Hello and welcome back to the newest edition of my E-update!  Things have slowed down at the Capitol since the Assembly finished this legislative session, but there is always news to share. 

Algoma High School Kiosk

As you may know, a kiosk was opened in January at Algoma High School to provide free drinking water to anyone who is concerned about the safety of their well water.  Recently, there have been stories of vandalism to the kiosk as well as other school property.  The motivation of the vandals is unclear but cameras now monitor the kiosk, so it is unlikely this will happen again.

Concern has been raised that the vandalism, along with a perceived stigma, might prevent people in need of water from utilizing this resource.  I hope this is not true.  The kiosk is a great community effort to provide clean water to those with contaminated wells while we work toward solving the groundwater contamination problem.  Regardless of our personal opinions on the groundwater problem, I think we should all support the kiosk and encourage its use.

I remain fully committed to solving the groundwater problems in our area.  The Groundwater Ordinance passed last year, hiring a new employee in the Land and Water Department to review Nutrient Management Plans, and the work of the DNR workgroups represents real progress.  There will be more announcements in the coming weeks.

We will solve this problem the way we have always solved problems- by working together as a community.  Local government, state government, and ordinary citizens will all play a role in dealing with this issue, but there should be no doubt that we will continue our efforts until everyone in Kewaunee County has clean water to drink.  Below is a link explaining how to access the kiosk:

http://www.co.kewaunee.wi.gov/docview.asp?docid=20447&locid=194

WACO Award

Yesterday, I received an award at the Wisconsin Association of Campground Owners (WACO) State Convention in Stevens Point.  I was recognized for authoring Assembly Bill 174 (AB 174) and working with WACO to pass this bill. AB 174 was drafted to assist private campground owners who often battle frivolous lawsuits where the claimant was injured at no fault of the campground owner.  Private campground owners will still be required to provide safe facilities for campers.  However, they will no longer face legal action when the claimant was injured by an “inherent risk of camping,” such as swimming, hiking, other outdoor activities, and methods beyond the owner’s control.  Public campgrounds are already protected from these lawsuits.  While camping, we need to remember that we are responsible for our well-being and safety when participating in outdoor activities.

Private campground owners are an important part of Wisconsin tourism, and it is important that we ensure they are treated fairly under the law.  AB 174 will help campground owners avoid petty lawsuits that inhibit their ability to grow their business.  Promoting a fair legal environment for these business owners will promote our tourism industry and help grow our economy.

Thanks for Visiting

Last week, I had the opportunity to sit down and speak with members of the arts community from Door County.  Kate Rericha and Mona Christensen from Birch Creek, and Russell Warren, Arlene Johnson, and Chris Weidenbacher from Midsummers Music, stopped by my office in Madison.  We discussed Assembly Bill 901 (AB 901), the Creative Economy Development Initiate (Assembly Bill 636/Senate Bill 483), and the overall impact of the arts on our local economy.

AB 901 increases the funding for the Arts Board in the Department of Tourism by $13,800 for fiscal year 2015-16.  These funds will be used to match federal grants awarded to individuals and organizations related to the arts.  The Creative Economy Development Initiative creates a separate grant program and allows the Arts Board to award grants to local businesses, arts organizations, and local arts agencies.  These grants will be competitive and be awarded based on the applicant’s artistic nature, job creation, and economic development.

I enjoyed our time visiting and discussing how this legislation will promote the arts in our district.  Thanks for stopping by!

Above: Rep. Kitchens with Kate Rericha and Mona Christensen from Birch Creek

Above: Rep. Kitchens with Chris Weidenbacher, Arlene Johnson, and Russell Warren from Midsummers Music

Restoring the Ahnapee River

Representative Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa) and I will present at the first speaker series of the “Restoring the Ahnapee River: Navigating the Steps to Improved Water Quality.”  The Friends of Crescent Beach in Algoma will host this event.  Rep. Krug has been the legislative force behind the work to restore the Wisconsin River for the past several years.  I believe his experiences will be instructive to us as we develop a plan to clean up the Ahnapee, as well as other rivers in Kewaunee County.  It should be very informative and all are invited to attend.  The event is at 6 pm on Thurday, March 31, at Algoma City Hall.

Blue Books Available

If you would like a complimentary copy of the 2015-2016 Wisconsin State Blue Book, please follow the proved link:

          http://legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/01/kitchens/constituent-services/ 

The 2015-2016 Blue Book is also available online:

          http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/publications/wisconsin-blue-book/

In Closing...

Thank you for taking the time to read over my E-update.  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact my office.

Representative Joel Kitchens