Common Council Meeting — Minutes

April 27, 2026 Common Council Minutes 1 City Of Lake Geneva Common Council Minutes Monday, April 27, 2026 - 6:00 PM Lake Geneva City Hall; Council Chambers Call to Order by Mayor Krause at 6:00 pm. Pledge of Allegiance by Alder Smith. Roll Call Present: Todd Krause, Sherri Ames, JaNelle Powers, Mary Jo Fesenmaier, Linda Frame, Brian Smith, Joel Hoiland, Cathy Stoodley. Absent: Cynthia Yager. Others present: City Administrator Dave De Angelis, City Clerk Lacey L. Reynolds, City Attorney Dan Draper, Finance Director Laura Pisarcik, Parks Director David Winger and other interested persons. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations, and Announcements None. Reconsider business from previous meeting None. Comments from the public as allowed by Wis. Stats. §19.84(2), limited to items on this agenda, except for public hearing items. Comments will be limited to 5 minutes Greg Kolb spoke about items 14 & 15, Alex Binanti spoke about Items 9c-e and 16, Spyro Condos spoke about items 16 & 18. Acknowledgement of Correspondence Email received today, forwarded and printed. City Administrator's Report Administrator De Angelis did not have an update regarding Channel 25. De Angelis reported on the strategic plan, Hwy 50 and interchange N projects. Consent Agenda-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. Alder Hoiland requested items a-e be handled separately. Motion by Ames to approve items f & g, second by Stoodley. Voice vote, approved, motion carried. Approve the Council Minutes from April 13 and 21, 2026 Acceptance of the Pre-Paid Checks of $329,246.58 and Regular Checks of $388,517.88 Public Event Permit application filed by Downtown Lake Geneva Inc for the BID Spring Wine Walk, located at various downtown businesses, May 17, 2026 Public Event Permit application filed by Downtown Lake Geneva Inc for June Pride Weekend, located at various downtown businesses, June 12-14, 2026 Public Event Permit application filed by Downtown Lake Geneva Inc for Maxwell Street Days, located at various downtown businesses, August 28-30, 2026 Public Event Permit with Street Closure application filed by VISIT Lake Geneva for Liberty on the Lake in Flat Iron Park and Wrigley Dr., July 3-4, 2026 Public Event Permit application filed by St. Francis de Sales Parish School for 2026 Road Runner 5K, located on various roads in the city (see map), May 23, 2026 Items removed from the Consent Agenda item a - Motion by Stoodley to approve, second by Frame. Motion by Hoiland to amend the minutes from 4.21.26 April 27, 2026 Common Council Minutes 2 regarding the council president item to include the rounds of voting and for the council president and vice president final vote counts, second by Smith. Voice vote, approved, motion carried. Main motion vote - Voice vote, approved, motion carried. item b - Motion by Ames to approve, second by Frame. Voice vote, approved, motion carried. items c, d, e - Motion by Hoiland to refer the applications to staff for review and approval, second by Smith. Discussion took place. Roll call vote:Hoiland, yes; Smith, yes; Stoodley, no; Frame, no; Fesenmaier, no; Powers, no; Ames, no. Motion failed 2-5. Motion by Fesenmaier to approve the public event permit application filed by Downtown Lake Geneva Inc for the BID Spring Wine Walk May 17, 2026, second by Frame. Voice vote, 5- approved, 2-opposed (Smith and Hoiland), motion carried. item d - Motion by Fesenmaier to approve the public event permit application filed by Downtown Lake Geneva Inc for June Pride weekend June 12-14, 2026, second by Frame. Voice vote, approved, motion carried. Motion by Hoiland to amend and refer back to staff for review and approval, second by Smith. Roll call vote: Hoiland, yes; Smith, yes; Stoodley, no; Frame, no; Fesenmaier, no; Powers, no; Ames, no. Motion failed 2-5. Motion by Ames to suspend the rules for Alex from BID to speak, second by Frame. Voice vote, 6-approved, 1-opposed (Hoiland), motion carried. Motion by Hoiland to amend and direct staff to establish administrative guidelines, Alder Fesenmaier objected to the amendment because it was not germane to the motion. Attorney Draper agreed the amendment is out of order. Motion by Fesenmaier to sustain the chair's ruling that the amendment is out of order, second by Ames. Voice vote, 5-approved, 2-opposed (Hoiland and Smith), motion carried. Main motion vote - Voice vote, 5-approved, 2-opposed (Hoiland and Smith), motion carried. item e - Motion by Frame to approve the public event permit application filed by Downtown Lake Geneva Inc for Maxwell Street Days August 28-30, 