Minutes: February 13, 2008
Village Board Proceedings of February 13, 2008
The Regular Monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Plain was held at the Municipal Building on February 13, 2008. The following members were present: Raymond Ellenbolt, President; David Buchanan; Kevin Kraemer; Gary Leeck; James Liegel; Duane Meise; and, Robert Neuheisel, Trustees.
Others present: Karna Hanna of Sauk County Development Corporation; Erik Henningsgard and Jason Jackson of General Engineering; David Giffey of the Home News; William Gruber; Tom Riek; Nick Ruhland, Public Works Director; and, John Ruhland, Public Works Department Assistant.
Notice of this meeting, along with the agenda, was posted at the following locations in the Village of Plain: the Municipal Building; the Plain Post Office; and, The Peoples Community Bank on Monday, February 11, 2008. Notice was emailed to the Home News and the Baraboo News Republic on the same date.
The meeting was called to order by President Ellenbolt at 7:30 p.m.
Meise motioned to approve the minutes of the January 9, 2008 Regular Meeting. Neuheisel seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously. Next, Buchanan motioned to approve the minutes of the January 16, 2008 Special Meeting. Leeck seconded the motion, and then carried unanimously.
Karna Hanna of Sauk County Development Corporation addressed the board regarding the results of the restaurant feasibility study. The survey sent out in November of 2007 generated a 13% response rate. The survey contained 11 questions of content and demographic questions. This survey will not confirm if a restaurant could survive in Plain or not. Instead, this information will be valuable for someone who is trying to determine a business plan for a restaurant. The majority of answers were evenly divided. The Village needs to get the word out that this information is available. The board asked that the information be linked to the Sauk County Development Corporation website.
Erik Henningsgard and Jason Jackson of General Engineering were in attendance for the presentation of preliminary plans for Well House #1. Jackson is the building designer at General Engineering. The existing facility was surveyed and a site plan was generated. The proposed new building would be squared up. Also, the new building could only be roughly two feet deeper because of an existing window in the old Town of Franklin Hall. The floor will be brought up to grade instead having steps inside. The northern storage bay would still be up one step because of existing grades on Highway 23. The new building will mimic the exterior of the Municipal Building. It would be 1,457 square feet with interior block walls and exterior brick veneer. The building would also include two overhead doors in the storage units, a chemical feed entrance, upgrading of the motor controls, and a work bench for testing.
The Town of Franklin has expressed an interest in adding a handicap ramp to their building if the Village of Plain ever did anything different with the connecting Well House. The Town of Franklin needs to examine the concept because if one floor is made handicap accessible the ADA may require both floors to be handicap accessible.
The preliminary estimate for the construction is in the range of $200,000 to $275,000. Part of the estimate is for work that needs to be done on the well regardless if the building is built or not. The DNR will need to approve the well modifications for raising the well to grade. That approval process will take approximately 45 days. The water utility will be financially responsible for the construction. This project is part of the water rate increase currently filed with the PSC. Jackson will also have General Engineering’s Grant Coordinator look into potential grant opportunities for the project. A timeline needs to be set if the board wishes to proceed.
Meise motioned to proceed with plans and specks. Leeck seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.
Public Works Department Report
The Coca Cola soda machine on the golf course will be replaced this year by 7up. Coca Cola claimed to be full service, but they were inefficient. In addition, 7up will put a soda machine back at the swimming pool since it will be full service.
Nick distributed new plow truck quotes that John coordinated. The quotes are for a truck that is bigger than the current 1-ton plow truck. The best priced truck is a Ford Super Duty 4500 and it is available now through Ballweg. The truck, box and tailgate spreader, and plow less the trade-in is $44,115.23. Monroe Truck Equipment would set up the box and Grinders Sheet Metal would install the plow. Chevrolet does not build a heavy duty small cab truck. A heavy duty Chevrolet would be a large truck and it would not be practicable for plowing narrow streets and hills. The current truck has seen its eighth winter and usually the plow truck gets traded in after the seventh winter.
Trustee Meise indicated that the Village could do better selling the old truck outright rather than going with the $10,000 trade-in offer. The current truck should be solicited for sealed bids to see if the trade-in amount can be beat. Public Works vehicle purchases have always been borrowed. The question arose regarding if the dealer financing would be low interest. This will be checked into. It would take a month and a half to get the truck if the board would decide tonight to proceed. Meise motioned to purchase the truck and Kraemer seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
A-1 Excavating examined the lift station. They did not locate a problem. L.W. Allen is scheduled to arrive next Tuesday to inspect the pumps because the numbers aren’t jiving on the meters.
Committee Reports
Water & Sewer - Liegel
Water Pumpage for January:
Well No. 1: 96,000
Well No. 2: 1,916,000
Total for January: 2,012,000 gallons, which was 196,000 gallons more than last year.
Two bacteria samples were sent to the State Lab. Both samples tested safe.
Monthly fluoride average: 1.216 p.p.m.
