Supervisor appointment draws controversy.

By Dan Benson

Approving appointments to the Sheboygan County Board is usually a rubber stamp affair, but Chairman Mike Vandersteen's nomination of Ron Mueller on Tuesday night aroused a bit more controversy than usual when Supervisor Devin LeMahieu objected.

I'm not going to vote for this appointment," LeMahieu told supervisors, shortly before Mueller's appointment was approved, 24-7. "I don't think he represents the views of the people of that district."

Mueller is in his third year and second term as president of the Sheboygan County Labor Council, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO and an organization that endorses labor-friendly political candidates, usually Democrats.

Mueller was nominated by Vandersteen to replace Connie Ziegelbauer on the County Board to represent the 1st District, which is comprised of the City of Sheboygan's 1st Ward.

In last November's election, the 1st Ward went straight Republican, favoring now-Gov. Scott Walker over Democrat Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, 602 to 529; State Sen. Joe Leibham over Democrat Jason Borden, 770 to 356; and state Rep. Mike Endsley over Democrat Terry Van Akkeren, 560 to 538.

"That district is one of the most conservative districts in Sheboygan," LeMahieu said. "I don't think he represents the views of the district."

Mueller, 63, retired in March 2010 after 33 years as an instrument and control technician at the Edgewater Generating Station.

Mueller said he never has been elected to public office but said he has served on the city's Citizens Committee for Community Block Grants and on the Sheboygan Housing Authority. He's also active in his church and other causes, he said.

The Labor Council is not involved in negotiating contracts for any of the county's eight union groups, Mueller said.

"Now that I'm retired, (joining the County Board) seemed like a new way to serve my community," he said.

Mueller called LeMahieu's objection "understandable. He's more on the conservative side and he had some concerns about my labor affiliation," he said.

"But there's a good share of votes on the other side also. I don't think there's political hangers hung on any of the supervisors. Some are moderates, some are conservatives and some are more liberal. The mix hopefully makes the body run Sheboygan County to the benefit of all of its citizens."

Vandersteen said he chose Mueller over three other candidates and his political affiliation did not figure into the decision.

"I just felt from the discussions I had and from the resume that Ron would be the best candidate and be best suited to be the on board," Vandersteen said. "(Political philosophy) has nothing to do with the criteria to pick the person. That criteria has never been used to determine a representative. It's not something I used to guide me in that decision."

LeMahieu said he preferred two other candidates for the seat: Laureen Leo, who LeMahieu said was endorsed by Ziegelbauer and was encouraged to apply by Supervisor Roger Otten, and former Sheboygan alderman Pat Gillette.

"I think both of them are more conservative and more represent the district," LeMahieu said.

Sheboygan man spears 185-pound sturgeon

 

 

 

 

SHEBOYBAN, Wis. —

A Sheboygan man has speared a 185-pound sturgeon while ice fishing on Lake Winnebago.

Twenty-year-old Josh Genske pulled in the monster catch Monday. He tells The Sheboygan Press from his ice shanty that hanging up, the sturgeon is almost a foot taller than he is -- and he's 6-foot-1.

The sturgeon measures 80.2 inches long and 40.5 inches around. It ranks as the third-biggest speared in the Winnebago system since records began in 1941.

Fisheries biologist Karl Scheidegger with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says the sturgeon was likely 90 to 100 years old.

Sheboygan, Wisconsin Largest American Flag In U.S.

Super Bowl ticket snafu drags on for 3 local fans

BY ERIC LITKE

Three Sheboygan County residents caught up in the Super Bowl ticket snafu said today the communication with the NFL remains spotty and their course of action unclear

Dave Richardson of Sheboygan, Herb Binkowsky of Sheboygan Falls and Scott Richards of Plymouth were among 400 people whose Super Bowl XLV seats were declared unsafe because they were not properly inspected. They wound up watching the game from a sports bar in the basement of Cowboys Stadium, with no view of the field.

“It was more than just the game, and it was more than just the ticket, it was the chance to experience something we may not ever be able to do again,” said Richards, 59. “I don’t see anybody that’s been displaced trying to be a gold-digger on the thing, but you want just compensation and a chance to go to another Super Bowl.”

