Minutes: December 10, 2008
Village Board Proceedings of December 10, 2008
The Regular Monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Plain was held at the Municipal Building on December 10, 2008. The following members were present: Raymond Ellenbolt, President; David Buchanan; Kevin Kraemer; James Liegel; Duane Meise; Robert Neuheisel; and, Merry Lynn Riek, Trustees.
Others present: Jason Jackson of General Engineering; Gary Ilminen of the Home News; 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, December 8, 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.
Liegel motioned to approve the minutes of the November 12, 2008 Regular Board Meeting. Meise seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously. Liegel then motioned to approve the minutes of the December 1, 2008 Budget Hearing. The motion was seconded by Kraemer and it carried with Neuheisel abstaining. Finally, Liegel motioned to approve the minutes of the December 1, 2008 Special Meeting. The motion was seconded by Riek and it carried with Neuheisel abstaining.
Jason Jackson of General Engineering addressed the board regarding the letter the board requested to be drafted to inform A-1 Excavating that the Village will not give in to the $9,500 fee in lieu of liquidated damages and $4,905 in engineering fees generated from unsatisfactory work. A-l only responded with “we’ll be in touch.” They have not been heard from since.
Jackson then presented payment application no. 2 in the amount of $80,701.50 for LaMasney Construction Company for Well House construction to date. The change order attached deducted $8,465.87 for building materials the Village will purchase directly from County Materials. The contractor should come close to the completion dates in the contract. Meise then motioned to pay LaMasney Construction Company the amount of $80,701.50. This was seconded by Kraemer and carried unanimously.
Meise then motioned to pay the General Engineering bill, presented at the last meeting, in the amount of $44,793.75. This was seconded by Kraemer and carried unanimously.
Jackson then informed the board that the boring report is complete for the Industrial Park-West. This report will advise the designer on the correct amount of materials to use and minimize change orders in the field. It appears to be the same soil type as the East side.
Public Works Department Report
Nick Ruhland addressed the board regarding inefficient lighting in areas at the Municipal Building. Service Electric and Berry Electric will be contacted for estimates. The Clerk would like the improvement to be completed by the February election.
The DNR will be issuing a permit for the dredging. They are asking for a timeline for the permit. The board agreed on a timeline of January of 2009 to June of 2010.
Committee Reports
Water & Sewer - Liegel
Water Pumpage for November:
Well No. 1: Offline
Well No. 2: 2,305,000
Total for November: 2,305,000 gallons, which was 15,000 gallons more than last year.
Two bacteria samples and one well sample were sent to the State Lab. All samples tested safe.
Monthly fluoride average: 1.24 p.p.m.
Wastewater Report for November:
Influent Monthly Average B.O.D.: 185 mg/l
Effluent Monthly Average B.O.D.: 10 Limit: 15 mg/l
Influent Monthly Average T.S.S.: 256 mg/l
Effluent Monthly Average T.S.S.: 7 Limit: 20 mg/l
Monthly Average Nitrogen Ammonia: 1.96 mg/l
Limit: 20.0 mg/l Monthly
29.0 mg/l Daily
Total gallons treated: 2,949,100
The water budget for this year is under budget and the sewer budget is close to even. Groundwater coming to the plant has decreased because the water level has gone down.
Police & Golf Course – Meise
The Golf Course Committee would like to offer an incentive to get the golf course memberships back up. The Committee believes that 10% off during January to March would bring members back. The board was not in agreement to give 10% off during those early months. The issue can be rehashed if the membership numbers are down this year. The board agreed that the improvements to the golf course should be promoted so the public is aware that the course is repaired and improved. Advertisements should be run in Sauk City, Reedsburg, Richland Center, the Home News and the Visitor’s Guide. Run in the newspapers for at least two weeks early next year.
No Police Committee report.
Parks & Streets– Neuheisel
The Parks Committee had a meeting and invited coaches. The attending coaches liked the Park Master Plan. The first item that needs to be addressed is the water drainage problem. Specifics of the drainage were discussed. Strand Engineering will be contacted when the Village is ready to proceed. The Rec Director position will be advertised for in January. Coaches will turn in their ball schedules early in the new year.
