THE WESTON WIRE
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 • March / April 2015
5500 Schofield Avenue • P.O BOX 446 • Weston, WI 54476 • (715) 359-6114 • www.westonwi.gov
Administrators Update Dear Weston Residents, As I compose this letter to you, the sun is shining, the weather is temperate for a February afternoon, and my anticipation for spring is high. Sunny weather throughout the state, this morning, likely contributed to the majority of news broadcasts I viewed reporting groundhogs seeing their shadows. If the folklore holds true, then winter will be with us through the remainder of this month and well-into March. Village officials and staff have been diligently working on a complete re-write of our Comprehensive Plan. In 1999, the Wisconsin Legislature enacted legislation that expanded the scope and significance of comprehensive planning in the State. The legislation, sometimes referred to as the State’s “Smart Growth” law, provides a framework for the development, adoption, implementation, and amendment of comprehensive plans by regional planning commissions and by county, city, village, and town units of government. 10 years after Weston incorporated as a Village, our community adopted our first Comprehensive Plan in 2006. These plans should, in general, plot the community’s plans for growth and development over the next 20 years. It is the standard practice in Wisconsin to redo these plans every 10 years and our current plan will expire at the end of 2016. More information can be found about this effort on our website at www.westonwi.gov/CompPlan. Comprehensive Plans are organized into various chapters which cover all sorts of topics related to the community’s growth and development including, but not limited to: parks and recreation, transportation, housing, natural resources, utilities, and economic development. Staff is currently working on the economic development chapter, as we work to refine our strategy and adjust our focus following the conclusion of the housing boom of the past decade, and, hopefully, emerge from the end of the Great Recession. One of the first reports related to the Economic Development Chapter is our anticipated Retail Recruitment and Economic Development Plan. For the past 9 months, the Village has been working with national consultant, The Retail Coach, on developing a strategy for recruiting and attracting new commercial and national franchised opportunities into Weston. I encourage you to review and digest the various work products that Retail Coach has developed for us, which can be found online at www.westonwi.gov/retail2015. Bringing in new businesses to our community and growing our tax base is a critical financial issue for this community, especially in the wake of continue cuts and reductions in state aids and shared revenues from the State. Our focus and attentions to growth, however, do not mean that we have forgotten about current local businesses. Village officials and staff want to do more to work with our businesses and help connect them to customers and opportunities for profit here in our Village. Last year the Village launched our new “It’s Right, Here” marketing and branding campaign. Our campaign has been built off of elements and work done by the Marathon County – Wisconsin Central Time campaign work product, and will further focus and refine their broader message to speak, specifically, about what is happening well and right here in the Village. Our community is diverse and I want to give everyone the opportunity to become invested in and part of this campaign. We have recently authored and published a co-branding guidebook to encourage organizations, agencies, partners, institutions, clubs, civic groups, and our local businesses to align their marketing products and messaging under the umbrella of this over-arching voice. More information can be found about this effort on our website at www.westonwi.gov/ItsRightHere. To that end, I am excited to announce a new, ‘shop local; support local’ initiative as part of our, “It’s Right, Here” marketing and branding campaign. In conjunction with our improved Weston Wire print newsletter, local businesses, institutions, and clubs will have opportunities to advertise within and help sponsor each publication. Not only will this be win for businesses advertising with us by getting into a mailing, which reaches every residence in the Village, but those civically-minded businesses and institutions will help our community defray the cost of publishing and printing important community news. The Weston Wire newsletter will be packaged within a new WestonDirect cover envelope which will further contain supplemental advertisements, coupons, announcements, and event reminders from various community voices. More information can be found about this opportunity on our website at www.westonwi.gov/WestonDirect. Of course, all this work and these efforts happen under the guidance and leadership of our elected Board of Trustees. President Loren White, after many long years serving the Village in multiple roles will be stepping down as President. Village Trustee and County Board Supervisor Barb Ermeling is the only candidate on the ballot to replace him during our April election. In addition to the Village Presidential Election, there are 4 candidates competing for 3 open Trustee seats for the April elections. Please refer to our Bulletin Board section in this newsletter to learn more about participating in this spring’s election, or go to our website at www.westonwi.gov/Elections. Thank you for your attention to my letter. I look forward to talking with you all more about these and other initiatives happening within our agency and throughout our community. Sincerely,
Daniel Guild Village Administrator/Director of Economic Development
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ADVERTISE IN THIS SPACE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE WESTON WIRE For more information on how to see your ad here, please contact: Renee Hodell rhodell@westonwi.gov (715) 241-2608
