Samples of News Articles
Written by Fred Noer

Town of Delavan annual meeting

Town of Delavan Board of Supervisors meeting

City of Delavan Common Council meeting

City of Delavan Plan Commission meeting

Annual meeting of Historical Society
of Walworth and Big Foot Prairie

Meeting of the Delavan-Darien Friends
of the Visual and Performing Arts

Town of Delavan annual meeting
Published in the Delavan Enterprise on April 21, 2005

A first step in the possible transfer of responsibility for maintaining the water quality of Delavan Lake to the Delavan Lake Sanitary District (DLSD) was taken Tuesday, April 12 at the annual Town of Delavan meeting.

Residents at the session at Delavan Town Hall voted 74-28 to direct the Town of Delavan Board of Supervisors to ask DLSD officials to assume direction of an important lake-related project. It involves dredging ponds to prevent pollutants from entering the lake.

The ponds are located in a wetlands on the north side of Mound Road at the mouth of the lake. Water sets in the ponds before it travels south to the lake inlet, which is on the north side of Hwy. 50 in the area known as Delavan Inlet. Because the ponds have filled with sediment, they are not filtering the water as well as they should.

Dredging the ponds to a depth of 8-10 feet was supposed to be done last fall. However, the work was started but not completed due to complications with the town obtaining proper permits from the State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Since the dredging still has not started again this spring, residents expressed their dissatisfaction with town mismanagement of the project and decided to take a different approach. Their effort was spearheaded by former town chairman Wayne Polzin, 7090 Delview Ave., who made a motion calling for the town to lease the wetlands to the DLSD. Tentatively, the cost would be $1 annually.

While the specific motion is narrow, it opened up the possibility of the DLSD taking charge of the dredging. The matter was discussed Tuesday, April 19 at the regular monthly meeting of the DLSD Board of Commissioners, whose members are president Ed Brien, Robert Leff and John Buckles.

When Polzin introduced his concept, he expressed he would like the DLSD to oversee "the entire lake project," but he did not explain his reference. He focused on the dredging, saying, "The wetlands ponds have laid there for 10 years, and nothing was done. The water quality has been going down. They'd be in better shape and under better control under the DLSD."

Although not in his motion, Polzin also favored transferring project funds from the town to the DLSD. The amount of the funds was not discussed. The town board lake committee budgeted $375,000 for the project, which included engineering, dredging, construction of wetland berms to direct water flow and installation of different wetland plants for better water filtering. Some of the money has been spent.

"We're talking about what is in the best interests of Delavan Lake," Polzin said. "It is not a big amount of money. If the ponds had been properly maintained, it would've cost a lot less."

While such a project may seem outside the DLSD's purpose, already the organization maintains and monitors the lake outlet dam, has water-quality testing stations, sprays for weeds and harvests them. The district was organized in 1981 to provide for the construction and operation of a sewer system covering a 4.7 square-mile area around the lake.

DLSD administrator Kevin MacKinnon, also a member of the town board lake committee, anticipated commission acceptance of the Polzin-initiated proposal. "Based on my 25 years of work with the district, I think the commissioners would go forward with the challenge," he said. "I appreciate the vote of confidence for the sanitary district."

If the DLSD commissioners agree to assume responsibility for the dredging, they will have to sign an intergovernmental agreement with town officials. The document would address all aspects of the wetlands lease and dredging project, particularly how funding would be transferred from the town to the DLSD.

The need for an agreement was emphasized by town attorney Steve Wassel. It will be drawn up based on negotiations between the town and DLSD. Persons at the annual meeting approved the need for negotiations after a motion by Dorothy Burwell, N4836 Hwy. O north.

Other matters at the meeting pertained to the lake. Nancy Coglianese, 1629 Cedar Point Dr. wants to see income from the inlet boat launch put into a town fund for improving the lake. Marvin Herman, still holding the town chairman position at the time of the meeting, advised her to raise the issue during the preparation and approval of the 2006 town budget this fall.

Jane Harries, Inlet Oaks, of the Delavan Lake Improvement Association (DLIA) announced an association meeting open to the public at 9 a.m., Saturday, April 23 at the Delavan Lake Yacht Club. Under discussion will be a DLIA report about the economic impact of the lake.

