Uncategorized

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today directed Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to issue Emergency Order #3 limiting public gatherings to no more than 25 percent of a room or building’s total occupancy. See full the order and list of exemptions here.

This directive is effective at 8 a.m. on Oct. 8, 2020, and will remain in effect until Nov. 6, 2020, and applies to any gatherings at locations that are open to the public such as stores, restaurants, and other businesses that allow public entry, as well as spaces with ticketed events. A frequently asked questions document is available for review here.

“We’re in a crisis right now and need to immediately change our behavior to save lives,” said Gov. Evers. “We are continuing to experience a surge in cases and many of our hospitals are overwhelmed, and I believe limiting indoor public gatherings will help slow the spread of this virus. Folks, we need your help and we need all Wisconsinites to work together during this difficult time. The sooner we get control of this virus, the sooner our economy, communities, and state can bounce back.”

Earlier today, the governor also announced an additional $100 million in support for Wisconsin’s small businesses, including lodging, event venues, and others in the tourism industry, who are struggling in the wake of the pandemic without additional federal supports.

“The unfortunate reality is this: the disease activity level of COVID-19 in Wisconsin is so high that going to a gathering puts you at very high risk of exposure,” said DHS Secretary-designee Palm. “We know gatherings are a key way this virus spreads, so we must act to limit indoor gatherings to stop the spread, reduce illness, and save lives.”

Today, DHS reported an increase of 2,020 confirmed cases of COVID-19; 18 new deaths, and the seven-day average of new daily COVID-19 cases is 2,346 up from 836 one month ago. According to DHS’ Disease Activity dashboard and as of Sept. 30, 2020, 45 of Wisconsin counties meet the threshold of a very high disease activity level, which means that there are more than 350 cases per 100,000 people in that county. All other counties reported high case activity levels. This means Wisconsinites should assume they will likely be exposed to the virus if they leave home and should practice all safety precautions.

Wisconsinites should take the following steps to stay safe and help stop the spread of COVID-19:

Stay home whenever possible;
Wear a mask;
Wash your hands frequently;
If you have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19, get tested;
Get the flu shot to help reduce the strain on healthcare systems responding to the COVID-19 pandemic;
Challenge misinformation and talk to friends and families about the importance of these safety precautions.
For up-to-date information about Wisconsin’s COVID-19 response, visit the DHS COVID-19 webpage. We also encourage you to follow @DHSWI on Facebook and Twitter, or dhs.wi on Instagram for more information on COVID-19.

Gov. Evers Invests Additional $100 Million in Wisconsin Small Businesses and Economic Stabilization

Investments include second round of We’re All In Grants and investments in tourism, entertainment, and cultural venues

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced more than $100 million in investments aimed

at providing additional economic stabilization for small businesses and communities hardest hit by

the COVID-19 pandemic. The new infusion of funds includes an additional $50 million for “We’re All In Grants,” an economic development grant program launched by Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) this summer. More than 26,000 businesses received “We’re all In Grants” statewide, but many continue to face economic challenges from the pandemic.

“Small businesses, including the tourism and lodging industries, are the backbone of our Wisconsin communities. The ongoing pandemic, combined with a lack of action at the federal level may force many of these businesses to shutter their doors for good,” said Gov. Evers. “That’s why we’re investing another $100 million in businesses and communities across our state. Our communities are in desperate need of additional federal support, but we can’t wait a moment longer to do what we can here in Wisconsin.”

Today’s announcement also provides further investments in economic stabilization programs to support the lodging and tourism industry, live music and performance venues, cultural non-profits, and privately owned movie theaters. These efforts are funded through the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) and will help Wisconsin’s small businesses and venues that serve as cultural catalysts in communities across the state.

The new investments announced today include:

Over $50 million of $5,000 We’re All In Grants to more than 10,000 Wisconsin small businesses. The first phase of the program invested more than $65 million in grants for more than 26,000 businesses statewide. This round of We’re All In Grants will prioritize businesses most impacted by the pandemic, including restaurants and taverns, hair and nail salons and barber shops, and other services. It will be administered by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue in partnership with WEDC. Learn more about the program and apply at revenue.wi.gov.

“Wisconsin’s small businesses have demonstrated unbelievable creativity and ingenuity in adapting to the pandemic,” said WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes. “However, many of them are already stretched to the limit and are concerned about just surviving for the next few months.”