All three men are Green Bay Packers season ticket holders who won the seat lottery and a chance to purchase Super Bowl tickets at the $800 face value. One miserable experience later, they are left to choose their compensation from an ever-sweetening pot of NFL recompense.

The league initially offered $2,400 plus a ticket to the next Super Bowl, and a few days later the NFL said the 400 could also choose a ticket — plus roundtrip airfare and hotel accommodations — for any future Super Bowl.

Earlier this week, Commissioner Roger Goodell added a third option in an e-mail to the ticketholders, offering the greater of $5,000 or the actual documented expense of attending the Super Bowl.

But Richards — who has submitted his information on the proper NFL website and called league representatives — never received that e-mail. And when he asked for details on how the future Super Bowl tickets would be awarded or what happens if he misses the March 1 deadline, NFL officials had no answers.

“It’s sort of been the pattern of everything,” said Richards, who has not yet decided which option to take. “I still think they’re searching for what they’re trying to do.”

Richardson said he plans to take the first option, but he hasn’t finalized anything. He went with a college buddy from Illinois this year but plans to take his son next year.

Bull golf course placed in foreclosure

BY JOSH LINTEREUR

The Jack Nicklaus-designed Bull at Pinehurst Farms golf course in Sheboygan Falls remains open despite mounting financial troubles that include more than $500,000 in unpaid property taxes and a bank foreclosure on the property this month.

The course, located at the intersection of State Highways 28 and 32, has received numerous accolades from the golf industry since opening in 2003, but has since fallen on hard times.

According to court records filed this month, the owners are in default on a $6 million dollar consolidated loan issued in September from Community Bank and Trust.
The loan, which is due in September 2013, now totals $6,052,871, including interest, late charges and other fees.

The bank filed a foreclosure notice in Sheboygan County District Court on Feb. 3.
The owners have until next week to respond.

Meanwhile, the owners have also fallen behind on their property taxes and now owe $277,774 on their 2009 tax bill, including interest and penalties. Combined with their 2010 bill, the golf course owes $507,588 in property taxes.

The property was assessed at $8 million in 2010 and has an estimated fair market value of $7.9 million, according to Sheboygan County property records.

Co-owner David Bachmann Jr., who built the course on a 418-acre swath of land where his family once raised Holstein cattle, declined to comment.

Sheboygan Falls Mayor Randy Meyer said the golf course remains a vital part of the local economy and expressed hope that the owners can get their finances straightened out.

“The Bull is an important part of the city, and we hope their fortunes turn around,” Meyer said.

The Bull remains the only golf course in Wisconsin designed by Nicklaus and was recently ranked by Golf Digest as the third best golf course in the state. It’s hosted a U.S. Open qualifier, the Wisconsin State Golf Association senior match play championship and a number of other WSGA events.

But it’s also situated in the middle of a hyper-competitive golf market, as it competes directly with the Kohler Co.’s renowned golf properties, including the nearby Blackwolf Run golf complex and Whistling Straits, site of the 2004 and 2010 PGA Championships.

Meyer said he hopes to see another investor come along to help get the golf course back on its feet.

“You never know,” he said. “Sometimes it looks like doom is on the doorstep and then something comes along to fix the situation.”

Sheboygan Wi Historic Photos,

This sketch was done shortly after the Civil War.  The plate of this sketch was originally owned by an early Sheboygan settler and lake captain, Captain Rudolph Rieboldt.  The depiction, done about 1868, shows one railroad entering the city, The Sheboygan and Mississippi Railroad, with the depot on the south side of the river directly east of the Eighth Street bridge.  The old Pennsylvania Avenue bridge called the "Shanghai Bridge" is also pictured.  The population of Sheboygan at this time was about 5,000 people.

This photograph was taken in 1885.  The picture depicts the early Sheboygan Volunteer Fire Department outside its headquarters building.   The photograph was taken on North Eighth Street between Wisconsin Avenue and the alley to the north on the east side of the street.  The words "bowling alley" are on the front of the building next to the headquarters, which was also the building housing Sheboygan's first two room schoolhouse.