Leff, 2936 North Shore Dr., proposed a new part-time town position - lake publicity director. He envisioned the person attending meetings of town committees and serving as the lake committee secretary.

"The person would provide timely information to the media and the public about the condition of the lake and updates of lake projects," Leff said. "As we do project on the lake, people in the sanitary district and the town are not aware of what's happening. At the meetings we say `We ought to tell them, ‘ but no one is `we.'"

The proposal was voted down soundly. Opponents disliked spending more money and pointed out information is available from the DLIA.


Town of Delavan Board of Supervisors meeting
Published in The Delavan Enterprise on August 26, 2004

Values of many private properties in Delavan Township for taxing purposes will be increased next year, based on the Town of Delavan Board of Supervisors ordering a revaluation at the board meeting Tuesday, Aug. 17.

The work will be done by town assessor Keith Munson of National Appraisal in Milwaukee at a cost of $75,000. He will begin the project this fall and will have it completed by next May when property owners will be able to look at their reassessments and talk with Munson during the so-called open book session.

People with objections to the new amounts may schedule to appear next June before the town board of review. Its members may vote on adjusting the values.

During the board of supervisors meeting chairman Marvin Herman reported the state government notified the town the percentage of assessed valuation to actual or equalized valuation is 75 percent. The state expects the percentage to be as close to 100 as possible and mandates the figure be within 10 percent every four years.

Munson, who attended the meeting, said, "It is a function of inflation that the percentage drops." He noted he will revalue property by looking at 2003 real estate transactions in the county. No exterior or interior property inspections will be conducted.

"The prices of real estate are skyrocketing in the town," Herman said. "We don't want to come into 2005 at 60 or 65 percent."

When the matter was discussed at the town board work meeting Aug. 11, town attorney Steve Wassel, who will prepare a contract between the town and National Appraisal, agreed the town should proceed. "If you wait, and the percentage goes down to 60 percent, all the citizens will scream more than they will already," he said.

Approval of the revaluation was given by Herman and supervisors Richard Hummel, Larry Malsch, Jay Goethal and Jack Fleming II.

They also approved another contract with National Appraisal to have it monitor on a monthly basis property assessments during 2005. The firm will be paid $22,000.

Another contract was approved unanimously with Arris Corp., a Williams Bay firm owned by Vernon Choyce that is planning and designing the new police station. It will be located on a site on the west side of the town hall along Town Hall Road.

The agreement with Arris arranges for the company to proceed with civil engineering for the project. Brian Schuk, an attorney with Wassel Law Offices in Delavan that provides counsel to the town, updated the board about the project, noting that ground should be broken in October.

Three pavilions in Delavan Township Community Park will be reroofed this summer by Paulson Construction, Elkhorn, upon the board awarding the firm a contract. Paulson's bid of $3,635 for the work was the lowest of four received.

The expenditure will be offset by the sales of two trucks no longer used by the town public works department. Don Gunderson of Sharon was the high bidder at $3,000 for a 1991 Dodge pick-up truck. Pioneer Landscaping of Delavan placed the highest bid of $2,888 for a 1987 International dump truck.

More money was received by the town from the recent sale of a lake weed-harvesting machine. According to an announcement at the Aug. 11 board work meeting, the Aquarius harvester was bought by Alaska Divers & Underwater Storage of Eagle River, Alaska. The firm paid $22,000.


City of Delavan Plan Commission meeting
Published in the Delavan Enterprise on July 22, 2004

Another step toward the probable construction of a large Lowe's home improvement store on the east side of Delavan was taken Monday night when the City of Delavan Plan Commission approved two major facets of the project.

The action by the commission coincided with two related approvals for the project granted Tuesday, July 13 at the city common council session. It was held at the Municipal Building, as was the commission meeting.

Action on all four matters has led to the project being addressed again Tuesday, Aug. 10, the date of the next regular meeting of the council. Tentatively, it will act on a final plat of the acreage that would accommodate Lowe's and will vote on a conditional use permit that would allow the store to be built.

First, however, a public hearing will be held on issuing the permit during the Aug. 10 meeting. A hearing is not required prior to voting on the final plat of the store site, which measures 14.5 acres in the Delavan Crossings shopping center along Hwy. 50. The store would be north of the current Chili's restaurant.

The store would cover approximately 135,000 square feet, including an indoor lumberyard. The store also has a 14,000-square-foot outdoor garden center, two outdoor sales areas totaling 5,625 square feet and a 743-vehicle parking lot.

