Living Lake Country

The elected chief executives of three Lake Country municipalties agreed Tuesday night to explore the feasibility of sharing the costs of administering government and delivering services in their respective communities.

The elected leaders of the villages of Merton and Sussex and the Town of Lisbon said cost sharing may be one way the three municipalities can control costs while maintaining, or improving, the delivery of services.

They met in the conference room of the Village of Sussex Fire Department along with one elected member from each community's governing board to explore the possibility of sharing services and costs.

The group agreed to meet again in early October to discuss each communities proposed 2009 budget and whether costs for specific goods and services within those budgets can be shared.

For example, the municipalities may be able to reduce road maintenance costs by including all of their road repair projects on a single bid letting, according to Sussex Village President Tony Lapcinski.

Lapcinski said the municipalities should also explore sharing the purchase of supplies and equipment and possibly creating a health insurance consortium.

Lisbon Town Chairman Michael Reed added that the municipalities should also explore sharing financial, legal, planning, engineering and tax assessment consultants rather than the municipalities each hiring different contractors to provide the services.

Lisbon Town Supervisor  Joe Osterman added the municipalities could save money by sharing, rather than duplicating, the purchase and use of expensive fire, emergency medical, and public works equipment.

 Merton Village President Bob Weber said state and county authorities are expecting villages and towns to provide more services without giving the municipalities additional revenues to pay for the added services.

Merton Village Trustee Ron Reinowski added that constituents are expecting a higher level of service from the local governments but will not support tax increases to pay for them.

"If our three small communities do not cooperate and work together more, we are going to be in trouble in the future, we may not make it," Weber said.

The group appeared to rule out the three communities merging into a larger, single municipality or consolidating some of the municipal service departments.

Sussex Village Trustee Gregory Goetz said the committee would be wasting its time discussing merging the communities or "trying to close down a fire department, or getting everybody to work out of one public works garage, because they are not going to happen."

"We have to start by taking little steps," he said.

Former Oconomowoc resident Laura *** won Olympic gold with her United States equestrian team Monday, winning a jump-off against Canada to take top honors.

The competition, which features disciplines in horse riding, took place in Hong Kong.

The teams had tied after two rounds with 20 penalty points each at the equestrian venue in Hong Kong.

Milwaukee native Beezie Madden, ***, Ward McClain and Will Simpson comprised the American squad. ***, 42, who now resides in Florida, also qualified with 34 others for the individual final, ranking 12th.

City of Delafield - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the city have reached a compromise over DNR's plans to plant grass and vegetation seeds on the mud flats created by drainage of the mill pond of Margaret Zerwekh's Nemahbin Roller Mill Dam located at Main Street and Mill Road.

The mill pond has been slowly receding as a result of DNR ordering that boards in the dam spill way be removed to gradually drain the pond in order to relieve presssure on the dam after flooding in June and July threatened the stability of the dam, according to state officials.

Two weeks ago, the Common Council delayed DNR's plans by refusing to allow the agency to plant grass and vegatation seed on city right of way located between the pond shore line and the property line of homeowners residing along the pond.

DNR officials said they wanted to plant grass and vegatation in order to stablize the newly created banks of the Bark River and to reduce the amount sediment that would flow from the bottom of the mill pond down stream into the Nemahbin Lakes.

City alderpersons said they did not want the mud flats seeded with grass and vegatation that might interfere with the restoration of the pond in the event the dam was repaired rather than removed.

Some homeowners who live along the pond have objected to DNR's plans to issue Zerwekh a permit to remove the dam.

Zerwekh says she wants the dam removed because she cannot afford build a new spillway on the dam that has been described as a "high hazard" by the state because of the potential loss of lives and property if the dam failed.

Jim McNelly of the DNR told the Common Council Monday night that an agreement had been reached. City officials had agreed to allow the department to  plant winter wheat on the city right of way and land owned by the objecting property owners.

