Committee of the Whole Meeting — Agenda Packet

October 5, 2026 Committee of the Whole Agenda 1 City of Lake Geneva, 626 Geneva St, Lake Geneva, WI 53147-262.248.3673-www.cityoflakegeneva.gov Committee of the Whole Agenda Monday, October 5, 2026 - 6:00 PM Lake Geneva City Hall; Council Chambers Members: Council President: Cindy Yager Council Vice-President: Cathy Stoodley Alderpersons: JaNelle Powers, Sherri Ames, Linda Frame, Mary Jo Fesenmaier, Brian Smith and Joel Hoiland 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Roll Call 4. Approval of the Committee of the Whole Minutes from August 3, 2026, and September 9, 2026 5. Comments from the public as allowed by Wis. Stats. §19.84(2). Comments will be limited to 5 minutes. Be further advised that matters brought up at this time may be referred to the appropriate committee or individual for further discussion and consideration. 6. Presentation: Changing the City Attorney from an elected position to an appointed position; presented by Dan Draper, City Attorney a. Question and Answer Session: Alders b. Question and Answer Session: Public 7. City Administrator's Report 8. Discussion/Possible Referral regarding the agenda item request process for alders as described in various sections of Chapters 2 and 54 of the City of Lake Geneva Municipal Code 9. Reports Received from Alders for Standing Committees, City Committee, Commissions, and Boards & other Boards and Committees with Council Representation Personnel Committee Piers, Harbors and Lakefront Committee Public Works Committee Utility Commission Plan Commission Library Board Tree Board Cemetery Board Board of Park Commissioners Hillmoor Commission Historic Preservation Commission Tourism Commission Avian Committee VISIT Lake Geneva Geneva Lake Museum Lake Geneva Economic Dev Corp Geneva Lake Environmental Agency Geneva Lakes Family YMCA Geneva Lake Use Business Improvement District 10. Adjournment Page 1 of 36 October 5, 2026 Committee of the Whole Agenda 2 A quorum of the Council may be present; however, no official Council action will be taken. Requests from persons with disabilities who need assistance to participate in this meeting should be made to the City Clerk’s office in advance so that the appropriate accommodations can be made. Page 2 of 36 August 3, 2026 Committee of the Whole Minutes 1 City Of Lake Geneva Committee Of The Whole Minutes Monday, August 3, 2026 - 6:00 PM Lake Geneva City Hall; Council Chambers Call to Order Alderperson Yager called the meeting to order at 6:00pm Pledge of Allegiance Alderperson Powers led the Committee in the Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call Present: Yager, Stoodley, Ames, Fesenmaier, Hoiland, Powers, Smith Absent: Frame Approval of the Committee of the Whole Minutes from June 1, 2026 Motion by Ames to approve, second by Stoodley. No discussion, motion carried 7-0. Comments from the public as allowed by Wis. Stats. §19.84(2). Comments will be limited to 5 minutes. Be further advised that matters brought up at this time may be referred to the appropriate committee or individual for further discussion and consideration. Rick Bailey, resident; spoke on his background and his campaign points for the upcoming Wisconsin State Assembly district 32 race. Andrea Christian, resident; spoke on accessibility, upcoming cuts to federal, state, and county programs, and potential effects on the federal and local economy. Peg Esposito, resident; spoke on the upcoming Friends of Hillmoor events and programs and upcoming Hillmoor Commission meetings. Presentation: Library Outreach and Accessibility Initiatives and Youth Literacy Work - Maria Cordova and Wendy Finley Maria Cordova and Wendy Finley gave a presentation focusing on new initiatives and programs including satelitte and pop-up locations, youth literacy programs, summer programs, and information from the board and director. The Committe members thanked the library and praised them for all of their hard work. Presentation: Room Tax Information - Corporate Officer, Lake Lawn Resort, Dave Sekeres Dave Sekeres from Lake Lawn Resort gave a presentation on room tax in relation to Tourism Commissions, Tourism Entities, state statutes, and details specific to the City of Lake Geneva. Questions and discussion followed between the Committee and Mr. Sekeres. Reports Received from Alders for Standing Committees, City Committee, Commissions, and Boards & other Boards and Committees with Council Representation Personnel Committee Piers, Harbors and Lakefront Committee Public Works Committee Utility Commission Plan Commission Library Board Tree Board Cemetery Board Board of Park Commissioners Hillmoor Commission Historic Preservation Commission Tourism Commission Avian Committee VISIT Lake Geneva Geneva Lake Museum Lake Geneva Economic Dev Corp Geneva Lake Environmental Agency Geneva Lakes Family YMCA Geneva Lake Use Business Improvement District Page 3 of 36 August 3, 2026 Committee of the Whole Minutes 2 Alderpersons Fesenmaier, Ames, Stoodley, and Yager provided various updates on Committee, Commission, and Board activity. Adjournment Motion by Ames to adjourn, second by Stoodley. No discussion. Motion carried 7-0 on a voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 7:27 pm. These minutes are unofficial until approved by the Committee. Vanessa Jahns Deputy City Clerk Page 4 of 36 September 9, 2026 Committee of the Whole Minutes 1 City Of Lake Geneva Committee Of The Whole Minutes Wednesday, September 9, 2026 - 6:01 PM Lake Geneva City Hall; Council Chambers Call to Order Alderperson Yager called the meeting to order at 6:05 pm. Pledge of Allegiance Alderperson Hoiland led the Committee in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call Present: Yager, Stoodley, Powers, Ames, Frame, Fesenmaier, Smith, Hoiland Absent: None Approval of the Committee of the Whole Minutes from No minutes noted on the agenda or included in the packet. August minutes will be included for approval at October meeting. Comments from the public as allowed by Wis. Stats. §19.84(2). Comments will be limited to 5 minutes. Be further advised that matters brought up at this time may be referred to the appropriate committee or individual for further discussion and consideration. None. Presentations Swift Night Out; Sarah McConnell, Avian Committee Chairperson Sarah McConnell, Chairperson of the Avian Committee spoke on the Swift Night Out event taking place on Thursday, September 10, 2026. Hillmoor Ecological Restoration Plan; Clay Frazer, Native Range Ecological (NRE) Clay Frazer from Native Range Ecological gave a presentation on the Hillmoor Ecological Restoration Plan. City Administrator Report City Administrator DeAngelis spoke on potential future trainings and changing the attorney position from an elected position to an appointed position. Questions and discussion followed on the design of modules and interest levels on the various available trainings. Administrator DeAngelis recommended that if the Council wants to change the attorney position to appointed, the attorney should come back to the Committee of the Whole in October and