Alliant Energy Center: Serving on the Alliant Energy Center Commission,
Task Force and Design Study Group has allowed me to be involved in many aspects
of this unique facility. Progress continues to be made at the Alliant
Energy Center complex, ensuring that major events such as World Dairy Expo and
Midwest Horse Fair continue in Dane County.
The contracts have been drafted for building two new pavilions at the
AEC, which will be built with flexibility for various animal events as well as
other non-animal events such as car or boat shows. The $18 million project will be funded by a
mix of private and public funding, embracing partnerships that benefit all. In fact, at the August 16th board
meeting, we approved a 20 year lease with the Midwest Horse Fair bringing in
over $1 million towards the cost of the new pavilions and a 10 year lease for
the World Dairy Expo and a $3 million commitment towards the pavilions.
The exciting thing about the new pavilions is that they will
have removable “stalls” so that they can be adjusted for various types of
events, including upcoming animal shows for rabbits, cows and horses. They can then be cleared out for non-animal
events such as car or boat shows. They
will have efficient air ventilation and modern manure management to ensure our
indoor and outdoor environment is clean and safe.
Preserving Land and Enhancing
Recreation: We also awarded a series of
Partners for Recreation and Conservation (PARC) grants, including a $150,000
grant to upgrade the boat launch at Lottes Park in Monona, which will link with
the new development adjacent to the park with a boardwalk. Other grants included funding for the Aldo
Leopold Center and the central skateboard park in Madison.
Lake Management: I met with Monona Alder Brian Holmquist and city
staff Janine Glaser regarding a potential program to reduce urban stormwater
from flowing into Lake Monona. We are
hoping to have more information on that in the future. Janine is also working with City of Madison
and Dane County in helping design a program that will encourage individuals to
help minimize runoff from getting into the stormwater outfalls.
While lake levels once again were very high this year with
the early summer rainfall events, the slow-no-wake order was limited to Squaw
Bay, protecting the lakeshore properties from undue wave action until the
levels near the summer maximum levels. This represents a compromise in
that Lake Monona can be more widely used by a variety of boats and yet the
areas most prone to flooding are protected.
2014 Budget Hearings: We are beginning budget discussions for 2014,
and I encourage everyone to participate in the two upcoming hearings on various
County Department budgets. The first hearing on the Department
of Human Services budget is at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3rd at the Alliant
Energy Center. The second hearing for all other Departments is
at 6:00 p.m. on September 11th at the County Board chamber, room 201 of
the City County Building.