In 1887, Sheboygan launched it largest ship, the Helena, built at the Reibolt and Wolters shipyards located on the present C. Reiss Coal Company land.  Even though the river was dredged for the launching, the stern was severely damaged from the force striking the river bed.   The New Jersey bridge was erected in 1891 and by 1893, the population had grown to 23,000.  Garbage collection for the city had begun.  Electric street cars replaced horse drawn ones in 1895 and land was purchased for a new high school (Central Admin. Bldg.)in 1899.  Fire destroyed Dock #1 at the C.Reiss Coal Co. in 1900.  North 7th St. between Superior Ave. and Bluff Ave. was closed per a city ordinance from 2 to 4 o'clock daily for horse racing in the snow.

The above and below photos were taken in 1911.  They show the paving of Bluff Avenue and North 6th Street.  As can be seen, paving was a labor intense operation.

The city's Common Council changed greatly at the beginning of the 1920's, due to death and elections.  Circulating throughout Sheboygan was a petition for a new post office (then located on the NW corner of 8th and Penn.)  No action was taken.  In 1924, Kiwanis Club donated land for Kiwanis Park.  Funds for Memorial Hospital were bequeathed to the city in 1928.  By 1931, street paving during the previous 10 year period showed 75.9 miles of 18 ft. pavement had been laid.  Fountain Park was the proposed location for a new court house site in 1932, but opposition caused a new site to be chosen.  All Water Dept. customers were metered in the city by 1933 and the next years saw tremendous growth and improvements to city sewers, pavements and curbing due to W.P.A. projects throughout the city.  During this same period, the sewage disposal plant south of the city went before the council.  The need for a new high school was recognized and by 1937 the cornerstone was laid for one.  Bus transportation replaced street cars so the tracks were removed in 1939.

Voting polls open across county

Voting polls are now open across Sheboygan County for the spring primary.

Two judicial races and three City of Sheboygan alderman races are on the ballot.

The primary for Sheboygan County Circuit Court judge is one of two judicial elections on the ballot today. Voters have three choices: Angela Sutkiewicz, Catherine Delahunt and Jim Haasch. Justice of the Supreme Court candidates are Joanne F. Kloppenburg, Joel Winnig, David T. Prosser Jr., and Marla Stephens.

The three races for Sheboygan aldermen positions are in District 4, 5 and 8.
District 4, candidates are Joseph V. Heidemann, James Graf and Todd B. Schaetzer.

District 5 candidates are Joanne M. Scribner, Jeremy Reis and Eric C. Rindfleisch.
District 8 candidates are Marilyn Montemayor, Darryl D. Carlson and Katherine S. Matichek.

The top two finishers in each race advance to the April general election.
Polls are open until 8 p.m.

Sheboygan County Board

County Board Members	2010-2011   2010-2011   2009-2010   2009-2010

District			Supervisor Click on Supervisor name to view additional info
1	City of Sheboygan	Ward 1	Vacant
2	City of Sheboygan	Ward 2	Michael J. Vandersteen
3	City of Sheboygan	Ward 3	Mark S. Winkel
4	City of Sheboygan	Ward 4	Edward J. Procek
5	City of Sheboygan	Ward 5	Eustacio P. Medina
6	City of Sheboygan	Ward 6	James Baumgart
7	City of Sheboygan	Ward 7	Vernon Koch
8	City of Sheboygan	Ward 8	Leo A. Dunton
9	City of Sheboygan	Ward 9	Jacob Van Dixhorn
10	City of Sheboygan	Ward 10	Val Schultz
11	City of Sheboygan	Ward 11	Kris Wheeler
12	City of Sheboygan	Ward 12	James P. Glavan
13	City of Sheboygan	Ward 13	John Van Der Male
14	City of Sheboygan	Ward 14	Charles W. Conrardy
15	City of Sheboygan	Ward 15	Roger R. Otten
16	City of Sheboygan	Ward 16	John Oppeneer
17	Town of Herman Town of Mosel Town of Sheboygan	Ward 2 Wards 1 & 2	Jerald A. Holub
18	Village of Kohler Town of Sheboygan	Wards 5 & 7	Greg Weggeman
19	Town of Herman Town of Rhine Village of Elkart Lake	Ward 3 Wards 1 & 3	Keith Abler
20	Town of Herman Village of Howards Grove	Ward 1	George Marthenze
21	Town of Greenbush Town of Rhine Town of Russell Village of Glenbeulah	Wards 1, 2 & 3 Ward 2	Dale T. Cary
22	Town of Plymouth City of Plymouth	Wards 1, 2 & 3 Wards 1 & 6	Thomas V. Epping
23	City of Plymouth	Wards 2, 3, 4 & 5	Fran Damp
24	City of Plymouth	Wards 7, 8, 9 & 10	Thomas Wegner
25	Town of Sheboygan Town of Sheboygan Falls	Wards 3 & 4	Peggy Feider
26	City of Sheboygan Falls	Wards 2, 3, 4, 5 & 10	John M. Raml
27	City of Sheboygan Falls	Wards 1, 6, 7, 8 & 9	Michael S. Ogea
28	Town of Sheboygan Town of Wilson	Ward 6 Wards 1, 3 & 4	Brian C. Hoffmann
29	Town of Holland Village of Oostburg	Wards 3 & 4	Devin Le Mahieu
30	Town of Lima Town of Wilson	Ward 2	Al Bosman
31	Town of Lyndon Town of Plymouth Village of Cascade Village of Waldo	Ward 4	Adrian Van Dixhorn
32	Town of Greenbush Town of Mitchell Town of Scott	Ward 4	Richard C. Bemis
33	Town of Sherman Village of Adell Village of Random Lake		William C. Goehring
34	Town of Holland Village of Cedar Grove	Wards 1 & 2	Roger L. Te Stroete