present the topic. Discussion followed on the possibility of having a general questions/discussion topic if it was not on the agenda. General discussion followed between the committee members and administrator DeAngelis regarding using Committee of the Whole as a more collaborative informal meeting with discussion. Discussion regarding City of Lake Geneva Municipal Code Section 2.42(c): Items referred to the Council by two Aldermen, Mayor, Administrator, Committees, boards, or commissions are included in the agenda Alderperson Yager introduced the item for discussion, speaking on needing clarification in order to be more efficient. General discussion followed between committee members and the city administrator regarding specific situations, such as wording of agenda item requests, requesting repeated business that has already been acted on, and discussion only vs discussion/action items. Fesenmaier suggests Discussion/Possible Referral in the agenda item requests instead of Discussion/Action. Further discussion followed on specific boundaries or details for a policy regarding agenda item requests and adjusting the form and process of the Alder Request Form to mirror the Agenda Memo Form used by staff. Yager summarized that the Committee should figure out a way to accommodate the agenda item requests while having more open discussion, and asked the Mayor and staff to take a look at the topic, come up with ideas to address the issue, and to bring this topic back to Committee of the Whole in the future for further discussion. Page 5 of 36 September 9, 2026 Committee of the Whole Minutes 2 Reports Received from Alders for Standing Committees, City Committee, Commissions, and Boards & other Boards and Committees with Council Representation Alderperson Powers updated that the Historic Preservation and Cemetery Board met together and came up with an idea for Historic Markers in the Cemeteries program. The program will start with 10 individuals in the Pioneer Cemetery and eventually expand into Oakhill Cemetery. Alderperson Stoodley spoke on the project status of Cook Street, Broad and Dodge Streets stop signs, and maintenance of the fountain in Driehaus Plaza. Alderperson Ames requested that reports be included for all bodies listed on the agenda, even if no meeting has taken place. Alderperson Fesenmaier asked about the Parking Shuttle, and the Cemetery Board meeting times. Alderperson Yager provided details on the waitlist discussed recently at the Piers, Harbors, and Lakefront Committee. Personnel Committee Piers, Harbors and Lakefront Committee Public Works Committee Utility Commission Plan Commission Library Board Tree Board Cemetery Board Board of Park Commissioners Hillmoor Commission Historic Preservation Commission Tourism Commission Avian Committee VISIT Lake Geneva Geneva Lake Museum Lake Geneva Economic Dev Corp Geneva Lake Environmental Agency Geneva Lakes Family YMCA Geneva Lake Use Business Improvement District Adjournment Motion by Ames to adjourn, second by Stoodley. No discussion. Motion carried 8-0 on a voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 7:45 pm. Vanessa Jahns Deputy City Clerk These minutes are unofficial until approved by the Committee. Page 6 of 36 Agenda Memo 09/28/2026 3:54 PM (CDT) Agenda Memo Review and Approval Procedure Please review the procedure document before proceeding. Select the Appropriate Meeting Level for Your Item Initial Request Committee Committee of the Whole Brief Subject Title Appointed City Attorney Agenda Item Wording Presentation: Changing the city attorney from an elected position to an appointed position presented by Dan Draper, City Attorney to include questions and answers from members of the committee and the public. Submitted By Daniel S. Drapr Submitter Email Address ddraper@cityoflakegeneva.gov Purpose of Committee Request General Business Background / Request Changing the City Attorney from an elected position to an appointed position requires a change to the charter ordinance for the city of Lake Geneva. It is recommended that the city council adopt a resolution to place it on the ballots in April of 2027. To do so the resolution and proposed charter ordinance must be passed and a referendum question presented to Walworth County by January 26, 2027, so it can be placed on the spring ballot on the first Tuesday of April. Does Item Have a Fiscal/Budget Impact? N/A Does Item Have Ordinance or Policy Implications orChanges? Yes Detail The ordinances of the city of Lake Geneva will have to be amended making the city attorney an appointed position to an elected position if the electorate choose to make the position an appointed position. Possible Motion Refer to the City Council for further discussion and action. Necessary Attachments Memo Re Referendum Question Making City Attorney an Appointed Position - 9-22-2026.docx Charter Ordinance changing City Attorney from an Elected Position to an Appointed Position - 09-22-2026.docx Referendum Questions and Resolution to make City Attorney an appointed position instead of an elected position - 09 Page 1/2 Page 7 of 36 Agenda Memo Final Approval - City Admin 09/30/2026 4:22 PM (CDT)Approved by David De Angelis (cityadmin@cityoflakegeneva.gov) Administration Approval City Administrator Date of Review 09/30/2026 City Administrator Additional Comments None City Administrator Signature Page 2/2 Page 8 of 36 MEMORANDUM TO: Committee of the Whole FROM: City Attorney, Daniel S. Draper DATE: September 30, 2026 RE: Changing the City Attorney from an Elected Position to an Appointed Position The following is a memorandum regarding changing the City Attorney from an elected position to an appointed position. The last time it was proposed to change the City Attorney from an elected position to an appointed position was in 2006. A resolution and a charter ordinance were presented to the City Council, and it failed because it did not receive the requisite affirmative 2/3 vote of the city council. It was later presented as an advisory referendum question in the spring election of 2007. The electors at that time voted to keep the city attorney as an elected position. There are three different ways charter ordinances can be changed. The first way is to hold a charter convention. In that process, a resolution is adopted by the city council to hold a charter convention. The resolution is required to be passed by a 2/3 vote of the members of the city council. If passed, the item is placed on the ballot as a referendum with the first question being whether a convention should be held. In the second instance, a question is presented asking what plans the voters would request the charter convention to adopt. In this case, the voters would be asked if they prefer the city attorney to be elected or if they prefer the city attorney to be appointed. The second process requires the city council to adopt a charter ordinance, changing the position of city attorney from an elected position to an appointed position. It would require a 2/3 vote of the council. The ordinance would not take effect for 60 days. If in those 60 days a protest petition is filed by 7% of the voters who voted for governor at the last election, the matter would be put on the ballot as a referendum question. The third and most transparent way to adopt or amend a charter ordinance is to pass a resolution to hold a referendum on how the position of city attorney is to be filled. The city council would propose a charter ordinance changing how the city attorney is selected. The question would then be put on the ballot with the question of whether the voters are in favor of or against the amendment to the ordinance. I have attached copies of the Resolution and proposed charter ordinance. There are several reasons why people prefer to have a city attorney who is elected. 