Bert Verhey: County Commissioner, Artist, Visionary

When a public project inspires an elected official to art, it must be worthwhile.

The big surprise at last night's public meeting on the proposed public access area at Lake Madison: the visual aids! As Commissioner Scott Pedersen led a discussion of the project, he opened up Commission Chair Bert Verhey's contribution to the discussion, a glorious color illustration of his vision of the access area. Who needs PowerPoint when you've got acrylic paint and a broken-down cardboard box?

Bert captured everything: the county road, possible new trees, waves on Lake Madison, even the curb stops at the north edge of the parking lot. All we need to complete the picture is the county's final vote... and a bunch of people to fill the lot and go fish and swim.

If the county does approve this project (and from last night's discussion, it sounds like they will), we should have a grand opening. Get the Rotary to bring their grill, sell burgers and hot dogs (and fresh walleye?), and maybe even auction off Bert's painting.

I'm not kidding. I'll give our county commissioners enough guff about other issues, but I genuinely appreciate the effort Bert made to illustrate his vision for this public access area.