Heather Meliska hmeliska@westonwi.gov (715) 241-2604
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THE WESTON WIRE
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 • March / April 2015
The
Bulle tin Boar d
Don’t forget to License your Pets
Mark your calander s! y, April 7! da es Tu on is on ti ec El g 2015 Sprin Voter Photo ID Status
enging federal lawsuit chall The plaintiffs in the d an file ve ha requirement the Voter Photo ID fore, ere Th . urt Co Supreme appeal with the U.S. ntation me ple im g itin hib pro s been the court injunction ect until the appeal ha ement remains in eff , the ore ref the e, tic no of the photo ID requir r urt. Until furthe Co me pre Su s. on the cti resolved by d in Wisconsin ele t is not to be enforce photo ID requiremen
ail, fax or email
by m Request an Absentee Ballot
d the Application voter, you can downloa sin on sc Wi llot. d ere ist If you are a reg lication-AbsenteeBa w.westonwi.gov/App ww 00 at t 55 llo at Ba ce e offi nte s for Abse nicipal Clerk’ m and mail to the Mu st ue for req the e ur let yo ail mp co em o st Ju 476. You can als 54 WI n, sto n tio We , ca ue pli 117. Your ap Schofield Aven or fax to (715) 359-6 ov i.g 2 nw ril sto Ap y, we da uf@ urs to sweinka 0 p.m. on Th clerk no later than 5:0 the by ed eiv rec be must you. e ballot to be SENT to in order for an absente ctions for April 7 Spring Ele (early) voting hours e nte se ab n rso pe Iny, April 2 March 23 to Thursda 0 p.m. on Monday, 5:0 to owed on . all t a.m no 0 is 8:0 g • r. Absentee votin nte Ce l ipa nic Mu n at the Westo weekends. APPOINTMENT Friday, April 3 - BY on . p.m e 0 5:0 to . closed that day. Pleas • 3:00 p.m nicipal Center will be Mu n to sto nt We me e int Th po LY. ap ON set up an before 5:00 p.m. to call (715) 241-2609 vote that day. start the er to vote. You can you must first regist register o als n ca u Yo To vote in Wisconsin at myvote.wi.gov. e lin on ss ce on ce pla pro g registration or at the pollin n Municipal Center sto We the at n rso in-pe Election Day. ase at’s on your ballot, ple on voting or to see wh on ati orm inf re mo r Fo ov/Elections. visti www.westonwi.g
Park Reservations
The Village of Weston requires all dogs and cats of 4 months of age or more to be licensed each year. PetData has sent the 2015 pet license renewal notices directly to your mailbox onc e again this year. Pet owners will have several options for renewing the licenses, including by mail or online. New pet owners, or pet owners that did not receive a notice may also use the onl ine licensing system. Purchasing a license and attaching it to your pet’s collar is one of the most important things that you can do as a res ponsible pet owner. Displaying the current lice nse tag on your pet’s collar makes it easy for Ani mal Control officers and shelter employees to quickly locate the lost pet’s owner information. It just might be the fastest way to get your los t pet back home to the family! Pets must be licensed BE ORE April 1 to avoid higher licensing fees and fines. For more information, ple ase visits PetData’s website at www.petdata.co m or call toll-free at 1-866-220-5551.
shelters for 2015. y accepting reservations for park The Village of Weston is currentl reservations. The through October of each year for Shelters are available from May dhill Meadow, San y, available for rental at Kenned Village of Weston has shelters wbanks Park. Yello at lable avai eller and two shelters Robinwood, Kellyland, Machmu sports. Visit the eletricity and facilities for play and Each park has restrooms, water, 5:00 p.m. to and . a.m Schofield Avenue between 7:30 e parks. Weston Municipal Center, 5500 thes g rdin rega ns (715) 359-9988 with questio v. make your reservations or call i.go tonw .wes www at lable avai g all parks is also Reservation information regardin
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Seasonal Job Positions accepting The Village of Weston is currently Certified .I. applications for Lifeguards, W.S 2015 the for s uard lifeg lifeguards and Head run will s ition pos l ona seas se season. The August ugh thro 29 May ely mat roxi app from ilable at 30, 2015. Applications are ava Applient. oym mpl ov/E www.westonwi.g March by ed plet com be to d nee cations employees 13, 2015 with testing for new Saturday, on e plac scheduled to take March 21. is also The Weston Park Department l park ona seas for ions licat app ng accepti se Plea 5. 201 maintainer positions for at ent artm Dep Park ton contact the Wes i.gov tonw wes ink@ erbr sost 8, -998 (715) 359 with quesor bmroczenski@westonwi.gov s. ition pos ve abo tions concerning the
5500 Schofield Avenue • P.O BOX 446 • Weston, WI 54476 • (715) 359-6114 • www.westonwi.gov
Snow Plowing Priorities and Information
ent is responsible for maintaining The Village’s Public Works departm ton. ets in the Village and Town of Wes just under 300 lane miles of stre vily hea the r clea to hed blis esta n Snow plowing priorities have bee ets stre tial and then side residen traveled thoroughfare streets first s Ros , nue Ave ld ofie streets include Sch second. The main thoroughfare , nue Ave ek Jelin et, Stre r Fulle , Avenue Avenue, Alderson Street, Weston s, park s around the hospital, busines and other major streets located regarding the Village’s snow removal ion mat infor and schools. For more re .westonwi.gov/SnowRemoval whe policy please visit the website at www of the tegy stra l ova rem w sno the you will find a short video outlining w and ice removal strategy. Village as well as the detailed sno
Farmers Market Opens May 2
The Village of Weston Far mers Market will be celebr ating their 10th SEASON with the ir Opening Day on Saturd ay, May 2. They will also be cel ebrating their NEW LOCATIO N for 2015, next to Dunkin Do nuts on the corner of Schofie ld Avenue and Camp Phillips Road. The Market will be open on Tuesday’s and Saturday’s from 8:00 a.m. to Sold Ou t. Be sure to stop down and see what the new season offe rs.
