The Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department's Feature Friday

Each Friday, the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department features something new for residents and visitors to learn more about. This week, we want to tell you about our Skate Park!

The skate park is located at the northwest end of Community Park and is open from 7am until dusk. It was designed in 2013 by local skaters and later built in 2014. When the skate park was built, it was built with the intention that Community Park would be a temporary home and it would eventually move to the Lions Park. Although there is no date currently set for this move, it is still the future plan.

Equipment at the skate park includes a quarter pipe, bank ramp, kinked grind rail, two grind boxes and central ramp with additional grind rail. This facility is not supervised but, we do encourage all skaters to use protective wear while skating at the park. 

To see more photos of today's Feature Friday or to see more posts like this, check out the Parks & Recreation Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/greenvilleparkandrec/

Wisconsin Fast Forward Grants Open Oct 28

The Wisconsin Fast Forward program, from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, is a state-funded grant program that provides employer-led worker training grants. This grant opportunity is for employers who can demonstrate a critical need for skilled workers and are seeking Wisconsin Fast Forward training grants for developing and implementing a business-led skills training program.
 
Wisconsin Fast Forward Grants are now open. Applications will be accepted October 28 – November 30, 2020 by 3:00 p.m. CST.
 
Key features of this grant program include: 

• Grants are available to all industry sectors and companies of any size;
• Grant award amounts may range from $5,000 to $400,000;
• Cash or in-kind match equal to 50% of the grant award amount is required;
• Grantees must complete the training of at least 85% of the contracted number of trainees; and
• At least 65% of trainees must be placed in positions that require the skills taught in the funded training, at the placement partner(s) identified in the grant application.
  

For more information and to apply, please see the grant program announcement summarizing program requirements at http://wisconsinfastforward.com/pdf/industry-sector-gpa-20201020.pdf

Winter Parking Restrictions Begin Nov 15

Now that we've had an early snowfall in 2020, it is a perfect time to remind residents of our seasonal parking restrictions set to begin in a couple of weeks.

No vehicles are allowed to park on Town roads between the hours of 12:00 AM and 6:00 AM November 15 to March 31st.   Vehicles may be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense. 

Our Greenville plows want to move efficiently, so please do not park on the streets anytime during or after a snowstorm, even during permitted hours.

The Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department's Feature Friday

Each Friday, the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department features something new for residents and visitors to learn more about. This week, we 're going to dip into the forestry side of our department. Have you ever wondered why leaves change color and fall off their trees?

The reds, oranges, yellows and purple colors of fall comes from a chemical process that takes place when the seasons change. During the summer, leaves absorb sunlight that helps them produce food for the trees. The chemical that helps them do this is called chlorophyll; it gives the leaves their green color. In the fall, we see less daylight and lower temperatures, which cause the leaves to stop their food making process. As the chlorophyll breaks down, the green color starts to disappear and we are able to see all the other colors like yellow and orange again.

Most broad-leaved trees shed their leaves in the fall. A layer of cells develops on the stem of the leaf where it connects to the tree. As these cells gradually eat away at the tissue that supports the leaf, the tree begins to heal itself so that when the wind blows the leaf away, it is only left with a scar. Some trees, like oaks, don’t lose their leaves until the new ones start to grown in the spring and some trees, like evergreens, keep their greens year round!

To see more photos of today's Feature Friday or to see more posts like this, check out the Parks & Recreation Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/greenvilleparkandrec/

Outagamie To Suspend Outdoor Siren Tests

In an effort to reduce maintenance costs related to expected seasonal snow and ice, Outagamie County will modify the weekly outdoor warning system test schedule.

Beginning Nov.7 and continuing to March of 2021 (weather dependent), the county’s Emergency Management Department will suspend the audible Saturday outdoor warning system test.

Silent tests will continue throughout the winter.  

Sirens are intended for outdoor warning only.  They are not intended to be heard inside homes or businesses.  Outagamie County recommends that residents obtain NOAA weather radios or a local weather phone app for severe weather alerts.

For more information on NOAA weather radios or other preparedness information, contact the Outagamie County Emergency Management office at 920-832-6361.  Questions related to specific outdoor warning sirens should be directed to the relevant municipality.

