News

(Walworth County Health Department news release) The Walworth County Public
Health Department and Sheriff’s Office are partnering with the Wisconsin National
Guard to offer a recurring COVID-19 public testing site.

The state recently shifted to a regional allocation of Wisconsin National Guard
(WING) support for COVID-19 testing. This provides counties with the
opportunity to request community testing sites that operate on a repeated
schedule.

In Walworth County, testing will be conducted each Tuesday beginning October
27 and concluding on December 8. Drive-thru testing will be offered at Lakeland
Community Church, N3181 State Rd 67 in Lake Geneva. The site will operate
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can accommodate up to 300 participants each day of
operation.

Pre-registration is strongly recommended and can be completed by visiting
https://register.covidconnect.wi.gov/. Pre-registration ensures an efficient testing
process that produces faster result notification. For those unable to pre-register,
onsite registration support will be available.

Erica Bergstrom, Health Officer stated, “Similar sites are now operating in Racine
and Kenosha Counties. These recurring sites bring us closer to achieving our
goal of ensuring easy access to local testing for Walworth County residents.”

Testing is open to any Wisconsin resident age 5 or older. Members of the
Wisconsin National Guard will administer nasal swab tests and will manage the
specimen samples. Those receiving tests will not be charged.

Whitewater Unified School District School Board Regular Meeting
Monday, October 26 @ 7:00 p.m.
Includes adoption of budget and tax levy; evaluation of current instructional plans
For the complete agenda, click here and then click on “meetings” in the upper right corner.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85722502449?
pwd=K0taZWdQaHZxQ2V1SDVxY3lBNC9Kdz09
Passcode: 337585
Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
Webinar ID: 857 2250 2449
Passcode: 337585

Whitewater Fire Department Business Meeting
Thursday @ 6:30 p.m.
Qualify applicants for vacant EMS BOD position
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.google.com/kuu-yugc-gye
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 929-287-3062
Access Code:
907 589 261

City of Whitewater Plan & Architectural Review Commission
Sign Ordinance Subcomittee
Review of proposed amendments to sign ordinance
Friday, October 30 @ 9:00 a.m.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/783936117
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (646) 749-3122
Access Code: 783-936-117

(From the Whitewater Fire Dept. Facebook page) At approximately 11:15 p.m. on Friday October 23rd, the WFD was dispatched to a report of a motorcyclist down. First arriving crews found Walworth County Sheriffs deputies on scene with a motorcycle and rider laying in the west side ditch along 89, North of Church Rd. Crews attempted life saving measures along with Jefferson 799 and Walworth MD-1. Unfortunately the rider was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident remains under investigation by the Walworth Cty Sheriff’s Dept.

October 26 Update: Per the Daily Jefferson County Union, the victim was identified as Frank Cisewski, 34, of Whitewater.

(Public Service Announcement) City of Whitewater – Winter Parking Hours

The City of Whitewater would like to remind everyone that winter parking hours go in to effect on November 1, 2020.

It is unlawful for the operator or owner of any vehicle to park the vehicle on any street in the City between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. on any day from November 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021, except as hereinafter provided:

• Physicians and surgeons shall be permitted to park vehicles at any time when the physician is on emergency call.
• Parking shall be permitted in the downtown parking area after 5 a.m. of such period.
• By special advance arrangement with the Public Works Director.

Any person who violates the provisions of this ordinance shall be subject to the penalties and provisions set forth in Sections 11.56.010(4) and 11.56.010(5) of the Municipal Code.

Thank you,

Brad Marquardt
Public Works Director

By Lisa Dawsey Smith
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

The Common Council’s meeting on October 20 adjourned after only 18 minutes, which was described as being the second shortest meeting in recent memory.

City Manager Cameron Clapper provided this update:
– The city will soon be submitting for reimbursement of COVID-19 related expenses from the Routes to Recovery state program that is funded by the federal CARES Act. Over $300,000 in costs have been booked, so the city hopes to receive its maximum potential reimbursement of $242,611.
– The Finance Committee has completed its three budget review meetings, and staff is completing the final 2021 budget proposal to be presented to the Council on November 5.
– In-person absentee voting is under way in the council chambers. As of October 16 there had been 2255 absentee ballot requests, and 1269 ballots had already been returned.
– Leaf collection will begin on Monday, October 26.

The Council authorized the submission of an application for a Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Community Development Investment Grant which has been requested by the property owner of 183 W. Main Street, commonly known as the White Elephant building. The grant, if approved, would help to provide funding for a major renovation of the building. The required matching funding would be provided by the property owner.

Council member Carol McCormick was excited to announce that work had been completed on Clay Street, and “it looks terrific.”

(News release from Whitewater Community Development Authority)

Governor Evers has announced Phase 2 of the We’re All In Small Business
Grant program, providing $5,000 to at least 10,000 Wisconsin small businesses.

With COVID-19 affecting many small businesses statewide and in Whitewater, this grant will assist with the
cost of health and safety improvements, wages and salaries, rent, mortgages and additional funding needs.
The grant is funded by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

To qualify for the We’re All In Small Business Grant, the business needs the following:
• the business started operating prior to January 1, 2020 and operated in 2020;
• the business is Wisconsin-based and for-profit; it employs 50 or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE)
employees, including the owner; and
• it has more than $0 but less than $1 million in annual revenues.

Businesses will NOT be eligible for the grant if they are part of a national chain, unless the business is a thirdparty franchise; the business must not be a governmental unit or primarily engaged in any of the following
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes beginning with:
• 111XXX – Crop Production
• 112XXX – Animal Production or Aquaculture
• 5311XX – Lessors of Real Estate
• 813XXX – Nonprofit Organizations

If applying for the grant, businesses will need their 2019 tax information and identify the North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS) code: This information may be included in a business’s tax return, or
through the NAICS website: https://www.naics.com/naics-code-description/.

Businesses interested in applying for the We’re All In Small Business Grant can visit the Department of
Revenue website at https://www.revenue.wi.gov from Monday, October 19th through November 2nd
.
“I hope to see all small businesses in Whitewater take advantage of this grant,” said Cathy Anderson,
Economic Director for the City of Whitewater. “This is open to everyone and most will qualify. I would love to
see those who could use this boost receive the assistance they deserve in order to continue to thrive in our
community.”

For more information or questions, contact Cathy Anderson, Economic Developer Director at 262-473-0148 or
CAnderson@whitewater-wi.gov.

The City of Whitewater provides efficient and high-quality services which support living, learning, playing and
working in an exceptional community. Visit www.whitewater-wi.gov for community information and updates.