, will not be published the week before an election.
and impartiality of our reporting.
Est. 2020 igne conflatum “Forged in Fire”
Valley Sentinel is a free, weekly single-copy news publication, available on newsstands in the area. Covering Arena, Lone Rock, Plain, Spring Green and the surrounding areas.
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Editors may feature opinion columns written by public figures, members of the public or other publication staff. Columns reflect the opinions of the individual contributors and do not represent positions of the publication. Guest columns of an anticipated length more than 500 words should seek prior editor authorization.
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From time to time the editorial board may select letters to the editor of a particular compelling community interest where a public figure or accountable public action is the recipient of criticism and allow, in the same issue, the subject of the criticism chance for rebuttal, with expounded independent input. The format shall be point, counterpoint and expert analysis. This community discussion shall serve as a moderated dialogue that presents multiple views of important community topics.
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opinion/editorial
WednesdaY, Oct, 21, 2020
Obscure case made Wisconsin politics ‘playthings for the rich’ Peter Cameron, The Badger Project So far this year, three different people each have donated more than $2 million to a political party in Wisconsin. Karla Jurvetson, a Silicon Valley-based liberal donor, has given more than $2.8 million to the Wisconsin Democratic Party in 2020, according to campaign finance records. J.B. Pritzker, the Democratic governor of Illinois, has poured in nearly $2.5 million. And Diane Hendricks, the richest self-made women in the country who lives in the Beloit area, has given nearly $2.5 million to state Republican Party this year. Before 2015, the total any single person could have given in annual political donations in Wisconsin was $10,000. That’s it. What changed? A monumental 2014 U.S. Supreme Court decision you’ve probably never heard of: McCutcheon v. FEC. The Citizens United case, a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision that allowed corporations and unions to make unlimited independent expenditures in elections, is a household name. And an infamous one to many. But in Wisconsin, “McCutcheon had a much greater impact than Citizens United did,” said Mike Wittenwyler, a Madison-based lawyer who has specialized in political law for the last two decades. Money has flooded into the war chests of candidates for state office, even lower offices like state legislators, in huge amounts never seen Wittenwyler before the McCutcheon decision. That cash , in turn, pays for political ads that saturate the airwaves and fills mailboxes with fliers. The McCutcheon decision ruled that limiting individuals on how much they could make in political donations in a 2-year election cycle was unconstitutional. Prior to that ruling, Wisconsin law set an annual cap of $10,000 on all political donations from individuals. It didn’t matter to whom or to what you gave, once you hit $10,000, you were done for the year. The popular expression in Wisconsin donor circles was, ‘I’ve maxed out,” recalled Matt Rothschild, executive director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Rothschild a nonprofit which tracks campaign finance spending in the state.
Photo via The Badger Project The Roberts Court, November 30, 2018. Seated, from left to right: Justices Stephen G. Breyer and Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., and Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Samuel A. Alito. Standing, from left to right: Justices Neil M. Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Brett M. Kavanaugh. “There is no way to max out now in Wisconsin,” he added. “It’s gone the way of the passenger pigeon.” McCutcheon did that. In a 5-4 decision four years after Citizens United, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that aggregate limits on campaign donations are a violation of the First Amendment. In cases before McCutcheon, the Court had ruled that restrictions on political contributions can, but don’t always, violate the First Amendment. “Congress may target only a specific type of corrupEsenberg tion—‘quid pro quo’ corruption,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the Court’s opinion on McCutcheon. That interpretation saw limits on one person’s political donations in a 2-year timeframe as unconstitutional, given no direct quid pro quo exists. However, the decision did reaffirm that caps on donations to individual politicians are constitutional — the logic being that a donor could ask for, or expect something in return, from the candidate. Rick Esenberg, president of the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a
conservative law organization, said he supports “the constitutional principle involved.” “I think it’s a violation of the First Amendment to tell people that there are only so many candidates they can support,” he said. In 2015, one year after the McCutcheon decision, then-Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and state Republicans, who controlled the state legislature, removed the now-unconstitutional aggregate limits from state law. Unrelated to the McCutcheon decision, legislators also loosened other campaign finance laws, including doubling the limits on direct donations to state candidates. The new law, for example, increased the maximum an individual could give to a candidate for Wisconsin governor or attorney general from $10,000 to $20,000. By comparison, the limit on donating to a candidate for U.S. president is $2,800.
