The start of a new calendar year will be greeted with the thrill of the annual Polar Bear Club’s plunge into Lake Michigan and free taxi rides on New Year’s Eve.

    Hundreds of participants will run into the icy waters on the Port Washington beach front at the end of Jackson Street at 2 p.m. on Jan. 1.

    “I think the No. 1 thing about it is the looks on people’s faces. Whether you’re a rookie or a veteran that’s been doing it 20 years, you still get shocked the same and you still get that crazy look on your face,” said Jon Crain, president of the Port Washington polar bear club.

    Decked out in swimsuits or festive costumes, swimmers run, jump and splash in the frigid water, which is around 33 degrees.

    Swimmers do not need to register to participate in the event.

    “We just ask that you sign the books that we have out there and we ask that you go completely under,” Crain said.

    Nearly 250 people took part in the dip  on Jan. 1, 2012, and Crain hopes even more people join in next week.

    “I think the big thing is that it brings people together for a unique experience,” he said.

    Club members will be on the beach before hand to prep the area.

    “We like to cut back the brush on the beach, so there’s a nice area for people to go in. Hopefully we don’t have to break through any ice,” Crain said.

    Newcomers are always welcome, but Crain recommends they do one thing.

    “The biggest thing, I would say is make sure you have your warm clothes and towels ready when you come out. Going in isn’t bad, but coming out is when you start to feel it,” he said.

    Once again, the Ozaukee County taxi will provide free rides on New Year’s Eve from 9 p.m. Dec. 31 until 4 a.m. Jan. 1.

    Rides will be given to anyone in Ozaukee County, free of charge.

    Donations from MillerCoors, Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital and Specialized Transport Services have helped the county recover all operating costs.

    To arrange a ride, call (262) 238-TAXI or 284-TAXI (8294).

Former mayor’s decision leaves two Port council seats open in election next spring

There will be two open seats on the Port Washington Common Council next spring.

    Ald. Joe Dean filed his non-candidacy forms last week, joining Ald. Jim Vollmar in deciding not to seek re-election.

    Dean, who did not return a call seeking comment, is concluding his first term as alderman. In the 1990s, he served a term as the city’s mayor.

    Dean is also an Ozaukee County supervisor and president of the board of directors for the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight.

    Dean represents the city’s 5th District,  which encompasses much of the northwest side, while Vollmar represents the 3rd District, which includes much of the lakefront and downtown.

    Vollmar, who is completing his third term, said he and his wife, who is retiring, plan to travel and pursue other interests.

    Ald. Dan Becker, who represents the city’s 7th District, has taken out nomination papers but not yet returned them.

    Ald. Mike Ehrlich, who represents the 1st District, said he plans to run for re-election, although he had not taken out his papers yet.

    In the Port Washington-Saukville School District, all three incumbents have filed to run for re-election.

    They are Jim Eden, who represents those portions of the towns of Grafton and Saukville in the school district, and Kelly O’Connell-Perket and Jim Olson, who represent the City of Port Washington.

    The deadline for returning nomination papers or, in the case of the school board, filing a campaign registration statement and declaration of candidacy, is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 2.

     If more than two candidates seek any one seat, a primary election will be held Feb. 19 to narrow the field for the April 2 election.

Port council hires firm to check for contaminants at former drive-through that city would acquire in proposed land swap

    Port Washington aldermen on Tuesday hired Konicek Environmental to conduct soil and groundwater testing at the former M&I Bank drive-through, saying the results could determine whether the city goes through with a proposed parking lot swap.

    “I don’t think there’s any alternative but to do this,” Ald. Jim Vollmar said. “I don’t think the city is getting what it bargained for if it’s contaminated.

    “The bottom line is we have to know what’s there.”

    An initial environmental report revealed that there were gas tanks on the property, which at one time was home to a car dealership and auto repair garage.

    In all likelihood, the tanks weren’t drained of fuel but instead filled with sand and left in the ground when they were abandoned, City Administrator Mark Grams said, noting this was standard practice at the time.

    Over time, as the tanks rust, the soil and groundwater would then become contaminated, Vollmar said.

    “I think we know it’s contaminated,” he said. “The question is to what extent. If it’s minor, it’s different than if it’s major. Once we know, then we can make a decision on whether we want to continue with the exchange.”

    The discovery of the tank could impact any future use of the property, Vollmar said, noting a parking structure couldn’t be built without dealing with the contamination.

    The cost of the testing, which could reach $4,100, will be borne by the city and not property owner Daniel Ewig, Grams said.

    An exchange of the M&I Bank drive-through land for the city-owned parking lot behind the Boerner Mercantile Building that Ewig owns was approved by the Common Council earlier this month.

    The city will ask Ewig to extend the time frame for closing the deal to accommodate the additional testing, aldermen said.    

    Ald. Mike Ehrlich, an architect working on the rehabilitation of the Boerner building, abstained from the vote.

    The city’s decision on the fate of the land will depend in part on how officials envision using the property in the future.

    “If our intention is to keep it as it is, as a parking lot, you probably wouldn’t need to do it,” Grams said of the testing.

    But, if the city intends to sell or develop any portion of the property, the testing is essential, he said.

    The potential liability, as well as the cost of cleanup, give the city little recourse, City Attorney Eric Eberhardt said.

    “I strongly urge the council, if you want to proceed with the exchange (of property), to get the testing,” he said.
    The city needs to verify any contamination and determine its extent in order to find out if it would qualify for funding to remediate the situation, said Randy Tetzlaff, the city’s director of planning and development.

    The land swap, which officials said would result in a more attractive and user-friendly parking downtown, was expected to be completed early next year, Grams said.

    The deal was conceived as a way to provide convenient parking for the Boerner building while increasing the amount of public parking downtown.

    The city-owned lot between the Boerner Mercantile Building and Associated Bank has 44 parking stalls and is now primarily used by downtown employees. The former drive-through currently has 44 parking places, but after the building is razed could be reconfigured to have 69 parking stalls.