1. The city attorney is directly responsible to the voters and not the elected officials. 2. Voters can directly remove the city attorney by petition if they are dissatisfied with the city attorney. The voters cannot directly remove an appointed city attorney by petition. Page 9 of 36 3. An elected city attorney can act independently of the city council and challenge or advise against unlawful or unethical actions by the city council or city officials. 4. An elected city attorney can more freely be a watchdog rather than a subordinate on issues before the council. 5. There is less pressure for an elected city attorney to align with the Mayor and City Council than if the city attorney is appointed by the Mayor and City Council. 6. An elected City Attorney can advocate for legal issues aligned with voter concerns rather than those aligned with the current Mayor or City Council. There are several disadvantages to having an elected city attorney rather than an appointed city attorney: 1. The available pool of qualified municipal attorneys who live in the city and who would be eligible to be elected to the position of city attorney. 2. Campaigning can invoke issues of partisan politics in an otherwise neutral legal role. 3. Voters may weigh charismatic characteristics rather than actual legal knowledge. 4. Voters may not have the ability to evaluate legal competence in handling municipal law. 5. Decisions of elected city attorneys could be influenced by concerns about being re- elected rather than the legal merit of conflicting issues. 6. Campaign fundraising could cause perceived or real conflicts of interest with people who do business with the city. Advantages of having appointed city officials. 1. City Council can select from a larger pool of qualified candidates rather than solely from candidates who are residents and who may lack the requisite expertise and competence in municipal law. 2. It is easier to replace city attorneys who are not meeting the city council’s expectations. 3. There may be no perceived or real conflicts of interest when campaign fundraising and elections are not involved in the selection process. 4. Contractual arrangements can be changed as city needs change. The disadvantages of an appointed city attorney are: 1. Reduced independence – appointed city attorney may feel the need to please appointing officials rather than standing by strong legal principles. 2. An appointed city attorney could hold back legal advice if it was unpopular with the current city council majority. 3. The appointed city attorney is less accountable to the electors. 4. Public may view the city attorney as one who is protecting city officials rather than the public interest. 5. The ability to whistle blow or advocate change could be hampered if the city attorney was appointed rather than elected. Page 10 of 36 The issue is before the Committee of the Whole at this time is because if the city wishes to have this item on the ballot on April 6, 2027, a resolution must be adopted by January of 2027. All referendum questions must be submitted to the county by January 27, 2026, for inclusion on the April 7, 2027, election. If the electorate decides to make the city attorney an appointed position, the city council will need to make several decisions to decide how that appointed position looks. The first option would be to appoint a single individual to serve as an in-house city attorney handling all the duties of the city attorney as they are done now. The second option is to hire a firm to handle the duties of city attorney. Because a city attorney is a named officer under §62.09, Wis. Stats., an attorney in the firm is designated as the city attorney and partners and associates of the firm are assigned various municipal duties to represent the city. In other words, one attorney may be designated as the city attorney to handle the general municipal work such as representing the city at city council and plan commission meetings while another attorney is designated to represent the city in municipal court. A third option would be to hire a firm to represent the city for general municipal work and hire another firm to handle municipal prosecutions and another firm to handle the municipal prosecutions. The city would proceed by issuing RFPs for all the work the is not general municipal work. These are decisions that should be determined long before January 27, 2027, so that a charter ordinance can be adopted outlining how the appointed position of city attorney will be administered. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me. DSD Page 11 of 36 CHARTER ORDINANCE NO. ____ A CHARTER ORDINANCE CHANGING THE OFFICE OF CITY ATTORNEY FROM AN ELECTED POSITION TO AN APPOINTED POSITION The Common Council of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, ordains as follows, pursuant to the authority granted by Wis. Stat. § 66.0101: SECTION 1. Purpose. The purpose of this Charter Ordinance is to amend the charter of the City of Lake Geneva to change the office of City Attorney from an elected position to an appointed position and to provide that the term of office shall be for an indefinite term to better align with the administrative needs of the City and to promote the efficient provision of municipal legal services SECTION 2. Charter Provision Affect. This Charter Ordinance amends the provisions of Sec. 2-2 of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva by removing the City Attorney from the designation as an elected official. SECTION 3. City Attorney to be Appointed. 1. The City Attorney shall be an appointed official and appointed for an indefinite term by the Common Council as provided under Sec. 2-3 of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva. 2. The City Attorney shall serve at the pleasure of the Common Council and may be removed as provided in Sec. 2-5(b) of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva. 3. Sec. 2-137 of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva shall be amended to state that the City Attorney shall be appointed pursuant to Sec. 2-3 of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva. 4. Sec. 2-139 of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva shall be amended to add that the City Attorney shall be paid as an independent contractor of the City of Lake Geneva whose compensation shall be determined pursuant to Sec. 2-7 of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva. 5. Sec. 2-140 shall be amended by adding subsection (b) which allows the City Council to employ and compensate special counsel to assist in or take charge of any matter in which the city is interested. The City Administrator will be entitled to hire special counsel to prosecute ordinance violations if a conflict of interest arises or when it is inappropriate for the appointed city attorney to represent the city in a prosecution. Page 12 of 36 6. Sec. 2-141 shall be repealed regarding benefits granted to the City Attorney however it will continue to provide that the City Attorney will be given a 1099 for his or her compensation. SECTION 4. Effective Date of Charter Ordinance. 