UPDATE: Markson Rebuttal Published In Today's Gazette

Brian -
What about the water guy speaking at the annual meeting?
Dennis

Rob Montgomery, the Hydrologist, has agreed to address the annual meeting on August 2nd. Perhaps Ms. Markson will attend and rise to ask questions of Rob - but I doubt it.

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YOUR VIEWS - Tuesday's Janesville Gazette

Should we still raise water on Lake Koshkonong?

Editor, the Gazette:

As unwilling members of the Rock-Koshkonong Lake District, my husband and I have watched the recent flooding with horror. Perhaps it is time for RKLD members to call for the district to abandon the costly and unwarranted legal pursuit of raising water levels. After years of costly litigation, RKLD has lost in court with every futile attempt. I wonder how much worse the flooding might have been had RKLD prevailed with higher water levels.

Last month, we watched the river threaten businesses, homes and the quality of life for thousands of people. This year’s Rock River and Lake Koshkonong tourist season is effectively nonexistent; hundreds are just now finding out whether they have homes, and many businesses and houses remain under water.

The district wanted higher water levels; well, they got them! Be careful what you wish for.

DIANA MARKSON Edgerton
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RESPOND HERE
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The Letter to the Gazette Editor by Diana Markson is absolutely amazing.

Ms Markson states she is an unwilling member of RKLD, apparently she is un-aware that the district is a legal form of Government within the State of Wisconsin.

The Markson’s are a resident, resident owner or non-resident owner of RKLD because they are within the boundaries of the district.

A Lake District is the only form of Government in the State where a non-resident and full time non-owner resident or renter has voting rights.

The unwarranted legal pursuit she/they talk about shows how un-informed the Markson’s are because it was the majority of district residents who voted to seek a more reasonable water level and to take legal action if necessary.

Not everyone agrees or votes to build new schools, city halls, roadways, etc it is the majority of voters who dictate what government does.

We all have to learn to live with those decisions made by the majority or nothing would ever change when needed, if we find we cannot, our only choice is live elsewhere.

Flooding is an Act of God whereas the low summer water levels are a manmade drought caused by the current DNR Operating Orders.

All of the Hydrology Data, which is on the district website is available to everyone clearly shows an increase of the operating orders requested by the district has no effect on the extent of flooding or it’s duration. If they had read the data or listened to the Hydrologists presentations with an open mind willing to learn at annual meetings they would not be wondering how much worse the flood would have been as they would have known it would be the same.

The quality of life caused by floods affects all of the people not just those who were flooded, all one had to do to see that, was look at all of the help from the general public filling sandbags and working to protect strangers homes and businesses.

No one wants to see homes or businesses flooded and many people today are working to help those affected by having fundraisers, we are not writing letters to the Editor expressing unsubstantiated opinions.

Jim Folk
Milton, WI