2026, second by Ames. Voice vote, 5-approved, 2-opposed (Hoiland and Smith), motion carried. Ordinances and Resolutions Resolution 26-R25: A resolution adopting 2025 transfers from the Lakefront Special Revenue Fund and the Parking Special Revenue Fund to the General Fund Motion by Frame to approve, second by Smith. Voice vote, approved, motion carried. Resolution 26-R26: A resolution adopting a 2025 year-end budget amendment authorizing the reallocation of funds in the 2025 budgets for certain revenues and expenditures exceeding their 2025 budgets Motion by Smith to approve, second by Stoodley. Voice vote, approved, motion carried. Ordinance 26-07: An ordinance amending sub-subsections (1) Business in the City of Lake Geneva, (2) Nonresident Property Owner, (4) Resident and (5) Walworth County of subsection (h) Authorized City parking stickers of Section 74-221, Parking Meters of Article VI, Traffic Code of Chapter 74, Traffic and Vehicles, of the Municipal Code of the City of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is amended to allow sticker holders to receive free parking all day on Wednesdays, and making the number of hours of free parking on other days uniform for all stickers (first and possible second reading) The first reading of Ordinance 26-07 took place. Motion by Hoiland to continue Ordinance 26-07 to no later than July 1st and direct staff to develop a structured 1 season pilot program that does not require a permanent ordinance change, provide a detailed fiscal impact analysis including baseline Wednesday parking revenue and projected revenue loss, outline operational plan addressing enforcement, utilization and potential system impacts; establish measurable performance metrics, including revenue impact, parking utilization and observed economic activity and provide a recommendation if a temporary administrative or resolution based approach is more appropriate for a pilot program rather than a code amendment, second by Smith. Discussion took place. Voice vote, 2-approved, 5- opposed (Ames, Powers, Fesenmaier, Frame & Stoodley), motion failed. Discussion/Action regarding Non-Reimbursement Statements and Quit Claim Deed related to Utility interests within WisDOT Project 3170-09-20 W Main Street/STH 50 project limits (Utility Commission approved) Motion by Frame to approve, second by Stoodley. Voice vote, approved, motion carried. Discussion/Action regarding revised Water Safety Patrol Contract (PHL recommends approval) Motion by Frame to approve, second by Ames. Voice vote, approved, motion carried. Discussion/Action regarding approval of the Conceptual Plan for Zone 1 of the Hillmoor Property as presented by Upland Design, for phased improvements of the property which will be brought back to Council for future approval (Hillmoor Commission recommends approval) Presentation by Michelle Kelley Principal Consultant for Upland Design. Parks Director David Winger and April 27, 2026 Common Council Minutes 3 Hillmoor Consultant Michael Krajovic answered questions. Discussion took place. Motion by Hoiland to defer approval of the Conceptual Plan for Zone 1 and direct staff and the Hillmoor Commission to return with a complete fiscal impact and funding strategy; ecological and DNR regulatory validation; phased implementation plan; a neighborhood impact analysis; revised concept aligned with low-impact neighborhood compatible uses, second by Smith. Discussion took place. Roll call vote: Hoiland, yes; Smith, yes; Ames, no; Powers, no; Stoodley, no; Fesenmaier, no; Frame, no. Motion failed 2-5. Motion by Frame to approve, second by Ames. Roll call vote: Frame, yes; Ames, yes; Powers, yes; Fesenmaier, no; Smith, no; Hoiland, no; Stoodley, yes. Motion carried 4-3. Discussion/Action regarding authorization of City staff to proceed with design and bidding of phase 1 trail improvements in Zone 1 to complete the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Grant (Hillmoor Commission recommends approval) Motion by Hoiland to direct staff and Hillmoor Commission to immediately suspend any planned or proposed use of grant funds and associated city matching funds for Zone 1 improvements and return the funds to the original intended purpose of ecological restoration and stewardship of approximate 189 acres of Hillmoor property acquired by the city in December 2022 and staff provide a report to Council within 60 days outlining restoration first plan for zones 2-5; alignment of all grant funded activities with original grant intent and DNR expectations; prioritized ecological restoration strategy including invasive species removal and habitat restoration and