The Village Board met on Monday, November 18.  Click here to see the meeting materials and video recording. These are the agenda items the Board discussed or took action on during the meeting:

Judiciary, Personnel and Licensing Committee - 6:00 p.m.

Public Works Committee - 6:30 p.m.

Community and Business Relations Committee - 7:00 p.m.

Village Board - 7:30 p.m.

Participate in the Housing Market and Needs Analysis Survey

I want to take some time today to encourage all of you to participate in the current housing market study and needs analysis survey.

The Village of Shorewood Community Development Authority (CDA) is currently conducting a Housing Market Study and Needs Analysis along with project consultants, Novogradac Consulting LLP, to help decision makers, stakeholders, and community members better plan for future housing needs. It has been expressed to Village officials and myself countless times the importance of public participation. Housing is an issue that has a substantial impact on us all. Therefore, this is why it is crucial for your participation so the Village receives the best information possible to protect our historical housing stock while exploring housing needs for current and future generations.

Please begin taking the online survey now. You have until November 27 to complete it. Additional information is available at www.villageofshorewood.org/housingstudy . Thank you greatly for your participation and commitment to our community! If you have any further questions, please contact me at [email protected] or call at 414.847.2701.

North Port Washington Bridge and roadway approaches

 

All ramps from West Capitol Drive to North Port Washington Road  

 

West Capitol Drive from North 7th to North 2nd streets (Outside lanes)

All work is weather dependent. The City of Milwaukee anticipates West Capitol Drive and the ramp from I-43 northbound to eastbound Capitol Drive to be fully open by November 27. During the week of December 2, the City of Milwaukee anticipates the bridge and all ramps to North Port Washington Road to be open to traffic. 

Background: The Queensway Cleaners site at 4300 N. Oakland Ave. has been closed since 2017. As with other dry cleaning establishments, the site was identified to have soil contamination from years of activity. That property, along with the adjacent house located at 1808 E. Marion St. were purchased by the same, new owner in 2017. In order to prepare the sites for potential redevelopment, the Village’s Design Review Board approved site restoration plans for the post-demolition condition on August 8, 2019. Those approvals were followed-up by demolition and erosion control permit reviews and approvals by the Planning and Development Department. No plans for redevelopment have been identified at this time. 

Update: Demolition of both the residential property at 1808 E. Marion St. and the former drycleaners at 4300 N. Oakland Ave. have been completed. Additional site clean-up will be performed the week of November 25. Based on prior approval, site remediation was scheduled to commence immediately. However, the contractor has indicated the early winter and extreme cold / snow of the past several weeks has disrupted the contractor schedules and it is now too late in the year to treat the soil in 2019. They note that cold temperatures would slow the chemical reactions that are necessary to render the treated soil acceptable for landfilling. Rather than starting the remediation and being forced to pause with eight 30 cubic yard dumpsters on the property, they will be requesting to leave the site in its current condition until early to mid-April 2020 after the spring thaw.  

 

The Planning & Development Department has informed the applicant that approval of the temporary site conditions within this interim period will need to be reviewed by the Design Review Board, particularly as it relates to surface conditions and fencing. The Department has also requested that DNR comment be provided of the site regarding this interim condition. Discussion at the December 5 Design Review Board is currently expected. 

 

Weekly updates will continue to be provided through the Village Manager’s Memo.

Today, Shorewood joins 488 communities across the United States that are transforming this country one Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) at a time. “Communities like Shorewood are leading the nation when it comes to important livability factors that people want where they call home, like safe and accessible places to bike,” said Bill Nesper, Executive Director at the League of American Bicyclists.

Shorewood joins 53 new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Communities as part of a movement toward more vibrant, healthy, sustainable and connected places.

With this latest round of new and renewing awardees, there are currently 488 BFCs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Silver BFC award recognizes Shorewood’s commitment to improving conditions for all people who bike through investments in bike education programs, bike events that promote and encourage people to choose biking, pro-bike policies, and bike infrastructure. Only Madison has a higher award when it comes to being a bike friendly community in the State of Wisconsin.

Thank you to Shorewood's Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Committee, Village staff, and the several community members who reviewed and submitted material for the Shorewood application. Learn more about the League’s Bicycle Friendly Community program at bikeleague.org/community.

The Village of Shorewood Clerk’s Office is still low on the number of Election Inspectors needed for the upcoming two-year inspector term (2020-2021). The term starts with the 2020 Spring Primary Election on February 18, 2020. If you are looking for an opportunity to fulfill your civic duty, to give back to your community or to simply be available to greet your friends and neighbors on Election Day, here’s your chance.

The basic requirements to be an Election Inspector (also known as a poll worker) are: 

Election Inspectors are the keepers of democracy and are crucial to conducting open, accurate, dignified and fair elections in Wisconsin. Election Inspectors handle a variety of assigned duties at a polling location on Election Day. Some of the duties include: issuing ballots, registering voters, monitoring the voting equipment, and completing required paperwork. Election Inspectors do receive a stipend for their services. To ensure that our Election Inspectors are able to fulfill their assignments on Election Day, paid training is provided prior to each election. 

Did you know that Wisconsin law requires every employer to grant an unpaid leave of absence to each employee who is appointed to serve as an election inspector? If an employee provides the employer with at least seven (7) days’ notice before they are scheduled to serve as an inspector an employee is entitled an unpaid leave of absence to serve. The leave is for the entire 24-hour period of each Election Day in which the employee serves as an election inspector. [Wis. Statute 7.33(3)].

If you are interested in learning more about being an Election Inspector, please visit the Village  website  or  complete an application. If you have more questions, feel free to contact Village Clerk Sara Bruckman at 414.847.2608 or via email at  [email protected].

