Front Page
THE DEADLY DUO
A couple of years ago the Lake Geneva City Attorney was in a law firm located in downtown Lake Geneva across the street across from PNC bank. He was known as a rather timid man who mostly kept to himself but, from time to time, could be prodded to display a rather amiable sense of humor. That was then. Now, he has allied with a man named Richard “Second Story” Torhorst. Mr. Torhorst is better known for once being an attorney for the Hummel group, but now he has taken up with the Lake Geneva Inn.
Mr. “Small Ball” Draper and “Second Story” share the same office space and staff across town, just off of Highway 120. The office is newer and much more stylish. In that same office, another attorney has taken up space; Mr. Tom Gardiner. He’s also a Lake Geneva Inn attorney. So, it’s likely not just the ‘Deadly Duo,’ but the Terminal Trio the city now has to deal with. Where did this new formal plan to annex the Lake Geneva Inn (from the Town of Linn, where it currently resides and is taxed, to Lake Geneva itself) come from? It’s been slowly brewed by these three men. Small Ball has pronounced every facet of the annexation legal. He did that, but then recused himself in favor of bringing in “real attorneys,” when open threats of lawsuits being filed were verbalized at a recent finance committee meeting. That finance committee did not approve of the annexation. But the finance committee members, no doubt knowing that they too can be sued for their personal performance, understood when they gave the idea no support and sent it on to the city council ,that the city council did not need the committee’s approval to proceed with the annexation. And so this whole mess goes to the council for its decision.
Is the annexation going to be approved and the lake shore opened up for future development?
That is the question. The ‘duck’ tour people have come down from the Dells to begin openly prospecting for lake entry points to bring their duck tour business to Lake Geneva’s pristine waters since the Dells has been turned into a big water park cesspool. There is also talk of the water skiing show moving to the BigFoot Beach area if the new there marina can be forced to replace the most beautiful stretch of road the lake and city have ever seen.
Is there illegality in this strange and seemingly fraudulent colluding of attorneys to suborn the elected officials in Lake Geneva to perform this odious developmental task? Probably not, because whom among this trinity is going to confess that he put this all together in order to bamboozle the Lake Geneva City Council? There’s nothing about this annexation that is good for the citizens and residents, or even the visitors to Lake Geneva. The Town of Linn is being completely alienated, along with the city administrator of Williams Bay, the taxes are a nonsense amount compared to the total collected by the city every year, and the extension of sewer services (which are rumored and lied about as already existing) would be crushingly expensive to lay and provide.
What does the City of Lake Geneva get out of the deal? Nothing, except a cheapening of the lake and lousy uncontrolled development along its shores. This has all been done on the down low. Without this paper’s persistent biting resistance, and that of Care for Lake Geneva, this conversion of the Geneva Lake Area into a Dells nightmare might have gone down in silence, its hugely negative effects only coming to the fore when the developments were too far along to stop or change. This attempt to brush the citizen’s aside, and give away the lake shore, is a terrible idea and needs to be fought down to the wire by everyone who loves the crystal clarity of the water, the beauty of Geneva Lake and the surrounding properties.
How can the City even consider such a horrible idea for Lake Geneva. The ducks? How depressing.
How can a Lake Geneva city resident help to prevent Geneva Inn from becoming a Lake Geneva city proprrty???
BE sure to attend every meeting, gather friends, call your district alderperson representative.
Bombard them with your direction.
It takes more than a handful.
They ignore the regulars
Name calling? Childish. Makes me not want to read the article .
Appreciate your comment N.davis,
Isn’t it wonderful we all have the opportunity to read or not read whatever we want.
At least for now in the good ole’ USA
The attorney’s name is Richard Torhorst not Terhorst. It’s right on the glass door of their offices in the picture you published. Minor technicality but thought you should know. So what’s the deal with the water and sewer lines? Are they there already or not? Why can’t the owners of Geneva Inn pay for the cost to bring water & sewer to their facility? If a home owner was building g a new home they would have to pay to connect to the city’s system? And as for the Ducks coming? Who is behind that brain fart? Where is the voice of the current Lady of the Lake boat tour people? Geneva Lake Conservancy? Time to get the DNR involved???
Appreciate your sharp eye on the Typo.
We have corrected it and thank you.
I just love stories like this.
The Geneva Inn wants to grow their business by expanding into other areas. The Town of Linn wants nothing to do with it. The City of Lake Geneva might be interested. Both the city and the Inn see opportunities and are trying to take advantage of those opportunities. Good for them. I find it interesting that some people are dead set against this and will stop at anything to “save” “their lake”. Considering no one OWNS the lake, it’s just as much the Geneva Inn’s lake as it is some guy renting on Grant Street. I also find it interesting that some of the same people who are concerned about the “pristine” lake and how a ski show would ruin it say nothing about the boats lined up on Mortgage Row every weekend acting like they own the place. I, for one, think a ski show (for example) is less of an eyesore than a line of drunken buffoons riding rented jet-skis, but maybe it’s just me.
To maintain the beauty of Geneva Lake for everyone and generations to come development MUST be restricted. Why not follow the lead of Carmel Calif. which in my opinion is one of the most stunningly beautiful, most desirable, livable places on earth.
Please, please, please . . . DO NOT pave paradise! This is NOT ecomonic opportunity but, pure unbridled greed.
Joni Mitchell said it best:
“Big Yellow Taxi”
Lyrics
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Till it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
They took all the trees
And put them in a tree museum
And they charged all the people
A dollar and a half to see ’em
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Till it’s gone
They paved paradise
And they put up a parking lot
Etc.
Thanks for sharing those great lyrics