March 2020
Corrected 2020 Collections Calendar
Staff recently realized that there are some 2020 Village Collections Calendars that were printed incorrectly. These calendars stated that this week was recycling pick-up. Only garbage will be collected this week, not recycling.

The 2020 Collections Calendar has been corrected. The calendars located on the front page of the Village's website and on John's Disposal's website have the correct collection schedule. If you picked up your calendar at the Village Office or if you use the one in Wind Point Living Magazine, please refer to this calendar. New calendars are available at the Village Office and the corrected calendar will appear in future issues of Wind Point Living Magazine.

We are sorry for any inconvenience that this has caused. If you have any questions please contact the Village Office at 262-639-3524 or [email protected]
Meet Wind Point's New Police Chief
Rick Von Drasek was appointed by the Village Board on February 13 to serve as the Village's new police chief. He replaces David Rossman who retired after 44 years with the police department.

While Rick is new to the role of police chief, he is not new to the Village. For the past five years, he has served as a police officer with the department, and has been the officer in charge for the last three years. As the officer in charge he has handled a variety of administrative and management tasks. Since Chief Rossman's retirement, he has served as the department's interim chief.

Chief Von Drasek has over 23 years of law enforcement experience. He currently works as a security supervisor for the Milwaukee Public Schools. He has also been a sergeant with the Hales Corners Police Department, a patrol officer for the Village of Theinsville and has worked for the United States Marshall's Service. He holds a bachelor's of science degree in public administration and law enforcement and is certified as a firearms instructor.

Chief Von Drasek plans to be at as many community events as possible, and you will still see him out patrolling the Village while he is on duty. Being out in the community and being accessible to residents is important to Chief Von Drasek. He is looking forward to continuing to provide excellent police services to the residents of Wind Point.

Welcome Rick! We are excited to have you take on your new role!
4403 Main Street Project Page
The Village has received comments and concerns from residents regarding possible development on the property located at 4403 Main Street. There is now a dedicated project page on the Village's website for the development project.

This page includes background information on the property, a fact sheet with answers to general questions about the property and a slide from a presentation from a neighborhood meeting that was held on Thursday, February 27th at the Lighthouse.

Click here to view the page.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the property please contact Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer Casey Griffiths at [email protected] or 262-639-3524.
Spring General Election Set for April 7
The spring general election will be held in Wind Point on Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at The Prairie School (Johnson Athletic Center), between the hours of 7:00 am and 8:00 pm. Several local and statewide contests are on the ballot as well as the presidential preference election.

A sample ballot for this election will be available from the county approximately 21 days prior to the election. When it is available, a sample ballot will be placed on the Village web site at http://www.windpoint.org .

Absentee Voting – by mail
Absentee ballots for this election will be mailed out beginning on March 17 to electors on the permanent absentee ballot list and others who already had requests on file for this election. Other electors wishing to receive an absentee ballot by mail may do so by submitting a request online at  http://myvote.wi.gov  or at the Village Office. The deadline to request that an absentee ballot be mailed to a voter is Thursday, April 2.

Absentee ballots must be received by 8:00 p.m. on election day, April 7, in order to be counted for this election.

Absentee Voting – in person
In-person absentee voting will be available from March 23 though April 3, at the Village Office, 215 E Four Mile Rd., Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. A valid photo ID is required to obtain a ballot.

Voter Registration
Residents wishing to register or re-register to vote may do so in several ways.
  • You may register to vote via mail or online at My Vote Wisconsin. The deadline to register by mail or online is Wednesday, March 18, 2020.
  • You may register to vote in person at the Village Office. The final day to register to vote at the office is Friday, April 3 at 5:00 p.m.
  • You may register to vote on Election Day, April 7, 2020 at the polls.

When registering to vote you will need to make sure that you have an appropriate document that shows your Wind Point address. To see a list of documents that are acceptable to use please click here.

If you have any questions about the election, please contact the Village Office at 262.639.3524.

