Full Notification

City representatives including Mayor Freund and Council President Polenske have been working with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) for the last several weeks to determine whether the memorial could remain in place after a complaint was filed with the DOT about its location at the intersection of State Highway 151 and State Highway 19 (Windsor Road).

The Department of Transportation has issued a permit which allows the Mengelt Memorial to remain in its current location through June 2015. After that time, at the Mengelt family’s request, the memorial will be relocated to Orfan Park. There is already a park bench dedicated by the Mengelt family in Orfan Park and the memorial will be located adjacent to the bench.

“I am happy that all of those involved including the City, DOT and Representative Hebl’s office understood the importance, to our family, of leaving the memorial in place through the second anniversary. We understand the DOT concerns regarding safety and appreciate the City’s support in relocating the memorial to Orfan Park near our home” stated Keven Mengelt.

“The City appreciates the effort made by the DOT and State Representative Hebl’s Office to ensure that the memorial would remain in place through the second anniversary of this tragic event. The City Council has approved relocating the memorial to Orfan Park which will occur sometime in late spring 2015”, stated Mayor Jon Freund.

“We understand the importance of this memorial to the Sun Prairie community,” said David Vieth, Deputy Director of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Southwest Region. “At the City’s request, and with their commitment to accept responsibility for the memorial and its location, the Department has agreed to issue a permit that will allow the marker to remain in its current location until June 1, 2015.”