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Email Re: Pledger Column

Commissioners -
The newsletters look great. Thank you for the board's time in putting those together. They are easy to read and informative. If Pledger is Milton resident, then how is it he has never heard of the Lake District? You would think if he is such pals with those few bird-watchers, they might complain about our water level request to him, and then Pledger might be curious enough to call one of the board members???

How are lake levels right now?
Paul

Paul -
Both the website and the periodic newsletters post the good, the bad and the ugly. As a government body, we are compelled to be 100% transparent with how we spend your tax dollars.

It might be a fair to take a shot at the lake district for our water level request if you are one of those who oppose dams of any kind, or would rather keep the lake as dry as possible - I respect different OPINIONS. But I ask that people at least get the FACTS right.

And yes, I want the tax payers of the lake district to get credit for being smart and generous - the RKLD lobbied and passed legislation to rip-rap those wetlands. And while no one expected the Wetlands Club to say "THANK YOU," it was insulting to read something that implies the RKLD had ZERO responsibility for shoreline protection.

The lake is at 776.46 today - 3.12 inches OVER DNR summer target level.

Gazette Prints Response to Pledger

Ch. 31 vs. NR 103

Brian
I just briefly read some more of it and I find that the DNR is still misinterpreting NR103 by co-mingling it with CH (31.02), which is normal for the DNR because they want to write state law instead of abiding to it.
James
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Chapter 31 HERE

NR 103 HERE

DNR Brief is Incomplete

This is what the DNR is excluding in their brief.

No way can they say lower water or natural state offers greater recreational value.

CHAPTER 31 -

2. The department shall deny the permit if it finds any of the
following:

a. It appears that the river in its natural state offers greater recreational facilities and scenic value for a larger number of people than can by proper control of the flowage level be obtained from the use of the lake and lakeshore and that the remaining sections of the river and other rivers in the area in their natural state provide an insufficient amount of recreational facilities and scenic beauty, and it further appears that the economic need of electric power is less than the value of the recreational and scenic beauty advantages of the river in its natural state.

b. The permit will cause environmental pollution, as defined
in s. 299.01 (4).

Pledger Responds to Criticism

Mr. Pledger,

I read with interest your article on "Koshkonong Group Stays Focused" but you should have checked Mr. Duesterbeck's statement as factual ("Thanks to mostly private donations, our members have rip-rapped five miles of the shoreline to fight wave erosion").

If you would have checked with Brian Christianson, Chairman of the Rock-Koshkonong Lake District you would have learned that the district sponsored 9 wetland restoration grants and that the Rock River Koshkonong Association sponsored one for a total of 10- $10,000 grants for rip-rapping wetland shorelines, which constitutes the majority of wetland rip-rap.

Jim Folk

Response from D.S. Pledger --

Had I known Brian Christianson (or the existance of the Rock-Koshkonong Lake District organization) I certainly could have checked it out, but I was going on information which I had no reason to feel was suspect.

I assume that when I interview someone they are giving me the facts, unless they tell me something that sounds fishy or sets off an alarm in some way, in which case I'll look into it further.

Sorry, but "Thanks to mostly private donations, our members have rip-rapped (lined with stone) five miles of the lake's shoreline to fight wave erosion, but it's an ongoing project." didn't ring any of those bells...

Reply from Jim Folk --

Didn't ring any bells? The RKLD has been in the news of the Janesville Gazette since 1999.

Response from D.S. Pledger --

I don't subscribe to the Janesville Gazette

Rock County Circuit Court Briefs POSTED

RKLD, LKRA, RRKA Joint Brief HERE

DNR Brief HERE

Wetlands Club and Thiebeau Hunt Club Joint Brief HERE

_______________________________________

IMPORTANT DATES:

Friday, November 16th
Joint Petitioner Reply Brief Due

Friday, December 14th
Oral Arguments heard by Judge Dillon, Rock County Circuit Court

From Lakelinks: More on Pledger

Just got to read the article from the JG and this should be in some Hollywood rag that speaks without data!! You have to be kidding me about the things that were published and the JG takes no ownership of this trash, what is this world of no lack of media resposibility coming to?
whosyrdaddy

LakeLinks Reply Re: Pledger Column

Tony2chins,
I find your comments interesting to say the least. Did you read the D S Pledger article?

I did and I found it very interesting because one of the original wetland group’s founders gave credit to private individuals for donating money to riprap the wetland shorelines, which is totally untrue.

It was the RKLD who sponsored the wetland owners, applied for the grant money under special legislation by Senator Kedzie, which read in part:

Special wetland incentive grants of up to $10,000 are eligible for 100 percent state funding if the project is identified in the sponsor's comprehensive land use plan.

When sponsoring those restoration grants the district also became responsible for those projects, if they are not kept in good condition, the district must go after the landowner to either repair or remove.

Until the Lake District stepped up, wetland owners were not allowed to riprap or protect their shorelines.

The misconception most people present on here are, “the district is anti wetlands and that is not true”.

The district has always included wetland preservation in all studies conducted. They have worked with the DNR, Army Corps of Engineers and State Legislature seeking solutions for not only wetlands, but also recreation users of all categories who use this resource.

By Pledger’s not checking his sources statements a very important fact is being missed by many and that is, it is not just LKWA trying to protect the resources.

RKLD is working to protect and enhance the resources for all users not just wetland enthusiasts.

The district posts comments pro & con, so if you have a comment send it to them!
Diver
_______________________________

Someone obviously has engaged their brain, and not their 2 chins.

LakeLinks Post re: Pledger

Jigged the newville bridge Monday. Plenty of action if you like shorties. Crawler pref fyi.

By the way, RKLD new low. God forbid the local media write anything positive about the lake. Make sure to read article and wild accusations. This is leadership and lake promotion? Oh and tell Ned its called the TIP hotline. Hour before sunrise? The time change is this week. Maybe he didn't get the memo.
Tony2Chins
_________________________________________

Now we know why he is not called "Tony2Brains"

Did Pledger Receive Pay for Play?

Nice article written by Mr. Pledger.

I wonder if he is just another in the long line of people the wetland group have pushed into making a complete fool of themselves by either writing or speaking the words of a bunch of self centered hunters. I suppose it is possible the wetland group has given out another free membership to someone who is willing to forget about the facts and pass on their beliefs.

In Kane County Illinois several years ago a columnist wrote an article about a judge that was similar in facts. The judge took the paper to court and won a huge judgment. The opinion of the court was that the paper had an obligation to make sure all the information printed was in fact the truth.

The Gazette surely should have the same obligation to at least read something before it goes to print. They have printed enough articles about the Lake District to at least be able to take some responsibility for this article. The guy doesn’t work directly for the paper so it’s OK?

For those clubs to take credit for the rip rap is a complete joke. If we dig into the facts we could find they took the money and did the work with volunteers from their own clubs.

Lets video the next Annual Meeting and send it to the TV stations so they can show everyone just how interested these guys are in protecting anything except the right they think they have to kill as many waterfowl as they choose. They are blasting away in the morning at least an hour before sunrise on the weekends and I wouldn’t be surprised if they drive over the lovely orchids on their four wheelers on the way to the duck blinds.
Ned