News

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by First United Methodist Church.

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the UW-W College of Arts & Communication, Dept. of Music

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of Music is excited to announce the opening of the Music Mosaics series for the 21/22 academic year. Returning to face to face events, the series will open with a concert titled “My Favorite Pieces” by MyungHee Chung – her final solo concert before retiring from UW-Whitewater in the Spring.  All proceeds from the Music Mosaic series go directly towards scholarships for Department of Music students. This performance will take place on Sunday, September 19 at 3:00 pm in the Light Recital Hall. Ticket prices are $14 for general public, $12 for over 65, $7 for individuals under 18 and free for all UW-Whitewater students. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling (262) 472-2222. Masks are required for anyone entering a campus building and each performance in the Light Recital Hall will have a social distance seating option. Do not come to campus if you are ill. For the most up to date campus safety information, visit the Warhawks are Back webpage at the link below. uww.edu/warhawks-are-back.

Dr. Chung has served UW-Whitewater for twenty six years. During that time she has performed in hundreds of concerts, collaborated with numerous artists, taught thousands of students and become a mentor, and friend, to all. “My Favorite Pieces” honors her time at UW-Whitewater and the joy he has experienced. On that note, the concert will kick off with a selection from J.S. Bach titled “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, Chorale from Cantata No. 147” arranged by Myra Hess. Continuing on she will play one of the only minor pieces created by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart “Rondo in A minor, KV 511;” other works include selections by Liszt, Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Ravel.

“I want to express my gratitude to the University that I was able to work and perform, and to the audience for supporting live music events” says Chung. Having worked alongside Chung for fourteen years, Dr. Michael Dugan, Chair of the Department of Music, says “MyungHee Chung’s time has been nothing short of a gift for our entire campus. While her stunning virtuosity and inspirational teaching will be missed, the legacy she will leave at UW-Whitewater is second to none.”

Banner note: The following information was provided by the South Central WI Healthcare Emergency Readiness Coalition. Though Walworth County is not one of the fourteen counties represented by the coalition, both Jefferson and Rock Counties are included. Among the hospital members signing the message: Edgerton Hospital & Health Services, Mercyhealth, SSM Health, UnityPoint Health – Meriter, and UW Health.

City of Whitewater Plan and Architectural Review Commission – Monday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda includes conditional use permit for an electronic sign for First English Lutheran Church, conditional use permit to convert the main floor of 309 W. Main St. to residential use, amendment to the conditional use permit to allow two additional units at 292 S. Wisconsin St. for DLK Enterprises.
This meeting will be IN-PERSON and VIRTUAL
City of Whitewater Municipal Building
Community Room- First Floor
312 W. Whitewater St.
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/443562893
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: 1 (571) 317-3112
Access Code: 443-562-893

City of Whitewater Public Works Committee – Tuesday @ 6:00 p.m.
Agenda includes John’s Disposal rate increase request, consideration of a “No Mow May” such as was held in Fort Atkinson, PASER ratings for city streets.
Community Room
Municipal Building-1 Floor
312 W Whitewater St

City of Whitewater Parks & Recreation Board – Wednesday @ 5:30 p.m.
Agenda includes revised WAFC agreement, ’21-’22 WAFC fee schedule, lakes drawdown update.
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
You can also dial in using your phone:
1-312-757-3121
Access code 594-744-813

Whitewater Unified School District Policy Review Committee – Thursday @ 9:00 a.m.
Agenda
Whitewater Unified School District Central Office
419 South Elizabeth Street

Whitewater Fire Department, Inc Business Meeting – Thursday @ 6:00 p.m.
Location: WFD, Inc Training Room
Agenda includes EMS Coordinator position

“Queen Bees”
Tuesday, September 14, 1 pm
(Comedy/Drama/Romance)1 hour, 47 minutes; Rated PG-13 (2021)
After reluctantly agreeing to move into a retirement home, Helen (Ellen Burstyn), an independent widow, learns it’s much like high school—full of cliques and flirtatious suitors. The cast includes Jane Curtin, Ann-Margaret, Christopher Lloyd, and James Caan. 

