The Bridge
News of Newburg

Thank you to everyone for their patience during construction.

July 1909	May 2003	Dec 2003
Click photo to enlarge

Start date: Sept. 1, 2003
Completion date: Dec. 19, 2003
Cost: $1.3 million
Paid for by: Washington County & Federal Funds
 

It is 10 feet longer than our old bridge and 8 feet wider than our old bridge.

With the start of the New Year the Newburg Lions Club will become more involved in the community than ever before. The Newburg Lions were granted their Charter on June 31, 1996 and have been holding raffles, car shows and other money raising events ever since. We will reach a milestone within our organization in the next month by donating over $100,000 to both community and Lion endorsed projects. The Lions thank everyone who has sponsored our projects and the business establishments who unselfishly gave donations for our raffles. We thank all the Lions, both past and present, for their unheralded efforts in helping us reach these goals.

Our projects for the new year include our annual Big Raffle Drive and a new and exciting Golf Tournament in June. This tournament will name a charity, yet to be announced, to headline the event but a new "Name Your Own Charity" will also be part of this tournament giveaway. A percentage of the money will be set aside for pre-designated places such as 1^st, 10^th or maybe 20^th place, for the charity of the golfer’s choice, or what the committee decides, depending on the amount of teams entered. Everyone entered will receive a prize along with lunch. This is still being planned, but will definitely take place in June. Jim Merkel of West Bend Lakes Golf Club, who is also a member of the Newburg Lions is masterminding this operation, so if you have any questions about this tournament he has the answers. It will be a new concept in Golf Tournaments and we hope, with the help of the community, it will be successful.

Our Car Show will be held in August and Chuck Hiller, our Car Show car expert, promises it will be bigger and better than ever. The Craft & Rummage Sale is also scheduled to take place in the park along with the Children’s Fest where children can go while their parents enjoy the Car Show, the Craft and Rummage Sale and the Newburg Lioness Village of Newburg Rummage Sale. We hope everyone in Newburg participates in the Rummage Sale and then comes down to the park for lunch and refreshments. Anyone with ideas that would help make these events better, please contact a Lion or Lioness. Anyone wishing to help in the park either with the Car Show or in the refreshment stand – please let me know, even if it’s for an hour.

Thank You – Roger Krell (Lions President).

While out walking your dog, please take the extra moment to pick up after your pet and respect the property of others. Most dog owners are conscientious about their responsibility, but those who are not spoil it for everyone. Please help keep Newburg clean.

Please remember to be a good neighbor and citizen by keeping your sidewalks clean from ice and snow. It is your responsibility to:

By Diane Miller

WWWWow - 2004.  Time sure is flying by.  May 1st will be the 6 year anniversary of the doors to Welcome, H.O.M.E. - the House of wheelchair friendly Modification Examples - opening.

Through these years we have met a lot of good people.  Some have needed and used our services.  Others, their family or friends have been overnight guests in our Bed and Breakfast.  We are honored to count many of you on our list of Welcome, H.O.M.E. volunteers. Neighbors have come and gone as we’ve gained new friends in our new neighbors...

Our program continues to be a one-of-it’s-kind in the nation.  Among other features, after 15 years, Welcome, H.O.M.E. is still operated entirely by volunteers.  You may recall (or perhaps you did not know) that we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization supported entirely by private donations.

The 501(c) 3 status means that donations made to Welcome, H.O.M.E. Inc. are tax deductible.  Donations are how we pay our bills. We receive absolutely NO tax, government or United Way dollars.   So, you see why our volunteers are so important to the program.

As you can imagine, it took us many years to raise the funds needed to construct the unique demonstration home.  And, we (which means many of you) spent 2 years on the actual construction.  

