Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
Owners of the Wisconsin House have reached a deal with the city to avert court proceedings by making renovations and working more closely with police.
The city of Shawano took the hotel at 216 E. Green Bay St. to court over what officials say are public nuisances created by the establishment.
The city filed an affidavit in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court last month asking that property owners Keith and Jenifer Block, of Wrightstown, be ordered to “abate the public nuisance.”
An injunction hearing on the matter that had been set for Thursday was called off after both sides reached an agreement that lays out a long list of conditions for the hotel to meet.
Police Chief Mark Kohl said the Blocks took the initiative of wanting to work with the city to correct the problems.
“They want to do well for the city and their tenants and the community,” Kohl said.
Kohl said the Blocks many times were unaware of the incidents occurring at the hotel.
Police Department records show more than 90 law enforcement calls to the establishment since the beginning of the year, including medical emergencies, disturbances, theft, warrant enforcement, disorderly conduct and drug activity.
The agreement calls for an on-site manager to live at the hotel, with duties that include patrolling the interior of the building and reporting any illegal activity that might be going on.
The agreement also calls for the hotel to provide police with a list of tenants’ names and room numbers every 30 days.
Kohl said the latter stipulation has already been occurring, and tenants are aware of the condition when they take a room at the hotel.
Kohl said he will assign a liaison officer to the Wisconsin House who would have “a unique and intimate knowledge of its operations.”
The Blocks have also agreed to numerous renovations and repairs to improve the property’s exterior and interior. The outside will also get a new coat of paint and more “aesthetically pleasing” signage, according to the agreement.
Clutter that can be seen through the hotel’s front window, where a defunct thrift shop used to be, will be removed. The space will be used for storage but must be blocked from public view.
The cleanup and physical improvements will be done in stages, with deadlines in 30 and 60 days for some. All work is to be finished by July 31.
The city still holds the right to take further legal action, including seeking a court order to raze the building, if the hotel continues to be a public nuisance, but Kohl said that option was unlikely given the cooperation being shown by the owners.
“Our intent is not to come down on them, but to work with them,” he said. “I don’t perceive ever going down that path.”
Kohl said the city and the Blocks share the ultimate goal of making the Wisconsin House “a more inviting part of the community.”