It’s early March as I write this, and folks in the Sak’s Woods Neighborhood have endured the snowiest winter in modern history…and we all know that it’s probably not finished yet. As tired as we all are of shoveling and snow-blowing and salting and sanding, I feel the need to vent some steam about the subject of Winter and Sidewalk Maintenance. I think that many people tend to focus on their own driveways and walkways to their homes, but forget about the public sidewalks on their property (and their responsibility to keep those sidewalks in a safe state for the many people who still walk). It has been especially frustrating to see sidewalks along Branch Street — especially right near and even in front of Sauk Trail Elementary School — that are (and have been for most of the winter) in a condition that can only be described as inexcusably dangerous. Keep in mind that if snow is not removed promptly, it soon gets trampled by walkers and compressed into an icy glacier that makes walking difficult and downright hazardous. I realize that we all have busy lives and family activities and whatnot, but beyond 24 hours after a significant snow event, your sidewalks really should be taken care of (in fact, a City of Middleton ordinance states as much: http://www.ci.middleton.wi.us/ordinances/middch8.pdf ). Also, don’t forget things like corner street crossing, Metro bus stops, and fire hydrants — they all need to be cleared of snow and ice as well!

I know that winter it tough on all of us (physically, mentally, and even financially), but I’d like to ask all Sak’s Woods residents to try a bit harder to be a good citizen and think of your friends, neighbors, dog walkers, and schoolchildren who use your public sidewalks on a daily basis — keep them cleared, and keep them safe! While it’s tempting to balk at the “high cost” of buying salt or sand for winter sidewalk maintenance, consider the cost of a fine from the City, or litigation from someone who slips and falls on your dangerously icy sidewalk (both are real possibilities).

Thank you…and here’s to the early arrival of Spring!

Members of the Saks Woods Neighborhood have received letters informing us that aircraft hired by the Wisconsin Gypsy Moth Suppression Program will be flying and spraying the insecticide “Foray” (Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki or Btk) in our neighborhood sometime between late May and early June 2008. This is good news in our continuing battle to control this potentially-damaging pest. A public meeting will be held on Monday, January 28, 2008 from 7:00-8:30 pm at the West Madison Ag station (8502 Mineral Point Road) to get additional information and voice any comments or concerns…

Date: Monday, October 29th from 5:30 to 7:30pm
Place: Parisi Park

Activities: These are just “ideas” at this point. Other suggestions welcome…

1. Saks Woods semi-scary Ghost story, followed by a flashlight hike through the woods with some creatures, and at the end of the trail, a couple of treats for all kids.

2. A costume parade through the park.

3. Halloween table set up with brains, eyeballs, etc…..

4. Food and snacks to include:
Ghost/pumpkin peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Popcorn hands
Gorp
eyeball meatballs & spaghetti
Cupcake decorating
pizza?
rootbeer with dry ice

We are looking for volunteers to bring food/paper items and help set up hike and halloween table. Please email your thoughts and spread the word!!

Some neighbors along Columbus Drive have expressed concern about traffic speeds on that particular street. Columbus Drive is apparently viewed by some as a sort of “secret shortcut” (to avoid the 4-way stop at Branch Street and Maywood) — and they often exceed the residential street speed limit since there is no real “cross street traffic” on Columbus.

As we see it, there are two areas of potential danger on that street:

(1) there is a fairly steep hill at the midpoint of Columbus, and many children gather to play in the cul-de-sac (at Pinta Court) at the top of that hill. We often observe traffic clearly exceeding the 25 mph residential speed limit (to get up and over the steep hill), and with children often crossing the street, they are not easily seen since the crest of the hill is somewhat “blind” to drivers coming from either direction.
(2) the entrance to Parisi Park is near a right-angle curve in the road, where Columbus Drive turns into Mayflower. Again, with many neighborhood families and children going to/from Parisi Park, the park entrance is somewhat “blind” to drivers rounding the corner from Columbus.

As a result of these 2 dangerous spots, we wonder if speed bumps or speed ramps (photo above) might be a good “traffic calming” solution along Columbus Drive — both near the sharp Mayflower-Columbus curve, and also on either side of the steep Columbus Drive hill?

If you are in favor of such an action, Andy Lewis is our District 6 Alder, and his email addeess is district6@ci.middleton.wi.us

(1) Now is about the time (Sep-Oct) to begin spraying any egg masses that we see (on our trees, houses, lawn furniture, etc) with “horticultural oil” – Bruce Company does have this oil in stock (it costs about $20 per quart, and you mix it 1:1 with water).

(2) He is working on the grant application that would give the City the money to perform aerial spraying in April, once the new gypsy moth caterpillars begin to emerge.

(3) He thinks the City can pay for 1 or 2 pump-up sprayers and some of the oil — so if we in the Sak’s Woods Neighborhood want to form some weekend “Amish egg mass genocide parties”, we could borrow these city resources to go to the homes of those (the elderly in particular) who might need some help with the egg mass treating activities.

One other item that he brought up is that he needs to know how far beyond the fringes of Sak’s Woods the egg masses may have spread: West of Mayflower? North of Columbus into Pheasant Branch Creek? East of Sauk Trail School? South of University Ave? I guess this will help them in planning the aerial spraying activities next Spring. So if we hear from any friends/neighbors in those areas adjacent to Sak’s Woods about egg mass sightings in those fringe areas, he’d like to hear about them. His phone number is 831-7479.

Help spread the word among your Sak’s Woods neighbors!

After a relatively dry July 2007, the tides certainly changed in August — as of August 19, the Sak’s Woods Neighborhood Rain Gauge (located somewhere on Columbus Drive) has received a whopping 11.19 inches of rain for the month! Over the weekend of August 18-19, 5.21 inches of rainfall drenched Sak’s Woods, so I walked over to take a photo of Pheasant Branch Creek, which looked more like a raging river with rapids (photo above) than a small meandering creek (photo of one of the creek’s stepping stone crossing points). According to the US Geological Survey web site, Pheasant Branch Creek was carrying over 300 cubic feet of water per second around the time I took the photos — the average mid-August daily discharge rate for Pheasant Branch Creek is only about 2 cubic feet per second!

On the morning of Saturday, July 21, I talked with Middleton forester Harry Libby, who was walking around the Sak’s Woods neighborhood doing a survey (count) of gypsy moth egg masses (see photo above). He seems to believe that we have enough of a “problem” to justify a “Supression Treatment” spraying program in the Spring. This spray program would involve the use of an organic insecticide Btk like they have used in parts of Madison in recent years. In the meantime, it’s best to not disturb the egg masses for now — let the parasitic wasps do their job for the next month or two…then in October, we can begin to destroy the egg masses by using a horticultural oil (which should be available at places like Bruce Company soon). I have removed all my burlap tree skirts, since I was no longer harvesting any caterpillars or seeing any new pupae.

Let’s show those gypsy moths that they’re not welcome here in the Sak’s Woods Neighborhood!