By Lee Reinsch
Correspondent
DE PERE – It may not be Christmas, but the city is looking ahead to the season anyway.
On July 6, the De Pere Common Council signed off on an agreement between the city and Fox Communities Credit Union for a drive-thru holiday light show at Voyageur Park this December.
Fox Communities Credit Union agreed to sponsor the event for its first four years, committing to $12,500 over the four-year term.
The credit union will give De Pere $5,000 this year to get the event established and $2,500 per year for the remaining three years that follow.
Under terms of the agreement, the city will install, remove, maintain and store all of the lights and decorations; promote and facilitate the event; supervise it onsite; take care of any electrical or upkeep issues; and absorb the costs for the electricity the lights use during the event.
It will be known as the “De Pere Holiday Light Festival Sponsored by Fox Communities Credit Union.”
This year will consist mainly of lights and decorations centralized in the loop through Voyageur Park.
Next year and beyond, lights and decor could extend to the trees and areas leading up to the loop.
Some of the trees aren’t optimal for decorating, however.
“We have some pretty large hardwoods there, and those can be a challenge to decorate,” Marty Kosobucki, director of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry for De Pere, said.
He said some communities have solved that problem with pre-cut 5- or 6-foot Christmas trees, which they decorate.
Adopt-a-Launch
The council also finalized a resolution approving the city’s participation in the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance Adopt-a-Launch program.
The program connects groups of volunteers with boat launches in the area.
Volunteers commit to working at their launch at least three times from spring through fall, picking up trash, identifying aquatic invasive species, reporting areas that need attention or maintenance and helping generate community engagement with the river.
Other business
In other business, the council voted to amend the 2010 City of De Pere Comprehensive Plan to include changes on several parcels of land on the city’s west side, in the 1800 to 2000 blocks of Lawrence Drive.
Tentative plans for the land, owned by Humana, are for multi-unit apartment buildings.
One area resident, Darold Bringe, spoke during public comment time, saying he didn’t feel multi-unit dwellings were appropriate there, and he hoped they wouldn’t be designated for low-income tenants.
Alders Dan Carpenter and Dean Raasch said they did not believe so, and they felt the plans could benefit the community.
Any plans would still need to go through several layers of commissions before they’re solidified.
The council also voted unanimously to:
• Approve a certified survey map for 4615 to 4617 Trellis Drive in the Town of Ledgeview.
• Grant Class B beer and liquor licenses for VIP Daiquiri Lounge, 308 Main Ave.
• Approve an agreement between the city and Office Harmony, LLC, for the redevelopment of 805 George St. (formerly Pedretti Power Yoga) in Tax Increment Financing District No. 7. Office Harmony wants to raze the building and build a 4,205-square-foot office building.