~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Village Board Highlights

The Village Board met Monday, November 17, 2014. These are the highlights from that meeting:

1. Proclamation issued in honor of Michael J. Spector.
2. Approved 2015 Village Budget.
3. Approved Resolution to authorize a special tax to be levied for delinquent water and sewer bills.
4. Approved Resolution to authorize a special tax to be levied for delinquent grass cutting bills. 
5. Approved Resolution to authorize a special tax to be levied for delinquent snow removal charges.
6. Approved Resolution to authorize a special tax to be levied for delinquent re-inspection charges.
7. Approved Resolution to authorize a special tax to be levied for delinquent private alarm charges.
8. Approved Resolution to authorize a special tax to be levied for delinquent refuse pick-up charges. 
9. Approved Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement between Milwaukee County and the Village of Shorewood for payment of GCS software maintenance. 
10. Approved International Migratory Bird Day Resolution.
11. Approved Village of Shorewood Sewer Study Pricing Verification.

Back to Top 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2015 Adopted Budget

Back to Top 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shorewood Community Voice

There is a new tool accessible through the Village website that is

intended to facilitate open discussion forums between residents, staff and visitors of Shorewood. The Community Voice section of the website will allow residents to share ideas with each other and staff in order to better serve the community in which we live, work and play. This tool will allow any visitor to the website the ability to initiate community dialogue, post ideas for discussion, interact with staff, etc.

This is one more way in which the Village is providing routes for open communication and striving to increase community interaction and involvement. Please take a tour of the Community Voice. Look around and let us know what you think.

Back to Top 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Upcoming Village Elections

Forms and information packets for parties interested in running for the Village President or Village of Shorewood Trustee positions are available on the website. The first day candidates may circulate nomination papers is December 1. All paperwork must be submitted to the Village Clerk no later than 5 p.m. on January 6, 2015 in order to be included on the ballot. 

Class A Notice of Election with information is available.

Please contact Village Clerk Sherry Grant with any questions regarding the process.

Back to Top 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The proposed active senior apartment development along the Milwaukee River (just behind the assisted living that's mid-construction), is nearing final approval.  The project was approved by the Plan Commission in July the Design Review Board in August of 2014. The Village Board will consider the developers agreement in December of 2014.  The Village is pleased about the project, bringing to Shorewood housing options for active, older adults.  This type of housing is desired by many residents that want to age in the community and who no longer want to own and maintain a home. The 100 apartments offer many great amenities including additional public path connections to the Oak Leaf Trail and to the nature paths along the river.  Upon completion of both the River District projects, a new public road along the top of the  river bluff will offer easy access to these natural amenities that makes Shorewood a great place to live and recreate. 

The addition of active senior housing next to an assisted living and memory care facility creates a cohesive node in the Village and will be a spectacular gateway into the Village in addition to the Capitol Drive Trail Bridge.

Renderings and other information for both these projects may be found on the Village's website under Community Development. 

Back to Top 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shorewood needs a Central District Master Plan to help guide development in the business corridor along Oakland Avenue and Capitol Drive. The last plan was developed in 2006 and has recently been updated to meet the changing needs of our community. The Community Development Authority (CDA) reviewed a final draft of the updated Central District Master Plan on October 3 and made a recommendation to the Plan Commission.  The Plan Commission, along with the more than 100 people in attendance, was presented the plan October 28.

The Plan Commission will discuss the proposed plan and possibly make a recommendation to the Village Board.  The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Village Center Lower Level.  If you would like more information about the Central District Master Plan, or if you have input for us, there are many ways to get involved:

1. Review the entire plan or a summary of the plan located under Community Development on the Village website.
2. Email the Planning Department with specific questions or comments.
3. Call Planning Director Ericka Lang at 414.847.2647 or Village Manager Chris Swartz at  414.847.2701.

    

4. Attend one of the following meetings that are open to the public.

• Plan Commission meeting on November 25 to discuss and determine if they will make a recommendation to the Village Board.
• When there is a recommendation to the Village Board, they will schedule a public hearing to get more public feedback.

Back to Top 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Shorewood Municipal Water Utility has filed an application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) to increase water rates.  The increase is necessary because of plant additions and increased operating expenses since the last water rate case in 2012.

The total increase in water revenues requested is $458,028 which will result in an estimated overall rate increase of 32% over the water utility's present revenues.  If the request is granted, the water bill for general service for an average residential customer in Shorewood with a ⅝-inch or ¾-inch meter who uses 1,300 cubic feet (9,725 gallons) of water per quarter will increase from $42.19 to $52.71, or 24.9%. Please be aware that the PSC uses the statewide average household quarterly consumption of 2,100 cubic feet of water when preparing notices. To that end, they are estimating a 29% average household impact of this rate increase.