1. Upon the effective date of this Charter Ordinance, and upon the expiration of the term of any currently elected city attorney expires or if a vacancy occurs in the office of the city attorney, the position of city attorney shall be appointed. 2. The elected city attorney shall continue to serve until their term expires or a vacancy occurs, whichever shall occur first. SECTION 6. Effective Date. This Charter Ordinance shall be submitted as a referendum question to the electors of the City of Lake Geneva pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 66.0101(7). • If approved by a majority of the electors voting thereon, this Charter Ordinance shall take effect upon publication and upon the date specified in Section 4 above. • Upon becoming effective, a certified copy of this Charter Ordinance shall be filed with the Wisconsin Secretary of State as required by law. SECTION 7. Publication. The City Clerk shall publish this Charter Ordinance as a Class 1 Notice under Wis. Stat. chapter 985 within 10 days of passage by the Common Council. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Common Council of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, this ___ day of January, 2026. CITY OF LAKE GENEVA Todd Krause, Mayor Lacey Reynolds, City Clerk Page 13 of 36 REFERENDUM QUESTION “Shall the City of City of Lake Geneva adopt Charter Ordinance No. ____, which provides that the City Attorney shall be an Appointed Official under Sec. 2-3 of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva instead of an elected City Attorney as provided in Sec. 2-137 of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva?” ☐ YES — For making the City Attorney an appointed position ☐ NO — Against making the City Attorney an appointed position and keeping the City Attorney as an elected position. Page 14 of 36 RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL A resolution submitting charter ordinance no. ______ to referendum to change the office of city attorney from an elected position to an appointed position. Committee: N/A Fiscal Impact: N/A File Number: 26-R__ Date: WHEREAS, Wis. Stat. §66.0101 of the Wisconsin Statutes authorizes cities to adopt, amend, or repeal charter ordinances relating to their local affairs and government; and WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Lake Geneva has proposed Charter Ordinance No. ______, which would amend the City’s charter to change the office of City Attorney from an elected position to an appointed position; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 66.0101(7), the Common Council may submit a proposed charter ordinance directly to the electors for approval at a referendum; and WHEREAS, the Common Council finds that submitting Charter Ordinance No. ______ to the voters will promote transparency and allow the electorate to determine whether the office of City Attorney should be appointed rather than elected. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, that: 1. Referendum Ordered. The Common Council hereby orders that Charter Ordinance No. ______, entitled “A Charter Ordinance Changing the Office of City Attorney from an Elected Position to an Appointed Position,” be submitted as a referendum question to the electors of the City of Lake Geneva for approval or rejection on the April 6, 2027 ballot pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 66.0101(7) and Wis. Stat. § 9.20(4) – (6). 2. Election Date. The referendum question shall be on the ballot at the Spring Election for the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin on April 6, 2027, in accordance with election laws and notice requirements. 3. Ballot Question. The question to be submitted to the electors shall read as follows: “Shall the City of Lake Geneva adopt Charter Ordinance No. ______, which changes the office of City Attorney from an elected position to an appointed position?” Page 15 of 36 ☐ YES — For making the City Attorney an appointed position ☐ NO — Against making the City Attorney an appointed position and keeping the City Attorney as an elected position. 4. Effectiveness. o This Resolution shall take effect upon passage and approval of the referendum by the citizens of the City of Lake Geneva Wisconsin. o Upon the effective date of this Charter Ordinance, and upon the expiration of the term of the elected City Attorney, the City Attorney shall be appointed. o The elected City Attorney shall continue to serve until their term expires or a vacancy occurs, which ever shall first occur. 5. Clerk’s Duties. The City Clerk is directed to: o Prepare and publish the required election notices, o Arrange for the referendum to be placed on the ballot for the April 6, 2027 elections. o Conduct the referendum in accordance with Wisconsin election laws, and o File a certified copy of any approved charter ordinance with the Wisconsin Secretary of State as required by Wis. Stat. § 66.0101(3). Granted by action of the Common Council of the City of Lake Geneva this ____th day of ____ 2026. Council Action: Adopted Failed Vote Mayoral Action: Accept Veto _____________________________________________________________ Todd Krause, Mayor Date Attest: _____________________________________________________________ Lacey L. Reynolds, City Clerk Date Page 16 of 36 Agenda Memo 09/30/2026 3:59 PM (CDT) Agenda Memo Review and Approval Procedure Please review the procedure document before proceeding. Select the Appropriate Meeting Level for Your Item Initial Request Committee Committee of the Whole Brief Subject Title New Agenda Request Form Agenda Item Wording Discussion regarding new agenda request form and agenda process for Alders Submitted By Chris Bennett Submitter Email Address asstcityadmin@cityoflakegeneva.gov Purpose of Committee Request General Business Background / Request Included for consideration is a fillable electronic form Alders can use to submit agenda requests. The form is meant to make the process electronic. At the direction of the Common Council President and Vice President the Committee of the Whole is to discuss modifying the agenda request process so consideration of all requests begins at Committee of the Whole and the matter is then directed to the appropriate next step - to the Common Council, Committee or to Staff for additional information. Does Item Have a Fiscal/Budget Impact? N/A Does Item Have Ordinance or Policy Implications or Changes? N/A Possible Motion