aring Hydrant/Inlet Cle ers) or (Helpful Remind e it is likely to get partialollywed
Teen Swim/ Dance Nights
om wp near your h keeping sno nt located riorities for p ow from ra sn yd ith h g W n e ri r. fir te ea have a tend to, cl ng the win ri at u d to w es to a fire o • If you su sn se ational is buried in a respon er p g ly o n te ri u le ity d p til t u m d en co r an artm artment by in the winte the Fire Dep the Fire Dep to st si ft s le as e from streets en as ft o cy, ple nt. This help hydrants is g an emergen ly around the fire hydra n ri u d around fire e tim mplete valuable foot area co your call. To save to three (3) ) ssibly even (2 o p o tw t n a ra yd h e clearing fir e ty around th ergency. every proper during an em e tim e g n vi t somewher own – by sa have an inle so melting r o , ea ar rbed pen live in a cu ensure it’s o is • If you erty, please p arms up. Th ro w p it r u en h yo w o g m to o e fr near or on er h er e has somew reets and prevents wat have snow and ic st u e know yo ter drain th ads. If you hite helps to bet rbline. ng on our ro zi look for a w ee r, fr d at the cu ve re co d w an o g sn lin e o let is locate th o in p melts, e ith w th w o it e e er sn h se e can’t ts as th icating w d le in in t u as ad o ro an inlet, but r e ea ea th inlets cl n f will cl e center of by keeping erations staf w p o o mark on th sn et g re tin st mel e Village blems from Although th n reduce pro ca ts en d si Village re aches. spring apro
Village Wide Rummage Sale
mage ing its annual Village Wide Rum The Village of Weston will be hold , May 2. Sale on Friday, May 1 and Saturday please the Rummage Sales are located, To be included on the map where eSale. mag /Rum g to: www.westonwi.gov fill out the applicaition online by goin of the y cop a find can you mail or drop off, If you would like to print a copy to appliup pick also may You ap. v/2015m application at www.westonwi.go s Form . nue Ave Center at 5500 Schofield cations at the Weston Municipal need to be submitted by April 23.
uatic Center The Weston Aq en Swim and Te will be offering June 26 and on ts Dance Nigh hts will run August 7. Teen nig :00 p.m. All 10 from 7:00 p.m. to dents are stu de gra 7 through 12 d. Admission welcome to atten rson. There will be $2.00 per pe ecials and sp d foo will be music, eck out the prize giveaways. Ch cebook Page Aquatic Center Fa te on events da to keep up to the Aquatic at ce taking pla . Center this season
Splash into fun at the Weston Aquatic Center OPENING DAY Saturday, June 6th, 2015
n for The Weston Aquatic Center will ope 0 11:0 at 6 e Jun , rday the season on Satu on ion sess in g bein ool sch to a.m. Due ter will June 8 and 9 the Aquatic Cen rating ope mal Nor . not open till 3:00 p.m June day, nes Wed on me resu hours will from day y ever n ope be will we and 10 . 11:00 a.m. to 7:45 p.m
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THE WESTON WIRE Community News 2015 Sewer Utility Rate Increase On February 2, 2015, the Village of Weston Board of Trustees adopted new rates for the sewer utility to be effective March 1, 2015. The rates are contained in the following table: BASE RATES (per quarter) CURRENT RATE NEW RATE (3/1/15) $27.00 $28.50 81.00 85.50 162.00 171.00 270.00 284.00 621.00 654.00 1,107.00 1,164.00 2,484.00 2,610.00 OTHER RATES CHARGE CURRENT RATE NEW RATE (3/1/15) Volume Charge $2.75 per 1,000 gal. $3.000 per 1,000 gal. Unmetered Connection $75.00 per quarter $80.00 per quarter Summer Season cap Maximized at 125% No cap; Sewer on Residential Sewer of most recent Volume equals Water Volume Charges winter quarter Volume (1) METER SIZE 5/8”-3/4” 1” 1-1/2” 2” 3” 4” 6”
(1) Sewer charges do not apply to water metered separately for outdoor use only and/ or which is not discharged to the sanitary sewer. For a single family home or business this requires a second meter serving an irrigation system or outdoor plumbing fixtures.