Results from the Spring primary election, held on February 18, can be found at here .
2020 Lighthouse Tour Dates
Lighthouse Keepers Many Ann and Jose Huser are preparing for another season of tours at the Wind Point Lighthouse! There will be a total of seven regular tour dates and one special Spooky Moonlight Tower Climb on Halloween. Public tours will take place on the follow dates:

  • Sunday, June 7- 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
  • Saturday, July 4 - 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
  • Sunday, July 5- 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
  • Saturday, August 1- 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
  • Sunday, August 2- 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
  • Saturday, September 5- 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
  • Sunday, September 6- 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
  • Sunday, October 4- 9:00 am- 3:00 pm

Reservations for public tour times can be made online at  windpointlighthouse.org   (click on “Book a Tour” or “Visit Us”). Tours for private groups are also available by making arrangements with the lighthouse keepers - more information about private group tours is available at  http://windpointlighthouse.org/visit-us/   .

Call for Volunteers
If you are interested in getting involved at the lighthouse as a volunteer, please contact Mary Ann and Joseph. Extra help is needed to coordinate tours – if going up the tower isn’t your thing, we also have a need for people at the ground level to greet and register guests. Light lunch and refreshments are provided on tour dates. Contact Mary Ann at 262-639-3777 or  [email protected]   .
2020 Village Budget Document
The full 2020 Village Budget document now is posed on the Village website. The budget was adopted by the Village Board on November 14, 2019.

Various narrative sections of the document as well as the tables and charts measuring service outputs, were updated to reflect year end statistical data for 2019. The budget is more than a financial document. It is a planning and communication tool, explaining the functions and goals of the Village. To view the 2020 budget document,  click here .
Home Safety Reminders
The Wind Point Police Department would like to remind all residents of some simple safety tips to reduce your risk of robbery or burglary.

Always Close Your Garage Door. An open garage door can be an invitation to thieves. Home tools, equipment, sporting goods, and valuables in cars can be readily accessible if a garage is open and left unattended. When leaving for work or turning in for the night, remember to close your garage door. For added safety make sure the door from your garage to your home is also locked. Make sure that if your garage has windows to keep them locked and keep garage release cords away from windows.

Lock Your Car if Left Outside. It is a simple solution, but people often forget. A thief can easily access an unlocked car and take anything without being detected. Also, never leave your keys in your car if left outside. This is an invitation to a criminal to steal your car and obtain access to your home.

Lock Your Doors- Even if You Are At Home. An easy way for a home robbery to occur is if the front, rear or side door is left unlocked. Criminals will enter through an unlocked door, often without being detected by individuals in the home.

Don't Store Ladders Outside- Or anything else that may be used to enter your home. Keep these items in a locked shed or garage.

Keep Expensive Items in the Garage- Don't store things like grills, cars or bikes outside. Leaving these items out can be an inviting target for thieves.

Don't hide spare keys outside. Thieves know how to look under mats and in gardens for fake rocks to find hidden keys. If you need to keep a spare, give it to a trusted neighbor.

Check all locks before leaving on vacation. Make sure that your house is as locked-up and secure as it can be.

The Wind Point Police Department will periodically do checks to ensure that garage doors are closed and homes are secure. The police department also does vacation checks for home owners who are away. To schedule a vacation check please call 262-639-3022.

If you have any questions the Police Department is always available to help with safety tips. Feel free to email the department at [email protected].

In an emergency always remember to dial 9-1-1.
Village Board Updates
The Village Board of Trustees held a regular meeting on February 13, 2020. The following actions took place at the meeting:

  • Approved Resolution 20-R01 approving the 2019 Budget Amendment.
  • Approved the 2019 4th Quarter Investment Report
  • Provided the oath of office for Rick Von Drasek as Wind Point Police Chief.
  • Approved an invoice from the Caledonia Utility District for 4 Mile Road paving.
  • Approved Resolution 20-R02 for a zoning permit for the Lighthouse Grounds project.
  • Heard an update on FEMA's preliminary damage assessment for winter storm damage at the Lighthouse Grounds.
  • Heard an update on a resident meeting to discuss Lake Michigan lake levels and shoreline protection that will be held on March 18 from 6-8 pm at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
  • Discussed enforcing the contract for Lighthouse Tower painting and requesting that the contractor perform work under the agreement's warranty.
  • Discussed the recent ransomware attack experienced by the City of Racine.

Please note that this is a summary of the actions taken and discussion had at the meeting. All Village Board meeting minutes can be found here. Minutes are posted online after approval by the Village Board.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 12 at 5:30 pm at the Village Hall.
Village of Wind Point, Wisconsin
215 E. Four Mile Rd.
Racine, WI 53402
262.639.3524