It’s time to save Hillmoor…again!  I recently learned that the Hillmoor property is at risk of being sold.  I was and remain shocked.  The YMCA submitted a ‘letter of intent’ to purchase some of the Hillmoor tract.  Over the last fifteen years the citizens of Lake Geneva have worked together, and attended numerous city council meetings, all to let the city leaders know that this special bit of Lake Geneva land should belong to all of us.  The city councils, over the years, listened and then finally acted to vote in favor of purchasing the property.  This precious green space is, however, at risk again.  Presently, the taxpayers of Lake Geneva own this beautiful property.  As one of those taxpayers who acted to protect this land, I believed that I would eventually have access to the grounds, along with everyone else who worked so long and hard to make this dream come true.

Sadly, this may not be the ultimate case at all. The board of the YMCA is pressuring the present city council to put part of Hillmoor up for sale.  Where did that board get the idea that the citizens who made the purchase possible, and then paid for it, would want to do something like that?  There was no referendum.  There was no bidding.  Why is the city even considering selling any of the property, and doing so by entertaining and then evaluating some sort of restrictive letter of intent?  Why on earth would the good people of Lake Geneva want to “pave paradise and put up a parking lot?”?  The YMCA already has acquired a parcel of property along Edwards Boulevard not far from Badger High School.  Why should they not simply go ahead and build on that land and leave the Hillmoor tract alone?  Once this Hillmoor parcel is gone it’s probably gone forever,

The decision to protect this property for the citizens will rest in the hands of the current city council.  Those citizens who care about the future of the property, hopefully to the depth that I do, please contact the mayor and let her know (262 248 4455… then push zero and ask for the mayor).  Also, please attend the coming city council meetings to speak up and let the leadership know that the wishes of the citizens who paid for the property want the use of that property…and do so before it’s too late.  The city leadership is rushing this sale along as quickly as it can.  Please act before it’s too late.  To save Hillmoor will take another great community effort.

Sonya Dailey, a citizen of the city of Lake Geneva