Howards Grove School District Seeks To Borrow 3.4 Million.

 

 

Howards Grove School District seeks OK to borrow $3.4M

Officials in the Howards Grove School District will put to voters a referendum on whether the district should borrow $3.4 million to pay for building maintenance and technology upgrades.

In a special meeting last week, the School Board voted, 4-1, to send the measure to voters. That vote split the difference of two previous votes — one to borrow $3.8 million and another to borrow $3 million. Both of those votes failed, 3-2.

School Board member Richard Hemb voted against the $3.4 million measure, but for the $3.8 million motion.

About $2.4 million of the money would be go toward facility maintenance projects, including replacing the roof, doors, and windows at Howards Grove Middle School and upgrading the school's lighting, electrical, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Digital control systems also would be installed at all three district school to improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs.

About $1 million would be used to pay for technology improvements at all three schools, including installing network infrastructure, wiring, server and cable upgrades.

"These are immediate needs that have to be addressed and they can't be addressed through the regular operations of the district," district Administrator Chris Peterson said.

The district last year paid the last of its debt service on $7.9 million that was used to build Howards Grove High School in the mid-1990s, Peterson said. As a result, the district tax rate would likely stay the same if the new referendum passes.

"This means the district can address numerous basic maintenance and technology needs without an increase in taxes," Peterson said.

He said the exact impact of the referendum on the tax rate wouldn't be known for a week or so.

Should the referendum not pass, officials say they will have to consider instituting cost-saving measures such as not replacing teachers who retire, increasing class sizes, freezing wages, lowering building temperatures, cleaning classrooms three times per week instead of every day and reducing bus routes.

A Citizens Advisory Committee recommended late last year that the school board launch a capital improvement project to address maintenance and technology needs.

Peterson said a schedule for public informational meetings on the referendum would be announced in the next few days

Sheboygan Wi History.

History of Sheboygan County It is believed that in 1635 Jean Nicolet, the French explorer, was the first recorded European settler to have visited this locality as he skirted the shores of Lake Michigan heading south from Green Bay.

