On August 20, a Sauk County informational meeting about the proposed BECI 765 kV transmission line filled the Baraboo Public Library past capacity. The sign-in sheet counted 342 people; the room held 150, and the crowd outside stayed for the whole meeting, fielding questions on the steps and at the picnic tables.

Afterward, Michael Browne turned on a recorder. Episode 2 of Not a Done Deal is five conversations from the library steps, unpolished and recorded on the spot.

Listen on Spotify, or on Apple Podcasts as the feed updates.

Who you’ll hear

• Sue Stackman, whose fourth-generation century farm in Rock Springs sits in the path of the mapped study segments: “Don’t say it’s not in my backyard, because it’s going to cost us all.”
• Chris and Dawn Speerings of North Freedom, who built their home under what the maps now show as Route 9, with a proposed turn tower less than 100 yards from their bedroom; on how they found out, and what happened when the developer called back.
• Kay Luxdon, whose Hill Point dairy farm hosted this year’s dairy breakfast, on the letter she almost threw away.
• Joel Johnson and Janet Johnson, who helped organize the evening, on how a county meeting became standing room only, and why the same story keeps repeating county to county.
• Tennille Osthoff, vice chair of No 765 Line, on how the BECI rollout differs from MariBell’s, and what happens next.

The clock matters: MGS open houses run August 24–27 (county-by-county schedule on our events page), and the developer’s segment comment deadline is September 7. You can send your comment in minutes with our comment walkthrough.

Chapters

• 0:00 · Cold open: “It’s going to cost us all”
• 0:18 · Sue Stackman: a century farm in Rock Springs
• 4:33 · Chris & Dawn Speerings: a tower 100 yards from the bedroom
• 11:18 · Kay Luxdon: a Hill Point dairy farm and a letter in the garbage
• 14:26 · Joel & Janet Johnson: how 342 people ended up at the library
• 22:34 · Tennille Osthoff: what happens next