The winter wheat would die this year and would be replanted next year, if necessary, McNelly said.

The mixture of grass and vegatation seed that DNR originally intended to use would be planted on mud flats along Zerwekh's property.

The seeding was completed last week, according to McNelly.

City of Delafield - The Common Council unanimously approved Monday night the sale of $8.9 million in bonds most of which will pay for the construction of the first phase of a new downtown local government complex.

City Financial Advisor Philip Cosson of Ehlers said interest costs on the loan will be about $275,000 less than anticipated.

He emphasized that the reduced interest costs do not represent a revenue windfall for the city but rather a reduction of the amount of taxes expected to be required to pay off the loan over 20 years.

Cosson said interest payments will be lower than anticipated because of the size of the bond issuance, fluxuations within the bond market, and the city's strong bond rating; all of which attracted national as well as regional financial insititutions bidding for the bonds.

FTN Financial Capital Markets of Memphis Tennessee offered the lowest bid package with interest rates at about 4.1 percent and net interest cost of $4,926,362.

Moody's Investors Service assigned the city as Aa3 bond rating which it said "reflects the city's continued healty financial performance, affluent and growing tax base favorable located between Milwaukee and Madison, and a manageable debt profile despite additional borrowing."

The city will use $7.2 million of the money to construct next year a new public safety building for police and fire departments and remodel the Department of Public Works Garage on West Main Street.

Another $5.2 will borrowed in late 2009 to build a new city hall and library civic center at the existing City Hall site on Genesee Street. The $12.4 million in capital projects was approved by voters earlier this year.

The remaining $1.7million will be used on various capital improvement projects such as the annual street resurfacing program and the purchase of heavy equipment.

The city's total outstanding general obligation debt is $18.6 million, according to Moody's.

Waukesha - The man who pretended to bring a bomb into Pewaukee City Hall last month was found competent to stand trial this afternoon.

A court-appointed psychiatrist concluded Malcolm W. Richards II, 28, of Village of Pewaukee, was competent, said Waukesha County Circuit Court Commissioner Martin Binn.

"The doctor's report was he (Richards) was competent to stand trial at this time," Binn said.

Binn asked Richards if he concurred with the report and Richards said yes. Richards is charged with armed robbery and bomb scare.

Richards is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 4 for a preliminary hearing.

According to the criminal complaint, Richards said he wanted to overthrow the government and demanded a gun and police squad. Richards claimed he had "orders from God" and "angelic type beings" to overthrow the government.

Richards went to City Hall at about 4:15 a.m. July 28 and hid in the restroom and left a note near the door, according to the complaint.

At about 9:20 a.m., a city officer noticed a note on the floor outside the bathroom door, according to the criminal complaint. The note said he had a bomb strapped to him and demanded a weapon, the keys to a squad car and be taken to the vehicle.
.

Richards eventually surrendered to SWAT members who used pepper spray in the bathroom, the complaint said.

Richards was taken into custody and authorities found he did not have a bomb on him.

Richards admitted to making the pretend bomb by taking a vest from a jacket, putting a hole in it and connecting wires from the jacket to a cell phone charger.
Richards wanted to go to Madison first and then Washington, D. C., to "shoot "congressmen and senators." Richards described himself as a "political radical" and a "Masonic Jew who is openly opposed to the government," the complaint said.

Richards is being held on $100,000 cash bail. 
 

The Governor is making a deal with incoming high school freshmen:  "you do your part, we'll do ours."

  Freshmen have until Sept. 30 to sign the agreement known as   the ‘Wisconsin Covenant,' whereby students meet certain criteria in exchange for special recognition and other benefits.   

   Students who sign the covenant form promise to maintain a B average through high school graduation, stay out of trouble, perform community service, meet college entrance requirements and apply for financial aid in a timely manner.

