April 2018
Spring Election is on Tuesday, April 3
The spring election will be held on Tuesday, April 3, 2018. Polls will be open at The Prairie School Johnson Athletic Center from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Races on the ballot in Wind Point include State Justice of the Supreme Court; Circuit Court Judge Branches 1, 5, 9 and 10; Racine County Supervisor; and Village Trustees. To view a sample ballot,  click here .

The last day for in-person absentee voting at the Village Office was Friday, March 30. If you received an absentee ballot by mail, the ballot must be returned by election day, April 3, in order to be counted. If you need to register or re-register to vote, you may do so at the polling place on election day. Just bring a valid proof of residence document with you to register. For voting questions, please contact Michael Hawes, Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer at 262-639-3524 or m.hawes@windpoint.org.
Watch the "Around the Corner" Episode Featuring Wind Point & Caledonia!
A full house was in attendance for a public screening of "Around the Corner with John McGivern" held at The Prairie School on March 19. It was the public preview event of an episode featuring Wind Point and Caledonia, which aired on PBS Milwaukee for the first time on March 29. After the screening, John McGivern, John Gurda and director/producer Lois Maurer spoke about the show and took questions from the audience.

To watch the episode now on YouTube, click here !
Work Underway on Wind Point School Property
Newport Development Corporation acquired the Wind Point School property from Racine Unified School District on February 13. As part of the acquisition, Newport Development agreed to demolish the vacant school buildings and redevelop the property. Before the buildings could be taken down, the developer had to have all asbestos removed by a state -certified company, using procedures regulated by the Department of Natural Resources.

On March 29, Azarian Wrecking obtained a permit from the Village to proceed with demolition. The demolition process is expected to start the first week of April and could take about 60 days. Meanwhile, the developer is preparing concept plans for redeveloping the site, which are expected to be presented at one or more neighborhood meetings later this year; the project would also likely require zoning and architectural approvals from the Village Board, Plan Commission and Architectural Review Board. Look for updates in future E-News and on the project webpage .
Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Draft to be Presented on April 12
Based on feedback collected from the public workshop and outdoor recreation survey, facilitator Jeffrey Sanders has prepared a draft Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CORP) for the Village. The plan draft will be presented at the regular Village Board meeting on April 12 at the Village Hall (Lighthouse). Members of the public are welcome to attend. The plan draft will be posted on the project webpage after the meeting and residents will have an opportunity to submit feedback prior to the Village Board considering a final draft of the plan later this spring.
2018 Road Program Updates
The Village of Wind Point is planning for pavement improvements in 2018. As shown on the map to the right (click to enlarge), the improvements are being considered on sections of Campus Dr., Four Mile Rd. and Wind Point Rd. The work would involve removing existing pavement and laying new asphalt; no changes are planned for the width of the roadways.

The Village obtained alternate bids for the public and private sections of Wind Point Rd.; property owners along the private section of the road will have an opportunity to take advantage of the low bid price, should they decide to re-pave their section of road this year.

The Public Works Committee will meet on April 5 at 4:30 p.m. at the Village Hall (Lighthouse) to review the bids and to make a recommendation to the Village Board. Members of the public are welcome to attend.
Yard Waste and Branch Collections
Yard Waste Collection
The first yard waste collection day of the season is Monday, April 2 and collections will continue weekly through November 26. Yard waste is considered as leaves, grass clippings, yard and garden debris and brush including clean woody vegetative material no greater than 4 inches in diameter; it does not include branches, stumps, roots or shrubs with intact root balls. Set yard waste out by the edge of the road in brown paper yard waste bags with a green yard waste sticker placed on each bag. The yard waste bags may be purchased at a local hardware or department store. Stickers can be purchased for $1.00 each from the Village Office, located at 215 E. Four Mile Rd. during normal office hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30-5). Please do not set yard waste bags out sooner than 72 hours before collection day.