Base charges have been increased ±5% and volume charges have increased 9.1% ($0.25 per 1,000 gallons) as compared to previous rates. A residential customer using 13,750 gallons per quarter (55,000 gallons per year) will realize an increase in their total bill from $64.81 per quarter to $69.75 per quarter ($4.94 per quarter or $19.76 annually) This is an increase of 7.64%.
1. The treatment plant is handling wastewater at about 85% of its capacity and actually treated flow in excess of its capacity during the past year for a limited period of time. 2. Regulatory permitting may require additional treatment capacity to remove phosphorous in the very near future. In addition RMMSD has depleted its operating reserve funds to keep their charges down for the member communities. The combination of the costs for the engineering study and replenishing some operating reserves results in increased rates to all RMMSD customers. This does not mean that each member community is raising rates; that is something each one will determine on their own. For 2015 the charges to Weston from RMMSD are estimated to be $85,000 higher than charges in 2014. The estimated increased annual revenue with the rate increase is approximately $100,000 as compared to the previous rates based on 2013 and 2014 flow volumes. The estimated annual operating income will be approximately $30,000 with the new rates as compared to a projected loss of $67,000 without the increase. Since 2004, revenues for the sewer utility have averaged $1.9 M annually and expenses have averaged $1.835 M annually. Expenses from RMMSD treatment charges are projected at between $620,000 and $650,000 in 2015 as compared to $550,000 in 2014 (actual charges are dependent on the actual flow and waste strength). With RMMSD charges accounting for almost 1/3 of the utility’s expenses, the expected increase from RMMSD could not be accommodated without raising rates for the sewer utility. Some things to consider: •
The actual increase for all customers will vary between 7% and 9% dependent on meter size and consumption. Weston has not changed its sewer rates since 2004. During the period between 2004 and 2013 the utility has been able to maintain a net annual operating income averaging ±$65,000 – simply put, expenses have been less than revenues. In 2014 a net operating income is again projected, but in a lesser amount (approx. $40,000). Weston is one of 5 communities which are tributary to Rib Mountain Metropolitan Sewerage District who are partners in this regional arrangement as a more efficient and cost effective means of treating wastewater as compared to each community having separate treatment works. The other tributary, or member, communities are Rib Mountain Sanitary District, Village of Rothschild, Village of Kronenwetter, and City of Mosinee. During the 2015 budget preparation process Weston Municipal Utilities was informed of the Rib Mountain Metropolitan Sewerage District (RMMSD) beginning work on a facilities planning study. A facilities planning study is an engineering study to evaluate the improvements and costs for a treatment plant to serve its customers for a planning period, in this case the next 20 years. RMMSD is beginning this study for 2 reasons:
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5500 Schofield Avenue • P.O BOX 446 • Weston, WI 54476 • (715) 359-6114 • www.westonwi.gov
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 • March / April 2015
Rates for wastewater collection and treatment cannot be expected to remain unchanged over long periods of time as costs for labor, supplies, equipment, and energy continue to increase over time. It is inevitable that costs for such a basic service need to increase for annual operation and maintenance and for upgrading and replacement of facilities.
•
Weston has not increased its rates since 2004 while the statewide average for communities of Weston’s size is to bump rates every 3.3 years.
•
Between 1996 and 2013 sewer rates in Wisconsin have increased on average 3.3% annually for communities with population between 10,000 and 50,000. Averaged since 2004, this increase for Weston corresponds to between 0.7% and 0.8% per year.
•
The 2015 rate increase will add approximately $5.00 per quarter or $20.00 annually to a single family home using 55,000 gallons per year (the statewide average consumption) bringing the charges to $267.00 per year. This is still under the average of $287.00 for Marathon County. The statewide average cost of sewer service for communities with population between 10,000 and 50,000 is over $300.00.
Please visit the Village website for information and answers to anticipated FAQ’s. You may also wish to contact the utility department by e-mail or by telephone at (715) 359-2876 during normal business hours.
