The new docks are IN (Stout Street and Knapp Street docks)

 

The new Knapp Street dock

At long last, the new and expanded city docks are IN. Constructed right here in Chetek at Lake Country Custom Docks (Lake Country Custom Docks), Stout Street dock was expanded from a 1-slip dock to one that can now accommodate 4 boats. The new Knapp Street dock – located at the corner of Mound and Knapp – is a 3-slip dock. With the placement of garbage cans at both and a porta potty at the Stout Street location, they are now officially open and ready to receive watercraft.

Three years ago, following a year-long survey in which the city solicited input from locals and guests alike on things that would enhance their experience in the City of Lakes access for boaters to the downtown business district was one among many other suggestions we received. First Ward Alderman Scott Bachowski got the ball rolling and the council first looked at expanding the Stout Street dock from a 1-slip dock to an 8-slip one. Due to concerns expressed by the neighbors that it could potentially make their quiet corner of town a lot more noisier, the council then began to have a conversation about the narrow strip of undeveloped land at the corner of Mound and Knapp Streets.

Knapp Street shoreline before improvements

Since improvements

People have been having fun on our lakes
for many a year

According to one of the lifelong residents I know, way back-in-the-day, when the Blueberry Express still brought tourists to our town, for those vacationing on the island, a wagon would pick them up at the depot and transport them to this little spit of land at the end of what is now Knapp Street. A ferry then would take them OUT to the island from there (mind you, this was way before the causeway was built). The depot and the days of when passengers came to the city by rail are long gone but the city has maintained ownership of this small tract of land ever since. We just decided that the time had come to do something with it.

The hope of creating two smaller docks instead of one larger and longer one is that traffic and trash concerns that the neighbors understandably have will be mitigated. The Stout Street dock is wheel chair accessible. The Knapp Street dock definitely is not. In fact, it's a bit of climb up the ramp to Mound Street but given the possibility that there may be Native American remains beneath the soil (it is called Mound Street for a reason) we wanted to avoid the expense and the time involved in an archaeological survey. Lake Country assures us that the ramp is safe even when wet but all the same it's a good thing it has hand rails.

Stout Street dock before improvements

Improved Stout Street dock site

This project cost $22,800 (including the purchase of the new docks and prerequesite tree removal at the Knapp Street location). We want to thank everyone who gave and contributed to the dock expansion cause to a total of $13,150 including:

Sterling Bank

Community Club

Xcel Energy

Lion's Club

Chetek Chamber

Resort Owners Association

TLS Companies & Marquee Construction (Todd & Heidi Severson)

Sweetwater & Fostbites (Jason Fostvedt)

David & Linda Mickelson

Larry & Vicki Hagness

Michael Hover

Red Cedar Riders

Rod 'n Gun

Bill Waite

The remaining balance of $9,650 will be appropriated from both the Park Development and Fixed Asset funds.

The new docks will be governed by the same rules that apply to our parks in that they will be open from 7 am to 10 pm and overnight docking is not permitted. While there are no parking meters at the docks the rule of thumb is that boaters will observe a two-hour limit. Those who use the Knapp Street site, where there is no fencing to indicate the next-door neighbors' property, boaters are kindly reminded to stay on the ramp and respect private property.

These are great additions to our city and I think will prove to be assets for both downtown business owners and the folks that pull up at one of these docks to frequent their favorite dining establishment or pick up what supplies they need for their stay in the City of Lakes.

That's A Wrap (enter the BolaWrap)

 

Last night at our regular monthly meeting, the city council approved unanimously to appropriate a penny less than $2,100 (i.e., $2,099.99) given to the Chetek Police Department from the Law Enforcement Foundation of Barron County (LEFB) to purchase two bolawraps (and plenty of cartridges to fire them).

The LEFB is a non-profit local

organization (Law Enforcement Foundation of Barron County) that is dedicated to wherever they can pick-up the slack for Barron County police departments who have enough to fund their operations but not enough for other tools in their tool box that can make their job both safer and more effective. Last night, with the help of the LEFB, CPD picked up another gadget – or actually two – that if needed can help restrain a resisting subject without having to taze them. It's called the BolaWrap. As Chief Ambrozaitus put it, “it's like Wonder Woman's lasso without the truth”.

One of Wonder Woman's gadgets is
the lasso of truth

It seems like on a regular basis there's a story on national media outlets describing police having to detain a resisting suspect who is brandishing a knife and threatening to harm himself or others. These are potentially very dangerous encounters for both the suspect and officers. With a single shot, however, they can be temporarily immobilized allowing police the extra seconds they need to disarm them.

Here are two videos – one for promotional purposes – and the other (following the council meeting last night) of Chief A allowing Officer Breidenbach to use him as a guinea pig to demonstrate to the council how it works. (“It's the only time she will be allowed to do this,” Chief says). 

Just like any other device the police employ officers have to be certified in the proper use of it and each member of the department has already been so certified. While we can hope our officers rarely have to use the device, it's good to know they have it should the need arise. Ultimately, we want our men and women in blue to get home safely after their shift is over and those who are resisting arrest be detained in the most humane way possible.