Spring is in full bloom. What a change from just a few short four weeks ago. It is great to see our Village Park increase in activity from residents enjoying the walking trails to high school tennis. Wildlife is returning, bringing with it the birds rich vocal sounds of chirps and whistles. 

I would like to offer my congratulations to John Schindler, Jennifer Stuckert, and Shawn Hillmann on their election to continue to serve the Village as Trustees. I appreciate their dedication and commitment to the Village Board team and look forward to their ongoing contributions. 

On April 20th, volunteers participated in a clean-up along Underwood Creek and the Village Park. An extensive amount of refuse was recovered during this clean-up that extended to South Park. Thanks to all the volunteers participating in this important annual event. On April 27th, Earth Day was celebrated throughout the Village. Activities from an inaugural recycling event, shredding day and food trucks made this day meaningful. Thanks to the Sustainability Committee and the Business Association and the many recycling organizations for their support.

The Beautification Committee Received the 2024 Invader Crusader Award from Wisconsin Invasive Species Council. In addition, a grant for $1,000 was received for the continual fight against invasive species. Well Done! 

The Committee of the Whole will be meeting on May 20th to review and discuss various topics. These meetings provide the Board an opportunity to have an open discussion with staff on future projects or actions and share direction with staff. Agenda items this month are expected to include:

• Underwood Creek Daylighting Engineering Update. Stantec, our engineering consultant, will update the Board on progress to finalize the engineering design and internal cost estimates. In addition, discussions continue to acquire the railroad land and easements required.
• Discussion related to potential updates to the one-million-dollar limit in place requiring public works projects to be approved via referendum. The Public Works Committee will also discuss this in May and provide feedback to the Board. In addition, the Board will discuss how future Tax Incentive Districts will be approved.

I would like to recognize Recreation Manager Logan Kein and the entire Village Staff for the commitment to bring the summer brochure and activities to life. This is a significant effort which includes hiring staff for all the programs and pool activities. Thank you Logan for leading this effort!

Third Space Beer Garden will begin operations in May. Additional seating is being coordinated. In addition, a volleyball league is being offered this summer through the Village's recreation department. Information is available in the summer recreation brochure. 

Let’s welcome spring and get outdoors to enjoy the warmer weather!

President Koleski

Caroline Heights/Watermain Update

Crews mobilized to continue work on the water main as of Friday, April 12th. Work commenced on Knoll Road where construction ended in 2023 (just east of Exquisite Auto). Crews will progress west from Knoll Road to Meadow Drive to the intersection of Green Meadow Place and Red Barn Lane. It is anticipated that this phase will take approximately 2 1/2 weeks. The crews will pause while the sanitary sewer extension is constructed in Stephen Place. Following completion of the sanitary extension, the water main installation will continue on Red Barn Lane to Stephen Place to Watertown Plank Road. The construction crew is staging materials and equipment on the Caroline Heights property and will be utilizing the western Green Meadow Place cul de sac as an access point. Please note that access will be maintained for all residents who live in this area as well as for local bus traffic. Local bus companies have been provided notice of construction and will continue to receive updates as construction progresses through the neighborhood. 

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

Highland Drive North Pedestrian Pathway Construction to Begin the Week of May 6th

A preconstruction meeting was held at Village Hall with all involved parties for the Highland Drive North Pedestrian Pathway project. Contractors shared a preliminary construction schedule with an anticipated start date the week of May 6th, 2024. 

Construction notification letters were hand delivered by members of the Village Engineer's Office to property owners adjacent to the project area. These letters included information about the project, traffic control throughout construction, construction hours, etc. and also includes contact information for the Village's Engineer and Public Works Director.

Visit the Village website here to see up-to-date documents.

Stay Up to Date on the US 18 (Bluemound Road) Resurfacing Project Using the 511 Wisconsin Website

Stay up to date on the road resurfacing project on US 18 (Bluemound Road) using the Wisconsin Department of Transportation 511 page here. The 511 Wisconsin website project began in 2023 and is anticipated to be completed in fall 2024. Email connectse@devorpr.com to sign up to receive project updates right in your inbox!

Recycle Center Open!

