Minutes: July 14, 2010

Village of Plain

Village Board Proceedings of July 14, 2010

The Regular Monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Plain was held at the Municipal Building on July 14, 2010. The meeting was called to order by President Ellenbolt at 7:30 p.m.

Roll Call: Raymond Ellenbolt, President; Cole Brunson; Robert Jewell; Kevin Kraemer; Duane Meise; Robert Neuheisel; and, John Schluter, Trustees.

Others present: William Gruber; Karna Hanna of the Sauk County Development Corporation; Laura Graves, 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 Village of Plain: the Municipal Building; the Plain Post Office; and, The Peoples Community Bank on Friday July 9, 2010.  Notice was emailed to the Home News and the Baraboo News Republic on the same date.

Meise motioned to approve minutes from the June 9, 2010 Regular Board meeting. This was seconded by Jewell and carried unanimously. Meise then motioned to approve minutes from the June 22, 2010 Special Board meeting. This was seconded by Schluter and carried unanimously.

Green TTEC Report

President Ellenbolt introduced Shawn Murphy as the new Green TTEC Director. Murphy has been in his position about a week. He is meeting the people involved and trying to get the word out about the facility. There is a lot of interest in the project. Guidelines need to be set up for businesses building in the Honey Creek Business Park.

Public Works Department Report

Nick Ruhland informed the board that a Sauk County youth program has painted storm sewer inlets in the Village to alert people that anything flushed down those storm sewers is going to the creek. A new dehumidifier for the Waste Water Treatment Plant has been received. The permit extension for the creek dredging expires on August 30, 2010.

Trustee Meise brought up the need for a crosswalk sign in the median on Highway 23. Traffic does not stop or slow down for pedestrians there. Chip Meister is going to try to convince the DOT to lower the speed limit through town. The Streets Committee should discuss purchasing the aforementioned signs.

Police Department Report

Officer Schreiber reported that the police schedule was updated to reflect extra coverage for the 3-Day Celebration. The first month of municipal court fines provided over $800 of revenue for the Village. Any uncollected fines would be paid through the tax refund interception program.

Agenda Guest

Karna Hanna presented the Sauk County Development Corporation (SCDC) 2009 Annual Report. Karna has put in her notice to retire as of September 30, 2010.  It has been gratifying to see Plain come full circle in her 16 years as Executive Director. Last year, 2009, was one of the hardest years yet. The average unemployment rate in 2009 was 8.2%. Karna reviewed statistics from 2009 and the recession recovery initiatives. Karna feels privileged to have worked with the Green TTEC Advisory and thanked President Ellenbolt and Clerk/Treasurer Tafs for work efforts with SCDC.

Committee Reports

The newly established Green TTEC Committee was presented as Raymond Ellenbolt, Cole Brunson, Jack Schluter, James Liegel and Kim Kaukl. Kraemer motioned to approve the Green TTEC Committee, this was seconded by Schluter and carried unanimously.

Finance – Schluter

The Finance Committee is at an idle. The budget efforts will begin soon.

Police & Parks – Meise

The Parks Committee presented a sample of the metal shingles intended for the pavilion roof. Quotes came in at just over $13,000. The donor of the supplies has no problem with paying for the steel roof material. The volunteer labor proposal will not work out. A bid will have to be obtained on the labor.

There are many kids involved in the Rec Program with 20 kids are participating in the golf league.

The Fire Department wants to install a sun shield over the bleacher stands at the park. It would be taken down during the winter. Rain will sift through the shield, it is meant for shade from the sun. The backs of the shields will say Plain Fire Department on one and Plain EMS on the other. The Village Board has no objections.

Golf, Library & Emergency Government – Neuheisel

The Golf Course is doing well.  

The Library circulation is up 11% over last year at this time. The summer programs are doing good. Nicole Feiner has been hired to the staff. The library has created a Facebook.

Streets, Utilities & RV Court Commission – Kraemer

A dehumidifier was purchased to control the humidity at the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Water Pumpage for June:

Well No. 1:      573,000

            Well No. 2:   2,015,000

Total for June: 2,957,000 gallons, which was 204,000 gallons more than last year.

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

            Monthly fluoride average: 1.24 p.p.m.