When the council considers the conditional use permit and the final plat, the council members will be able to refer to recommendations for approval by the commission. They were passed by commissioners Royce DeBow, Wallace Rouse, Ron Henriott, Dan Szczap, Dale Gauger and Mel Nieuwenhuis. Gauger also serves on the council, and Nieuwenhuis is the mayor. Bruce DeWitt, the other commissioner, did not attend the meeting.

Prior to the votes, discussion for 50 minutes was held about the two matters. Several topics were addressed by commissioners, project consultants, city staff members and Delavan residents.

The matter gaining the most attention pertained to the appearance of the proposed building. Michael Slavney, city planner from the firm of Vandewalle & Associates in Madison, suggested the walls and upper wall extensions on three sides be extended to hide from view heaters, air conditioners and other store environment control equipment.

Slavney's suggestion will be incorporated into the design by architect Abbas Haideri of the firm Boice Raidl Rhea of Merriam, Kan. He will be advised by project manager Evan Vlaeminck, Midwest regional site-development director for Lowe's Companies in Naperville, Ill. (The corporate office of Lowe's Home Centers is in North Wilkesboro, N.C.)

The architectural changes also will involve varying the heights of the wall extensions to satisfy Slavney's contention that straight lines on the sides of buildings are not aesthetically pleasing. He said his opinion would have been voiced during the early stages of designing the Wal-Mart and Kohl's stores, but "I'm on a learning curve with these big boxes, as we all are," he said.

Aesthetics also was a concern of Ron Siedelmann, a council member who attended the meeting. He strongly urged the design to be revamped so the store would not look so much like other large retail buildings, referring to Wal-Mart in the same shopping center. He stated better-looking buildings would fit more with the community and its residents.

Ryan Schroeder, another council member at the session, asked about traffic, water pressure, store size and store employment. He voiced support for the store if his concerns are addressed satisfactorily.

Having seen construction crews recently working on the street entering the shopping center, Schroeder wondered if the traffic volume already necessitated pavement repairs. Mark Wendorf, city public works director, said the work corrected errors made during street construction and resulting from a crushed telephone conduit.

Joe Mesler, city building and zoning commissioner, noted the streets meet state and federal government standards, and Vlaeminck said truck traffic to the store only would increase if it were smaller, as Schroeder inquired, because not as much merchandise could be stored on-site. Vlaeminck also said 150-200 people would be employed, depending on business volume and the time of the year.

Truck traffic will amount to an average of 24 trucks daily making deliveries. The drivers will be routed to loading docks on the northwest and north sides of the store via two drives. Explanations about the routing and the docks were provided by Kevin Harder, manager of project engineering from Smith Engineering Consultants in McHenry, Ill.

Bob Slavin, who lives at 122 N. 5th St., Delavan, asked why an economic impact study was not done. Mesler said, "This has been brought up by a previous city council, but it is not a requirement of the zoning code, and the city does not have the right to ask for it. The council can change the code if a majority votes to do that."

Before the council votes on the conditional use permit Aug. 10, those involved in the store project will have to address the size of the main store sign, the installation of another sign and changes to lighting and landscaping plans.

Discussion about the final plat began with David Kilkenny of 820 Parish St. asking about an accommodation for the possible location of a high-powered electricity line run through the property. He said the line would extend north to Mound Road from an electrical station at the corner of Hwy. 50 and North Shore Drive. Wendorf said an easement is available for the line.

Gauger was concerned about water run-off from the building roof and parking lot. Harder related that the water would flow into a 13.75-acre retention basin on the north side of the building. The basin also will serve future development in the area.

Rouse questioned how improvements such as water mains, roads and sewer pipes will be paid. They will be handled in the developer's agreement, Wendorf said, and be paid through a tax-incremental financing district or special assessments.

Slavin criticized Lowe's and the project and suggested they may lead to poverty among workers due to an alleged lack of pension and the increasing cost of insurance. He shared his views that the store would contribute to traffic gridlock, pollution and the need for the construction of another school in Delavan. No one addressed his concerns except Rouse, who said another school may be needed even without Lowe's.

Siedelmann inquired about the amount of green space, referring to land that will have grass or plantings. Harder reported the Lowe's site will have 15 percent of such space.

