Where has summer gone. It’s already August and everyone’s summer plans are in full swing. As always, please use extra care driving in the Village with road and building construction and families walking and biking in our community.  

I would like to welcome Brian Lahey to the Village staff as Finance Director. Brian and his family plan to relocate to the area from Illinois. Brian has extensive governmental accounting experience over the last 7 plus years working for a professional services firm supporting several communities approximately the size of Elm Grove. Welcome to the team Brian!

Additionally, the Police Department welcomed Jared Peterson as a patrol officer.  Prior to joining the team, Jared was with the Sheriff’s department at the State Fair. Welcome Jared!

Huge thank you to all involved in the July 4th celebration. A very successful and safe event was enjoyed by approximately 1,500 attendees and included a fun run, open swim, food and beverages and fireworks in the Village Park. It was great to see the activities on the new basketball Court.

The Comprehensive Outdoor Master Plan (CORP) is being launched in August. The CORP is a key document to apply for possible grants to help fund improvements. Stay tuned as this project moves forward in 2024.

Throughout the year, our Police, Fire, EMT and dispatch professionals provide outstanding service to the Village and its residents. The Board wants to thank these professionals for their commitment to keep Elm Grove a safe and thriving community. Many residents have shared a personal story of how they have benefited from this team. Please join the Board in recognizing these fine team members!

Trustee Castile shared some interesting complementary experiences available at the library for checkout. These include Experience Passes for admission to the zoo, Harley Davidson Museum and other future locations. In addition, free day passes to State Parks are available while supplies last. Thanks to the Library team for coordinating these exciting opportunities!  

Let’s enjoy the longer days of summer and remember to hydrate often!

President Koleski

Caroline Heights Project

The completion of the water and sewer mains and resident laterals continues. Notice letters have been sent out to all residents who have previously chosen to "opt in" as the installation of the water laterals from the main to the individual curb stops nears. Please note that these letters are due to a change in contractor and additional information being finalized so all residents who signed a returned the letters earlier in the year, will be required to sign and return these letters again by Friday, August 9th. Village staff also continues to work to minimize the impact and disruption of construction work. Roads are cleaned three times a week by outside parties and any complaints should be forwarded to Village staff for follow-up. Road paving is expected to be completed in 2024. 

Single-family construction in the Caroline Heights area will commence soon. The Building Board is actively reviewing construction plans for these residents. In total, 21 new single-family residences will be constructed. Keep up-to-date on plans that are reviewed by reviewing Building Board meeting packet materials in the Agenda Center here.

For weekly updates, please continue to refer to the Village website for updated information on the project here.

Join Us in Congratulating Forester Ron Hill on his Retirement and Welcoming our New Superintendent/Forester!

One of our long-standing Village employee, Ron Hill, is retiring after a dedicated career with the Village of Elm Grove. Ron has worked for the Village in some capacity since 1995! During his 28-year career as Village Forester for the Village of Elm Grove, Ron has worked diligently to help care for and maintain this coveted distinction for residents and homeowners. He will surely be missed!

Although we are sad to see Ron go, we also welcome Mark Becker as our next Superintendent/Forester! Make sure to welcome Mark if you see him out and about in the Village!

Welcome to the Team: Brian Lahey, Finance Director!

The Village is pleased to announce our new Finance Director, Brian Lahey, who had his first day at the Village on Monday, July 22nd!

Before coming to the Village, Brian worked at Lauterbach & Amen as a Financial Services Manager/Consultant since 2018. In his role at Lauterbach & Amen, Brian had the privilege of managing a diverse portfolio of clients, including municipalities, libraries, and other public entities. Within this capacity, he provided tailored financial solutions encompassing the Annual Tax Levy, Budget, Audit, and Monthly Financial Reports, meeting the unique needs of each client and driving efficiency to achieve their financial goals. Brian gained extensive experience in municipal finance while providing financial accounting services for several municipalities in northern Illinois including: Village of Cary, Village of Lake Barrington, Village of Barrington Hills, and Village of Sleepy Hollow.

Brian enjoys video games, basketball, and puzzles and in his free time he enjoys chasing after his son, Cooper, and holding his daughter, Madelyn. Some of his favorite music includes Morgan Wallen, Conner Smith, Sam Hunt, and Dustin Lynch. His favorite sports teams are the Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bears, and Chicago Bulls.

2024 is a Re-Evaluation Year for Elm Grove

The time frame for 2024, Open Book, Board of Review:

The Assessment Notices are scheduled to be mailed on August 2nd, 2024. Notices will be sent to all property owners. At that time, property owners are being notified that appointments may be scheduled for an individual open book review, between August 5th, 2024 and September 4th, 2024. A preliminary 2024 Assessment Roll will be available for review in Village Hall at the Village Clerk’s office, the front hallway, and the Library during regular business hours.

Open Book:

Every year, the Assessor's office prepares a preliminary assessment roll. This reflects property values as of January 1 each year. The Open Book Review period this year is August 5th, 2024.

