Funds to be used for No Iola Sand Mine legal expenses

By Greg Ambrosius

Wow! Wow! Wow!

Those are the only words I could find to describe what happened at MusicFest on Sunday, May 5, at Northland Sports Bar and Grill. It was just an amazing day for our community as we came together for music, friendship, and one common cause.

By our estimates, more than 700 people attended MusicFest and we raised over $8,000 for the Legal Defense Fund against the Iola Car Show sand mine. Local businesses and residents donated over 30 baskets of goodies that were used in a raffle, while close to another two dozen pieces of artwork and other goodies were donated by local businesses and residents for silent auctions. Both were huge hits.

So many people in the community donated and rallied around our cause to prevent this sand mine from taking place in the Township of Scandinavia. We thank the eight bluegrass bands who donated their time and their talents as they had people dancing and smiling all day long.

The eight bands played from 1-6 p.m. on two different stages as Northland provided an indoor stage and an outdoor stage. Music was provided by the following bluegrass bands: Sloppy Joe, Art Stevenson & Friends, Galynne Goodwill, Burnt Toast & Jam, Ukelyptus, Del Weed & His Sweet Rollers, Two Generations of Grass, and Dandelion Delivery Service.

It was just a perfect day for our community. The weather was ideal. The bands were great. The people were friendly and they understood what we are fighting for and fighting against. They are knowledgeable about this situation and they are also confused by the Iola Car Show’s intentions to create a sand mine for 11-plus years after the Township of Scandinavia already denied this permit. The community members who attended this event are strongly against this sand mine and they reinvigorated our neighborhood group to continue our appeal as far as we need to go. We believe the law is on our side and eventually we will prevail in denying this sand mine permit in the Township of Scandinavia.

These legal funds will help with our next step in our fight to deny this sand mine permit. On Friday, May 17, Outagamie County Judge Vincent Biskupic will hear the County’s Motion to Dismiss our appeal. Our lawyer, Christa Westerberg of Pines Bach LLC, Madison, has already filed our response to the Judge. The County is asking the judge to send our appeal directly to the Waupaca County Board of Adjustment rather than have it go to the Circuit Court. He will rule on that request after the May 17 hearing.

Stay tuned for the results of that hearing because that will set the stage and the timeline for the next appeals process. Our neighborhood group is committed to appeal this as far as needed and it appears there are hundreds of our neighbors who not only agree with our fight but will financially support our fight. We thank you.