Spring Election - April 1, 2014

Don't forget to vote tomorrow, April 1st, in the Spring Election! Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. All City of Milton residents vote in the Council Chambers located on the Lower Level of the Shaw Municipal Center, 430 E. High Street. If you have any questions about the election, contact City Hall at (608) 868-6900.

Schultz Selected as "Grand Champion" for First Annual Commemorative Poster Art Competition

The above draft reflects Schultz's portrayal
of the "Wisconsin State Fair Experience."

WEST ALLIS, Wis. – March 28, 2014 – Wisconsin State Fair Park Officials are proud to announce Larry Schultz as Grand Champion Artist of the 2014 Wisconsin State Fairtastic Poster Art Competition, the Fair’s first annual poster competition. The Grand Champion piece will be displayed during the 2014 Wisconsin State Fair, presented by U.S. Cellular, July 31 – August 10, and featured on a commemorative poster and postcard available for purchase online and during the Fair. All proceeds from poster and postcard sales will support the Wisconsin State Fair Park Foundation.

On Thursday, a five-juror panel reviewed and deliberated upon the final, full-color drafts submitted by the top three finalists for the competition – Christopher Maury, Milwaukee; Larry Schultz, Milton; and James Steeno, Milwaukee – who were chosen in February from a pool of 28 entrants based on their drafts depicting the “Wisconsin State Fair Experience.”

“The judges were simply in awe of the final artwork,” said Jill Albanese, Competitive Exhibits Coordinator for Wisconsin State Fair. “We are thrilled with the bright, colorful, original quality of the final entries for the first year of the Fairtastic Poster Art Competition and congratulate all the finalists on excellent work – these pieces were just phenomenal.”

Schultz grew up in Milton, Wis., a small, rural town known for its agriculture and community, and developed a passion for art, drawing and detail as a young boy. He established himself as a Wisconsin artist early on and took particular interest in applying his love for the outdoors to the canvas. Schultz has dedicated his life to his art, teaching classes, conducting painting workshops and designing murals, and has been awarded numerous recognitions and honors.

“I’m thrilled for the opportunity to showcase the passion and excitement I have for the Wisconsin State Fair through my art,” said Schultz. “It’s an honor to be named Grand Champion Artist of the first Fairtastic Poster Competition.”

Schultz will have two months to create the final piece of artwork and will receive a $1,000 cash prize upon its completion, which will be unveiled to the general public on Wednesday, June 11.

The 2014 Wisconsin State Fair, presented by U.S. Cellular, will take place July 31 – Aug. 10, 2014. The Wisconsin State Fair offers a unique experience to all who attend and is a phenomenal value with 30 FREE entertainment stages, thousands of animals, endless family activities, events, contests, vendors and culinary delights. For the most up-to-date information, “stick with us” at WiStateFair.com or /WiStateFair on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram and /theWIFair on YouTube.

City of Milton Agendas - Week of March 31st

Agenda packets for meetings the week of March 31st are available and have been posted to the City of Milton website, www.milton-wi.gov.

Meetings for the week include:

• Parks & Recreation Commission - Monday March 31st at 6 p.m.
• Public Works Committee - Wednesday April 2nd at 6:30 p.m.
• Common Council - Wednesday, April 2nd at 7 p.m.

The Spring Election will be held on Tuesday, April 1st in the Shaw Municipal Building Council Chambers. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

*The Common Council agenda includes Resolution #2014-06 Authorizing the Redemption of Waterworks System Revenue Bond, Dated September 1, 2005 and Resolution #2014-07 Authorizing the Redemption of General Obligation Corporate Purpose Bond, Dated February 1, 2005. Legal requirements are met by providing information to the news medium and official newspaper in reference to the redemption of these bonds. Common Council will hold a regular meeting on Wednesday, April 2nd at 7:00 pm.

*The Common Council agenda is also posted at the Shaw Municipal Building, Dave’s Ace Hardware and Piggly Wiggly to meet legal posting requirements.

Youth Art Days - March 27 - 30, 2014

Mayor Brett Frazier, in celebration of the young artists of our community, proclaimed Thursday, March 27th, through Sunday, March 30th, as Youth Art Days in the City of Milton. 

Read the full proclamation by following this link: http://milton-wi.gov/DocumentCenter/View/382

2014 Dog and Cat Licenses Due April 1st

Residents of the City of Milton are reminded that Dog and Cat licenses are due on or before April 1, 2014. Pet owners are urged to license their animal as soon as possible.

Spayed or neutered dogs and cats: $8.00
Non-spayed or non-neutered dogs and cats: $15.00

Dog and Cat owners must present a current rabies certificate when they purchase the licenses. Licenses purchased after April 1, 2014 will be assessed a $10.00 penalty per animal. City Hall is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday - Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays.  Residents can also place a copy of their rabies vaccination information and the required fee in the payment drop box located in front of the Shaw Municipal Center, and staff will mail a receipt and the license.

If you have any questions, please call City Hall at (608) 868-6900.

