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- October 20, 2022
October 20, 2022
Administration
Mental Health Matters
Community Development
Fire & Lights Holiday Parade in Downtown Sun Prairie
Community Spotlight
Hmong New Year!
Updates from the Sun Prairie Area School District - School Referendum
We want to make sure that our community is informed about what the district will be asking on the ballot and have the knowledge to make an informed vote. There are several ways we are sharing this information so please engage in the method that works the best for you.
The referendum website hosts answers to questions you may have and more. Flyers in English and Spanish were sent to all SPASD mailboxes and are full of information.
School finances can be hard to understand so this9-minute video by the Business and Finance Director, Phil Frei will give you a comprehensive overview of what is being asked on the ballot and why.
Please email your questions to: ref2022@sunprairieschools.org
If you have a group that you would like us to present to, email Patti Lux at pjlux@sunprairieschools.org to coordinate.
The Sun Prairie Area School District will continue to share referendum information throughout the month. Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions.
Finance
City Named Triple Crown Winner by Government Finance Officers Association
The City of Sun Prairie is excited to announce that it has been named a 2020 Triple Crown Winner by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada. Sun Prairie is one of 317 governments to receive the Triple Crown for fiscal year 2020. This is the second time the City has received this award with the first recognition made for the 2019 fiscal year.
GFOA’s Triple Crown designation recognizes governments who have received GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement in Financial Reporting, Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award, and Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for a fiscal year. The Triple Crown designation represents a significant achievement in quality of governmental financial reporting.
To qualify, each entity must meet high standards of all three separate award programs. Each award program recognizes governments that produce reports which communicate their financial stories in a transparent manner and meet applicable standards. Throughout the various award programs, financial reporting is generally assessed on transparency, understandability, reader appeal, and overall quality.
“Our highest priority is to ensure transparency and quality in financial reporting for our organization and the community we serve,” said Kristin Vander Kooi, Finance Director.
The GFOA is a professional association of approximately 19,000 state, provincial, and local government finance officers in the United States and Canada. Its mission is to advance excellence in public finance. The association offers a number of award programs to recognize excellence in government finance. To learn more about the GFOA award programs, please visit https://www.gfoa.org/awards.
“I am continuously impressed by the hard work and dedication of our Finance Department,” said Aaron Oppenheimer, City Administrator. “I am grateful for the national recognition of this talent.”
The City’s award-winning financial documents can be viewed by visiting https://cityofsunprairie.com/316/Budget-Documents.
Parks, Recreation and Forestry
Recreation Department
The Sun Prairie Parks, Recreation & Forestry office is open: Monday – Friday 8:00am-4:30pm, or by phone at (608) 837-3449 or by email at rec@cityofsunprairie.com.
Announcements:
Office Closed
Parks, Recreation, and Forestry office will be closed on the following days:
- October 25th from 12:30-4:30 p.m. for staff meeting
- November 14th for staff training
- November 24th and November 25th for Thanksgiving
- December 23rd and December 26th for Christmas
- December 30th and January 2nd for New Year’s
Fall Rec Connection Guide out now!
Registration now open for all fall programs. To view the guide or to register, visit rec.cityofsunprairie.com
“Recreation is for Everyone” Scholarship form!
Come join us for fun and enriching programs available for the whole family! Requesting a scholarship is easier than ever with our NEW online form! This easy, streamlined form provides "no questions asked" financial access to SPPRF programs.
In order to request the Recreation is for Everyone Scholarship you must be a resident of Sun Prairie or enrolled in the Sun Prairie Area School District.
For questions or assistance contact us at 608-837-3449 or visit Recreation is for Everyone Scholarship Information
- Scholarships cover 50% of enrollment fees on most programs
- No formal documentation is required for approval of financial assistance
- Online submission with approvals within 2 business days
Fitness Flex Pass
Not sure what fitness class is right for you? Enjoy the flexibility to try them all with our new Fit Flex Pass. Click here to purchase a 5 or 10 class pass, Fit Flex Pass - Sun Prairie Parks, Recreation & Forestry (cityofsunprairie.com), passes never expire!
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Programs Not to Be Missed:
Fitness Programming
Session 2 of Fitness starts soon! See class list below for more information on registration deadlines and start dates, get registered online at rec.cityofsunprairie.com!