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Park Restrooms Closed

It's that time of year again, the park restrooms have officially been closed for the season. Our parks remain open year round but unfortunately the restrooms are not heated so, to avoid any freezing pipes during the colder months, we must close them until spring.

Greenville Project Update

The projects detailed below are large scale projects happening in addition to our regular operations. Their completion may be scheduled to be done by town staff or the services may have been contracted with a third party. Please remember that all of the information and time lines are weather dependent and subject to change at any time.

A more detailed description and additional information about these projects can be found on our website at: http://townofgreenville.com/projects.php or by contacting our office at (920)757-7276.

Streets

• Greenwood Road Urbanization (STH 15 - Parkview Dr)
• An existing conditions survey has been performed and a conceptual design is being drafted.
• The project is planned to be constructed in 2021.
• South Creek Drive (School Rd-Molly Marie Ct)
• Project Completed September 29, 2020 - See photos here
• Spring Road Pulverize and Pave (North Rd-Julius Dr)
• Project Completed July 17, 2020 - See photos here

Stormwater

• Community Park Dredging
• Project Completed September 22, 2020. - See photos here
• STH 15 East/West Basins
• Project Completed September 24, 2020  - See photos here
• Ditching Maintenance
• Everglade Road: south side of the roadway, from just east of the post office 350 linear feet to a private driveway. This maintenance will remove the sediment that currently fills the ditch causing water and sediment to enter onto the roadway surface during rain events. It will also help to prevent winter ice issues from forming on the road.  
• Lily of the Valley/Maple Terrace/Buttercup Court: approximately 1900 linear feet of ditches will be maintained. This maintenance will remove 6-12 inches of sediment and vegetation from the bottom of the ditch. This prevents adequate stormwater conveyance during storm events. 

Water & Sewer

• STH 15 Utility Relocates
• Work began the week of September 28, 2020
• Utility relocates along STH 15 between Julius Drive and Lily of the Valley Drive.
• Existing sanitary sewer and water main facilities are being relocated to accommodate the future STH 15 WisDOT expansion project.

Parks, Recreation & Forestry

• Greenville Sports Complex
• Rettler Corporation has been contracted to design and engineer a new entrance road to the property. This new entrance road is consistent with the Master Plan for the park and will provide a safer access to the park from Hwy 96. This entrance road will be an official Town road and will also provide safe access to Well #5 and a private residence. Construction is expected to begin in fall 2020 with completion in Spring 2021.
• Lions Park
• The Lions Club is installing the fencing for the future sport courts in the southeast quadrant of the park as well as completing landscape restoration of the area. Any additional work in this area is postponed due to the cancellation of their main fundraising efforts for 2020.
• Town staff is installing a concrete pad and fenced enclosure for the trash and recycling dumpsters near the Barn Pavilion.

We're All In Small Business Grant - Phase 2

Applications are now open for the second round of We’re All In Small Business Grants, from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue in partnership with WEDC, which will distribute an additional $50 million to small businesses. The program aims to provide 10,000 businesses around the state with $5,000 grants that can be used for any purpose.

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 had 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);
• have started operating prior to Jan. 1, 2020 (seasonal businesses should use the highest total FTEs employed during the season);
• and have filed their 2019 taxes.
  

Applications close at 11:59 PM Monday, Nov. 2.

 
LEARN MORE & APPLY

Greenville Ballots NOT Impacted by County Misprint – November 3, 2020 Election

Today, October 19, 2020, Outagamie County Clerk Lori O’Bright detailed a technical ballot misprint, which will likely delay the counting of some absentee ballots on Election Night. Greenville ballots were not among those misprinted.  Ballots specific to Greenville were not apart of the impacted print run. Our ballot styles are different than those impacted by the print-run due to the incorporation referendum.  

The misprint – is a scratch no wider than a fingernail on a timing mark at the edge of the ballot – does not impact the contests, candidates, or referenda on the ballots.

The full Outagamie County press release can be found here:  https://www.outagamie.org/home/showdocument?id=77925

Voter FAQs on this subject matter can be found here:  https://www.outagamie.org/home/showdocument?id=77929

A sample image of the misprinted ballot can be seen here:  https://www.outagamie.org/home/showdocument?id=77927

Fall Issue - Greenville Gazette Now Online

The Town's newsletter, "The Greenville Gazette" which is sent quarterly by postal mail to town residents, is now available on the Town's website for download.