Refer to Common Council for consideration or make recommendations for Staff for additional changes. Necessary Attachments City of Lake Geneva Agenda Request Form September 2026.docx Page 1/2 Page 17 of 36 Agenda Memo Final Approval - City Admin 09/30/2026 4:19 PM (CDT) Approved by David De Angelis (cityadmin@cityoflakegeneva.gov) Administration Approval City Administrator Date of Review 09/30/2026 City Administrator Additional Comments None City Administrator Signature Page 2/2 Page 18 of 36 Agenda Item Request Form September 2026 City of Lake Geneva – Agenda request form Per § 2.42(c) of the municipal code, agenda item request must be submitted by two Alders, Mayor or Administrator and must be received by the City Clerk at least two Fridays prior to the scheduled City Council meeting. Please attach backup materials related to the agenda item request. The matter will be considered by the Committee of the Whole and will be referred to the Common Council, a committee or back to Staff for additional information. Name: Click or tap here to enter text. Request: Click or tap here to enter text. Council/Committee Meeting: Click or tap here to enter text. Date of Meeting: Click or tap to enter a date. Agenda Item Wording: Click or tap here to enter text. Submitted by: Click or tap here to enter text. Email address: Click or tap here to enter text. Purpose General Business: Background: Click or tap here to enter text. Fiscal Impact: Click or tap here to enter text. Ordinance or Policy Implications: Click or tap here to enter text. Recommendation/Possible Motion: Click or tap here to enter text. Signature: _________________________________________ Date: ___________________ Signature: __________________________________________ Date: ___________________ Page 19 of 36 Agenda Item Request Form September 2026 For Office Use Only Date Received by Clerk: Click or tap here to enter text. Committee/Council and Meeting Date Scheduled: Click or tap here to enter text. Notes: Click or tap here to enter text. Copies Provided to: Click or tap here to enter text. Created September 2026 Page 20 of 36 (c) The City Clerk shall ensure that all items referred to the Council by two Alderman, Mayor, Administrator, committees, boards, or commissions are included in the agenda. Referrals from members of the Common Council must be received by the Clerk two Fridays prior to the scheduled meeting. A consent agenda may be included within the regular agenda for items to be voted upon en bloc without discussion. Any item listed on the consent agenda may be removed at the request of any member of the Council. The request requires no second, is not discussed, and is not voted upon. After a request is made, the item shall be placed on the regular agenda under the proper category for discussion and/or action. [Amended 2-25-2013 by Ord. No. 13-05] City of Lake Geneva, WI Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/LA3000 on 2026-09-29 Page 21 of 36 ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL An ordinance amending Section 2-49, Standing committees of Article ll, CITY COUNCIL, and Subsection (b) of Section 2-303 of Division V Cemetery Board, of Article V Boards and Commissions, and Subsection (e) Agenda, of Sec. 2-235 Meetings; conduct; duties of Division 1.1, Avian (Bird) Committee of Article V Boards and Commissions, of Chapter 2 Administration and Subsection (1) Meeting, and Subsection (3) Tree Board, of Article lll, Board of Park Commissioners, of Chapter 54, Parks and Recreation, of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin allowing two alderpersons to place items on standing committees, boards and committees. Committee N/A Fiscal lmpact N/A File Number: 26-05 First Reading Second Reading ruarch 2a. 2026 ua] $</( March.Q3.2026 The Common Council ofthe City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, does hereby ordain that an ordinance amending Section 2-49, Standing committees of Article ll, CITY COUNCIL Section 2-49, Standing committees of Article ll, CITY COUNCIL of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is amended to read as follows: Sec. 2-49 Standing committees. lCode 1992, 62.72; Ord. No. 08-02, 3-10-2008; 5-24-2070 by Ord. No. 10-05; 11-28-2011 bv Ord. No. 17-32;5-29- 2012 by Ord. No. 12-08; 9-22-20L4 by Otd. No. 14-05; L1-l}-20f4 by Ord. No. t4-O8;72-27-2016 by Ord. No. 16- 23;72-27-20L6 byOrd. No. !6-21;5-28-2019 byOrd. No. 19-06;8-12-2020 byOrd. No. 20-09;2-22-ZOZL bY Otd. No. 21-01; 1O-t3-2O25 by Ord. No. 25-151 The standing committees of the council shall be: Piers, Harbors, and Lakefront Committee; Personnel Committee; Public Works Committees. The standing committees shall consist of five persons all of whom shall be Aldermen and shall be appointed by the Mayor subject to approval of Council. The Mayor shall designate one of each committee's members as the committee chairman. The term for member shall be one year. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the Mayor subject to approval of council for the unexpired term. A member or members of each standing committee may be removed by the Mayor with the approvalof the Council. Committee members shall serve without compensation other than the regularly established salary as Aldermen. Each standing committee shall adopt its own rules and procedures that are consistent with the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order and shall keep a written record and file a copy with the City Clerk of all its minutes, resolutions, and proceedings. Page 22 of 36 The City Clerk shall prepare the agenda and provide timely public notice, including date, place and agenda of all standing committee meetings in accordance with state statutes. The City Clerk shall ensure that all items referred to the standing committees by two Alderpersons are included on the agenda. Referrals from two Alderpersons must be submitted on the proper form and received by the Clerk two Fridays prior to the scheduled meeting. All standing committees shall meet at City Hall unless a meeting elsewhere is authorized by the Mayor or City Clerk A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The powers, duties, and responsibilities of each standing committee are: The Common Council of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, does hereby ordain that an ordinance amending Subsection (b) of Section 2-303, Authority and duties of Division V Cemetery Board, of Article V Boards and commissions of chapter 2, Administration of the Municipal code of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is amended as follows: (b) Agenda. The President of the Cemetery Board is responsible for the preparation of the agenda and shall provide a digital or electronic copy of such agenda to the city clerk for posting and distribution to other Board members and the public at least 48 hours prior to such meeting. lnformational material for items identified on the agenda shall also be provided with the agenda when practical. The President of the Cemetery Board shall ensure that all items referred to the Cemetery Board by two Alderpersons are included on the agenda. Referrals