    In return for keeping the Covenant pledge, each of the Wisconsin Covenant Scholars will earn a spot in either the University of Wisconsin System, the Wisconsin Technical College System, or at one of the state's 20 private, nonprofit, and independent colleges. 

   Additionally, the state will   hold up its end of the bargain to provide financial assistance to meet their family's determined needs.

   "The Wisconsin Covenant is a program that had its intent that they wanted kids in the state of Wisconsin from freshman year on to take very seriously their academic pursuits," said Oconomowoc High School Principal Joseph Moylan.

   "They need to maintain a certain grade point average and make a commitment to be college ready," Moylan added.

  The principal said the pledge is a way of recognizing that that academic success is important as soon as you set foot in high school.

   "This is one more piece of recognition for colleges to consider in the admission process," Moylan added.

   The Wisconsin Covenant is open to incoming freshmen at all public, private and parochial schools.

  One of the components of the pledge includes a commitment to 30 hours of community service throughout their high school career, which can be completed in a number of ways.

   The student may be involved in extra curricular activities that contain an element of community service and be able to document at least 30 hours of service; or the student can be involved in a school sponsored service learning experience that meets a high school graduation requirement; or the student can design his/her own service learning experience and shared results and reflections with teachers and peers, according to information from the Governor's office.

   In order to fulfill this part of the pledge, the student must also not have been convicted of a felony or serious misdemeanor and not have been permanently expelled from any school.

   If the student was suspended, in-school or out-of-school, at any time during high school, the student will need to demonstrate substantial personal growth through letters of recommendation by members of their community or school.

   The high school principal will verify the elements of the pledge.

    Students must file the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the end of February of their senior year to be recognized as a Wisconsin Covenant Scholar.  All students are encouraged to do this anyway, regardless of if they participate in the Wisconsin Covenant program, but it is a requirement of the Wisconsin Covenant Pledge.  Wisconsin Covenant Students would be eligible for grants from the Wisconsin Covenant Foundation.  Those grants will also be based on need.

   "Twenty and thirty years from now we know our state will need a new generation of entrepreneurs, engineers, teachers, researchers, and highly-skilled professionals in order to succeed.  Now is the critical time to invest in that generation," Governor Doyle said.

   "The Wisconsin Covenant encourages students to start thinking about the grades they need, the classes they need to take, and the role they need to play in their community starting on day one of high school.  The Covenant is a promise that if students work hard and live up to their end of the bargain, I'll make sure that the state does our part. We'll make sure students have a place in higher education, and a financial aid package based on their families' financial needs," he continued.

   "The Wisconsin Covenant will make college more affordable for hard-working students and their families, but it is about much more than that.  It's about raising standards, rewarding hard work, and motivating students.  Too many kids today think that college is just some distant abstraction, or something that only rich people do.  Our goal is to make sure every young person knows that if he or she works hard, college will be an option for them.  If they do their part, we'll do ours," Doyle added.

   "The Covenant message is clear: higher education is in the reach of every hard-working student in Wisconsin, regardless of financial circumstances," the Governor said.

For more information, students can ask their counselors or administrators, or check online at

http://www.wisconsincovenant.wi.gov/

 A local fitness club owner is hoping that an upcoming walk/run will do more than get people on their feet; he is hoping it will get state legislators moving too.

Kevin Ellis of Parker's Place Fitness, is holding a 5k walk/run on Sept. 20 to honor former Oconomowoc High School Associate Principal Jennifer Bukosky and her daughter Courtney Bella, who were killed earlier this year when the vehicle they were riding in was struck by a SUV driven by a man alleged to be under the influence of pills, according to authorities.

Just two days prior to that fatal accident, the man stood in court facing sentencing on his third drunken driving offense.

Ellis knew Bukosky though a connection they shared with their children in a local soccer program and the news about the accident stunned him.

 "It upset my whole weekend, especially how it happened. I too have been hit by someone under the influence. It's a helpless and hopeless feeling. You feel angry and helpless because they get to do it a second, third, fourth, fifth - 112^th time," Ellis said.

