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BID MAKING CHANGES TO ITS HOLIDAY EVENTS
DENNIS HINES
The Lake Geneva Business Improvement District is moving its
annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony from Flat Iron Park's
Brunk Pavilion to the Riviera Plaza.
DENNIS HINES PHOTOS, REGIONAL NEWS
The Lake Geneva Business Improvement District is replacing its
annual Holiday Window Decorating contest with a tree decorating
contest.
The Lake Geneva Business Improvement District is making changes to its holiday events and activities.
The BID's "Light Up Lake Geneva Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony" will be conducted at the Riviera Plaza, 812 Wrigley Drive, instead of at Flat Iron Park's Brunk Pavilion.
The event is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Nov. 27 and will feature carolers, a visit from Santa Claus and the lighting of one of the trees at the plaza.
Flat Iron Park, 201 Wrigley Drive, still will be decorated with lights, makeshift present boxes and a luminated "joy" sign, and the Brunk Pavilion will feature a gingerbread town-themed selfie station designed by Lake Geneva Schools students.
"We will have a first phase for that being built this year from the school district," BID Executive Director Alexandria Binanti said. "We will have that installed and that will keep growing every year to just mock up a tiny town inside the Brunk Pavilion."
The BID also plans to conduct a tree decorating contest instead of the annual Holiday Window Decorating Contest. Residents and business owners are encouraged to decorate trees throughout the downtown area.
The trees will be installed Nov. 27 and with voting begins Dec. 5. The winning team will receive $500, which they may decide to donate to a local nonprofit organization.
Santa visits this year are moving from Thursdays to Wednesdays to coincide with the BID's We Love Local Wednesdays program, in which participating businesses offer sales and specials, and city parking sticker holders receive free parking.
Santa visits are scheduled for 4-6 p.m. Dec. 2 at the Lake Geneva Public Library, 918 W. Main St.; Dec. 9 at Lake Geneva Arts Foundation's Gallery 223 at 223 Broad St.; Dec. 16 at Something Sweet, 235 Broad St.; and Dec. 23 at the Cove of Lake Geneva, 111 Center St.
Council looks to revise child safety zone ordinance
DENNIS HINES
Lake Geneva is in the process of revising an ordinance which sets the distance for how far a registered sex offender may live from what are considered child safety zones.
On Oct. 26, City Council approved a proposal that would limit a registered sex offender from living within 750 feet of a school, daycare center, playground and youth camp by a 7-1 vote.
Offenders would have access to about 54.4% of available housing in the community.
Council members still have to approve an ordinance amendment related to the proposed distance.
In May 2025, alders repealed a provision in the ordinance that prohibited registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a child safety zone because it was considered unconstitutional.
City Administrator Dave De Angelis said the 750-foot provision would be defendable in court.
"At approximately 50%, the argument we could make as a community is we're trying to make sure we're not excluding anyone, while protecting it," De Angelis said.
Mayor Todd Krause agreed. "At the end of the day, we have to have a percentage of housing that can be offered or we're just shooting ourselves in the foot here," he said.
City Attorney Dan Draper said the restriction would prevent registered sex offenders from living in most areas of downtown, which is near Riviera Beach, because it includes Central-Denison and Eastview elementary schools.
Changes eyed for Lions Field House rentals
WILLIAMS BAY
DENNIS HINES
Williams Bay officials are proposing several changes to the Lions Field House rental agreement.
Trustee Steve Russell presented the changes during the Village Board's Committee of the Whole meeting Nov. 2.
The proposal included increasing the rental fee from $250 to $350 and the current $625 refundable damage deposit fee. However, renters still would have to pay for any damage that occurs during their events.
"It's easier to just charge off damages through an invoice than to collect a damage deposit and then return it to the property renter," Russell said. "Because any damage, if they don't pay the invoice, could be tacked onto a real estate tax bill at the end of the year."
Another proposed change is to charge renters a $100-an-hour fee if they do not vacate the premises by midnight.
A provision also has been added that states open containers of alcohol are not allowed outside the field house.
Improved security measures also are being proposed, including installing cameras or a key card entry system to the building.
"I don't think it's appropriate to put it on the police department to go over there and check at midnight and go back at 1 o'clock in the morning just to see if they vacated or to see if they cleaned up," Russell said. "Technology exists today that we can monitor it."
Another security option would be hiring a part-time employee to monitor the building during special events.
Trustees will discuss the proposed changes during an upcoming meeting.
Voters approve 4-year referendum for Williams Bay School District
DENNIS HINES
White
Williams bay middle-High school, 500 W. Geneva St.
LGRN FILE PHOTO
A four-year, non-recurring operational referendum question was approved for the Williams Bay School District during the Nov. 3 election.