The Friends of Atwater Beach (FAB) serve as a group of motivated Shorewood neighbors interested in and committed to ensuring that Atwater Beach remains a beautiful, safe destination for the community to enjoy. FAB works with the Shorewood Foundation to secure funds through donations and grant money to implement projects of varying scope that better the infrastructure of Atwater Beach.

FAB created the following survey to receive community feedback on a number of topics and initiatives related to the beach.  Please note the initiatives or ideas listed in the survey are in very early exploratory phases and still need time to determine the feasibility to implement. Consider taking a few minutes to take the survey. The survey will be open until the end of the 2019 calendar year. If you are interested in getting involved with FAB, make sure to input your name in the survey and check that you are interested in volunteering.

Come celebrate the season in Shorewood at the annual tree lighting holiday event at Wood Square (4151 N. Oakland Avenue) coordinated by the Shorewood Business Improvement District (BID).

On Saturday, December 7 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., there will be cookies to decorate, letters written and wishes whispered to Santa, and music to be heard. A tree lighting will occur at 7:00 p.m.

But that's not all! Come and enjoy complimentary hot cocoa and peppermint shakes, play dreidel games, shop for gifts and more! The Shorewood Foundation is joining the efforts with a Toys for Tots collection, so help support this great cause and bring unwrapped gifts.

Bring Your Bag Shorewood is looking for volunteers who sew or would like to learn how. At their November Boomerang Bags Sewing Bee, they'll create reusable shopping bags for the Shorewood Public Library and Metro Market. Shoppers and readers can borrow bags and return them for someone else to use. Newcomers and regular attendees are always welcome. This will be the last Sewing Bee of the year.

The group will gather at the Shorewood Village Center (lower level meeting room) on Sunday, November 24, from 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Volunteers must be at least 13, but no sewing experience is needed. Helpers can iron, pin, or sew. Fabric and supplies are provided, and volunteers are welcome to bring a portable sewing machine, an iron and ironing board, or sewing tools to use.

Donations of clean fabric and clean reusable shopping bags are always appreciated. To find out more, join  Bring Your Bag Shorewood on Facebook  or write to  [email protected] .

Building Bonanza!

Calling Builders of All Ages! Join us for an afternoon of free building with Legos, Magna-tiles, Giant Blocks, and more. No need to register. Just drop in and exercise your creative forces on Friday, November 22 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. in the Village Center Meeting Room (below the Library).

Research you Family History at the Library

In a two-part hands-on program, learn to use the library’s many resources – including free access to Ancestry.com! – to research your family history. Join us on Monday, December 2 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. to learn how Ancestry Library Edition works. Then, on Monday, December 16 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. we’ll introduce HeritageQuest Online and local family history research tools. You can come to both sessions, or just one. Anyone is welcome – whether you are new to genealogy or just want to brush up on what’s available. No registration is required. The library will provide five laptops and five iPads for use in the program or bring your own computer or tablet. Both programs will be held in the Library’s Program Room.

Holiday Book Talk with Daniel Goldin

Join the Friends of Shorewood Public Library and Boswell Book Company's proprietor Daniel Goldin for a presentation on the best books to look for during the holiday season. Daniel is known for giving interesting and varied suggestions, perfect for discerning readers. Books will be available for purchase with a portion of sales supporting the Friends of the Shorewood Public Library. This is the perfect opportunity to shop for book lovers on your list - including yourself! Saturday, December 7 at 11:00 a.m. in the Village Center Meeting Room.

Shorewood High School Senior Recognized for Tobacco Education and Prevention Work

SHS senior Nia Kamara was recently recognized through the Wisconsin Leadership Summit as the “High School Student Leader of the Year” at the Wisconsin Leadership Community Choice Awards.

 

Nia was awarded this exceptional honor for her extensive work in youth-led tobacco education and prevention, especially through serving on the FACT statewide youth advisory board.

 

FACT is Wisconsin’s youth-lead tobacco prevention program, which empowers over 3,000 teen members in grades 7-12 in about 30 groups throughout the state to spread the truth about tobacco. FACT members lead advocacy initiatives including peer-to-peer education, media outreach, and meeting with state and local leaders. Their efforts have helped reduce youth tobacco use and have played an integral part in changing community policies on secondhand smoke and retail sales to youth. The movement is managed by the American Lung Association and is designed to reduce the burden of tobacco in Wisconsin.

“My mom does public health work and she introduced me to FACT back in 7th grade” says Nia. “Through my many years participating in FACT, I have learned so much about tobacco use and prevention but I am still learning new things all the time, so I understand how important it is for me to continue to spread awareness of the damaging effects of tobacco.”

  

In addition to her participation in FACT, Nia was also identified—through a very rigorous process—by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, a national organization that works to create the next generation of tobacco-free youth. Through this national organization, Nia serves as the Youth Ambassador for the state of Wisconsin which allows her to represent and lobby for youth on tobacco-related issues at the local, city, state and federal levels.

 

Through her work both with FACT and the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, Nia has expressed her opinions on restricting youth access to tobacco to our current Governor, Lt Governor, US Surgeon General and state and local elected officials.

 

“There are so many rewarding things I’ve experienced from participating [in all of these organizations]," she says. "I’ve gained many useful life skills such as public speaking, collaboration, and advocating for myself. I would say one of my greatest achievements was when my fellow FACT members and I were able to help increase the citation for selling cigarettes to minors by over $500. It was exciting to see that we played a role in making a big, positive difference in the community. ”

 

To learn more about FACT, visit:  https://factmovement.org/. To learn more about the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, visit:  https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/