Minutes: August 10, 2011
Village Board Proceedings of
The Regular Monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of the
Roll Call: Raymond Ring, President; Stephanie Box; Raymond Ellenbolt; Walter Gerber: Kevin Kraemer; and, John Schluter, Trustees. Trustee Cole Brunson was absent.
Others present: Jason Schluter; Harvey Rieder; Marian Copus of the Home News; Officer Chuck Schreiber; Shawn Murphy, Green TTEC Director; and, Nick Ruhland, Public Works Director.
Notice of this meeting, along with the agenda, was posted at the following locations in the
Kraemer motioned to approve minutes from the July 13, 2011 Regular Board meeting. Ellenbolt seconded. All voted no, motion failed. Box motioned to approve minutes from the July 13, 2011 Regular Board meeting with a change in the Library report from $2,500 to $25.00 for a donation by Jean Kast. Gerber seconded. Motion carried.
Schluter motioned to approve minutes from the July 21, 2011 Special Board meeting. Kraemer seconded. Motion carried.
Agenda Guests
Jason Schluter was present to request the Village Board to approve Sauk County discontinuing an area of the right-of-way on County Highway B in front of parcel# 171-0274-00000. Jason explained that because of a reconstruction project of Highway B many years ago, the road was shifted in that locale. According to a recent survey, the office building at 510 Main Street is encroached upon the county’s right-of-way. This problem has created a setback in Jason’s plans to purchase the property. The Sauk County Board is set to approve the discontinuation at their board meeting on Tuesday next week. By State Statute the Village Board has to be in agreement of the County Board taking this action. This transaction will add .22 acres to parcel# 171-0274-00000 and keep the 50 feet from center line right-of-way intact as the official maps show. Ellenbolt motioned to approve the Sauk County Board to discontinue an area of the right-of-way on County Highway B exclusively in front of parcel# 171-0274-00000. Gerber seconded. John Schluter abstained. Motion carried.
Harvey Rieder, representing the Plain Lions Club, is applying to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WI-DOT) to locate the “Welcome to Plain” sign on the north end of the Village. This sign was taken down when the construction of the business park commenced. The Plain Lions Club will maintain the sign, but the Village will be the owners of the sign to ensure no fees are charged by the WI-DOT. Ring motioned to approve the placement of the sign with help from Shawn Murphy and Nick Ruhland. Schluter seconded. Motion carried. Ring thanked the Plain Lions Club for donating the sign to the Village.
Rieder also updated the board that he feels he is gaining ground with the request of a four way stop at the intersection of Highway 23 and Highway B. The WI-DOT will be conducting a traffic study when the Green TTEC facility is complete. The results from this study could support the four way stop proposal.
Police Department Report
Officer Chuck Schreiber informed the board that the annual Plain Fire & EMS 3-Day Celebration went well. He felt that it was more family orientated this year. The attendees were peaceful. Schreiber felt there was a lack of parade attendance because of the hot temperatures.
Green TTEC Director Report
Shawn Murphy, Green TTEC Director, informed the Village Board of the construction status of the Green TTEC building. The roof, masonry, curb, gutter and sidewalk installations are complete. The solar panel installation is complete. The drywall will be completed by end of week. The window installation and concrete floor finishing is underway. The HVAC, electrical and painting will be completed by the end of the month. The parking lot paving is scheduled for August 19th and the landscaping will begin early next week. Murphy is working on acquiring furniture, fixtures and equipment for building operation and MATC. Also, he is in the process of obtaining proposals for audio/video installations as well as copier and phone systems.
Ideal is still targeting substantial completion by end of August with finish and punchlist work completion in September. The monthly SCDC meeting is scheduled at the Green TTEC building on
The Honey Creek Business Park Project is complete with the exception of a few punch list items. The
Alliant has installed streetlight and gas main. Randy Liegel seeded open areas. Phone and internet installation is being coordinated with Frontier. A cost effective agreement with Charter to extend phone and internet service was unattainable.
With construction completed, efforts are focusing on marketing the
Murphy will be touring the Portage MATC facility with John Alt this Friday which also includes a business incubator component.
Kraemer inquired about the Green TTEC window situation. Murphy explained that all of the special function windows are backordered. The contractor is installing temporary windows. The reinstallation of the windows will be at the contractor’s cost.
The SCDC Board will be meeting at the Green TTEC facility for their September meeting. The meeting time is 6:00 p.m. and the Village Board will be invited. A grand opening for the facility will be planned for October.
