Published by the Village of Union Grove - August 2020
In light of the statewide order requiring masks in all indoor public spaces, we will have a supply of masks available to visitors entering the Union Grove Municipal Center who do not have a face covering. We also encourage alternate methods for contacting the Village Offices, including the 24/7 dropbox outside the entrance to the municipal center, mail, e-mail to info@uniongrove.net and telephone at (262) 878-1818. Certain payments are also accepted online by clicking here .
New Canopy Hill Plans Presented
A revised concept plan for the Canopy Hill subdivision was presented at a joint meeting of the Village Board, Plan Commission and Community Development Authority on July 20. Representatives from Bear Development presented the plan, which now consists of 183 single-family lots, 60 duplex two-story townhome units, 8 duplex ranch style townhome units and 60 multi-family rental units - an 83% decrease from 360 multifamily rental units in the plan presented in 2019. The latest plan includes 5.36 acres of land proposed to be donated for future public service operations and 11.4 acres for park land.

There was general support for the revised mix of housing and the reduction in multi-family housing. Specific questions and concerns were raised regarding drainage, the use of the proposed Village land, the timing and use of the public access road and a land agreement with the church. The developer has been charged with addressing these items as they fine-tune their plans. A next meeting date on this topic has not yet been scheduled but look for updates on the Village website and in future newsletters.

To view the plan materials, visit the Current Development Projects webpage .
Crossing Guards Needed!
Do you have some time to spare on school mornings and/or afternoons? Are you good with children? If so, please consider applying to be a crossing guard, or substitute crossing guard, for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year and help provide an important service to the community!

Candidates must be able to pass a background check, and dependability is a must. Hours are from 7 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. There may be occasional early release changing the hours to 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on those days. Crossing guards are paid $10.40 per hour.

Interested parties can apply at the Union Grove Village Offices, 925 15th Ave., between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or submit an application by email to info@uniongrove.net.
Partisan Primary Election on August 11
The Partisan Primary election is coming up on Tuesday, August 11. Polls will be open between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the Union Grove Municipal Center (925 15th Ave.). Due to COVID-19, electors are encouraged to submit an absentee ballot for this election to help avoid crowds on election day. To view a sample ballot for this election, click here.

Drive-up absentee voting is currently being offered in the municipal center parking lot during normal business hours (weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) through Friday, August 7. A valid photo ID is needed to vote.

Alternatively, electors may still request to receive an absentee ballot by mail. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is August 6 for regular and permanent overseas voters, and August 7 for indefinitely confined voters. All absentee ballots must be received by election day, August 11, in order to be counted. Requests for an absentee ballot by mail may be submitted online at  http://myvote.wi.gov  or at the Municipal Center. For questions, contact the Village Offices at (262) 878-1818.
Health Dept. Advises Against Mass Gatherings
On July 20, the Central Racine County Health Department (CRCHD) issued a notice to area communities advising against indoor and outdoor mass gathering events due to a recent up-tick in COVID-19 cases. CRCHD indicated that if we do not slow the spread of the virus now, it may impact the ability for schools and businesses to operate safely.

CRCHD's recommendation includes festivals, carnivals, fairs, concerts, parades, etc. For most public events, it is nearly impossible to ensure that the health department can perform contact tracing if there is a case at an event. For outdoor social gatherings, CRCHD recommends 25% capacity or 10 or fewer people, whichever is less, plus wearing a face covering and maintaining physical distance. For indoor social gatherings, 10 or fewer people is recommended, along with wearing a face covering and maintaining physical distance.

The Village of Union Grove has contacted organizers of upcoming events, including the Union Grove Car Show and Super Saturday, and informed them of CRCHD's recommendations. To view the latest data trends and guidance for our area, visit the health department's COVID-19 webpage, at https://crchd.com/covid-19.
Clean Sweep on August 8
Union Grove residents can properly dispose household hazardous waste items, electronics and appliances at the annual Clean Sweep taking place on Saturday, August 8 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Burlington Wastewater Treatment facility (2100 S. Pine St. in Burlington).

There is no charge for disposal of household hazardous waste items. Note that no latex paint or medication will be accepted. There is also no charge for electronic devices, except for TV's and monitors which will be $35.00 each to dispose (cash or check only). Due to COVID-19 precautions, please place items in the trunk of your vehicle and items will be removed for disposal (you will not need to get out of your car). For more information, and to view a full list of acceptable items, click here.

E-Waste Collection on September 26
Mark your calendar for the second (and final) e-waste collection of the year at the Union Grove Wastewater Treatment Plant on Saturday, 26 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Road Work on Milldrum, Lark & Ruth
As part of the Village's 2020 capital improvement plan, road construction will start this month on Milldrum St. (from 16th to 17th Ave.), Ruth Ct. and Lark Ct. The project on Milldrum St. will involve reconstructing and widening the road to match the width of the road to the south. Sidewalks are also being added to connect from the school to 16th Ave. The road will continue to be one-way only (northbound) with parking on both sides of the street. Construction is not expected to disrupt access to and from the school. Although Milldrum St. will be closed between 16th and 17th Ave., homeowners in this area will still have access to their homes. New water main will be installed as part of the project. Pavement resurfacing on Lark Ct. and Ruth Ct. will also be taking place as part of the contract. The construction projects are scheduled to conclude in October.
Park & Recreation Updates!
  • Registration is now open for youth soccer this fall! The registration fee is $65.00 for registrations received by August 14 and $75.00 for late registration received between August 15-21. To download a registration form, click here.

