“Currently the police department has concerns with the amount of traffic that is being detoured through local streets."”

Police Chief Eric Michaels

PRESCOTT – Prescott Police Chief Eric Michaels is advocating for the main Prescott Daze activities to move from Broad Street to Front Street and the Mercord Mill parking lot because of safety concerns.

Michaels and the Prescott City Council’s Public Safety Committee met Monday, March 13 with Prescott Daze Committee members to discuss the change, which would allow traffic along Broad Street/Highway 35.

Broad Street is closed during Prescott Daze from Highway 10 south to Walter Street, and vendors set up booths in the road and other activities occur.

Michaels’ main concern is that traffic to and from Highway 35 to the south is then diverted to city streets.

“Currently the police department has concerns with the amount of traffic that is being detoured through local streets,” he said.

It would also put the renovations from the extensive riverfront project the city did this past year on full display.

“The city had just completed renovations to the riverfront and will be completing other upgrades in the future that would make the proposed Front Street/Mercord Mill parking lot location a more desirable location without additional traffic through the downtown route,” Michaels said.

The police department set up its traffic trailer on Young Street during Prescott Daze last Sept. 10-11. Young Street averaged 622 vehicles each day on the residential street.

Prescott Daze Committee members suggested as an alternative to closing Broad Street, which makes downtown the focal point of the annual celebration on at least Saturday of the event, to detour Highway 35 using another route, such as County Road QQ to the south and east of Prescott.

“We’re having discussion on whether or not to close Broad Street for Prescott Daze. We’re moving forward in having an alternative route rather than closing Broad Street,” said committee chair Darlyn Hintz at the Prescott City Council meeting that same evening. “They’re looking at QQ as an alternate for people to drive around Broad Street the day of Prescott Daze, just that Saturday, and they’re going to work with the sheriff to see if that’s an option. We’re going to have a meeting in April and see if we can come to some sort of determination as to different options. There are several concerns from our police chief in regard to safety and wanting to make sure that there’s ample parking, but that people are able to maneuver around safely. The biggest issue is when Broad Street is closed off, the current detour is literally going straight up and through town, and we’ve just had significant complaints over the last few years.”

The Prescott Daze Committee will contact the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and Oak Grove Township to discuss using County Road QQ. When that’s done, a special Public Safety Committee meeting will be held in April.

Election equipment

The city tabled a request from City Clerk Rashel Temmers for the purchase of Badgerbooks electronic voting equipment.

Temmers said $9,000 was included in the city Capital Improvement Plan for purchase of the Badgerbooks, which the Wisconsin Election Commission is recommending using at the polls.

“Traditionally, when residents come in for voting, they show proof of identification and sign a printed poll book. With the advancement in technology, the State of Wisconsin has implemented the use of touch screens for voters to sign in and cast their votes which is sent directly to the State of Wisconsin,” Temmers wrote in a memo to the city council.

Council members had questions on whether people actually vote on the machines and if voters would trust voting electronically, rather than the paper ballot system used now.

Temmers said the internet connection used by elections workers is secure.

“When Beth (Finance Director Beth Lansing) and I are doing anything with the election, we have a specific sign in with the State of Wisconsin Election Commission. It’s done by internet but it’s very secure. There’s no way anyone else can get in on it,” said Temmers.

Alderperson Bailey Ruona was skeptical.

“I could tell you stories,” she said.

With the proposed system, eventually there would be no paper ballots used and everything would be done on the tablet, from signing in to voting.

“All that information is sent directly to the Wisconsin Election Commission,” Temmers said.

Ruona said, “This is a sensitive topic for me at least.”

Council members agreed they’d rather vote on paper. They also had questions on whether actual voting takes place on the tablets or if it’s just a check-in system, and staff is going to come back with those answers.

Alderperson Thomas Oss had another idea: “One of my thoughts on this, getting back to the money, why don’t we just hang out and wait until we get a situation where the state may pay for it.”

Special assessments

Following a public hearing where a few residents had questions mainly about tree removal on boulevards, the council unanimously approved special assessments to property owners along the planned Locust Street rebuild that is expected to start in May. Property owners along the route will be assessed $29 per foot for curb and gutter replacement and $2,071 for replacement of sewer laterals.

The bid opening for the Locust Street project is scheduled for April 5, with the city council awarding the bid April 10. Substantial completion of the project is projected by Oct. 31.

Greg Adams of Cedar Corp., the city’s engineering firm, said actual assessments could be lower than the preliminary number, but those figures aren’t known until construction is complete. Property owners will be billed in December for the total and will have 30 days to pay the bill. If it isn’t paid, the amount will be charged interest at a rate of 5.67 percent. Any amount not paid by the time tax bills are computed in 2024 will be put on the property as a delinquent tax.

Special assessments are expected to pay $220,630.20 of the $1,819,520 project.