Kraemer inquired if there was an energy management system to monitor what type of energy efficiencies the building will be generating. Murphy explained that solar inverters will have a real-time display on the energy produced by the solar panels. The solar panels are capable of producing 20 kV of electricity. The monthly utility bills will also show a credit for the energy sold back to Alliant. The geothermal system does not have a unit of measurement. The system itself is designed to be 40% more efficient than a conventional system. Part of the grant requirements is to report energy savings. Schluter suggested that the Home News and the Madison newspaper should do a story on the efficiency of the building.
Public Works Department Report
Public Works Director, Nick Ruhland, reported to the board that Frontier Communications repaired the exposed cables on Bob Neuheisel’s property. Public Works has seeded and mulched the area.
The Library continues to have air conditioning issues. A damaged fan was discovered that has been switched to the other unit, but needs to be replaced. To replace the compressor on the broken air conditioning unit would be $1,500-$1,600; a new unit was quoted at $2,500. The Library Board will need to decide what to do. Also, the light bulbs in the library are burning out. The light bulbs are very expensive. Public Works will have to rent a lift because the light fixtures are so high. They will be cleaning bugs out and replacing all of the light bulbs in the process.
A new bubbler is needed in the park. Nachreiner Plumbing quoted $900 to replace. Depending on the budget, it can be reviewed for replacement in the spring.
Committee Reports
Finance & Green TTEC – Schluter
The Finance Committee met and created a performance appraisal for Village employees and it will be finalized at the September 7th Finance Committee meeting. The committee took samples and combined them to work for our community. The forms will be brought to board for comments and possible approval at the September meeting. The performance appraisal will be used for the 2012 job evaluations. Goals and objectives from the employees will be due by the first of the year for 2012. Those items will be reviewed the following year. The Finance Committee will also be having the employees write a job description for themselves.
In regards to the budget, state cuts and the allowable tax levy were plugged in using last year’s model. The preliminary evaluation for the Village shows the budget only being a few thousand dollars over budget.
The Green TTEC Committee met last week. Talked about furniture and marketing the property. The excess black dirt was discussed. There is approximately 4,800 cubic yards. Heiser Trucking is due 1,100 cubic yards and Ridge Top is due 250 cubic yards. The Village would like some for projects. The committee also discussed a berm as a landscaping feature that would define the Village boundary on the north side. That would be a use for the dirt as well as having the division. The committee is looking for direction regarding the black dirt. Kraemer questioned the golf course hole #9 project. Black dirt and a porous material underneath the black dirt would be needed. There may be just enough black dirt left for the golf course. Ring feels it may be best not to sell it just to alleviate the eye sore when it is needed for something else. Schluter questioned if the golf course was in a financially position to carry out the golf course project. There have been offers from people to donate their time. Ruhland feels it is not feasible to do that project this year. It would need to be planned for next year. Kraemer feels the Village will be dealing with a continuous mound because of excess black dirt during any construction project and it should be kept in anticipation for the golf course. Ring does not feel it is financially prudent to make a decision to sell the dirt right now. Erosion control measures need to be taken if the pile is going to stay in that place. Murphy will notify the two individuals to make arrangements to remove their portions by mid September.
Park, SCDC & Cable TV – Ellenbolt
The Parks Committee is on hold with the park drainage idea.
Library, Police & RV Court Commission – Gerber
The Library has concerns regarding the Maintenance of Effort funding from the Village. The Village is no longer obligated to subsidize the library budget. The county could cut their subsidizing down to 70%, which would be a $25,000 loss to the library. Jeff Harrison is planning to come to next Village board meeting to discuss possible cuts.
Streets & Utilities– Kraemer
Water Pumpage for July:
Well No. 1: 853,000
Well No. 2: 2,867,000
Total for July: 3,720,000 gallons, which was 631,000 gallons less than last year.
Two bacteria samples were sent to the State Lab. Both samples tested safe.
Monthly fluoride average: 1.03 p.p.m. Monthly chlorine average: .14 p.p.m.
Wastewater Report for July:
Influent Monthly Average B.O.D.: 98 mg/l
Effluent Monthly Average B.O.D.: 6 Limit: 15 mg/l
Influent Monthly Average T.S.S.: 129 mg/l
Effluent Monthly Average T.S.S.: 5 Limit: 20 mg/l
Monthly Average Nitrogen Ammonia: .0807 p.p.m.
Limit: 20.0 mg/l Monthly
29.0 mg/l Daily
Total gallons treated: 3,301,200
The Streets Committee needs to meet to refine the five year plan and work on the budget.
The Utilities Committee will meet to prepare for the budget.
Building & Ordinance – Brunson
No Building Committee report.
No Ordinance Committee report.
Pool & Golf – Box
The Pool Committee received complaints from a resident and they have all been attended to.
