It has been nearly 10 years since a referendum to consolidate our two villages was narrowly defeated. Now, a committee of area residents has resurrected the idea and is pushing ahead with its campaign for a unified Sauk Prairie. Starting on May 8, committee members and like-minded citizens will begin circulating a petition asking that the matter be taken to a vote. According to Chairman Fritz Wyttenbach, the group plans to present the petitions to each village board in June and ask the board to schedule another referendum. Wyttenbach said he knows the matter of consolidation is a sensitive one to many residents.
Some people resist change.
That such a consolidation would be costly is freely admitted by Wyttenbach and other members of the committee. For instance, Wyttenbach said taxes would certainly go up. Committee member Gary Tomter said he felt a unified Sauk Prairie would be better prepared for future challenges. While those who favor consolidation feel the change is a matter of common sense, they have few concrete examples of the advantages of a union. When questioned about what would happen to civil servants and the two fire departments, changes to all government forms and whether the village with the smallest debt and mill rate would have to make up the difference, there were no real answers.