Committee of the Whole Meeting — Agenda Packet

September 9, 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 Wednesday, September 9, 2026 - 6:01 PM or immediately following adjournment of the Special Council meeting, whichever is later 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 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. Presentations a. Swift Night Out; Sarah McConnell, Avian Committee Chairperson b. Hillmoor Ecological Restoration Plan; Clay Frazer, Native Range Ecological (NRE) 7. City Administrator Report 8. 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 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 Page 1 of 47 September 9, 2026 Committee of the Whole Agenda 2 10. Adjournment 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 47 Swift Night Out A FREE event! Thursday, September 10, 2026 Geneva Lake Museum (255 Mill Street) The City of Lake Geneva Avian Committee and the Geneva Lake Museum invite you to .. 5:00 pmgather and eat - local food trucks with food for purchase 6:00 pm“Eagles and Friends” - indoor program by Schlitz Audubon - get close and enjoy an educational program with a live eagle and other raptors 7:15 pm head outside and watch as thousands of Chimney Swifts dive down the Museum’s chimney as they migrate for the season. Learn why tall chimneys are so important! Page 3 of 47 Hillmoor Ecological Restoration Plan Committee of the Whole Project Update Meeting September 9, 2026 Page 4 of 47 Hillmoor Property Restoration Plan Objective NRE’s objective is to develop a Ten-Year Ecological Restoration Plan that will serve as a blueprint for the City of Lake Geneva to restore a diverse and resilient ecological landscape capable of supporting a high level of biodiversity and wildlife habitat. Page 5 of 47 Updates and Current Status  Site Assessment and Survey Complete, including mapping of invasive species.  Preliminary findings and prioritized recommendations.  What can be accomplished for a stated budget of $300K over the FIRST three- year period?  Plan to be completed and submitted in December. Page 6 of 47 Specific Deliverables to Date  Figures (maps) – zones and subzones defined.  Invasive species mapped  Plant inventory  Photo documentation  Site tours with contractors to establish costs  Coordinate with WDNR officials and engineering partners for wetland & waterway inputs (Zone 1)  Detailed cost spreadsheets developed  Four presentations to city officials and Hillmoor Commission Page 7 of 47 The Process of Ecological Restoration  Patience and Perseverance are required. Trust the Process.  Prepare for stark and rapid visual changes.  Ecological restoration is not always a linear and predictable process.  Surround yourself (and hire) with professionals who have actually done the work before on this scale.  Stay the course – make a financial commitment. No such thing as Zero-Maintenance Vegetation.  Costs reduce over time, but annual maintenance and monitoring will always be required. Page 8 of 47 Benefits of Ecological Restoration  Wildlife habitat improvement  Increase in biodiversity  Improve soil health  Improve water quality  Educational opportunities (volunteers, students, community members)  Increase resilience to climate change  Improved Aesthetic Page 9 of 47 Recommended Priorities  Oak woodland and oak savana restoration (oak regeneration is currently NOT occurring in Hillmoor woodlands) and black locust removal –Zone 3  White River corridor – Zone 1  Prairie restoration – Zones 4 & 5  Emergent wetland and forested wetland complex – Zone 2 Page 10 of 47 Target plant communities for Restoration • Oak Savana • Floodplain Forest • Sedge Meadow • Emergent Wetlands • Upland Tallgrass Prairie Page 11 of 47 An Altered Landscape. 