The incident propelled Ellis into action to do something that would help on several fronts.

"I had been thinking of doing a 5k since I've been here, and that's going on five years, but I never did. So I thought what if I did that for a few reasons: 1) so our legislature knows we're sick and tired of this and they will put laws into effect 2) kids are aware and educated 3) whatever money raised after expenses go to a scholarship of some sort for children in the class Courtney would graduated in," Ellis said.

He discovered that foundations had already been established with that intent, so Ellis went forward with his plan.

"I said that's what we'll do. The only date available in Sept. was the 20^th that did not conflict with a football game or other school activity.

"My goal is to get 5,000 people out there," Ellis said.

"At the time of the event everyone will get wristbands to show solidarity that we are sick and tired of it (driving under the influence). It's to show strong support and hopefully the right people will notice and do something about this," he continued.

"I had someone say everyone makes a mistake once, but it only takes once. This is bigger than Jennifer and Courtney. They were the straw that broke the camel's back," Ellis added.

Ellis made sure that the course for the walk/run was planned to allow the greatest number of people to participate.

"It's a 5k walk/run, but also a mile walk for those who can't do a 5k. We'll start at the high school. There is a 3.1 mile course that has been designed that is very flat. The purpose is so that anyone can do it. That was the most important thing to me," Ellis said.

The route then goes over to Roosevelt Park and winds up and around Bolson and then back to OHS.

Runners go off first at 8:30, followed by the three-mile walkers at 8:35 a.m., and then at 8:42 a.m., the one mile walkers will begin.

"I want to thank First Bank for sponsoring a part of this," he said.

Ellis believes the timing of the event is important.

"The emotion will be gone, but the anger will still be there. Someone brought to my attention that people still feel it hasn't been brought full circle. Putting this walk/run on at that time is the perfect thing to do," he said.

"I'm not going to change the world, I'm just a voice," Ellis added.

Entry fees for the event will be $25 for adults, $10 for children.

For more information on the 5k walk run, call Parker's Place Fitness at 567-0632.

Hartland - Lakeside School District - The Hartland - Lakeside School District will hold its annual meeting tonight where the 2008-09 tax levy will be adopted. 

The budget hearing will take place at 6:30 p.m. tonight, Monday, August 18 in the Board Room at North Shore Middle School, 800 North Shore Dr. in Hartland.  The annual meeting will follow at 7 p.m. in the district conference room. 

Pewaukee School District - The Pewaukee School District will hold their annual meeting tonight to adopt a tax levy for the 2008-09 school year.

The meeting will be held in the Pewaukee High School Auditorium at 510 Lake Street in Pewaukee.

Schedule of events:

6:30 p.m. - Regular School Board meeting

7 p.m. - Official budget hearing

7:30 p.m. Annual meeting

Kettle Moraine's varsity girls golf team captured the championship last Friday at the Watertown Invitational at Watertown Country Club last week. It was the first time in school history the Lasers captured the Watertown title.

KM won the crown with 356 strokes. Divine Savior Holy Angels was a distant second at 385.

Senior Jackie Shepherd of the Lasers was medalist for the day with a score of 7-over-par 79. She won the title by two strokes over Tory Bauman of Nicolet.

Other KM scores were April Ohlendorf with 83, Katie McCann 94, Anna Vollbrecht 100 and Abbie Sidders 102. Ohlendorf was third overall and McCann was fifth.

The Brookfield Bulldogs, regular season champions in the Land O' Lakes Western Division baseball league, captured the postseason tournament championship Sunday afternoon by defeating visiting West Bend in the title game, 8-6.

By winning, the Bulldogs earned the right to represent the Western Division in this weekend's LOL Grand Championships. Brookfield will host Southwest Division winner Waterford this Saturday at McCoy Field at 1:30 p.m. On Sunday, Brookfield will play at Butler at the same time.

