The Prairie du Chien Board of Education extended their official support to two separate causes during their July 13 meeting.

Chief of Police Kyle Teynor attended the meeting to inform the Board about an ordinance restricting cellphones on school property that is expected to come before the Council in the future.

"This has been a discussion at our council level. This has been a discussion statewide and even nationwide about restricting cellphones in schools," he said. "This is something cities and communities are tackling throughout the country trying to figure out how to get control on this because we're seeing more detrimental effects on the classroom."

The State of Wisconsin passed Act 42, which requires school districts restrict cellphones and other "personal wireless devices" in classrooms. Teynor said the PdC school district already had a policy in place at the time the act passed this past fall.

He added that the ordinance was born out of talks with the district's school resource officer and a recent Truancy Review Board meeting. "At the conclusion of that meeting, we were like what more can be done about this?"

Teynor spoke with other police chiefs to see what had worked in other areas. Local ordinances are one of the solutions municipalities have used to help enforcement. "It's just one more tool, one more step in the process of holding kids accountable."

According to Teynor, the ordinance wouldn't affect the school's existing policies regarding cellphone usage, and referrals have to come from the school administration before law enforcement can be involved.

"This isn't the intent for the police department to take over your enforcement. The intent is to give [High School and Middle School Principal Eric] Mumm another option," he said. "Our officers don't walk into classrooms, see cellphones and start citing — that's not what we're looking for here. You guys have a process in place. We want to respect that and see that it's in place."

A version of the ordinance was included in the July 7 Common Council meeting packet. The document defined restrictions for cellphone use on school property, usage exceptions based on the school's discretion and enforcement of the ordinance. 

"There's a lot of exemptions in the ordinance as well. If a teacher says get out your cellphones, that's perfectly fine. If it's a class project where a phone is needed, that's fine. If it's an emergency, there's an exemption," said Teynor.

It also gives law enforcement the ability to issue a citation for "repeated or willful violations" on school property that are referred by the school administration. The citation could include a forfeiture of between $25 and $100.

According to Teynor, another option would be to refer the student to teen court, a diversion program in which teens act as different facets of the court system to address juvenile offenders (e.g., lawyers, judges).

"They're judged by their peers," said Teynor. He added that six teens sit on the court currently.

Teen court is utilized for minors between the ages of 11–18 for non-violent misdemeanors or violations. Teynor said the court is typically used for first-time offenders, but exceptions have been made in certain circumstances.

Teynor said cellphone use is not currently an offense that can trigger a referral to teen court because it's a school policy, rather than a law or ordinance. "So, this would allow us to do that referral to teen court and have the six judges — their peers — to say, 'We get through our seven-hour school day without using our phones, we think you should be able to as well.’"

He added that most of the time teen court waives the fines and comes up with an alternative project for the student, such as service hours or writing an essay. "In the first year that [teen court] was in existence, I was very impressed at the punishments that were handed down. Very unique -- things that we can't do from a law enforcement standpoint and things judges can't do from a criminal justice standpoint. I think it's been an asset to our community."

Teynor estimated the ordinance would be utilized between three and seven times per year based on communications with the school district and the resource officer. "I don't see this as being a weekly thing."

District Administrator Andy Banasik said the majority of students give their cellphones to school administration when confronted about using it at inappropriate times during the school day. 

"Most of our kids understand [the policy], and they don't push it to repeat offenses," said Eric Mumm.

The Board was also the latest audience for Steve Hanson, COO of the Northeast Iowa Telephone Company (NEIT), who is drumming up support for his company's expansion into Wisconsin.

NEIT, based in Monona, Iowa, is the process of bringing a $4 million broadband project in Southern Crawford County, going from north of Prairie du Chien to the Wisconsin River, with the majority of the 390 eligible locations being in Bridgeport. According to Hanson, NEIT is in the permitting phase of that project.

In May, the Public Service Commission (PSC) made an additional $60 million in state funding available for broadband projects.

"The State released a new funding opportunity for broadband expansion, with many locations in Crawford County," said Hanson. "We're pursuing that now."

NEIT has not announced the target area for their new application; however, Hanson said the $6.5 million project will serve an estimated 420 locations with in-ground fiber cable. He suggested the service area would be announced once the funding is approved sometime in September. If NEIT is successful, construction would begin in 2028.

Hanson added that the project would include 330 locations within the Prairie du Chien School District.

NEIT is applying for 65 percent grant funding for the project, which would leave NEIT to put forth between $2 and $2.4 million. Hanson said the projects are "simply too expensive" to do without grant funding.

Hanson requested a letter of support from the Board and to consider a financial contribution.

Hanson said the application includes bonus points if the project has public/private partnerships "which any kind of financial contribution would qualify for."

Banasik suggested it would be difficult for the district to put money toward NEIT's proposed project due to the school's current financial state. "It's tough to say whether we can put money toward that project when we're trying to balance our budget here at the school."

Previously, the Crawford County Board of Supervisors approved a letter of support to NEIT and an in-kind donation to waive any right-of-way fees that could be applied to the project. The supervisors also approved $100,000 toward NEIT’s $4 million project.

The Board approved a letter of support but didn't pledge any funding for project.

NEIT provides in-ground fiber internet service to more than 2,000 location in Iowa. It also serves portions of the Eastman area with fixed-area wireless internet.

In attendance were board members Noah White, Nick Gilberts, Dustin Brewer, Lacie Anthony, Justin Campbell, Kyle Maahs and Michael Higgins, Jr. Banasik and High School and Middle School Principal Eric Mumm were also present.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Aug. 10.