The Feds, Buses, Bill Dyke, and The Institute for Mundane Studies

Madison

Bill Dyke was the mayor from April 1969-1973.  In 1976 he was the vice presidential candidate for Lester Maddox when they ran under the banner of the American Independent party.

 

As mayor, Dyke refused to sign documents required by the federal government.

From 1969 to1970 he refused to sign a federally required labor agreement known as a 13-C. Without this document, the city could not receive the federal funds required to purchase the old Madison Bus Company and make it a public entity.

 

Despite the fact that the common council had voted to override his veto of the purchase of  the bus system, Dyke would not execute the document.  

One evening in 1970, Dyke chose not to attend the city council meeting and instead dined in nearby Maple Bluff. City Council president Leo Cooper ordered the city clerk to bring him the unsigned 13-C labor agreement which guaranteed that the employees would not be worse off as a result of municipalization of the bus company.

 

With Dyke outside of Madison, Cooper, the acting mayor, executed the document, and the federal funds to purchase the assets of the Madison Bus Company and new buses were on the way.

 

In the mid 1960’s the city of Madison, the University of Wisconsin, and most of  the private businesses and property owners in the 600 through 900 blocks of University  Avenue agreed to what was to be called the University Avenue Renewal Project.

The private property owners fearful that the UW would take over the entire area saw the power of the federal government with its urban renewal programs as a superior way to halt the power of the UW and the state.

 

 

It was agreed that the UW would get the entire block between Murray, Johnson, Park and University for Vilas Hall and that portions of the remaining blocks would be divided between the UW, the private sector, and the city for housing.

 

By 1973, most of the acquisitions were completed, though not the demolitions and there were a few loose ends. One of the properties in question was a dilapidated frame house on, Brooks Street between University Ave.and Johnson St. know as the Institute for Mundane Studies.

Federal law covering urban renewal was very specific about relocation costs for tenants displaced by a project. Even if tenants were planning to move, there were requirements that they be compensated for their time and trouble. Relocation costs could run into the thousand of dollars per individual resident.

 

Bill Dyke was not happy. It was an outrage that UW students who were planning to move back to Manhattan upon graduation should be eligible for relocation if they had moved into the property while the urban renewal process was under way.

 

Dyke refused to sign the papers for The Institute for Mundane Studies. In April 1973, I defeated Dyke and took office on April 24^th. That week I signed the required documents and the relocation payments were  made to its residents.

 

As part of the federal governemnt requirements, the city was requried to aquire a new property to replace Brooks Street and that is how 622 N Henry St, subsequently known as Rivendell was aquired.

By coincidence, during my first year at the UW 1962-63, I shared the master bedroom at 622 N. Henry with three other students.

Comments

[Tim M.]

This is possibly the most entertaining post in the history of the internet, Paul. Great stories! Particularly the Dyke/bus/acting mayor story.

[Rusty Fender]

The property at 622 N Henry St I believe is a Coop now or is it still The Institute for Mundane Studies? Many of the Hippies of that your era have moved out of that building. They have been replaced by Do Gooders who only want to find away to get an A on a report card and grow tomatoes in there front yard. I wonder if you would be upset knowing this building is anything but the Institute of Mundane Studies?

[hieronymous]

It's some rare kind of an interesting town that could serve up Mayor William Dyke and Mayor Paul Soglin back to back. It's surely one of the more inspiring stories of fall and redemption in American politics.

[christine LeGros]

Having worked with now Judge Bill Dyke for over a dozen years, I find it puzzeling that you still need only print the eye catching partial stories of those years past.
He has gone on to be highly praised by Shirley Abrhansom the Chief Justice of the Wi Supreme Courtas an innovated and gifted with forsight and diligeence.. He has been innovative and fair-bringing with him years of experience through which he learned valuble lessons,and found a way to move forward and bring Iowa Co with him
He was one of the first to establish a Teen Court in his county that has proved to be innvaluable. He introduced a required mediator session into the foreclosers our homeowners are facing. Providing help for both homeowners and lenders.
While in service in Madison- he was pivital in starting thr Farmers Market, he changed what was an over burdened airport into a Reginal Airport now with the funds to make the improvements it so sorely needed to catch up with other Airports without bleeding Madison alone to raise the funds.
He was the one who found the Lady Justice resting with the other City discards in the dump. She was made by the boy scouts of America and gifted to madison,yet thrown aside. He got her up and cleaned off and placed in a beautiful spot out in Warner Park. He was responcible in part for the developement of the Park Bank, Owen Park and much more.
He is a man with a long and varried amount of experience that he has now for the last 13 yrs used to become one of the most highly regarded Judges in Wis.

[christine LeGros]

Info about Judge Bill Dykes current activities as circuit court Judge in Iowa Co and Chief Judge in the 7th district visit www.BillDyke.com