Flyer containing information and preventative tips to be distributed
By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
As winter gives way to spring, efforts are starting to turn toward protecting sprouting foliage in the months ahead.
With the scars of last year’s discovery of the emerald ash borer beetle just outside Whitewater’s municipal borders, city officials have begun embarking on a public information campaign aimed at educating residents about the highly contagious – and equally destructive – disease.
The Whitewater Common Council on March 18 voted in favor of a public education flyer that will be distributed through websites, emails and public postings. The city-sanctioned flyer outlines how property owners can be proactive and save their ash trees from the deadly disease.
“The flyer is intended to inform private property owners of resources available and that dangers that emerald ash borer presents,” Matt Amundson, parks and recreation director, said.
The flyer also gives a quick snapshot of what owners can do if they would like to remove a diseased ash tree.
In July, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WDATCP) confirmed emerald ash borer beetles had infested at least one tree just outside Whitewater’s municipal border.
In the immediate aftermath, all areas of Walworth and Jefferson counties were put under quarantine.
As part of the quarantine, WDATCP put in place a stipulation that all wood products could not leave the counties’ borders as part of an effort to mitigate the spread of infestation of counties without a trace of the beetle.
Other council business
In other business last week, the council:
• Tabled a discussion of the city’s relationship with the Janesville Transit System for a future date. Whitewater officials are in the early stages of planning the municipal 2015 budget and one of the most scrutinized components will entail participation in JTS’ Innovation Express bus line that provides stops in Janesville, Milton and Whitewater.
JTS officials recently presented Whitewater with a document on ridership numbers in January and February. The document reveals a large number of stops at the Generac plant within Whitewater.
In all, JTS tabulated 2,641 riders in the first two months of the year. Of those, 762 riders stopped at Generac. An additional 72 stops were made at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus, and 77 stops were made at other areas of the city.
• Approved a request by the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce to close portions of a main thoroughfare for a late summer festival.
The chamber will help spearhead the Whitewater Main Street Festival on Aug. 2, and the event will be held along Main Street, from Whitewater Street to Second Street.
• Approved an annexation request made by property owners John and Jean Reeb for their property, which presently is located in the Town of Cold Spring along County Highway U.
The Reebs’ property is located adjacent to Fairhaven Senior Services’ Prairie Village development. The city is designating the property with a vacant farmland zoning for the time being.
The council voted, 6-0, in favor of the annexation request. Council member Lynn Binnie, who works for Fairhaven, said he was choosing to abstain from voting.