Community News cont. Season Passes and Gift Certificates
Swim Lessons
Now is the time to purchase Weston Aquatic Center Gift Certificates or season passes for the 2015 season. Aquatic Center gift certificates are available in any amount and can be used towards the purchase of any pass throughout the 2015 season. Family Season Passes are on sale now through Friday, May 22 at a reduced price. To purchase a gift certificate or season pass visit the Weston Municipal Center at 5500 Schofield Avenue between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
The Weston Aquatic Center will be offering swim lessons during the 2015 swim season. Swim lessons will be offered during three sessions. Each session runs two weeks with an additional third week available for make-up classes. Classes will run from 10:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. Sessions are as follows (Session 1: June 15 to June 26), (Session 2: July 6 to July 17) and (Session 3: July 27 to August 7). Level 1 through Level 5 is available. Cost for classes are $15.00 for Weston residents and $20.00 for non-residents. All skill levels taught are equal to Red Cross requirements. Resident registration begins Monday, April 20 and non-resident registration begins Monday, May 4. Pre-registration is required. Registrations will be accepted at the Weston Municipal Center, 5500 Schofield Avenue through June 5 or at the Aquatic Center starting June 6.
Pre-Season dates available The Weston Aquatic Center still has a few dates available for pre-season rentals. Currently June 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 are available. Please contact Shawn Osterbrink at (715) 359-9988 or sosterbrink@westonwi.gov with questions, to check current availability or to request a date.
Local Events
2015 Spring Clean Up Information
Even though the winter snow is still on the ground, we would like to start getting the word out now on our 2015 Spring Clean-Up. The annual Bulk-Item Drop-Off is set to occur May 14 – May 16, and to be held again at Advanced Disposal Services, located at 5509 Fuller Street. The items that will be accepted include: Non-Metal Items, Furniture, Carpeting, Scrap Lumber, Mattresses, and Glass Windows. Please know that Advanced Disposal offers a fenced-in recycling center, open year-round, for Weston Residents to drop off their excess recyclables in designated dumpsters. If you have accumulated scrap metal to get rid of, they accept that at their recycling center, year-round as well. The Spring Yard Materials Pick-Up generally occurs beginning the second week of May. Please watch our website or contact the Village of Weston office closer to that time period for updates. Yard materials can be taken directly to the Weston Yard Materials Site (8200 Ryan Street), where you can dispose of your yard materials at a time that is convenient to you. Another option is to contract with Advanced Disposal for them to collect your yard materials through a 95-gallon cart they would provide you.
Home Composting Workshop Plans are being made between the Village of Weston, Marathon County Solid Waste, and Recycling Conections Corporation, to again hold a spring workshop for the public to learn more about home composting. This workshop will be held on Satuday, May 9 at 10:30 a.m., at the Weston Municipal Center. Some of the details on cost and space are still being worked out. If you are interested in attending and looking for more information, please contact Valerie Parker, at (715) 241-2607, or via e-mail at vparker@westonwi.gov. You can also check out the Marathon County Solid Waste website at www.marathoncountysolidwaste.org, or call 877-270-3989, if you would like to purchase a compost bin. Marathon County Solid Waste is another great resource for all of your refuse and recycling questions.
Advanced Disposal Bulk Item Drop-Off Hours
Thursday, May 14: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Friday, May 15: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Saturday, May 16th: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m
Home Composting Please do not put food waste inside your recycling cart. Your options with food waste are to either place your food waste in your refuse cart or consider home composting. Composting or “recycling” our own yard, garden and kitchen waste is the easiest and cheapest way of taking responsibility for some of our own waste. Did you know that food and yard waste make up over 25% to 30% of our solid wastes nationwide? The BEST place to compost is in our own back yards. Composting meets the criteria of the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Through composting, the amount of waste sent to the landfill is Reduced, the organic matter is Reused, and it is Recycled into a useful soil amendment.
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THE WESTON WIRE
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 • March / April 2015
Your Property ATTENTION: Property Owners of Multi-Family Residential Developments Last summer letters were sent out to each of you regarding the refuse and recycling services required to be offered to all of your residents. If you are utilizing wheeled carts for your tenants, please be aware there should be: • • •
Cart(s) for refuse (trash) Cart(s) for cardboard and paper Cart(s) for co-mingled recyclables (glass, plastic, metals)
In the case of using carts, most haulers offer dual-stream recycling collection, where glass, plastics, and metals are all placed in an 18-gallon bin (of some type), and the cardboard/paper are in a separate bin. Single-stream recycling carts are becoming more popular, where all recyclables (cardboard/paper, plastics, glass, & metals) are placed into one cart. If there has been no evidence of overflow issues, it is possible for your tenants to share refuse and recycling carts, however, the optimal set-up would be for your tenants to have their own carts that are either kept near their rental unit, or all grouped together in an enclosure. If you are utilizing shared dumpsters, please be aware there should be: • • •
Your Property cont. Building Permits Required Spring is almost here, which means many of you may be planning your summer home improvement projects. Building permits are required in the Village of Weston for a number of home improvement projects such as fences, yard sheds, swimming pools, in-ground irrigation systems, finishing basements and building additions. If you are not sure if a building permit is needed for your home improvement project, please feel free to call the Weston Municipal Center, at (715) 359-6114, and a Village staff member will assist you in determining if your home improvement project requires a building permit. Building permit applications can be picked up at the Weston Municipal Center, during normal business hours, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday, or can be accessed on the Village’s website at www.westonwi.gov/Applications-Permits.