$20 million for the Wisconsin lodging industry. In 2019, visitors to the state spent $3.7 billion on lodging but recent reports indicate that up to two-thirds of all Wisconsin hotels face closure within the next 12 months without additional support. This investment will provide the lodging industry emergency resources to navigate a reduction in travel and cover the cost of implementing additional public health best practices as the pandemic continues.

$15 million for live music and performance venues throughout Wisconsin. Music venues, which often serve as community gathering places and cultural hubs, were among the first small businesses to close and may be among the last to fully re-open. Many owners have been vocal in expressing the need for federal assistance to further supplement the state investments already made. Gov. Evers’ investment will help these venues that are shuttered and hopefully encourage a nationwide plan to save these businesses over the long term.

$10 million to support privately owned movie theaters. Wisconsin movie theaters have not been spared the financial strain felt by movie theater companies nationally as content has been limited and activity limited across the state.  This investment will assist privately owned movie theaters while federal support remains stalled.

$10 million in additional support for non-profit cultural venues. The significant response to the original grant announcement several weeks demonstrates the challenges faced by these community centers of learning and culture. The additional support will bring the full investment in these treasures to $15 million and support local communities around the state.

$4 million in additional investments for destination marketing organizations and tourism drivers, bringing the total investment by the Evers Administration to $12 million. These funds will help meet the demonstrated need based on the applications received in recent weeks after Governor Evers announced the program in September.

Office of the Governor ♦ 115 East Capitol, Madison, WI 53702 Press Office: (608) 219-7443 ♦ Email: GovPress@wisconsin.gov https://evers.wi.gov ♦ Unsubscribe

Second round of We’re All In Grants will provide $50 million more for small businesses

State aims to assist businesses still facing impacts of COVID-19

 MADISON, OCT. 6, 2020 – The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) will provide a second round of We’re All In Small Business Grants to distribute an additional $50 million to small businesses hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Tony Evers announced today.

The first phase of the program provided more than $65 million in grants to over 26,000 businesses statewide this summer. Despite the infusion of federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds distributed by WEDC, however, many Wisconsin small businesses continue to struggle. The new round aims to provide grants of $5,000 each to 10,000 additional Wisconsin small businesses.

“Wisconsin’s small businesses have demonstrated unbelievable creativity and ingenuity in adapting to the pandemic,” said WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes. “But what we’re hearing from many of them is that they’re already stretched to the limit and are concerned what the next few months will hold.”

Applications for the grants will open at 8 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19, and close at 11:59 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2. As with the previous round of We’re All In Grants, awards will not be made on a first-come, first-served basis.

Businesses that received funds under the first round of We’re All In Grants, as well as the Ethnic Minority Emergency Grant program, are also eligible for the second round of We’re All In Grants. Priority will be given to businesses that have not previously received funds from either of the first two programs, those with ethnically diverse ownership, and those in the hardest-hit sectors, such as restaurants and taverns, hair and nail salons and barber shops, and other services.

The grants will be administered by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue in partnership with WEDC. Learn more about the program and apply at revenue.wi.gov.

To be eligible for the second round of We’re All In Grants, an applicant must:

• be a Wisconsin-based, for-profit business;
• in 2019, have 75% or more of company labor costs in Wisconsin and 75% of their assets in Wisconsin;
• earn more than $0 and less than $1 million in annual revenues (gross sales and receipts); and
• have started operating prior to Jan. 1, 2020, (Seasonal businesses should use the highest total FTEs employed during the )
• have filed their 2019

For this round, We’re All In Grants will be administered by the Department of Revenue in partnership with WEDC.

Before applying for the grants, applicants should familiarize themselves with the eligibility requirements and limitations as well as the information and documentation required to apply. This information, along with the grant application, can be found at revenue.wi.gov. If you cannot apply online, you may request assistance by calling the Wisconsin Department of Revenue at 608.266.2772.

The second round of We’re All In Grants is the latest effort by WEDC to assist small businesses in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. WEDC distributed more than $65 million in CARES Act funding to nearly 26,000 businesses under the first round of We’re All In Grants this summer. Additionally, WEDC provided $2 million in state funds to diverse businesses under the Ethnic Minority Emergency Grant program and $5 million to microbusinesses through the Small Business 20/20 program.

