Beaver Dam Common Council Signs-Off On Lake District

(Beaver Dam) The Beaver Dam Common Council Monday night approved a resolution in support of the formation of a lake district. The Lake Improvement Association is leading efforts to create the taxing jurisdiction that would raise revenue from waterfront property owners to address issues ranging from shoreline erosion to water quality. There are 217 such property owners in Beaver Dam and the city had to sign-off on the plan for it to move forward. Lake Improvement Association President Bill Boettge says it is important for the long-term health of the lake to adequately address its maintenance needs. Boettge says the lake needs to be managed or the risk of losing property values increases. Only properties that touch the lake would be included into the district. Those who live inside the lake district would approve a disapprove budgets set by commissioners and would pay for it by divvying the costs between the property owners, either by assessed value or by dividing it by the number of properties. A lake district would serve as a governing body which would consist of one representative from Beaver Dam, one individual from the county, and three members who would be elected by the property owners. Formation of the district requires support through a petition of 51-percent of the 1590 lakefront property owners. A public hearing would then be held within 30 days to allow those who are for or against the lake district to speak out. Once a public hearing is held, the county board has roughly three months to approve the formation of the district.