1937 to 2024 Page 12 of 47 Page 13 of 47 Page 14 of 47 Woody Invasive Species (WIS) Management ○ common buckthorn ○ black locust ○ Asian honeysuckles ○ European alder ○ multi-flora rose ○ white mulberry ○ Siberian elm  Management Strategies  mechanical removal and stump herbicide treatments – DO NOT CUT WIS unless herbicide can be properly applied the same day.  selective timber harvest (not clear cutting)  prescribed fire  Replant native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous native species. Page 15 of 47 Forest Stand Improvement (FSI)  Commercial logger with trees marked by a professional forester  Selectively remove black locust and select lower value native trees  Merchantable value of black locust and utilization for play structures and in stream structure/aquatic habitat  Crop tree release  Opportunity to create new pockets of light for reforestation efforts  Encourage oak regeneration and growth of higher value native trees (crop trees) such as oaks, maple, hickories, and hackberries Page 16 of 47 Recommend WIS Removal and Management for Zone 3. Page 17 of 47 Historic oaks vs. black locust Page 18 of 47 Page 19 of 47 Page 20 of 47 Page 21 of 47 Page 22 of 47 Page 23 of 47 Page 24 of 47 Hillmoor Wetlands Page 25 of 47 Page 26 of 47 Page 27 of 47 Page 28 of 47 Page 29 of 47 Page 30 of 47 Page 31 of 47 Page 32 of 47 Page 33 of 47 Page 34 of 47 Page 35 of 47 Page 36 of 47 Page 37 of 47 Page 38 of 47 “When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect” – Aldo Leopold Page 39 of 47 Questions and Comments? Page 40 of 47 Memo To: Committee of the Whole From: David De Angelis, City Administrator Date: September 2, 2026 RE: Future Trainings and COW Presentation Previously in discussion with the Council the thoughts of doing monthly trainings at Committee of the Whole was reviewed and requested be put together by staff for initiation in the fall of this year. The League of Municipalities currently has a 7-module series geared toward government basics as well as other general topics available. The first three modules are Municipal Organization and Authority, Open Meetings Law and Parliamentary Procedure. It is our suggestion that we start with these modules and then move forward from there. If the module is too long for a specific meeting, we can break it up into multiple meetings. If for some reason the Council does not find value in these we can look for other training opportunities. As has also been discussed previously at Council the potential changing of the attorney position from elected to contracted service will need to be discussed at the October meeting if this potential change were to be brought to the voters in April next year at the spring election. The Council President has indicated she would like this item on the agenda and to give the Council plenty of notice prior to allow for consideration well in advance of the meeting. Page 41 of 47 /0/1/2/i255 /4/5/6/7/i255/9/10/i255/11/12/13/14/i255/15/14/16/14/17/12/18/i255/19/20 /21/22/5/23/12/7/18/i255/24/25/26/25/27/6/i255/28/29/18/i255/28/30/28/31 /32/33/34/35/36/37/38/i255/39/40/i255/41/42/43/44/45/44/46/36/38/34/36/44/47/45 /41/48/49/50/32/51/52/i255/50/50/40/i255/32/50/49/53/i255/32/54/55/56/32/50/51 /57/37/1/40/i255/39/58/59/39/40/i255/54/38/42/37/38/i255/47/60/i255/61/62/46/44/45/37/46/46/40 /63/64/65/i255/67/68/69/70/i255/67/71/65/72/73/i255/74/64/75/71/71/i255/65/76/74/77/72/65/i255/69/64/75/69/i255/75/71/71/i255/68/69/65/78/74/i255/72/65/79/65/72/72/65/80/i255/69/81/i255/69/64/65/i255/67/81/77/76/82/68/71/i255/83/70/i255/69/84/81/i255/85/71/80/65/72/78/75/76/86/i255/87/75/70/81/72/86 /85/80/78/68/76/68/74/69/72/75/69/81/72/86/i255/82/81/78/78/68/69/69/65/65/74/86/i255/83/81/75/72/80/74/86/i255/81/72/i255/82/81/78/78/68/74/74/68/81/76/74/i255/75/72/65/i255/68/76/82/71/77/80/65/80/i255/68/76/i255/69/64/65/i255/75/88/65/76/80/75/89/i255/90/65/79/65/72/72/75/71/74/i255/79/72/81/78 /78/65/78/83/65/72/74/i255/81/79/i255/69/64/65/i255/67/81/78/78/81/76/i255/67/81/77/76/82/68/71/i255/78/77/74/69/i255/83/65/i255/72/65/82/65/68/91/65/80/i255/83/70/i255/69/64/65/i255/67/71/65/72/73/i255/69/84/81/i255/92/72/68/80/75/70/74/i255/93/72/68/81/72/i255/69/81/i255/69/64/65/i255/74/82/64/65/80/77/71/65/80 /78/65/65/69/68/76/88/89/i255/85/i255/82/81/76/74/65/76/69/i255/75/88/65/76/80/75/i255/78/75/70/i255/83/65/i255/68/76/82/71/77/80/65/80/i255/84/68/69/64/68/76/i255/69/64/65/i255/72/65/88/77/71/75/72/i255/75/88/65/76/80/75/i255/79/81/72/i255/68/69/65/78/74/i255/69/81/i255/83/65/i255/91/81/69/65/80/i255/77/93/81/76 /65/76/i255/83/71/81/82/i255/84/68/69/64/81/77/69/i255/80/68/74/82/77/74/74/68/81/76/89/i255/85/76/70/i255/68/69/65/78/i255/71/68/74/69/65/80/i255/81/76/i255/69/64/65/i255/82/81/76/74/65/76/69/i255/75/88/65/76/80/75/i255/78/75/70/i255/83/65/i255/72/65/78/81/91/65/80/i255/75/69/i255/69/64/65/i255/72/65/94/77/65/74/69 /81/79/i255/75/76/70/i255/78/65/78/83/65/72/i255/81/79/i255/69/64/65/i255/67/81/77/76/82/68/71/89/i255/63/64/65/i255/72/65/94/77/65/74/69/i255/72/65/94/77/68/72/65/74/i255/76/81/i255/74/65/82/81/76/80/86/i255/68/74/i255/76/81/69/i255/80/68/74/82/77/74/74/65/80/86/i255/75/76/80/i255/68/74/i255/76/81/69/i255/91/81/69/65/80 /77/93/81/76/89/i255/85/79/69/65/72/i255/75/i255/72/65/94/77/65/74/69/i255/68/74/i255/78/75/80/65/86/i255/69/64/65/i255/68/69/65/78/i255/74/64/75/71/71/i255/83/65/i255/93/71/75/82/65/80/i255/81/76/i255/69/64/65/i255/72/65/88/77/71/75/72/i255/75/88/65/76/80/75/i255/77/76/80/65/72/i255/69/64/65/i255/93/72/81/93/65/72 /82/75/69/65/88/81/72/70/i255/79/81/72/i255/80/68/74/82/77/74/74/68/81/76/i255/75/76/80/95/81/72/i255/75/82/69/68/81/76/89 /96/85/78/65/76/80/65/80/i255/97/98/97/99/98/97/100/101/102/i255/83/70/i255/103/72/80/89/i255/104/81/89/i255/101/102/98/100/99/105 /106/107/39/106/107/39/108/109/i255/110/111/112/113/111/i255/41/114/54 /38 /42/37/38/i255/47/60/i255/61/62/46/44/45/37/46/46/40/i255/58/i255/32/44/36/115/i255/47/60/i255/51/34/116/37/i255/117/37/45/37/118/34/109/i255/119/50 /33/36/36/35/46/112/107/107/37/1/47/42/37/120/108/111/40/1/47/43/107/35/38/44/45/36/107/51/41/120/111/111/111/121/122/62/44/42/123/110/59/110/120/108/39/108/59 /110/107/110 Page 42 of 47 Agenda Item Request Form Revised 09/2023 CITY OF LAKE GENEVA Agenda Item Request Form Please attach backup materials related to the agenda item request. 1. Name of individual(s) requesting agenda item. (Per § 2.42(c) of the municipal code, agenda item request must be submitted by two Aldermen, Mayor or Administrator and must be received by the City Clerk at least two Fridays prior to the scheduled City Council meeting.) 2. Item requested to be placed on agenda. (Please list as you would like to see it on the agenda.) 3. Date of Council Meeting Signature: _______________________________ Date: _________________________________ Signature: _______________________________ Date: _________________________________ For Office Use Only Date Received by Clerk: ____________________________________________________________ Committee/Council and Meeting Date Scheduled: _____________________________________ Notes: ____________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Copies Provided to: City Administrator Page 43 of 47 Committee of the Whole Report Tree Board met on August 11 the following was discussed and if needed voted on. Candy Kirchberg was voted as Chairman Dennis Loeser Secretary Sonja Dailey Vice-Chairman John Foster gave an update about the July 3, 2026 storm. The city took an estimate of 50 trees that needed to come down. They are still working on cleanup. The city will be working cleanup priorities. Fall planting will be an estimate of 75 trees, mostly Oaks and Maples. The tree Board will be doing a Christmas tree at the Museum. The Library Board met on August 20, 2026. Dragon Days was discussed; they will pay the Library 900.00 for expenses. Financially in good standing. The plaques will be put up on the outside of the building. We discussed the outside of the building where the restrooms were. The cement will be removed; grass and bushes will be planted. We received a 2,000.00 donation from