News & Events

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

The City of Whitewater’s prospective attempts to regulate where convicted sex offenders can reside after being released from prison got an initial review at the September 21 Common Council meeting. A draft ordinance was distributed with potential passage of a sex offender residency ordinance as early as the next scheduled Common Council meeting.

City Attorney Wally McDonell advised council members that although Wisconsin requires convicted sex offenders to register with the state it allows individual communities to decide if they want to pass ordinances regulating where a convicted sexual offender may live within a given community. The City of Whitewater does not currently have such an ordinance.

The draft ordinance included several potential components designating specific “child safety zones” where sexual offenders would be prohibited from taking up residence. It also would prohibit residency by a convicted sex offender who was not a city resident at the time that his or her offense occurred. State and federal requirements allow for a convicted sex offender to return to the community in which they resided at the time of the offense.

Consideration of a sex offender residency ordinance was initially suggested by the Whitewater Police Department. The department reported the results of a preliminary review indicating that roughly 150 Wisconsin municipalities have sexual offender residency ordinances. That compares to the 600 individual city and village members reported by the Wisconsin League of Municipalities. It was suggested that communities that lack a sex offender residency ordinance may experience a disproportionate influx of released sex offenders.

City Attorney McDonell urged careful review of the proposed ordinance and pointed to the potential liability if the city passed an overly restrictive ordinance that could be challenged on US Constitutional grounds.

The issue first arose at the September 7 Common Council meeting and several people provided public input at that time. The ability to provide input electronically at the September 21 meeting was hampered because the meeting was not able to be livestreamed on smart phone or computer. The meeting was broadcast on cable and the recording is available to be viewed on the city website.

In other business a request from Johns Disposal for a 4.4% rate increase for garbage pick-up was approved, the lakes drawdown project was reported as being on schedule, and the Landmarks Commission presented a report with concerns regarding the upkeep of the Effigy Mounds Preserve, located west of Indian Mound Parkway, and the potential need to relocate visitor pathways. Parks & Recreation Director Eric Boettcher is researching requirements and options and will report back.

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Our thanks to Tom Ganser for generously sharing these photos.

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by The League of Women Voters – Whitewater Area.

 The League of Women Voters-Whitewater Area is excited to again be part of a national effort to strengthen our democracy on National Voter Registration Day, Tuesday September 28, 2021! We are holding three tabling events that day: 

• 10AM-3PM, Irvin L. Young Memorial Library (431 W. Center Street, Whitewater)
• 1PM – 3PM, Dwight Foster Public Library (209 Merchants Avenue, Fort Atkinson)
• 4PM- 7PM, Whitewater City Market at the Train Depot (301 W. Whitewater Street, Whitewater)

League volunteers will be handing out voting informational materials, plus registration and absentee ballot request forms as needed. National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan nationwide event seeking to increase civic participation by encouraging Americans to register to vote and making sure everyone has the opportunity to vote. 

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit our website at https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/whitewater-area and like us on Facebook!

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by Tilla’s Next Ride.

Come on out to a Brat Fest Fundraiser! 

Being held in conjunction with the Whitewater Lake Pop-Up Market this Saturday, September 25th, the market runs from 10 am to 2 pm and we’ll be cooking up brats and hot dogs from 11 am – 1 pm!  Have fun while we raise funds for Tilla’s Next Ride!

Help Support the Paws that Enforce the Laws
Whitewater’s K-9 Police Unit is Funded by the Community, for the Community

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

Needy families in Whitewater will soon have their choice of organic edible pumpkins and squash courtesy of the Whitewater Kiwanis sponsored Middle School ‘Builders Club.’

Roughly three dozen Whitewater Middle Schoolers under the direction of Associate Principal and Kiwanis member Ben Holzem harvested the produce Wednesday September 22. After washing and inspection, the produce will be available at the Whitewater Community Space on East Milwaukee Street as early as this weekend.

Local organic farmer Rollie Cooper, another Whitewater Kiwanis member, provided equipment, seeds and oversight on the project. The pumpkins are mostly New England pie pumpkins which can provide both family fun as Jack-O-Lanterns and as a food source.

“The Builders Club provides our students with the opportunity of getting out into our community and serving others,” said Holzem. “We are finding that it promotes leadership and good citizenship, and we are genuinely proud of them and their efforts.” The group has 56 active members. Not all were able to attend Wednesday’s harvest because of other after school activities.

The Whitewater Kiwanis Club is made up of volunteers interested helping children in the Whitewater community and the world. Along with supporting the Builders Club, the WHS Key Club, and a UW-Whitewater auxiliary group they have been instrumental in providing hundreds of thousands of dollars in projects that benefit area children and enhance Whitewater’s quality of life.

Incoming Whitewater Kiwanis Club President Patrick Taylor stressed that 100 percent of funds raised go directly to projects with no raised funds used for administrative costs.  Each year, the club distributes approximately $20,000, with over half going to various Whitewater Unified School District programs.

Funds are raised through annual Pancake Breakfasts that have been served continuously since the 1950s along with yearly poinsettia and lily plant sales. The club is currently looking for additional members.

The Whitewater Kiwanis will be offering a free-will offering drive-through Pancake Breakfast sale this Saturday at the Whitewater City Armory on North Street in Downtown Whitewater. More information can be found on the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club Facebook page.