Outdoor Warning System Testing May 6, 2015

Sheriff Spoden reminds all Rock County citizens that the monthly testing of the Outdoor Warning System occurs next Wednesday, May 6th at 12:05 pm. In the event of inclement weather, siren testing will be postponed until 12:05 pm on the second Wednesday of the month.

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.

In the event of an actual tornado warning, the sirens sound 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.

Test Signal vs. Tornado Warning

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

Citizens are reminded that they should not call the Rock County 911 Communications Center or local radio stations for weather information. If citizens find that the siren in their area is not working properly, please 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/emergency-management-alerts-warnings.

ROBERT D. SPODEN
SHERIFF

Fire Hydrant Flushing Notice

Beginning May 1, 2015, Milton Water Utility will flush all fire hydrants in the City of Milton to make sure they are in good working order and to help flush sediment out of the distribution system.

If you notice flushing in your area, you may see discoloration in your faucet water, let it run for a few minutes, preferably from your outside hose connection, and it will clear up. The water is safe to drink.  You may not want to do laundry on the day hydrants are flushed in your area.

If you have any questions, please call the City of Milton Water Department at 608-868-6905 or
City of Milton Department of Public Works at 608-868-6914 (Monday - Thursday 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Friday 7:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.).

County Y Closed E. McCormick to High Street May 4 - 22, 2015

Jim Babcock, Rock County Construction Superintendent, announced that County Y will be closed to through traffic from East McCormick Drive to High Street beginning Monday, May 4th for paving.  The road is expected to be reopened by Friday, May 22nd.  The road will be open to emergency vehicles and a detour route will be posted.

Milton Area Veterans Memorial Brick Order Deadline

The deadline to order bricks for the Milton Area Veterans Memorial in order to have them placed by Memorial Day is May 1, 2015 at 3:30 p.m.

The prices for the memorial bricks are as follows:

• 8x8 Brick - $85
• 16x8 Brick - $135
• 16x16 Brick - $235

The Parks & Recreation Commission is planning a ceremony for Memorial Day, May 25, 2015 at 9 a.m. to unveil the Purple Heart Monument and the Gold Star Families Monument.

For additional information contact Al Hulick, City Administrator, at 608-868-6900 or by e-mail at ahulick@milton-wi.gov.

Press Release - Slow-No-Wake Declared on Rock River

According to US Geological Survey Gauges, the water level for Lake Koshkonong is 8.35 feet, while the water level in Afton is 7.07 feet. County Ordinance requires a slow-no-wake speed restriction be placed on the Rock River when water levels exceed 8.0 feet on Lake Koshkonong and 6.50 feet in Afton.

The Sheriff’s Office is providing public notice of the Rock River’s current slow-no-wake status. Deputies will begin placing slow-no-wake signs along the river at all public access points between the northern Rock County line to the West B-R Town line Road Bridge.

County Ordinance requires a slow-no-wake speed restriction on any portion of the Rock River downstream from West B-R Town line Road Bridge to the southern Rock county line when the water levels exceed 8.5 ft. The water level has not exceeded 8.5 ft in this portion of the Rock River; therefore, West B-R Town line Bridge to the southern Rock county line, along with Lake Koshkonong will not be restricted to the slow-no-wake speed restriction.

ROBERT D. SPODEN
SHERIFF

By: Deputy Christopher Krahn
Recreational Patrol Deputy

Lunch-N-Learn Seminar - Incorporating the Arts into Downtown

Lunch-N-Learn Seminar

The Lunch-N-Learn - Incorporating the Arts into Downtown will take place on April 22nd at Charming B's, 819 E. High Street.  Order lunch at Charming B's at 11:30 a.m. and join us in the Conference Room for an educational, live webinar that will begin on screen at Noon.

This webinar highlights strategies for incorporating the arts into the fabric of your community. Panelists will discuss strategies for incorporating arts into your district, your events, and your local culture. Whether you are looking to make connections with local artists, find inspiration for your next event or enliven your public spaces, information provided in this webinar can help expand the presence of the arts in your community.

Any questions:  Please call MACC Executive Director Dani Stivarius at 608-868-6222.

For more details, please visit: Arts in Downtown Webinar Invite

First severe storms of season forecast for southern Wisconsin

The National Weather Service says a strong storm system is forecast to enter Wisconsin tomorrow afternoon. This system brings with it a chance for severe weather Thursday afternoon and evening, especially in southern Wisconsin. That severe weather may include thunderstorms with large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes.

Because this is the first severe weather of the season, people are urged to be ready for the threat of tornadoes. Make sure you have a NOAA Emergency Weather Radio in your home. Review your severe weather plans with your family including the best place to take shelter such as a basement. If you don’t have a basement, move to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor. Getting under a sturdy table or a staircase can protect you from falling debris.

For more information on storm preparedness go to readywisconsin.wi.gov. ReadyWisconsin will also post any tornado watches or warnings on Facebook (www.facebook.com/readywisconsin) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/readywisconsin).

