Fontana approves 2023 Geneva Lake contract agreements; Trustees approve $30,000 subsidy to cover 'pretty significant' employee health insurance premium increases

While the 2022 boating season is winding down with the autumn chill and the first early harbinger snow flurries of winter, Fontana Village Board trustees are already turning their sights toward next year's warm weather boating season on Geneva Lake.

Trustees on Oct. 3 approved contracts for various Geneva Lake services provided to the Village of Fontana by the Geneva Lake Environmental Agency, the Geneva Lake Law Enforcement Agency and the Geneva Lake Water Safety patrol.

Fontana trustees approved an unchanged $35,000 budget request from the Williams Bay-based Geneva Lake Environmental Agency (GLEA) in support of its 2023 operations.

A shared unit of the local governments of the Towns of Linn and Walworth, the Villages of Fontana and Williams Bay and the City of Lake Geneva, GLEA works to protect, preserve, enhance and maintain the resource quality of 5,262-acre Geneva Lake and its 13,045-acre watershed through monitoring, protection and education efforts.

The board also approved a $73,000 budget request from the Fontana-based Geneva Lake Law Enforcement Agency (GLLEA), also known as Geneva Lake Police, for 2023 patrol and law enforcement activities on Geneva Lake.

All agency officers are certified law enforcement officers with the State of Wisconsin. Geneva Lake Police is staffed by 15 officers, one sergeant and the commander, as well as a part-time secretary/treasurer.

Fontana's 2023 contract with GLLEA is up 16% from $63,000 this year, and up from $45,000 two years ago.

In board discussions, trustee Stanton Livingston noted that "fuel costs are up" for Geneva Lake Police to power its two patrol boats, which operate from April through October each year.

Additionally, Village President Patrick Kenny noted that GLLEA has had to "increase pay" to competitively attract law enforcement officers to join its ranks, adding that GLLEA also "depleted funds" in 2021 as it relocated its base headquarters from Williams Bay to Fontana Beach.

Trustee Rick Pappas noted that Geneva Lake Police had also incurred "big overtime" expenses, citing a number of "major incidents" on Geneva Lake.

Established in 1968, GLLEA operations are funded by the Village of Fontana, Village of Williams Bay, City of Lake Geneva and Town of Linn, with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reimbursing up to 75% of the operating costs.

Village trustees also approved a $43,860 agreement with the Williams Bay-based Geneva Lake Water Safety Patrol for 2023 operations.

Village Administrator Theresa Loomer noted that the Water Safety Patrol contract from 2023 represented a "slight increase" from the current contract.

Fontana's 2023 contract with the Water Safety Patrol is a 5%, $1,831 increase from the current contract rate.

The Water Safety Patrol, a private, non-profit organization founded in 1920, maintains a mission to keep Geneva Lake safe and enjoyable through three main branches of operations—lifeguarding; educational programs including swimming lessons and boater safety classes; and lake boat patrols.

Informational town halls set

Trustees set Saturday, Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. as the date and time for an informational town hall meeting on the village's upcoming Nov. 8 EMS funding referendum.

An additional informational town hall meeting was subsequently scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m.

Both informational meetings will be held at Fontana Village Hall, 175 Valley View Dr. (State Hwy. 67).

In 2017, Fontana voters approved a referendum for $250,000 for 24/7 EMS service. In 2019, the Fontana Fire Department began providing paramedic-level service. The Nov. 8 referendum question seeks additional funding in support of paramedic-level EMS service in the village to address rising equipment and labor costs.

The following yes-no question will appear in Fontana on the back side of the Nov. 8 fall general election ballot:

"Under state law, the increase in the levy of the Village of Fontana for the tax to be imposed for the next fiscal year, 2023, is limited to .999%, which results in a levy of $4,196,047. Shall the Village of Fontana be allowed to exceed this limit and increase the levy for the next fiscal year, 2023, for the purpose of providing the Village with 24-hour emergency medical services, by a total of 16.160% which results in a levy of $4,874,124, and on an ongoing basis, include the increase of $678,077 for each fiscal year going forward?"

Additional information about the referendum and the informational town hall meetings are available online at https://fontanaemsreferendum.org/.

Other news

In other developments at the Oct. 3 meeting, the Fontana Village Board:

Approved a $157,000 bid for roof repairs at village's beach house facility at Fontana Beach on Geneva Lake.

Approved a $9,936 request from Burlington-based Wanasek Corp. for a three-way cost split for asphalt on Brickler Drive and South Lakeshore Drive.

Approved the expenditure of $30,000 to subsidize village employee health insurance cost increases. In board discussions, Village Administrator Theresa Loomer characterized the premium increases as "pretty significant."

Approved an 8% 2023 cost of living increase request tendered by the village's solid waste and recycling contractor, Whitewater-based John's Disposal. The contract, which runs through 2026, contains a provision for annual cost of living increases. A local, family owned-and-operated business, John's Disposal provides residential and commercial garbage and recycling service to Walworth, Racine, Kenosha, Dane, Milwaukee, Jefferson, Rock and Waukesha counties.

Approved the $9,700 purchase of new cots and lockers from lockers.com via Wayfair for use by Fontana Fire Department emergency medical services (EMS) personnel.

Approved a conditional use permit request from Michael Keen for a second driveway access point for property located at 783 Indian Hills Drive.

Approved a sanitary sewer easement for property located at 664 Upper Brookwood Drive.

Approved prohibiting the use of municipal equipment to fill swimming pools.

Approved a Wisconsin Department of Transportation concept plan for a recreational path on the south side of State Hwy. 67 as part of a planned March 2023 DOT road resurfacing project.

Approved the removal of the deteriorating water fountain feature at Porter Court Plaza in downtown Fontana. Porter Court Plaza, overseen by the Fontana Parks Commission, is located between Mill Street and State Hwy. 67 on Porter Court.

Took no action on a proposed ordinance amendment to Chapter 14-65 of the village's code of ordinances governing the building permit fee schedule.

Denied a citizen request to waive late fees on a cost recovery invoice.

Discussed planning for the village's 2022 employee holiday party, which is slated for Thursday, Dec. 15 at The Abbey Resort.