November 14, 2019
Edgewood president disappointed by Madison Plan Commission delay
Nicholas Garton, Cap Times
An Edgewood High School official said the school is “extremely disappointed” with the outcome of the Madison Plan Commisson’s decision to further delay a decision on whether the west side Catholic school can have its master plan repealed and move toward hosting athletic events at an on-campus stadium.
On Monday, the Plan Commission was unable to execute a vote on Edgewood’s proposal to repeal its master plan. Members of the commission voted 3-2 against allowing Edgewood to back out of its plan. But commission Chair Ledell Zellers declined to cast a vote, so the four-vote majority necessary to prevail wasn’t met.
The Plan Commission ultimately decided to refer Edgewood’s proposal to the December 9 meeting.
This past spring, the city notified Edgewood High School, a private Catholic school located on Monroe Street, that it could only use its athletic field for athletic practices and gym classes, not games or competitions. Photo: John Hart, State Journal Archives.
“The Edgewood High School Community was extremely disappointed with the outcome of more delay at the Plan Commission,” Edgewood president Michael Elliott said in a statement. “We felt city staff did an excellent job of providing accurate information as to why a repeal is an appropriate process and the right thing to do. We will continue to work with the city to find a fair and equitable solution for our students and the community.”
Elliott said he believes there were some positive signs that came out of the Plan Commission meeting and he remains optimistic that Edgewood will gain the ability to back out of the master plan.
“It is our intent to provide the Mayor, the Common Council, the Plan Commision, and the Edgewood Community with a forthcoming document highlighting the inaccuracies of some of the statements presented to the Plan Commission at the meeting,” he said. “We have followed the process that the City requested we follow and, in the Edgewood way, we have done so in a professional and honest manner.”
During the Plan Commission meeting some members of the body, most vocally Michael Rewey, accused Edgewood of acting in bad faith with regards to how the school has executed athletic events on campus in 2019.
On Oct. 3, 2018, Edgewood presented a proposal for its master plan that called for 46 maximum games to be played on its home field. According to documents provided to the Plan Commission, Edgewood had a total of four athletic events — all of which were freshman football games — during 2014. In 2013, five junior varsity football games took place on the field.
According to Rewey, so far in 2019, 75 games have been played at the field, 23 of which did not involve Edgewood.
Edgewood has sought to back out of a master plan that it voluntarily entered into in 2014 with the city. The master plan, which included multi-million dollar expansions to its performing arts space and an addition to the school’s commons, was largely supported at the time by area residents because it was self-funded and unintrusive.
But organizations like the Dudgeon-Monroe Neighborhood Association, which at one time supported what Edgewood was doing, now are speaking against the master plan repeal.