Severe Weather Spotter Training: April 13, 2015

The Rock County Sheriff’s Office will host the annual Severe Weather Spotter Training on April 13th, at the Rock County Health Care Center. The training is provided by the Midwest Severe Storm Tracking Response Center (SSTRC) at no cost to the public. The presentation covers severe weather identification, reporting procedures and safety.

2015 Severe Weather Spotter 

Date: Monday, April 13, 2015

Location: Rock County Health Care Center – Auditorium, 3530 North County Highway F, Janesville, WI 53547-0920

Time: Registration opens at 6:00 pm. Training begins at 6:30 pm (2 hours)

Objectives: 

• Learn about severe weather climatology in Wisconsin 
• Identify and report severe weather 
• Discover different types of storms and their threats 
• Connect to Severe Weather Spotter Networks 
• Gain knowledge about safety and emergency preparedness during storms 

In addition to the live class, on-line self-study spotter training courses are available, which can be taken in lieu of the in-person training. For more information about these official NWS spotter training courses, or the spotter program in general, visit the Sky Warn Spotter page at www.crh.noaa.gov/mkx/?n=spotters.

For more information about the Midwest Severe Storm Tracking and Response Center, please visit www.midwestsstrc.org

MACC Hiring for Part-Time Office Assistant

The Milton Area Chamber of Commerce​ (MACC) is accepting applications for a part-time office assistant. As their organization continues to grow, they seek an outgoing and personable individual to help serve their members and the community. Applicant must show strong organizational skills, be able to communicate professionally, and be familiar in the use of Microsoft Office products. Applicant will be expected to work 20 hours per week, and must be available for special chamber events on some evenings and weekends.

Please send resume to:

MACC
PO Box 222
Milton WI 53563

Or you may email to: execdir@maccit.com

Tails n Trails Dog Park Clean Up – April 25, 2015

The Parks & Recreation Commission scheduled a Tails n Trails Dog Park Clean Up for Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 10:30 a.m.  Any dog owners or general residents that use the park are encouraged to come and help the Parks & Recreation Commission.

Those who participate are encouraged to bring gardening gloves, dog waste shovels/scoops, and plastic bags for waste.  Water to drink will also be beneficial depending on the weather.

For additional information contact Al Hulick, City Administrator, at (608) 868-6900 or by e-mail at ahulick@milton-wi.gov.

Historic Preservation Commission to Host Webinars

The City of Milton Historic Preservation Commission will be hosting a viewing of a variety of Local History Webinar Workshops presented by the Wisconsin Historical Society this spring.  All viewings will take place in the Council Chambers located at City Hall, 710 S. Janesville Street.  Anyone interested in learning more about the following topics are encouraged to attend:

• Introduction to Newspaper Research – Friday, April 10, 10:30 a.m. to noon:  Newspapers serve as important resources for finding historical information. The key to unlocking this information is first knowing where to find the various newspaper titles and then knowing how to use the variety of databases and collections, including those at the Wisconsin Historical Society. Ron Larson, a newspaper librarian for 35 years, will offer insight into the world of newspaper collections and research.
• Introduction to PastPerfect 5 – Friday, April 17, 10:30 a.m. to noon:  This webinar is ideal for museums considering purchasing PastPerfect 5, or for those who are just getting started with the collections management program. The webinar will cover the basic and optional features of PastPerfect 5 as well as cost, system requirements and options for support. We will also talk about where to buy associated hardware as well as some local options for grants to help pay for the program.
• Wisconsin Historical Society Affiliates Mini-Grants – Friday, April 24, 10:30 a.m. to noon: This webinar is for local history affiliates of the Wisconsin Historical Society who plan to apply for the Affiliate Mini-Grant. The webinar will provide important information to help ensure your 2015 mini-grant application is complete and competitive.
• Introduction to Digitization – Friday, May 1, 10:30 a.m. to noon:  Thinking about sharing your historic photographs or other collections online? This webinar will introduce the essential elements of a successful digital project, including copyright concerns, scanning, storage, and access.
• Make Your Historic Preservation Ordinance Work for You – Friday, May 8, 10:30 a.m. to noon:  To ensure effectiveness, historic preservation commissioners and local government officials need to fully understand their local historic preservation ordinance and how they fit in within the larger framework of local government. This webinar will explore how local governments enact historic preservation ordinances and how best to manage them once in place.
• How to Apply for a Certified Local Government Grant – Friday, May 15, 10:30 a.m. to noon:  This webinar will provide you with an introduction in developing an application for a Certified Local Government (CLG) grant. CLG grants are used primarily to either survey your community for historic resources or to make a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. CLG grants can be for as much as $25,000 and do not require a match. Only Certified Local Governments can apply.
• How to Maintain Your Historic Log Structure – Friday, May 22, 10:30 a.m. to noon:  Log buildings are regarded by many Americans as rare and symbolic of our pioneering origins. Our ancestors have, in fact, constructed many more of them, and over a much longer period than most might realize. Learn about their historical background and the best approach toward their preservation and repair.

For additional information contact Inga Cushman, at 608-868-6900 or by e-mail at icushman@milon-wi.gov.