Minutes: January 14, 2009

Village of Plain

Village Board Proceedings of January 14, 2009

The Regular Monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Plain was held at the Municipal Building on January 14, 2009.  The following members were present: Raymond Ellenbolt, President; Kevin Kraemer; James Liegel; Duane Meise; Robert Neuheisel; and, Merry Lynn Riek, Trustees. Trustee David Buchanan was absent.

Others present: Jason Jackson of General Engineering; Joel Gaalswyk; and, Nick Ruhland, Public Works Director.

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, January 12, 2009.  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 December 10, 2008 Regular Board Meeting. Neuheisel seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

Jason Jackson of General Engineering addressed the board regarding the status of the Well House construction. A partial order of bricks was delivered about a month ago. The order was incorrect and had to be reordered. The cold weather has halted the painter. Subcontractors should be back on the job on Monday. The Contractor would like to wait until spring to pour the sidewalk for a better finish. The job is running late.

Jackson then presented payment application no. 3 in the adjusted amount of $38,311.77 for LaMasney Construction Company for Well House construction to date. Kraemer motioned to pay LaMasney Construction Company the amount of $38,311.77. This was seconded by Liegel and carried with Meise voting nay.

General Engineering received a letter from A-1 Excavating stating that they are rejecting Change Order #3, which includes $9,500 of fees in lieu of liquidated damages and $4,905 in engineering fees relating to A-1’s unsatisfactory work, and are ready move forward to arbitration. General Engineering stated that attorney fees are not reimbursable. They recommend that the Village settle to satisfy A-1 and avoid attorney fees. The board is not ready to settle. A-1 has a new guy and all of his points in the letter are incorrect. General Engineering was instructed to answer and correct all the points in A-1’s letter and inform them that the Village is standing firm.

Joel Gaalswyk attended the meeting to answer questions the board may have for county government. The board inquired about his progress with the Main Street wall. Gaalswyk stated that the County disputes the certified survey claiming that the wall is in the County right-of-way. Gaalswyk has recommended that the wall be removed and the lawns slopped. He was informed that removing the wall is impossible because there are water laterals behind the wall. In addition, it is preposterous that the County is objecting a certified survey map. Gaalswyk will look into the situation more.

Public Works Department Report

Nick Ruhland informed the board that the Alma Avenue street light between I-Diehl Tap and Straka Meats has been knocked down again. Peterson Sanitation backed over it this time. Considering how often this occurs, Ruhland contacted Alliant Energy to ask permission to use their pole across the street by Phil’s Foods for a light. He is still waiting for a response.

Committee Reports

Water & Sewer  - Liegel

Water Pumpage for December:

Well No. 1:     Offline

            Well No. 2:   2,484,000

Total for December: 2,484,000 gallons, which was 318,000 gallons more than last year.

Two well samples were sent to the State Lab.  Both samples tested safe.

            Monthly fluoride average: 1.16 p.p.m.

Wastewater Report for December:

            Influent Monthly Average B.O.D.:    150 mg/l

            Effluent Monthly Average B.O.D.:    10        Limit: 15 mg/l

            Influent Monthly Average T.S.S.:      138 mg/l

            Effluent Monthly Average T.S.S.:      8          Limit: 20 mg/l

Monthly Average Nitrogen Ammonia: 0.576 mg/l    

Limit: 20.0 mg/l Monthly

            29.0 mg/l Daily

            Total gallons treated: 3,054,700

The company that was going to line some sewer mains has not been back. The pipes will just be dug up and replaced when the street gets redone this summer.

Police & Golf Course – Meise

The Golf Course will advertise in February.

No Police Committee report.

Parks & Streets– Neuheisel

Any residents that had complaints about snow or ice on sidewalks had a letter sent to them.

LeRoy Gruber has a water problem in his basement because it appears a curb seam needs to be caulked. It needs to be looked at in the spring. This should not be a Village issue. Public Works is avoiding piling snow in the area.

Cedar Street may have an option to get money from a proposed stimulus package.

The Rec Director ad is running in the Home News right now.

The drain tile running east and west between the pavilion and the ball diamond is plugged. The ground water needs to be alleviated in that area as well.

Josh Straka was asked to put together a proposal for designing the Park Master Plan. This was done without Chairman Neuheisel’s knowledge. Therefore, this proposal will not be discussed.

Finance – Kraemer

No Finance Committee report.

Ordinance & Library Liaison – Riek

The Library Board met.

No Ordinance Committee report.

Building & Swimming Pool – Buchanan

No Pool Committee report.

In Buchanan’s absence, Kraemer presented the Building Committee report. There is still an issue with a wood burning stove in a garage at 910 Cedar Street. They are subject to Building Codes. The Building Committee will be meeting to discuss.

Other Business

The Randy Liegel property was purchased on December 26, 2008.

Nick Ruhland would like direction from the board regarding when to start dredging the creek. The board would like to solicit bids and get it done.

The Village needs a narrative appraisal for the wetland purchased in order to be eligible for a Stewardship Grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the purchase. Neuheisel motioned to hire DeSmet for the job if his certifications are up to DNR standards. Meise seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

The turn-off into the Industrial Park was discussed next. A DOT permit needs to be obtained. Jackson stated there may be other permits that need to be in line for this project to happen. General Engineering and Strand Associates will be directed to put together a proposal for the February meeting for the engineering design for the acceleration lanes required by the DOT.

After a short discussion, Riek motioned to name the Industrial Park, on the west side of Highway 23, “Plain Honey Creek Business Park.” Meise seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

The 2009 goals were discussed next. Cedar Street will be done in 2009. The Westbrook bridge will be overlaid in 2010. The annexation of utility customer’s east of the Village is in progress. The Main Street wall is also a priority. A team for showing the Business Park property will be organized after this year’s election. Donations need to be obtained for the drainage project at the park.

The Golf Course Committee needs to set up a Community Reinvestment Day this spring to clean up the golf course for the season.

The Strand Associates design proposal was for $40,800 and is for roughly, a $2,000,000 project. At the last Parks Committee meeting drainage was discussed and tabled because there is no money in the budget to do anything.  The project cannot proceed until the Village deciphers how the project is going to be paid for.

Correspondence  

No Correspondence.

Review and Audit of Invoices:

Liegel motioned to pay Voucher #10733 payable to Advanced Climate Control in the amount of $166.81, Voucher #10734 payable to Berry Electric in the amount of $300.00, Voucher #10737 payable to L.W. Allen, Inc. in the amount of $660.00, Voucher #10767 payable to J.F. Ahern Co. in the amount of $4,102.50 and Voucher #10770 payable to L.W. Allen, Inc. in the amount of $466.46 from the Sewer Parts Replacement Fund.  This was seconded by Kraemer, and then carried unanimously.

A motion to pay the monthly invoices as presented was made by Liegel. Riek seconded, and then the motion carried unanimously.

Liegel motioned to adjourn to closed session at 9:25 p.m.  This was seconded by Riek, and then the motion carried unanimously.

Sheila Tafs

Clerk/Treasurer