Open Book Review takes place by appointment or through the process of the light green "Request to Review My Property Sheets” that are mailed out with the notices.

The Open Book Review period is set aside to answer property owners' questions and correct obvious clerical errors in compiling the assessment roll. If a mistake was made, or if there is evidence that the assessment is different than the actual fair market value of the property, the Assessor's Office will review the facts and may make appropriate adjustments. The best evidence of value is a recent arm’s length sale of the property or sales of comparable properties.

What to Expect at Open Book:

During the meeting, which lasts 10-20 minutes, you will meet with assessment staff to review data about your property. This review will include the size, age, condition, number of bathrooms, and other physical characteristics of your property. You can ask any questions that will help you understand the assessment process. This is also an opportunity to present factual data regarding different opinions about the value of your property. Examples could be sales of similar properties in your neighborhood.

The assessment staff you meet with will gather data during this meeting and review your property's value. The review will be completed by assessment staff after the Open Book meetings have been completed. Once the Open Book period is closed, you will be notified by mail or email of the results of the property review.

Once you receive the results, if you still believe the value is not an accurate estimate of your property value, you may proceed to the Board of Review.

Formal Objections:

After reviewing your assessment with the Assessor's Office, owners who still feel that their property's value is overstated may file formal written objections to the Board of Review (BOR). Objections must be submitted to the Village Clerk on forms available in the Village Clerk's Office.

Formal objections may proceed to a formal hearing before the Board of Review. Like a court, the Board of Review is responsible for resolving differences of opinion of valuation based on factual data. The Board hears oral testimony and evidence from the property owner and the Assessor's staff. After hearing the evidence, the Board may lower, raise, or sustain the assessment.

Board of Review:

The Board of Review will convene on September 11th, 2024 to review and examine all sworn statements and valuations of real property therein and correct all errors in said roll, whether in the description of the property or otherwise, to perform such other duties imposed by law, and to schedule appointments and conduct hearings. Starting August 5th 2024 you may contact the Village Clerk’s office to obtain appropriate paperwork. Once the paperwork is completed in its entirety, you may contact the Village Clerk’s office to schedule a Board of Review appointment.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with the Village Assessor:

Jeff Thornton, Assessor

assessor@elmgrovewi.org

262 780-6647 

Open Seat for Finance & Licensing Committee

Have you been interested in serving your community? If you have knowledge and experience that would make you a great fit for the Finance & Licensing Committee - apply now! The Finance & Licensing Committee is responsible for all liquor and other licenses, budgeting, and financial oversight. The Committee meets on the 4th Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. (prior to the Board of Trustees meeting).

Anyone who is interested, should submit an application here.

Absentee Ballots for August 13, 2024 Partisan Primary have been mailed!

If you are looking to request an absentee ballot or view a sample ballot, please visit www.myvote.wi.gov. 

In-Person Absentee Voting for the August 13th, 2024 Primary Election will take place at Village Hall, 13600 Juneau Boulevard the following dates/hours: 

• Monday, August 5th through Thursday, August 8th from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Friday, August 9th from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

As a reminder, Election Day is August 13th!

Protecting Lake Michigan from Illicit Spills

Illicit discharge is any substance other than stormwater that enters a storm drain, storm sewer, local waterway, or other regulated system. Examples include sanitary wastewater, effluent from septic tanks, spills from roadway accidents, and improper disposal of auto and household hazardous wastes. These substances can lead to nutrient, bacteria, and chemical pollution to our freshwater systems. Illicit discharges are easiest to spot when there hasn’t been rainfall or snowmelt for at least 72 hours (3 days).

If you spot a storm drain or a pipe leading to a waterway that has an unusual odor, suds, an oil sheen, or flowing water during dry weather, you may have found an illicit discharge.

If you think that there is an illicit discharge in your community, please contact an official in your local municipality. Visit https://www.respectourwaters.org/illicit-discharge to learn more about illicit discharge detection and elimination.

A Message from the Beautification Committee

Monarch Milkweed Map

We are inching closer to our goal of 300 dots on the monarch milkweed map. If you know someone who is missing a dot or would like to be included, please have them reach out!

Invasive Species Task Force

Your award winning Invasive Species Task Force NEEDS YOU! We are trying to make our village park buckthorn-free which is going to be a village wide commitment over the long term. Don't know what buckthorn looks like - we will teach you! Join us Sunday's at 11:00 a.m. for just one hour - dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin levels all guaranteed to spike!

Buckthorn Removal

Need to remove buckthorn at your house? Feel free to rent one of the Beautification Committee's stump stump wrenches. They'll remove buckthorn with up to a 3" diameter - root and all! Get rid of your buckthorn!

Birders of the Grove

Are you getting excited for fall bird migration? Our village pond happens to be the ideal stopover! Your Birders of the Grove group bought and donated a birding backpack that you can check out from the library!

