Happy Friday everyone! THE VIEW FROM MAIN STREET September 19, 2014 Last week, I wrote about the storms in our lives and the unexpected surprises they bring. At the time, I did not know of the extent of the storm damage to our city shore front. Mother Nature did her thing and we are left with substantial damage to city beaches, lakefront trails, docks, and the marina break wall. City crews have been busy cleaning up dangerous timbers containing metal spikes and other large debris that washed up on the shore, putting up warning markers for dangerous walking areas, as well as assessing the type(s) of damage and cost of repairs. We are also trying to determine which damaged areas are covered by insurance and which might be potentially eligible for disaster relief funds. The surprises in our life can be unwelcome as well as bigger than we initially thought. Thank you to city crews for your efforts as well as the work of unasked volunteers who began picking up trash that had washed onshore. We can overcome anything as a community when we pull together. Please exercise caution when walking or biking near the lake shore and pay attention to markers. No word yet on how the storm has impacted the Super Fund phase II project. A three judge panel on the Court of Appeals reinstated the voter i.d. requirement last week. The state of Wisconsin has stated that anyone who does not have a valid driver’s license will be provided a free photo i.d. upon request. These can be obtained at the Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) office on Golf Course Road in Ashland after filling out a form and providing proof of identity, such as a birth certificate or passport. If you do not have a copy of your birth certificate and cannot obtain one without paying a fee, you can fill out a form stating that and you will be allowed to have an I.D. after the state verifies the existence of your birth certificate through a database. The DMV is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please spread the word to those eligible voters you know of in the community who do not have a photo i.d. and encourage them to get one. Now for the good news: Our planning department is busy tabulating the results of the public input regarding future use of the ore dock base. Not surprisingly, “fishing pier” was the top suggestion. A more detailed summary of comments and suggestions will be shared at the next city council meeting on September 30th. Groundbreaking for the new Culver’s building will take place Friday morning with a projected completion date of March 1, 2015. Work on the Ellis Avenue re-paving project, which has gone on way too long, is expected to be wrapped up this week, barring weather delays. I learned this week of a nice donation received by the city from Thrivent Financial, who donated a new swing to the playground equipment at the Ellis Park. Not just any swing either. Some of you may remember the little girl with some disabilities who earlier this year had publicly commented about the lack of playground equipment that she could access at public parks. Thrivent sponsored an ice cream social at the park this summer and committed matching funds and some additional funds to cover the cost. This is a small but fine example of commitment to improving the community for all. It is all the little acts of generosity and kindness such as this which add up into a quality of life that makes our sometimes stormy climate worthwhile. One more note about voting: a reminder that on the ballot on November 4 will be a referendum asking the following question: “Shall the City of Ashland be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $3,070,000 for the purpose of constructing and equipping a new fire station?” What does your vote mean? A “Yes” vote means that the city will issue bonds as part of the package to build the new station. A “No” vote means that the city will instead issue promissory notes (which are not subject to public referendum). What is the difference between bonds and notes? Simply put, bonds are issued one time only at the interest rate in effect when issued and the interest rate will stay fixed for the twenty year term of the repayment period. There will be certainty about the rate of interest and the re-payment amount and the city will also save money on the cost to issue the bonds since they will only be issued once. Notes, on the other hand, have a maximum term of ten years, and will need to be refinanced in year eleven. The interest rate would only be “locked in” for the first ten years and would likely be higher in eleven years than the current historically low rates. There is no long-term certainty about the interest rate or the repayment amount. In addition, the cost to issue the notes will be doubled since they will be issued twice over twenty years. An important point to keep in mind is that the City Council passed a resolution that requires the debt portion of the tax levy to remain at its current level for this project. The financing for the fire station using notes is intended not to raise the tax levy rate. Autumn is breaking and there is still time to enjoy some beautiful sunny days ahead. It looks to be another stupendous year for foliage and there are some fun civic events still ahead to enjoy. Until next time, be well and keep in touch. Mayor Deb Lewis
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 15:11:53 +0000
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