About the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) leads economic development efforts for the state by advancing and maximizing opportunities in Wisconsin for businesses, communities and people to thrive in a globally competitive environment. Working with more than 600 regional and local partners, WEDC develops and delivers solutions representative of a highly responsive and coordinated economic development network. Visit wedc.org or follow WEDC on Twitter @WEDCNews to learn more.

The Village of West Milwaukee will not be scheduling Trick or Treat hours this year, this means that traditional Trick or Treat activities have been suspended for 2020.

Residents are encouraged to participate in lower-risk ways of celebrating this year as we continue to see rising coronavirus infection rates in our state. Residents are advised that the West Allis Health Department, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise against traditional trick or treating practices during the coronavirus pandemic. The CDC categorizes this activity as high-risk for potential transmission of the virus. Participation is at one’s own risk and discretion.

Per the CDC, these lower risk activities can be safe alternatives to traditional trick or treat events:

• Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them
• Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends
• Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
• Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance
• Having a virtual Halloween costume contest
• Having a Halloween movie night with people you live with
• Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house

Additional Guidance from the CDC

• If you may have COVID-19 or you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should not participate in in-person Halloween festivities and should not give out candy at any Halloween activity.
• A costume mask (such as for Halloween) is not a substitute for a cloth mask. A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around the face.
• Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Village of West Milwaukee Police Department

August 13, 2020

PUBLIC NOTICE

The West Milwaukee Police Department is scheduled for an on-site assessment as part of a program to achieve accreditation by verifying it meets professional standards.

Administered by the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group (WILEAG), the accreditation program requires agencies to comply with state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on September 23, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. The session will be conducted in the Village Board Room located at 1345 S. 47th Street in West Milwaukee.

Agency employees and the public are also invited to offer comments by calling 414-651-5895 on September 23^rd,2020 between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Comments will be taken by the WILEAG Assessment Team assigned to conduct this assessment.

Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with WILEAG’s standards. A copy of the standards is available at the police department’s web page https://www.westmilwaukee.org/departments/police/.). Local contact is Officer Michelle Preisler 414-645-2151.

Anyone wishing to submit written comments about the West Milwaukee Police Department’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them to the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group at the following address:

WILEAG

PO BOX 528

Hartland, WI 53029

Executive.director@wileag.info

WILEAG 5th Edition Standards

There will be a Village Board meeting on Monday, February 15, 2021. The Finance Committee Meeting will follow the Legislative Committee Meeting that starts at 6:30 pm. The regular Village Board meeting will start at 7:00 p.m. If you would like to listen to the meeting via Zoom teleconference, please go to zoom.us and join the meeting via this Meeting ID: 851 5142 1107. You will also need to use the following password: WMKE4755.

If you have any additional questions about how to join the Zoom teleconference, please contact the Clerk’s Office (414) 645-1530, extension 131 before 5:00 p.m. on Monday.

Legislative Agenda 

 Finance Agenda

Village Board Agenda 

On July 30, 2020, Governor Tony Evers declared a Public Health Emergency and issued an Emergency Order requiring individuals to wear face coverings when indoors, except in a private residence. This order covers not only public locations like bars, restaurants, and stores, but also business settings like production facilities and offices. This order goes into effect on August 1, 2020 and will continue through September 28, 2020. 

Under the Order, Wisconsin residents ages five and older are required to wear a face covering when indoors or in an enclosed space with anyone outside their household or living unit.  “Enclosed space” is defined as “a confined space open to the public where individuals congregate, including but not limited to outdoor bars, outdoor restaurants, taxis, public transit, ride-share vehicles, and outdoor park structures.”  According to the FAQs, individuals are required to wear a face covering indoors, even if they are able to physically distance from other people at the time, unless they are the only person in the room or at a private residence.  Also according to the FAQs, this Order applies to “businesses and office spaces.”

The order defines “face covering” as “a piece of cloth or other material that is worn to cover the nose and mouth completely.”  The Order continues, “A ‘face covering’ includes but is not limited to a bandana, a cloth face mask, a disposable or paper mask, a neck gaiter, or a religious face covering.”  Finally, the Order states, “A ‘face covering’ does not include face shields, mesh masks, masks with holes or openings, or masks with vents.”
 
Per the FAQs, individuals do not need to wear a face covering if:

• You are at a private residence;
• You are outside; or
• You are indoors and no one else is present.