In addition, McCutcheon eliminated limits on donations from individuals to political parties in Wisconsin, and on parties to candidates. The $10,000 aggregate limit had served as the state’s ceiling there, because no other limit was, or now is, in place in regards to political parties. Post-McCutcheon, donors can give as much as they want to
political parties. And some have. Races for state senate and state assembly, jobs that pay $53,000 per year, are seeing more than $1 million raised by the two competing candidates. Campaign finance numbers to state races exploded after the McCutcheon decision and subsequent law changes. Much of that new cash is coming from the unleashed political parties and their megadonors. Nothing prevents limits on donations to and from political parties, but the Republican-controlled legislature declined to do so in 2015, Rothschild said. Until 2020, Republicans had been a greater beneficiary of the change. Hendricks of ABC Building Supply, Elizabeth Uihlein of Uline Shipping Supply and Marlene Ricketts, whose family started Ameritrade and now owns the Chicago Cubs, each gave more than $1 million to the Wisconsin GOP in 2018. “It’s been a gift from heaven for Republicans,” Rothschild said. But 2020 has seen a tsunami of donations from liberal donors in Wisconsin, likely motivated by President Donald Trump, as well as state Democrats’ attempt to prevent Republicans from winning super majorities in the state legislature that would allow them to override Gov. Tony Evers’ veto power. Also, in 2019, Democrats introduced a bill that would limit donations to and from political parties, but it died a quiet death in the Republican-controlled legislature. That leaves in place, for now, a campaign finance system that places no limits on donations to and from parties. Billionaires like Hendricks have really taken advantage. She has donated big to state Republicans most election years, including the nearly $2.5 million this year and another $2 million in 2018. “Who can do that in Wisconsin?” Rothschild said. “That is just leaving 99% of the electorate off the playing field.” Politics after the McCutcheon decision, he added, “has largely been the plaything of the super rich. More so than ever.”
Audit: Senator unhappy with results of unemployment look-over Continued from page 3 judication, makes a mistake on their application or has a question needs to call the department. When a person’s claim goes into adjudication, it means that there is an issue that must be resolved. Many of these “issues” are simple and easy to resolve with a quick review and conversation. Others must be investigated.
Unfortunately, the backlog and lag of adjudication is holding up a lot of claims. Adjudication involves a manual review of the case. It takes an adjudicator, or staff person at DWD, to open a file and make a decision. Often, this process requires a phone conversation. However, this is where the call center issues are causing the biggest problems. How does a person reach an
adjudicator when they can’t even reach the department? Again, I am very hopeful that Transition Director Pechacek has made the changes necessary to serve our citizens efficiently and effectively. My team and I will continue to serve as a resource and send inquiries to DWD on behalf of our citizens to ensure they are served quickly and effectively. I appreciate
everyone’s patience and willingness to ask me for assistance. As always, please do not hesitate to connect with me to provide input, ideas or to seek assistance. Send an email to sen.marklein@legis.wisconsin.gov or call 608-266-0703.
Community
WednesdaY, Oct, 21, 2020
Page 5
Food and beverage trucks descend on the Valley Photos by Emilie Conlon, Editor-in-Chief Food trucks from Jose’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant in Baraboo have been touring the area this month. On Saturday, the truck stopped at Keg and Kettle in Lone Rock. The truck has visited Spring Green, Sauk City, Reedsburg, Boscobel and Lake Delton. Center left: The village of Lone Rock sign advertises Jose’s Authentic Mexican Resturant visiting the area. Center right: Patrons wait in line at the food truck and gather at outdoor tables to enjoy the food.
Butternut Road Coffee truck visited the Spring Green Motel on Saturday. The company is based in Spring Green, and travels around the area. The truck can be found at Traders Bar and Grill parking lot 5 a.m.-7:30 a,m. daily, The truck will stop at Advanced Family Dental in Plain on Oct. 23 7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m.
