VA transitional home proposal decision postponed again

On Monday afternoon, Mayor Tim Kabat was in the WIZM studio and said he wants the city council to make a decision on a VA transitional home proposal for the south side of La Crosse.

At Thursday night’s meeting, the city council voted, without debate, voted to postpone a decision for the group home for another month.

The plan was first proposed at the beginning of October and postponed for 60 days by the city plan commission. It was postponed again, two weeks ago by the commission for another 30 days.

“Just personally, I think with the proper process and staffing in place, I support the request,” Kabat said Monday. “I do feel like, for the sake of everyone involved, it’s time to make a decision.”

Some neighbors of the Farnam Street house, which has been donated by Dave and Barb Erickson for the facility, have criticized the proposal over zoning concerns and the potential loss of taxes and property value.

LEAF PICKUP

Also, at the meeting, council member Doug Happel brought up leaf collection to the mayor, saying he’s had more calls on that than any other issue in town.

“Some of the concerns I’ve had — with respect to my north side colleagues — is that for the last 450 to 500 years, we seem to pick the leaves up on the North Side first and then the south side,” Happel said, joking. “Unfortunately it seems to snow before the south side leaves get picked up.”

That brought this explanation about city staffing from Kabat.

“The same crews that are paving streets and picking up leaves also have to then plow snow,” Kabat said. “Way back when — not quite 450 years ago as you said — but a few years ago, the street department had 60 people that worked in that department. Today they have 34 or 35.”

Kabat added they will discuss the matter in January, with the possibility of crews getting leaves in the spring after the snow melts.