Dumpster(s) for refuse (trash) Dumpster(s) for cardboard and paper Dumpster(s) for co-mingled recyclables (glass, plastic, metals)
In most cases, when dumpsters are used, there are separate dumpsters for the cardboard/paper from the co-mingled recyclables; however, some haulers may offer “single-stream” dumpsters, where cardboard and paper are mixed in with other recyclables, though this is not a common practice (yet). No matter what the collection approach is, it is mandatory (per Wisconsin Law) that your tenants are offered disposal services, not only refuse, but for all recyclables. Cardboard/paper collection is not enough! Please be aware Village of Weston Chapter 66, Solid Waste Ordinance, Section 66.115 requires all exterior storage of recyclable and non-recyclable containers, within multiple-family dwellings and non-residential facilities and properties, to be placed and maintained within a three-sided enclosure, and enclosed on the fourth side with a gate to contain garbage, refuse, waste, recycling, and other debris. This section has further details on the location, size, and type of material to be used for the enclosure. You can read up on this Chapter by visiting the following web address: www.westonwi.gov/SolidWasteOrdinance. The picture to the right is an example of a common type of enclosure used in multi-family developments. If you are in the process of constructing an enclosure, please contact Valerie Parker, Administrative Specialist, at (715) 241-2607, or via e-mail at vparker@westonwi.gov, who can give you the appropriate information needed prior to constructing an enclosure. This will prevent you from possibly having to expand or relocate your enclosure in the future. Follow-up reminder letters will be sent out to property owners of multi-family residential developments, who had not responded, or who needed extra time to comply with the requirements stated in the 2014 letter.
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5500 Schofield Avenue • P.O BOX 446 • Weston, WI 54476 • (715) 359-6114 • www.westonwi.gov
Once you have completed your applicable building permit application and have the building plans and other information required for the permit, please call the Village Municipal Center, at (715) 359-6114 to schedule an appointment with the Building Inspector, Scott Tatro, for submittal and discussion of your application and plans, and to obtain your permit. Please note that most building permits are valid for no more than two years so please plan your projects accordingly. Permit related questions can be directed to the Planning & Development Department via email at PlanDevDept@westonwi.gov or by calling (715) 359-6114.
Zoning Ordinance ready for Public Input and Hearing In 2013, the Village Plan Commission began working with MDRoffers Consulting, a planning firm out of the Madison area, the Village of Kronenwetter and the Town of Weston to update our zoning ordinances, and the extraterritorial zoning (ETZ) ordinance we have over the majority of the Town of Weston. The project was guided by an Intergovernmental Zoning Steering Committee made up of Plan Commissioners and citizen members of each of the three participating communities. The project was undertaken jointly to reduce costs, increase intergovernmental communication, and unify ordinances to the extent practical to benefit the development community and the public. The desired outcomes of the project were to replace antiquated existing zoning regulations; provide clearer zoning ordinances which mesh better with other local and state regulations; advance economic development and streamline development review procedures; reduce the number of zoning districts, particularly here in Weston; modernize standards to respond to the increased size and complexity of developments; implement the Village and Town comprehensive plans and design guidelines; address previously challenging issues like signs, garage sizes, residential density, transitional and mixed use zoning districts and the keeping of animals; combine the Village-Town of Weston ETZ ordinance (Chapter 95) into the Village Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 94) and ultimately end up with a full update to our zoning ordinance. Over the last two years, the Intergovernmental Zoning Committee, the Village Plan Commission, Village Board of Trustees and Village Staff have worked with MDRoffers to draft a new Zoning Ordinance which we feel accomplishes our original list of desired outcomes. Along the way we have also met with property owners, business owners, residents, developers and other community stakeholders to solicit their feedback and suggestions on the proposed Ordinance. The document, in its many drafts, has also been available for the past year on our Zoning Code Update Project webpage (www.westonwi.gov/ZoningUpdate) for public review. Comments we have received have been incorporated within the document when appropriate. Due to the reduction of the number of zoning districts and the changes made to the individual zoning districts that remain, the entire Village will be rezoned through this process. This means your property will be getting a new zoning district designation. Many won’t notice a difference, for example our RTF Residential Two Family zoning district will be renamed 2F Two Family Residential and our R-1 Single Family Residential/RE Residential Estate/SR Suburban Residential zoning districts will become SF-L Single Family Large Lot or SF-S Single Family Small Lot, depending on your lot sizes. If you are interested in seeing the new zoning district your property will be placed in the zoning update, a copy of the proposed zoning map is available online at our Zoning Code Update Project webpage or you can stop at the Municipal Center to view a paper map. A large display has been created on the large wall just inside the front doors near the Village Board room at the Municipal Center. MDRoffers and Staff have developed a handy document called Overview of Weston’s Proposed Zoning Ordinance which outlines the major changes in the Code and also how to read the new code. It too can be found on the Zoning Code Update Project webpage. Staff also created helpful flash cards which show a synopsis of each of the new permitted uses, conditional uses, temporary uses, setbacks, and density standards for each zoning district. These too are available online at our Zoning Code Update Project webpage. After many drafts and revisions, the Plan Commission and Staff feel the proposed Zoning Ordinance document and new map are now ready for final review and approvals. A Public Hearing has been scheduled before the Village Plan Commission and Joint Town and Village of Weston ETZ Committee on Monday, March 9, 2015, at 6pm, at the Weston Municipal Center. The two Committees will take public testimony on the proposed new zoning ordinance and map, prior to making a recommendation to the Village Board for their final approval at their meeting on March 16. Written testimony can be provided or emailed up until noon on March 9th. Please address all written testimony to the attention of Valerie Parker, Administrative Specialist, Planning & Development Department, at the Weston Municipal Center, 5500 Schofield Avenue, Weston, WI 54476, or email them to vparker@westonwi.gov. Please direct any questions to the Planning & Development Department Staff at (715) 359-6114 or via email at PlanDevDept@westonwi.gov.