With the nice weather comes spring cleaning! In April the Recycle Center opened for its spring/summer hours for all your yardwork needs. The Recycle Center is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Residents may bring brush, grass clippings, and leaves ONLY to recycle at the Center.

As a reminder, only Elm Grove residents are allowed to utilize the Recycle Center. Please remember to bring proof of residency when coming to the Center. If you are an Elm Grove resident and do not have a WI Drivers License with your current Elm Grove address, you can visit Village Hall to obtain a permit after showing proof of residency/ownership (tax bill, electric bill).

A Message from the Zoning & Planning Administrator: Portable Outdoor Storage Containers

Planning a big home improvement project? Remember to submit an application for a Portable Outdoor Storage Container permit with the Zoning & Planning Office.

Please remember the following guidelines when using a Portable Storage Container:

• No more than 1 container on a property at any given time.
• Containers cannot be larger than 10' wide, 20' long, and 10' high.
• Containers cannot be placed closer than 5' to all property lines and 5' to the nearest wall of a building.
• Containers cannot be placed in the Village right-of-way.
• Containers cannot remain on a property in excess of 60 consecutive calendar days.
• Containers can be placed for a total period of up to 180 days on a property for which a building permit has been issued.

The fee for a Portable Storage Container is $25.00. Use this link to apply.

Protect Our Stormwater!

Lawns and plants cannot always absorb the nitrogen, phosphorus, and ammonia in chemical and organic fertilizers. The excess nutrients and chemicals not absorbed will run off our yards into storm drains and enter waterways during rain events. This can lead to toxic algae blooms and dead zones that can contaminate drinking water and lead to beach shutdowns. To limit the amount of fertilizer entering our waters we can all do our part. Use organic matter first, test your soil to determine what and how much nutrients it needs, plant native plants that can naturally thrive without help. We can all do our part to keep our waters free of chemicals and nutrients this spring and summer.

Visit www.respectourwaters.org/yard-chemicals to learn more!

Summer Program Registration Now Open!

Summer 2024 program registration is NOW OPEN for Village residents! Program registration for non-residents will open on Friday, May 10th.

View the catalog and sign-up for all your summer programs here. Remember to sign-up early as some programs fill up quickly!

Please contact Recreation Manager, Logan Kein, at recreation@elmgrovewi.org or 262-782-6700 if you have any questions.

Be a part of the new pier in Village Park!

If you would like to be a part of the newly installed pier near the northeast corner of the pond, please consider donating to complete the fundraising efforts! We are excited for this new amenity for residents to enjoy!

Donations can be made via cash, check or credit card at Village Hall or by credit card online here and selecting "Pier Donations".

A Message from the Beautification Committee

Tree and Shrub Sale Through Johnson Nursery

This year's sale is completely online with delivery to the village on May 18th for easy, convenient pick-up! Order now through May 11th to help keep our community's canopy cover one of the highest in the state by replacing lost trees. Don't forget about that "forgotten layer" of shrubs. There are 29 trees, 28 shrubs, and 6 conifers along with grasses and perennials for you to choose from. So much selection that you're sure to find the perfect fit for your landscaping needs!

SEWISC Pull-a-thon

This is our first year competing in the annual Pull-a-thon--please help support us! There is no amount too small--let's rid our community of garlic mustard together. Please submit your weight or volume pulled on this anonymous form now through June 30th. Don't have any garlic mustard? Help out your neighbor or consider a donation to our team. Half of everything we raise comes back to our Invasive Species Task Force to continue our work within the Village. Don't forget the "rocket booster" to our totals by including any Dame's Rocket! This campaign is supported by the Village of Elm Grove Weed Commissioner!

Invasive Species Task Force

A recent study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that people who volunteer are happier than those who do not. Every two years from 1996 to 2014, researchers took data from nearly 70,000 research participants about their volunteering habits, mental health, levels of stress, and daily mood. The results? Not only does volunteering make us happier — it can also improve our mental health over time. Send an email to EGBeautification@gmail.com to be included in the weekly email letting you know where we will be meeting--join in when you can!

Great Wisconsin Birdathon

Join the Birders of the Grove at 10:00 a.m. on May 11th for a walk around the park to identify as many migrating birds as we can find. Participation in this event is crucial to our Bird City Wisconsin High Flyer status. Once again, half of all money raised is returned to us to help with bird conservation within the Village! You don't need to donate to join in the walk, and you don't need to walk to donate!

