As we move into September, please be aware of the changes around the community. First and foremost, school will be back in session. Please be extra careful as children will be waiting for busses and walking or biking to school. 

Additionally, construction will commence on the Caroline Heights project and associated municipal water main under Watertown Plank Road. During installation of the water main, Watertown Plank will be closed to thru traffic. After input from Police and Public Works Leaders and considering the 15,000 vehicles using the road daily, the following detour was approved. Traffic will be detoured north on 124th street. At Elmhurst Parkway traffic will proceed west to Legion Drive and then south back to Watertown Plank. Temporary stop signs will be placed at Elmhurst Parkway and Legion Drive. The detour will last for about 2 months and will help expedite construction.  

Have a great September!

-President Koleski

Gebhardt Road/Pathway

As of drafting this newsletter, the Gebhardt Road and Pathway project is nearly finished! Make sure to check out the newest Village Pathway which transitions west onto the Brookfield pathway system at Gebhardt and Pilgrim, or east into the Indian Hills Subdivision with opportunity for connection onto the Juneau Pathway.

Caroline Heights -

Construction Update Webpage

This page is intended to provide demolition and construction updates on the Caroline Heights housing development. Included in the scope of this project is the extension of municipal water into the Village from the City of Wauwatosa. Please sign up for "Village News" (bottom of landing page) as construction updates will be posted to this page as they become available.

Underwood Creek Daylighting

The Underwood Creek Daylighting project is advancing and will be on your ballots as a referendum item in spring 2024. To learn more about recent updates and the importance of the project, visit the project website.

Click here to learn more about the project!

Fall Program Registration Now Open!

The Village has some exciting programs to offer this fall! Resident registration opened on August 28 and non-resident registration opened on August 31. Most programs begin the week of Labor Day so make sure to sign up early!

Access the online registration portal here!

If you do not already have an account, click "Login/Create Account" then click "Create Your VOEG Account". You will be able to create an account for yourself and other members of your family!

Capital Budget Discussions Begin

The Finance & Licensing Committee met on Thursday, August 24, to discuss the draft 5-year Capital Budget. Department Heads were present at this Workshop to discuss their departmental budgets and answer questions of the Committee.

The Capital Budget is prepared evaluating the needs for the next 5 years. The Village procedure is to initially include capital items, those greater than $5,000 with a life greater than 1 year, in the budget in the fifth year which allows for financing at 20% over a 5-year period. Some equipment/projects are then moved around in the 5-year cycle as needed due to changing conditions, breakage, or Village Board/Committee direction. Also included in the Capital Budget is funding for new equipment in the upcoming year. "New Equipment" is considered to be items in value of $1,000-$5,000 with a life greater than 1 year.

The upcoming budget includes a tax levy of $586,395, an increase of $8,395 from the 2023 levy. The current budget includes $5.3M in capital needs offset by estimated revenues other than tax levy of $1.5M. The Village has seen substantial increases in the costs of equipment/projects that were budgeted in previous years and are planning and adjusting accordingly. The current draft of the Capital Budget supports equipment that is needed to continue services efficiently and fund projects that the Village has prioritized. As the Operating Budget is developed, the Committee will review capital items and the overall Village needs. Such budget Workshops will begin taking place in October.

Leaf Disposal

The Village's contracted waste hauler, John's Disposal, offers a leaf disposal service every fall from September through November. Customers are able to visit Village Hall or the Elm Grove Police Department to purchase specially marked stickers with the Johns Disposal name. Stickers are sold for $1.00 per sticker in packs of 5.

Beginning this year, John's Disposal will not be providing leaf collection bags. Customers are responsible for providing their own biodegradable bags. Bags must be placed at the street end of your driveway prior to 7:00am on trash pick-up day.

Seasonal Brush Pick-Up Starting Soon!

The Village Public Works Department picks up brush on a scheduled basis three times a year. The below weeks are when your area will be picked up!