The council meeting July 13 was pivotal for the project because land for it was rezoned. Included in the rezoning from the rural holding district classification to the business regional category were the store site, the lot for the water retention basin and three other lots that front Hwy. 50. The total acreage is 38.55.

Three aldermen - Dale Gauger, Donald Edmunds, Jay Adams - voted in favor of the rezone, and three voted against it - Siedelmann, Schroeder and Michael O'Dell. That meant Nieuwenhuis had to vote, which he does only to break a tie. His affirmative vote passed the rezone.

The same vote resulted when the council members had to decide to approve a preliminary plat for the store property. That action resulted in the plat being sent back to the plan commission for final review, which was done Monday night. The commission also reviewed the preliminary plat and rezone before they were sent to the council.

Before the council voted on the rezone, a public hearing was convened at which Slavin and Kilkenny spoke in addition to former mayor Beth Supernaw, 625 Park Ave.; Barbara Shreves, 640 Holland Ave.; and Merlyn Dahl, 403 E. Wisconsin St.

Slavin wanted to know about Lowe's as a company, but his inquiry was not answered, and no information was produced by council members or David Watts, a representative of Household Finance Corp. of Prospect Heights, Ill. The firm is developing Delavan Crossings.

Other questions posed by Slavin addressed the basis of the plan commission's rezone recommendation and whether the store is good for the city. Nieuwenhuis said, "I do feel it is good for the city because it will provide jobs and more choices for consumers. It is consistent with the city plans for developing the TIF district. I think Lowe's has provided enough information."

Slavin began pressing the council members for their opinions about the project. He was cut off by city attorney Dale Thorpe of the Delavan firm of Thorpe, Compton & Christian. He stated such questions were not relevant to the rezone. No council members objected to Thorpe's action or statement.

That prompted Supernaw to ask about the purpose of a hearing. "On what can we comment if we don't have any information?" she said. "We have to have knowledge. What is the proper place to get it?"

Slavin stated citizens are not allowed to make comments at plan commission meetings, "so when can we? This amounts to taxation without representation."

Thorpe as well as city administrator Betty Wassel and Edmunds urged residents to go to the Municipal Building to ask for information about city matters, and it will be provided. Committee meetings also may be attended to learn more about issues.

Shreves agreed with Slavin and Supernaw. "There should be more information available on a general level," she said. "We've been through this before with Wal-Mart before it was built and we expressed our opinions. I think there's a real problem with this in the city. I thought we made movement on this in the past, but we still are not given information."

Dahl, who regularly attends council meetings, added his perspective. "We have a right to question city officials," he said. "How can we vote intelligently for our city fathers if we don't question them? You should take another look at this."

Nieuwenhuis pledged to allow people to speak at the next plan commission meeting, which was Monday night. Residents freely participated in the discussion.     Before the hearing was closed, Siedelmann raised questions about storm water management, Hwy. 50 traffic, green space requirements and an economic impact study. He noted he outlined them in a letter three months ago to Mesler but did not receive adequate answers.

"Those requests for information are not unreasonable, and they have to be addressed before I can vote on this," Siedelmann said. "Because I'm not satisfied with the response I cannot favor this rezone."

When the preliminary plat for the Lowe's land was raised later in the meeting, no discussion was held prior to the 4-3 vote.


City of Delavan Common Council meeting
Published in The Delavan Enterprise on July 22, 2004

By approximately Nov. 1 a Panera Bread restaurant will open in the Delavan Crossings shopping center along Hwy. 50 on the east side of Delavan.

Construction of the 4,980-square-foot building began early last week on a 1.4-acre site next to a small strip mall containing several businesses such as Coldwell Banker Primus Realty, Domino's Pizza and Radio Shack. As do those businesses, Panera Bread will face south.

The restaurant, which will have an in-house bakery, will be open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will serve sandwiches, soups, baked goods and beverages. Seating will be available for approximately 130 diners, and an outdoor patio will accommodate another 33 persons.

The building will be constructed by Brosel Construction, Waterford, Wis., based on a design by the Chicago architectural and planning firm of Mann Gin Dubin & Frazier. The exterior will be finished in brick veneer and masonry with a sandstone texture.

The restaurant is one of more than 650 Panera Bread franchises in the United States, and the Delavan business is owned by Carlon, headquartered in Brookfield, Wis. The company is owned by John Walch and John Golinvaux.