Perennial Plant Sale

Our biggest sale yet with over 80 varieties of perennials and over 1700 plants will take place on June 1st! These will be the lowest prices you'll find-- with quarts for $5.00 and pints for $4.00 or 3 for $10.00. Need to get yourself on our Monarch Milkweed Map? We currently have 214 dots on our village map and aim to have 300 by the end of the summer. There will be 4 different varieties of native milkweed along with a huge selection of nectar plants to fuel them for their fall migration back to Mexico. And all plants are pesticide free! Come get your yard ready to support the monarchs!  We will be at the downtown Park-n-Shop from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Hope to see you there!

Looking for the perfect gift? Consider a gift certificate to our plant sale!

A Message from the Sustainability Committee

Thank you to everyone who attended the Recycle Event at Tonawanda as part of the Earth & Arbor Day Celebration. It was a great success, and we thank YOU for participating!

Please note that the Plastic Film Recycling Bins will be removed on June 1st from Village Hall, Tonawanda Elementary, and Ace Hardware. This program has been run by volunteers who pick up and sort through the plastic to remove garbage and other non-recyclables and then weigh, record and finally take the plastic to collection sites. However, we have been overwhelmed by the sheer amount of plastic collected. We have also learned that plastic recycling is an imperfect solution. Therefore, making a real difference depends on reducing and ending our use of plastic bags. 

Here’s how you can do that:

• Say no thanks to plastic bags at store checkouts.
• Look for items that are not in plastic packaging. 
• Keep your reusable bags in your car/next to your door so you bring them when you shop anywhere.
• If you forget your reusable bags, simply carry your loose items out in the cart and it will help you to remember your reusable bags next time!
• If you already have plastic bags from a previous purchase, go ahead and reuse them!

If you have more suggestions, please send to debsustain@gmail.com. We would love to hear your ideas! Changing habits isn’t always easy! But it’s worth the effort.

Memorial Day Parade 

Please join us on Monday, May 27th, 2024 for the annual Elm Grove Memorial Day Parade!

The application for community members is now open -- please visit our website.

We look forward to celebrating our veterans on this 2024 Memorial Day - Grateful Hearts on Display!

Elm Grove Woman's Club - Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast

Presenting Sponsor: St. Camillus 

Bring the whole family and join us for this fan-favorite traditional all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast! Get a hearty breakfast and have some fun before heading to the parade.



Tickets are $15.00 for adults, $10.00 for children ages 3-12, and children under 3 are FREE! 

Tickets are available now at EGWC.org.

Elmbrook’s 2024 WCASS Honorees Recognized

Each year, the Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services (WCASS) accepts nominations and presents awards to outstanding people in the field of Student Services. On Friday, April 12th, WCASS Board Member, Jeanne Siegenthaler, joined Elmbrook staff for the celebration of this year’s award recipients: Matt Schroeder, Administrator of the Year Award (Principal, Wisconsin Hills Middle School); Luis Gutierrez, Personal Achievement Award

(Student at Brookfield Central); and Ellia Trochelman (Student at Brookfield Central), Student Advocate of the Year!

“We are so grateful for and proud of the incredible work that Principal Schroeder, Luis and Ellia have all done this year surrounding Student Services,” reflected Liz Stegemann, Director of Special Education. “Their awards showcase the great strides they make every day, and the impact that their work has on both our staff and student body.”

Congratulations to Matt, Luis, and Ellia on this great accomplishment!

1860's Tea in the Afternoon

Dousman Stagecoach Inn Museum 1075 Pilgrim Pkwy, Brookfield, WI

Join us for an 1860's Tea in the Afternoon at the Dousman Stagecoach Inn Museum located at 1075 Pilgrim Pkwy, Brookfield. Teas are on Sundays with seating's at 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on June 2nd, August 4th, and October 6th. There will also be a Tea on Sunday, December 8th, with seating's at 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. 

Teas include assorted sandwiches, fruit breads, fruit, veggies, dessert and beverages. The cost is $24.00 per person. Reservations and prepayment required.

www.elmbrookhistoricalsociety.org

elmbrookhistoricalsociety@gmail.com