News

It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.

Twenty years ago last week, the Whitewater Historical Society hosted the regional convention for the southeast region of the Wisconsin Council for Local History. The society offered a special program on the Whitewater Mounds Preserve and held sessions about working with student interns and the resources of the Area Research Center at the UW-Whitewater.

Those in the photo were active members of the Whitewater Historical Society in 2003 and they include, left to right, Art Lein, Mary Lou Lein, Doris Kolmos, Betty Boyd, and Bobby Landsee. All but Bobby have, unfortunately, passed away but Bobby is still on the society’s board of directors today.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.

(George Scharfenberg photo collection, Whitewater Historical Society)

Common Council Meeting
Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room,
312 West Whitewater St., Whitewater, WI 53190
*In Person and Virtual
Tuesday, October 03, 2023 – 6:30 PM

Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone.  Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.

When: Oct 3, 2023 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Common Council 

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82684075727?pwd=eUaW5X795m0KZBwsRhcZa7I7pZiT8A.RSUnzi4dtUPXrtau

Or Telephone:   
    +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

Webinar ID: 826 8407 5727
Passcode: 448644

AGENDA

CALL TO ORDER

ROLL CALL

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

A councilmember can choose to remove an item from the agenda or rearrange its order; however, introducing new items to the agenda is not allowed. Any proposed changes require a motion, a second, and approval from the council to be implemented. the agenda shall be approved at reach meeting even if no changes are being made at that meeting. 

CLOSED SESSION

1.            Adjourn to closed session, to reconvene in open session, pursuant to Chapter 19.86 notice of collective bargaining negotiations Item to be discussed: 1) Bargaining Negotiation with Police Union

CONSIDERATIONS

2.            Discussion and possible action regarding WPPSA contract – HR/Police

CONSENT AGENDA
Items on the Consent Agenda will be approved together unless any council members requests that an item be removed for individual consideration.

3.            Urban Forestry Commission Minutes from July 24, 2023.

4.            Park and Rec Board Minutes from August 23, 2023

5.            Exemption form for Walworth County tax for library services for 2024 

CITY MANAGER REPORT

STAFF REPORTS

6.            Social Media Report – City Manager/Kristina Koslosky

7.            Marketing and Communications Plan – City Manager/Kristina Koslosky 

8.            Update on zoning changes for dollar stores and cash businesses – City Attorney 

9.            Housing Summit update – City Manager

10.         Code Enforcement and Zoning Official – HR 

HEARING OF CITIZEN COMMENTS
No formal Council action will be taken during this meeting although issues raised may become a part of a future agenda.  Participants are allotted a three minute speaking period. Specific items listed on the agenda may not be discussed at this time; however, citizens are invited to speak to those specific issues at the time the Council discusses that particular item.

To make a comment during this period, or during any agenda item: On a computer or handheld device, locate the controls on your computer to raise your hand. You may need to move your mouse to see these controls. On a traditional telephone, dial *6 to unmute your phone and dial *9 to raise your hand.

ORDINANCES

First Reading

11.         Ordinance 2071 an ordinance amending chapter 2.08.010-City Clerk

12.         Ordinance 2072 an ordinance creating chapter 2.73 Lake Advisory Committee –City Manager/Park and Rec 

Second Reading

13.         Ordinance 2070 an Ordinance amending Section 19.51.180 Truck Trailer, Mobile Home and Equipment Parking Restrictions – Public Works

14.         Ordinance 2063 Ordinance amending Chapter 11.16.15, adding No Stopping, Standing or Parking on east side of Elizabeth Street at Court Street and Laurel Street. Public works 

CONSIDERATIONS

15.         Discussion and possible action on Good Governance manual changes –Gerber/City Clerk

16.         Discussion and Possible action regarding agenda policy-City Clerk 

17.         Discussion and possible action regarding policy for exit interviews Gerber/HR

18.         Discussion and possible action regarding Economic Director salary range- HR

19.         Discussion and possible action regarding deferred assessments for Wisconsin Street sanitary sewer and water main –Public Works 

20.         Retaining an outside law firm to advise the common council on employee discipline and termination matters – Allen/Attorney

21.         Councilmember Requests for Future Agenda Items or Committee items. Questions

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

22.         Updates to the Mobile Home Ordinance – Hicks -October

23.         R0 Zoning Discussion- Neighborhood Services/Public Works – October 17

24.         Window Ordinance – City Clerk/PD – December

25.         First line surveys for staff to complete on management Gerber Q3/Q4 2023

26.         Feedback survey for City Manager to distribute when you attend or present at meetings Gerber Q3/Q4 2023

27.         Compensation survey Gerber Q4 2023

28.         Training for newly elected and appointed officials Dawsey- Smith – April/May 2024

29.         Hiring a temporary, hourly assistant to the city manager – Allen -TBD

30.         Virtual Meeting Policy Allen/HR-TBD

CLOSED SESSION

CS-31.  Adjourn to closed session, to reconvene in open session, pursuant to Chapter 19.85(1)(e) “Deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session.” Items to be discussed: 1) A1 Packaging development agreement 2) Bargaining Negotiation with Police Union and Chapter 19.85_____ . Walton Assessment review 

Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone.  Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods. This webinar is for when Common Council comes back from closed session. 

