Hartland trustees approve event permits, $295,308 utilities contract and send two development concepts to planning commission

The Village of Hartland Board of Trustees voted to approve routine minutes and vouchers, grant two special-event permits, authorize a bartender license, adopt an amendment to the village special-events code and award a utilities contract, and it sent two development concepts to the Planning Commission during a regular meeting.

The board approved the Jan. 27, 2025 meeting minutes and voted to pay vouchers totaling $7,555,633.19. Trustees carried a motion to approve a special-event permit for the Heartland Kiwanis Bark River Bash set for May 3, 2025, with the board deciding not to waive the park fees. A second special-event permit — Lake Country Family Fun’s Heartland Kids Day scheduled for July 30, 2025 — was also approved.

The board granted a bartender license to Richard L. LaRusso Jr. after staff reported no accessible criminal-history records and a self-disclosed, decades-old sale-to-a-minor incident. Members also suspended the rules and adopted Ordinance No. 01272025, amending section 10-208 (Special Events Permits) to change the code’s language so applications submitted with fewer than 60 days’ notice “could” be denied rather than “shall” be denied.

In competitive bidding for the 2025 utilities program, trustees awarded the contract to Zignago Company Inc. for $295,308, the low qualified bid, and accepted staff’s recommendation. Board discussion noted this is the first time the village would use Zignago for utility work; staff said references had been checked.

On land-use concepts, the board approved the concept for an expansion at Lake Country Lutheran High School, a two-story addition of roughly 25,000 square feet (about 12,500 square feet per floor) intended for academic space on the second floor and athletic/training space on the first. The school representative said the site had been previously graded for future expansion and the school hopes to have the space ready for the first semester of 2026 if approvals proceed.

The trustees also voted to send the Palmer Drive Apartments concept from Cherry Faith Properties to the Planning Commission. Developer Duane Cherry described a proposed single building of 26 one- and two-bedroom units, roughly half designated as ADA-accessible, and said financing would include Waukesha County HOME funds, the Waukesha County Growth Fund, and a loan from the Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation; Spring Bank would be the project's senior lender.

The meeting moved into and later returned from a closed session under Wisconsin Statutes section 19.85(1)(e) to discuss negotiations related to the Nixon beer garden; the board returned to open session and adjourned without publicly releasing details of the closed deliberations.

Votes at a glance: - Approve minutes (01/27/2025): Approved (motion carried). - Approve vouchers ($7,555,633.19): Approved (motion carried). - Approve special-event permit, Bark River Bash (Heartland Kiwanis), 05/03/2025 — pay fees, not waive: Approved (motion carried). - Approve special-event permit, Heartland Kids Day (Lake Country Family Fun), 07/30/2025: Approved (motion carried). - Approve bartender application, Richard L. LaRusso Jr.: Approved (motion carried). - Suspend rules and adopt Ordinance No. 01272025 (amending section 10-208, Special Events Permits): Adopted (motion carried). - Award 2025 utilities program contract to Zignago Company Inc., $295,308: Approved (motion carried). - Approve conceptual plan for Lake Country Lutheran High School expansion (send to Planning Commission): Approved (motion carried). - Send Palmer Drive Apartments (Cherry Faith Properties, 26 units) to Planning Commission: Approved (motion carried).

"My name is Derek Green. I am the new executive director of the Heartland Chamber of Commerce," Derek Green said during the public-comment portion, introducing himself and outlining chamber priorities for 2025, including member-focused educational events and improved internal systems.

"This is our fourth running of the Bark River Bash," said Jim Mintzberger on behalf of the Heartland Kiwanis and the Business Improvement District, summarizing the event program and noting proceeds will support the children's section of the library.

Developer Duane Cherry described the Palmer Drive proposal as "26 units, 1 and 2 bedroom units, half of which will be ADA accessible," and outlined the anticipated funding sources and schedule for approvals.

The board indicated that, where necessary, approved concepts will next be considered by the Planning Commission; formal land-use approvals, rezoning and developer agreements will follow that review.