Monday, September 20, 2021

Village of Whitefish Bay Official Weekly Newsletter
Message from the Village President, Kevin Buckley

My six years on the WFB Civic Foundation were highly rewarding. Besides organizing and working events like the 4th of July and Great Pumpkin Fest, I met dozens of new friends who served our community.  

The CF needs five new board members next season, from ice cream scoopers to IT workers, from lawyers to pumpkin patch decorators. The CF needs writers and teachers, parents, empty nesters and seniors – anyone eager to joyfully toil on cherished events and make Bay a great place to live.

Please read the below story on your Civic Foundation below! -kb

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Why Is The Village Hall Phone Ringing?
How do I provide feedback for the LED pilot program? Visit the 5400-5300 block of Kent Avenue, which has been set up as the Village pilot location displaying two LED lamp wattages under consideration. Then click here to provide feedback.

When is the next brush chipper collection? Brush/Chipper material will be collected by Village crews this week (beginning Monday, September 20).

Have a question? Send us an email or give us a call at (414) 962-6690.
Village Meeting Agendas:
This Week's Meetings:

  • Monday, September 20, 6:00 p.m., Village Board Room

  • Wednesday, September 22, 6:00 p.m., Village Board Room

For other meeting agendas and minutes, please visit the Agenda Center page.
Last Week's Meetings:

  • Tuesday, September 14, 6:15 p.m., Village Board Room

  • Thursday, September 16, 5:30 p.m. Village Board Room

  • Thursday, September 16, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Village Hall Basement Meeting Room
A Note from the Civic Foundation:
Join the Civic Foundation Board: Want to be more involved in your community? The Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation is looking for five new board members.

Members of this working, all-volunteer board must enjoy volunteering, care about the Whitefish Bay community, and feel as comfortable communicating with an important sponsor as they do rolling up their sleeves to clean up after an event. The board is specifically looking for members with experience in event planning, marketing or accounting.

Board members support the Foundation’s events – like Bay Day, 4th of July, Sounds of Summer, the Great Pumpkin Festival and more – that make our community a great place to live, work and play. Members will also have a hand in evaluating grant and scholarship recipients, while working with others on the board to support the organization’s infrastructure.

If you want to make a difference as a Civic Foundation board member, please contact us at board@wfbcivicfoundation.org, and tell us why you would be great for the foundation.

See you around the Bay! Tom Gleason,Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation President
Fall Leaf Collection Program Update:
Village Requests Residents NOT Use Leaf Collection / Yard Waste Bags beginning October 18: On October 18, 2021, the Whitefish Bay Public Works Department crews will begin collecting leaves and yard waste placed in the roadway curb area by Village residents. This year, the Village requests that residents do not put leaves and yard waste in leaf collection bags.

Residents can place leaves and small yard waste debris directly in the roadway near the curb. Branches can still be left in the parkway area for brush chipper collection at this time.

Yard waste collected by Public Works is temporarily stored at a DNR-approved joint use municipal site in Glendale until it is hauled away, recycled, and turned into organic compost.

Thank you for your cooperation and helping our Public Works Department maintain efficiency during the leaf collection season! Thank You!
Updates from Village Hall:
Silver Spring Park Update: Silver Spring Park has been officially planted! Please take a walk over to check out the progress. The Silver Spring Park Project broke ground in September 2019. The joint project at Silver Spring Park between the Village and the Whitefish Bay Garden Club created a bio-retention pond and a rain garden. These infrastructures capture rain water to limit runoff to Lake Michigan. Preventing water runoff from entering sewers and the lake is important.

These green infrastructures are planted with native plants to secure the soil and absorb water with their deep roots. Native plants have the added benefit of attracting pollinators whose habitat has been rapidly depleting. The signage explains the functions of these infrastructures and plants. These water retention structures and the native plants selected serve as a model for residents to use on their properties to help retain rain water where it falls.
Klode Park Project Reminder: Work has begun at Whitefish Bay’s Klode Park Beach to address previous storm damage and ongoing erosion—and to help protect this beloved community resource for years to come.

The beach and parking lot will be closed to all pedestrian and vehicular traffic during construction period. Please see the included map. Work will take about four weeks to complete, weather permitting. Click here to learn more about the project.
Consaul Commons Project Reminder: Consaul Commons, the public area between Gerhard’s Kitchen and Bath Store (402 E Silver Spring Dr.) and The Bay Restaurant (342 E Silver Spring Dr.), will soon be transformed into a more usable, inviting space where the community can gather, enjoy live music and host other family-friendly events. Construction will begin on September 20, 2021.Work is scheduled to be completed by May 24, 2022—just in time for all the fun annual summer events along Silver Spring Drive!

This redevelopment project was first introduced in 2016 as part of the Silver Spring Drive Master Plan. In 2019, the Village Board, upon recommendation from the Community Development Authority (CDA), selected raSmith as the design consultant. The Village solicited and received significant public input on three designs at an open house event in August 2019. Over the course of 2020, raSmith, CDA members, and local stakeholders worked with Village staff to refine the final design concept, which includes new landscaping, native plantings, benches, and other decorative features (see image). Click here for more project information.
Update from the School District:
September District Newsletter: Our Community E- Newsletters are one of several ways the District works toward comprehensive communications with the community. Read the September Newsletter and sign up to receive these monthly during the school year.

Optional Diagnostic Testing for District Staff and Students: The Whitefish Bay School District has partnered with Accelerated Clinical Laboratories (ACL) to provide free, optional, diagnostic COVID-19 testing for students, their families, and staff for the 2021-22 school year. Read More.
Rx Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, October 23:
The next National Take Back Day will be October 23, 2021. This event is a safe, convenient, and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs at locations in communities throughout the country. The event will be at Whitefish Bay Village Hall from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on October 23, 2021.