Zumba Classes
- Zumba Tuesday (11/01 – 12/07) - Registration Ends 10/25
- Zumba Thursday (11/03 – 12/08) – Registration Ends 10/27
- Zumba Gold (11/3 – 12/8) – Registration Ends 10/27
Adult Fitness
- Pound (11/02 – 12/7) - Registration Ends 10/26
- Totally Toned for Women – w/ Running Diva Mom (11/01 – 12/8) - Registration Ends 10/25
Aquatic Fitness – NEW!
- Aqua Cycling (11/02 – 12/14)
Registration Ends 11/01
We're excited to partner with the Sun Prairie YMCA to offer Aqua Cycling!
Aqua Cycling is a unique water experience where participants hop on a stationary bike that is submerged in 3-4 feet of water and pedal against the resistance of the water. Follow along to the instructor as you get a great workout in the water during this low-resistance class!
Water shoes are strongly recommended
*The instructor is a YMCA staff member
- Aqua Zumba (11/01 – 12/08)
Registration Ends 11/01
Aqua Zumba blends the Zumba philosophy with water resistance for one pool party you don't want to miss. There is less impact on your joints during an Aqua Zumba class so you can really let loose. Water creates natural resistance, which means every step is more challenging and helps tone your muscles.
Thursday Early Release Afterschool Programming (previously TGIT)
Thursdays, 1:30-5:00 p.m.
November 3-17 - $71, No class 11/24
December 1-22- $95
Elementary School Site Locations:
Meadowview
Northside
Token Springs - NEW
Beginning in the 2022 – 2023 school year, Sun Prairie Area School District Elementary Schools will be dismissing students at 1:30 pm on Thursday afternoons to accommodate professional staff development. In an effort to provide high quality afterschool childcare to our growing community, Sun Prairie Parks, Recreation & Forestry, the Sun Prairie Area School District and Community Schools are putting forth a collaborative effort to provide a community partner-based afterschool program. This program will aim to provide families with safe, affordable and engaging childcare on Thursday afternoons for students in kindergarten through 5th grade.
Childcare will be available from dismissal at 1:30 pm until 5:00 pm. We will pilot this program, starting in September, at three elementary school locations and will have programming at all nine elementary schools starting in January 2023. Program partners will be brought in monthly to provide fun and exciting programming ranging from chess to sports to ukulele lessons.
If this program isn’t offered at your school initially you do have the option to attend any site, but transportation will not be provided at this time. Registration will be by month for September -December. Please click “register” to be added to our interest list to be notified when enrollment begins and when new sites are added to this program.
For more information visit rec.cityofsunprairie.com and the digital version of the Rec Connection which will be updated prior to the start of the school year. Please contact Emily Rebarchek, erebarchek@cityofsunprairie.com, or call 608-837-3449 with any questions.
Snowflake Garland Workshop – NEW!
Monday, December 5th
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Registration Deadline: 11/28/2022
Learn the art of snowflake cutting through this fun and challenging workshop! Let's cut festive and decorative paper into unique one-of-a-kind snowflakes for garland. Jingle bells, beads and stickers will add to our snowflakes for garland that you can decorate your mantel, doorframe or any Holiday fireplace!
Saturday, December 10th
1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Registration Deadline: 12/2/2022
Create your own winter or Christmas themed snow globe out of modeling clay, mason jars, glitter and sequins! You don't want to miss out on this workshop as snow globes will last for years to come and become a family favorite holiday decoration to bring out year after year!
Monday, December 26th – Thursday, December 29th
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Registration Deadline: 12/19/2022
Don't miss out on this creative four day Winter Break Art Camp! Each day we'll create a variety of art projects and media exploration including: acrylic paints, watercolor painting, sculpture with air clay and modeling clay, drawing and more through themes of snow, winter and arctic landscapes.
Dance to De-stress!
A fun class where you learn classical Indian Dance and let your stress melt away. Learn hand-gestures, rhythmic postures and fun movements! No prior knowledge needed.
