Published by the Village of Union Grove - December 2020
The Union Grove Tree Lighting Ceremony at Village Square Park is scheduled for Thursday, December 3 at 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit the Chamber of Commerce website. Have a very safe and happy holiday season!
Property Tax Payments
Union Grove property owners should receive property tax bills in the mail by December 10. Copies of tax bills are also available now from the Racine County land records system. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are encouraging payments to be made by mail, dropbox or online, in lieu of paying in-person at the office counter. Village staff will mail receipts for all payments left in the dropbox. For more information on tax bill payment options, click here.

The total property tax rate for properties in Union Grove has decreased by 3.6% compared to last year. The decrease is primarily due to growth in the community's assessed value and the closure of tax incremental district #3 in 2020. Property owners should see a slight decrease in their 2020 tax bill unless their property's assessment increased compared to 2019.

Village Budget Adopted
On November 16, the Village Board held a public hearing on the 2021 Budget and subsequently adopted the budget and the property tax levy. The adopted budget can be viewed on the Taxes & Budgets webpage.
COVID-19 Updates
Central Racine County Health Department (CRCHD) reports that our area is currently in the "Critically High" risk category for COVID-19 transmission, meaning the number of confirmed cases over the last 14 days exceeds 1,000 per 100,000 people. We are all urged to do our part to prevent further disease transmission, including staying home unless necessary, wearing a face covering in public and maintaining social distancing. For an updated list of COVID-19 testing sites, click here.

Village Meetings Held By Phone
Village Board and Committee meetings are being held virtually (via phone) with no in-person option at least through the end of the year. Members of the public continue to be welcome to follow meetings by calling in. The call-in information is provided at the top of meeting agendas which are posted on the Village meetings website at least 24 hours in advance.
Canopy Hill Updates
Bear Development has submitted application materials for the zoning and land division approvals needed for the proposed Canopy Hill subdivision. The applications are scheduled to be considered by the Plan Commission at a public meeting on Monday, December 7 at 5 p.m. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings are being held virtually (via teleconference) at this time. To join the meeting, dial the call-in number (414) 323-1463; when prompted for an access code, enter 401-563-923. Members of the public are welcome to speak during the public hearing portion of the meeting. Comments may also be submitted in writing to Village Clerk Rebecca Wallendal prior to the meeting. They may be hand-delivered to the Village offices, mailed or by e-mailed to rwallendal@uniongrove.net. Written comments received by December 4 will be disseminated to Plan Commission members in advance of the meeting. For more information and to view project application materials, visit the Current Development Projects webpage.
2021 Dog and Cat Licenses
Dog and cat owners can now obtain 2021 pet licenses. The fee for the license is $10.00 per neutered/spayed animals and $15.00 for un-neutered/un-spayed animals. Three or four pets in any one household requires a Pet Fancier's License which costs $10.00 in addition to the individual licenses. A Kennel License is required for more than four pets; contact the Village offices for more information on the Kennel License.

Village ordinance requires proof of rabies vaccinations for all cats and dogs. If you have licensed your pet in the past, and the rabies vaccination is still good, you do not need to submit proof - we have it on file. However, if this is a new license, or if your animal was vaccinated in the last year, please provide the certificate from the veterinarian. All animal licenses are due no later than April 1, 2021. After that, a $10.00 penalty will be assessed for each animal, and added to the license fee. If you are requesting licenses by mail or dropbox, please submit your payment and rabies certificate with a license application form.
Winter Parking Reminders
Alternate side parking is in effect November 15 through March 15. During this period, overnight parking is permitted only on the even-numbered side of the street on the nights bearing an even calendar date during the hours from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., and on the odd-numbered side of the street on those nights bearing an odd calendar date during the hours from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. on any street in the Village, except Main Street where there is no overnight parking. There are two occasions which require parking on the odd-numbered side of the street on consecutive nights. They are December 31–January 1 and January 31–February 1. Motorists who fail to observe these regulations may be fined, and their vehicles may be towed.

Snow Emergencies
In the event that a snow emergency is declared, all vehicles must be off the streets to give snowplows and emergency vehicles better access to area roads. Snow emergencies are announced on the Village website and on local news outlets.
Basketball Registration Now Open
Registration for Union Grove Rec. Department Winter Basketball Leagues opened on November 23. Register at the Union Grove Village Offices during normal business hours, by Village Hall drop-box or by mail to: Village of Union Grove, 925 15th Ave., Union Grove, WI 53182. To download a form from the Village website, click here.

