Port plans summer of events, pool reopening

Port Washington officials on Tuesday said they hope to return the city to some sense of normalcy this summer by hosting events and programs that were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic last year.

Recreation Director Kiley Schulte told the Common Council she is developing plans to open the pool this summer, and aldermen said they are open to approving plans for festivals and events.

Programming at facilities such as the library and senior center as well as recreation programs should also be offered this summer, officials said.

The council voted unanimously to open programs and events as much as possible providing steps are taken to minimize risk to the public.

The action, recommended by the Finance and License Committee earlier Tuesday, came as civic groups and city departments  are preparing for the busy summer season, especially now that a Covid-19 vaccine is being distributed.

Schulte told aldermen that there will be capacity limits at the pool and special events such as movie nights won’t be scheduled.

After the pandemic forced the city to shutter the pool last summer, she said, she wants to provide families with a safe place to swim.

“There’s a lot of work to do to get it open,” Schulte said, but it’s important.

In addition, she said, the recreation department will offer more programs outdoors this summer, adding that the few offerings it had last year, such as the playground program, were very successful.

“We just have to make safety the priority,” she said. “We have to take extra steps.”

Similarly, Library Director Tom Carson said that while most of the library programs will be outdoors this summer, he wants to have some events inside the building as well.

He had hoped to begin offering programs indoors in June, but “it’s probably not going to happen.”

“We’re doing the best we can,” he told aldermen. “We’re really taking it day by day.”

Special events, such as the farmers market, beer gardens and festivals, are things the city has less control of than its own programs, officials said.

But, aldermen agreed that organizations must submit their applications to hold these events at least 60 days ahead of time, and these plans should include the actions that will be taken to minimize the chance of spreading the virus.

For some events, such as the Community Street Festival in May, minimizing the risk could mean hosting the event over a larger number of streets so people can socially distance themselves, officials said.

“Now more than ever we need the 60 days to review these applications,” Ald. Deb Postl, a member of the Finance and License Committee, said.

“We don’t have a crystal ball. I think we need to rely on these organizations to step up and give us complete and timely information on their plans. The ball is in their court.”

When considering applications for requests, the city will take into account the recommendations of the Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department, officials said. 

City Clerk Susan Westerbeke noted that some groups will likely submit applications with two sets of plans so they can be nimble if an outbreak occurs.

“I’m comfortable having these groups come before us and lay out their criteria,” Ald. Jonathan Pleitner, chairman of the Finance and License Committee, said.

There’s only so much the city can do if people decide not to follow the guidelines, officials said.

“People are going to do what people want to do,” Ald. Dan Benning, a member of the committee, said. “There is an expectation of mask wearing, an expectation of social distancing, an expectation of hand washing. 

“The police department isn’t going to break up a group of people that aren’t six feet apart or who aren’t wearing masks.”

Things would be less stressful if the county were further along in vaccinating people, he said, but that’s been fraught throughout the country.

The idea of requiring masks could also be controversial. City Administrator Tony Brown noted that the state Legislature is expected to consider repealing the mask mandate, adding that if that happens the city may want to consider imposing its own mask mandate.

While it may not be enforceable, Brown said, it would encourage people to wear masks. 

The city needs to decide what it is willing to consider in terms of events so planning can begin, officials said.

Benning noted that Port Main Street Inc., which sponsors a number of summer events, including the Street Festival and the weekly farmers markets, is waiting for guidance from the city to continue its planning.