The assumed problem with the new Columbus TIF - information ONLY! And Mink River

Hi all - I'm TRYING to put out a blog once a week now on Mondays or Tuesdays but a trip to Door County to the cabin nixed that idea this last week.  Door County called. 

One thing I learned from the the owners of Mink River an amazing bar in Ellison Bay was I might have helped bring people to the bar. You see I mentioned their AMAZING burger (literally the best I have ever had) on Madison Foodie and the bar has been getting lots of new tourists/customers since. And Cory blamed ME!!  Then I guess there was a secret contest and Mink River in Ellison Bay won the BEST BURGER in Door County. 

SO Monday we tried their Smash Burgers - WOW 

Literally one of the most amazing flavored? burgers I’ve ever had. #MinkRiver was voted the best burger in Door County. This the Drew Smash burger with Cajun seasoning, pepper Jack cheese, caramelized onions, jalapeños and garlic aloai is INSANELY good. OMG

If you get to Northern Door - you MUST go to Mink River a "dive bar" (are there any actual dive bars around?) with a real chef - a hidden gem with a game room and outdoor patio for dogs we talked to Tony Shaloub and family last year as they were eating on the patio. DJ had a good conversation with his sister about their dogs.

DJ had the Mink Mac Smash Burger - like a Big Mac but for ADULTS - she thought it was fantastic!!!

A few years ago I was asked to take a glamor photo of Club Le Mark, a square gray wooden building and also the inside of the CC Rider Clubhouse - no photos of the outside and NO photos of The Wall.  Now I need one of The Mink - it's coming.  This one is from Terry Hickman so you can all find the place.

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This is a “get it off my chest (2)” post. Informational only not complaining (do I ever complain)?

OH One thing - I LOVE this little town. The people are friendly, it's quiet, there is not REAL violence - OH we're the center of white collar crime it seems (Midwest Horse Fair, a church lady, the Travel Center and now a baseball organization).  But every alderperson loves this town - it's a lot of work being an alderperson.  I KNOW.  BUT - always remember - these are not politicians - they are normal people like you and I trying to do the best they can trying to compromise what is good for the city and good for the residents. 

ANYWAY! 
                                      The new TIF

We all know this has been planned for 20 or more years so it’s not a surprise, in fact many home owners are welcoming new housing on section 17.  The reason we want houses is that those houses will help absorb the large seismic shaking from the large explosions that Westphal Quarry lights off without a REAL warning every month. 

We have small cracked foundations, albums on turntables skip and small cracks in drywall from the 8-10 explosion that are 550 yards away from my house. The new houses will be in the 350 yards area so they will slow down the land shaking by 200 yards.

Plus, since the quarry starts grinding at 5:30-6:00 in the morning maybe the new housing will absorb some of the VERY LOUD grinding that forces our windows to be closed on summer mornings. 

This is from my house

And from the proposed new housing 

How close can you build a house to a working quarry.  And since realtors never tell ANYBODY on Vista that there is working quarry 500 yards away . . . I’m sure new home owners will be surprised also.  I won't speak of the dust we collect inside the house.   

NEXT issue The Enerpac hill.

Before Enerpac there was a deep/ old quarry crevice about 20 feet deep full of old TVs, refrigerators and garbage that people dumped into it.  If you walk around, you can still see pieces of appliances and TVs. This was all covered up by dirt that was dumped from the Enerpac hole and is now a 30 foot high 250 yard hill.  Enerpac Hill.  I had mentioned this a few times before I was on council but since it was not in city limits nobody cared it was an uncontrolled dump for appliances. 

The ISSUE is rain

The hill has created some pretty heavy flooding onto hole #11 at Kestrel Ridge that was not there before the hill.  What used to be a 3 inch stream next to the course on heavy storms is now literally a 2 feet high torrent rushing water that floods the entire fairway of hole #11.

As you can see rain flows down the normal slant of land from the west hits the torrent of water falling from Enerpac Hill and shoves it onto the golf course, LITERALLY making a waterfall over that sand trap (now new grass as if  . . . . now).

NOW! – if you add cement from a presumed road next to the hill and more housing it’s going to be VERY wet at times.  I HOPE there are plans for a major re-direction of all that water or those houses will be on a flood plain.   Unintended consequence.

Those are my concerns and could you forward this to City Engineer Jason?
Thanks – I got that off my chest – the city has been informed  LOL

Rod Melotte – my weather station

https://www.wunderground.com/weather/us/wi/columbus/KWICOLUM2

See ya next week - when I  give the thumbs up (in a good way) to the Columbus Police Department

Warm weather IS coming - Gus the Weather Dog says so