The Streets Committee held a meeting. The matter of changing Nachreiner Avenue to a one-way street has been tabled. The change will not be promoted.
Finance – Kraemer
The budget was approved for 2009. Real Estate taxes will have minimal change. Kraemer thanked everyone for all their efforts during the budgeting process.
Ordinance & Library Liaison – Riek
The Library Board met.
No Ordinance Committee report.
Building & Swimming Pool – Buchanan
No Pool Committee report.
No Building Committee report.
Other Business
Riek read the second reading of Ordinance Number 161-08, an Ordinance to increase wastewater treatment service charges after December 31, 2008. Liegel motioned for to approve Ordinance Number 161-08. This was seconded by Neuheisel and carried unanimously.
The Offer to Purchase was reviewed for the purchase of 30 acres from Randolph and Linda Liegel in the amount of $360,000.00. The northern property line is the fence line at the top of the hill. Riek recommended Title Insurance being ordered for the purchase. Closing costs will be paid by the Village. Kraemer motioned to approve the Offer to Purchase. The motion was seconded by Buchanan and it carried with Liegel abstaining.
The turn-off into the Industrial Park-West was discussed next. It is in the Villages best interest to meet with the Department of Transportation on site to get their opinion on specifics and location of a turn-off lane. The speed limit needs to be out farther as well. A meeting with the DOT will need take place before any designs are started.
Nick Ruhland presented bids on a lawn tractor with a 60” deck and snow broom along with trade-in. McFarlanes’ Kubota bid was $14,899.00 and Mid-State Equipment’s John Deere bid was $16,491.85. Meise motioned to purchase the Kubota from McFarlanes for $14,899.00. Buchanan seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
There have been parking issues with the snow ordinance. Parking warning tags were printed and vehicles not in compliance are being tagged. The warnings seem to be working. There is also an issue with a few sidewalks not being shoveled. Violators should be issued a letter with a timeline and notified of the cost if Public Works has to clear the sidewalk for them.
Meise pleaded his case regarding allowing golf carts on Village streets. The Village Attorney states that Plain cannot adopt an ordinance with the intent of encompassing golf carts. A few years ago there were heated discussions regarding golf carts just going to and from the golf course. This is allowed in Illinois and it appears that it is against Wisconsin Statutes. The Village is required to follow State Statutes and not pass an Ordinance that is lesser of a law than a State Statute.
The board read their individual goals as follows: New business in the Industrial Park, Main Street retaining wall, old Rieder property, Annexation of property east of the Village, Bridge deck on Westbrook road bridge, Establish police protection, Set up development team to promote Industrial Park, Determine what portion of Park Master Plan can be implemented and completed by end of 2009, Building Committee establish Urban Design Standards for all future construction or renovation, Integrate pool and park into Rec Department and expand to offer year round programs, Golf Course improvements, Set a date for a Community reinvestment day for the Golf Course, Cedar Street repairs, Water drainage in park, Street markings/signs, Spot repair of sidewalks.
Buchanan motioned to set the date and time for the 2009 Village Caucus as Wednesday,
January 14, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. This was seconded by Liegel, and then carried unanimously.
Liegel motioned to accept the President’s appointments of election officials for the years 2009 and 2010. This was seconded by Kraemer, and then carried unanimously.
Neuheisel motioned to grant approval for an operator’s license for Sarah R. Stoltz for the period ending June 30, 2009 and was seconded by Riek. The motion carried unanimously.
Correspondence
No Correspondence.
Review and Audit of Invoices:
A motion to pay the monthly invoices as presented was made by Buchanan. Kraemer seconded, and then the motion carried unanimously.
General Fund | $21,882.91 | Water Utility | $103,216.09 | ||
Library Fund | $2,462.37 | Sewer Department | $2,272.55 | ||
Golf Course | $676.55 | ||||
Wage Reimbursements: | $14,171.59 |
Meise motioned to adjourn to closed session at 9:28 p.m. This was seconded by Buchanan, and then the motion carried unanimously.
Sheila Tafs
Clerk/Treasurer