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Community
WednesdaY, Oct, 21, 2020
Farmers market to offer pre-order, pick up The Spring Green Farmers Market will begin offering pick up orders on Oct. 24. Pick up orders can be pre-ordered through vendors directly, and will be available for pick up every Saturday 10 a.m.-11a.m. Orders will be picked up in the Spring Green Library parking lot, where social distancing and masks will be required. To order for pick up, contact the vendor. Vendors: Sunny Side Down Farms: (Artisan and specialty breads, jams, jellies, salsas, sauces.) Email sunnysidedownllc@ gmail.com for their pre-order menu. Mandy Mae’s Pies and Homemade Baked Goodies: (Baked goods including pies, banana breads, and cookies.) Email sunnysidedownllc@gmail.com for their pre-order menu. Nectar Bakery: (Baked goods including cinnamon rolls, pretzels, and biscuits.) Email Janco at nectarbakerysg@
gmail.com for their pre-order menu. Happy Hunter Farms (Jams, jellies, salsa, bbq sauce, sauces, soups.) Order online at www.HappyHunterFarms. com. Email HappyHunterFarms@ yahoo.com with any questions. Skyhaven Harvest: (Microgreens) Email skyhavenharvest@gmail.com for ordering instructions. My Fine Homestead: (A wide variety of items including seasonal produce, meat, eggs, maple syrup, honey, and handmade soap.) Order online at www. MyFineHomestead.com and choose to pick up your order at checkout. Email stacey@myfinehomestead.com with any questions. Over The Moon Cheese: (Local and organic cheeses.) Email OverTheMoonCheese@gmail.com for ordering instructions. Heart of the Sky Fair Trade: Order online at www.HeartOfTheSkyFairTrade.com and choose to pick up your order at checkout. (Shipping is also
available if you prefer not to come to market.) You can also email HeartOfTheSkyFairTrade@gmail.com to coordinate socially distant shopping in your driveway. The Denim Dog Den: (Treats and toys for your pets) Order online at www.TheDenimDogDen.com and choose to pick up your order at checkout. (Shipping and local delivery is also available if you prefer not to come to market.) Hazel Hill Farm: (Pork, eggs, and soap.) Contact HazelHillAvoca@gmail. com for ordering instructions. Two Onion Farm: (Apples and apple products.) Pre-order here: https:// twoonionfarm.wufoo.com/forms/twoonion-farm-spring-green-farmers-market-orders/ Email juli@twoonionfarm. com with any questions. Trail Magic Coffee: Order online at https://www.tmcoffeeroasters.com/. Enter code Spring Green at checkout. Email info@tmcoffeeroasters.com with
any questions. Goetzinger Farms (Grass fed beef.) Email goetzingerfarms@icloud.com for ordering instructions. Future Fruit Farm: (Apples, pears, fruit ciders.) Email futurefruitfarm@ hotmail.com for ordering instructions. —News brief compiled by Valley Sentinel staff
If you go What: Farmers market pick up When: Every Saturday 10 a.m.-11a.m. Where: Spring Green Library parking lot
In Celebration of “Wisconsin Hemp Day” Six Legislators Recognized as Hemp Heroes Valley Sentinel staff, via the Wisconsin Hemp Alliance
Madison, Wis. – With a gubernatorial proclamation declaring October 18 as “Wisconsin Hemp Day”, the Wisconsin Hemp Alliance recognized six legislators for, “their outstanding leadership in promoting hemp and their unwavering commitment to fighting for our state’s hemp farmers.” “The last four years have seen a whirlwind of activity for the movement to legalize hemp in Wisconsin and around the country,” stated Rob Richard, President of the Wisconsin Hemp Alliance. “Fortunately, Wisconsin has an incredible bi-partisan group of leaders at both the state and federal level who vigorously and consistently fight to regulate hemp as an agricultural commodity and give our farmers the opportunity to grow and process this very versatile and sustainable crop.” The Hemp Hero Award is given, “in recognition of exceptional leadership and support for the hemp industry.” Meeting this threshold may include; authoring or co-sponsoring legislation to foster research, regulation and market opportunities for hemp and hemp by-products; co-signing letters to government leaders or agency officials to help break down bureaucratic barriers; and actively promoting hemp and hemp farmers in the media, at conferences or other public gatherings. Recipients of the inaugural 2020 “Hemp Hero” awards are: —State Senator Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) —State Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) —State Representative Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc) —State Representative Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) —Congressman Mark Pocan
Photo via Wisconsin Hemp Alliance Rep. Dave Considine pictured with Rachel Freitag and Chelsi Schlough of Elite Hair and Wax Shop in Sauk City, WI. (D, WI 2nd District) —Congressman Glenn Grothman (R, WI 6th District) “After nearly 70 years of hemp prohibition, we need to thank all those officials who did not forget Wisconsin’s long and storied history of being a national leader in hemp production in the first half of the twentieth century. Along with Pocan and Grothman, Congressman Ron Kind, Congressman Mike Gallagher, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Senator Tammy Baldwin and Senator Ron Johnson all supported the position to remove hemp from the Controlled Substances Act,” Richard continued.
