The Dane County Board will decide Thursday whether to pay state Senate President Fred Risser, D-Madison, almost $750,000 for his property–the city’s preferred location for a new courthouse.
Risser originally asked for $1.5 million, while two appraisals cited his 140 W. Wilson property as worth $802,000 and $619,500. The Personnel and Finance Committee compromised Monday on a $728,800 offer.
Board member Tom Powell, District 5, expects the County Board to approve the offer.
“There isn’t any county board member that wants to give him any more money,” Powell said.
However, there is controversy within the board regarding alternate construction proposals. Sup. Echnaton Vedder, District 8, said some Republican conservatives suggested building the courthouse next to Risser’s property, believing the property’s value would subsequently decrease significantly.
Sup. Ruth Ann Schoer, District 9, and other board members disagree, finding this solution uneconomical. Schoer said she expects the offer to pass, and expects Risser will accept the offer. She and other board members are unsympathetic to Risser’s requests.
“I find it interesting that he says ‘my building is not for sale, but I will take $1.5 million dollars for it,'” Schoer said. “The price of our offer is more than fair and the political pressure on Risser is so great that he will accept the offer.”
Tom Powell said partisan politics has come into play, and that Republicans want to prevent the Democrats from selling property and getting money for it.
“This is an example of the slimy dealings that you’ll find occasionally in board meetings,” Powell said.
Other board members, including Vedder, said they would feel more comfortable postponing the courthouse project until budget issues were solidified.
“We need to put off the courthouse project until after we know what’s going on with the budget,” Vedder said.
Board members are waiting for Gov. Scott McCallum’s state budget reform proposal to be approved by the Legislature in order to assess how budget cuts will affect county revenue. If cuts are significant, the courthouse project could be delayed.
The courthouse will cost $44 million with construction beginning as early as this fall or as late as 2003.
The board will also act on an ordinance designed to assist town governments in combating industrial interests attempting to construct a quarry in the city. Powell said town boards normally vote against the implementation of a quarry when affected neighbors protest. However, industrial interests can obtain a conditional-use permit, which overrules the board, allowing a quarry.
“Lots of governments have been bowled over by businesses who want to put quarries in,” Powell said. “Everyone in the town might be against the quarry, but it can still pass with a conditional-use permit.”
If Ordinance 31 passes Thursday, the board will be better able to appeal a conditional-use permit.
Vedder said the ordinance has been sitting for a while, but has a better chance of passing because of growing support within the board. Powell hopes the ordinance will enable towns to better serve their constituents.
“This ordinance could save neighborhoods from high-industrial uses and prevent business mismatches for the town,” Powell said.