Area 1 - The week of September 11th

Area 2 - The week of September 18th

Area 3 - The week of September 25th

Area 4 - The week of October 2nd

As a reminder, when you're preparing brush to be picked-up make sure to keep the following things in mind:

• Brush may not be piled at roadside any earlier than the weekend preceding your scheduled pickup, or later than Sunday night preceding your pickup week. 
• Brush piles must be in lengths of 6' or less, not one continuous pile.
• Brush must be piled parallel with the road, all cut ends pointed in one direction.
• Brush must be piled separate from logs, with logs no longer than 3'.
• Brush cannot be piled on tarps, in garbage cans or bags, or with trash and other yard waste.

Water Main Construction to Begin

Stages 1-3 of the Caroline Heights water main project will cause Watertown Plank Road to close from 124th Street extending west of Juneau Boulevard beginning on September 5, 2024. During construction, the businesses on Watertown Plank Road between Juneau Boulevard and Legion Drive will remain open for business. Signs will be posted directing access to the affected businesses. Below is a map of the detour route directing traffic around the closure. As part of this detour, a temporary three-way stop will be made at the intersection of Legion Drive and Elmhurst Parkway. 

As a reminder for everyone, Wisconsin State Statute 346.18(1) states in part, “when 2 vehicles approach or enter an intersection at approximately the same time, the operator of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right. The operator of any vehicle driving at an unlawful speed forfeits any right-of-way which he or she would otherwise have under this subsection.” 

Please slow down, look both ways, and watch for bicycles and pedestrians.

Back to School Traffic Safety!

As children begin returning to school, we would like to remind the motoring public: 

• Yellow flashing lights on a school bus mean slow down — don’t speed up — because the bus is preparing to stop. There are likely students waiting to get on the bus or parents waiting nearby to pick up children.
• Red flashing lights mean stop — and wait at least 20 feet behind the bus — because children are getting on or off the school bus. Stay stopped until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving.
• Even when lights aren’t flashing, watch for children, particularly in the morning or mid-afternoon, around school arrival and dismissal times. Be alert as you back out of a driveway, or drive through a neighborhood, school zone or bus stop.

A vehicle owner can be cited when the driver of a car passes a school bus illegally. A law enforcement officer need not witness this violation if the school bus driver reports it to the law enforcement agency within 24 hours. Fines can be quite high for illegally passing a school bus, but the risk of hitting a child is even higher.

Writing the Past: An Evening with

Pam Jenoff

Thursday, September 14 at 7:00pm

Elm Grove Woman's Club

13885 Watertown Plank Road, Elm Grove, WI 53122

The Elm Grove Public Library proudly welcomes New York Times bestselling author Pam Jenoff to the Elm Grove Woman’s Club. Pam will discuss how her experiences as a diplomat for the State Department, political appointee at The Pentagon, Cambridge-trained historian and attorney led to her becoming a bestselling author of historical fiction.

This event is made possible by the generous support of the Friends of the Elm Grove Library. It is free to attend, however a ticket will be required for entry. Get your free tickets at elmgrovejenoff.eventbrite.com Seating capacity is limited. Books will be available for sale on site through Boswell Book Company, and a signing and meet and greet will follow the event.

Pam Jenoff is the author of several novels, including the New York Times bestsellers Code Name Sapphire, The Woman with the Blue Star, The Lost Girls of Paris, The Orphan’s Tale and The Diplomat’s Wife. She holds a degree in international affairs from George Washington University and a degree in history from Cambridge, and she received her J.D. from UPenn. Her novels are inspired by her experiences working at the Pentagon and as a diplomat for the State Department handling Holocaust issues in Poland. She lives with her family near Philadelphia, where she teaches law. 

Elm Grove Oktoberfest Scheduled for 3rd weekend in September

The Elm Grove Community Foundation is pleased to kick off the 7th annual Oktoberfest in Elm Grove Village Park (13600 Juneau Blvd.) on Friday, September 15 at 5:00pm with German and local beers, lively music from the Tom Leahy Band, and food trucks.

The fun continues Saturday September 16 at 3:30pm with a 0.5K Fun Run, followed at 4:00pm by the traditional Oktoberfest celebration, with authentic German music from the Jeff Winard Band, festive food from food trucks, activities, and lots of local and German beer options. New games this year include log sawing, stein racing and keg rolling.