The referendum question received 1,273 "yes" votes and 964 "no" votes and will allow the school district to exceed its state revenue limit by $2 million during the 2027-28 school year, $2.25 million for the 2028-29 school year, $2.5 million during the 2029-30 school year and $2.75 million for the 2030-31 school year. "We appreciate the support of our community and for the community supporting us through a successful referendum and also supporting us with all of our endeavors as a school district," District Administrator William White said.
Funding from the referendum will be used to help maintain district programs, staff salaries, school operations and current average classroom size — which is about 20 students.
"It's allowing us to continue our commitment to provide a high-quality learning experience for our kids," White said.
The referendum is a continuation of a three-year, non-recurring operational referendum that was approved in April 2024 that is set to expire next July. The 2024 referendum allowed the district to exceed its revenue limit by $1.2 million during the 2024-25 school year, $1.5 million during the 2025-26 school year and $1.75 million for the 202627 school year.
The recently-approved referendum will not impact residents' property tax bills until December 2027. The owner of a $350,000 home will pay $1,375 in district property taxes in 2027, $1,285 in 2028, $1,211 in 2029 and $1,140 in 2030.
"I'm proud of the work we did to inform the community, but I'm really proud of our community for being open to listening and hearing our information and taking the time to go out and vote," White said.
The Williams Bay School District has an enrollment of about 600 students and includes Williams Bay Elementary School, 250 Theatre Road, and Williams Bay Middle-High School, 500 W. Geneva St.
School referendum question fails by one vote
DENNIS HINES
The Geneva Joint no. 4 school district includes Woods elementary
school.
REGIONAL NEWS FILE PHOTO
The Geneva Joint No. 4 School District referendum question failed by one vote during the Nov. 3 election.
The four-year, non-recurring referendum question received 297 "yes" votes and 298 "no" votes, according to unofficial election results.
District Administrator Lynn Davies said she is pleased with the support the referendum received but wishes it would have obtained enough "yes" votes to be approved.
"It's certainly an anomaly," Davies said. "It's a good example of how every person's vote matters."
The referendum question was to allow the district to exceed its state revenue limit by about $4.5 million during the next four years, including $750,000 during the 2027-28 school year, $1 million during the 2028-29 school year, $1.25 million during the 2029-30 school year and $1.5 million during the 203031 school year.
Funding would have been used to help pay for staff salaries, maintain programs, purchase equipment, pay utility costs and other operational expenses.
Davies said she and the Geneva Joint No. 4 School Board will canvass the votes and then decide whether to conduct a recount. She said she has already met with Walworth County Clerk Susi Pike about the steps the district would need to take in order to recount the votes.
"It's not as simple as saying, 'I want a recount,'" Davies said. "There's a whole process our board has to do. So, we're investigating and learning, and the board will make a decision on that in the coming days."
If needed, the earliest the school district could place another referendum question on the ballot is during the spring 2027 election.
Davies said that if the district attempts another referendum, it might adjust the amount.
"We had the tiered amount, so that's all stuff the board would have to make some decisions on and we will go from there," Davies said.
Geneva Joint No. 4 School District includes Woods Elementary School, N2575 Snake Road in the town of Geneva, which includes students from 4-year-old pre-kindergarten to eighth grade and has an enrollment of about 150 students.
The district has experienced a decrease in state funding, an increase in operational expenses and a decrease in student enrollment during the past few years, which has affected revenue.
"We really rely on our taxpayers to fund the school," Davies said. "Because we're a high-property valued district, we receive very little state aid."
August reelected in 31st Assembly District
DENNIS HINES
August
State Rep. Tyler August has been elected to another term to represent Wisconsin's 31st Assembly District, which includes Walworth, Fontana-on-Geneva-Lake, Elkhorn, Delavan, Darien, Sharon and Clinton and areas of Lake Geneva.
August, a Republican, defeated Democrat John Perryman during the Nov. 3 general election.
August received 14,181 votes in Walworth County and 1,051 votes in Rock County, while Perryman received 9,958 votes in Walworth County and 655 votes in Rock County.
"I am deeply grateful to the voters of Walworth and Rock counties for placing their trust in me, once again," August said in a statement.
"Serving as your representative has been the honor of my life."
August was first elected to the Assembly in 2010. Perryman, who works as a pediatrician for Mercyhealth, was seeking hist first term in office.
Both August and Perryman participated in a candidates forum, which was hosted by Geneva Lake VFW Post 2373 and Ingalls-Koeppen American Legion Post 102, on May 5 at Williams Bay Middle-High School, 500 Geneva St., answering questions related to the state budget, immigration, affordable housing, mental health and data centers.
CORRECTION
A story last week about Big Foot High School's All-Conference football honorees incorrectly stated that River Jedlicka was a senior. He is a junior.
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