January 2021

Thu
14
Jan
admin's picture

Airport Commission Discusses Noise Complaints

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Airport Commission chairman held out little hope for reduced airplane noise to neighbors of the Middleton Municipal Airport-Morey Field who frequently complain about low, loud flights over their homes.

“Airplanes will operate in this area, that’s just a fact I can’t apologize for. There’s not much anybody can do as long as pilots are operating legally,” Chairman John Hallick said during a commission meeting last week.

“All of us have busted altitude,” said Hallick, a pilot, explaining why some flights drop below approved elevations.

The city receives dozens of noise complaints monthly prompting the commission to review the online complaint form and locate the areas of concern. Gary Keyes, Town of Middleton, who spoke at the beginning of the meeting, made a typical comment about the overflight frequency and decibel level the planes create not being addressed in the complaint process.

Thu
14
Jan
admin's picture

Distribution By Feds Slowing Vaccine Process

WISCONSIN–Wisconsin Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk told a group of reporters at a virtual press conference Monday that slow shipment of COVID-19 vaccines by the federal government is to blame for the low number of doses administered in the state. She joined Gov. Tony Evers in asking that the feds step up their shipment of vaccines. She said that although Pres. Elect Joe Biden has said his administration will get one million doses shipped per day, at that rate it would still take nearly a year to vaccinate all adults in the United States. As of Monday, 151,502 doses had been administered, 11,586 of which were second doses.

“This is a great accomplishment, but it’s not enough,” Willems Van Dijk said.

Thu
14
Jan
admin's picture

School Board Reviews Reopening Plan

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Cross Plains Area School District Board of Education reviewed the latest developments implementing a blended in-person/virtual instruction model for students in grades PK-4 beginning Feb. 1, grades 5-8 beginning Feb. 22 and 9-12 beginning Mar. 11.

Superintendent Dana Monogue said despite passionate and divergent opinions about how and when to reopen schools she is confident the model the district is developing will benefit most students and their families.

Thu
14
Jan
Mon
11
Jan
MTT News's picture

MHS gives winter sports the green light to begin competing

It’s go time!

That was the message from Middleton athletic director Jamie Sims late Monday night, announcing that competitions for winter sports would begin immediately.

Sims, the Cardinals’ first-year A.D., and Superintendent Dana Monogue were given authority to make the decision regarding the fate of winter sports. And after extensive research and numerous positive developments across the state, the duo gave winter sports the green light to begin.

“There was no road map for this,” Monogue said Tuesday. “We heard from a lot of people and respected everyone’s opinions on the subject.

“We know that extracurricular activities affect mental health and physical health, and we wanted to do everything possible to bring those back in a safe manner. We feel we have the safety protocols in place to do this the right way. I have nothing but absolute trust in our leaders and we will do this the right way.”

Mon
11
Jan
MTT News's picture

MHS swimmers thrilled to be back

It had been nearly 11 months since the Middleton boys’ swimming and diving team was able to pursue its passion in the pool.

But the agonizing wait finally came to an end last week, and senior Koby Renfert was ecstatic.

“It made me appreciate how great of an opportunity it is to compete,” Renfert said after Middleton opened its delayed season last Friday and Saturday.

“Normally it’s part of the routine. You go to the meets and compete and have fun. But because there aren’t many meets, it’s made me take a step back and realize that they are pretty important and it’s something I’m going to remember for a long time.”

The Cardinals were eager to become the school’s first sports program to compete since Middleton’s girls’ basketball team qualified for the WIAA Division 1 state tournament last March.

Mon
11
Jan
admin's picture

Town Expects Budget to be Back in Black

TOWN OF MIDDLETON–The Town of Middleton will not need to draw on its cash reserves to finish the 2020 budget year, Treasurer Megan Hughes told the town board Monday night.

The 2020 budget approved in late 2019, allocated $270,981 from cash reserves “to backfill” an income deficit caused by projected expenses exceeding revenue, said then Town Administrator Greg DiMicelli at the time.

Hughes reported on finances only through Nov. 30 so, December expenses and revenue still have to be totaled, and the audit won’t begin until February. However, it appears that trend of using cash reserves to balance the budget won’t occur in 2019, Hughes said.

“We won’t be touching our reserves this year (2019) because we didn’t have some the expenses we expected,” she added.

Mon
11
Jan
admin's picture

Council Approves Police Officer Hire Despite Lack of Long-Term Funding

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Common Council approved hiring for a vacant police detective position but rejected moving forward with a referendum in the April 2021 election to raise the city’s levy limit to fund the officer and other city employees’ positions. The hire comes after the police department lost funding from the school district’s School Resource Officer (SRO) program in the 2020-21 school year. The program, which embeds officers at both the middle and high school splitting the personnel cost evenly between the district and city, has been suspended while the district reviews and decides whether or not to continue the program.

With the lack of funds from the school district, the vacant detective position can be filled using personnel savings from that position and another which have remained vacant for several months.

Mon
11
Jan
admin's picture

Court Dismisses Quarry Case

DANE COUNTY–Meinholz Quarry LLC, (owned by Yahara Materials), filed a writ of certiorari seeking to have the Dane County Circuit Court reverse the Dane Town Board of Zoning and Appeals (BZA) decision, which affirmed the Springfield Zoning Administrator’s finding that the non-conforming use status of the quarry was invalid. Meinholz also filed a declaratory relief against the Town of Springfield. On Dec. 23, two years after the Town of Springfield Board of directors initially approved the quarry’s proposed expansion, both filings were dismissed by Judge Frank D. Remington.

At a Dec. 2, 2019 meeting the BZA made a decision on a piece of land slated for quarry expansion by Yahara Materials. The board found that the 40-acre parcel, known as the Meinholz property, was conforming status and did fall under the Town of Springfield ordinance jurisdiction, which would require a conditional use permit from the town for mineral extraction.

Mon
11
Jan
admin's picture

Deanna Sue “DeDe” (Simon) Kessenich

MARTINSVILLE/MIDDLETON–Deanna Sue “DeDe” (Simon) Kessenich, age 64, passed away at home surrounded by her loving family on Dec 27, 2020. 

Deanna “DeDe” was born Sept. 6, 1956, in Madison, the daughter of John “Jack” and Dolores (Laufenberg) Simon. DeDe graduated from Middleton High School in 1974. While in High School, DeDe met the love her life, Dennis J. Kessenich. They were married on July 17, 1976.

More than anything else, DeDe loved times with her family: sporting events, especially those of her children and grandchildren, family traditions and vacations at the beach. Throughout her life, DeDe was a pillar of strength for her family and friends, she was admired by everyone who was lucky to know her. She always looked forward to shopping and lunch with her girls and extended family.

Pages