from two Alderpersons must be submitted on the proper form and received by the President of the Cemetery Board two Fridays prior to the scheduled meeting. All meetings shall be held at City Hall. The Common Council of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, does hereby ordain that an ordinance amending Subsection (e), Agenda of Section 2-235, Meetings' conduct; duties of Division 1.1, Avian (Bird) Committee, of Article V, Boards and Commissions of Chapter 2, Administration of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is amended to read as follows: (e) Agenda. The Chairperson is responsible for the preparation of the agenda and shall provide a digital or electronic copy of such agenda to the City Clerk for posting and distribution to other Committee members and the public at least 48 hours prior to such meeting. lnformational material for items identified on the agenda shall also be provided with the agenda when practical. The Chairperson shall ensure that all items referred to the Avian Committee by two Alderpersons are included on the agenda. Referrals from two Alderpersons must be submitted on the proper form and received by the Chairperson two Fridays prior to the scheduled meeting. The Common Council of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, does hereby ordain that an ordinance amending Subsection (1) Meeting, of Article lll, Board of Park Commissioners, of Chapter 54, Parks and Recreation of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is amended to read as follows: (1) Meeting. The Board of Park Commissioners shall meet at least quarterly. The Board may meet as necessary or as called by the Chairman or as called by a majority of the Board. The Chairperson is responsible for the preparation of the agenda and shall provide a diBital or electronic copy of such agenda to the City Clerk for posting and distribution to other Board members and the public at least 48 hours prior to such meeting. The Chairman shall ensure that all items referred to the Board of Park Commissioners by two Alderpersons are included on the agenda. Referrals from two Alderpersons must be submitted on the proper form and received by the Chairman two Fridays prior to the scheduled meeting. All meetings shall be at City Hall. The Acting Secretary shall submit in a Page 23 of 36 timely fashion a digita I copy of the meeting minutes to the City Clerk for posting and distribution. lf action by the City Council is desired, such action shall be so noted in the minutes. The Common Council of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, does hereby ordain that an ordinance amending Subsection (3) Tree Board of Article lll, Board of Park Commissioners, of Chapter 54, Parks and Recreation of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is amended by adding Subsection a, b, and c and to read as follows: Tree Board. The Board of Park Commissioners shall oversee a Tree Board who shall carry out provisions of Wisconsin Statutes and Chapter EZ of the Municipal Code for the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and such other duties as required to report to the Board of Park Commissioners. There shall be seven members, inclusive of the Mayor and an Alderman, on the Tree Board. All members shall be residents of the City. The Mayor and an Alderman shall be appointed as non-voting members. The resident members shall each serve three-year terms. The terms of the resident members shall be staggered to have approximately one-third of the members' terms expire each year. Appointment of members to the Tree Board shall be recommended by the Mayor and shall be confirmed by the Common Council. a._Organization. The members of the Tree Board shall elect a Chairman from amongst its members. b. Meetings. The Tree Board may meet as necessary, or as called by the Chairman or as called by a majority of the Tree Board. c. Agenda. The Chairman of the Tree Board is responsible for the preparation of the agenda and shall provide a digital or electronic copy of such agenda to the City Clerk for posting and distribution to other Board members and the public at least 48 hours prior to such meeting. lnformational material for items identified on the agenda shall also be provided with the agenda when practical. The Chairman of the Tree Board shall ensure that all items referred to the Tree Board by two Alderpersons are included on the agenda. Referrals from two Alderpersons must be submitted on the proper form and received by the Chairman of the Tree Board two Fridays prior to the scheduled meeting. All meetings shall be held at City Hall Approved by the City of Lake Geneva Common Council on thi ay of March 2026 Council Action: opted Failed Vote -a fi Mayoral Action: ept Veto otf zs f zozA Todd Krause, Mayor L.R , City Cler Date tt\o Date Page 24 of 36 Sec. 2-49. Standing committees. [Code 1992, § 2.12; Ord. No. 08-02 , 3-10-2008; 5-24-2010 by Ord. No. 10-05; 11-28-2011 by Ord. No. 11-32; 5-29-2012 by Ord. No. 12-08; 9-22-2014 by Ord. No. 14-05; 11-10-2014 by Ord. No. 14-08; 12-27-2016 by Ord. No. 16-23; 12-27-2016 by Ord. No. 16-21; 5-28-2019 by Ord. No. 19-06; 8-12-2020 by Ord. No. 20-09; 2-22-2021 by Ord. No. 21-01 ; 10-13-2025 by Ord. No. 25-15 ; 3-9-2026 by Ord. No. 26-02 ; 3-23-2026 by Ord. No. 26-05] The standing committees of the council shall be: Piers, Harbors, and Lakefront Committee; Personnel Committee; Public Works Committees. The standing committees shall consist of five persons all of whom shall be Aldermen and shall be appointed by the Mayor subject to approval of Council. The Mayor shall designate one of each committee's members as the committee chairman. The term for member shall be one year. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the Mayor subject to approval of Council for the unexpired term. A member or members of each standing committee may be removed by the Mayor with the approval of the Council. Committee members shall serve without compensation other than the regularly established salary as Aldermen. Each standing committee shall adopt its own rules and procedures that are consistent with the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order and shall keep a written record and file a copy with the City Clerk of all its minutes, resolutions, and proceedings. The City Clerk shall prepare the agenda and provide timely public notice, including date, place and agenda of all standing committee meetings in accordance with state statutes. The City Clerk shall ensure that all items referred to the standing committees by two Alderpersons are included on the agenda. Referrals from two Alderpersons must be submitted on the proper form and received by the Clerk two Fridays prior to the scheduled meeting. All standing committees shall meet at City Hall unless a meeting elsewhere is authorized by the Mayor or City Clerk. A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business The powers, duties, and responsibilities of each standing committee are: (1) Piers, Harbors, and Lakefront Committee. The Committee shall consider the following and shall have the duty to recommend action