- Edith Lovejoy Pierce
For information on upcoming Board, Committee and Commission meetings as well as other government-related meetings and events, please follow the link above to the Village Government Calendar.

January 4 Village Board Agenda

The Village Board will meet on Monday, January 4, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. in the Village Hall Court Room. These are the agenda items that the Board will discuss or take action on during the meeting:
  1. Consider Presentation of Accounts January 4, 2015
  2. Consider Design and Engineering Services Contract with Wisconsin Department of Transportation and R.A. Smith National regarding Bike Share
  3. Consider Easement Agreements with CHP Shorewood WI Owner, LLC
  4. Discuss and Possibly Consider Request from Plensa artists representative to return the sculpture adjusted, as determined by the artist

Village Board to Discuss Next Steps  

with Plensa Sculpture 

On January 4, the Shorewood Village Board regularly scheduled meeting will include discussion regarding to the Plensa Spillover II Sculpture.  Since voting on Dec. 21 to temporarily reinstall the sculpture at Atwater Park, the Village received word from the Richard Gray Gallery that the artist Jaume Plensa's strong preference is to adjust the letters in the sculpture to avoid any future misinterpretations of this work and then return it to Atwater Park.  Plensa continues to express deep sadness that his sculpture has been egregiously misinterpreted as his works and beliefs are the antithesis of anti-Semitism.  

The Board will discuss and
 possibly  take action on the artist's recommendation as well as re-evaluate its initial plan to temporarily reinstall the sculpture while holding a public communication process.  The public process includes a community conversation meeting and formal written submissions and phone calls from the community to the Village Board as well as input from the Public Art Committee.

We will continue to keep the community informed about the outcome of this board meeting and invite you to touch base with any questions.
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Mail: 3930 N. Murray Ave. (addressed to the Village Manager)
  • Phone:  Village Manager Chris Swartz at 414.847.2701 

Reminder to Residents on Shoveling
Sidewalks

During the winter months, Village Ordinance 466-27 requires every Shorewood property owner to keep the sidewalks adjacent to their property clear of snow and ice.  
 
Twelve (12) hours after a snowfall the Department of Public Works will have sidewalks inspected and orange notices will be placed on door knobs of homes where the walks are not cleared.  
 
The Police will issue citations twelve (12) hours after notices are issued and the sidewalk will be cleared with the cost billed to the adjacent property owner.  
 
Please be a good neighbor, avoid fines and snow removal fees by clearing your walks following a snowfall.  It is important to note that this action is in place to assure safe walking conditions for everyone. Residents are encouraged to call the Police Department at 414.847.2610 to report areas that are not adequately cleared or use Request Service Online. 

A Special Thank You to Village Employees Working on the Holidays!

As the new year approaches, it is a perfect time to express one's gratitude and appreciation for those individuals who make our lives better.
 
The Village of Shorewood thanks the Police officers, Fire and Public Works personnel for being on duty during the holiday season, truly committing their time to serving this great community. 
 
These public servants commit a great amount of hours to your safety and well-being while we spend time with family and friends.  We thank these heroes for their devotion to the Shorewood community!
Shorewood Parking Restrictions Lifted Until January 4
Overnight and daytime parking restrictions were lifted for the rest of the 2015 year effective December 24. 

Night parking restrictions will resume on Monday morning, January 4, 2016. 

Those parking on the streets still need to follow Village procedures and remove their vehicle from the street if there is a snow emergency.

If you have questions about parking restrictions, please call the Police Department at 414.847.2610.

Holiday Hours for Village Public Buildings


The Village Hall, Public Library, Police Department and the Public Works building will be closed on Thursday, December 31, 2015 (Village Hall will be open until 12 p.m.) and Friday, January 1, 2016.
 
I
Property Tax Bills Mailed
Property tax bills were mailed to property owners on Friday, December 11, 2015.  The bills included taxes levied by the Village of Shorewood, the Shorewood School District, Milwaukee County, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, and the State of Wisconsin.  To view your tax bill, feel free to click here.
 
Taxes are due in full by January 31 of each year, unless using the installment plan.  If using the installment plan, the first installment is due by January 31, the second installment is due by March 31, and the third installment is due by May 31. Payments must be received in the office or Village drop box by close of business.  Village Hall will close at noon on December 31 and payments received by noon on December 31 will be processed in 2015.  Payments received after that time will be processed in 2016.  
 
Property tax bills can be paid in the following methods:
  • Credit Card (Online Only - Additional Fee)
  • Electronic Check (Online Only - Additional Fee)
  • At one of two North Shore Bank locations (Full payments or Installments only, no refunds given, no partial payments):
    • Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to Noon
      • 3970 N Oakland Avenue
      • 4414 N Oakland Avenue
  • By mail: Village of Shorewood, 3930 N Murray Avenue, Shorewood WI 53211
  • By postage-free drop box located in the parking lot behind Village Hall
  • In person at Village Hall, Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (except holidays)
Escrow checks that have been made out to the property owner and the Village must be properly endorsed.  Refunds for overpayments will be processed within 20 days.  Receipts can be obtained through the Village website or by providing a self-addressed stamped envelope with the payment.
Shorewood Police Department Offers Smartphone Safety Tips for Parents
Computers, tablets, and smartphones have been very popular holiday gifts in recent years.  Giving your child a smartphone is a decision that does not come easy to many parents.  Smartphones are essentially little computers, so you might be a little worried when handing one over to your child. We would like to encourage parents to take some time to understand the risks and implement a few safeguards so that you can help your child use smartphones safely.  
 
