City Times Staff

Negotiations between the Village of Plover and the City of Stevens Point over ownership of Whiting have come to a grinding halt this week.

Weeks of talks between the two municipalities have yielded little success over the village’s 2.16 square miles and 750 homes, which are now up for grabs after Whiting dissolved its charter last month.

Whiting’s dissolution was prompted by a limited tax based unable to continue paying for the village’s new $7 million water treatment facility, and lack of public interest in filling the village’s elected offices.

Tom Davies, village president of Plover, and Mayor Mike Wiza have been unable to reach any kind of agreement in splitting the assets.

“It’s so hard to talk business with that guy,” Davies said. “He can’t go 10 minutes without cracking a stupid joke; I can’t talk to that guy because he doesn’t take anything seriously.”

Davies stormed out of this week’s meeting with Wiza and said he doesn’t plan to return until “Wiza can show me he’s a grownup”.

Tensions arose when Wiza and Davies began to discuss a boundary line on Bus. 51.

“All I did was ask the guy what his favorite Star Wars character is,” Wiza said. “Things were just getting to intense and the atmosphere in the room was pretty heavy. It’s not my fault Plover has no sense of humor.”