Selling Bricks for the Veterans Memorial at Dave's Ace Hardware

Representatives from the Parks & Recreation Commission will be selling memorial bricks for the Milton Area Veterans Memorial at Veterans Park at Dave’s Ace Hardware, 430 S. John Paul Road, in Milton on Saturday, March 29, 2014 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you seek to have your brick included in the park’s dedication ceremony, the deadline to order the brick is April 2, 2014. This will be the last time that a table will be set up in the community to help with the order form prior to the deadline. The dedication ceremony will take place July 5, 2014. 

Please note that if the person memorialized on the brick is a recipient of a Purple Heart, a Purple Heart insignia can be added to the brick. Please make a note on the brick order form to include the Purple Heart insignia. If you have already submitted your brick order form, contact City Hall to add the information to your order form. 

The prices for the memorial bricks are as follows:

• 8x8 Brick - $75
• 16x8 Brick - $125
• 16x16 Brick - $225

Order forms for bricks are also available at Bank of Milton (323 Parkview Drive), Dave’s Ace Hardware (430 S. John Paul Road), First Community Bank (202 Merchant Row), Milton City Hall (430 E. High Street), and on the City of Milton website (www.milton-wi.gov/VeteransMemorial). 

If you have any questions, please contact City Administrator Jerry Schuetz at (608) 868-6900 or by e-mail at jschuetz@milton-wi.gov.

City of Milton Water Utility Recommending Residents to Run Water Through April 15th

On Wednesday, February 12, 2014 the City of Milton Water Utility recommended residents run a small, pencil sized stream of water in their homes to prevent frozen laterals (pipes) to their homes or businesses. That recommendation remains in effect through April 15, 2014. Continued cold temperatures and deep frost from extremely cold temperatures experienced this winter continue to present a potential risk to the City’s utility mains and water line laterals that bring water to the City’s utility customers. Water flowing helps keep water temperatures warmer and limits the risk of pipes and stagnant water within them freezing. The potential for frozen pipes will not go away until the ground begins to thaw.

We will continue to monitor the ground thaw and keep residents updated as to when they can stop running their water. We thank all our utility customers for their patience and cooperation in helping us keep the City’s water utility functioning properly, and more importantly helping us help you prevent the imposition of frozen water pipes to your home or business. 

For additional information, contact City Administrator Jerry Schuetz at (608) 868-6900 or by e-mail at jschuetz@milton-wi.gov.

Outdoor Warning System: Siren Testing – April 2nd, 2014

Press Release from the Rock County Sheriff's Office

Outdoor Warning System: Siren Testing – April 2nd, 2014 

Sheriff Spoden wants to remind citizens that Rock County tests the Outdoor Warning System sirens on a monthly basis from April through October every year. The sirens are tested at 12:05 pm on the first Wednesday of the month unless Rock County is threatened with inclement weather at the time. In the event that there is a chance of inclement weather, siren testing will be postponed until 12:05 pm on the second Wednesday of the month.

The Rock County Outdoor Warning System will resume monthly siren tests on April 2nd, 2014 at 12:05 pm. The test signal will be 1 -2 minutes in duration. Please tune in to your local radio stations or weather radios for all weather related information and instructions when the sirens are sounded.

Test Signal vs. Tornado Warning

• Test Signal: Steady tone lasting 1 – 2 minutes 
• Tornado Warning: Steady tone lasting 3 – 5 minutes

In the event of a tornado warning, the sirens will alert steadily for three to five minutes. This lengthy alert tone will indicate that citizens should immediately take shelter and tune in to local broadcasting stations or weather radios for further information.

Citizens are reminded that they should not call the Rock County 911 Communications Center or local radio stations for weather information. If residents find that the siren in their area is not working, they should contact the Rock County Sheriff’s Office – Emergency Management Bureau at 608-758-8440. For further information on the Outdoor Warning System, please visit http://www.co.rock.wi.us/outdoor-warning-system.

Rep. Andy Jorgensen to Hold Open Office Hours on the Innovation Express

Ride with Andy!  

43rd District State Rep. Andy Jorgensen invites you to share your views and concerns during open office hours while riding the Janesville-Milton-Whitewater “Innovation Express” on Monday, March 31, 2014 between 12:45 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.

Andy will board at the Downtown Transit Transfer Center at 12:45 p.m., and leave the bus when it returns to the Transfer Center at 3:15 p.m.. The bus will be at Milton Piggly Wiggly at 1:30 p.m., Downtown Whitewater at 1:50 p.m., the Whitewater Technology Park at 2:00 p.m., UW-Whitewater Visitors Center at 2:10 p.m., or board at any stop along the route! Regular Fares Apply!

City of Milton Agendas - Week of March 24th

Agenda packets for the week of March 24th are available and have been posted to the City of Milton website.

Meetings for the week of March 24th include:

• Library Board - Wednesday, March 26th at 7 p.m.
• Tourism Development Committee - Thursday, March 27th at 8:30 a.m.
• Zoning Board of Appeals - Thursday, March 27th at 6 p.m.

There is also a Downtown Development Action Committee meeting scheduled for Friday, March 28th at 8:30 a.m., but this packet is not yet on the website.

