Protecting our water, No Knock-Warrants, and Summer Updates

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Hello Neighbors,
I hope you are staying cool and enjoying the summer. I look forward to running into many of you at AtwoodFest, Orton-Front Fest and other community gatherings. As we continue to vaccinate our community, we can slowly return back to normal. Please reach out to me if you need help scheduling a vaccination appointment as the Alliant Energy Center vaccination site has closed.

In this update, I discuss the progress on protecting our land and water from PFAS pollution from the F-35 basing at Truax Field, County Board recommendations on No-Knock warrants, sediment removal to prevent flooding, and 1 million dollars for artists in Dane County.

Protect our water from F-35 pollution

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I introduced a resolution with Supervisors Heidi Wegleitner and Elena Haasl to specify roles and responsibilities regarding PFAS monitoring and opposing the siting of the f-35 squadron in Dane County. It will:

  • Formally request a legal opinion from Dane County's Corporation Council on the County's regulatory authority over construction related to the F-35 beddown.

  • Create a central clearinghouse web site for PFAS tests and results. It will also include public notices and meeting notes of any meetings between County departments, the Wisconsin DNR, the Wisconsin Air National Guard, and any Private Contractors working on F-35 related projects.

  • Requests Dane County's Corporation Council to explore how to halt construction project if PFAS test results exceed levels prescribed by the DNR or EPA

Our hope is that this resolution will move through the political process efficiently, so it can come to the full county board for a vote by all county board supervisors. You can read more about it here. The full resolution is here:

https://dane.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5007608&GUID=77880873-E77E-4FDB-9F5B-8AA867EAD349&Options=Advanced&Search=

On Thursday July 8th, we will hold a press conference in opposition to the F-35s and in support of clean water for our neighbors. Speakers include City Council President Syed Abba, State Representative Francesca Hong, State Senator Kelda Roys and YCAT Madison. Here is a link to the event:

https://www.facebook.com/events/179805487448337

Ban No-Knock Warrants in Dane County!

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We voted with a strong majority on the County Board to recommend to the Sheriff to ban the use of No-Knock Warrants in Dane County in accordance with the proposed George Floyd Act.

I added an amendment in executive committee requesting the Dane County Sheriff’s Office to collect data on the use of no-knock warrants in Dane County and to report that information on a quarterly basis. This critical info will help us move towards preventing many of the senseless tragedies caused by no-knock warrants.

Thanks to Supervisor Bayrd for all your work on this!

Sediment Removal Update for Flooding Prevention

Here are a few important updates from our quarterly Lake Levels Flooding Report.

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  • Since we are in a drought with lower water levels, it makes it more difficult to get into shallow rivers to do aquatic plant and weed harvesting. The harvesters are out on all lakes though.

  • Due to Covid, the supply chain for building materials will affect the sediment removal timeline as contractors and the county are having a harder time getting supplies like piping.

  • Low water levels are also making it hard to get sediment removal equipment into shallower waters.

  • I requested an update on how flow will improve as each phase of sediment removal is complete. Currently it take 1 inch of rain 7 days to move through the water shed. After all 5 phases, it will take 4 days. However, flow will improve as each phase is complete.

  • Conditions are ideal for aquatic plants to grow. The water is clear, there is abundant sunshine, legacy phosphorous, and low water levels make it easier for the run to reach the floor of the lakes.

  • The drought is causing the County to reduce outflows from the lake and I requested a report on what operational dam changes are happening due the weather patterns we are in.

I will continue to update you on this project and ensure we have adequate funding in the budget to complete this in a timely manner to keep our neighbors safe.

1 million dollars for artists for Covid relief!

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Did you catch my recent article in the Eastside News where I talked in detail about the resolution I sponsored to provide 1 million dollars of grants funds to 400 artists who live and work in Dane County?

The resolution includes a second investment from the Dane Arts Needs Grant (DANG!) program. The funds were part of a 100 million dollar allocation given to Dane County as part of the America Recovery Plan (ARP) signed into legislation by president Biden.

As a commissioner on the Dane Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, we have been quickly working through applications to provide up to $2,500 to four hundred different artists living and working in Dane County.  The artists funded cover every discipline of the arts ranging from theater, dance, performance, comedy, and literature. We also have a keen focus on funding artists from different backgrounds and experiences and over 37% of the funds have gone to people of color.

As part of the allocation of these funds, the County Board added oversight to all ARP projects to ensure that money spent is not duplicative of other federal, state, and local projects. Departments administering the funding needed to provide an explanation of expected outcomes, including equity measures as well as have a plan for data collection and quarterly reporting of program outcomes. This oversight is critical to make sure the 100 million in recovery funds is invested optimally to benefit everyone in our community.

Art is a critical part of not only our culture but also our economy. The vibrant artistic community makes Dane County a unique and special place to call home. Our community benefits in myriad ways from the contributions of artists to enrich our lives culturally and financially. As we begin to re-open the many artistic venues and performance spaces in our neighborhoods, let’s work together to do all we can to support the artists who have done so much for our community. 

Quick Updates

That’s all for now. I receive so much thoughtful feedback from our district and I look forward to hearing from you. If you have any comments or feedback, you can drop me a line at chawla.yogesh@countyofdane.com. It has been great reconnecting with so many neighbors in person and I looking forward to seeing you all soon.