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The “CliffsNotes” version: Persons who are responsible for any building or lot with a public sidewalk are required to remove all snow and ice from the sidewalk within 24 hours after a snow or ice event. If ice can’t be removed, it must be kept sprinkled with salt or sand. If these requirements are not met, the city may have the work performed at a minimum cost of $100. Please see below for the city ordinance.

12.20.020 Snow and Ice Removal Required.
The owner, occupant, and person in charge of any building or lot fronting upon or adjoining any sidewalk shall remove all snow and ice from the sidewalk no later than twenty-four hours after a snow or ice event. When any ice is so formed on any sidewalk that it cannot be removed, then the responsible party shall keep the same sprinkled with salt or sand. If any such owner, occupant, or person in charge refuses or fails to comply with the provisions of this section within the time aforesaid, the city manager or an appointed representative may remove such snow or ice and the cost thereof shall be charged at a rate of one hundred dollars per hour, with a minimum charge of one hundred dollars. Work lasting more than one hour will be billed an additional twenty-five dollars. Any subsequent snow removal, which takes place within six months of the prior removal, will be charged at a rate of one hundred fifty dollars per hour, with a minimum charge of one hundred fifty dollars. Work lasting more than one hour will be billed an additional twenty-five dollars. If the city contracts the service out for snow and ice removal, the city shall bill back to the property owner the cost, for any labor, equipment, and material necessary to remove the snow and ice from the public sidewalk the rate of the cost of the contracted service, plus a ten percent administrative cost fee, or, at the city’s discretion, the street department’s going rate for time, materials and equipment. The cost of such removal shall be reported to the city clerk in writing with a description of the premises, and such costs shall be and become a special tax and lien against the premises, and if not previously paid shall be inserted by the city clerk in the next ensuing tax roll as a special tax against such premises; and such costs may, in the discretion of the common council, be collected by suit against the owner or occupant of the premises.

(Ord. 1474 §1, 2001: Ord. 1193 §1, 1990: Ord. 983 §54(part), 1982; Ord. 901 §1, 1978: Ord. 862 §1, 1976: prior code §6.01(8)).
(Ord. No. 1846A, § 1, 11-8-2012; Ord. No. 1993A, § 1, 2-4-2020)

Wild Ones Kettle Moraine Chapter Presents “Wisconsin’s Rare Plants: Monitoring and Conservation“
Presented by Kevin Doyle

Kevin Doyle is a botanist with the DNR’s Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation.  He also coordinates the Rare Plant Monitoring Program, which is a citizen science program aimed at training volunteers to search for and record data on rare plants. This talk will focus on the ecology and biology of Wisconsin’s rare plants, as well as how people can get involved and how volunteer data are used in rare plant conservation.

WHEN:  Saturday, November 16, 2024, at 10 a.m.

WHERE:  South Kettle Moraine State Forest Headquarters, Eagle

      S91W39091 Highway 59

                   One mile west of Eagle, on Highway 59

Open to the Public.  No admission fee.

Friday, November 1 is the last day for early voting on the second floor of the city Municipal Building. Hours are 8 am – 5:00 pm. (Normally the building closes at 4:30 pm.)

Tom Ganser writes, “I began voting in 1971, and until today [Thursday, Oct. 31] I have always voted on the day of the election.  Today was the first time I’ve voted in person before the election date in the Whitewater Municipal Building … and it was “easy peasy” !

Jefferson County Administrator Ben Wehmeier Taking New Position
Wehmeier will join Watertown Community Health Foundation as President & CEO

Jefferson County Administrator Ben Wehmeier announced he will be taking a position with the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation, where he will serve as President and CEO. Wehmeier started as Jefferson County Administrator July 1, 2013. His last day as county administrator is anticipated to be in mid-December.

“It’s been a great honor to serve the people of Jefferson County for the last 11 years,” Wehmeier said. “I’m looking forward to continuing to serve Jefferson County in this new role, which has many alignments with the Jefferson County strategic plan.”

In collaboration with the county board of supervisors, county department leaders and staff, and with the many public-private partnerships developed over the years, Wehmeier enacted numerous processes that have enhanced communications, budgeting and management of the county.

