A parcel of 117.5 acres of state-owned land is potentially up for sale by the state of Wisconsin, and that fact puts fear into Gerry Frey’s heart.
Frey, a long time resident of the area, pleaded with the Common Council last Tuesday, to support the aquisition of the land by the DNR. If the DNR could aquire the land, then possibly this natural pristine area he loves so dearly could be preserved. He got the Common Council to agree with him on a 6-1 vote, his battle hasn’t even begun.
The Gov. Jim Doyle mentioned the possiblity of the land, currently utilitzed the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, as being a surplus piece of property that could be sold with profits helping to stabilize the State budget.
The vote that the Council Tuesday is only a mere recomendation by the city on a decision that is made in Madison.
The North Oshkosh property is one of the few undeveloped areas of shoreline along Lake Winnebago.
The DNR does not want to see development on the land. They support the title of the land to be transffered to the government body, but doesn’t have an interest to physically purchase it. If the DNR can’t get the land title to be transferred then they would support the land to be controlled by an agency that would conserve it.
Common Council member Shirley Braubender Maddox wrote the piece to be brought up and discussed by the Common Council.
Quote on why Shirley brought this to the council? Why does she think the council’s approval may help?
Thus creating a conundrum, how does a state-run organization get control of a land that the State wants to sell for profit?
Other concerns of possible development on the property is the known existence of Indian habitats and possible burial grounds on the property.
“It is known that people lived here,” said Behm.
The land has never formally been surveyed though, so the archelogical value of the area is not state known. Unless this land is assessed, there is no protection of the possible historic value of the land. The only laws that protect ancient Indian habitation sites are the presence of possible burial grounds.
“If anybody developed on the area and they came across a burial ground it would be their responsiblity to cover the excavation of it,” said Behm. “That could increase cost dramatically and that may concern the devleoper But when someone discovers a burial ground, in essence, it’s already been partially destroyed.”
In the summer 2005, 15 Indian graves were found at the site of Neenah’s Water Filtration Plant along Lake Winnebago. The graves were discovered in April 2005 during the digging of a storm sewer.
posted by Oshkosh Music Scene @ 7:08 AM
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