PUT ON HOLD
Lake Geneva aldermen to continue discussion on proposed trolley program
Lake Geneva officials are considering purchasing two trolleys from Jones Travel & Tour for about $100,000 to transport people to and from the downtown area during an upcoming road reconstruction project.
Lake Geneva City Council members have approved to hold off voting on a proposed trolley program to establish more detailed plans for the program.
Lake Geneva aldermen have decided to hold off voting on whether to establish a trolley transportation program during an upcoming road reconstruction project.
City officials plan to purchase two trolleys from Jones Travel & Tour in Elkhorn for about $100,000 to transport people to and from the downtown area during the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's Highway 50 road reconstruction project, which is scheduled to be conducted in 2027 and 2028.
Lake Geneva officials also are considering working with representatives from Dousman Transport Company Inc. to operate and maintain the trolley program, which is projected to cost about $106,500 for 2027.
Members of the Lake Geneva City Council were set to vote on the trolley purchase and program during their April 13 meeting; however, they approved to hold off voting until no later than July 1 for more information and further discussion.
The motion to continue the item was approved by a 6-2 vote with Alders Cindy Yager and Catherine Stoodley voting "no."
Alder Joel Hoiland said he would like more detailed information about cost projections and to receive proposals from other companies for operating the program. He also wants city officials to consider that the trolleys will depreciate in value during the next two years.
"These are the reasons I'm saying we should continue until we have this information," Hoiland said.
Alder Mary Jo Fesenmaier said she would like city officials to develop a more comprehensive plan for the program and for it to include trolley stops in the residential neighborhoods.
"I think we can put together a good plan if we keep in mind the residents," Fesenmaier said. "I haven't heard a lot of talk about that. We were promised that we would see, on the trolley routes, specific stops for neighborhoods, and I don't see that."
Yager said city officials could purchase the trolleys and then develop a plan for the program.
City officials have a deadline of June 30 to purchase the trolleys, before Jones Travel & Transport is set to cease its business operations.
"I'm protesting continuation because I believe if the motion was made to purchase the trolleys, move forward on that and continue to look into those other items," Yager said.
Stoodley said she would like to make sure that city officials purchase the trolleys before the June 30 deadline.
"If we go through all these hoops and we miss the deadline, we've wasted a lot of time and now we're having to rethink it again," Stoodley said. "I get that you want to give it more time, but I don't think we should put ourselves up against that."
Offsetting costs
City officials plan to offset some of the costs for the program by establishing paid parking trolley stops near the Cove of Lake Geneva hotel, 111 Center St.; Town Bank, 567 Broad St.; and Central-Denison Elementary School, 900 Wisconsin St.
Patrons would pay the city's parking rate, which is $2 an hour Monday through Thursday and $4 an hour Friday, Saturday and Sunday, to park and ride on a trolley.
During the summer of 2027, the program would operate from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. with one trolley Monday through Thursday and two trolleys Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 28 through Sept. 5, which is considered Lake Geneva's peak tourism season.
From May 1-23 and Sept. 10-26, which is considered the city's off-tourism season, one trolley would run 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The paid trolley stops are projected to generate between $232,400 and $456,400 in parking revenue during the 2027 summer season.
"These numbers are provided as estimates, and they are based on projected lot use," Assistant City Administrator Chris Bennett said. "They shouldn't be interpreted as guaranteed income. This is the best thought out estimate of what we could do."
Lake Geneva Business Improvement District officials are set to contribute about $40,000 toward the operational costs of the program in 2027, and they are researching grants and trying to obtain sponsorships for the program.
Cost projections for the program in 2028 have not been determined but would be based on 2027 numbers.
"The big difference at this point in time for 2028, we will have numbers that are based on practice and not on projections," Bennett said. "By the time we're putting together our 2028 budget, we're going to have an example from 2027 that we can use to make sure that our costs are as tight as possible."
