Beaver Dam Homeowners To See Lower Property Taxes
11/22/11 - Property taxes for the average residential taxpayer in Beaver Dam will be lower next year, even though the tax levy and mill rate is increasing. The Common Council unanimously adopted a 2012 budget Monday night totaling $13.7 million dollars; that includes a tax levy of $8.2 million dollars, up 2.7% from the current budget. Director of Administration John Somers says equalized values for residential properties has decreased but commercial and industrial properties increased in value and they will bear the brunt of the increased tax levy. The mill rate is $8.22, up 43 cents from this year. The average home value decreased over 6% to $104,500, and for that homeowner, the city portion of their tax bill will be $11 lower than last year at $860. The city balanced the budget with just over $60,000 from the general fund balance. That was after they found $40,000 as part of a one-time opportunity from the state that allows municipalities that had not maxed-out their allowable tax levy in previous years to collect additional revenues. A motion to eliminate a $7000 contribution to the Lake Days Committee for fireworks was defeated on a 2-to-9 vote. The salary of the position of mayor will not be increased. The city’s current Mayor Tom Kennedy urged alderman not to increase the salary prior to the vote. In suggesting the increase, Alderman Jon Litscher said it’s is needed to attract qualified, technically-minded people to the position. The mayor’s $55,000 salary has not been increased in four years and cannot be increased again until 2014 at the earliest.
Council Approves Purchase of Fountain Inn Tavern
11/22/11 - The Beaver Dam Common Council Monday night approved the purchase of the former Fountain Inn Tavern in downtown Beaver Dam. The Front Street business formerly known as “Emotional Rescue” was the final building constructed over the Beaver Dam River that remained standing after a city buy-out. The city purchased and demolished ten other century-old buildings in 2009 because their construction in a flood plain violated modern state statutes. Owner Jay Hoeft was the lone hold-out. The city was recently informed by the state Department of Administration that there are leftover Community Development Block Grant funds from the 2008 floods that could still be used for acquisition and demolition of flood plain properties. In accordance with the grant award, the city would only be allowed to purchase the property under the terms and conditions that were used to purchase the other ten properties three years ago. The purchase price is based on the assessed value of the property in 2008, which was $94,000. Hoeft accepted the city’s offer earlier this month. Closing has not been finalized.
Beaver Dam Advances New Business Park Plans
11/22/11 - The Beaver Dam Common Council Monday night unanimously approved the annexation of land to expand an existing TIF district and add a third business park. The acquisition involves around 200 acres of land on the north side of town at an initial cost of $2.2 million dollars. Bonding for the purchase of the property was also approved last night. Another $3.4 million will need to be borrowed down the road for infrastructure improvements. Officials say the TIF district is currently performing very well and generates enough positive tax increment from two current business parks to cover the costs. The council also approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Town of Beaver Dam that will make city responsible for street maintenance and snow plowing on Kellom Road between County B and Countyside GM, the main access to the park. Mayor Tom Kennedy says they opted not the annex Kellom Road right now because it would create islands of township within the city.
Beaver Dam Prohibits Concealed Carry In Public Buildings
11/22/11 - With no debate, the Beaver Dam Common Council unanimously approved an ordinance Monday night prohibiting concealed weapons inside city buildings. City attorney Mary Ann Schacht says the law is modeled after similar ordinances in other communities that restrict firearms in public buildings. A copy of the ordinance can be found here:
BDUSD Mulls Changing Math
11/22/11 - After years of parent and student complaints the Beaver Dam School District is on the verge of changing how they teach math. Currently the district teaches “core” math but a recommendation to the school board last night would move students back to a more traditional form of teaching. The biggest difference between core and traditional is the process in which you reach your final answer, which made it difficult for parents to help their kids and also made for a rough transition for students going to college. Last night, the board was presented with two different types of traditional math pathways. Both plans represent an accelerated track of math where all students will have an opportunity to take 8th grade Algebra and enter high school at the geometry level if they want. But Plan B has an additional honors track, while Plan A does not. If they go with Plan B a change in how the curriculum describes the difference between an honors course and a normal course would also have to be changed. The board will vote on one of the recommendations at their meeting next month. Below is the two plans the board will consider.