Finally, face coverings are permitted to be removed in the following situations:

• When you are eating or drinking.
• When you are communicating with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing.
• While sleeping (e.g., firefighters sleeping at a fire station).
• While swimming or being on duty as a life guard.
• When given a religious, political, media, educational, artistic, cultural, musical, or theatrical presentation for an audience, so long as you have at least 6 feet between you and other individuals.
• When you are working if wearing a face covering poses a safety risk, as determined by government safety guidelines or regulations.
• When you need to temporarily remove your face covering to confirm your identity, such as entering a back, credit union, or other financial institution or when having to show you match your identification card when buying alcohol.
• When engaging in activities where federal or state law or regulations prohibit wearing a face covering.

Employers are not required, but, are highly encouraged to provide face coverings to individuals who enter the facility without a covering.  This includes not only employees, but, visitors or other individuals appearing at and seeking access to the facility. 
 
The Emergency Order can be found here and the FAQs can be found here.

The Village of West Milwaukee is a diverse community located in the heart of Milwaukee County. The board of Trustees are elected at large and serve all residents. We have been, and continue to be, diligent to a process that offers the same opportunities to all, and to also ensure that no ordinance, policy, procedure or action taken by the board or staff shall be discriminatory in nature or create a hostile environment to anyone based on the individual’s race, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

We are united in the condemnation of the events and actions that led to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN. We are committed to ensuring that such actions shall not occur here.

We recognize the ongoing efforts of all Village staff, including law enforcement, and their continued assistance in achieving these goals. We appreciate the efforts of those who serve all residents each and every day.

To our neighbors of color, our hearts are with you and our ears are open. We hear you and want so much to hear more from you. We need your voice to help us shape the decisions that need to be made now to change the systems in place that we understand simply do not treat all people equal. Your voice matters. Your experiences matter. Your lives matter. We look forward to constructive conversations and collaborative change.

We reject violence in all its forms but do understand that for many these are difficult times. We seek not to divide, but to unite and to that end we want all to know that we are here with open ears and open minds to listen, and when appropriate, to act. We encourage all residents to take an active part in the Village. Our meetings are open and input is always welcomed and encouraged.

The State of Wisconsin has decided to open a very brief window for local small businesses to apply for a $2,500 emergency support grant. The program will provide these grants to 30,000 small businesses and is designed to help small businesses get back on their feet amid the COVID-19 pandemic, while also encouraging them to adopt best practices to keep employees, customers, and communities safe. 

Funded by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the grants will help small businesses with the costs of business interruption or for health and safety improvements, wages, salaries, rent, mortgages, and inventory. A description of the program including a checklist of required application documents can be found here.

The We’re All In Small Business grant application portal opens Monday, June 15th at 8:00 a.m. and is scheduled to close on Tuesday, June 23rd at 11:59 p.m. The application will be live on WEDC’s website on Monday, June 15th via this link. 

Please find a summary here of the key aspects of the program:

A business may apply for the We’re All In Small Business grant if it:

• Was in business in February 2020. Businesses that started in 2020 are not eligible;
• Is Wisconsin-based and for-profit;
• Employs 20 or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, including the owner; and
• Has more than $0 but less than $1 million in annual revenues.

A business will not be eligible for the grants if it is:

• Part of a national chain, unless the business is a third-party franchise;
• Industries covered by other Wisconsin CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund programs are ineligible for this program. These are:
  • Crop Production
  • Animal Production or Aquaculture
  • Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings (https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/LocalGovtsGrants/COVID-Grants.aspx)

To prepare for the online application process, businesses should be ready to upload the following documents to the WEDC application:

• 2019 federal tax return for business. A 2018 tax return is acceptable, if you have not file your 2019 returns (If you started your business in 2020, you are not eligible for this grant.)
• Signed W-9 form available at irs.gov
• An email or letter of acknowledgement from a community organization indicating your business was in operation in February 2020. A template for the letter is attached. Letters or emails can be from any of the following:
  • Chamber of commerce
  • Main Street or Connect Communities organization
  • Local business improvement district
  • Neighborhood economic development association
  • Local economic development organization
  • County economic development organization
  • Municipality, including tribal government
  • County
  • Local bank, credit union or community development financial institution
  • Regional UW Small Business Development Center https://wisconsinsbdc.org/services/covid-19/
  • U.S Export Assistance Center – Wisconsin
  • Regional economic development organization
  • Regional Planning Commission
  • Trade association

Your business will need to identify the Three-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code that best fits their business: This information may be included in a business’s tax return, or through the NAICS website.