Cadott Village Board; ATV ride temporarily closes Main Street

Rick Goettl, owner of Halfway Bar, brought a request to the Cadott Village Board, June 6, to temporarily allow ATV/UTVs to park on Main Street, during an upcoming ATV memorial ride, to keep the units away from the neighbors in the back. The board approved closing that section of the street and allowing parking, for an hour and a half, Saturday, Aug. 19. Photo by Julia Wolf

By Julia Wolf

The Cadott Village Board approved temporarily allowing ATV/UTV parking on Main Street, Saturday, Aug. 19, from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., for an annual memorial ATV ride, during a regular meeting June 5.

Rick Goettl, owner of Halfway Bar, made the request to try to keep the large numbers of vehicles away from the neighbors in the back.

“They’re only there for an hour,” said Goettl. Goettl says the only businesses on the block open that late on a Saturday, are the two bars and the fitness center.

Randy Kuehni, village president, says they could shut that block off, like they do for Booya Days, for that hour, to allow space for the ATVs to park.

“The alley is OK until I get bunches,” said Goettl. He estimates there will be 80 units participating in the memorial ride.

Bart Chapek, board member, asked if allowing parking on Main Street for the event would set a precedent, and people would want to park there with ATVs all the time.

“I thought of that,” said Goettl. “I was going to put signs up saying it’s only today.”

Goettl says they are even willing to move the barricades themselves, so the village doesn’t have to.

Board members voted to close that section of Main Street for an hour and a half, Saturday, Aug. 19, and allow ATV parking on Main Street at that time.

A transient merchant application for the farmers market, by Jessica Ryba, was also approved.

“She said it’s going to be the same as last year,” said clerk April Bruhn.

Carrie Mathwig, YMCA, was also at the meeting to ask for a location to host Y on the Fly summer programming in Cadott. Mathwig says part of their mission, is to bring Y programming to areas that do not have access to a YMCA.

“We have a Y on the Fly program, to build a Y without walls,” said Mathwig, where the Y comes to rural communities.

They piloted the program last year, and it went well. This year, they would also like to bring the program to Cadott.

“Everything is free to everyone who comes,” said Mathwig.

There are activities, and a healthy snack and drink provided, during the events. This year, Mathwig says they are also providing five meals, per person, to take home, if participants chose to take them.

She says they want to come to Cadott, every Friday, from 1:30-3 p.m., starting July 7.

“We’ll have our Y on the Fly staff provide an hour of free activities, to anyone who wants to join in,” said Mathwig.

She says they are looking for a free space, because their funding is going toward food, not reservations. Other communities have approved for the program to use space in a park. Mathwig says they do need bathroom access and a covered building, in case it rains.

Board members thought the best place to have the program would be at the Lions Pavilion in East Riverview Park. Board member Terry Licht, who is also a Lion, said he would bring it up at the next Lions meeting, including what can be done the week of Nabor Days, when set-up is happening during the requested time.

During public comment, Randy Rykal says he was in a conversation with a Main Street building owner, who would possibly be interested in donating the building toward the new library project.

“I thought it was very worthwhile for you, for this group, to consider,” said Rykal.

Rykal also offered to facilitate the discussion, if they are interested.

“It would be good to keep the dialogue going,” said Licht.

When asked her opinion, library board president Cookie Kaste said it is the village’s library and therefore, their decision. Personally, Kaste said she does not want a two-story building.

Kuehni reported he, Kaste, and representatives from Cedar Corp. and the Wisconsin DOT, met at the site the library is currently planned for, to talk about the location.

There is also a public information meeting on the library scheduled for Tuesday, June 20, at 7 p.m., in the Cadott High School auditorium.

Bruhn also reported there were two Board of Appeals meetings. Big T’s Midway requested a fenced-in patio, which was approved, and Kwik Trip requested a sign taller than ordinance allows, which was also approved.

There is also a public hearing scheduled for Wednesday, July 12, at 2 p.m., on the PSC water rate increase. Bruhn says it is a call-in meeting.

Director of Public Works Jeremy Kenealy also reported the SCADA system is still acting up and sending alarms frequently. He says the situation is getting really frustrating.

“It’s got to get figured out,” said Kenealy.

A Utilities Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 12, at 9 a.m., to try to find a solution.