Carlon opened its first Panera Bread six years ago. The Delavan restaurant is the 17th, with 15 in Wisconsin and two in Illinois.

To facilitate the construction, the City of Delavan Common Council issued a conditional use permit at the council meeting Tuesday, July 13 at the Municipal Building. A motion for the permit was passed unanimously by aldermen Ryan Schroeder, Dale Gauger, Don Edmunds, Ron Siedelmann, Michael O'Dell and Jay Adams.

A public hearing about the permit was held prior to the action. Two Delavan residents spoke - Merlyn Dahl of 403 E. Wisconsin St., and Bob Slavin, 122 N. 5th St.

Although not pertaining specifically to the restaurant project, Dahl suggested the council members consider extending the street on the north side of Panera Bread that is parallel to Hwy. 50. He stated the street should extend east to Hwy. F in Delavan Inlet near the location of Delavan Roller Rink.

"It's hard to get around in Delavan on Hwy. 50, and the city should make roads behind the businesses on Hwy. 50 so traffic is not tied up," Dahl said. "It would make the flow of traffic a lot easier because in time businesses will lose business because people can't get in and out of them."

Edmunds disagreed with Dahl's point. "We have a few problems with traffic at certain times of the day," he said, "but most of the time there's no problem getting around unless you are one of those persons who is consistently in a hurry. If you take your time and use your head, you're okay."

Slavin asked Walch, who attended the meeting, about the number of employees, their compensation and health insurance coverage. Walch said 35-45 people will be employed, and their wages will range from $7 per hour to $45,000 or $50,000 per year. Insurance will be available.

Slavin also inquired about the amount of fumes exhausted outside the restaurant from the bread baking. Walch reported the exhaust will be minimal, since the restaurant bakery will not be a large-scale operation.


Annual meeting of Historical Society of Walworth and Big Foot Prairie
Published in The Times (Walworth, Wis.) and Lake Geneva (Wis.) Regional News on February 2, 2006

With its mission and purpose focusing on history, the Historical Society of Walworth and Big Foot Prairie made some of its own history Wednesday, Jan. 25 when the group held its first annual meeting.

Forty-six persons attended the event at Big Foot Inn in Big Foot, Ill., south of Walworth. They listened to reports by society members and talks by special speakers. The meeting was emceed by vice president Richard Rasmussen of Walworth Township.

The meeting was highlighted by a presentation by Ginny Hall of Delavan, who has lived in Walworth County since 1962. She talked about people and places of historical significance in the Walworth and Big Foot Prairie area.

Hall's speech was based on information she gathered for her series of 12 books titled Meandering Around Walworth County. She began research for the books, which are historical guides to the county, after her 1989 retirement from her position as Walworth County home economist for the University of Wisconsin-Extension.

Of particular interest to the audience was Hall's information about the square in downtown Walworth. She said in the early 20th century the square had a pond, which eventually was filled with dirt and seeded. At one time the square also had a bandstand and crosswalks. The original fountain and geese statue were installed in 1972.

Hall told about activities at intersections outside Walworth, which originally was called Douglass Corners. For example, at Hwy. 14 and Six Corners Road north of the village was Bell's Corners, once a thriving trading center and location of the first post office serving the area.

Pew's Corners was at Six Corners and Beloit Roads west of Walworth, and Cattle Corners was at Hwy. 14 and Lakeville Road south of the village. Farther west from Walworth were Sharon Corners at Hwy. K and Lakeshore Road and Reeder's Corners at Peters Road and Hwy. 67.

Hall also meandered through time with information about people who busted sod on Big Foot Prairie, published Walworth newspapers and organized the cemeteries. Today they are known as Walworth, Cobblestone, Brick Church, East Delavan and Big Foot cemeteries.

In appreciation for her talk, Hall was presented with an honorary society membership by Mary Church of Walworth, membership chairwoman.

Brief talks were given by Linda Freeman of Walworth and Jan Bosman of Woodstock, Ill. Freeman, a long-time member of the Walworth Elementary Board, presented the second volume of school history covering 1976-2000. The first volume covers 1830-1976.