A telephonic public hearing on the application has been scheduled for Tuesday, December 2, 2014, at 1 p.m. in the 2nd Floor Committee Room at the Shorewood Village Hall, 3930 North Murray Avenue, Shorewood, Wisconsin.  Scheduling questions regarding this hearing may be directed to the PSCW at 608.266.3766.

Back to Top 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Winter Safety Tips 

Fight Wintertime Depression

Because it can be difficult and dangerous to get around, many seniors have less contact with others during cold months. This can breed feelings of loneliness and isolation.

To help avoid these issues, family members can check in on seniors as often as possible; even a short, daily phone call can make a big difference. Seniors can also arrange a check-in system with neighbors and friends, where each person looks in on one or two others daily.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DPW Fall Leaf Tips

November is the final month for curbside brush collection.  

As a reminder branches with a minimum 1/2 inch diameter and 4-feetlong and a maximum of 6-inch diameter and 7-feet long should be stacked neatly on the parkway with the stem end toward the curb. Garden material, vines, etc. are not considered brush and must be bagged as yard waste. Please see the yard waste and brush collection webpage for a chipping schedule and additional information 

Avoid flooded driveways and roads  

When leaves are put in piles for collection long before your scheduled collection they can easily be blown about. As we witnessed a few weeks back, this can cause blockages in the stormwater drainage system which leads to water backing up onto your yard or the roadway. By putting your loose leaves out only during your collection week, you are less likely to experience these types of back-ups.  If you have a moment, please see the leaf collection page.  

Keep the Public Safe

By timing your raking with the scheduled collection it minimizes the time leaves are at the roadside waiting for pick-up. This keeps kids from playing in the piles along the roadside and keeps the road clear for cars and pedestrians.

Mulch your leaves

Instead of putting your leaves out for collection, consider mulching them. Leaves are rich in carbon, phosphorus, and potassium- all essential nutrients needed by plants including turf grasses. To gain the benefits of these nutrients, you can simply mulch fallen leaves in place by mowing over them. You can view this video for more details.

Back to Top 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

November is National Alzheimer's Awareness Month 

Cognitive impairment does not always lead to Alzheimer's Disease; early diagnosis of dementia is possible

The first step in following up on symptoms of cognitive impairment is finding a doctor you feel comfortable with. Many people contact their regular primary care physician or internist about their concerns regarding memory loss. The Alzheimer's Association recommends that seniors undergo cognitive impairment screening and evaluation to establish a baseline for comparison, and then have regular follow-up assessments in subsequent years. 

Medicare covers an annual wellness exam which includes cognitive screening, or your primary care doctor may refer you to a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. 

Diagnosing Alzheimer's requires careful medical evaluation including:

• A thorough history
• Mental status testing
• A physical and neurological exam
• Tests (such as blood tests and brain imaging) to rule out other causes of dementia-like symptoms 

Specialists include:

• Neurologists, who specialize in diseases of the brain and nervous system
• Psychiatrists, who specialize in disorders that affect mood or the way the mind works
• Psychologists with special training in testing memory and other mental functions

A listing of diagnostic clinics, geriatric psychiatrists and geriatric psychologists can be found on the Alzheimers Association of SE Wisconsin's website  or by contacting the Shorewood Senior Resource Center (414) 847-2727.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

North Shore Health Department Highlights 

It's not too late for a flu shot!  Call 414-371-2980 and ask to schedule an appointment.  The cost is $30-$35 depending on the type of vaccine.  We also have flu vaccine for children who do not have health insurance or whose health insurance does not cover vaccine.  This is available for $10.

Upcoming Adult Health Clinics: (appointment required) 

-Tuesday November 25, 2014: 8-10 a.m.- Shorewood Office

Upcoming Blood Pressure Clinics: (no appointment needed)

-Tuesday November 25, 2014: 3:30-4 p.m.- North Shore Library

-Wednesday November 26,2014: 3:30-5:30 p.m.- Shorewood Office

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Message from the
Department of Natural Resources

Back to Top 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Health Tip 

Environmental Tip

Getting a new cell phone for Christmas? Not sure what to do with the old one? Now you can drop off that old phone at any Staples store  each year 130 million cell phones are thrown out weighing approximately 65,000 tons. Recycling your old phone prevents hazardous elements like mercury, cadmium and lead from ending up in our landfills.