Other playoff games this weekend will find Eastern Divsion champion Butler playing at North Division champion Cedarburg on Saturday and Cedarburg playing at Waterford on Sunday. All playoff games will begin at 1:30 p.m.

Greg Basthemer pitched all nine innings for Brookfield on Sunday. It was his first complete game of the year. K.C. Pinsoneault and Bill Lucyshyn drove in two runs each for the Bulldogs. Ernest Castro and D.J. Cartledge had two hits apiece for the winners. Aaron Kastner and Jed Justman had two hits each for West Bend.

Wisconsin residents have one month to register for disaster help for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

The deadline for residents to apply for disaster assistance for damages or losses caused by storms and flooding is Monday, September 15, 2008.

People who have registered with the American Red Cross or other volunteer and civic agencies also must register with FEMA if they want access to the wide array of federal and state aid that becomes available when a major disaster is declared by the president.

Call 1-800-621-FEMA or TTY-1-800-462-7585.  Register on line at www.fema.gov.

Waukesha - A City of Pewaukee man, already convicted six times for drunken driving, was charged Friday in the Aug. 1 fatal crash that killed an Elm Grove man and injured two others.

Daniel P. Henningsen, 42, of W223 N2325 Glenwood Lane, made his initial appearance in Waukesha County Circuit Court Friday and is being held on $1 million bail. Henningsen is charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, two counts of drunken driving while causing injury, seventh or more drunken driving, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, driving with a revoked driver's license and four counts related to driving with a prohibited alcohol levels. Henningsen is scheduled to appear in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing.

Henningsen was driving west on Capitol Drive in the City of Brookfield when his Oldsmobile van struck a Jeep at Mountain Drive at about 12:15 a.m., according to the criminal complaint. Pronounced dead at the scene was William E. Gray, 51, of Elm Grove. Gray's wife, Kelley and his sister-in-law, Lori Borden were injured. They were taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

Henningsen had to be extricated from his van and was taken by helicopter to Froedtert Hospital where he underwent surgery for his injuries. A blood sample showed Henningsen had a blood-alcohol level of 0.194. A level of 0.08 is considered evidence of intoxication in adult drivers in Wisconsin. People with three or more drunken driving convictions are prohibited from driving with a level of 0.02 or higher.

Police also found a homemade marijuana pipe and a bag containing 7.6 grams of marijuana in Henningsen's van, the compliant said. A drug test showed Henningsen did have marijuana in his system, the complaint said.

Police determined the Oldsmobile was traveling at about 63 mph at the time of impact, the complaint said. Data from the van's air bag control module showed the van was traveling at 70 mph prior to the brakes being applied, the complaint said. The speed limit on Capitol Drive is 50 mph.

Henningsen was arrested for drunken driving in February 1998, August 2002, May 2003, November 2003, December 2003 and February 2005. Henningsen was convicted of drunken driving in February 1998, February 2003, March 2004, October 2004, and twice in April 2005.
 

Eastbound commuters on Highway 16 should anticipate the possibility of delays because of construction work while enroute to Interstate 94.

Traffic was nearly bumper to bumper this morning at 7:30 a.m. on the approximately  two mile stretch between the Jungbluth Road interchange and the Highways 83 interchange.

There were also earlier reports of delays along Highway 16 east to Calhoun Road in Brookfield.

Much of Highway 16 through Lake Country has been reduced to one east and west bound lane because of repairs being completed on bridge overpasses along the highway.

Village of Pewaukee - After 9-1/2 weeks swimming at Lakefront Park is once again permitted.

Tests have shown the level of the toxic blue-green algae have dropped to a level where the lake is again safe to swim in, according  to a press release from the village. The e-coli levels have been tested and are safe as well.

Swimming in the lake became prohibited June 9 when the lake flooded the downtown. After the waters receded the blue-green algae was discovered and the beach and lake remained closed. The beach was later reopened but swimming continued to be prohibited with the presence of the algae.