there as to the City Council: a. All commercial and private pier and buoy leases, including wording, length of lease, cost, and any other provisions. City of Lake Geneva, WI Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/LA3000 on 2026-09-30 Page 25 of 36 b. All rules and procedures pertaining to City leases, all activities within or surrounding the Riviera piers, buoys, dinghy pads, launching, trailer parking as part of boat launch fee and access road (if any) to piers. c. Launch fees and annual beach passes. d. New construction and maintenance of beach piers, buoys, dinghy pads, and boat launches. e. The Harbormaster or other person in charge of any lakefront activity shall report to and cooperate with the Committee. (2) Personnel Committee. a. The Committee shall be responsible for overseeing the negotiations of all employment contracts, agreements, or hire letters between the City of Lake Geneva and its department heads, excepting only those employees who are specifically governed by another City board or commission. The Committee shall delegate the negotiations of all exempt and nonexempt employment contracts, agreements, or hire letters to the City Administrator. b. The Committee shall make formal recommendations to the City Council to approve or reject proposed contracts or employment agreements. The City Council retains final authority to approve or reject such agreements by majority vote. c. The Committee shall establish a review process and timeline for a semiannual and/or annual performance evaluation of the City Administrator. The City Administrator shall conduct semiannual and/or annual performance evaluations of City department heads, excluding those governed by another City board, commission, or an elected official. Evaluations shall focus on leadership effectiveness, adherence to City goals, policy implementation, and fiscal management. d. The Committee shall act in an oversight capacity for disciplinary actions involving department heads, and for matters escalated beyond internal departmental resolution such as grievances, prohibitive practice complaints, or termination recommendations. The City Administrator and department heads retain operational authority to address day-to-day personnel issues within the bounds of City policy and the Employee Handbook including all disciplinary actions and terminations. e. The Committee shall review and recommend job descriptions for all exempt City positions (excluding Police, Fire, Library, and Utility employees) for approval by the City Council. The City Administrator and department heads shall establish new or modified job descriptions for all non-exempt positions based on operational needs. Job descriptions shall be utilized when advertising for and evaluating potential new and current employees. All job descriptions shall be available for review by the Committee or City Council when requested. f. The Committee will interview and recommend department head employee candidates and all positions that are appointed by the City Council as set forth in Section 2-3 of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva. City of Lake Geneva, WI Sec. 2-49 Sec. 2-49 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/LA3000 on 2026-09-30 Page 26 of 36 g. Upon recommendation of the Committee and approval by the City Council, the City Administrator and department heads shall implement and adhere to personnel policies, compensation structures, job descriptions, and procedures approved by the City Council. City department heads are those individuals responsible for the management of particular functions and employees of the City. Department heads shall be given the authority to hire and terminate employees within their department, provided that any hiring is done without violating budgetary constraints placed on their departments and any terminating is done within the guidelines established by the City of Lake Geneva. h. The City Administrator shall provide periodic reports to the Personnel Committee on hiring, promotions, evaluations, disciplinary actions, and staffing levels, to ensure alignment with policy and budgetary expectations. (3) Public Works Committee. The Public Works Committee shall be responsible for activities taking place on public property, rights-of-way, and easements, and including the following: a. Planning for maintenance, repairs and remodeling of all City-owned facilities except those facilities under the control of the Utility Commission and the Piers and Harbors Committee. b. Recommend repairs of City-owned facilities to be included in the following year's budget. c. Determine by inspection or otherwise, not less than annually, the need for repairs of each facility. Major repairs are to be included in the proposed five-year capital improvement plan and approved by the Common Council. d. Consult and cooperate with the Piers, Harbors, and Lakefront Committee, Park Commission, Cemetery Commission, Library Board and any other overlapping City committees. e. Superintend all public works and keep the streets, alleys, sidewalks, storm sewers, public open spaces, and public related places in repair. f. Unusual use of streets. No building shall be moved through the streets without a written permit therefor granted by the Board of Public Works, except in cities where the Council shall, by ordinance, authorize some other officer or officers to issue a permit therefor; said Board shall determine the time and manner of using the streets for laying or changing underground utilities in City rights-of-way or easements, including electric, telephone, or gas pipes, cable television, or placing and maintaining electric and telephone poles therein, provided that its decision in this regard may be reviewed by the Council. g. Restoring streets. In case any corporation or individual shall neglect to repair or restore to its former condition any street, alley or sidewalk excavated, altered or taken up, within the time and in the manner directed by the Board, said Board shall cause the same to be done at the expense of said corporation or individual. The expense thereof, when chargeable to a lot owner, shall be certified to the City Clerk by the Board, and if not paid shall be carried into the tax roll as a special tax against the lot. City of Lake Geneva, WI Sec. 2-49 Sec. 2-49 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/LA3000 on 2026-09-30 Page 27 of 36 h. Manage all acquisition and maintenance of land for public parking subject to approval of the City Council. i. Set up and maintain a system of operation for the municipal parking system subject to approval of the City Council. j. With the approval of the Council, purchase, acquire, or lease land in order to operate a municipal parking system. k. With the approval of the City Council the Committee shall construct, extend, add to, improve, conduct, and operate the municipal parking system for the parking of vehicles. l. The Committee may exercise the preceding duties in a manner it sees fit, subject to approval of the City Council. The municipal parking system shall include parking lots and other parking