About the Instructor: Yogitha Rajkumar is a Sophomore at Sun Prairie West High School. She has been learning and practicing Classical Indian Dance for over 10 years. Yogitha has performed at various venues such as the Overture Center, charity events, and schools in Sun Prairie and other surrounding districts. In her several years of dancing, she has won several accolades. She was selected as an apprentice as part of the Wisconsin Arts Board’s Youth Apprenticeship and was awarded the IndianRaga fellowship. Yogitha has also performed and competed at the Cleveland Aradhana festival which is the largest Indian classical music festival outside of India. She has won numerous prizes in competitions across the U.S., both in-person and virtually. She has had experience teaching dance to the younger students in her dance company and is excited to continue to share her art form with the community.
Public Safety
DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY ON OCTOBER 29TH
The City of Sun Prairie, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), will participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 29th at 300 E. Main St. in the City of Sun Prairie from 9 am to 1 pm.
“Wisconsinites who participate in Drug Take Back Day are contributing to the fight against the opioid epidemic,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “By bringing your unused or unwanted medications to a Drug Take Back Day collection site, you can ensure that those medications are safely and responsibly disposed of.”
This effort will continue to bring focus to the issue of prescription medication or drug abuse in Wisconsin. Drug Take Back Day provides a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the community about the potential abuse and consequences of improper storage and disposal of these medications. Find your nearest drug disposal location: www.doseofrealitywi.gov.
Unused or expired medicine should never be flushed or poured down the drain. Water reclamation facilities are not designed to remove all pharmaceuticals and trace amounts are showing up in rivers and lakes.
GUIDELINES:
All waste pharmaceuticals must be generated by a household; no businesses are allowed.
Bring: Prescription (controlled and non-controlled) and over-the-counter medications, ointments, patches, inhalers, non-aerosol sprays, creams, vials, and pet medications. Vape pens or other e-cigarette devices (batteries removed).
Do Not Bring: Illegal drugs, needles/sharps, acids, aerosol cans, bio-hazardous materials (anything containing a bodily fluid or blood), personal care products (shampoo, soaps, lotions, sunscreens), household hazardous waste (paint, pesticides, oil, gas), or mercury thermometers.
- Participants may dispose of solid, non-liquid medication(s) by removing the medication from its container and disposing of it directly into a disposal box or into a clear sealable plastic bag. Plastic pill containers should not be collected. Blister packages without the medications being removed are acceptable.
- Liquids will be accepted during this initiative; however, the liquids, creams, and sprays must be in their original packaging. Liquids without the original packaging will not be accepted.
- Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative and should not be placed in collection containers.
Community members are also reminded that many drug disposal boxes are open year-round.
Public Works
Transit Planning
The City of Sun Prairie and Madison are working together to explore options for providing local fixed-route bus service (i.e., Madison Metro) throughout the City of Sun Prairie. Below are details on the upcoming process that will determine what local transit service around Sun Prairie could look like in the near future.
While the new draft route approved in the Summer of 2022 addressed many concerns raised during stakeholder engagement; however, multiple factors necessitated further modification to the route:
- Shorten the route in order for the local buses to confidently connect with the BRT Bus at the Park and Ride every time
- Best serve the current users of Route 23, a growing Metro Transit Route that would cease operations upon launch of BRT and any new local service routes.
The solution to these issues is illustrated in the above presentation, which the Transit Commission reviewed on October 19, 2022. The latest proposal from Madison Metro Transit and Sun Prairie City staff advocates for two, simultaneous routes that will maximize ridership and coverage, while reliably connecting to the BRT.
To request a presentation of the new draft routes or for any questions on local transit planning, please contact Alexander Brown at (608) 825-0859 or email abrown@cityofsunprairie.com. For more information please go to https://www.cityofsunprairie.com/TransitPlanning,
2 TRANSPORTATION GRANT AWARDS
Leaf Free Streets
In the fall, timely removal of street leaf litter can reduce the amount of phosphorus in urban stormwater by 80% compared to no leaf removal! Communities across Dane County are working hard to reduce stormwater pollution to protect our waters, but they can't do it alone. You can help!
- Safely remove leaves from the street in front of your home before it rains.