Realtor RFP for Crossroads Business Park

In an effort to pursue development opportunities and market City owned properties in the Crossroads Business Park, the City's economic development commission, Mayor Frazier, and the Common Council authorized the release of a request for proposals for an exclusive real estate agent or agency to list, promote, and potentially sell City owned properties for commercial development in the Crossroads Business Park.

The City is currently seeking proposals from licensed realtors to be the exclusive agent for the City of Milton in selling City of Milton owned properties and/or development sites for prospective commercial development along the HWY 26/HWY 59 corridor. The request for a proposals is available on the City's website.

Explanation of March 2014 Utility Bill

This is a copy of a March Utility Bill with the credit for running your water on it.

The number in the blue rectangle shows the actual consumption of what you used by running your water, but were not billed for.

The number in the red rectangle is the consumption amount of what you were actually billed for on both the water and sewer side. 

UPDATE (3/18/14): If you are a commercial property and are running water, please contact the utility department to discuss a credit.

If you have further questions, please contact the utility department at 608-868-6901.

Thank you for your cooperation through all of this, and please continue to run a pencil size stream of water (fills a gallon size container in ten minutes) until March 31, 2014.

City of Milton Announces Scrap Metal Drive to Benefit the New Crossridge Park Playground

The City of Milton, in celebrating Earth Day, will be conducting a scrap metal drive Monday, April 21, 2014, through May 3, 2014. Proceeds from the scrap metal drive will go toward the construction of the new Crossridge Park Playground. In addition to raising money for the Crossridge Park Playground, the scrap metal drive will also aid in the reduction of mosquito and rodent areas. Collection of these items also reduces unwanted infiltration into the groundwater and adds to the improved look of the neighborhoods by removing items from backyards and other areas of the properties that have outgrown their use.

Please call the Department of Public Works at (608) 868-6914 if you have an item that you would like to donate to the scrap metal drive. Examples of acceptable items include appliances, (refrigerators, air conditions, stoves, etc.), metal siding, metal fence posts, tire rims, cans, scrap metal, tin, pipes, metal tools, wire, Christmas lights, old wires, motors, engines, metal doors or windows, metal fences, light fixtures, and much more. Almost all metal items are collectable. Residents may also take old oil to the City’s Oil Recycle Site located at 620 W. Madison Avenue behind the Fire Station.

Staff will be available to pick up items at business and residential properties or items can also be dropped off at the Public Works Facility, 150 Northside Drive, during this recycling drive Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. If an owner requests it, the Public Works Department can go into backyards, garages, etc. to collect items that are accessible. If residents are dropping off items on weekends, please call (608) 868-6914 to make an appointment.

The Parks & Recreation Commission will be building the new Crossridge Park Playground on August 23, 2014 and needs volunteers to help complete the project. If you are interested in helping on build day, RSVP online at ourdreamplayground.kaboom.org/crossridgeparkplayground or contact Assistant to the City Administrator Inga Cushman by email at icushman@milton-wi.gov or call (608) 868-6900.

If you have any questions, please contact City Administrator Jerry Schuetz at (608) 868-6900 or by e-mail at jschuetz@milton-wi.gov.

Selling Bricks for the Veterans Memorial at The Red Zone

Representatives from the Parks & Recreation Commission will be selling memorial bricks for the Milton Area Veterans Memorial at Veterans Park at The Red Zone, 403 W. High Street, in Milton on Saturday, March 22, 2014 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you seek to have your brick included in the park’s dedication ceremony, the deadline to order the brick is April 2, 2014. The dedication ceremony will take place July 5, 2014. The commission needs to sell approximately 70 more bricks to meet their fundraising goal.

Please note that if the person memorialized on the brick is a recipient of a Purple Heart, a Purple Heart insignia can be added to the brick. Please make a note on the brick order form to include the Purple Heart insignia. If you have already submitted your brick order form, contact City Hall to add the information to your order form.

The prices for the memorial bricks are as follows:

• 8x8 Brick - $75 
• 16x8 Brick - $125 
• 16x16 Brick - $225

Order forms for bricks are also available at Bank of Milton (323 Parkview Drive), Dave’s Ace Hardware (430 S. John Paul Road), First Community Bank (202 Merchant Row), Milton City Hall (430 E. High Street), and on the City of Milton website (www.milton-wi.gov/VeteransMemorial).

If you have any questions, please contact City Administrator Jerry Schuetz at (608) 868-6900 or by e-mail at jschuetz@milton-wi.gov.

Warming House at Air Products Ice Rink Closed for the Season

Due to the welcomed change in the weather, the warming house at the Air Products Ice Rink will be closed effective March 10, 2014 until the start of the 2014-2015 skating season. Thank you to everyone who respectfully used the facility and those who have donated ice skates to the warming house. Watch for dates when the ice rink will reopen in December 2014.

The next seasonal recreation facility to open will be the Goodrich Square Splash Pad in May.

If you have any questions, please contact City Administrator Jerry Schuetz at (608) 868-6900 or by e-mail at jschuetz@milton-wi.gov.