Dane County  
Minutes - Final Unless Amended by  
Committee  
Park Commission  
Consider:  
Who benefits? Who is burdened?  
Who does not have a voice at the table?  
How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?  
Wednesday, March 23, 2022  
5:30 PM  
Token Creek County Park - Shelter #5  
6200 Williamsburg Way  
DeForest, WI 53532  
A. Call To Order  
Chair Ripp called the Park Commission meeting to order at 5:30 PM.  
Youth Governance Member Excused: Emily Cai.  
Staff Present: Joleen Stinson, Sharene Smith, Chris James, Alex DeSmidt.  
Others Present: Supervisor Melissa Ratcliff, Darren Marsh, Kevin Theusis.  
7 -  
Present:  
ANALIESE EICHER, DAVE RIPP, TOM THORESEN, GRACE MORAN, KRISTIE  
GOFORTH, STEFANIE BROUWER and NANCY BOGUE  
B. Consideration of Minutes  
Minutes of the March 9, 2022 Park Commission  
2021  
MIN-705  
Attachments: 2021 MIN-705 PC MINUTES 3/9/2022  
A motion was made by THORESEN, seconded by BOGUE, that the Minutes be  
approved. The motion carried by a voice vote.  
C. Fund Transfers - None  
D. Referrals (Resolutions & Ordinance Amendments)  
1. 2021  
RES-410  
ACCEPTANCE OF WI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES  
GRANT TO REPLACE SNOWMOBILE TRAIL BRIDGE  
RIPP, JOERS and RITT  
Sponsors:  
Attachments: 2021 RES-410_Snowmobile bridge grant_MSD 2 bridge  
2021 RES-410 Fiscal Note  
A motion was made by BROUWER, seconded by GOFORTH, that the Resolution  
be recommended for approval. The motion carried by a voice vote 7-0.  
2. 2021  
RES-415  
AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR THE NORTH MENDOTA TRAIL PAVING  
AT GOVERNOR NELSON STATE PARK  
RATCLIFF and RITT  
Sponsors:  
Attachments: 2021 RES-415  
2021 RES-415 FISCAL NOTE  
2021 RES-415 CONTRACT #14688  
A motion was made by BROUWER, seconded by MORAN, that the Resolution be  
recommended for approval. The motion carried by a voice vote 7-0.  
E. Items Requiring Committee Action - None  
F. Presentations  
1. Ice Age Trail Alliance, Conservation Fund Grant Application - Lange Parcel, Ice Age  
National Scenic Trail – Lodi Marsh WA/Marsh View Preserve  
Kevin Thusius presented a Conservation Fund Grant project for the Ice Age National  
Scenic Trail in Lodi Marsh WA/Marsh View Preserve.This is a 40-acre parcel that the Ice  
Age Trail Alliance purchased and is seeking 50% reimbursement from this grant program  
and 50% reimbursement from Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund. This property provides  
a loop trail, dispersed camping and storage for equipment. This item will be brought back  
for formal consideration at the next meeting.  
2021  
RPT-1000  
Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Lodi Marsh WA/Marsh View Preserve -  
Lange Parcel Maps  
Attachments:  
Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Lodi Marsh WA/Marsh View Preserve -  
Lange Parcel Maps  
G. Reports to Committee  
1. Indian Lake Park Master Plan Kickoff  
Dane County Parks is beginning a master planning process for Indian Lake County Park,  
which is now the largest recreation park with nearly 800-acres. The process will include  
evaluating existing conditions of the park and incorporate public, stakeholder and staff  
recommendations. The planning process will include a series of public information, local  
unit of government and stakeholder meetings. The first public input meeting will likely be  
held in May. The goal is to complete the master plan near the end of 2022.  
2. Update on Indian Mounds  
The Dane County Indian Mound Identification Project was completed 30 years ago this  
year. Dane County Parks just completed the cataloguing of a mound site at Lower Mud  
Lake. We now have nine catalogued mounds on parkland, two of which are on the  
National Register of Historic Places, and 15 not-catalogued mound sites. Both types of  
mound sites are protected by Wis. Stats 157.70 and 44.47.  
Dane County Historical/Cultural Sites & Mounds Poster  
2021  
RPT-1020  
Attachments: Dane County Historical/Cultural Sites & Mounds Poster  
3. Update on paving bids for Token Creek entrance road  
Token Creek road repaving bids came in within budget. The project also includes the  
addition of an EV charging station at the dog park and electrical updates to park  
shelters. Paving will likely start in June and be completed by June 20th prior to a national  
disc golf tournament. We will open the south entrance to the park during paving and  
direct dog park and disc golf traffic to that entrance.  
4. History and plans for Token Creek County Park  
The Token Creek County Park and Token Creek Natural Resource Area Master Plan  
was approved in 2011. Token Creek is the only cold water trout fishery in this region of  
Dane County. Plan recommendations include expanding camping opportunities,  
relocating the main entrance to the southern end of the park and parking lot  
reconfiguration.  
5. Summer campground and shelter opening dates and summer “call center” weekend  
hours  
The 2022 Facility Opening and Closing Schedule was handed out. 2022 summer “call  
center” hours were determined based on call logs from the 2021 season. The call center  
will be open Memorial Day weekend – Labor Day weekend (excluding holidays) on Friday  
from 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm, Saturday from 11:00 am – 4:30 pm and Sunday: 11:00 am  
–2:00 pm.  
2022 Facility Opening and Closing Schedule  
2021  
RPT-1018  
Attachments: 2022 Facility Opening and Closing Schedule  
6. Free Fun Weekends (no permit required days)  
Dane County Parks will hold no permit required days in line with the DNR’s Free Fun  
Weekends: June 4-5, 2022 and January 21-22, 2023. In addition to the free fun  
weekends, we’re offering single, permit free days through the cooperative permit program  
on the following dates: Saturday, May 28 Disc Golf; Saturday, June 18 Dog; and  
Saturday, July 2 Lake Access.  
H. Future Meeting Items and Dates  
April 13 - virtual  
April 27 - Prairie Moraine  
I. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda  
Supervisor Melissa Ratcliff thanked the Park Commission for the PARC & Ride Grants  
awarded to the Village of Cottage Grove. She also spoke in support of a trail connection  
from Cottage Grove to McCarthy Youth & Conservation County Park and a connection  
from Glacial Drumlin State Trail to the Capital City Trail.  
Darren Marsh said goodbye and shared well wishes with Commissioners. Dawn and  
Darren are retiring to Door County to remodel the buildings on the family farm.  
J. Such Other Business as Allowed by Law - None  
K. Adjourn  
Meeting adjourned 6:34 PM.  
Minutes respectfully submitted by Joleen Stinson, pending Park Commission approval.