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Considine was a co-author of 2019 Senate Bill 188, which was signed into law by Governor Tony Evers on November 26, 2019. The bill had bipartisan support and aligned state law with changes made in the 2018 Federal Farm Bill. “Wisconsin farmers have always been diversified. That has been their strength. Hemp is not a total solution to the agricultural problems we’re seeing today. However, it’s yet another means for diversification. I am proud to have worked on this to ensure our farmers have another avenue for producing and manufacturing goods,” said Considine.
Richard concluded, “also, considering that the Wisconsin Legislature was the first legislative body in the country to unanimously pass a hemp pilot program into law, we are very fortunate to have such strong support amongst the congressional delegation and state legislature for this new and growing industry.” The Wisconsin Hemp Alliance is a state association bringing together growers, processors, retailers and consumers to further engage in the advocacy, education and promotion of hemp and hemp products.
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32769 US Hwy 14, Lone Rock, Lone53556 Rock, WI WI www.Wis-Coat.com 608-354-7690 or 1-800-BLACKTOP wiscoat@gmail.com
Let’s build community together.
“Where Quality and Honesty Meet” Wis-Coat has Certificates from the University of Wisconsin and the Asphalt Institute, pertaining to the Asphalt Industry. Wis-Coat is also the recipient of the 2017 WASB Business Honor Roll Award. Marvin, has written articles for Pavement Magazine, as well as been a speaker at the National Pavement Expo and Conference.
WisCoat @wiscoatllc Wis-Coat Asphalt Maintenance
Community
WednesdaY, Oct, 21, 2020
Page 7
COVID-19 Dashboard Wisconsin Summary Cases as of 10/19/2020
10/12
9.3%
10/13
173,891 Positive Cases
90.7%
Day-to-day case totalsofover 7 days& Negative Cases 7 Day Averages Positive
10/14 10/15 10/16 10/17
1,703,813 Negative Cases
10/18
0
10,000
20,000
Positive Cases
30,000
Negative Cases
Sauk County
Iowa County
1,383 Positive Cases
6,542 Negative Cases
6%
6 Deaths
94%
352 Positive Cases
21,721 Negative Cases
1 Death
Richland County 6 Deaths
364 Positive Cases 5.4%
94.6%
Graphic by Whitney Back
Data From: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm
6,404 Negative Cases
Page 8
Government
WednesdaY, Oct, 21, 2020
Election: Clerks expect 50/50 in-person, absentee numbers Continued from page 1
“I gave up doing a daily count, I can’t keep up. We’re getting them everyday, and we process them everyday,” said Crary. “We’re already at and above 50% of our registered voters. So, I’m not looking for a significant number of in-person individuals.” Terpstra said she is expecting the town of Spring Green to have predominantly in-person voting on election day, for both day-of voting and in-person absentee voting. In the village of Plain, Clerk Sheila Carver said 172 ballots have been requested so far, compared to the 214 returned for the April election. Carver said she is expecting about 450 voters for the election, about 40% she expected to be absentee voting. For the village of Arena, Clerk DaNean Naeger said her office has about 160 absentee ballots requested already, which is almost identical to the 159 returned for the April election. Naeger said she expects to have a majority of votes cast via absentee ballot. Brennum said absentee ballots for the November election are down compared to April’s election, with about 73 being requested currently, and 97 returned in April. “At this point, I am having an in person absentee ballot date and expect a good turnout before the election,” said Brennum. “Also, I think we will probably be half and half between in person voting and absentee ballots.” For the town of Wyoming, 107 absentee ballots requested, compared to the 112 in April’s election. “We had about 260 registered voters but have received several new registrations,” said Town Clerk Mary LloydJones. All clerks have reported that poll workers, observers and voters will be encouraged to wear masks. They have
said they will be encouraging single-use pens and will be disinfecting surfaces throughout the day. Many clerks said they have installed plexiglas dividers between poll workers and voters. Crary said due to COVID-19, poll workers in the village will not be working in shifts, but instead one longer shift all day. “Normally we’d do a split shift, where half of them work the morning and half of them work the evening shift, because it is a very long day, no matter how old you are,” said Crary. “But in light of the fact that we’re figuring less contact is better, we’re going to run a single shift.” Plain and the village of Spring Green offer drop boxes that can be used for dropping off absentee ballots in front of the municipal buildings. The town of Spring Green will hold in-person absentee voting the week of Oct. 19 by appointment. At other municipalities in the area, residents can return absentee ballots by mail or drop them off at the clerk’s office.