Wastewater Report for January:
Influent Monthly Average B.O.D.: 174 mg/l
Effluent Monthly Average B.O.D.: 11 Limit: 15 mg/l
Influent Monthly Average T.S.S.: 215 mg/l
Effluent Monthly Average T.S.S.: 12 Limit: 20 mg/l
Monthly Average Nitrogen Ammonia: .621 mg/l
Limit: 20.0 mg/l Monthly
29.0 mg/l Daily
Total gallons treated: 2,090,300
Police & Golf Course – Meise
The Case Report was presented for January. The Police Department is requesting several items, which were not approved. One item denied was a new breathalyzer which is not admissible in court and only used by the part-time officers. Chief Meyer pointed out to the Police Committee that the Streets Committee Chairman is in charge of ensuring that sidewalks are cleared of snow. The Ordinance states that the sidewalks need to be passable. A letter is sent from Public Works when a complaint is received regarding sidewalks. If the problem continues, the Village removes the snow and invoices the property owner. The Ordinance should be updated. Also, the Police Department has a new phone that is being forwarded to the squad car cell phone. Police informational magnets were ordered today. The Chief ordered promotional pencils and rulers that were not approved by the Police Committee beforehand. All of these items will be handed out to kids at the schools, so kids understand what the Village has for police protection. Wristbands were also discussed at the Police Committee meeting for the summer celebrations.
Parks – Neuheisel
There was a joint Park and Pool Committee meeting regarding the survey sent out to residents. The suggestions were reviewed and the committees came up with some good ideas. The kick-off meeting is coming up and Strand will be in attendance. The Recreational Director ad came out in the papers this week. The Assistant Rec Director will be advertised for in early March.
Finance & Ordinance – Kraemer
The Finance Committee will need to meet to discuss the loan for paying for the new plow truck.
No Ordinance report.
Streets & Library Liaison – Leeck
Circulation for the library was almost an 8% increase in December 2007 from December of 2006. The library has a list of outside funding and donations for items at the library.
The Streets Committee will meet with the Utilities Committee on February 25th to discuss American Legion Drive and Cedar Street.
Building & Swimming Pool – Buchanan
The Pool Committee met and set the pool season from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. The ad is running in the paper for 2 weeks for all staff. Swim meets are being scheduled.
Two building permits were issued in January.
Other Business
Trustee Meise received a phone call inquiring about the Village’s progress regarding flood damage to the golf course bridges. This individual state there may be more funding the Village could acquire. President Ellenbolt introduced a plan involving an engineer costing $1,500.00, 20 foot steel beams costing $918.00, four cement abutments drilled deep with an anchor bolt on top beams, estimate unspecified, and 3 inch planks that are 16 foot long cut in two for a width of 8 foot costing $586.90. A railing would also be needed. Golf Course Committee members had mentioned placing boulders on the bank to prevent scouring. Meise made a commitment at another meeting that he would donate the rock and the time. The bridge appears to be sinking according to Tom Riek.
Kraemer read the second reading of Ordinance Number 157-08, an Ordinance annexing territory to the Village of Plain. The 1.5 acres located in the Town of Franklin is owned by The Kraemer Company and abuts to the north of their Village of Plain lot where their office building is located. A motion to approve the ordinance was made by Kraemer. Buchanan seconded, and then the motion carried unanimously.
The Plain Lions Club intend to donate two new Welcome signs and remove the two existing signs. The signs will be purchases by the Lions Club and the club members will do the installation. The payment will need to be handled through the village in order to receive a municipal advantage. Meise motioned to accept the donation with gratitude and Leeck seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
The board discussed the feasibility for Ken Kraemer to build on the property adjacent to Village water reservoir. Nick Ruhland commented that a wire fence would need to be put in around the water reservoir because it would be his backyard. The street is not extended to the lot in question and the gate to the reservoir would need to be changed so the property could be accessed. To put in a sewer lateral, approximately 50 feet would need to be ripped up to get to the closest manhole. The water lateral would connect right to the stand pipe. The developer has always taken care of developing lots. Franklin-Plain never intended to develop that area, but the property was sold last year. The fire department has commented that this lot would have inadequate fire protection because it’s above the last fire hydrant and there is not an adequate means to get up there because it would ultimately be a steep grade driveway. Also, annually the water tower is required to be overflowed. This overflow pipe dumps directly above the property and the yard would be constantly washed out. President Ellenbolt will contact the Village Attorney to establish if the Village has the right to deny someone wanting to build on this lot.
Correspondence
No Correspondence.
Review and Audit of Invoices:
Liegel motioned to pay Voucher #9942 payable to William/Reid LTD, LLC in the amount of $231.77 from the Sewer Parts Replacement Fund. This was seconded by Buchanan, and then carried unanimously.
A motion to pay the monthly invoices as presented was made by Buchanan. Kraemer seconded, and then the motion carried unanimously.
General Fund | $741,947.84 | Water Utility | $2,266.54 | ||
Library Fund | $12,408.85 | Sewer Department | $4,473.55 | ||
Debt Services | $9,090.51 | Golf Course | $3,172.40 | ||
Capital Improvements | $3,000.00 | ||||
Wage Reimbursements: | $13,748.25 |
Buchanan motioned to adjourn to closed session at 9:35 p.m. This was seconded by Liegel, and then the motion carried unanimously.
Sheila Tafs
Clerk/Treasurer