Topic: Common Council – After closed Session

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87322668116?pwd=Ciwr1IqZbJ8Ueo2jHmCOp1ICapaBew.cgFOMcjzn9hkYbW2

Or Telephone:

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

Webinar ID: 873 2266 8116

Passcode: 109451

Please note that although every effort will be made to provide for virtual participation, unforeseen technical difficulties may prevent this, in which case the meeting may still proceed as long as there is a quorum. Should you wish to make a comment in this situation, you are welcome to call this number: (262) 473-0108.

CONSIDERATIONS

32.         Discussion and possible action regarding Walton assessment review – Finance 

33.         Discussion and possible action regarding developer agreement for A1 Packaging –Economic Development 

ADJOURNMENT

Anyone requiring special arrangements is asked to call the Office of the 
City Manager / City Clerk (262-473-0102) at least 72 hours prior to the meeting.

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Public Library. 

Children of all ages and their caregivers are invited to a special “Read or Treat” event at the public library with the Zeta Sigma Chi sorority on Thursday, October 5 at 3:30-4:30 p.m. There will be books, a fun Halloween craft, and goodies.  

This is a free event and no registration is required. The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library is located at 431 W. Center Street in Whitewater. Contact Sarah French with questions at sfrench@whitewater-wi.gov or 262-458-2782.  

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Public Library.

The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library is pleased to announce that the “Engaging the Community; Promoting Learning” capital campaign is close to meeting its goal of $2,250,000.  “We are only $93,000 from meeting our campaign goal and hope everyone in the community will help to get us ‘over the top,” said Jim Winship, Campaign Chair.  The funds raised, combined with library reserves and proceeds from the sale of property, will match the City’s generous commitment of $3,000,000 that serves as a challenge to the Whitewater community for this project, which has a total cost of $6,000,000.

“The Bookometer in the library’s lobby will mark campaign progress until October 30 when the campaign will officially close,” said Jon Kachel, a member of the Campaign Planning Committee.

 “We are honored by the community’s generosity and hope that anyone considering a gift will get their pledge form to the library soon.”

The renovated library will add even more value to the Whitewater community. It will offer more space and features where people can connect, read, learn, create and feel welcome. There will be 4,400 square feet of additional space and the current space will be redesigned to be more welcoming and accommodate new features. The renovated library will offer expanded early learning areas including play centers, engaging teen and pre-teen spaces, upgraded technology, large and small meeting rooms, study and collaboration spaces, expanded areas of informal seating, and outdoor tables and places for the community to use the Internet when the library is not open. The Library Board and staff have been developing these plans for several years but they are about to become a reality.

One way that individuals, families and businesses can get involved is by purchasing a Wall Tile.

This final segment of the campaign is designed to include the entire Whitewater community.

Wall tiles are $250 and $500; special tiles for businesses are $1000 and may include the company’s logo. It is a wonderful way to celebrate your family, remember a loved one, honor someone special, recognize the children and grandchildren, or showcase your business. Information is available on the library’s website and by using the QR code; forms are also available at the library.

For more information contact Stacey Lunsford, Library Director at 262 473-0530.

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater senior Nicholas Swiatowy is preparing for the new school year by watching a lot of television — specifically, Japanese variety shows.

For this Warhawk, that’s tantamount to studying. He’s soaking up the Japanese language, listening for new words, phrases, idioms and intonation.

The Elkhorn native will spend the 2023-24 academic year at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, on a merit-based, fully paid Japanese studies scholarship and stipend, a prestigious award presented by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. To earn the award, Swiatowy had to perform well in language tests and face an interview at the Japanese consulate in Chicago. 

“I couldn’t be more honored to be doing this. That I would be considered for something like this is wild,” Swiatowy says.

The Japanese government scholarship program began in 1954 and has benefitted more than 100,000 students in more than 160 countries. Winning the scholarship is a particularly remarkable achievement because until Swiatowy transferred to UW-Whitewater in the spring semester of 2022, his grasp of Japanese was completely self-taught. Learning the language’s more than 2,000 characters was his passion.