When you think about this Welcome, H.O.M.E. is quite an accomplishment for a community of any size.  It is really an extraordinary feature for a Village our size.  Says a lot for the caring, sharing community we are fortunate to live in.
 Wonder what it is we actually do?  Well, this entire house was created to showcase wheelchair friendly designs and assistive equipment.  Due to the fact that not everyone living with a disability (temporary, permanent, progressive) has the same needs, capabilities, decorating tastes or budget this is an important opportunity to have.  Some of our ideas are complex.  Many are quite simple and inexpensive.  We are here to share our knowledge and ideas with you.  Tours are available - free of charge - by appointment - to anyone!  Call Diane at 675-2525 if you’re interested or just curious.
 Planning your club meetings for the coming year?  Have a scout group learning about disability and awareness?  Welcome, H.O.M.E.  Bed & Breakfast is available to you.

There are picnic tables and walking trails in the woods.  We have the pleasure of seeing a variety of spring woodland flowers that bloom along the trail.  The robins and red winged blackbirds are typically back for the season in mid-March.   Bluebirds are checking out houses in early April.  

Our spacious lower level, with a wall of south facing windows  overlooking the prairie, offers numerous seating areas, a TV and VCR, slide projector, fireplace, rest room...  If a meal or dessert are part of your event we have a kitchen area and bbq grills you are invited to use.

While a tour of the wheelchair accessible demonstration home may be incorporated into your meeting - this is not a requirement!  If you’re interested - call  Diane for more information.    

It’s  not too soon to think about summer vacation plans - personally I can¹t wait for the warm weather to get here !!!!  Are you hosting out-of-town guests this summer?   Concerned that you don’t have enough beds (or bathrooms) for everyone to be comfortable? Remember, we are open to the public.  No disability required !!!

And, if you’re doing some spring cleaning and need a new home for any of the following, we’ll take them off your hands:  workshop tools, kitchen things - for the lower level kitchen  a lawn tractor - only if it¹s in working order, please, old hats for our collection (guests really are impressed with the hats on the shelves in the B&B).  They prompt the telling of many touching "I remember when" moments.
 
A perfect activity for Welcome, H.O.M.E.  

By Connor Killian

The Myraneers 4-H is a club that does volunteer work and community service. The Club’s members are also able to enter exhibits into the Washington County Fair. We meet every third Wednesday of the month at the Trenton town hall. Most of the people who join are people who would like to make our county a nicer place to live and that would like to have an extra educational project outside of school. So if you would ever like to join, just come to the Trenton Town hall on Highway 33 on the third Wednesday of the month.

Some of the projects that you can participate in are: dairy, international, communications, sewing, cake decorating, music/drama and woodworking. An example of what you would do in one of the project is in International Project, you go to several meetings. At the meetings you discuss what country you would like to research, and then you pick something to make. The final project could be an artifact box with things from that country, or maybe a travel brochure. Or you could write a report on why you would like to visit this country.

Then you take the project to the fair and get your project judged. When you are in front of the judge, you explain why you did this project and what you learned from it. Then the judge gives you feedback on why it is good and what you could do to improve the project. The judge then gives you a placement ribbon (1st, 2nd, 3rd. etc.) – 1st place is a blue ribbon. This is one of the best parts of 4-H because you get to "show off" what you did. There are also club activities. One of the things that you can participate in are the local community parades. You put together a float based on a theme. Then you drive the float in a couple of parades with some members handing out candy, and others handing out flyers with information about 4-H on them. There are also people on the float waving to the crowd.

Another activity that the club does is Market Days. This takes place at the West Bend Farmer’s Market. Here, people from the club bring baked goods to sell. We also sell drinks and make brats, hamburgers and hotdogs to sell to the people at the market. This is my favorite activity that the whole club does.

Finally, there are community services that our club does. For example – we go caroling at the homes of our friends and neighbors in Newburg. We sign a couple of carols and present a small handmade gift to show our friendship. We also visit our adopted grandparents at the Senior Home. We visit them every month and on important holidays, like Christmas, Easter and their birthdays. We also do planting at the Washington County Fair Park to keep it looking nice for people when they come to visit Fair Park. It also is an especially fun place to go if you are exhibiting.

In conclusion – being in 4-H is great because you get to learn a lot, help the community, meet great people and have fun in the process.

