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Monona music in the park a farewell for long-time resident Passmore

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Fran Passmore stands next to a kiosk at Monona’s city park, which was one of the projects spearheaded by the community visioning committee she was a part of. Passmore, who will soon bid farewell to the community she’s loved for over five decades, is sponsoring live music at the park this Saturday, Aug. 7. (Photo by Audrey Posten)

By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

 

Live music will return to the historic bandstand at Monona’s city park this Saturday, Aug. 7, with a performance by the Bruce Bearinger Band from 1 to 4 p.m. The event is sponsored by resident Fran Passmore, who will soon bid farewell to the community she’s loved for over five decades. 

 

It’s the second time in three years Passmore has organized musical entertainment at the park. No event was held in 2020 due to the pandemic.

 

“Two years ago, I wanted to get an idea started. If I sponsored a band and had music in the park, my hope was other people would come forward and do the same thing,” Passmore shared. “It’s not that expensive, and if people would just get two or three couples together, you could have music in the park once a month in June, July, August and even September.”

 

“There’s nothing better than music. It’s so relaxing,” she added. “This year, it just happened that all my family is coming one more time to stay in my house. I thought it would be fun to be out here, listen to music and talk and have snacks. Then invite everybody else.”

 

Passmore has lived in Monona for 51 years. But she acknowledged she didn’t come to appreciate how great the community is until she retired 15 years ago and became more active. Since then, Passmore has been involved with the Butterfly Garden and Trail, the 2016 visioning committee and the Clayton County Foundation for the Future. She’s even served as mayor.

 

“I did two terms, then was out, then came back for 14 months,” replacing Barb Collins when she took over as city administrator, Passmore recalled. “Never in my wildest dream did I ever think I’d be mayor.”

 

Passmore, who was uneasy about the prospect of learning city finances, was encouraged to run under the promise that her main duty would be to facilitate the council meetings. 

 

“Needless to say, it’s more than facilitating meetings,” she joked. “But I learned a lot, and I understand more now about how local government works. I also understand things don’t move real fast. They can’t. There’s a reason for that.” 

 

“It was an eye opener for me,” she quipped, “but I enjoyed it.”

 

Passmore also enjoyed working on the city’s visioning projects, especially seeing area youth create the metal banners that now hang in downtown Monona.

 

“The more you can involve youth, they have ownership in the community,” she said.

 

She’s seen the Butterfly Garden and Trail evolve too.

 

“It obviously started before I got on the committee, but we were able to expand,” Passmore said. “I hope the trail system continues to grow and gets longer.”

 

Passmore feels these features—along with a strong school system, daycare center, senior living community, swimming pool, all-inclusive playground and dedicated first responders—make Monona special.

 

“It’s a community that offers everything from birth to senior citizens. They have all the amenities,” she said. “It’s just an up and coming community, and I hope it keeps growing.”

 

Passmore’s only regret? That she didn’t get involved sooner.

 

“We need young people to step forward and do things too. I could have been one of those,” she said.

 

Now, Passmore encourages others to do their part.

 

“If you don’t get involved, your community isn’t going to grow and continue to be progressive,” she reflected. “Everybody has ideas, and there isn’t an idea that probably can’t be done if you have the energy and follow through. It’s wide open out there.”

 

Although Passmore is leaving Monona to live closer to family, she said the city will always hold a special place in her heart. She hopes others remember her as someone who gave her time.

 

“It’s not just me. It takes a lot of people to get projects done. But I helped,” she said. 

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