To download the 2020 October - December Issue, please visit the following link: http://townofgreenville.com/our_community/newsletters/index.php

The Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department's Feature Friday

Each Friday, the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department features something new for residents and visitors to learn more about. This week, we want to tell you about the trails at Pebble Ridge Park!

Pebble Ridge Park may seem like just another small neighborhood park but with 13 acres, it has a lot to offer! Along with the playground and open play space, Pebble Ridge Park features a beautiful walking trail that winds throughout the park. In August of 2019 the Town extended the paved section of trail to include approximately 1,600 more feet of 8 foot wide trail. This paving replaced the gravel and provides a cleaner, safer surface for users.

The paved trail runs through the prairie and along the retention pond while a gravel paths take you through the wooded area. The paved segment branches off to align with both entrances of the woods on either side of the prairie. The whole trail is approximately one half mile and can be accessed from both Pebble Ridge Road and Design Drive.

Have you been on the new and improved trail yet?!

To see more photos of today's Feature Friday or to see more posts like this, check out the Parks & Recreation Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/greenvilleparkandrec/

Greenville Project Update

The projects detailed below are large scale projects happening in addition to our regular operations. Their completion may be scheduled to be done by town staff or the services may have been contracted with a third party. Please remember that all of the information and time lines are weather dependent and subject to change at any time.

A more detailed description and additional information about these projects can be found on our website at: http://townofgreenville.com/projects.php or by contacting our office at (920)757-7276.

Streets

• Greenwood Road Urbanization (STH 15 - Parkview Dr)
• An existing conditions survey has been performed and a conceptual design is being drafted.
• The project is planned to be constructed in 2021.
• South Creek Drive (School Rd-Molly Marie Ct)
• Project Completed September 29, 2020
• Spring Road Pulverize and Pave (North Rd-Julius Dr)
• Project Completed July 17, 2020

Stormwater

• Community Park Dredging
• Dredging operations started on September 15, 2020 to restore drainage to the Park. Contractor began their work at the pedestrian trail stream crossing and on September 17, 2020 moved west of the trail. Work concluded and this project was finished on September 22, 2020. View before and after photos by clicking here.
• STH 15 East/West Basins
• Project Completed September 24, 2020

Water & Sewer

• STH 15 Utility Relocates
• Work began the week of September 28, 2020
• Utility relocates along STH 15 between Julius Drive and Lily of the Valley Drive. 
• Existing sanitary sewer and water main facilities are being relocated to accommodate the future STH 15 WisDOT expansion project.
• Industrial Park Water Valves
• Replaced leaking water valves in the the Greenville Industrial Park. Work was completed by Jossart Brothers, Inc. the week of September 21, 2020 
• Cross Connections
• The Purpose of the Town of Greenville’s Cross Connection Control Program, as defined in the local Ordinance §340-26, is to help eliminate possible contamination of the public water distribution system.
• These inspections began in February 2020 but were suspended shortly after due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Sanitary District was hoping to complete these inspections at the end of summer, but have since decided to suspend the program again. 

Parks, Recreation & Forestry

• Greenville Sports Complex
• Rettler Corporation has been contracted to design and engineer a new entrance road to the property. This new entrance road is consistent with the Master Plan for the park and will provide a safer access to the park from Hwy 96. This entrance road will be an official Town road and will also provide safe access to Well #5 and a private residence. Construction is expected to begin in fall 2020 with completion in Spring 2021.
• Lions Park
• The Lions Club is installing the fencing for the future sport courts in the southeast quadrant of the park as well as completing landscape restoration of the area. Any additional work in this area is postponed due to the cancellation of their main fundraising efforts for 2020.
• Town staff is installing a concrete pad and fenced enclosure for the trash and recycling dumpsters near the Barn Pavilion.
• Community Park
• Dredging of the creek behind the ball fields is complete.

Zoning Ordinance Update and Sub-Area Plan

On August 26, 2019 the Town Board created Ad Hoc Committees to review specific sections of Chapter 320 Zoning Ordinance rewrite/update and start implementation of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.  Over the past year the Committees have held 15 public meetings to discuss the ordinance rewrite. 