Bosman discussed her new book Memories of Family, Friends and Food. It is a compilation of recipes she began collecting when she lived in Walworth in the 1960s and early ‘70s. The book has recipes from such people as Elaine Rasmussen of Walworth Township and the late Donna Dierking, Adeline Radebaugh and Elsa Paxton.

Society business conducted at the meeting included the re-election to three-year terms of directors Mary Kirkpatrick, Walworth, and Leonard Church, Sharon. The other four directors are Carolyn Warfield, Walworth Township; Patrick Romenesko, Elkhorn; John Heyer, Walworth; and Richard Rasmussen.

Romenesko gave the treasurer's report. It included the 2006 budget, which was approved.

Leonard Church reported about videotaped interviews of area residents telling about their lives and community life over the past several decades. Assistance with the interviews has been provided by Heyer; Warfield; Jack Cunningham, Walworth; John Waters, Walworth; and Pam Peters, Linn Township.

David White of Walworth told about the society newsletter, which he edits with Nancy Lehman of Walworth Township and Carol Olsen of Madison. The first issue was published last fall, and he noted plans are for publication of two issues annually.

According to Mary Church, society membership consists of 32 senior citizens, 12 families, five patrons, five businesses and four individuals. Four memorials have been made, and numerous donations have been received.

The meeting was organized by White, Lehman, Donald Roberts and Nancy Roberts of Fontana and Fred Noer of Delavan.

The next regular society meeting is Wednesday, April 26 at Walworth Memorial Library. The 7 p.m. session, which is open to the public, will feature a program by White about the Potawatomi Indians and their Chief Big Foot.


Meeting of the Delavan-Darien Friends of the Visual and Performing Arts
Published in The Delavan Enterprise on June 3, 2004

Area crafters interested in having booths at the next Holiday Craft Fair should make reservations soon, according to a report at the Monday, May 24 meeting of the Delavan-Darien Friends of the Visual and Performing Arts.

Member Barb Jonuska of Delavan Township, who chairs the fair committee, announced only 25 booths remain for the event in November that is presented by Friends at Delavan-Darien High School (D-DHS). Approximately 115 booths will be filled for the popular fair.

The deadline for reserving a booth is June 15. For information about doing so, Jonuska may be contacted at 728-3882.

Money raised by the fair is used by Friends to support arts programs in the Delavan-Darien school district. Another fund-raiser this year is a food booth Sept. 11 at Darien Corn Fest. Friends staffed the booth in 2002, alternating years with Darien Girl Scouts who staffed it last year.

During the meeting at Taste of Europe Coffeehouse in downtown Delavan, member Tom Lee of Delavan presented a report about Jazz in the Park on Monday, June 7 at the Rudy Lange Sledding Hill city park. Friends is presenting the concert in conjunction with the D-DHS jazz ensemble led by director Scott Julius.

Lee stated that preparations for the concert continue to be made. Among them are the closing of Terrace Street by the city government and the sale of food and beverages by the Andy's Park group members, Cub Scouts and Leos.

Lee noted he and his wife Sonia have donated a night's lodging at their Whisper Garden Inn, just west of the concert site along Washington Street, for three professional musicians appearing at the concert. They will give clinics during the day at D-DHS and Phoenix Middle School before performing with the schools' jazz groups in the evening.

Arrangements are being made by Friends for transporting, protecting and storing the grand piano donated recently by Charma Davies Lepke of Delavan to D-DHS. The group has ordered a dolly, bench and cover. Jim Conroy of PMI Manufacturing in Delavan is donating his time and expertise in designing and constructing a storage case for the piano.

With May 31 as the end of the Friends fiscal year, officers were elected for 2004-05. President Mark Stiles of Darien, vice president Tony Vidas of Delavan and treasurer Jane Stiles of Darien will hold their offices for another one-year term. Christine Groth of Delavan is the new secretary, and Lee is the new member-at-large.

Besides the aforementioned members, helping to cast a unanimous vote electing the officers were the other group members at the meeting - Vikee Loudon, Paula Vidas and Fred Noer, all of Delavan.

The next Friends meeting begins at 7 p.m., Monday, June 28 in Room 136 of D-DHS. The room serves as a classroom for Tony Vidas, an art teacher there. The room is accessible from the parking lot on the northwest side of the school.

As are all meetings, the session is open to everyone interested in helping to support visual and performing arts in district schools. More information about Friends is available from Mark Stiles at 724-5148.