For more information For information about what will be on the ballot in your area, visit https://www.myvote.wi.gov
Voting Information What you need to know Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on November 3rd, 2020. Please request your absentee ballot as soon as possible by visiting myvote.wi.gov.
Voter Registration Deadlines: • October 30 at 5 p.m. - To register to vote at your clerk’s office or other designated location • You can register at your polling place on Election Day (November 3, 2020)
Absentee By-Mail Deadlines: • October 29 at 5 p.m. - To request an absentee ballot by-mail for regular and overseas voters • October 30 at 5 p.m. - To request an absentee ballot by-mail for indefinitely confined voters and military voters (not on active duty)
In-Person Absentee Dates: • October 20 - First day to vote absentee in your municipal clerk’s office or other designated location • November 1 - Last possible day. Please check with your municipal clerk’s office, as dates and times within this window will vary
S o u rc e : e l e c t i o n s .w i .g ov
Alliance: Novak looks to continue water quality policy Continued from page 1
He continued, “Wisconsin Water Alliance will continue to be both environmentally practical and business-minded as it works to advance reasonable water policy that moves our state forward.” Huebsch is a former Republican Assembly speaker, Department of Administration secretary and Public Service commissioner. All five legislators who received the award belong to the Republican party—Speaker Robin Vos, Rep. Travis Tranel, Sen. Rob Cowles and Sen. Pat Testin. Novak is currently locked in a re-elec-
tion race against Kriss Marion, a Lafayette county supervisor, farmer and small business owner from Blanchardville who is running as a Democrat. Marion was unambiguous in her response to Novak receiving the reward, “WWA is a group formed to protect polluters. Two of the board members are currently in lawsuits or under investigation for harming their neighbors by polluting private wells around their operations. One recently paid $80,000 in fines to pay for a government cleanup of a manure spill they allowed to go on for months in 2017, and they’ve had four spills since.” She continued, “In every indus-
try, there are terrific innovators and leaders, and there are also bad apples. Now and again, even the best producers might have an accident. But I think we can all agree that bad apples - those whose operations repeatedly pollute neighbors’ water resources or continually draw down the prized lakes and streams in a community - need to be held [to] account. WWA exists to protect polluters from being held responsible, and Todd Novak as the head of the Task Force on Clean Drinking Water did exactly that.” Novak released the following statement in conjunction with receiving the award, “I am committed to ensuring
a clean and healthy freshwater supply in our state. As Chair of the Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality, I’ve talked with residents and leaders in every corner of Wisconsin about the water-related issues they’re facing. Working together, we will continue to advance legislation that protects water and those who rely on it.”
Discussion: Board approves financing for additional maintenance in village Continued from page 1 Other actions taken by the council include: —Discussion on Halloween Trick or Treating guidelines, which encourages families to follow Center for Disease Control (CDC) COVID-19 safety guidelines. Trick or Treating hours are 4
p.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 31. —Approved a Class “A” liquor license for Plain One Stop. —Financed a sidewalk replacement project on Cherry Street —Financed repairs for village’s street sweeper
COMMUNITY CALENDAR We care about the community and want to showcase your events, especially in times like these! Our goal is to keep the community in touch with events, people, life and businesses of the Lower Wisconsin River Valley.
Email us to submit your local events. ads@valleysentinelnews.com
Let’s build community together.
Photos by Emilie Conlon, Editor-in-Chief Plain Village Board contracted with Strand Associates to develop two new projects in the coming year.
Sports
WednesdaY, Oct, 21, 2020
Page 9
RV defeats RC, celebrates seniors and parents
Photos by Quincy Aston-Lott, Managing Editor The River Valley Blackhawk varsity football team defeated the Richland Center Hornets 33-13 at home on Oct. 16. The Blackhawks go on the road this week, playing a Saturday game, 1pm at Platteville. Top: River Valley honored the parents of senior football players and cheerleaders by inviting parents onto the ďŹ eld at the Oct. 16 home game. Center: River Valley wide receiver Issac Prem, No. 25, breaks away from being tackled by a Richland Center Hornet. Bottom: Senior members of the River Valley band program perform during half-time at Friday’s game, which honored seniors and parents.