facilities upon the public streets or grounds of the City. City of Lake Geneva, WI Sec. 2-49 Sec. 2-49 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/LA3000 on 2026-09-30 Page 28 of 36 (b) Agenda. The President of the Cemetery Board is responsible for the preparation of the agenda and shall provide a digital or electronic copy of such agenda to the City Clerk for posting and distribution to other Board members and the public at least 48 hours prior to such meeting. Informational material for items identified on the agenda shall also be provided with the agenda when practical. The President of the Cemetery Board shall ensure that all items referred to the Cemetery Board by two Alderpersons are included on the agenda. Referrals from two Alderpersons must be submitted on the proper form and received by the President of the Cemetery Board two Fridays prior to the scheduled meeting. All meetings shall be held at City Hall. City of Lake Geneva, WI Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/LA3000 on 2026-09-30 Page 29 of 36 (e) Agenda. The Chairperson is responsible for the preparation of the agenda and shall provide a digital or electronic copy of such agenda to the City Clerk for posting and distribution to other Committee members and the public at least 48 hours prior to such meeting. Informational material for items identified on the agenda shall also be provided with the agenda when practical. The Chairperson shall ensure that all items referred to the Avian Committee by two Alderpersons are included on the agenda. Referrals from two Alderpersons must be submitted on the proper form and received by the Chairperson two Fridays prior to the scheduled meeting. City of Lake Geneva, WI Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/LA3000 on 2026-09-30 Page 30 of 36 (1) Meeting. The Board of Park Commissioners shall meet at least quarterly. The Board may meet as necessary, or as called by the Chairman or as called by a majority of the Board. The Chairperson is responsible for the preparation of the agenda and shall provide a digital or electronic copy of such agenda to the City Clerk for posting and distribution to other Board members and the public at least 48 hours prior to such meeting. The Chairman shall ensure that all items referred to the Board of Park Commissioners by two Alderpersons are included on the agenda. Referrals from two Alderpersons must be submitted on the proper form and received by the Chairman two Fridays prior to the scheduled meeting. All meetings shall be at City Hall. The Acting Secretary shall submit in a timely fashion a digital copy of the meeting minutes to the City Clerk for posting and distribution. If action by the City Council is desired, such action shall be so noted in the minutes. City of Lake Geneva, WI Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/LA3000 on 2026-09-30 Page 31 of 36 c. Agenda. The Chairman of the Tree Board is responsible for the preparation of the agenda and shall provide a digital or electronic copy of such agenda to the City Clerk for posting and distribution to other Board members and the public at least 48 hours prior to such meeting. Informational material for items identified on the agenda shall also be provided with the agenda when practical. The Chairman of the Tree Board shall ensure that all items referred to the Tree Board by two Alderpersons are included on the agenda. Referrals from two Alderpersons must be submitted on the proper form and received by the Chairman of the Tree Board two Fridays prior to the scheduled meeting. All meetings shall be held at City Hall. City of Lake Geneva, WI Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/LA3000 on 2026-09-30 Page 32 of 36 COW Report-October 2026-Ames Hello, My reports for Tree Board and Library Board. Tree Board: Did not meet. Library Board met on September 17, the following was discussed: Finances are in good shape. Building and Grounds, the humidity in the Smith Room is too high. This will be rectified by the contractor. Feedback on the room has been positive. Work on the Patio will beginning soon. Thursday October 22 will be Landmark at the Library. It will begin at 5:45 with a ribbon cutting with Visit Lake Geneva. Followed by an Open House for the newly remodeled Smith Meeting room. There will be a program at 6:30, Historic Preservation and Landmarking. The Library is the first building in Lake Geneva that has the honor of being a Local Historic Landmark Building. Thank you to Chris Brooks. Continue to look at the Library website for upcoming events. Respectfully submitted Sherri Ames Page 33 of 36 COW Report - October 2026 Alderman Fesenmaier - District 2 Tourism Commission : Changed meetings to third Tuesdays; still at 4:00 p.m. Working Session - regarding the history and purpose of the Tourism Commission and Room Tax review of historical Tourism Commission expenditures and use of Room Tax revenues future goals and priorities of the Tourism Commission Utility Commission : Amendment #1 to the Professional Services Agreement for the Lead Service Line Replacement Project Amendment #1 to the Professional Services Agreement for the Water Treatment Plant Generator & Site Design. Purchase of a replacement forklift for the Water Utility. Preliminary draft of the 2027 Utility Capital Projects. Revised terms proposed by Verizon for renewal of the Host Drive Tower Lease. Geneva Lake Environmental Agency : Abbey Marina - starry stonewort Steel Pier Update - Fontana E. Coli Signage - boxes Stream Testing continues Pier Decking - concerns about materials used for construction Clean Boats, Clean Water - wrapped up data for the year to send to DNR for grant funding https://www.gleawi.org/ Page 34 of 36 Page 35 of 36 Committee of the Whole Updates for October 2026 Cathy Stoodley BID: Downtown Oktoberfest starts with a beer crawl Friday 10/9, ticketed event Oktoberfest Saturday and Sunday 10/10-10/11 Christmas Planning is in full swing. Changes of tree location to Riviera plaza and family activities offered in the ballroom at the Friday Nov 27 tree lighting. Cemetery Board: Historic Preservation Commission is launching an ongoing project to put historic grave markers on local Lake Geneva resident gravesites that feature qr codes giving a history of that notable local. Road repairs have begun at Oakhill cemetery. The cement pads for the 2 new columbaria are laid, and the units are slated for October placement. Cold storage shed site is staked and ready for it’s new building which will house equipment currently stored in the chapel. Public Works: Cook Street should be done by October 16th weather permitting Fall brush pick up begins October 5th Public Works CIP requests originally presented on Sept 22,2026 for roadway resurfacing, drainage improvements on roads and alleys, sidewalk/ramp improvements, parking lot improvements, alley reconstruction and multi-use path improvements were revised on Sept 28,2026 from 4.15 million to 2.0 million. Presented at PWC meeting on September 28, 2026 and with a 2-2 vote the motion to recommend failed. It will pass to Council with no recommendation. Page 36 of 36