long term land stewardship; no expenditure of funds shall occur until a plan is reviewed and approved by the Council, second by Smith. Roll call vote: Hoiland, yes; Smith, yes; Stoodley, no; Frame, no; Fesenmaier, no; Powers, no; Ames, no. Motion failed 2-5. Motion by Frame to approve, second by Stoodley. Roll call vote: Frame, yes; Stoodley, yes; Hoiland, no; Smith, no; Fesenmaier, yes; Powers, yes; Ames, yes. Motion carried 5-2. Discussion/Action regarding the proposed purchase and operation of Two Trolleys Motion by Hioland to pause this proposal and direct staff to issue a formal RFP for turn key trolley service with vendor-provided vehicles including a required financial pro forma, risk-sharing structure and BID participation, including vendor outreach of qualified third-party providers and return to Council with comparable proposals before any decision is made - July 1, 2026. Staff shall return with side by side vendor comparisons, completed financial pro formas, risk exposure analysis and recommendation based on validated data, second by Smith. Discussion took place. Motion by Ames to suspend the rules for Alex from BID to speak, second by Fesenmaier. Voice vote, approved, motion carried. Roll call vote: Hoiland, yes; Smith, yes; Ames, no; Powers, no; Fesenmair, no; Frame, no; Stoodley, no. Motion failed. Motion by Fesenmaier to direct staff to create 2 RFPS; 1st to include operational costs with city-provided vehicles and the 2nd to include operational costs and operator-provided vehicles, second by Stoodley. Roll call vote: Fesenmaier, yes; Stoodley, yes; Hoiland, no; Smith, no; Frame, yes; Powers, yes; Ames, yes. Motion carried 5-2. Motion by Fesenmaier to move forward with a letter of intent for the trolley's, second by Stoodley. Voice vote, 5- approved, 2-opposed (Hoiland and Smith), motion carried. Discussion/Action to deny the claim brought against the City by Mandy Fox Motion by Stoodley to deny the claim, second by Frame. Roll call vote: Stoodley, yes; Frame, yes; Smith, no; Ames, yes; Hoiland, no; Powers, yes; Fesenmaier, yes. Motion carried 5-2. Discussion/Action regarding the purchase of certain property located at the corner of Edwards Boulevard and Bloomfield Road, in the City of Lake Geneva, for a future Police and/or Fire Facility Discussion took place. Motion by Frame to approve the purchase of property, second by Powers. Motion by Hoiland to defer and research preliminary financial pro forma including land acquisition cost range, site development cost, construction estimates, long term operating impacts, fiscal impact analysis including property tax revenue implications and long term budget impact, site feasibility analysis including environmental constraints, stormwater conditions and building area, a comparison matrix and alignment with the city's comp plan and long term capital improvement plan. There was no second to the motion. Motion by Fesenmaier to continue to the next council mtg, second by Hoiland. Administrator De Angelis suggested the council authorize staff to put forward an option to purchase with a due diligence period of 3-6 months. Vote for the motion to continue - Voice vote, 2- approved, 5-opposed (Fesenmaier, Ames, Powers, Frame, Stoodley), motion failed 2-5. Motion by Fesenmaier to amend and authorize an option to purchase to allow for a due diligence period, second by Ames. Roll call vote: Fesenmaier, yes; Ames, yes; Powers, yes; Frame, no; Smith, no; Hoiland, no; Stoodley, yes. Motion carried 4-3. Vote for the main motion to approve as amended - Roll call vote: Frame, yes; Ames, yes; Powers, yes; Fesenmaier, yes; Smith, no; Hoiland, no; Stoodley; yes. Motion carried 5-2. Motion to go into Closed Session pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes 19.85(1)(e) deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, April 27, 2026 Common Council Minutes 4 whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session regarding the purchase of certain property located at the corner of Edwards Boulevard and Bloomfield Road, in the City of Lake Geneva, for a future Police and/or Fire Facility Motion by Hoiland to not adjourn to closed session, second by Smith. Roll call vote: Hoiland, yes; Smith, yes; Stoodley, yes; Frame, yes; Fesenmaier, yes; Powers, yes; Ames, yes. Motion carried. Motion to return to open session pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes 19.85 (2) and take action on any items discussed in closed session Adjournment Motion by Ames to adjourn, second by Stoodley. Voice vote, approved, motion carried. Adjourned at 9:16 pm. Lacey L. Reynolds City Clerk Approved May 11, 2026