Branch Collection
The first branch collection date is Tuesday, April 10, and collections continue the second Tuesday of each month through November. There is no fee for branch collection and stickers are not needed for collection. It may take up to three days for your branches to be collected. Please note the following branch collection procedures are in place to help keep this service as cost-effective as possible:

  • Branches should be placed by the road in small, reasonably uniform piles with the cut end toward the road, all in the same direction. 
  • Piles should not exceed 4 feet in height and 4 feet in width.
  • Branches that exceed 8 feet in length and 4 inches in diameter will not be collected.
  • Residents are asked to keep branches at their original length and not cut into smaller pieces (unless over 8 feet in length).
  • Up to 15 minutes can be spent per property on collecting and chipping; if it takes longer than 15 minutes, a tag will be left on the remaining piles and the owner will have the option to remove the piles or have them collected for a fee.
  • Branch collection is for tree maintenance, not tree removal. If you hire someone to remove trees on your property, please do not use the Village branch collection service for removing the debris from your property.
  • Please do not set branch piles out sooner than 72 hours of collection day.

Wood Chips Request  
Residents can request excess wood chips from branch collection to use for landscaping. Requests should be submitted using the   online form   or by completing the form at the Village Office. Chips will be delivered after collection in the order they were requested (based on availability). Chips cannot be picked up from the public works yard.
Reminder to Clean Up After Your Dog
The Village Office has taken several complaints lately about the presence of dog waste in public areas of the Village. Sec. 4-41 of the Village Code requires dog owners to pick up and prop erly dispose of dog waste. No matter the time of year or the size of the dog, cleaning up after your dog is considerate and expected. It is not just a courtesy for those walking behind you; it is also the healthy and environmentally sound thing to do, as pet waste can be a significant source of water pollution. The citation for neglecting to clean up dog waste (outside of your own property) is $187.00. Thank you for your cooperation!
Natural Gas Leaks and Safety Tips
Natural gas is a colorless, odorless gas until the gas company adds mercaptan, a rotten-egg odor to help detect leaks. If you smell natural gas indoors or outdoors, or have a natural gas emergency, leave immediately and call WE Energies at 800-261-5325 from another location.

Natural gas is safe when properly used. Follow these tips to prevent accidents:

  • Never use your oven or range as a space heater.
  • Have a qualified contractor inspect your furnace, vents, connections and chimneys for corrosion and blockages at least every other year.
  • Keep the area around your furnace and water heater clean and free from litter. Clean or replace air filters in your heating system annually.
  • Keep chimney flues and appliance vents clean and in good repair.
  • Vent gas space heaters to outside. Never sleep in a room with an unvented gas or kerosene heater.
  • Make sure your range top is clean. Wash burners with water and mild detergent.
  • Gas range flamed should be crisp, quiet and blue. Yellow flame indicates need for adjustment.
  • Make sure water heater air intakes, drain pipes, controls and flue are unobstructed.
  • Keep your gas meter free of debris, snow, ice and other obstructions at all times.

Most incidents involving natural gas pipelines involve a contractor or homeowner digging into buried distribution lines. To avoid such situations, be sure to call 811, a national hotline for underground facility location and marking — at least three days prior to digging. The free service uses flags and paint to mark underground utility facilities that should be avoided when digging. When excavating around natural gas piping, dig by hand.
Village Seeks Seasonal DPW Laborer
The Village of Wind Point is accepting applications for a full-time, seasonal public works laborer. This position is offered between May and August and the normal schedule is generally Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., up to 40 hours per week. The seasonal laborer assists the public works staff with maintaining public grounds, including the park, office, public works garage/yard and right-of-ways. The ideal candidate is a reliable self-starter, with the ability to operate power equipment and ability to lift forty pounds. The pay rate is $9.00-$11.00 per hour, depending on qualifications. To apply, submit an employment application, which can be found online or at the Village Office. Position open until filled. For questions, contact Jack Feiner, DPW Supervisor, at 262-639-3560 or j.feiner@windpoint.org.