Welcome back to #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society!

Pictured here is a circa 1908 image from our glass plate negative collection of Miss Grace Averill (1883-1939) riding a bicycle. Though she was born in Chicago, Grace and her family had moved to Whitewater in 1887 after her father was hired as superintendent of the Esterly Manufacturing Company. She graduated from Whitewater High School in 1903 and went on to become a teacher. Grace taught at the state agricultural college in Manhattan, Kansas, and later on in California. She is buried in Hillside Cemetery.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society collections!

(3817GP, Whitewater Historical Society)

The Whitewater Historical Society collects, preserves, and interprets the history of Whitewater and the surrounding area. Be sure to join us next week for more from the Society’s collections. Please “like” us on Facebook, and check out our website at whitewaterhistoricalsociety.org! ​

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the office of the governor.

By Al Stanek
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

For most businesses, churches and organizations the coming of Fall means it’s time to start developing a budget for the coming year. In the case of the City of Whitewater budget development will take on a new approach as the WW Common Council voted to try budgeting on a two-year cycle this year to provide better coordination with the WI State Biennial Budget. Some city revenues and program requirements are tied to the state process that generally adopts a two-year budget by July 1 of every odd numbered year.

The final decision to move forward on the recommendation from City Finance Director Steve Hatton was adopted unanimously but after some debate. Council member Jim Allen responded favorably by saying, “I don’t see any downside of this proposal.” Council member Brienne Diebolt-Brown countered that a process of projecting revenues and expenses two years in advance would make the process “less nimble” particularly for the second year of the cycle.

City Manager Cameron Clapper reported that a survey of his counterparts around the state found that those who had adopted the multiyear approach generally agreed that it freed up city department managers to focus on program administration and that the existing budget amendment process allowed for appropriate reactions to year-two changes. The city establishes the tax levy each November based on the projected annual budget and any budget amendments.

In another significant budget development step Common Council members were presented with a list of proposed “capital” projects and were asked to rank them in order of priority. Big ticket items like a water tower or a library expansion are not generally included in an annual operating budget as they are usually funded through long-term borrowing. Wisconsin State law allows municipalities to fund large projects with borrowing that does not exceed 5% of the total equalized value of property taxed by the city. The City of Whitewater has taken a more conservative approach by not exceeding the equalized valuation total by more than 3.5%. City policy has been to only take on new debt obligations equal to, or less than, the amount of debt paid off in the previous year. The goal is to keep the annual cost of debt service (which is part of the annual operating budget) at a predictable level.

Other actions taking place at the September 7 meeting included formal adoption of a policy on how the city acquires and sells real estate along with distribution of a proposed sexual offender residency ordinance under consideration at the request of the Whitewater Police Department.

City Attorney Wally McDonell advised council members that although the State of Wisconsin requires convicted sexual offenders to register with the state it allows individual communities to decide if they want to pass ordinances regulating where a sexual offender may live within a given community. Materials distributed for consideration by the council included several potential ordinance components designating specific “child safety zones” where sexual offenders would be prohibited from taking up residence. The City of Whitewater does not currently have such an ordinance.

McDonell pointed out the potential liability of an overly restrictive ordinance which could be challenged on US Constitutional grounds as well as the risk of remaining one of only a decreasing number of Wisconsin communities that have not established such ordinances. Deputy Police Chief Daniel Meyer pointed out that his review indicated that roughly 150 Wisconsin municipalities have sexual offender residency ordinances. The Wisconsin League of Municipalities website reports 600 individual city and village members across the state.

The Council also approved the appointment of Miguel Aranda to the Whitewater Community Development Authority (CDA). Aranda will serve out the remaining CDA term of long-time CDA Member and former city Plan and Architectural Review Commission Chair Greg Meyer