“I got out of high school and I needed something to do. Japanese is supposed to be the hardest language for native English speakers to learn,” he says. “I’m probably up to about 1,400 characters now.”

Swiatowy’s first contact with the language came from playing Japanese video games during his youth. 

“It was fun, and I like the way the language sounds.” 

Mentorship matters

Swiatowy, a Japanese studies and political science major, is following in the footsteps of his Japanese instructor and mentor at UW-Whitewater, Melanie Czarnecki — who earned the same scholarship in 1996-97, when she was an undergraduate student at UW-Madison.

“I’m as excited for him as I was for myself,” Czarnecki said. 

The program, which involves full immersion in the Japanese language and culture, selects students from around the world. 

“Not only is Nicholas going to grow as an individual human being, he is going to be such a confident speaker of the Japanese language and, I hope, on Japanese cultural topics. He’s also going to study with people from all walks of life,” said Czarnecki. “They will live together, study together, go on field trips together. He will learn about other countries’ cultures, too.”

When Swiatowy enrolled at UW-Whitewater, he asked Czarnecki for permission to take a placement test to see which of her Japanese language classes would be an appropriate fit. 

“I asked him where he had studied, which textbooks he had used and which classes he had taken,” Czarnecki says. 

The answer: none of the above.

“I never expected he would be able to place at the highest level,” Czarnecki says. “I was so impressed that someone as young as he had that kind of commitment.”

In fact, Swiatowy was skilled enough to tutor other students and has helped run Czarnecki’s weekly chat tables, or conversation groups. 

“He has helped a lot of students, including one student who is vision-impaired. Nicholas was eager to help him outside of the classroom, and to make sure he was getting the support he needed,” Czarnecki says.

Looking ahead

Swiatowy is eager to speak and read Japanese every day. Improving his conversational skills is his biggest priority, even before he leaves for Japan. 

“This has been the big thing for me for the last four years, and this scholarship is the culmination of all of that,” Swiatowy says.

He dreams of serving as a diplomat in the future. “If I can do something with Japanese, I’d absolutely love to.”

Swiatowy credits Czarnecki for accepting him as a student, encouraging him to apply for the scholarship and helping him through the interview process.

“Melanie is, hands down, the best teacher I’ve ever had in my life – 1,000%,” Swiatowy says. “She has made a huge change in the trajectory of my life.”

Swiatowy looks forward to his time at Hokkaido University. Established in 1876, it has 18,000 students – compared to about 11,500 at UW-Whitewater – and 3,900 faculty and staff members. The university focuses on research covering a variety of global issues, including vaccines, artificial intelligence, food innovation and environmental science. The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings — which assess nearly 1,600 universities worldwide on meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development goals — lists Hokkaido University No. 22 globally and No. 1 in Japan.

The campus is in Sapporo, which is similar to Wisconsin in its climate — and in at least one other aspect according to Swiatowy. 

“It’s famous for beer.”

Editor’s Note: The following letter was provided by the City of Whitewater.

Dear Residents of Whitewater,

I hope this letter finds you well. We value your input and involvement in our community, and we want to keep you informed about important matters that affect our city. On October 17, 2023, the City of Whitewater will be considering a Short Term Rental Ordinance.

The Short Term Rental Ordinance is a proposed regulation that aims to address various aspects related to short-term rentals within our city. Short-term rentals typically include vacation rentals, Airbnb-type properties, and similar arrangements. The ordinance is designed to ensure the safe and harmonious coexistence of short-term rentals with our residential neighborhoods while maintaining the character and quality of life in our community.

We encourage all residents to stay informed about this important issue. You can find more details, including the proposed ordinance text and related documents, by visiting our city website’s Agenda Center. The Agenda Center is a valuable resource for accessing meeting agendas, minutes, and other relevant materials. To access this information, please visit www.whitewater-wi.gov and navigate to the Agenda Center section.

We value your feedback and input on this matter. There will be opportunities for public comment and discussion during the City Council meeting on October 17, 2023 at 6:30pm. Your voice matters, and we encourage you to participate in this important community discussion.

If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts before the meeting, please feel free to contact our office at kanderberg@whitewater-wi.gov. We are here to assist you and provide clarification on any concerns you may have.

We believe that informed and engaged residents are vital to the success of our community. Your participation in this process is essential, and we look forward to hearing your perspectives.

Thank you for your ongoing support and involvement in making Whitewater a great place to live.

Sincerely,

Karri Anderberg

City Clerk

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Public Library.