Participation is limited to students who reside in or attend school in Union Grove, Yorkville, Kansasville and Raymond. Students outside this area may join a waitlist and may be able to register if there are openings after December 17. Games will begin the second and third week of January. COVID-19 protocols will be in place, including a limit on spectators and possibly a mask requirement for players. For questions, contact Ryan Thompson, at 262-902-7917.
Opportunities to Serve on Village Board
An announcement from Village Trustee Ryan Johnson can be found in the Winter 2020 issue of the Village Voice newsletter arriving in the mail this week. Trustee Johnson will be stepping down from his role as trustee at the end of month to focus on other commitments. We thank Ryan for his contributions on the Board and various committees these past two and a half years! The Village Board will be accepting applications to fill the remainder of Trustee Johnson’s term, which runs through April 2022. Any interested Village of Union Grove resident, who is a minimum of 18 years old and a legal citizen of the U.S., is welcomed to submit a letter of interest and an appointment application form. The deadline to submit a letter and application to Village Clerk Rebecca Wallendal will be Friday, January 8, 2021 at 12 p.m. 

Running for Village Board in April 2021
There are also opportunities to serve on the Village Board by filing nomination papers to run for Village President or Village Trustee in the upcoming Spring Election on April 6, 2021. Up for election will be Village Trustee positions #1, #3 and #5, currently held by Pete Hansen, Janice Winget and Christopher Gallagher, respectively. Trustee Hansen has indicated he will not be seeking re-election, stating “I feel that my health is prohibiting me from putting forth the appropriate energy and enthusiasm that I believe is necessary for the needs of the community.” The Village President office currently held by Mike Aimone will also be up for election on April 6. The deadline for filing nomination papers is Tuesday, January 5. Prospective candidates can begin collecting signatures today, December 1. For more information on running in the Spring Election, contact Village Clerk Rebecca Wallendal at (262) 878-1818 or rwallendal@uniongrove.net.
#9PMRoutine - Lock Up, Turn On, Bring In
The Racine County Sheriff’s Office as well as numerous other law enforcement agencies throughout
southeastern Wisconsin have seen an increased occurrence of vehicle thefts and thefts of valuables from
unlocked vehicles. We are partnering with surrounding agencies to aggressively pursue these investigations. Sheriff Schmaling said, “Please consider doing a #9PMRoutine which entails locking all vehicles and doors, turning on exterior lights and security systems, and removing valuables from your vehicle and yard. It is also important report all suspicious activity in your neighborhood to law enforcement immediately.”
Village Board Updates
The Village Board held regular meetings on November 5 and November 16. Following is a recap of Village Board actions that took place:

November 5 Regular Meeting:
  • Approved the award of bid to Baxter & Woodman for design engineering and construction administration services related to the industrial park infrastructure improvements project.
  • Approved a request for two-hour street parking in an area north of Union Grove High School on the east side of the road, subject to the school splitting the cost of furnishing and installing the signs with the Village and the school being responsible for 100% of the costs associated with any future street parking sign changes.
  • Approved a request for Union Grove Kiwanis Club to sell Christmas Trees in Village Square Park on November 27-29 and December 3-6.
  • Approved an amendment to the Municipal Center Lease Agreement with Village of Yorkville.
  • Approved an amendment to the Curbside Collection of Solid Waste and Recyclables Agreement with Johns Disposal.
  • Approved an amendment to the Building Inspector Agreement with Municipal Services LLC.
  • Approved a proposal from Municipal Law and Litigation Group to assign Christopher Schultz as municipal prosecutor.
  • Approved amendments to the TID #3 development agreements with Coleman & Coleman LLC, Custom Truck & Equipment LLC and American Roller Company LLC.
  • Approved pay requests #1 and #2 submitted by Willkomm Excavating & Grading, Inc. in the total amount of $368,630.53 for the Milldrum St. reconstruction project.
  • Approved replacement of the 2012 Grasshopper snow blower with cab in the amount of $23,508.98.
  • Approved replacement of the 2002 John Deere Gator 4x2 utility vehicle for wastewater treatment plant in the amount of $12,318.57.
  • Approved a request submitted by Dolgencorp, LLC d/b/a Dollar General Store to change the agent on their Class “A”/”Class A” alcohol license to Amy J. Trams.

November 16 Regular Meeting:
  • Held a public hearing on the proposed 2021 Budget and subsequently adopted the budget and set the property tax levy.
  • Approved Resolution 2020-21, increasing the storm water ERU fee by 2% effective on January 1, 2021.
  • Approved Resolution 2020-22, transferring a refund from TID #3 in the amount of $98,788 to the capital improvements fund.
  • Approved Ordinance 2020-10, amending the mobile home park licensing and inspections ordinances.
  • Accepted the resignation of Trustee Johnson effective January 1, 2021 and approved a process for filling the vacancy by appointment.
Upcoming Meetings Schedule
Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are currently being via public teleconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Teleconference call-in numbers and access codes will be posted on meeting agendas. Meeting dates and times are subject to change.

  • December 7 - Joint Review Board (4 p.m.)
  • December 7 - Plan Commission (5 p.m.)
  • December 7 - Village Board (6 p.m.)
  • December 9 - Library Board (5 p.m. - In-Person)
  • December 9 - Fire Commission (6 p.m.)
  • December 17 - Recreation & Parks Committee (6 p.m.)

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