- Leave your leaves on the lawn, use it as a mulch in garden beds or set aside your leaves for yard waste collection in November
- Sign up to receive Leaf-free Streets Rain Alerts this fall (Oct. 1- Nov. 30). Alerts will be issued 1-2 days before a significant rain event reminding you that it's time to remove street leaves.
- Request a Leaf-free Streets yard sign to help sread the word!
To learn more or to sign up for Leaf-free Streets Rain Alerts visit: www.ripple-effects.com/Leaf-free-Streets.
Sun Prairie Media Center
TRIVIA-PALOOZA AND SPMC OPEN HOUSE
Think you know your stuff? Now’s the time to prove it.
The Friends of the Sun Prairie Media Center are hosting the third annual Trivia-Palooza trivia contest!
What is Trivia-Palooza? It is a live, on-air, ten-hour trivia contest happening live on 103.5 FM The Sun Community Radio from 9 AM-7 PM on Saturday, October 29. Besides 103.5 FM, interested participants can also play along on the Media Center app, on tunein.com, or at sunprairiemediacenter.com.
Registration to play Trivia-Palooza is now open! You can sign up to play for free at sunprairiemediacenter.com/trivia. You must be registered to play and you must be 21 to register. But you will want to play.
Each hour of the contest will have a theme to its questions, a different special guest, and each hour will have special prizes awarded to the person who correctly answers the most questions.
And this year’s Trivia-Palooza has an extra bonus to it as it coincides with the first SPMC Open House held since the pandemic. If you’ve ever been curious about the Media Center, its studios, or the exciting opportunities it presents, please come in at 12-2 PM on Saturday, October 29 to meet the staff, take a tour, and see a live production in action.
Questions about the Trivia-Palooza questions or are you a business interested in sponsoring the Trivia-Palooza broadcast or providing gift cards to use as prizes? E-mail the Friends of the Sun Prairie Media Center at spmc.friends@gmail.com.
The Media Center would like to thank the Bank of Sun Prairie for being the executive sponsor of Trivia-Palooza.
In addition, the Friends of the Sun Prairie Media Center are actively looking for new members to help with its mission of raising awareness and funds for the Media Center. Want to help? E-mail Sara Milewski at spmc.friends@gmail.com.
UPCOMING FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS AND BASKETBALL ANNOUNCERS NEEDED!
The Sun Prairie Media Center is pleased to announce that it is planning to offer first-round football playoff coverage for both the Sun Prairie East Cardinals and Sun Prairie West Wolves.
At press time, the #7 Oregon at #2 Cardinals game is scheduled for KSUN and the #6 Wolves at #3 DeForest is scheduled for KIDS-4. Both games are set to kick-off at 7 PM. The Cardinals game is also scheduled to air on 103.5 FM The Sun Community Radio as well.
Due to increased WIAA rights fees and of course the existence of two high schools, the Media Center is still actively looking for business sponsors that can help it cover the rights fees in exchange for promotional announcements during the games. Please call 608-837-4193 or e-mail staff@sunprairiemediacenter.com with any interest. The SPMC would like to thank The West Touchdown Club, Sun Prairie Utilities, and Local Source Foods for their sponsorship.
In addition, with high school basketball season on the immediate horizon, the Media Center is actively looking for basketball announcers interested in calling boys’ and girls’ Cardinals and Wolves basketball games.
The Sun Prairie boys’ and girls’ hockey teams and the girls’ basketball team are ready for WIAA tournament play, and the Sun Prairie Media Center will be there with all the coverage.
If you or anyone you know has the desire and passion to be call out every play, to question every foul, and to celebrate every slam dunk, this could be the chance you’ve been waiting for! Please call 608-837-4193 or e-mail staff@sunprairiemediacenter.com with any interest.
KSUN can be viewed on Charter Spectrum (channel 983), TDS TV (channels 13 and 1013), through Roku and Apple TV devices, on sunprairiemediacenter.com, and on the Sun Prairie Media Center mobile app. KIDS-4 can be viewed on Charter Spectrum (channel 984), TDS TV (channels 14 and 1014), through Roku and Apple TV devices, on sunprairiemediacenter.com, and on the Sun Prairie Media Center mobile app.