Other Village Staff Updates

  • Congratulations to Robert (Bob) Stauss for his 10 year anniversary with the Wind Point Police Department on April 8!

  • Congratulations to Paul Macarri for his 6 year anniversary with the Wind Point Police Department on April 2, and on his retirement from Mount Pleasant Police Department earlier this year (after 38 years of service)!
Removing and Disposing Garlic Mustard
Many of our yards play host to garlic mustard, an invasive species which disrupts Wind Point's ecosystems. Garlic mustard out-competes many tree seedlings and other native vegetation, which adversely affects native insects and other wildlife.

The DNR advises hand-pulling at or before the onset of flowering, or cutting the flower stalk as close to the soil as possible just as flowering begins; garlic mustard seeds germinate in April. You may also try to control infestations with a 1-2% active ingredient solution of glyphosate, but beware - it will kill other plants, too.

To dispose garlic mustard, place the plants in their own separate garbage bags. Label the bags "garlic mustard" and place them in the regular garbage cart. If you have more bags than the cart can fit, you can set them out during a bulk collection day on the first Monday of the month or arrange a special pickup with Johns Disposal for a fee. Certainly this time of the year yard work may seem endless, but your diligence will be greatly appreciated by your neighbors--and you could be rewarded with the sight of more beautiful Wisconsin wildflowers!
Open Book and Board of Review Dates
It is a maintenance assessment year in Wind Point, meaning the Village Assessor will be reviewing property sales data and accounting for new construction and demolished properties in the assessment roll. Properties with improvements in the past year may be reviewed by the assessor, but there will not be village-wide inspections as there are in a revaluation year like 2016. If the assessor has made a change to your assessment in 2018, you will receive an assessment change notice in mid-April.

Property owners have an opportunity to discuss their property assessment with the assessor at Open Book on Thursday, April 26 between 10 a.m. and noon at the Village Office. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are recommended. To make an appointment, contact Associated Appraisal at   1-800-721-4157 or by email at   info@apraz.com . If you are not able to attend Open Book, you are welcome to contact the assessor anytime at the same phone number and e-mail address.

If you disagree with your property's assessment, it is recommended that you first contact the assessor to review your assessment. If you have discussed the matter with the assessor, and you are still not satisfied, make arrangements with the Village to appear before the Board of Review, which will take place on Tuesday, May 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the Village Hall (lighthouse).    For information on how to appeal an assessment and for other related information, contact the Village Office or see the    Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s  Guide for Property Owners .
Adjustment on March Water Bills
As noted in the March 1 E-News, there is a one-time adjustment included on the first quarter water bills that were mailed out on March 15, 2018 (listed as "One-time Adjust"). The adjustment is needed to correct a billing error in which the updated water consumption rate was not used for a portion of 2017. The average adjustment on a residential water bill is $6.01. For properties that were sold during the year, the current owner will only receive an adjustment for consumption that occurred while they owned the property. While it is not a large adjustment, the Public Service Commission (PSC) requires utilities to make adjustments for any under- or over-billings. If you have any questions, please contact the Village Office at 262-639-3524 or info@windpoint.org .
Village Board Updates
The Village Board of Trustees met for a regular meeting on March 8, 2018. The following actions took place at the meeting:

  • Heard a presentation from Cari Greving, Events Director for Real Racine, about the Real Racine International Triathlon being planned for July 15.
  • Presented a proclamation in honor of Imogene Powers Johnson.
  • Approved an amendment to the lighthouse keepers agreement regarding unscheduled tours.
  • Heard an announcement on dates for 2018 Open Book (April 26) and Board of Review (May 29).

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 12 at 5:30 p.m. at the Village Hall (lighthouse).
Village of Wind Point, Wisconsin
215 E. Four Mile Rd.
Racine, WI 53402
262.639.3524