Published by the Village of Union Grove - May 2021
Community Events Today, May 1
Join your neighbors for the annual Spring Clean-Up at the Village parks! Meet at School Yard Park at 10 a.m.; lunch to follow at noon. Participants are encouraged to bring gloves; rakes and garbage bags provided.
Safely dispose of old or unwanted electronics at the E-Waste Collection today from 9 a.m. to noon at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. For more info on which items are collected (and which require a fee), click here.
Message from New Village President, Steve Wicklund
It is an honor to have been elected your Village President and to have the opportunity to serve our great community. I would also like to welcome new trustees Patrick Brinkman and Jennifer Ditscheit, who were elected to the Board. I look forward to working with all of the Board members, staff, residents and business owners to help build on all the things that make our community a wonderful place to live, work and visit.
 
This past week we learned the sad news that Pete Hansen passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Pete most recently served on the Union Grove Village Board and had served our community in so many different roles over the years - from County Supervisor to Captain at the Fire Department. We are grateful for all of Pete's service and the legacy he leaves.
 
As your new Village President, my hope is that residents will be engaged and involved in our local government by attending meetings and would consider joining a committee (read about our current openings below). The Village Board will be returning to its original schedule this month of meeting second and fourth Mondays in the second floor Board Room of the municipal building. We would love to see you and hear from you. Please reach out to me anytime with questions or concerns at [email protected].
Citizen Appointments - We Need You!
Interested in getting involved in your local government? The Village is currently seeking applicants for openings on the Plan Commission, Community Development Authority and Zoning Board of Appeals. These Committees play a vital role in our local government. To learn more about these openings and how to apply, please visit uniongrove.net/committees.
Spring Election Results
A total of 866 ballots were cast in the Spring Election on April 6, which represented a 28.6% turnout of registered voters. Steve Wicklund was elected Village President, while Patrick Brinkman was elected Trustee #1, Janice Winget was re-elected Trustee #3 and Jennifer Ditscheit was elected Trustee #3. To view the results of ballots cast in Union Grove, click here. Thank you to all of the staff and poll workers involved with running a smooth election. There are no additional elections scheduled in 2021.
Updates on Road Projects
  • Industrial Park Infrastructure Project - About 25 attendees came to an Open House held on April 20. The project will take place on Industrial Park Dr., York St. and 10th Ave. It will involve road reconstruction and resurfacing, water and sanitary sewer replacements, drainage improvements and improved pedestrian and bicycle access. Bids will be presented to the Village Board for consideration on May 10 and work may begin before the end of the month. Look for project updates in the June E-News.

  • Vassallo Ln. - Pavement resurfacing has been completed by Asphalt Contractors, Inc.; the contractor is also completing spot repairs of curbs along this road.
2021 Property Re-Assessments
As announced last fall, an interim market re-assessment is taking place in 2021. During an interim market re-assessment, the village assessor reviews and adjusts property assessments throughout the Village based on recent sales and market conditions. The 2021 re-assessment timeline is as follows:

  • On or about June 1 - Assessment notices will be mailed out to all property owners whose assessment is changed compared to 2020. In a re-assessment year, most property owners should expect to receive a notice. If you do not receive a notice by June 10, contact Assessor Jim Henke at [email protected] or (262) 498-7473. The assessment notice will provide the 2021 assessed value as well as information about meeting with the assessor and appealing your assessment, if necessary.

  • June 28 - July 2 - Open Book will be held for property owners to discuss their assessments with the village assessor. Property owners are highly encouraged to attend Open Book if there are questions about their assessment - most questions and concerns are addressed at Open Book without needing to have an appeal hearing with the Board of Review. The assessment notices will contain information about making Open Book appointments with the assessor.

  • August 4 - Board of Review will meet to hear and decide appeals from property owners on their assessment. A written or oral notice of intent to file an objection must be made to the Village Clerk at least 48 hours before Board of Review. In addition, a written and signed form of objection to property assessment must be filed with the Village Clerk at or before Board of Review.

A common misconception about re-assessments is that an increase in one's property assessment leads directly to an increase in property taxes. This is not necessarily true in a re-assessment year unless one's assessment has increased higher in relation to other properties in the taxing jurisdiction. For example, if the average assessment in the Village increases 10%, the owner of a home with an assessment increase of 10% would not see an increase in their share of taxes. A re-assessment does not change the total amount of taxes that the Village levies (which is capped by State levy limits).

For questions, contact Assessor Jim Henke at [email protected] or (262) 498-7473.
Yard Waste & Brush Collections
Yard waste collection from Johns Disposal is the second and fourth Fridays (not last Friday) of the month, March through November. Remember to set yard waste items at the curb for pickup by 6 a.m. Place clippings, leaves, and garden debris in compostable bags or 32-gallon or smaller bins weighing less than 50 lbs. Brush must be less than 6 inches in diameter and 4 feet in lengths, bundled together and weighing no more than 50 lbs. Stack bundles no more than 4 feet high and 10 feet long; limit of one pile this size per pickup.

