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Thursday, September 19, 2019 • Vol. 135, No. 12 • Oregon, WI • ConnectOregonWI.com • $1.25
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Oregon Observer The
Village of Oregon
Budget getting stretched again With increased costs on horizon, taxes likely to go up for third year JIM FEROLIE Observer editor
Photo by Mackenzie Krumme
Kara Ripley laughs with librarian Denise Newell about the birch tree’s straight lines during the Oregon Public Library Paint “Night” Thursday, Sept. 12.
Paint ‘Night’ by the library at no cost including outreach librarian, Kara Ripley said. paints, sponges, brushes and an 8 by Another Paint “Night” is scheduled 10 canvas. A printout of step-by-step for Saturday, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m. instructions was available. The library previously organized Contact Mackenzie at mackenzie. a paint night six months ago that krumme@wcinet.com. was very popular, adult services and
Library presenting design plans to public Feedback sought, but design put on hold during fundraising JIM FEROLIE Observer editor
A month after kicking off its capital campaign to build a new facility on Main Street, the Oregon Public Library is presenting its plans to the public for feedback. The library update event is 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24, at the Village Hall Community Room.
The first half-hour of the event will consist of a formal presentation by the architecture firm that came up with the original concepts and will resume designing Way it in more detail after the capital campaign finishes next year. The rest will be an open house, with maps and renderings and opportunities for input. Library director Jennifer Way told the Observer she expects OPN Architects to walk visitors through the
If You Go What: New library update When: 5:30-7 p.m. Sept. 24 Where: Oregon Village Hall, 117 Spring St., Community Room Info: Call 835-3656 or email jway@oregonlibrary.org process from their hiring six months ago to the start of construction, which is expected to be in 2021. That will include how the design evolved with the
help of the 40-member capital campaign committee and community outreach events and how the 12-acre site it might accommodate growth in the future. Way called the plans preliminary because the budget for the building will affect how big the building is and how it is configured. As presented, it’s two stories and 33,000 square feet, though if the $4 million fundraising goal isn’t reached, one of the options to save money might be shortening one end of the building. And the other end of the building
Turn to Library/Page 12
Monday, Oct. 7: First Budget Meeting Monday, Oct. 14: Second Budget Meeting Wednesday, Oct. 16: Third Budget Meeting Monday, Nov. 18: Public hearing
building and has asked for more staff, too, and the fire and police departments are looking to grow their administrations, as well. City staff presented a rough sketch of the budget to the Village Board on Monday, Sept. 16, warning trustees taxes will once again need to be higher than usual, with staffing needs exceeding the additional revenue that
Turn to Budget/Page 12
Oregon School District
Modjeski to lead new K-6 elementary school BKE principal heading to Fitchburg for 2020-21 year SCOTT DE LARUELLE Unified Newspaper Group
In the first of several moves to determine which staff and students will fill the new K-6 elementary school in Fitchburg, the Oregon School District named Kerri Modjeski as the school’s leader on Monday. Modjeski, currently the principal at Brooklyn Elementary School, will continue in her duties there through the 2019-20
school year – her ninth as principal there – before heading north July 1 to be the first principal at the first OSD school Modjeski in Fitchburg. In a district news release Monday, superintendent Brian Busler called Modjeski “instrumental” in planning for the school as one of the co-chairs of the design team and said she “continues to be involved in the
Turn to Principal/Page 12
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A night sky with birch trees in the foreground was the theme to this week’s Paint “Night” at the Oregon Public Library. Around a dozen participants honed their artistic skills on Thursday, Sept. 12. All the supplies were provided
Another year of preparing the village for its future as a mid-sized suburb is likely to mean increased taxes – and a few tough decisions. Though growth in Oregon continues to be average by Dane County standards, staffing and facility needs are still catching up. The library is in the midst o f a five Gracz year plan to increase staffing prior to its new facility opening in 2022, the senior center will be next in line for a new
Budget meeting dates