  • Not enough registrations were received to hold kickball leagues this August. Registrants will be mailed a refund.

  • The Union Grove Park System webpage has been updated with an online shelter reservations calendar and individual park pages with photos and lists of amenities.

  • Leider Park may be re-opening by the end of August. New playground equipment was installed in June and the area was re-graded with a new concrete walk installed from the parking lot to the shelter. The park was not re-opened in July as originally hoped due to delays with having the earthwork completed. Look for announcements on the park opening later this month!

  • On July 23, Recreation & Parks Committee met at School Yard Park and participated in a demonstration of the sound system on the new entertainment stage. The Committee listened to music played through the system and advised on setting sound limits to help limit sound spreading to nearby properties. Landscaping work around the stage will continue this month.

  • Grading work was done in the northeast corner of School Yard Park in July. This work is expected to help with stormwater retention during heavy rain events.
Food Truck Ordinance
On July 6, the Village Board adopted a mobile food vendor (food truck) ordinance creating standards for how food trucks can operate in the Village. The topic was discussed over several meetings of the Administration Committee and Village Board in response to concerns from local business owners about the lack of local regulations surrounding food trucks. Unlike many other communities, Union Grove did not have any standards in place (besides that a health department license is needed for proper food handling). The new ordinance, which goes into effect August 15, aims to promote the safe and orderly operation of mobile food vendors in the community. In particular, it establishes the following:

  • Food trucks are limited to operating between the hours of 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and may not operate for more than six hours in one location.
  • Food trucks can operate on private property (with permission from the property owner) but cannot operate on public streets or land.
  • Tables, chairs, free-standing signage and audio amplification are not allowed.
  • A limit of four annual permits will be issued per year. A daily permit is available (limited to five per vendor in a 12-month period).
  • Vendors are responsible for taking and disposing all waste.
  • Food trucks are required to maintain a certain distance from fire hydrants, sidewalks, driveways, handicap ramps and building entrances.

The ordinance does not apply to mobile food vendors associated with the Public Market or special events approved by the Village Board or Recreation and Parks Committee. For the application form and ordinance section, click here.
Village Board Hears 2019 Audit Presentation
On July 6, auditors from Baker Tilly presented the annual audit of the Village and Utility funds for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019. To view the auditors' presentation materials,   click here . The auditors reported that the Village continues to maintain a solid financial position and maintains sufficient reserves. At the end of 2019, the Village had $10.0 million in general obligation debt, which is 56% of its statutory debt capacity. By policy, the Village limits its general obligation debt to 75% of the statutory limit. Auditors also reported that the wastewater utility had a positive change in net position, while the water and storm water utilities had slight decreases in net position.
Village Board Updates
The Village Board held regular meetings on July 6 and July 20. Following is a recap of Village Board actions that took place:

July 6 Regular Meeting:
  • Heard a presentation of the 2019 Financial Statements by Paul Frantz of Baker Tilly.
  • Approved Ordinance 2020-05, establishing a mobile food vendor permit program effective August 15.
  • Approved Resolution 2020-10, amending the fee schedule to add fees for the mobile food vendor permit and to limit the number of permits.
  • Approved Ordinance 2020-07, amending the zoning of 14 properties in the Village to reflect their actual use.
  • Approved the purchase and installation of a new office phone system.

July 20 Regular Meeting:
  • Approved the award of contract to Willkomm Excavating & Grading in the amount of $324,408.67 for the base bid and $66,876.00 for Alternate A for the Milldrum St. Reconstruction project (including Ruth Ct. and Lark Ct. resurfacing).
  • Approved a State/Municipal Agreement for Multimodal Local Supplement Project with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for York Street/Industrial Park Drive/10th Avenue improvements, conditioned upon funding availability.
  • Approved Resolution 2020-12, regarding submittal of the annual Wastewater Treatment Compliance Maintenance Report to the Department of Natural Resources.
Upcoming Meetings Schedule
Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are now being held in-person in the first floor Community Room with an option to join via public teleconference. Teleconference call-in numbers and access codes will be posted on meeting agendas. Meeting dates and times are subject to change.

  • August 3 - Plan Commission (5 p.m.)
  • August 3 - Village Board (6 p.m.)
  • August 6 - Personnel Committee (6 p.m. in the Village Board room)
  • August 12 - Library Board (5 p.m.)
  • August 12 - Fire Commission (6 p.m.)
  • August 13 - Administration Committee (6 p.m.)
  • August 17 - Village Board (6 p.m.)
  • August 17 - Water, Wastewater, Storm Water & Streets (after VB)
  • August 18 - Community Development Authority (6 p.m.)
  • August 27 - Recreation & Parks Committee (6 p.m.)
  • August 31 - Finance Committee (6 p.m.)

Visit the Village Meetings webpage for meeting agendas, which are posted at least 24 hours before the meeting time.