The Golf Course Committee unable to get on American Legion agenda. They are not planning to meet for a few months. The committee is looking for a direction for the clubhouse. Membership revenue is close to budget. However, greens fees are not even close. The golf course is now a participant in a Player’s Pass coupon book. The coupon is buy one get one free greens fees. This should bring added traffic to the course.
Development & Planning – Ring
The Development & Planning Commission needs to meet to talk about development areas and to work through some items.
Other Business
Kraemer motioned to approve final pay request from H&K Contracting in the amount of $76,645.56. Ellenbolt seconded. Motion carried. Ring questioned their performance on the project. Ruhland stated that they were easy to work with and they did quality work. Having an Inspector on site makes a difference. Inspectors save you in the long run.
Schluter questioned a $600.00 line item titled Green Blvd Curb Removal on Pay Request #2 for Rule Construction. This seems to be a contractor’s mistakes and should not be charged to the Village. This line item will be investigated. Kraemer motioned to approve Pay Request #2 in the amount of $241,432.07 less $600.00 along with the 2% retainage still being held. Schluter seconded. Motion carried.
Murphy reviewed the details of Change Order #2 for Ideal Builders, Inc. Schluter then motioned to approve Change Order #2 in the amount of $29,410.48 for Ideal Builders, Inc. Gerber seconded. Motion carried.
Box motioned to approve Pay Request #4 in the amount of $509,071.93 for Ideal Builders, Inc. Ellenbolt seconded. Motion carried.
Kraemer obtained proposals for dredging the tributary to Honey Creek by the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The creek would be dredged of from the Highway B Bridge to the north 300 feet. This will improve the outfall at sewer plant. The Nick Heiser Trucking bid is $2,200 and the Bill Emer bid is $1,000 plus a check damn which will be approximately $200-$300. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is allowing the Village to use the previous permit obtained for this project. They require five days notice. The restoration quote from Mark Alt is not to exceed $2,500. The utilities will pay for the project. Kraemer motioned to accept Bill Emer and Mark Alt’s bids. Gerber seconded. Motion carried.
Ring discussed the Village offering incentives to families relocating to the Village of Plain when buying or building a home as a way to attract new residents. The welcome packets already include one time coupons for the pool and the golf course. The Village may want to offer an annual pass for the pool or golf course and make local realtors aware. Ring will draft a proposal to review at a future meeting.
Schluter motioned to market the vacant lot at 1055 Wachter Avenue as a commercial lot. Ellenbolt seconded. Motion carried. This will be added to Murphy’s to do list. The board will need to rezone it to strictly commercial.
The board discussed the Village purchasing the lot next to the water reservoir in Westbrook. Box questioned if there would be any advantage to the Village owning it. Anybody wanting to develop the lot has to pay to develop it and it would be costly. The only Village concern is security for the water reservoir if it was developed. A fence would have to be built if that were the case.
The board discussed the Village donating to events or raffles in the Village. Ring wonders how it could be managed once it starts and where does it stop. Ring wanted the board’s opinion. Kraemer motioned not to donate to any events. Box seconded. Motion carried.
Ellenbolt motioned to approve a Temporary Class B Retailer's license for the Plain Lion’s Golf Outing. Schluter seconded. Motion carried. The money raised at the event will be put towards further golf cart path improvements.
Correspondence
Ring informed the board that the Hub School Committee had a meeting. The committee is requesting the Village to research the cost value of Plain Elementary if it were to be sold. They are also asking what the impact on taxes would be and residential sales if the school is closed. Ring emailed Chair Paul Cummings with questions and has not received a response yet.
Schluter brought up that next year is the Village’s 100 year anniversary. The Village needs to be recognized. The Village can work with the Fire Department with the 3-day or talk to the Plain Lions Club. Ring will pursue.
Review and Audit of Invoices:
Kraemer motioned to pay Voucher #16821 payable to North Central Laboratories in the amount of $569.06 from the Sewer Replacement Fund. Ellenbolt seconded. Motion carried.
A motion to pay the monthly invoices as presented was made by Kraemer. Ellenbolt seconded. Motion carried.
General Fund | $105,181.25 | Debt Services | $13,964.69 | ||
Library Fund | $3,550.28 | Water Utility | $5,662.40 | ||
Green TTEC | $1,114,466.49 | Sewer Department | $5,512.53 | ||
TIF #2 | $0.00 | Golf Course | $1,842.33 | ||
Wage Reimbursements: | $26,536.02 | ||||
Ellenbolt motioned to adjourn at 9:44 p.m. Kraemer seconded. Motion carried.
Sheila Tafs
Clerk/Treasurer