The FAQs below are intended to assist residents in learning more about Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and the Downtown Incentive Grant Program. There has been increased interest in these topics given the pending Grant Application from New Land Enterprises (Fox-Bay Building). The Community Development Authority will continue reviewing the request at its meeting on Tuesday, July 19th (6:00 p.m. at Village Hall). In addition, there will be a presentation about TIF at the August 1st Village Board meeting (6:00 p.m. at Village Hall). Click here to sign up for meeting agenda alerts.

What is Tax Increment Financing (TIF)? The TIF process allows a municipality to pay for public improvements and other eligible costs within a designated area, called a tax incremental district (TID), using the future taxes collected on the TID’s increased property value to repay the cost of the improvements. The rationale behind TIF is that the public investment will promote private development, jobs, and tax base growth that would not otherwise occur absent the TID. Whitefish Bay has two TIDs. TID #1 is the Silver Spring District and TID #2 is the Beaumont Place/Public Parking garage development.

What is TID Fund Balance? TID Fund Balance is the accumulation of dollars that are generated in a TID as a result of the growth in assessed value within a specific TID that occurs after a TID is created.

What is the current Fund Balance in TID #1? The current available balance is approximately $814,000 and is projected to grow to $4 million by 2031, which is the last allowable year for TID #1 to remain open. Despite a mandatory termination date of October, 2030, TID #1 has an expenditure period that ends in October of 2025. Therefore, financial commitments must be made by October of 2025 for spending to take place between then and October of 2030.

Are TID #1 Funds able to be used to pay for general Village operations? No, the TID #1 Fund Balance may only be utilized for costs that directly relate to improving/revitalizing the Silver Spring District. One recent example of an allowable expense was the Consaul Commons project.

What happens to any unspent Fund Balance when the TID closes? The Village has exclusive control of the funds while the TID is open but the majority of unspent funds at the time of TID closure would be distributed to other taxing jurisdictions.

What is the Downtown Incentive Grant Program? The program is a discretionary grant program that qualifies as an eligible TID activity because it incentivizes private sector investments for projects in the Silver Spring Business District that otherwise may not occur and achieve one or more of the following:

Is the Downtown Incentive Grant Program funded with tax dollars? The program is not funded by the Village’s general property tax revenues. Grants are funded with TID #1 Fund Balance. Current taxpayers do not bear the burden of grant payments because the fund balance exists as a result of the new tax base that has been generated since the TID’s creation.

Does the Village Board review grant requests? Due to its oversight authority in TID #1, the seven member Community Development Authority (CDA) is responsible for reviewing grant requests on a case-by-case basis. Any grant award recommendations that exceed $50,000 require final review by the Village Board.

Is the Downtown Incentive Grant Program discretionary? Yes, the program is fully discretionary. Applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The CDA has the authority to approve a lesser amount than requested or to fully deny a Grant Application. In line with the general basis for TIF, the CDA reviews each request from a “but for” perspective. In other words, the CDA strives to affirm that a specific project would not happen “but for” the inclusion of grant funds.

How many grants have been awarded in the Silver Spring District? Since 2017, 11 grants have been awarded to incentive projects that have resulted in new construction, building repairs/renovations, fire prevention enhancements, tenant space buildouts, restaurant kitchen infrastructure and outdoor seating areas.

Are grant funds paid upfront? No, funds are disbursed after all required work has been completed and applicants have provided proof of payment for materials, contractor expenses, etc. In addition, each grant award is subject to a grant agreement prepared by the Village Attorney. Such agreements routinely contain guarantees (increased assessed value, additional tax revenue, etc.) that if not met, require grant recipients to repay funds to the Village.

The Village of Whitefish Bay Clerk’s office is looking for Election Inspectors to assist at the polls on Election Day. Tasks include voter registration, voter check-in, and absentee ballot processing, among other tasks. Election Inspectors work under the direction of the Village Clerk’s office and a Chief Inspector to uphold the integrity of elections in Whitefish Bay. If you or someone you know are interested or would like more information please contact Erin Granstrom at e.granstrom@wfbvillage.gov or (414) 962-6690 ext 122.

Election Inspectors can choose to volunteer their time or be paid a rate of $10.00/hour. Paid training will be provided.

2022 Election Dates:

Badger Book E-Pollbooks are making their way to the Village of Whitefish Bay! For more information on the electronic poll books you will see at your polling place this fall, please check out this video provided by the Wisconsin Elections Commission. An in-person open house to view the new Badger Books will happen prior to the August 9, 2022 election. More information will be in an upcoming newsletter.

The Badger Book software was created with direct integration into the Wisconsin Voting System (WisVote). Badger Books do not use an internet connection. The Badger Book is primarily used to check in voters, process absentee ballots, and register voters on Election Day. Badger Books replace the current two-person, paper poll book system with a one-person tablet that replicates the poll book. You will still be required to present photo ID and sign your name on the new electronic tablet.

The Village is experiencing a high volume of questions related the upcoming election, absentee ballots, and response deadlines. Please click here for frequently asked questions related to the upcoming August 9, 2022 Election. If you have a question that is not listed, please don't hesitate to give us a call at: (414) 962-6690.