Our Oktoberfest celebration is a great way for residents to come together to celebrate everything that’s great about Elm Grove. But did you know that the event wouldn’t be possible without countless volunteers who donate their time? They’re your neighbors; they’re Oktoberfest heroes. If you would like to get involved, we would love to have you! If you could give us a hand for a couple of hours during Oktoberfest weekend, we would greatly appreciate you. To see opportunities, visit the Oktoberfest page at www.elmgrovefoundation.org and click the volunteer button. You can also register for the 0.5K Fun Run on our website here.

Saturday, September 9, from 11:00am - 4:00 pm

Elm Grove Woman’s Club is hosting the grill at Sendik’s. Come and have lunch with us!

Wednesday, September 13, from 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Elm Grove Woman’s Club is hosting an OPEN HOUSE in the clubhouse at 13885 Watertown Plank Road. All communities are welcome. Join us and find out what the Club is all about!

Announcing a New Music Series!

MUSIC IN THE GROVE

Casual Evenings featuring live music by local artists, food, and beverages close to home!

Tickets available here.

Thursday, October 12, 2023 – Warren Wiegratz Jazz Night

Thursday, January 25, 2024 – Dairyland’s Finest String Band

Friday, March 15, 2024 – Paddygrass

Thursday, April 18, 2024 – Nora Collins

All proceeds benefit the Elm Grove Woman's Club, a 501(c)3 charitable organization.

Elmbrook Historical Society/Dousman Stagecoach Inn Museum

1075 Pilgrim Parkway, Brookfield, Wisconsin

The Inn will be open for guided tours on Sunday, September 17, October 1, and October 15, 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Tour the fully restored 1840’s stagecoach inn and learn what life was like in Brookfield and Elm Grove in the mid 1800’s. 

Admission required, cash only. Free parking on site.

Join us for Halloween at the Haunted Inn, Saturday, October 14 from 1:00pm – 4:00pm.  

Free lecture at the Brookfield Public Library, Monday, September 18, 7:00pm. Jessica Michna will portray

Mrs. Cordelia Harvey, the “Wisconsin Angel” a philanthropist, nurse and teacher who organized relief for Wisconsin soldiers and their children during and after the Civil War. 

Feel free to email the Elmbrook Historical Society at [email protected]

Visit the Elmbrook Historical Society website here.

Nominations Sought for the 2023 Business Person of the Year Award

Brookfield, WI – The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) is seeking nominations for its 7th annual Business Person of the Year Award. ERC will present the award to a majority owner and/or operating head of a successful for profit business or non-profit organization. Additionally, applicants must be living in and/or have a business located in the City/Town of Brookfield or Village of Elm Grove.

“ERC presents the Business Person of the Year Award to honor a strong local leader who has entrepreneurial skills and strategic vision,” said Award Program Co-Chair, Ralph Gould. “This award helps ERC shine a spotlight on a successful business owner or non-profit director who is making a difference in our community.” Prior winners include Lisabeth Passalis-Bain of the Elm Grove News-Independent, Mark Mirsberger, of Dana Investment Advisors, Jamie O’Donough, of O’Donough’s Irish Pub, Bill Selzer, retired Elm Grove Fire Chief, Phil Landry, Owner of C3E Geomatics, LLC and Neil Palmer, retired mayor of Elm Grove Village.

Award nominations will be accepted on-line only through Saturday, October 14, 2023 via the Elmbrook Rotary Club website: ElmbrookRotary.org. A selection committee of ERC members and local government officials will review all nominations and select the award recepient. ERC members are not eligible for the award. The 2023 Business Person of the Year award winner will be honored Friday morning, October 27th at the Elmbrook Rotary Club meeting. ERC will also make a $200 donation to a charity specified by and in the name of the person who has nominated the award winner.

Established in 1983, the Elmbrook Rotary Club has been active in our community for 40 years. We are a part of Rotary International, founded in 1905. ERC is an energetic group of more that 80 individuals with a wide range of backgrounds, from business professionals to community leaders to those dedicated to public service. The Rotary International official motto is “Service above Self” and our Club slogan is “We rise & Shine” referencing our being the first breakfast club in our Rotary District 6270.