Native Americans following their trail from Milwaukee to Green Bay could always tell where they were when they reached the mouth of the Sheboygan River. They called this spot Schwab-we-way-kum, Native American terminology for "great noise underground." The theory is that the rushing sounds of the falls upstream prompted this description and this is a more generally accepted version of how Sheboygan got its name. When the European settlers first came, there were probably about 1000 Native Americans living in the county, composed mainly of Pottawatomies, Chippewas, Ottowas, Winnebagoes and Menominees. Their villages and camps were clustered on the bank or shore of practically every lake or stream, with the largest villages situated along the shore of Lake Michigan. After this territory began to interest the pioneers, treaties were made with the Native Americans. On September 26, 1833, in a treaty made at Chicago, the Native Americans relinquished all claim to the lands on the west shore of Lake Michigan, including what is now Sheboygan County, though many Native Americans remained here for many years. Sheboygan County has three birthdays. On December 7, 1836, an act of the territorial legislature detached the area from Brown County. This was less than a year after Wisconsin became a territory and nearly twelve years before it became a state. It was not until two years later, December 17, 1838, that the legislature passed a law organizing the county government and providing for the first election of officers, which was held March 4, 1839. December 17, 1838 should properly be considered the county's birthday. Sheboygan County's boundaries have never changed from its original organization. The first town was the Town of Sheboygan, organized March 8, 1839, with its boundaries extending to those of the county. As new towns were formed they were set off from the Town of Sheboygan. In early times Sheboygan County had a commission form of Government. The governing body was a board of three commissioners elected by the people of the county at large. In 1848 the supervisor system was made compulsory, but Sheboygan County had voluntarily accepted it some years before. So rapid was settlement that the county had all of its present number of 15 towns by 1855. By 1870 the county board consisted of supervisors chosen from each town, incorporated villages and each ward in the cities. In 1965 the county was divided into 39 supervisory districts, based on population, with one supervisor elected for a two-year term in each district. In 1982 the number of supervisory districts changed to 34. The city of Sheboygan has always been the county seat. The first permanent settlement in Sheboygan County, it is claimed, was made in the fall of 1834 when William Payne and Col. Oliver Crocker built a sawmill near the confluence of the Mullet and Sheboygan Rivers at the present site of Sheboygan Falls. A study of names of the first pioneers established them to have been of English ancestry or so-called "Yankees" from New England. First came trappers, then surveyors, followed by businessmen. They were followed in the 1840's and 50's by large migrations of Germans, Dutch, and Irish who came directly from Europe. The Settlers started clearing the land and raising crops--the work they had learned in their native land. With the increased interest in agriculture, dairying emerged as a principal industry in the county. These hardy immigrants faithfully carried on the work that the American Pioneers of New England stock had begun. The present wealth and prosperity of Sheboygan County shows how well they succeeded. Cheese-making moved from the farmhouse and dairy barn in 1858 with the first cheese factory being located on the Fond du Lac Plank Road, two miles west of Sheboygan Falls. By 1875 there were 45 factories producing over 2,000,000 pounds of cheese. At one time there were 116 factories in the county. Today the number of operating factories has dwindled and the bulk of the dairy products are produced in cooperative and corporate dairies. A great concentration of dairying continues in Sheboygan County. While the number of dairy farms is decreasing, herd sizes are becoming larger. Many factories contributed in making Sheboygan County a prosperous manufacturing center almost from the beginning. A wealth of natural water power from lakes and streams flowing generally south-easterly into Lake Michigan attracted numerous saw mills and flour mills. Many of the immigrants were artisans with skilled trades and with the abundant supply of raw materials, it was natural that early manufacturing utilized the abundant forest resources. In the 1850's implements and engines were being made in Sheboygan and a tannery prospered. Up to the Civil War Sheboygan Falls out-ranked Sheboygan as a manufacturing center. Two outstanding developments characterized the era between 1880 and 1890. One was a phenomenal growth in population, and the other was a development of large scale industry. In 1875, Sheboygan had a population of less than 7000 and this mushroomed to 16,300 by 1890. Currently, Sheboygan County has a population of over 110,000. Woodworking continued to dominate the scene, producing such products as lathes, windmills, spokes, sashes, doors and window blinds, clothes, reels, rakes, carriages, wagons and barrels. The manufacturing of enamel-ware emerged as an industry of great importance in the 1880's in the form of small kitchen cooking utensils and large kitchen and bathroom fixtures. The latter industry has become the largest employer of labor in the county with outlets throughout the world. Various immigrants had their cultural and economic effect on the community. Thrifty and industrious, they earned and saved money with which to build homes and communities of which they can justly be proud. Great music lovers, they also formed singing societies and these groups still conduct festivals and dances. Slavonic Catholics and Lithuanians arrived on the Sheboygan scene early in the twentieth century, and these ethnic groups have added to the heritage of the county.