Page 10 WednesdaY, Oct, 21, 2020
Outdoors/recreation
State hunter education now available online for all ages Temporary change pivotal for those under age 18 Jon King, DNR hunter education administrator Madison, Wis. – As of Oct. 15, students of all ages can earn their Wisconsin hunter education safety certification through a single, online-only hunter education course under a temporary change approved by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The temporary change allows those under age 18 to take the online-only course from Oct. 15 through Dec. 31, 2020. Those interested in taking the online-only course who are over 18 years of age may continue to do so. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the DNR reviewed the available methods for delivering hunter education. A survey of volunteer instructors showed support for exploring alternatives to the traditional in-person hunter education course. Hunter education volunteer instructors often fall into higher-risk categories for contracting COVID-19. The online option addresses these concerns as well as issues with limited public facility availability for in-person instruction, personal protective equipment requirements, shortened courses and capacity limits for in-person classes. “The temporary online-only certification option will provide additional hunter education opportunities to all customers affected by COVID-19,” DNR hunter education administrator Jon King said. “The online option aligns our program with many hunter education programs in other states, which are
facing the same challenges with their hunter education programs.” Students of the online-only course will be required to pay the approved online vendor fee plus the $10 state-required course fee. Those under age 18 who take the online-only course for the remainder of 2020 will not be required to complete the in-person field day. Traditional Hunter Ed And Mentor Courses Still Available Traditional hunter education courses involving in-person instruction will remain available thanks to the dedication of volunteer instructors. A blended hunter education course coupling the online course with the required in-person field day will also be available. “Last year, there were more than 750 traditional hunter education classes held statewide, in every county,” King said. “We prefer the hands-on course with our outstanding volunteer instructors, who play a pivotal role in keeping hunting safe in Wisconsin. However, health and safety is our top priority.” “Our instructor group talked about holding an in-person hunter education class this year, but the logistics of keeping everyone safe were tough,” said Jim Wipperfurth, a Sauk County hunter education instructor since 2010. “In light of COVID, online hunter education is the best opportunity to get certified.” Additionally, the mentored hunt program is available as an option for those who have not received hunter education certification. This program, which has been available for over ten years, helps break down hunter education
Photo via Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Online-only hunter education is now available for hunters of all ages through Dec. 31, 2020. certification barriers for all ages. Anyone can obtain a mentored-only hunting license and hunt without first completing a hunter education course through mentored hunting. They must be accompanied by a licensed hunter
(mentor), hunt within arm’s reach of the mentor and follow other rules. This one-on-one mentoring opportunity gives first-time hunters a chance to try hunting and enables veteran hunters to pass on their passion for the outdoors.
For more information Those interested in hunter education can learn more on the Safety Education webpage: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/Education/OutdoorSkills/safetyEducation Additionally, interested students can enroll in the online-only hunter education: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/Education/OutdoorSkills/onlineEd Mentored hunt program information: https://dnr.wi.gov/education/outdoorskills/mentor.html
Community
WednesdaY, Oct, 21, 2020
Page 11
A special Column: An introduction from us, to you Valley Sentinel We wanted to take this opportunity, in our inaugural issue, to conversationally introduce Valley Sentinel to its readers and to our community. It’s been a busy couple of months, and an even busier couple of weeks. The sheer amount of outpouring support and interest from our community has been both welcome and overwhelming. So here we are—we’re Valley Sentinel, a weekly news publication publishing on Wednesdays in Spring Green, covering Arena, Lone Rock, Plain, Spring Green and the surrounding areas. Our goal is to focus on and highlight the many positive things happening in the area, while bringing people together to ensure in these uncertain times that we do whatever we can to keep the culture of our community alive and continue to celebrate those positive endeavors. To be clear, we don’t seek to supplant, especially in times like these, we are seeking to collaborate and engage our community together in whatever ways we can. We must be viewed as misguided by some to start a publication in the middle of an on-going pandemic, but we can’t think of a better time to build and foster community and to come together to sustain and support the things that make our area special.
