Welcome Epic UGM Attendees! Thank you for visiting Verona. September 24-28, 2017
adno=535945-01
Verona Press The
Thursday, September 21, 2017 • Vol. 53, No. 18 • Verona, WI • Hometown USA • ConnectVerona.com • $1
City of Verona
2018 budget takes aim at debt Big projects ahead in next few years
If You Go
JIM FEROLIE Verona Press editor
In 2017, with a big increase in spending ability, the City of Verona got its staff almost caught up with growth and got its debt spending under control. As city leaders begin debating the 2018 budget, a major theme will be increasing efficiency and making up for the extra reliance on debt the city used for much of the decade before. The goal is to keep taxes steady, and that will be a challenge with some huge construction projects
What: Finance committee operating budget meeting When: Sept. 25 Where: Verona City Center large conference room, 111 S. Lincoln St. Broadcast: None coming over the next few years. Growth remains steady and fast – 8 percent net new construction in 2016 – but department requests are modest compared with years past: three full-time
Turn to Budget/Page 13
A week of Epic wizardry the company’s annual fall 8,000 customers to Users’ Group Meeting. But that world will not visit company for extend to their transportaUGM Sept. 25-28 tion, and without brooms or floo powder, Veronans can expect to see extra trafSCOTT GIRARD fic Sept. 25-28, especially Unified Newspaper Group around the rush hours as A p p r o x i m a t e l y 8 , 0 0 0 customers are shuttled to of Epic’s customers are and from the event along expected to enter a “World Turn to UGM/Page 3 of Wizards” this week at
Photo by Scott Girard
Lennon Joudrey, 2, of Verona, only needs one hand to guide the fire hose — with a little help from firefighter Adam Armenta.
Future firefighter
First ‘Fall Fest’ features pumpkins, painting, beer Chamber hoping to start new community tradition HELU WANG
Inside
Unified Newspaper Group
Page 2 The
Verona Press
After four months of preparation, the Verona Area Chamber of Commerce will introduce its first fall “Hometown Day” next weekend – Fall Fest, featuring pumpkin painting, kids’ activities and a beer tent. Most vendors are regular participants of the Tuesday Farmers Market at Hometown Junction, and chamber executive director Le Jordan said she is excited to partner with the community and provide opportunities for families to have fun together. “The biggest thing is we have so much community involvement,” Jordan said.
If You Go What: Fall Fest When: 4-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29 Where: Veterans Park, 201 Lincoln St. Info: info@veronawi.com or call 845-5777 Jordan has been thinking about creating such a seasonal festival since she took the position two years ago. With Hometown Days kicking off summer, she’s always felt something was missing in the fall. Since it’s the first time, the Fall Fest is starting small, keeping it to a single night. Depending on feedback from participants and vendors, the six-person committee handling the event
will consider making it a full weekend event and whether the city should plan something similar for spring. “But based on the amount of responses we have received, it shows the community is looking for something like this, which already told us that we’re going to continue it,” Jordan said. Activities include a beer tent, laser tag, pumpkin painting with JNJ CraftWork staff, making bookmarks with library staff and face painting by Verona Area High School students. Vendors include Piranga, Belz Sugar River Farm, Soul Seed, Enchanted Valley Studios, Soul Full Sanctuary and the Chocolate Shoppe. Old Soul Society band will perform until sunset, and the music will be followed by an open air movie – “Hocus Pocus”
Turn to Fall Fest/Page 8
Creepy, crawly, cute and costumed. adno=535565-01
Verona relief worker travels to Florida to help with Hurricane Irma cleanup
On the web
The Verona Fire Department hosted its annual Fire Safety Expo Saturday, Sept. 16. The event attracted families from around Dane County, who got to check out the fire equipment, spray a fire hose, get information on smoke detectors and see displays More photos from the Fire Safety from Fitch-Rona EMS and the Verona Police Department, among other activities. Expo: There were also demonstrations throughout the four-hour event of how firefighters ConnectVerona.com attack a car fire.
shopsaintvinn nnys.co com
Shop St. Vinny’s in Verona for Halloween.