Dennis Hines
Reporter
Representatives from the Environmental Education Foundation hosted a freshwater careers workshop for local science teachers on April 9 to help them learn about environmental-related careers that are available to their students. The workshop was attended by science teachers from Badger High School, Williams Bay High School, Big Foot High School and Fontana Elementary School. As part of the workshop, the teachers participated in freshwater assessments, conducted water-related experiments and attended a roundtable discussion with local business representatives about positions they have available in freshwater and environmental management and the qualifications they are looking for in potential employees. Several of the teachers said attending the workshop was a valuable experience for them, as several of their students are looking to enter an environmental-related career field.
Members of the Lake Geneva City Council approved on April 13 to hold off voting on a proposed trolley transportation program and to continue discussion on the topic for further information. The motion to continue was approved by a 6-2 vote with alderwoman Cindy Yager and Catherine Stoodley voting “no.” City officials plan to establish a trolley transportation program during the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Highway 50/Main Street road reconstruction project, which is scheduled to be conducted in 2027 and 2028. The trolley program is to transport people to and from the downtown area during the course of the project. City officials plan to purchase two trolleys for about $100,000 to conduct the program. The cost to operate the program in 2027 is projected to be about $106,500. City officials plan to work with a bus transportation company to operate and maintain the program.
Agriculture
Carey Fowler opened Eight Maids Cheese Shop, 723 Williams Bay in Lake Geneva, in December 2025. The cheese shop features locally-produced artisan cheeses, meats, jams, wines and beers. Fowler is following in her family’s tradition of producing cheese and dairy products, as they have operated the Klondike Cheese Company in Monroe for about 100 years. Klondike Cheese Company manufactures Odyssey-brand feta cheese, Greek yogurt, labneh, Greek yogurt dips and sour cream. The cheese also produces Buholzer Brothers-brand cheeses. Fowler is now looking forward to establishing her own business and providing dairy products to customers with the Eight Maids Cheese Shop.
Todd Krause was elected to his second term as Lake Geneva’s mayor during the April 7 spring election. He defeated District 3 Alderman Joel Hoiland. Krause received 1,458 votes, while Hoiland obtained 931 votes. However, Hoiland was re-elected as District 3 alderman by defeating former Alderwoman Peg Esposito. Hoiland received 356 votes, while Esposito received 285 votes. Krause was first elected mayor in 2024 by defeating them incumbent Charlene Klein. Krause was appointed as a city alderman in 2006 to finish an existing term and then was elected to two additional terms. Hoiland was elected District 3 alderman in 2024 by defeating Pamele Wilkinson. Both were were seeking to replace Tim Dunn who chose not to run for another term. Hoiland currently serves on the Lake Geneva Plan Commission.
Lake Geneva school board members were re-elected to their seats on April 7. Jeffrey Buntrock, Barbara Krause and Niki Ceisel were re-elected to their seats on the Lake Geneva-Genoa City Union High School Board. Buntrock and Krause were re-elected to their Lake Geneva seats, being challenged by Steven Bartos. Voters will asked to select two of the three candidates to serve on the board. Krause received 3,081 votes, Buntrock received 2,781 votes and Bartos obtained 1,848 votes. Ciesel ran unopposed for her town of Linn seat and received 4,159 votes. Barbara Dinan was re-elected to the Lake Geneva Joint No. 1 School District Board. She ran unopposed and received 3,354 votes.
Four Lake Geneva alders were re-elected to their City Council seats during the April 7 spring election. Two of the council members faced challenges, while two others ran unopposed. Alderman Joel Hoiland ran unsuccessfully for mayor, but retained his District 3 seat by defeating former District 3 Alderwoman Peg Esposito. District 1 Alderwoman Sherri Ames defeated business owner Anthony Silvestri. District 2 Alderwoman Mary Jo Fesenmaier was re-elected while running unopposed, and District 4 Alderwoman Cindy Yager also was re-elected while running unopposed.
Lake Geneva City Administrator Dave De Angelis presented an updated on the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Highway 50/Main Street road reconstruction project during the Business Improvement District’s Annual Meeting and Community Improvement Awards on April 1. The project is set to be conducted in 2027 and 2028, with most of the outline areas of Lake Geneva being worked on in 2027 and the downtown area to be worked on in 2028. The project is set to include pavement replacement, road resurfacing work, traffic signal installation, drainage improvements, curb ramp reconstruction, intersection improvements and sidewalk construction. City officials have approved to work with G. Moxie Communications of Elm Grove to develop a communications plan during the project. City officials and Business Improvement District officials also plan to develop a trolley program to transport people to and from the downtown area during the course of the project.
Gage Marine crew members conducted the annual process of installing boat slips for Lake Geneva’s West End Pier during the week of April 6 to p…