Ettrick board signs off on flag, speaker system at park

With more ball games on the way, the Ettrick village board approved adding an American flag and a speaker system to Orville Dusso Park.

Lauren Filla, president of the Ettrick Youth Sports Club, addressed the board at last week Tuesday’s regular meeting saying the club and other donors would handle all expenses related to the project. Filla told the board that there are 106 players signed up to play youth baseball and softball at the park, which is typical, but that the park will also host high school American Legion softball games. She said it’s the first time high school players have utilized the park.

Filla said Ettrick Runnestrand-Pederson American Legion Post 354 will be active for the legion games and will purchase the flag. Initial plans were to connect the flag to the light pole in centerfield, though village public works director Courtney Kotlarz said they would figure out a way to make it work. 

Kotlarz noted that the village board had previously approved installing a flagpole and flag, but that was several years ago and the project was never completed. 

Details on the speaker system were sparse but it would also be paid for by the club. Filla said the plan would be to announce an honorary legion member at games, in addition to playing The Star-Spangled Banner. Kotlarz said he would have to speak to someone who was experienced with speaker systems to figure out exactly what was needed. 

Trustees gave the green light to both projects.

“Anything that promotes the park and the legion, we should always approve it,” Trustee Pete Filla said. “That’s our gem in Ettrick. That’s what we’re known for.”

Filla also said it’s important that both are implemented correctly. “Don’t make it look shabby, let’s do it right the first time.”

The board approved a license for Travis Thompson to operate a mobile home park on Bridge St. 

The park has been in operation for more than 50 years, according to the memories of trustees, but has never officially been licensed. However, the area is zoned for mobile homes so trustees didn’t have a problem with issuing the license. 

Trustees heard a complaint that a village resident was bitten by a loose dog. There was also another complaint, though not done formally, saying other residents had been chased by the dog. Village President Marc Baures emphasized the importance of residents making formal complaints when there are issues with dogs. 

“If we have a dog bite complaint, the board needs to know about it,” Baures said.

Filla said that dog bites are also supposed to be reported to the Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Department so the animal can be quarantined.