Public Hearing about the proposed new Zoning Ordinance and map Monday, March 9 6:00 p.m.
Please direct any questions to the Planning & Development Department Staff at (715) 359-6114 or via e-mail to PlanDevDept@westonwi.gov or visit: www.westonwi.gov/ZoningUpdate Weston Municipal Center, 5500 Schofield Avenue, Weston Village Board Room
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THE WESTON WIRE
5500 Schofield Avenue • P.O BOX 446 • Weston, WI 54476 • (715) 359-6114 • www.westonwi.gov
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 • March / April 2015
Your Safey
Your Money Village Receives Award for 2013 Financial Report For the eleventh consecutive year, the Village of Weston was presented the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (“CAFR”) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013. The award is presented by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada to government units whose CAFR’s achieve the highest standards in government accounting and financial reporting. The CAFR had been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR. The receipt of this award will assist the Village to maintain its strong bond rating for all future capital borrowing issues, said Finance Director John Jacobs. A copy of the 2004-2013 annual reports (CAFR) can be found on the Village’s website at www.westonwi.gov/AnnualReportCAFR.
Moody’s Confirms “A1” Bond Rating on Village’s Stormwater Revenure Debt On January 16th, 2015, Moody’s Investors Service concluded an analysis of the financial position of the Village’s Stormwater Utility operations in conjunction with their new municipal utility revenue debt methodology. After the analytical review, Moody’s confirmed the “A1” bond rating on the Village’s Stormwater Utility outstanding revenue supported debt and removed the rating from review for a possible downgrade. As of December 31, 2013, the Stormwater Utility had $2.7 million of revenue debt outstanding, all of which is rated by Moody’s. Moody’s summary ratings rationale reported that “the A1 rating reflects the strength of the Village of Weston (rated as “Aa2”) underlying general obligation credit quality and strong legal protections. The rating also incorporates the utility’s modestly growing customer base that exhibits moderate concentration; healthy senior lien debt service coverage; and limited future borrowing plans.” The Moody’s report did highlight a lack of financial reserves maintained by the Stormwater Utility. However, Moody’s also indicated that the debt retirement schedule was aggressive with 86.1% of principal retired within ten years. Finally, the report acknowledged that since 2009, the Village officials have had a strong commitment to generate revenues to only cover operations, maintenance, and debt service in an effort to minimize the financial burden on residents.
