Tribune-Gazette looks back on last year
By Bert Lehman
The ongoing news story of the second half of 2015 was the Chapter 17 complaint filed by Tricia Rose against Mayor Judy Magee.
After months of negotiations, Rose and Magee reached an agreement regarding the complaint.
The city also had cause for celebrating. The Clintonville A’s won the BABA Grand Championship game, Clintonville native Mike Jirschele and the Kansas City Royals won the World Series, and Main Street reopened in October.
This is the second part of a two-part review of the top stories for 2015.
July
A tornado touch downed three miles southwest of the city of Marion late in the afternoon on July 6. A barn was leveled and part of the roof of the house at E5653 Gruenstern Road was blown off.
After two previous defeats, the concept of a dog park in Clintonville was approved at the July 13 city council meeting.
At the same meeting, Clintonville residents once again requested the city support the request to widen County Truck I when the roadway is scheduled to be repaved in 2016. The council said it would do more research on the topic.
On July 17 Associated Bank announced that it would be closing its branch in Embarrass.
The Clintonville Area Historical Society celebrated its 40th anniversary on July 18 by celebrating Clintonville’s history. Activities included trolley tours, living cemetery activities and displays at the Clintonville Community Center.
A new scoreboard to be placed at Jirschele Field at W.A. Olen Park was ordered in late July. The scoreboard was donated by Dick Koeppen. Prior to ordering the scoreboard, the city council approved the acceptance of the donation from Koeppen.
It was announced that Schutt Industries was awarded a $44.5 million firm-fixed-price, multi-year contract for Light Tactical Trailers (LTT).
At the July 27 Clintonville School Board meeting, the future of the district’s After School Program was discussed at length.
Construction of the new Main Street bridge continued.
August
The Police and Fire Commission was informed at its Aug. 10 meeting that the Clintonville Fire Department took possession of its new brush truck. The majority of the cost of the brush truck was paid for by a federal grant that the fire department had received.
The Clintonville Finance Committee learned at its Aug. 10 meeting that the estimated cost to repair the bridge on Hemlock Street was $80,000 to $100,000.
At the Aug. 11 city council meeting, the council approved taking the interim off of City Administrator Chuck Kell’s title. Kell said he planned to stay with the city for 2 1/2 years.
At the same meeting the council took no action regarding a raze order that the city had issued to the owners of the A, B and C condominium unit on 11th Street.
Also at the same meeting the council approved supporting the widening of County Trunk I. The support stopped short of approving money for such a project.
On Aug. 21 construction workers accidently ruptured a gas line at the intersection of Main and East 12th Streets. There were no injuries and no damage occurred to homes or businesses in the area.
Marion Body Works held a groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 24 for an expansion project it was embarking on.
Jim Tadych, owner of Tadych’s Econofoods, was named the 2015 Grocer of the Year by the Wisconsin Grocers Association (WGA).
September
The Clintonville A’s won the Badger Amatuer Baseball Association (BABA) Grand Championship on Sept. 6. The new scoreboard at the field was installed in time for the game.
The Tribune-Gazette reported that the Beat the Heat chapter in Clintonville had ceased operations and would dissolve. The chapter in Clintonville began in 1994.
The governance of the city of Clintonville was discussed at the Sept. 8 city council meeting, as Mayor Judy Magee missed her third straight meeting. Some council members said Magee should resign.
Clintonville resident Lucas Lamberies won the Race of Champions race at the IMCA Super Nationals at Boone Speedway in Boone, Iowa on Sept. 12. He also finished fourth in the main feature that night.
Mayor Judy Magee agreed to resign as mayor effective Jan. 1, 2016 in exchange for Tricia Rose agreeing to drop the Chapter 17 complaint against Magee. The council approved the agreement between Magee and Rose, which also included the city paying all legal fees, which at the time was estimated to approach $50,000.
The Clintonville Area Food Pantry was chosen by NBC Channel 26 to be the recipient charity organization as part of its 3 Degree Guarantee program. The food pantry was the charity organization from Oct. 1 thru Dec. 31.
The Mark Joy Memorial golf outing on Sept. 19 raised $6,640.
Citizens who had been seeking County Trunk I in Clintonville to be widened got the approval from the Waupaca County Highway Committee to widen it to 26 feet.
Clintonville Class of 1975 donated an electric guitar and amplifier to the Clintonville High School Jazz Band.
Andrew Klemp and Tiffany Bricco were named CHS homecoming king and queen.
October
Second, third and fourth grade students at Rexford/Longfellow Elementary School got a visit from Green Bay Packers players and participated in football skills and drills on Oct. 6. It was part of the Fuel Up To Play 60 program.
At the Oct. 12 school board meeting, the board discussed the future of the elementary school complex and asked for input from the community.
The Street Committee learned that the estimated cost to repair the bridge on Hemlock Street were higher than expected. The bidgs ranged from $150,000 to $400,000.
Two 14-year-old boys were suspected and appeared in court for an arson-burglary that Clintonville Police Chief Terry Lorge said caused an estimated $175,000 in home damage. The arson-burglary happened on Oct. 15 at 150 West 13th St.
Sandy Loberg was awarded the Community Hero award at the Clintonville Foundation Gala on Oct. 17.
A fire at Carver Wood Products in the city of Marion the morning of Oct. 24 destroyed the building.
At an Oct. 27 ceremony Main Street in Clintonville was reopened after more than four months of reconstruction, including replacing the Pigeon River bridge.
November
The Kansas City Royals won the 2015 World Series in five games. Clintonville native Mike Jirschele is the third base coach for the Royals.
Pomps Tire in Clintonville announced an expansion project that includes building a new warehouse next to its facility along U.S. Highway 45.
The 105th annual Meeting and Awards Banquet of the Clintonville Area Chamber of Commerce was held on Nov. 10. Marion Body Works was named Large Business of the Year. Clintonville Motors was named Small Business of the Year.
At the Nov. 16 city council meeting the council approved the 2016 city budget, which included a 28 cent increase per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
December
At the Dec. 8 city council meeting, the council decided not to appoint anyone to fill the mayoral vacancy that would be created when Judy Magee resigns on Jan. 1. Instead, Council President Lois Bressette will serve as acting mayor until the April election.
At the same meeting City Administrator Chuck Kell informed the council the Pigeon River dam is in need of repairs, but the price tag of the repairs was unknown. The needed repairs were discovered when the dam was inspected in 2012.
A 36-year-old man from Lena led police on a high speed chase through downtown Clintonville the morning of Dec. 9. The man had arranged to meet an undercover officer that he believed was a teenage girl near the city of Shawano. The man fled when officers attempted to take him into custody. The chase ended just north of Marion.
Employees from Creative Converting donate a trailer full of food to the Clintonville Area Food Pantry on Dec. 17.