Courier Hub The
Stoughton
Thursday, September 19, 2019 • Vol. 138, No. 9 • Stoughton, WI • ConnectStoughton.com • $1.25
$
1
$
$
1
1
of Stoughton
ButterBurger® or Short Shake with One Topping
Redeemable only at Culver’s of Stoughton 916 Nygaard St • Stoughton, WI 53589 608-873-6635 • culvers.com Limit 4 per card
Expires 10/31/19 SH
adno=106652
TRUE BLUE BUCK
U.S. Hwy. 51
Corridor study update Sept. 26 Multiuse path, on-street bike accommodations no longer in plan SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
For the first time in more than four years, the state Department of Transportation will hold a meeting to update the public on the U.S. Hwy. 51 Corridor Study that outlines plans the reconstruction of the road. Full construction of the road isn’t anticipated until the mid- to late-2020, but work on four roundabouts along the thoroughfare are expected earlier – three in 2021 and one in 2024. Those roundabout projects are separate, each requiring their own environmental documentation and public involvement processes. DOT officials will be at Stoughton High School,
If You Go What: Hwy. 51 Corridor Study update When: 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26; formal presentation at 5:30 p.m. Where: Stoughton High School, 600 Lincoln Ave. Info: jeff.berens@dot. wi.gov 600 Lincoln Ave., from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, with a formal presentation at 5:30 p.m. They will present the “preferred alternative,” Alternative H, which outlines the improvements expected for Hwy. 51 from the Beltline in Madison to I-39/90 outside of Stoughton. That plan would expand the two- and four-lane roadway between State H w y. 1 3 8 a n d C o u n ty Hwy. B to four lanes
Turn to 51/Page 12
Photo by Mackenzie Krumme
Greg Vale works on a car at Conant Automotive on Friday, Sept. 6. He graduated from college debt free after an apprenticeship program through Conant.
Repairing the trade Conant’s program builds auto profession
MACKENZIE KRUMME Unified Newspaper Group
City of Stoughton
TID extension will fund housing initiatives JUSTIN LOEWEN Hub correspondent
The city now has a plan in place to help make housing in Stoughton a bit more affordable and benefit the environment, too. A one-year extension for tax-increment financing district No. 3 (TID 3), which covers Business Park North, will fund three housing programs. That takes advantage of a recently changed state law that allows such TID extensions if 75 percent of funds are used for affordable housing. The Common Council unanimously approved the extension Sept. 10.
It would have expired in November. Finance director Jamin Friedl estimates the city will receive around $500,000 from the extension. The money wouldn’t be available until 2021, but it could be used anywhere around Stoughton. The city has planned three programs that will use the funds, all of which are aimed at homeowners or potential homeowners. Two of them count as affordable housing programs. The first would be a grant for the Stoughton Housing Authority’s
Turn to TIF/Page 14
Courier Hub
As a kid, Joe Conant brought car parts to show and tell rather than toys. He has worked on cars his whole life and believes the profession runs in his blood. “You cannot teach somebody to work on cars. You can’t teach somebody how to swing a hammer and be an excellent carpenter. You can’t teach this. It has to be in your DNA,” Conant said. Now Conant, owner of Conant
Automotive, wants to guide students toward a profession that speaks to their DNA, he said. He began a high school apprenticeship program in 2007 to expose students to a career as auto technicians. Two students graduated, one still works for Conant today and two students are enrolled. Starting their junior year, students attend classes at Stoughton High School in the morning and receive college credit by working at Conant’s shop in the afternoon. Once they enroll in a technical college, tuition is paid equally by Conant, the student
and the Wisconsin Auto and Light Truck Dealers Association. After graduation, the technician is required to work two years at Conant Automotive. Tuition costs Conant around $4,500 a student – a wise investment, he said – because it helps grow the profession and also provides skilled employees for his shop. He said in the past 25 years, there has been a major push for students to get four-year degrees rather than go to the trades. In Dane County, Conant
Turn to Conant/Page 16
City of Stoughton
RDA accepts developer letter of intent Negotiations continue for final agreement, up to 60 days
selecting a developer for the Yahara riverfront. The RDA voted unanimously Sept. 11 to accept a letter of intent from developer Curt Vaughn Brink JUSTIN LOEWEN LLC under the condition that a final master develHub correspondent opment agreement would The City of Stoughton address some concerns Redevelopment Authori- raised by the commission. ty is one step away from The developer must meet
four terms of an addendum that will resolve questions that the letter of intent does not answer. Brink is the only developer in consideration for the project after two candidates withdrew and three others were rejected. While the commission liked many elements of the proposal Brink brought in August, it
was not as comprehensive as some expected. The letter of intent uses non-binding language and lays out the general terms of Brink’s plan. RDA chair Roger Springman and commissioner Carl Chenoweth responded by drafting an addendum outlining their
Turn to RDA/Page 14
2.70% APY* 31-Month CD 2.45% APY* 15-Month CD
Build your savings with a certificate of deposit from Home Savings Bank. We Make it Happen. 608.282.6000 400 W. Main St. Stoughton home-savings.com *APY is Annual Percentage Yield. APY assumes principal and interest remain on deposit for the term of the certificate. Penalty for early withdrawal. The annual percentage yield is effective as of the publication date. Minimum amount of new money required to open account and obtain the disclosed APY is $5,000 for the 31-month CD and $5,000 for the 15-month CD. adno=75628