As with any piece of technology, there are some great benefits as well as some inherent risks that come with it.  Risks associated with smartphones include the following:
  1. Cyberbullying.  With the constant connectivity of smartphones, your child may be more susceptible to cyberbullying or have more opportunities to cyberbully others.
  2. Geolocation.  These location services can be utilized by someone to know where you live, where your child attends school or works, and at what times they are most likely to be at those locations based on information, images, and video they post online. 
  3. Inappropriate Content. With smartphones, your child has mobile access to content you may consider inappropriate, such as pornography or violent videos.
  4. Sexting.  Your child may use the Internet and social apps to send, receive, or forward revealing photos.
  5. Viruses & Malware.  Just like a computer, a smartphone is vulnerable to security attacks if your child accesses unsecured websites and apps.
Here are a few tips to help minimize these risks:
  1. Be a parent and a resource. Establish clear guidelines, including time limits and consequences for inappropriate behavior, but be open so your child will come to you with any problems.  This should include an agreement between the parent and the child that the parent will randomly check the phone and its content from time to time to ensure that the child is adhering to the guidelines.
  2. Set up password protection. This will keep everyone but you and your child from accessing personal information stored on the phone.
  3. Update the operating system. New versions often contain important security fixes.
  4. Approve apps before they are downloaded. Make sure you understand their capabilities and approve their content.
  5. Understand location services. GPS features are useful when using maps, but you'll want to disable location-tagging when your child posts anything online. 

Boutique Blowout Returns to Shorewood on February 6

Returning for its eighth year on Saturday, February 6, 2016 is the bargain hunter's paradise known as "Boutique Blowout."  

Many of the Milwaukee's chicest boutiques will be here to sell clothing and accessories at deeply discounted prices.  This year's event will again be held at the Atwater Cafeteria from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.  

The $5 admission fee is donated to the Shorewood Recreation Department's "Round Up for Recreation" program, which provides financial support for anyone unable to afford the department's activity fees.
 
Attendees are advised to bring cash, as not all vendors will accept credit cards.  Entrance is at the back northwest corner of the school.  For additional information, please contact Liz LeBlanc at [email protected] or 414.962.4030.

Get Booked all Winter!

Last year's popular Adult Winter Reading Program is back in 2016 with the theme "Booked all Winter." Your chance to earn prizes by reading starts next Monday, January 4

Stop by the library to pick up a bookmark. Read a book or audiobook, complete a short review on the bookmark, and turn it in to be entered to win one of several Shorewood prize packs. You can submit as many entries as you want! Throughout the winter, we will share your submitted reviews on our blog and in the library.

Sustainable Shorewood Tip of the Week        

Soak Your Dishes
Soaking your dishes before you wash them is a practice that you might have learned as a way to get tough grease or baked-on food off without having to scrub endlessly, but it's also a great way to save water. If you have a double sink, simply fill one up about halfway and immerse your dirty dishes in there for an hour or even overnight. Water softens any caked-on food, making it easier to wash off with less water. Those with single sinks don't need to feel left out. Simply set aside a large pot or other container in your sink and use that as a soaking area. 

See more at the following website

Health Department Highlights        

Did You Know?
Thick winter coats should not be worn while riding in a car seat. Bulky coats worn underneath a car seat harness may cause the harness to be too loose and ineffective in a crash. As the temperature starts to drop make sure your child stays safe and warm.  Watch this sort video from the Today show on what could happen in a crash: http://www.today.com/video/car-seat-alert-a-winter-coat-could-endanger-your-child-585502787887
 
How to check if the coat is too big:
  • Put the coat on your child and fasten them into the car seat with the harness. Tighten the harness.
  • Without loosening the harness, remove the child from the car seat.
  • Take off the coat and put your child back into the car seat without adjusting the harness straps.
  • If you can pinch the harness straps between your thumb and forefinger, the coat is too bulky to be worn under the harness.
 
Alternatives to bulky winter coats:
  • Put the coat on backwards after your child is securely harnessed into the car seat.
  • Find a coat that provides a tight enough fit.
  • Place a blanket over your child after being securely harnessed into the car seat.
 
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We continue to offer flu immunizations during our regular All Immunization Clinic times. Please call the North Shore Health Department for an appointment at 414-371-2980.
 
The next Immunization Clinic is scheduled for the following days:
Tuesday, January 12th - 10-11 a.m. - Brown Deer (appointment required)
Thursday, January 14th - 3- 4:30 p.m. - Shorewood (appointment required)
 
** We continue to provide flu shots to home bound individuals, please call us at 414-371-2980 for appointments or questions.
 
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Upcoming Adult Health Clinics
No upcoming adult health clinics
 
Upcoming Blood Pressure Screenings (No appointment required)
No upcoming blood pressure clinics

Upcoming Community Events

Village Facilities (Village Hall, Police Department, DPW, Library) Closed
Thursday, December 31, 2015 (Village Hall closed after 12 p.m.)
Friday, January 1, 2016

SHS Chamber Orchestra & Singers
Sunday, January 10, 2016, 7 p.m.
Kingo Lutheran Church

Atwater Winter Sing Performances
Wednesday and Thursday, January 20 and 21, 2016
Atwater Cafetorium, 6:15-8:30 p.m.

Shorewood High School Winter Musical "American Idiot"
Thursday through Saturday, February 4-6, 2016
Shorewood High School Auditorium

Boutique Blowout
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Atwater School in the Cafeteria
Quick Links