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Village Adopted 2014 Tax Rate at $5.57; Budget Increased by 2.24% in 2015 On November 24th, 2014, the Village Board adopted the 2015 Operating Budget of $6,654,500, which was a 2.24% increase from 2014. The Village’s tax rate was set at $5.57, which was a $0.26 increase (or a 4.94% increase) from the previous year’s tax rate. Therefore, the Village share of taxes paid on a $150,000 assessed value home on the 2014 tax bill was $836, which was an increase of $40 this year. VILLAGE OF WESTON Operating Budget Summary - General Fund 2014 - 2015 BUDGET CATEGORY General Government Public Safety Public Works Health/Human Services Culture & Recreation Conservation & Develop. Muscellaneous TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET
2014 Budget 2015 Budget % Change $860, 620 $918,800 +6.76% 3,003,026 3,057,680 +1.82% 1,726,420 1,780,230 +3.12% 14,340 14,520 +1.26% 315,700 297,010 -5.92% 284,620 333,510 +17.18% 303,954 252,750 -16.85% $6,508,680
$6,654,500
+2.24%
Village of Weston - 2015 Operation Budget (Allocated by Budget Category)
Public Safety 46%
Conservation & Development 5% Health/Human Services & Miscellaneous 46%
Culture & Recreation 4% General Government 14%
Public Works 27%
2015 Total Budget Summary - All Village Funds FUND TYPES General Fund Debt Service Fund Special Revenue Funds Capital Projects Funds Internal Service Fund Enterprise/Utility Funds TOTAL VILLAGE BUDGET
2015 Budget $6,654,500 7,899,568 12,217,410 960,751 930,000 5,024,741 $33,686,971
A summary of the Village’s local assessed tax rates for the period of 1999 - 2014 is shown below: Village of Weston Assessed Tax Rates/Levy Years 1999 and 2000 ........................ $4.91 200 .......................................... $5.02 2002 and 2003 ........................ $5.21 2004 ........................................ $5.45 2005 ........................................ $5.70 2006 ........................................ $6.07
2007 ........................................ $4.91 2008 - 2010 ............................ $5.08 20011 ...................................... $5.10 2012 ........................................ $5.16 2013 ........................................ $5.31 2014 .........................................$5.57
Use of Force Reviews There have been some recent national events regarding allegations of officers using excessive force in the line of duty. Many of these media reports have been highly politicized and portray law enforcement in an unfavorable light, which our EMPD believes is unfair and simply not representative of the character and integrity of the vast majority of law enforcement officers. The EMPD believes it is imperative that law enforcement be open and transparent on these issues and that we should continually monitor and review our use of force encounters. EMPD requires a Use of Force Report be completed for all events that meet certain criteria, which include: • • • • • • •
The use of pressure point techniques The use of O.C. Spray The use of an Electronic Control Device (ECD) or more commonly referred as a Taser Passive & active countermeasures (hands on physical tactics) Incapacitating techniques Intermediate weapon applications and weapon control techniques A claim by an officer or a subject of the arrest of injury resulting from the arrest
During the normal course of law enforcement operations, officers will occasionally encounter uncooperative and resistive individuals
that are subject to arrest and will use some of the above levels of force to effectuate arrests. In 2014, the department had only had one event that triggered this use of force review, which is somewhat remarkable. The history of these events during the past five years is: • • • • •
2010: 8 2011: 11 2012: 12 2013: 10 2014: 1
EMPD conducts a review of every incident that meets the criteria and our policy is that officers use only the force that reasonably appears necessary to effectively bring an incident under control while protecting the lives of the officers and others. EMPD also has a policy on critical incident investigations that establishes procedures for governing the investigation of officer-involved critical incidents of in-custody deaths, firearm discharges and other uses of deadly force by sworn officers. EMPD also conducts and documents pursuit reviews for every vehicle pursuit initiated by an officer. This review includes watching the squad video and ensuring all policies are followed. The findings of these pursuit reviews are discussed with the officers involved by their supervisor to determine any if there are any training issues or corrective actions to be taken. The clarity and transparency of the above policies and practices are an important component of providing honest and trustworthy policing services to our community. Reviewing what we do and how we do it is always a priority of the Everest Metro Police Department.
New Fire Chief Stands Post As his command staff assemble in the South Area Fire & Emergency Response District headquarters, Fire Chief Meilahn pauses to reflect on how much the fire district has accomplished. “Each and every day, nights, weekends, and holidays, the men and women of this fire district are ready to serve their community at a moment’s notice,” said Chief Meilahn. As he continues, “I couldn’t be more proud of their commitment, professionalism, and hard work.” Today’s modern fire department is a flurry of activity often going unnoticed by the community until a tragedy occurs. A man sitting at home has a heart attack, a couple driving home slide off a wintery road, a family awoken by a smoke detector escape as their two-story home ignites. Yet, as we only see one or two ambulances or fire trucks a year, it can surprise us to learn just how busy the South Area Fire District is. Last year, for example, they responded to over 2,600 calls for help from people in our community; an average of seven calls each day for a year. In and around responding to calls, the South Area Fire District also prepares and trains for every conceivable emergency situation. Creating, building, and maintaining professional firefighters, emergency medics, and special operation teams are challenges that Deputy Chief Mathew Savage enjoys managing and that the Battalion Chiefs focus on every day. As newly minted Battalion Chief Kyle Lech, who has served the district in other leadership roles for years put it “serving this community is a passion of mine, but it’s a team effort, one that we all take very seriously.” In addition, few know that the fire district maintains a fire prevention and inspection division that hits the streets of our community daily inspecting more than 1,000 local business each year including restaurants, gas stations, hospitals, and shopping malls. Heading up this division is veteran Captain Marty Christiansen who says “I enjoy building relationships and helping people. Our community business owners are very interested in keeping us safe”. As we look forward to a new year and the promise it holds for our community, let’s not forget the brave men and women who stand their post ready to respond to emergencies right here at home. Perhaps a nod, a smile, or a handshake; each one has earned it.
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