Complete with an adult set of binoculars, two children's binoculars, and a guide book all inside a handy backpack. This group meets the 3rd Monday at 9:00 a.m. every other month if you'd like to join in efforts to maintain Elm Grove's High Flyer status!

A Message from the Sustainability Committee

Mosquitoes are the uninvited guests to all your summer gatherings. If your garden contains lavender, marigolds, lemongrass or herbs like mint, basil, and rosemary, you may have found the magic potion to keep these bugs away. If you need extra help but don’t want to use harsh chemicals, why not try a Mosquito Dunk? Mosquito Dunks are little doughnut-like disks that you can put in standing water – the very place that mosquitoes thrive. The dunks contain a bacteria that targets mosquito larvae but is otherwise completely safe for plants, humans, and pets. Dunks usually last 30 days and can be found at hardware stores and online.

Speaking of summer gatherings, how can you make your BBQ more sustainable? The Sustainability Committee is very committed to reducing food waste and eliminating single-use plastics. A few helpful hints for making your BBQ more green:

• Take orders from your guests before you start cooking to prevent cooking too much.
• Send extra food home with guests in reusable containers.
• Compost when available.
• If you need to use disposable plates and cutlery, compostable options are now widely available.
• Instead of disposable cups, consider purchasing aluminum cups, which are completely reusable and recyclable.

The Spirituality of Light: A Moral Compass: A Cornerstone History Symposium Art History Lecture Series

Caravaggio: A Sinner and the Painter of Miracles Tuesday, August 20, 6:30 p.m. Elm Grove Library

As an artist he was prolific and temperamental. As a man he was difficult, mercurial, and violent; vilified as an absolute sinner. He saw everything. He lived everything. His paintings evoked affetti - human emotions: they had drama, beauty, movement, pretense, and yes, horror!

Join us as we survey the life and works of one of the most celebrated artists of his time on the colorful stage of the Italian Baroque: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. Presented by Professor Karri Fritz-Klaus of Cornerstone History Symposium.

This is the first lecture in a five-part series, “The Spirituality of Light: A Moral Compass.” Mark your calendars for the remaining presentations (9/10: Vermeer, 10/8: Rembrandt, 11/12: Klimt, 12/10: Turner). Free to attend. No registration required.

Upcoming Community Blood Drive - Wednesday, August 7th

The Elm Grove Junior Guild is hosting a blood drive with Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin on Wednesday, August 7th from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Pilgrim Park Middle School. Blood donations drop during the busy summer months, so this is a very important time to donate!

Please make your appointment today here!

There will be great incentives to donate, Versiti swag, and childcare available while donating!

Elm Grove Woman’s Club Open House

Stop by the Elm Grove Woman’s Club Open House on September 11th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Open to women from all communities. Mark your calendar, bring a friend, colleague, or neighbor and join us for an evening of fun, food, and a glass of wine!

• Monthly member meetings at our beautiful clubhouse, including interesting programs, five mid-day lunch meetings, two evening meetings.
• Small Group Activities within the Club such as, Read Between the Wines Book Club, Bunco Babes, Club Chorus, Garden Club, Bus Trips, and more!
• Large Club Events for the public include Trivia Nights, Christmas in the Grove, Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast, and more!
• Community Outreach plans to expand this year with our 501(c)(3) provisional tax-exempt charitable organization status. We will continue our sponsorship of the Student Art Scholarship Competition, Women focused charities and the Elm Grove Village Directory. We expect to widen our reach to support more organizations in need.
• Opportunity to gather with a purpose and spend time with old friends and make new friends

If you are ready to join, please complete the membership form here and submit your online payment.

On September 14th don't miss out on Peek Inside from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Peek Inside provides a unique opportunity to tour fabulous homes in Elm Grove. The homes have been carefully selected to showcase a variety of amazing trends in design and home remodeling. More details to come and tickets to be on sale soon, visit https://www.egwc.org.

Brookfield East Student Named FBLA National Champion

Brookfield East junior Jake Zheng was named the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Champion in Public Speaking! 

Zheng competed against nine other finalists in the ‘Introduction to Public Speaking’ event and was declared the winner. Brookfield East freshman Parth Dharmadhikari also competed in the finalist round and finished seventh in the ‘Introduction to Financial Math’ competition. The FBLA National Competition was held in Orlando, Florida and hosted 12,000 students from the United States, Canada, China, Germany, and Puerto Rico across 77 different competition events. 

“I have to thank the Elmbrook community for this achievement; the skills I gained at East and throughout numerous opportunities across the district, such as serving as a representative to the School Board, have been instrumental in my success,” reflected Jake. “It was amazing to represent Brookfield East and I am grateful for the people that have supported me.”

During the 2023-24 school year Zheng also served as a Student Representative for BEHS to the Board of Education and was elected Class President. He looks forward to growing the FBLA program at Brookfield East and across the District.