In addition to the public meetings held, Greenville implemented a public engagement plan to allow the public to stay informed and participate in the conversation by developing three (3) newsletter articles in the quarterly paper newsletter, 13 electronic/social media posts, a post card mailing inviting residents and businesses to a public informational meeting, an open ended online survey tool to provide comments and feedback throughout the entire project, and a project website. 

In conjunction with the Zoning Ordinance update, Greenville also engaged in a Sub-Area Planning process to further examine specific areas of town for future development opportunities through a market driven research and planning process. This process was initiated in March 2020. A variety of public engagement tools were used  to seek input in developing the plan which included three (3) public meetings/workshops, 29 electronic/social media posts, three (3) paper newsletter articles, one post card mailing informing residents and businesses about a week long virtual Open House, two (2) interactive virtual Open House sessions, stakeholder interviews, and three (3) SocialPinPoint Interactive Map and Survey Websites for different stages in the process.

A public hearing has been scheduled for October 26, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. and will have both in person and virtual  options to speak on both projects. Agendas are posted typically a week prior to the meeting and can be found at the following location http://www.townofgreenville.com/government/agendas_and_minutes.php.

To review the project website, including the Zoning Ordinance and Sub-Area Plan, please visit http://www.townofgreenville.com/zoning_ordinance_update.php.

October is Pedestrian Safety Month

A traffic-related pedestrian death occurs every 84 minutes in the U.S. and an average of about 60 pedestrians are killed each year in Wisconsin. Pedestrian safety is a two-way street. Whether you’re a driver or pedestrian, follow these simple safety tips to keep yourself and others safe:

Pay attention: By simply obeying traffic rules and being aware of vehicles and people in your vicinity, you greatly reduce your chances of being in a collision.

Don’t drive or walk distracted: Distraction changes the way we react and behave. Whether motorist or pedestrian, put down the phone and pay attention to what’s ahead.

Don’t drive or walk impaired: Alcohol and drug impairment can have deadly consequences. Nearly half of all traffic-related pedestrian fatalities involve an impaired driver or impaired pedestrian.

Be alert at night: 3 out of 4 pedestrian fatalities occur in the dark. Pedestrians, make yourself more visible by wearing bright, reflective clothing and consider carrying a flashlight. See our Do the Bright Thing post.

The Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department's Feature Friday

Each Friday, the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department features something new for residents and visitors to learn more about. This week, we want to tell you about one of our fall favorites! 

Schueler Woods is located at Lions Park and is named after the family who previously owned the land. A gravel based trail winds through the woods and connects to the rest of the trail system within the park. The overall trail length within Lions Park is approximately 1 mile and the Schueler Woods section makes up about 0.3 miles of it. There are several benches located along the trail as well as a beautiful stone learning circle located just inside the south entrance of the woods. A portion of the trail was even designed to accommodate the visually impaired so that everyone can enjoy the area!

During the summer and spring months, many enjoy listening to the birds and observing the critters while walking through the woods and in the winter, it’s a great place for some snowshoeing or a brisk winter walk. But our favorite time of the year to visit Schueler Woods is in the fall when the leaves are changing colors and falling from the trees!

Have you taken a stroll through Schueler Woods in the fall yet?

To see more photos of today's Feature Friday or to see more posts like this, check out the Parks & Recreation Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/greenvilleparkandrec/

Old Fire Station to be Converted into Greenville Municipal Services Center

Beginning in October, the original Greenville fire station at W6895 Parkview Drive will be converted into the new Greenville Municipal Services Center.  The staff offices for the departments of Public Works and Parks, Recreation & Forestry will be relocated to the newly remodeled building in early 2021.  Parks, Recreation & Forestry operations staff have already moved and are now working out of the eastern apparatus bays.

Customer service operations for Public Works and Parks, Recreation & Forestry will move to this new location when complete.   Relocating staff teams and the departments' customer service counter will provide for greater efficiency and management of our public services operations.  Additionally, enhanced safety and security measures are incorporated into the project.

The remodeling effort is going to be completed by RJM Construction out of Black Creek for a total contract amount of $434,930.  Construction activities are scheduled to be completed by February 12, 2021.  Staff will move into the building shortly thereafter.