Will be holding office hours at the Village of Newburg Village Hall on January 23rd at 9:00 a.m. Please check your local newspaper, should there be a change in the date & time.

It’s a new year and the real estate taxes are due again. If you have a dog, a license may be obtained when you pay your taxes. All dogs must have a rabies vaccination and licensed by April 1^st yearly. Licenses obtained after April 1^st are subject to a $25.00 late charge. A license is required for all dogs, whether you own or rent at your residence.

By Phil Beitz, Village Trustee

All municipalities and counties in Wisconsin are required to adopt a comprehensive plan (Smart Growth Plan) by January 1, 2010. The plan requires that all local land use related actions, programs, ordinances, and official maps be consistent with the nine elements of the comprehensive plan.

The nine elements of a plan are:

1. ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES – population, household and employment forecasts, demographic trends, age distribution, education levels, income levels and employment. What needs should we concentrate on providing for our community?

2. HOUSING – an assessment of the age, structural value and occupancy characteristics of the local housing stock.

3. TRANSPORTATION – routes for highways, transit, bicycles, pedestrians and commercial transportation. How do we want village streets to appear? What should our Main Street look like?

4. UTILITIES AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES - an assessment of needs for future sanitary sewer service, storm water management, water supply, solid waste disposal, parks, power generation, police, fire and schools.

5. AGRICULTURAL, NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES – natural resources, groundwater, wetland and wildlife habitat, prime agricultural land, historic sites and buildings and cultural resources. How should we plan to preserve these qualities?

6. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – analysis of labor force, local economic base, business retention and expansion and other issues related to economic development. What kinds of businesses are likely to prosper in Newburg and what should we do to aid and encourage them?

7. INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION – joint planning and decision making opportunities with other jurisdictions including school districts and adjacent local government units.

8. LAND USE – planning for the amount, intensity and density of existing uses of land in the local government unit such as agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial, and others. What kind of business mixes should we move toward in our downtown area? Do we need to develop an industrial park?

9. IMPLEMENTATION – this element describes how all the elements will be integrated and made consistent with the other elements of the plan.

Every community must meet the law requirements or they could be subject to legal action for any land use related decision that is not backed by a valid comprehensive plan. The law does not provide any new regulatory authority to local or county units of government.

The law has no provision that specifies how to prepare a comprehensive plan and how each element or goal is addressed. The law only states that each element must be addressed. Local governments can address each element and goal in any way it deems appropriate.

The purpose of planning is to help officials make informed and thoughtful decisions. Good information, which is the bases of good planning, helps officials predict what might happen in certain situations. The planning process involves asking the question "What do you want your community to look like and how should it function?" Ultimately, planning helps people take responsibility for their community, molding it into the kind of place in which they want to live, work, and play.

People make financial plans, vacation plans, work plans, and even grocery lists to help them achieve goals as effectively and efficiently as possible. Planning helps us to work toward goals in an orderly step-by-step process and helps to avoid costly errors. Planning allows us to look before we leap! Without routine planning, accomplishing our goals would be more difficult.

Similarly, local government planning promotes common sense and intelligent community development. Change is inevitable. Planning allows us to take a look at where we’ve been, where we are now, and identify where we would like to be in the future. A good plan allows citizens to have a say in shaping changes. Without a clear picture of citizen goals and desires, decision makers often address changes in a manner that may not be in the interest of local residents.

Public participation is the core of planning. The Village Board is working on a plan to encourage and enable citizen input to express your view of what you want Newburg to be, how you want to get there and what you want your government to do about it. We encourage you to check out the meetings posted on the bulletin board in front of the Village Hall, particularly the Planning Commission (usually the first Thursday of the month) and Village Board meetings (second and fourth Thursday of the month). These meetings include a public forum to allow you to express your views. You may also direct comments or questions to any member of these boards or just generally addressed to the Village by phone, letter or email. We are working at bringing our web site to a current status and will post more information there as this process continues.