Brush (branch) collections by Union Grove Public Works take place the last full week of each month (Monday-Friday), from April through October. Brush collections are for branches with a maximum 6 inches in diameter with a preferred length of at least 6 feet. Please set brush out prior to the week of collection.
Updates on Development Projects
  • Dunham Grove - A preliminary plat for phase two of the Dunham Grove subdivision was approved by Plan Commission and the Village Board on April 8. The second phase of the subdivision will consist of 39 single-family lots. The first phase, which is currently in progress, consists of 23 single-family lots and 10 multi-family buildings.

  • Canopy Hill - Traffic Analysis and Design, Inc. presented a traffic impact study relating to the Canopy Hill subdivision to the Water, Wastewater, Storm Water and Streets Committee on March 30. The study provides for traffic improvements needed to accommodate the subdivision; it was concluded that no traffic signals or widening of highway 45 will be warranted. The study was approved by the Department of Transportation and approved by the Committee and then the Village Board on April 8.

For more information, visit the Current Development Projects webpage.
Lawn Mowing Reminder
Property owners are reminded that Village ordinance requires lawns to be kept below nine inches in height. If grass gets above this height, the Village may have the lawn mowed and billed to the property owner. Residents are also responsible for maintaining lawns in public right-of-way areas adjacent to their property (to the edge of the road). For any questions, please contact the Village Offices at (262) 878-1818. Thank you for your cooperation!
Village Board Approves Debt Policy
Under state statutes, municipalities in Wisconsin are limited in the amount of outstanding debt they can have. The amount of general obligation debt cannot exceed 5% of a municipality's total equalized value. On April 8, the Village Board adopted a debt policy that provides that the Village will maintain 25% of its statutory debt capacity available at all times which may be used only the event of an emergency. The policy also provides that total annual debt service payments on tax-supported debt (excluding tax incremental financing debt) will normally not exceed 25% of total general government operating revenue. Other guidelines for managing debt and reviewing other financing alternatives are outlined in the policy. The debt policy will help ensure that debt is used in a responsible manner for funding capital project needs. The Village is expected to be at 61.7% of its debt capacity at year's end.
Village Board Updates
The Village Board held regular meetings on April 8 and April 19. Following is a recap of Village Board actions that took place:

April 8 Regular Meeting:
  • Approved a preliminary plat application submitted by Pre/3 for phase two of the Dunham Grove subdivision.
  • Approved the Canopy Hill Traffic Impact Analysis submitted by Traffic Analysis and Design, Inc.
  • Approved a request for informed consent submitted by Stafford Rosenbaum to represent Racine County Drainage Board of Commissioners.
  • Approved Resolution 2021-05, revising the Village fee schedule to establish weights and measures license fees.
  • Approved revisions to the COVID-19 Health and Hygiene Policy.
  • Approved revisions to the Compensation and Evaluation Policy.
  • Approved support for submitting the application for runoff management grant funds though the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to help address 67th Dr. flooding issues.
  • Approved the purchase of new phosphorus testing equipment from Hach in the amount of $5,418.90 paid from wastewater utility reserves.
  • Approved proposals submitted by L.W. Allen for inspection and replacement core unit for the Muffin Monster, in the total amount of $26,380, funded by the wastewater utility replacement fund.
  • Approved original operator license applications submitted by Richard Schumann and Mckenzy Hammill.

April 19 Regular Meeting:
  • Heard an annual report from Laura Million of Racine County Economic Development Corporation.
  • Approved the 2021 agreement with Racine County Economic Development Corporation.
  • Approved Ordinance 2021-03, authorizing the village clerk to issue Operators’ Licenses.
  • Approved a debt policy.
  • Approved a capitalization policy.
  • Approved Resolution 2021-06, setting forth the relocation order affecting property at 1222 10th Ave. and 1024 10th Ave.
  • Approved a cost-sharing agreement with Wisconsin Department of Transportation relating to sinkhole repairs on Hwy. 11, on the condition that the Village issues a letter to WisDOT regarding future maintenance responsibilities.
Upcoming Meetings Schedule
Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are currently being held in-person at the Union Grove Municipal Center in the second floor Village Board Room with a call-in option available. Teleconference call-in numbers and access codes will be posted on meeting agendas. Meeting dates and times are subject to change.

  • May 10 - Board of Review Initial Meeting (5:50 p.m.)
  • May 10 - Village Board (6 p.m.)
  • May 12 - Library Board (5 p.m. at the library)
  • May 12 - Fire Commission (6 p.m. at the fire station)
  • May 17 - Water, Wastewater, Storm Water & Streets (6 p.m.)
  • May 18 - Community Development Authority (6 p.m.)
  • May 20 - Plan Commission, if necessary (6 p.m.)
  • May 24 - Village Board (6 p.m.)
  • May 25 - Police Commission (5:30 p.m.)

Visit the Village Meetings webpage for meeting agendas, which are posted at least 24 hours before the meeting time. Please note that beginning in May, Village Board meetings are returning to their normal schedule (2nd and 4th Mondays) and will take place in the second floor Board room. Water, Wastewater, Storm Water and Streets Committee meetings are also returning to their normal schedule of meeting on the third Mondays.