Hunters Take 112,581 Deer On Opening Weekend
11/22/11 - Wisconsin hunters killed an estimated 112-thousand-581 deer on the opening weekend of the nine-day gun season. That's almost six-percent more than a year ago. And the D-N-R says the final weekend tally will probably be larger. That's because the preliminary count was based on phone calls to registration stations yesterday morning -- hours before the final deadline to register the weekend's animals. Also, officials say it will take awhile to enter the necessary information in the D-N-R's database. But according to the early figures, almost 58-thousand bucks were killed -- about 45-hundred more than a year ago. And almost 55-thousand anterless deer were taken, 25-hundred more than last year. The D-N-R said hunters have come from all 50 states, and 71 are from foreign countries. Meanwhile, the first death has been recorded from the deer season, and it appeared to be from natural causes. An 86-year-old Racine man was found dead in his tree stand on Saturday in Bayfield County. And authorities said there was no indication of an accident or foul play.
Two Appear On Carol’s Tours Fraud Charges
11/22/11 - Two Beaver Dam women made initial appearances in a Dodge County courtroom Monday on felony charges related to their role in the closure of a local travel agency. Carol’s Tours of Beaver Dam shut down in January of 2008 leaving several paid customers without vacations. Owner Deborah Paul had a signature bond set at $2500. The 56-year-old is charged with two counts of Theft in a Business Setting and will be back in court for a preliminary hearing on December 1. Paul’s complaint lists 194 people who paid a total of nearly $315,000 for vacations that were never arranged between May of 2007 and February of 2008. She reportedly told investigators that in the years before the agency closed, all of her personal bills were paid by Carol’s Tours, Inc. According to the criminal complaint, Paul described her business practice as “robbing Peter to pay Paul” using money for future trips to pay for current trips. Her office manager, 46-year-old Lisa Hopper is charged with Theft in a Business Setting and Fraudulent Writings. Hopper also had a signature bond set at $2500 but she waived her right to a preliminary hearing and has an arraignment hearing on the calendar next February. According to Hopper’s criminal complaint, Deb Paul contacted Beaver Dam police shortly after the business closed to allege that Hopper had been embezzling money, which forced Paul to close the business. Hopper told police that when the business was in danger of having trip tickets cancelled for lack of payment, Paul would reportedly ask her office manager to pay it on her personal credit card and Hopper would be reimbursed the next month. Further investigation revealed that checks from the business were used to pay Hopper’s personal bills. Hopper is believed to have received as much as $90,000 to pay her mortgage, credit cards and even plastic surgery. Both Hopper and Paul face a total of 20 years in prison, if they are convicted. As a condition of bond, Judge Andrew Bissonnette told both women Monday that they are prohibited from working in a capacity that requires them to handle money.
Home Sales Up, Prices Down
11/22/11 - Sales are up, and prices down for existing homes in Wisconsin. The state's Realtors Association says that almost 43-hundred-50 houses (4,350) were sold in the Badger State in October -- 13-and-a-half percent (13.5%) more than in October of 2010. And the median price went down by almost (85) eight-percent, to about 129-thousand dollars ($129,000). Dodge County’s median price dropped by over 25-percent (25%) last month compared to October of 2010, when the median price was ($139,000) 139-thousand dollars. The median price in Dodge County last month was ($103,500) 103-thousand dollars. There were 86 homes sold last month in Dodge County, up by 12 from October of 2010. Median home prices in Columbia County dropped (12%) twelve-percent to $123,000. Conversely, prices in Jefferson County are up nearly thirty-percent (30%) to $175,000…and fifty-percent (50%) more homes were sold this October compared to last October. For the first 10 months of this year, homes sold by Realtors went down almost three-percent (3%). Federal tax credits for home buyers were in effect for a good share of 2010 -- which makes year-to-year comparisons difficult. Officials say home inventories remain high.
BDPD Holding Bike Auction On Saturday
11/22/11 - The Beaver Dam Police Department will be holding a bike auction this Saturday. Lt. John Kreuziger says the city ordinance allows the department to sell-off excess bicycles and other confiscated property held for more than 30 days. Kreuziger says this auction will also be an opportunity for people to get back bicycles lost or stolen in the past year. There will be a short public viewing of the property for sale at 9am with the auction being held from 10am until noon on Saturday, November 26 in the Department of Public Works building at the corner of Myrtle Road and Beltline Drive on the far south edge of the city.
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