LITTLE GEMS

The leadership of Lake Geneva finally woke up, with respect to the cashless beach situation.
As reported in two issues of the Geneva Shore Report, the Piers and Harbors committee was the first to come forward with a suggestion that the beach fees go cashless in order to lessen the workload of the ‘poor’ young men and women who run that small stretch of sand every summer. No mention was made of the likelihood that cash might have been  “disappearing” from the system, in the past.

The committee agreed and forwarded the motion to the finance committee. That committee blindly followed the lead of piers and harbors.  And everything stopped there, but it didn’t really.  The beach continued to prepare to go cashless without ever considering that the council had not been submitted to, the plan discussed, or a vote taken.

Committees in Lake Geneva have no statutory or regulatory power to change anything in the city.  Now, the issue is going back to piers and harbors to be resubmitted to the finance committee and then forwarded by that body to the council if it is approved there.  Whew!  Finally, the public will have a say about just how snobby Lake Geneva should continue to grow, as a cashless anything is a direct attack on poor people who may lack the credit or situation to acquire either a debit or credit card (that would be about 24% of the entire U.S. population over the age of 16).  That the beaches around lakes, on rivers, or even the ocean have begun to be pay-as-you-go operations should be considered criminal, like paying extra for luggage on an airplane.

 Place of the Week

The Market of Lake Geneva with some quaint Christmas decorations.