During his tenure, Wehmeier worked to advance the strategic priorities of the county. There’s been $1.3 billion worth of business investment in the county in the last year alone. Additional examples of county accomplishments under his leadership include:

• Updating the county’s strategic and comprehensive plans
• Developing the Bridges Federated Library System, a consolidated system between Waukesha and Jefferson County that has been recognized by the Public Policy Forum for intergovernmental cooperation
• Founding a 501(c)(3) entity focused on public/private partnerships for Economic Development, now known as ThriveED
• Developing a treatment court system
• Integrating mental health teams with law enforcement
• Developing a Youth Crisis Stabilization Facility
• Positioning the county to address housing shortages, including the development of the Live Local Development Fund with ThriveED and fundraising of nearly $10 million
• Partnering with broadband providers to expand access in the county
• Developing the Food and Beverage Innovation Park that led to Kikkoman choosing to locate its facility in the county
• Executing numerous building and infrastructure projects, including the construction of highway facilities, communication infrastructure, interurban trails, and courthouse/sheriff/jail facilities
• Receiving recognition for financial reporting and budgeting excellence 10 years running
• Developing shared local government positions

“We’ve valued Ben’s leadership, collaboration, and achievements over the years on behalf of the people of Jefferson County,” County Board Chair Steve Nass said. “We wish him well in the future and look forward to continuing to collaborate with him in his new role.”

“We have a plan in place to transition seamlessly into recruiting and onboarding our next county administrator,” Nass added. “We believe having Michael Luckey serve as interim county administrator, while we transition, will ensure the county continues to move forward on its strategic priorities.”

Luckey, in his role as assistant to the county administrator, has made significant contributions to advancing the county’s longer-term strategic initiatives. He has a decade of experience in local and state government, including a number of leadership positions.

The County Board Executive Committee will oversee the recruitment of the new county administrator, and the transition period working with Luckey as well as county department heads.

The Rotary Club of Whitewater will be hosting an online auction from August 31 to September 13, 2024. Over 50 items from sport collectibles to chocolate chip cookies will be available to the highest bidder. Proceeds will help our club’s continuing support of community projects and Whitewater High School scholarships. The auction will close at 8:00 PM September 13, 2024. The auction’s website is www.32auctions.com/Rotary2024.

That same evening, the Rotary Club of Whitewater will also be hosting a Wine and Food Pairing Dinner event at Staller Estate Vineyard and Winery. A five course dinner will be served, each with a complimentary wine pairing. The evening will begin at 6:00 PM with the first course, a charcuterie selection, wine, music and socializing all while viewing auction items on display. The dinner begins with a pumpkin bisque with cinnamon croutons. The third course will be a late summer salad served with local apples, goat cheese and toasted pecans. The entrée for the evening will be braised beef served with chunky mashed potatoes. The final course will be a rustic apple cake topped with homemade whipped cream.  Vegan and gluten free options are available for the dinner if requested three days before the event (September 13).

The evening ends with exciting, last minute bidding before the auction closes at 8:00 PM.

A limited number of tickets for the dinner are available contacting Aurelio Callope or Nate Parish at First Citizens State Bank or by calling Gerald Theune at 262-215-4497.

Tickets will be $50 per person. Again, proceeds help fund Rotary’s commitment to community and international projects.

^{Mark your calendars for September 8th, 7 AM to 11 AM! Come hungry and curious to our Pancake Breakfast/Open House event.}

^{Feast on a delicious breakfast while discovering the exciting transformations at Whitewater Fire & EMS since the passing of our staffing referendum, and our transition to a paramedic service.}

^{There is no cost for the breakfast – just a heartfelt donation of your choice. Your support means the world to us!}

^{On the menu: Pancakes, Eggs, Sausage Links, Milk, OJ & Coffee}

^{This year’s fundraiser aims to equip our first responders with new lockers & equipment storage facilities for their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).}

^{Join us for an educational experience too! Explore our Fire Truck Display, Ambulance Display, and learn about the importance of child seat safety. Plus, don’t miss the thrilling Fire Truck Rides!}

