Surprising Stuff

The BID (Business Improvement District).
With Bridget Leech’s departure from the Business Improvement District (BID) fast approaching a new part-time Events Coordinator for the BID has been selected, with a part-time Administrative position still to be filled soon.  The BID is all about maintaining and enhancing the appeal of the downtown area and Bridget does her job well. The new hires will have big shoes to fill. The eight members consist of half property owners within the BID, and half being managers of businesses within the BID.  Bridget’s position with the BID as Executive Director is the only employee position on the BID. The executive director position will be split into two part-time positions, one will cover events and the other will cover administrative duties. The events position is filled and is just waiting on the final contract to be looked over and signed before any formal announcement is made.

 

Just in: an update from Bob at Bob’s Beach Shack.
The city went around last spring and handed out tickets to any business that was displaying items for sale on, or even close to, the city sidewalk. Bob from Bob’s Beach Shack was one of them. His situation, however, was a little different as the items for sale were displayed in an alcove area that he owned, not the city. He was ticketed anyway. The court date was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, December 10th, at 11:30 at Lake Geneva’s municipal court. On Monday the 9th, he received a call from the clerk of courts stating that the situation had been voluntarily dismissed (not by him).

After spending many hours researching the law and having prepared a rebuttal and having formed the intent to charge the city with unreasonable restraint of trade, Bob was confused and disappointed by this outcome. After thinking a moment, it became clear this was not a win for him, but a win for the city. It seems the city is attempting to change the situation so it can continue to monitor and control what can and cannot be done in Bob’s alcove or storefront that projects out before it.

 

As the public has demanded!
The Hillmoor Open House was held last Thursday at Badger High School. The open house was well attended, with seventy-one members of the community filling the room, including the mayor and several city officials. Not surprisingly, the owner of the Hillmoor property was again a no show. The three options were presented once more.

Questions and comments followed quickly at the end of the presentation. Dimitri Anagnos, owner of the iconic Popeye’s restaurant on Wrigley Drive and local activist for Lake Geneva, commented on the flavor of the presentation and how it seemed to lean towards the first two options. Many pros were pointed out for the two options allowing development. The third option included no real changes to the Hillmoor property and was presented as a negative option.

The applause that followed Dimitri’s comment confirmed that many others felt the same. Why is it being presented to the public this way?  This has been the big question along with why is the city so adamant about encouraging so much development? City officials tried to sneak in a vote last week with a special planning commission meeting regarding the discussion and recommendation (a vote) on the three concept plans, but that meeting was adjourned immediately following the public’s comments.

The next discussion and recommendation of which preferred concept for the Hillmoor comprehensive plan will be tomorrow Thursday, December 12th, at 6 p.m. in the city council chambers.

 

Spring Election. The upcoming election this spring looks like it could get exciting and may bring changes to Lake Geneva. The talk around town is that several candidates will be running opposed. The candidacy paperwork for Spring Election 2020 is available at the front counter of Lake Geneva City Hall or on the city website. Candidates started last week on December 1st, circulating nomination paperwork and obtaining signatures.

All paperwork is due no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, January 7th to the city

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