Who we are
We’re a group of passionate people sharing their time in the name of community – current and former publication editors in chief, managing editors, farmers, attorneys, local and county government journalists and community organizers. Collectively, we have nearly two decades of experience in the Lower Wisconsin River Valley area, we believe in its potential, and quite simply — we care more. We are a group of people that have, for the most part, worked in and visited the River Valley and have grown to truly care about the area. We are very passionate about the amazing culture and identity it has. We chose to invest in the community because we believe in rural journalism and the positive force it can be, we believe in this community and the arts, creativity, business, agriculture and recreation that sustains it. That is our impetus. We want to be
even a small fragment of something bigger in a time that risks tearing us all apart. As we settle in and start publishing, our team will be growing and changing to best meet the needs of our community and will always be looking to add contributors, while seeking creative collaborations to better serve our community. Members of our team have experienced firsthand how an old newsroom can take its readers for granted and stagnate and how large corporate media can drain the creativity from passionate people. We’ve seen how corporate media tries to get blood from a turnip instead of engaging the community, while increasingly abdicating a publication’s role: to assist in being part of the lifeblood that fosters the creativity of a community and helps it connect and thrive. We refuse to believe that’s how things have to be. We volunteer our time simply because we have been inspired by the River Valley and want to serve and connect with the area in the only way a group of passionate journalists knows how— keeping people up-to-date! We’re not backed by any special interest group, have no large corporate media parent, we just sort of fell together organically and were helped along by COVID, our changing world and a deep appreciation for the area.
What we stand for
Our community deserves a news source that truly cares — Cares to reach you where you want to be reached. Cares to stay ahead of the curve to inform our community. Cares to cover important topics that other journalists won’t touch. Cares to cover the decisions of our local governments and to hold them accountable. Cares to celebrate both our rural Driftless identity and the arts & culture that makes our community so extraordinary. We believe in a model that strives to reach people wherever and however they like their news. We reject the failing, walled-garden subscription model of large, corporate newspapers. We believe that anyone who wants the news, should get the news. Our collective experiences have helped inform us, we believe, on what’s working and what’s not in community journalism, so we’re going to do things
Photo by Quincy Aston-Lott, Managing Editor Landscape photo on Highway 23, south of Spring Green.
a bit differently— We’re inspired by Eau Claire’s Volume One, Milwaukee’s Shepherd Express and Madison’s Isthmus and Cap Times publications - mixed with the best parts of an engaging weekly community newspaper publication. We’d like to be at the forefront of creating a “new normal” in community journalism. First off, let’s buck the trend of the closing brick and mortar, we believe unequivocally that a community publication needs to be present in the community. So we’re looking for an office in Spring Green. Please let us know if you have a space to rent or if you can host/ donate a temporary working space, we are just starting out after all. Check out our Community Discussions section. Things happen quickly, and a traditional letter to the editor format may not always lend itself to the constructive dialogue we should be having to find understanding and solutions. We want to help foster discussions that contribute to the betterment of our community. We’re offering a subscription fund. We understand that everyone’s financial situation is different, but we believe that everyone that wants the news should be able to receive the news. We’re offering a subscription fund that is provided by donations and a percentage of advertising sales to make sure that everyone that wants to be an actual subscriber is able to be. We believe it is the duty of any forward-thinking and dynamic community newspaper to assist in keeping its community informed and, to that end, to ensure that the news is available to all that seek it. Businesses, you’re important to us and to our community, neither could thrive without your support, and you thrive through engagement with our community. Want Valley Sentinel on racks at your business? Let us know! To our individual readers, are you passionate about arts & culture? About local government and public service? About sports? About outdoors & recreation? We would love to engage with contributors that want to share their passion with the community! Please reach out and let’s figure out best how to share that.
We have so many ideas to engage and celebrate our community and to bring disparate groups together in constructive ways that benefit the greater good. But we’ll need your help, so stay tuned! As we start publishing, we will look very similar to a weekly community newspaper, but with the goal of being dynamic in how we cover things and how we engage readers based on the feedback we receive from our community. We truly believe in making the news accessible to all that seek it, in whatever ways they seek it. Our design and feel may change over time, we’ll be relying on the community to tell us what they like to see and what they don’t, what they like reported on and what they don’t. There’s a saying we live by in our newsroom, “first make it work, then make it work better.” Please bear with us as we create something from scratch, as we grow and change, please don’t compare us harshly as we first make it work. Because when we do make it work, we won’t rest on our laurels, we won’t stagnate, we’ll work hard to find that next best thing for our community to make it work better. We’ll surely make mistakes as we go, but we’ll learn from them if given the chance. We would be remiss if we didn’t take a moment to express our appreciation to all those that have reached out and given us a warm welcome and well wishes, especially to all those that we’ve met and spoken with in the past couple weeks that have encouraged us and shared their excitement with us. Thank you. Valley Sentinel will only thrive if the community collaboratively engages with us and itself thrives. As we said: In times like these, our community needs to come together. So, let’s build community together.
