Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  The Village of Wind Point, WisconsinMarch 2014
Wind Point School to Reopen for Displaced Students
Racine Unified School District announced Wind Point School will reopen on Wednesday, March 5 for Mitchell Elementary students (K-5) who were displaced by the fire on Thursday. It is expected they will use Wind Point School for the remainder of the school year. Please be mindful of the extra traffic when the school day begins (7:55 a.m.) and ends (2:40 p.m.). For more info visit www.racine.k12.wi.us.
Spring Election Scheduled for Tuesday, April 1
The polls will be open on Tuesday, April 1 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Prairie School (Johnson Athletic Center) for the general spring election. Items on the ballot include Village Board Trustee, County Board Supervisor, Racine Unified School Board, Court of Appeals Judge and Circuit Court Judge. 

Three Village Board Trustee positions will be up for election. Incumbents Karen Van Lone and David Heller filed papers to run for re-election, while incumbent Jay Hammes did not file. Newcomer Robert W. Quam, Jr. filed papers and will be on the ballot.

For information on your voter registration status, requesting an absentee ballot or more, visit http://myvote.wi.gov or contact the Administrative Office at 639.3524.
Village Introduces New Website, Online Payments
A new Village website went live on February 24. The site offers additional content and features, including credit card payments for water bills and police citations (a convenience fee is charged based on the payment amount). The new website was designed on a blogging platform at no cost to the Village. Visit it at windpointwi.us and let us know what you think!
Pat Yourself on the Back!
Wind Point residents recycled 298 tons of materials in 2013 - a 17% increase over 2012! Let's get over the 300 ton mark this year! Click here for more information on what should be placed in recycling bins (green karts).
 
Dog License Applications Due April 1
Just a reminder that annual dog license applications are due April 1. All Wind Point residents owning a dog five months of age or older must have it licensed. The license year is January 1 through December 31. The license fee is $15 for spayed or neutered dog and $35 for unspayed or unneutered dog. There is a $5 late fee applied for dogs registered after April 1. Proof of current rabies vaccination must be provided. Click here to download the license application.
Village Board Highlights
The Village Board met for a regular meeting on February 13. The Board...
  • Reviewed an updated 5-year street improvement program.
  • Heard an update on year-to-date winter operations-related expenditures.
  • Directed staff to complete an emergency management plan for the Village.
  • Approved Amendment #4 to the Village's agreement with Racine Wastewater Utility for Household Hazardous Waste Collection services, including an increase from $1,600 to $2,337 per year.
  • Approved a right-of-way road request from Ragnar Race Series to use Campus Dr. for a relay race taking place from Madison to Chicago. Runners are expected to pass through the Village between midnight to 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 7.
  • Approved the purchase and installation of a new office server from AMI in the amount of $6,100.
  • Discussed a website revamp proposed by the administrator and approved rolling it out on or around February 24.
  • Heard an update from the administrator that AT&T is preparing an amendment to their lease to add antennas to the cell tower.
  • Heard an update on the hiring of Kevin Ausman as management intern for the Village.
The next regular meeting is March 13 at the Lighthouse/Village Hall meeting room.
Welcome, Kevin!

We are pleased to welcome Kevin Ausman to the Village team! Kevin joined our office as Management Intern on February 24 and will assist the Village with special projects and customer assistance. He is in his final semester of the Master of Public Administration program at UW-Milwaukee and brings experience working in the Waukesha County budget office and the Mequon-Thiensville Recreation Department.

Wind Point Watershed Planning

A public meeting is scheduled for the Wind Point Watershed Restoration project on Thursday, March 20, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Caledonia Community Center (6156 Douglas Ave.). All members of the public are invited to attend and participate in the planning process. For more information, click here.
Moment in Wind Point History - The Boat House

 

A pier and boathouse existed at Wind Point for many decades.  This early photo (right) illustrates the tram and hoist system that assisted with the launching of the lighthouse boat as well as the delivery and handling of tons of supplies brought by tenders.  

 

The lighthouse boat rested on a tram on a pair of narrow gage rails on the wooden pier and was used by the keepers to travel to town (Racine) since it was the easier way to travel.  The roads, such as they were, were very poor out to the "Point", unpaved and rutted dirt (or in rainy weather - mud).   Some supplies, however, were delivered via horse-drawn wagons. 

 

Wind Point received supplies and other materials routinely from United States Lighthouse Service tenders.  These vessels normally were christened after flowers or other plants.  The Sumac, Hyacinth, Dahlia, and Hollyhock all called at Wind Point.  Most supplies were delivered via water due to the condition of the roads. 

 

Many people think that the Lighthouse was a life-saving station because of the boat launch set-up, but The Racine Life-Saving Station complex was actually located at Racine Harbor, not the Wind Point Lighthouse.  The lighthouse boat at Wind Point was the primary mode of transportation by the keepers and their families to travel to Racine and back.

 

(Information sourced from Barb and Ken Wardius' book, Wind Point Lighthouse and the Racine Heritage Museum.)