THE BRIGHT SIDE

The Hillmoor Ad Hoc Committee has been dissolved.
The item to dissolve the committee was placed on the city council meeting agenda by Mayor Krause and was met with much support. The vote came in at 7-1. So, this problematic committee made up of problematic members, has gone the way of an old beach fire.  Ashes to ashes.  The Hillmoor property is the crown jewel in many residents’ eyes and the mayor agrees. The mayor did state that the Ad Hoc committee has served its purpose, and it is time to move forward. Mayor Krause did show gratitude and thanked all the ad hoc members for the time, effort, and research they put in, it has not gone unnoticed.

The new committee will be run as a regular city meeting with public comments, and voting, and will be televised. This new committee is expected to be up and running in about six weeks and members will be made up of qualifying applications from citizens. Hillmoor does not yet have a master plan but does have a lot of potential uses. The new committee will be a vital part of the plan as will the other city committees, boards, and council. The public will have the final say on plans through referendums.

This is an exciting step for the property and all who will use it. Saturday was the official ribbon cutting for Hillmoor so the public can now enjoy the land. The property will be run like a park, so all city park rules apply. There has not been a lot done to the property yet, but there are some old golf cart paths that have been cleaned up and are being used as walking trails with signage. It’s quite something to see so much happen in the short time the newly elected city officials have had and it’s easy to see the gratitude the public has for that. The property is expected to go through many changes as it grows into what it will be, and the Hillmoor Committee will be there every step of the way.

The Lagoon is set for seawall repairs.
Last week the city council gave the final approval for the work to be done. The three bids received on the seawall project came in March of 2021and one was chosen. The successful bidder is CK Contractors out of Union Grove Wisconsin with a contract price estimated at $48,413.50. The seawall repairs are long overdue unlike several other lagoon improvements needed. The seawall work includes many aspects including common excavation, removal and installation of sidewalks, pipe underdrain, sediment control, erosion mat, drain and inline drain basins, lagoon seawall repairs, and restoration to all disturbed areas.

A couple of years back the lagoon underwent a full assessment and discussion began regarding the lagoon and all the work needed. The unsafe and poorly maintained piers have been removed and redesign and installation are on the table and are not expected to happen this season. The boat slip renters in the lagoon are not happy. Originally, they were told there would be a delay in the season now it is not happening at all this summer. The city will refund the payments and give them free boat launches at the Lake Geneva Municipal Pier and Boat Launch.

The dam and the seawall were also a part of that discussion. The dam, however, is not owned by the city but the seawall on the south side of the lagoon from the bridge to the spillway is. Originally the plan was to do the seawall repairs at the same time as the dam repairs, but the dam work has been pushed back. The city felt the work should happen sooner rather than later and could not wait until the dam project was approved. The plan is to have the repairs done this year. The dates and details on when and how the project will be started and completed will be available soon.