^{A big THANK YOU to the amazing citizens of Whitewater and surrounding townships. Your unwavering support has fueled our progress this past year. We can’t wait to continue serving you with pride!}

To help Wisconsin Spanish-speaking dairy workers and the Spanish-speaking dairy community to get the most current and up-to-date research information, UW-Extension has developed the Dairy Spanish Webinar El “Break” Info-Lechero 2.0. This webinar is an update on different dairy topics covering reproduction, data management, animal welfare, animal nutrition, genetics selection, environment and more.  Join the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension’s Dairy Program every Wednesday in the months of September, October, and November from 12 pm – 1 pm CT for the El “Break” Info-Lechero webinar series.  This Dairy Spanish Webinar is going to be in Spanish ONLY, so please invite your Latino dairy workers to this program where they will have the opportunity to learn and discuss with experts.

There is no charge to participate in these sessions, however, pre-registration is required to allow access.

For more information and to register for the El “Break” Info-Lechero 2.0. Webinars please click here:

8-21-24

49° A temperature dip,
and some steam fog on Cravath Lake.
Wait, what’s that?

Whitewater Parks and Recreation put out the swan decoys to keep geese away. It looks like it’s working. 

Our thanks to Steve Watson for sharing more of his beautiful photos – and enlightenment!

— Our Readers Share: We hope that you might have something that you’d be willing to share.  Anything that’s been created by someone else should, of course, be credited, and you should ask their permission if you’re able. We cannot post copyrighted material without permission. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have space for all submissions, and contributions will be subject to editorial board approval. The one definite exclusion is anything politically oriented. We will assume that you’re willing for us to include your name as the submitter unless you indicate that you prefer to remain anonymous. Send to whitewaterbanner@gmail.com. Thanks for thinking about this!

Editor’s note: The following press release was received from the Whitewater Unified School District.

Data from the Wisconsin Forward Exam is showing significant growth and improvements in academic performance for the Whitewater Unified School District (WUSD).

The 2024-25 school year marks the district’s third year of implementing a new math curriculum and the second year focusing on new literacy instructional approaches rooted in Science of Reading research. Preliminary Forward testing data is reflecting notable gains. In grades 3-5 in Math, 35% of students were at or above proficiency at the beginning of the curriculum and instruction changes and now 49.7% of students are at or above grade-level proficiency in Math. In grades 3-5 in English Language Arts (ELA), scores have increased from 26% of students reading at or above grade level to 42% of students at or above grade level in ELA in 2024.

The WUSD focus on literacy and outcomes did not stop in grades 3-5. Secondary teachers, coaches, and leaders focused intensely this year on interventions that would support all students. The MS and HS implemented interventions for reading and math that support Equitable Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (EMLSS) and ensured students were required to attend; improvement was not optional. Additionally, the schools included incentive plans for their outcomes. This work resulted in moving from 31.7% of students in grades 6-8 performing at or above grade level proficiency in ELA to 37.6% in 2024 performing at or above grade level proficiency. On the Forward Assessment in Math for grades 6-8, WMS moved from 27.8% of students at or above grade level proficiency to 42.5% at or above grade level. Whitewater High School implemented intentional interventions and incentives and also saw tremendous growth! Our students showed the highest ACT scores since 2018 and showed an 11% increase in our composite ACT from their Pre-ACT.

“The improvement we are seeing in Math and ELA outcomes is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire school community,” said Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty, Superintendent. “Our teachers and staff have embraced the challenges of new curricula and teaching methods, and our students are rising to the occasion. We are particularly proud of the strides made in math and reading; this opens so many doors for our students. These achievements underscore our commitment to providing the best possible education for every student attending our schools.”

Additionally, WUSD took on chronic absenteeism to improve students access to education. An
Attendance Task Force strategically addressed absenteeism, consistent attendance procedures, a
district-wide attendance campaign, and targeted intervention plans for students and families struggling with attendance. This decreased chronic absenteeism by 10.4% district wide last year thanks to the efforts of the Attendance Task Force, established in the 2023-24 school year.