Last week, the Village Board honored former Trustee Carl Fuda with Resolution No. 3128 in appreciation of his 9 years of service to the Village. Carl Fuda was elected to the Village Board in 2013 and was reelected in 2016 and 2019.

Carl gave generously of his time, efforts and skills to lead the Village forward through his participation on the Public Works Committee, Plan Commission and as Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Teardown/Rebuild Committee in addition to his general duties as a Village Trustee

Carl made significant contributions to a number of Village initiatives including the 2019 Comprehensive Plan Update, Building and Plumbing Code amendments, the Silver Spring Master Plan Update, the Downtown Incentive Grant Program and Codification of the Municipal Code.

Carl played an instrumental role in various Village capital projects and operational changes including construction of a DPW facility and renovation of the Village Hall/Police Department building, implementation of a staff evaluation process, elimination of the special assessment policy, revisions to the overnight parking rules and the Village-wide conversion to automated collection of refuse and recycling. Thank you Carl!

Last week, Ofc. Amanda Tillich was sworn in as the newest WFB officer! Prior to joining our department, Ofc. Tillich was a police officer for the Mount Prospect Police Department in Illinois. There she served as a Crisis Intervention Team Officer, Accident Investigator, Evidence Technician, Control Tactics Instructor, and a Peer Support Officer. We are happy to have her as a part of our team and as a part of the WFB community!

If you had a Village parkway tree removed from in front of your property as part of the Village’s Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) program or due to other unexpected causes in the past year, the Village will still be replacing it with a new tree in 2022. Unfortunately, the stump removal process took longer than expected and this summer’s higher temperatures have not been conducive to parkway tree planting.

The Village Public Works Department is planning to begin the parkway tree replanting process in September. Our hope is that more moderate fall temperatures will give the new trees a better chance to grow and thrive.

If you would like to confirm that your address is on the Village’s parkway tree replanting list, or if you would like to know what kind of tree is scheduled to be replanted on your property, please contact: Erin Aeschbacher, Village Administration Assistant at 414-962-6690 extension 119.

The Civic Foundation’s Ice Cream Social returns on Wednesday, August 3, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Old School House Park, across from the library. Enjoy frozen treats and live music by the Village Band of Whitefish Bay!

Join us at this free, family event!

The 1840 Brewing Company Beer Garden Road Show returns to Klode Park Saturday, August 6, and one final date this summer. Enjoy beer, food, and music from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Event details:

For more details, visit the Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation and Merchants of Whitefish Bay websites.

We're excited to announce that our amateur photography contest is back. Our contest is open to amateur photographers of any age. We've got a number of different categories; enter one photo per category. Cash prizes include a BEST IN SHOW cash prize of $250, generously donated by Friends of the Whitefish Bay Public Library. Deadline for photo submissions is end of the day on Monday, September 12. Read all about this popular program here.

Please register on our website. We're excited to offer outdoor storytime for all ages in School House Park this summer! Join us for stories, songs, and more. Please register so we can update you about weather and possible rain site. 

Tuesday, July 19, 10:00 a.m. Register here.

Please register here. Actor Kevin Wood portrays Lincoln in his program titled “A New Birth of Freedom.” This first-person presentation covers Lincoln’s life, from Independence through the Civil War focusing on the turbulent years of 1854-1865. All programs are funded by Friends of the Whitefish Bay Public Library.

Please register here. Join us for this fun STEM challenge! Use your scientific reasoning and building skills to build the best maze for your Hexbug.

Please register here. Our Tea Time Book Club meets once a month is led by Library Director Nyama Reed. This month we're reading The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. Tea Time Book Club offers hybrid meetings. You can attend in-person at the Library in the 2nd floor Program Room or online via Zoom.

Bay Bridge is turning three! Want to learn more about Bay Bridge? Have you been a supporter of Bay Bridge? ALL ARE WELCOME to join Bay Bridge for our third birthday celebration on July 23 from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Estabrook Beer Garden.

Bring your family! We are grateful for volunteers and friends of Bay Bridge for helping us accomplish so much, and we look forward to continuing to promote racial and cultural diversity! Let us know by email that you will join us at BayBridgeWisconsin@gmail.com

NSHD Healthy Highlight 7/13/22: Food Deserts and Food Insecurity

What is a Food Desert? Food deserts, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture, are residential areas that do not have a grocery store within a half mile radius. Furthermore, food deserts can cause food insecurity which is the consistent lack of access or inability to obtain or buy nutritious food. As a result of food deserts, many families not only opt out of buying fresh greens and produce but are FORCED to buy less healthy options like fast food or highly processed foods (i.e., chips, sodas, and candy bars, etc.) because it is their only available option.

Impacts: Food insecurity caused by food deserts is not a foreign concept, IT HAPPENS IN OUR OWN BACKYARD. Within Milwaukee County, twenty-four of the county’s thirty-five zip codes can be classified as food deserts. That’s 68%!

Combatting Food Insecurity and Food Deserts: Currently, there are numerous programs that seek to increase community access to affordable, healthy food options that include food delivery services, pantries, and community gardens.