County Could Derail Forest Deal in Wisconsin
11/24/97
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Headline: County Could Derail Forest Deal in Wisconsin
Source: The Milwaukee
Date: 11/24/97
Author: Mark Lisheron of the Journal Sentinel Staff
Copyright 1997, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
County could derail forest deal
New Berlin -- A tough County Board battle expected Tuesday could
threaten a deal that would allow the city to preserve Ancient
Oaks, an environmentally rare tract of land at S. 152nd St. and
W. Dakota Ave.
Some County Board members say they are prepared to vote against
paying a $95,000 share of the $450,000 New Berlin agreed to pay
for about 29 acres of virgin woods containing 45 native plant
species.
Rodell L. Singert, County Board member from Mukwonago, said the
land deal would set a precedent allowing other Waukesha County
communities to ask for land partnerships with the county. Such
partnerships, Singert said, would not be part of the Waukesha
County Land Use Plan because the county would have no ownership
or control.
County Board member Duane Stamsta, of Hartland, voted in favor of
giving the money to New Berlin as a member of the Parks and Land
Use Committee but voted against it when the matter reached the
Finance Committee.
"I am a real believer in the purchase of land for preservation.
That's why I voted for this," Stamsta said. "But in my opinion,
this is a grant to New Berlin, which is fine, but we have no
policy for how we give these grants. I couldn't be in favor of it
if there is no policy."
Mayor James Gatzke said the city feels betrayed by the talk of
backing away from funding for the land. In correspondence dating
to April, County Parks and Land Use Department staff members gave
assurances that if state grant money could be raised for Ancient
Oaks, Waukesha County would provide some funding.
"I called it reneging, which is what I think it is," Gatzke said.
"These people came to us telling us how significant this land was
and telling us we had their help. Now they are backing away."
When the New Berlin Parks and Recreation Department learned of
the significance of Ancient Oaks, director Paul Leuthold put
together an offer that depended, in large part, on grants from
the state Stewardship Fund through the Department of Natural
Resources.
A month ago, the DNR announced it would pay $191,000 toward
buying two tracts adding up to 29 acres from private owners. The
Waukesha Land Conservancy agreed to pay $15,000.
The Common Council unanimously approved spending $148,500 out of
a city Open Space Fund, which contains a little more than $1
million collected from land developers. At that time of the
approval, Leuthold told the council he had assurances from
Waukesha County for the remaining $95,000.
County Board Chairman James T. Dwyer said the county staff may
have made promises it had no power to keep. Staffers first should
have made sure that the County Board understood where the money
was coming from and how it was being used.
"I don't think you can make that kind of commitment without board
approval. I would think Mayor Gatzke can understand that," Dwyer
said. "I . . . think we have to answer some policy questions
first."
Stamsta predicted the issue will be returned to the Land Use
Committee, which would set up a policy. It would be a policy
Walter Kolb, one of two Land Use Committee members who voted
against the grant the first time around, is likely to reject
again.
"To me, it's a matter of not wanting every municipality coming to
us with their hands out for the purchase of property that will be
strictly owned and operated by those municipalities," Kolb said.
New Berlin Ald. Ted Wysocki, in whose district Ancient Oaks lies,
said that should the funding be rejected, he would return to the
council to ask for Open Space Fund money, but reluctantly.
"I have no evidence to prove it, but I have a serious question of
the county playing politics with the City of New Berlin," Wysocki
said. "I believe this land purchase is worth it, and I'm prepared
to go back to the council and ask them if they agree."