According to the Department of Natural Resources, the blue-green algae can produce toxic substances that can cause humans or animals to experience illness or other health effects if there is skin contact with the toxins.

Although the beach will be open for swimming, due to the length of closure, there will be no lifeguards on duty for the remainder of the summer. Therefore swimming will be at the person's own risk, according  to the release.

The beach will close for the season after Labor Day weekend.

School might not be in session quite yet, but there's plenty of art and history to enjoy. 

The Donna Lexa Memorial Art Fair runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday along the Glacial Drumlin State Trail, featuring fine arts and crafts for sale, food, children's activities, music and a used book sale.  Oconomowoc also celebrates fine art during the Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts at Fowler Park, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Historic camps featuring armies and wars from the Roman Legions through the latest international conflicts will be depicted during the War Re-enactment at Lisbon Community Park, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.  Anyone interested in the origins of baseball can watch and old-fashioned game of base ball (as it was once called) at Old World Wisconsin, as the Eagle Diamonds take on the Milwaukee Grays, 1:30 p.m. Sunday. 

Looking for some basic summer fun?  Check out these weekend happenings:

• The Old World County Fair recreates an authentic 1860s event with food, livestock judging, music, children's games and more, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Old World Wisconsin.
• Support the Ixonia Lions Club during their Town & Country Days festival, featuring a parade, car show, children's games, entertainment and of course, food and beverages, 4 p.m. to midnight Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday at Ixonia Fireman's Park.
• Hidden treasures await your discovery at the Maxwell Street Days Flea Market, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Field Park in Mukwonago.

Arrowhead High School - The Arrowhead High School Broadway Company's production of "Cats" was nationally recognized for an outstanding musical when they were named 2008 USA WEEKEND HSM Showstopper.

USA WEEKEND invited high schools, parents and students to enter the second annual event, the only national recognition of high school musicals, according to the magazine. 

Superintendent Craig Jefson said the school received notice earlier last week that they had won the national award.  He said he was told there will be an award ceremony sometime in August or September.  USA WEEKEND has yet to release the results of this year's competition. 

"It was a phenomenal performance," Jefson said of "Cats" that ran from Oct. 15-21, 2007. 

USA WEEKEND's competition had two different categories this year - one for general musicals and another category just for productions of Disney's "High School Musical,"

Earlier this summer, the magazine announced Arrowhead's production was one of three finalists vying for the top prize. 

At the end of May, USA WEEKEND reported, "We've already received several productions of "Cats" this year, and the Broadway Company of Arrowhead Union High's could be the cat's meow.  The students spent their whole spring and summer of last year preparing for their fall musical, and it looks they're ready to pounce on the competition."

The results will be announced in the September 2009 issue to over 50 million readers, according to USA WEEKEND.    

Village of Hartland - Hartland police are seeking the driver of a vehicle that caused a chain reaction accident on Highway 16 Thursday morning that injured two people.

According to a police department press release:

The driver of a vehicle in the eastbound lane of Highway 16 slammed on the brakes over North Avenue forcing a 46-year-old Oconomowoc man to do the same. The action led to a chain reaction crash involving eight vehicles. The driver of the vehicle that initially hit the brakes continued to drive on.

The crash occurred in a construction zone where traffic was limited to one lane on the bridge over North Avenue.

Injured were a 41-year-old Watertown man and a 44-year-old Oconomowoc woman, who complained of injuries but were not taken to a hospital by ambulance.

A 48-year-old Reeseville woman suffered an unknown injury and was taken by ambulance to Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital by the Hartland Fire Department.
A 47-year-old Watertown man, a 69-year-old Oconomowoc man, a 65-years old Nashotah man and a 47-year-old Oconomowoc man were also involved in the crash but were not injured.

Two vehicles had to be towed from the scene and traffic was rerouted for about an hour before the highway was reopened.