Wastewater Report for June:

            Influent Monthly Average B.O.D.:    109 mg/l

            Effluent Monthly Average B.O.D.:    8          Limit: 15 mg/l

            Influent Monthly Average T.S.S.:      209 mg/l

            Effluent Monthly Average T.S.S.:      14        Limit: 20 mg/l

Monthly Average Nitrogen Ammonia: .273 mg/l      

Limit: 20.0 mg/l Monthly

                        29.0 mg/l Daily

            Total gallons treated: 2,992,100

The Streets Committee had bid openings on Monday regarding the storm pipe at intersection of Honey Creek Drive and Meadow Lane. The low bid was Laser Construction in the amount of $24,235 which was $3,500 less than the next highest bidder. Kraemer motioned to approve the Laser Construction bid for $24,235. This was seconded by Jewell and carried unanimously.

There are a couple of manholes that need to be evaluated.

Building – Brunson

No report.

Pool & Ordinance – Jewell

The pool is loosing between 45,000-55,000 gallons per day, which is half of its capacity. The total capacity is 109,000 gallons. The boiler runs continuously because it is hard to heat the fresh water every day. Chlorine and acid use is up and is hard to stabilize because of the loss of the water. Ruhland is obtaining proposals to alleviate this problem in the off season. The next problem is finding where the money will come from to pay for the repair. When the pool was being repaired by Badger Pools earlier in the season, the concrete would break away like sandstone. The concrete dates back to 1958. Neumann Pools said nothing would ever adhere to the concrete in that condition. No matter what is done, it will just be a temporary fix.

The Ordinance Committee will meet before the August regular board meeting.

Development & Planning and Green TTEC Advisory – Ellenbolt

No report.

Other Business

The board reviewed the Wendorff Assessor proposals, which included an alternate option to do some reassessing. Issues from Board of Review came up that some properties have finished basements and should be reassessed. The strategy has been that the Village reassess every five years. Properties that did not need a building permit for work done will be found at that time. Trustee Kraemer stated that Hallie did not create the mess that some resent her for. Her first year, the 2005 reassessment, the Village was around 80% and it rose to 104%. Everyone was in shock, but it was not her fault. The $4,000 proposal is the base price which is the same as last year. The Village is still currently assessed over 100%. Jewell motioned to except the $4,000 proposal without the alternate proposal. Kraemer seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

The board next discussed the health insurance pay out for newly hired employees. The employee handbook stated that new employees would be paid 50% of a single plan. The new consideration is to pay 100% of a single plan, for a single or family person. Kraemer motioned to update the employee handbook to pay 100% of a single plan. Jewell seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.

Trustee Meise read the first reading of Ordinance 169-10, an Ordinance annexing the territory of the River Valley Veterinary Clinic.

Correspondence  

President Ellenbolt read a letter from James Liegel regarding Dennis Alt being issued a building permit for a deck towards his father’s house, George Liegel. There is not a mutual agreement regarding where the lot line is. James Liegel’s concern is that Mr. Alt wants to build a deck therefore he is responsible for getting a survey to find the lot line to observe the proper setback. Trustee Kraemer responded that in his line of business it is the property owner’s responsibility to verify the placement of the property line. The permit should be rescinded pending a survey. Lot pins were found in the Northwest and Southeast corners of Alt’s lot. On a corner lot, according to Pete Giese, either side can be designated as your front yard. This would make the side Alt intends for the deck a 10 foot setback for a side yard or a 20 foot setback for a backyard. This lot has designated Plainview Road as a front yard even though the front door is on Westbrook Drive, as a result it would be a 10 foot setback towards George Liegel’s property. There was concern that the Ordinance is giving corner lots too much leeway. President Ellenbolt will talk to Pete Giese to request a survey.

Review and Audit of Invoices:

Jewell motioned to pay Voucher #12083 payable to L.W. Allen, Inc. in the amount of $1,677.50 and Voucher #12116 payable to Therma-Stor, LLC in the amount $2,081.99 from the Sewer Parts Replacement Fund.  This was seconded by Brunson, and then carried unanimously.

A motion to pay the monthly invoices as presented was made by Jewell. Meise seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.

Meise motioned to adjourn at 9:03 p.m. This was seconded by Neuheisel and carried unanimously.

Sheila Tafs