Sun Prairie Public Library
Mondays, September 19-November 7 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Small Fry Storytimes are 20-30 minutes long and are filled with 1-2 short books, songs, action rhymes and more! Some songs, stories and rhymes are repeated each week and new ones are gradually introduced. Grown-ups and big kids, please share in the fun too!
Tuesdays, September 20-November 8 9:30-10:00 a.m. Registration Required
Fridays, September 23-November 11 9:30-10:00 a.m. No Registration
Little Kid Storytimes are 25-30 minutes long and are filled with short books, songs, fingerplays, rhymes, puppets and more – a different variety each week. The content of Tuesday's Little Kid Storytime will be the same as Friday's Little Kid Storytime. We are offering Tuesday as a registration required program and Friday without registration, based on feedback from the summer surveys.Registration for Tuesday Little Kid Storytime will open two weeks prior to the event. Space is limited. All Storytime participants agree to abide by library policies and procedures.
Fridays, September 23-November 11 10:45-11:15 a.m.
Big Kid Storytimes are 30-35 minutes long and are filled with longer books, songs, fingerplays, rhymes, puppets and more – a different variety each week. This Storytime is geared for children who are ready for stories that are a bit longer.
Saturday, October 22 1-3 p.m. Library Community Room
Stop in and create with LEGO®s as a family! Our LEGO® and DUPLO® collections will be out for free play and creativity in the Community Room. All children under the age of 8 must be actively supervised by an adult. All library programs are free and open to the public.
Friday, October 28 4-5:30 p.m. Library Community Room
Join Melissa for Teen Creativity Club! Registration is required, reserve your spot by using the form below. This program is for teens in 6th - 12th grade. The project for our October 28 meeting is TBA. Questions, concerns, or if registration has already closed but the event has not yet happened, please email Melissa at mcarollo@sunlib.org.
Adult Services
Friday, October 21 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Library Community Room
Sun Prairie EMS Outreach is bringing awareness to good health! Stop by between 10:00am and 4:00pm for a free blood pressure check, temperature check, and pulse & oxygen saturation reading, and gain some tools for managing and maintaining your health. EMS will also have free resources and giveaways on hand, including thermometers and pulse oximeters! No appointments needed, and children are welcome too.
Latino Nights @ the Library!
Community Altar: Discover the Importance of the Day of the Dead
Wednesday, October 26 6-8 p.m., Center of Library
- Everyone is INVITED! Build a community altar!
- Come and eat traditional Day of the Dead bread and Mexican hot chocolate
- Stories & activities for the whole family!
Sunday, October 30 2-3:30pm, Library Community Room
Join us for a 'Classic Creeper' viewing of the 1953 movie, The Hitch-Hiker. The first film noir directed by a woman, Ida Lupino, it was selected for preservation by the US Film Registry. Inspired by the true-life murder spree of Billy Cook, The Hitch-Hiker is the tension-laden saga of two men on a camping trip (Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy) who are held captive by a homicidal drifter (William Talman). He forces them, at gunpoint, to embark on a grim joyride across the Mexican desert. At only 70 minutes long, you'll be home long before it's pajama pants time! Plus, there will also be popcorn and candy!
Due to a significant increase in Hoopla usage over the last few months, we've had to place a limit on the collective number of items borrowed from Hoopla each day in order to stay within our budget. If you receive a message that says your library has reached its daily limit, please try again tomorrow morning since Hoopla resets daily.
Since Hoopla's cost is based on circulation and usage, in order to stay within our budget, we have had to implement daily caps for the rest of the year. October will be the most stringent since we're almost two weeks into the month but things will ease up for November and December.
The library has a budget initiative to increase funding for digital materials for 2023. The City's budget will be discussed at Committee of the Whole meetings for the next few weeks and the budget is scheduled to be adopted on November 15.
What you can do in the meantime:
- Mark the item you’d like as a "Favorite" in the Hoopla app so you can find and borrow it later. You may be able to borrow Flex items immediately if they are currently available. (For help with Flex items, please call the Information Desk at 608-825-0702.)
- Try Libby/Overdrive for digital ebooks and digital audiobooks.
- Try Kanopy for video content.
- The library also has physical audiobooks on CD and on playaway, please ask staff if we can assist you in finding materials for you.
- Let the Mayor and City Alders know how much you appreciate the library's collection.