There are several web sites that offer a great deal of information about the Smart Growth Law:

By Mary Ann Ihm

Available right in your neighborhood. They are available weekly from May to November. You can pick up right at the farm, 4382 Hickory Road. We also deliver to West Bend, Milwaukee and other surrounding communities. You get recipes and nutritional information and are invited to special festivals at Wellspring. To sign up, call Wellspring at 262-675-6755.

Hearty Vegetarian fare with live
Music by Sweet Diversity.
$15 per adult, $25 for couples
RSVP by Feb. 10th to
262-675-6755

Will be held at the Village of Newburg Village Hall on Tuesday, April 6^th This is for Village Trustees. Polls open at 9 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m. Please exercise your right to vote.

We at St. John’s hopes everyone had a nice holiday season. The school is almost half way through the year with January 13^th ending the second quarter. The year is flying by.

The school has had a lot going on since its last article. In October, the school had a presentation put on by K9 Search and Rescue Unit. Over 100 people showed up for the presentation that taught about safety and safety procedures. In December, the children participated in the Christmas Eve Celebration Service.

The beginning of March marks the start of our pre-registration for the next school year. Our preschool though 8^th grade curriculum consists of all secular subject to give children a complete education in all elementary branches of general knowledge. The children also receive daily religious instructions from their teachers.

If you have any questions regarding St. John’s Church and School, please feel free to call 262-675-6852.

Newburg – Pee Wee Co-Ed Softball and Girls Slow-Pitch Softball, Little League and Pony League.

Cost: Free

Who: All kids ages 5-15 are eligible to play. All participants must register. Parents are encouraged to participate in fund raising events.

Late registration – first come, first serve.

More Info: Please call Phyllis Damrow 675-2493.

Also: There will be a bike safety demonstration on both Saturday’s by the Village of Newburg Police Dept.

Upcoming Events:

Night Skiing – Fridays for the following dates: January 9, 23, 30, February 6 & 13 – from 5-9 p.m. Trails will be open until 8:30 p.m. (snow will hopefully be there, too). Warm fire in Coop glows until 9 p.m. Ski a one and a half mile trail, lighted by the soft glow of oil lanterns, or ski those trails lit only by the light of the moon and stars.

Moonlight Snowshoe – Friday, January 16^th from 5-9 p.m. (trails will be open until 8:30 p.m.) If you have never experienced the wintry Riveredge trails in the light of a full moon, now is your chance. Riveredge will provide the snowshoes.

Snowshoe Building Workshop – Saturday and Sunday, January 17 & 18 from 9-4. This is a 2-day workshop. Back by popular demand. You will be making a beautiful pair of snowshoes that will last you for many miles of hiking. Each participant receives a kit that includes everything you will need – except the varnish.

Hike Along for Kids – Sunday, January 25^th from 1-2:30 p.m. These hikes are designed for school aged children who want to explore the amazing and interesting land at Riveredge. Parents can tag along or do their own thing during the hike.

Fly-Fishing – Just for the Fun of It – January 27^th from 7-8 p.m. Slide presentation is designed to illustrate that you don’t need to be an expert to enjoy fly fishing. Join us at the Riveredge barn to see, hear and ask questions about fly-tying and fishing courses offered at Riveredge.

Wild Places – February 3^rd from 7-9 p.m. This scenic documentary was produced in recognition of last year’s 50^th Anniversary of the Wisconsin State Natural Acres Program and showcases stunning, protected landscapes in the state.

Fly-Tying for Beginners – February 15^th from 12:30 – 3:30 p.m., February 17^th from 6-9 p.m. and February 22 from 12:30-3:30 p.m. This 3-session class is designed to introduce fly-fishers to the craft of tying their own lures. Begin with basis. Materials are needed for the course. Call Riveredge (675-6888) for more information.

Hiking Club – February 28^th from 9:30 to noon. Whether your pace is fast or slow, we invite you to join us on a ramble.

Family Tapping of Sugarbush – February 29^th from 2-3 p.m. As winter wanes there are maple trees to be tapped, spiles placed and buckets to be hung. Bring your family and join us in these traditional labors.

Maple Sugarin’ starts in March – watch for signs.