Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  The Village of Wind Point, WisconsinOctober 2014
Note: This is a corrected edition with the revised times for household hazardous waste of 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the correct date for the next Village Board meeting on October 9.
Wind Point Halloween Party!

Wind Point children ages 12 and under are invited to the annual Halloween Party at the Lighthouse on Sunday, October 26 at 2-3:30 p.m. Wear your favorite costume and be ready for fun, games, crafts and treats!

 

Please RSVP by Wednesday, October 22 to [email protected] or 262.664.2395. Please list the names and ages of your children planning to attend. Pass this invitation along to other families in Wind Point that may be interested in attending this special event!

 

The event is organized by the Wind Point Community Club, a non-profit group that has been promoting social activities in the Village since 1923. Be sure to follow the Wind Point Community Club on Facebook.

 

Trick-or-Treat Times
The Village of Wind Point will once again have trick-or-treating at the same time as Racine. It will be Friday, October 31, 5-8 p.m. 

PSC Approves Water Rate Increase

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved an 11% increase to Caledonia Utility District's water rates effective September 15, 2014, including its wholesale water supply to Wind Point. The increase is expected to be reflected in Wind Point residents' fourth quarter water bill mailed on or around December 15.

 

The PSC set the 11% increase based on a full study of Caledonia's plant and operating costs. It was the first full rate case since Caledonia consolidated its water utilities in 2010. The Village of Wind Point had the study reviewed by two independent auditors.

Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off on October 18

The final household hazardous waste date for 2014 is Saturday, October 18 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The drop-off site is located at 6200 21st Street, Racine, WI (Just west of Hwy 31 and North of the old Sam's Club). To view a list of what type of items are collected, click here.
 

Medicine Collection Day will also take place on October 18 at the hazardous waste drop-off site. For more information, click here.

Zoning Appeals Board Hears Boat Storage Request

The Board of Zoning Appeals met on September 25 to review a variance application from a resident requesting to store a boat on the side of the garage.

Sec. 3.05.020(d) of the Village Zoning Code provides that one boat may be stored outdoors, between April 1 to October 31, behind the rear building line of the principal structure, between the side building lines and not less than 15 feet from the rear lot line.

The Board voted unanimously to deny the application. Board members agreed the applicant's proposed use conflicted with the intent of the ordinance which is to restrict boats, trailers and recreation vehicles from being visible from the road.

Final Lighthouse Tower Climb of the Year on Sunday

The last Wind Point Lighthouse Tower Climb of 2014 is scheduled for October 5 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

 

Please call 262 880-8266 to make your reservation by the Saturday immediately preceding the Sunday of the climb and plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to the time scheduled for your climb.  Included with your ticket is a visit to the Fog Horn Building Museum on the grounds.  There are new items for sale in the Museum Shop, so please stop in. 

Village Preparing 2015 Municipal Budget

The Village Board and staff are working together to develop the 2015 budget. The budget timeline is as follows:

  • August 7 - Personnel, Finance and Insurance Committee reviewed 2014 year-to-date and discussed 2015 budget process.
     
  • August 31-September 19 - Staff prepared 2015 budget requests.
     
  • September 25 - Personnel, Finance and Insurance Committee reviewed General Fund requests.
     
  • October 6 - Personnel, Finance and Insurance Committee reviews personnel, reserves/capital budget requests.
     
  • October 23 - Committee of the Whole reviews full draft budget.
     
  • November 13 - Village Board holds budget public hearing and adopts budget.

All committee and Village Board meetings are open to the public. See the calendar for details about time and location of the meetings.

Fall Election Information

The Fall General Election will be on Tuesday, November 4 at the Prairie School Johnson Athletic Center. Due to an order from 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, the Wisconsin photo ID requirement will be in effect for this election.

 

If you wish to vote absentee by mail, you may do so by submitting an application to the Village office along with a copy of a valid photo ID. In-person absentee voting is available at the Village office during regular business hours between Monday, October 20 and Friday, October 31.

 

Click here to view a sample ballot. For more information on elections and voting, click here.
Update on New Village Directory
The Community Club is producing a new Village Directory! Volunteers are making calls to confirm contact information.  Or, you may email Sherry Heck: [email protected]

Sherry is also selling ads for the Directory. 

 

Please note that the Directory will be sold only to Village residents, beginning at the November election and at the Village office. Proceeds from the Directory help fund Community Club events, including the bike parade, picnic and Holiday tree lighting.

Fall Yard Waste and Branch Collection Dates
Yard Waste Collection continues every Monday through November 24. Each yard waste bag needs a yard waste sticker; stickers can be obtained at the Village office ($1 each) or ordered online (5 for $6).

The final two branch collection dates of the year are Tuesday, October 14 and Tuesday, November 11. Please note it may take up to three days for our crew to collect all branch piles. Piles should not exceed 4 feet in height and 4 feet in width. Branches that exceed 8 feet in length and 4 inches in diameter will not be collected.

Branch or yard waste piles should be set in the public right-of-way no earlier than three days before collection date. Bags or piles set out at the wrong time may be tagged with a special collection notice, indicating that a special collection fee will be charged if not removed within 48 hours.

Thank you for your cooperation with these services and for helping keep the Village looking great!
Village Board Highlights

The Village Board held a regular meeting on Thursday, September 11. The Board...

  • Heard an update on the 2015 budget timeline.
     
  • Heard an update on lighthouse main building roof and tower painting planning.
     
  • Approved the purchase of plants this fall in an amount not to exceed $600 to initiate phases 2 and 3 of the lighthouse landscaping plan.
     
  • Approved a 2015 lighthouse reservations fee schedule based on a proposal from the lighthouse keepers to offer tiered fees based on number of attendees.
     
  • Approved directing staff to solicit proposals for a Village Green park plan.
     
  • Approved Resolution 14-R03 authorizing staff to submit an urban forestry grant application to remove the spruce trees along the Village Green Park tennis courts and replace them with arborvitaes.
     
  • Approved the revised property maintenance ordinance (Ordinance 14-05).
     
  • Referred preparing a lighthouse grounds agreement to staff and the village attorney.

The Village Board will meet for regular meeting on Thursday, October 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the Village Hall (Lighthouse).

Front Entry Decorating Ideas for Fall
Kale isn't just for eating. The flowering varieties, available at the farmer's market or flower shops, make beautiful additions to flower arrangements. For more information, click hereSource: Better Homes and Gardens
Architectural Reviews

Just a reminder that all new structures or projects that change at least 20% of any face of an existing structure require approval from the Wind Point Architectural Review Board. This includes proposed changes in materials or colors to a face of a home or other building. 

To apply, submit an application form with supporting materials and $25 fee to the Village office. Residents in Wind Meadows have an additional architectural review process with the Wind Meadows Architectural Review Committee.