Lake Delton says no to boat cruise

By Andy Steinke, Dells Events

It's three strikes and you're out.

For the third time in a month and a half Captain Soma's Dells Cruises was on the Lake Delton village Board's meeting agenda, and for the third time no one from the business attended the meeting.

Captain Soma's was on the board's agenda because the business had applied for a permit to operate on Lake Delton next summer.

Chris Soma currently offers dinner cruises on the Upper Dells and was applying to use a boat on Lake Delton for the same purpose on weekends.

The board tabled action on the permit during meetings on Oct. 13 and Oct. 27, but was less lenient Monday, Nov. 24.

The lack of an appearance by Soma before the village board led a quorum of the board to deny the application unanimously.

Before the denial, Trustee Tom Diehl said he felt strongly that the village shouldn't allow a boat of Soma's size on the lake because it could cause erosion problems.

"He's been operating in the Upper Dells, and that's where he should continue to operate," he said.

In other applications, the board approved one of four Class B reserve liquor license applications.

Trustee Steve Haupt briefly left the meeting while an application for his Brat House Grill was discussed. BJ's Restaurant, Famous Dave's and Wal-Mart also applied for licenses.

The board approved only the application for the Brat House Grill because it felt it was the only business that qualified for the license.

Class B liquor licenses allow the retail sale of liquor for consumption on premise as well as the sale of wine, and sometimes other liquors, for consumption off premise, according to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue's Web site.

In other business, the board approved the following:

- A resolution to install a plaque in Diehl's honor somewhere at the Highway A site for his hard work in helping get the road repaired and the lake refilled.

- A resolution to acquire the Poppy Waterman Hockey Facility.

- A resolution adopting a one-year, $36,000 lease with the Dells Delton Area Hockey Association Inc.

- A certified survey map submitted by Stephen and Diane Solava. The Solavas are splitting their property on Country Lane into two lots so they can build a home and garage for their aging parents.

- A final change order for the Highway 12 sidewalk project of $48,364. The project came in under budget by $577.

- A final change order for the 2008 sidewalk project of $268,113. The project came in under budget by about $2,000.