Business Spotlight
Page 12 WednesdaY, Oct, 21, 2020
Business Spotlight
Wis-Coat provides Asphalt Sealcoating, Crack Filling, Striping, Patching, Gravel, Recycled Asphalt, Asphalt Paving, Parking Lot Accessories & Consulting in Western and Southern WI.
Wis-Coat has Certificates from the University of Wisconsin and the Asphalt Institute, pertaining to the Asphalt Industry. Wis-Coat is also the recipient of the 2017 WASB Business Honor Roll Award.
We do our best to provide asphalt services with “ever-changing” ecofriendly products, all while giving back to our communities wherever the situation arises.
Marvin, has written articles for Pavement Magazine, as well as been a speaker at the National Pavement Expo and Conference.
After 15 years in business, we look forward to continued success with a positive impact on the community around us.
Get in touch with Wis-Coat! Marvin Joles III, Owner 32769 US Hwy 14, Lone Rock, WI 53556
Wis-Coat Asphalt Maintenance
www.Wis-Coat.com
@wiscoatllc
wiscoat@gmail.com
WisCoat
608-354-7690 or 1-800-BLACKTOP
Question & Answer With OWNER Marvin Joles What does eco-friendly mean to you and why is it important? Eco-Friendly in the Asphalt Maintenance world means minimizing our carbon footprint now, so that it doesn't impact the future.
What products do you use that are eco-friendly? Our main product at Wis-Coat is our pavement sealer. Through the years pavement sealers have been "Oil-Based", "Coal-Tar Based" and "Asphalt Based". The two first ones are harmful to the environment due to the cancer-causing carcinogens released during the application process, with trace amount found in runoff into tributaries and also trace amount found in the applicators blood stream over time. One of those products is currently banned state-wide and the other is banned starting 2021. WisCoat has been using "Asphalt Based", which contains water as the main traveling agent, for over 10 years with near same success of longevity due to the additives mixed in at the production facility. The "Asphalt Based" sealer contains less than 0.05 PAH's (Polycyclic Aromatic Compound) where the carcinogens are dispersed, the two alternative products contain over what will soon be the legal limit.
When servicing pavements where children play, or pets walk, we want to make sure the surface is as safe as possible.
Are these products industrystandard or are they specifically an endeavor you chose to undertake? The Eco-Safe products have been on the rise the last few years, we have been using them for 15 years already, and are soon believed to become the new industry standard.
Is there any industry advice you'd like to give? What should people and businesses do to maintain their pavement? And when is it time to call you? The main advice is to do your research when picking a contractor. Choose one that is well known, certified, and insured. Asphalt should be maintained every 2-3 years in Wisconsin and your Maintenance contractor should always be available to be contacted. The best time to contact us for an estimate is early spring just as winter breaks and we are able to see the pavement clearly, as well as get to the estimate promptly.
How has COVID affected your business? Have you had to change anything about how you provide your services? The current state of the Covid-19 hasn't affected how we service our customers very much. We can be contacted many ways (phone, website, text, social media) and can service, or estimate, a pavement without ever seeing the customer if desired. We are fortunate as well to be a business that is outdoors, where social distancing is easy and safe. Billing can be done completely digitally as well if desired, and that has been helpful this year.
What is your proudest accomplishment/endeavor in giving back to our community? Our proudest moment in our community was receiving the 2017 WASB Business Honor Roll award from the Wisconsin School Board and River Valley School District for our support of the schools in our local community.
How do you believe you've had a positive impact on the community? This industry hasn't always had a great reputation when it comes to contractors. It is our main hope that through our community efforts, transparency and customer relations over the years that have passed, and years to come, that the former perception will change and customers/residents have an Asphalt Maintenance contractor they can always depend on doing the right thing... whether in the community or on a driveway. We believe we have created that here at Wis-Coat and will continue to do so.
“Excellent Workmanship”
“Marvin does a great job, he is very reasonable with prices. Very friendly guy & gets the job done right!!”