The April 2021 Take Back Day brought in 839,543 pounds (almost 420 tons) of unused or expired prescription medication and vape devices. This brings the total amount of prescription drugs collected by DEA since the fall of 2010 to nearly 14.5 million pounds​. Read more about the most recent Take Back Day totals here.
Updates from the Whitefish Bay Library:
Library Hours for Fall:
  • Monday to Thursday: 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
  • Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  • Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Sunday: 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Outdoor All Ages Storytime, School House Park: We will be continuing outdoor storytime into September and October, on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m., starting September 9. You can learn more about the dates and register on our website.

Virtual All Ages Storytime, Fridays through October 15, 10:00 a.m.: Join one of our youth services librarians for an All Ages Storytime on Fridays at 10 a.m. with books, songs, and more! Can't make the live event? We'll be sure to save the storytime so you can watch it later. Visit our Facebook page

Outdoor Crafting: Craft Stick Dolls, Wednesday, September 22, 4:00 p.m., Grades 2-5: With just popsicle sticks, washi tape, and markers, come create your own unique characters during our outdoor crafting session. Make friends, pets, or silly creatures. The sky is the limit! Registration Required

Identity Theft: Protect and Prevent. Wednesday, September 22, 6:30 p.m.: This program will be held in person. We ask that you wear a mask. Please register. Identity theft continues to be the fastest growing crime in the United States. The more you learn about it, the less vulnerable you are. The Wisconsin Bureau of Consumer Protection will explain the different types of identity theft, how to recognize it and how to prevent it – including information about Fraud Alerts and Security Freezes. Receive tips for safeguarding personal information and how to spot the red flags of a scam. Helpful brochures will also be available. About the speaker: Francesca Johnson is an Agency Liaison for the Bureau of Consumer Protection within the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Outdoor Crafting: Apple Stress Balls, Thursday, September 30, 4:00 p.m., Grades 6-12: Our outdoor crafting continues, this time with a fall-themed DIY stress ball.  Meet us in School House Park to make your own! Registration required
Upcoming Special Events:
Great Pumpkin Festival: Join friends and family at Old Scoolhouse Park for this festive fall tradition! Carve a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch (take, carve, return only), sip hot cider, and enjoy delicious food while listening to live music. The Great Pumpkin Festival is open 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. nightly. Beer served nightly. Event hosted by the Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation. Pumpkins will be left up on October 31, but there are no event activities on Halloween.

Treat-or-Treat Silver Spring Drive: Saturday, October 30, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Participating businesses offer treats for kids in the company of at least one parent or guardian on the Saturday before Halloween. There’s something “sweet-in-stores” for everyone on Silver Spring Drive. Event hosted by the Merchants of Whitefish Bay.

Village Trick-or-Treat: Sunday, October 31, 2021, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. throughout the Village. Block parties are not permitted the day of Trick-or-Treat.
Community Spotlight:
Update from Bay Bridge: Our next sandwich drive will be on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m., across the street from the library. Lots of spots still open. This is an easy thing to do with kids the night before and makes a big impact. Thanks for the continued support! Click here to sign up!
Whitefish Bay Farmers Market: The Farmers’ Market, a ‘Simply Unbeetable’ event, is held in the Aurora Parking Lot, 325 E. Silver Spring Drive. The market runs Saturdays through October 16, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Click here for more details!
Sweet Water Update: Turf Management and Landscaping industries are an important part of Whtiefish Bay. Not only do your products, services, and expertise help our community to enjoy the outdoors, but they can also be important tools for preventing stormwater pollution.

It is important to use proper management practices so that products associated with these services do not become sources of stormwater pollution. Mishandled fertilizers, soils, organic debris, or other materials can be washed into local waterways if they are spilled, stored, or disposed of in improper locations. Employees should be trained on proper storage protocols as well as protocols that protect themselves, customers, and waterways from spilled potentially hazardous materials.

To review important resources for ensuring that your services do not lead to stormwater pollution, visit www.respectourwaters.org/turf-management-landscaping. You can also find education resources for your clients at visit www.respectourwaters.org/facts-at-home to inform them of proper maintenance practices for the landscapes that you help them design, build, or maintain.
Flu Vaccines at North Shore Health Department: Please see the attached schedule for this year’s flu clinics. We are providing at North Shore Health Department Brown Deer and Shorewood locations. Call 414-371-2980 to schedule an appointment. If you have questions or an organization in your community would like to learn more about scheduling an onsite clinic, please email nshd@nshealthdept.org.

NSHD Healthy Highlight 9/7/21: Fall Prevention: Next week is National Fall Prevention Week. Falls amongst older adults are a serious public health crisis, affecting one in four older adults each year. Wisconsin has one of the highest rates of death from unintentional falls in the nation. In fact, the death rate due to unintentional falls in Wisconsin is twice the national average. There are steps you can take to lower your risk of experiencing a fall.
Six Steps to Prevent Falls:
  1. Find a good balance and exercise program. Take a Stepping on Fall Prevention Class: CLICK HERE
  2. Talk to your healthcare provider.
  3. Regularly review your medications with your doctor or pharmacist.
  4. Get your vision and hearing checked annually and update your eyeglasses.
  5. Keep your home safe.
  6. Talk to your family members.
For more information on fall prevention tips, click HERE.
Additional fall prevention information is available on the WI DHS website.
Other Community Links:
Village of Whitefish Bay | Phone: (414) 962-6690 | Fax: (414) 962-5651