the Friends of the Geneva Theater. An anonymous donation of a stained-glass window from the old Geneva Hotel has been accepted. Ed Gilbertson will be looking at it. Continuation discussion of Highway 50 construction. Sunday programing was discussed. Respectfully submitted, Sherri Ames Page 44 of 47 COW Report - September 2026 Alderman Fesenmaier - District 2 Tourism Commission : Grants Awarded - Abominable Trail Race Abominable Snow Race Paused grant submissions through the end of October. Using the next few months to review and make changes to the grant application, including adding more specific criteria. Looking at adding a calendar or list of events for approved grants to the Tourism Commission website for visitor and hotel usage. www.lakegenevahotels.org Business Improvement District (BID) will no longer present written/oral reports to the Commission because they are not a contracted entity. Utility Commission : Projects - Sewer Lining and Lead Service Replacements Funding options for the STH 50 Utility Improvements Geneva Lake Environmental Agency : Abbey Marina - starry stonewort Steel Pier Update - Fontana E. Coli Signage - boxes https://www.gleawi.org/ Page 45 of 47 PWC did not meet in August 1. Update to Cook Street and Alley: work to begin September 6, expected to be completed by October 31, 2026. 2. Water Fountain Bottle Fillers: West end and library need some plumbing work completed 3. Broad and Dodge intersection: signs in middle of the street to be removed. Red flashers on all signs and STOP painted on Broad Street.     4. Riviera Public Restroom Fall Hours: Working with Public Works     and city staff to ensure consistent hours through September and     October, including Riviera leasees who wish to remain open past l    last boat tour of the day     5.August Event Parking and shuttle update will be provided at COW BID     1.Christmas Decoration planning is happening.     2.Oktoberfest is October 10 & 11 in Flat Iron Park     3. Look for new banners highlighting what makes Lake Geneva so     special Cemetery Board did not meet in August    1. Clean up continues    2.Cold storage shed work proceeds    3.Two columbariums have been ordered and will be installed by y    ears end    4.New fee structure proposed during budget workshops 5. Working with historic Preservation on a Historic grave marker      Cathy Stoodley District 4 Alderperson Page 46 of 47 Committee Notes - COW meeting Sept. 9, 2026-Yager Piers, Harbors and Lakefront Committee - Cancelled • Next meeting on Sept. 8, 5 PM will be discussing the Waitlist process for all lakefront locations Board of Park Commissioners - Summary from Aug. 18, 2026 • Budgeting for native plantings discussion • Alliant Energy request for easement on Symphony Bay property on Townline Rd. The committee recommended to have Alliant come back to the committee with more information and in person presentation • Budget development discussed • CORP survey completed, report being developed Hillmoor Commission - Summary from Aug. 13, 2026 • Presentation and recommendation for the Geneva Lakes Astrophysics and Steam Project to continue to move forward with planning. Temporary placement considered to be on the old clubhouse parkinglot. • Presentation on forming a City Parks Foundation • Budget process discussion with priorities being set • Discussion regarding future planning process zones 2-5 VISIT Lake Geneva - Summary from Aug. 13, 2026 • A new partnership manager has been hired. Melissa McMahon will be starting her new position on Sept. 14, 2026 • Jill Gaulke won the Meeting Planners International Volunteer of the Year Award for the State of Wisconsin • Lake Geneva ranked #3 in the 2026 Best American Lake Town Awards • 6 new partners have been accepted • The next partner meeting will be held at Holiday Home Camp in Williams Bay on Sept. 15, 2026 from 8 -9 AM • 2026 Impact Award Nominations are still being accepted until Aug. 31, 2026 Page 47 of 47