Village Board

Village of Grantsburg Village Board of Trustees Meeting Monday, March 10, 2025 The Board of Trustees for the Village of Grantsburg met on Monday, March 10, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Village Board Room, 316 S. Brad Street, Grantsburg, Wisconsin. Present: President Terrance Kucera, Trustee Greg Peer, Trustee Diane Barton, Trustee Leo Janke, Trustee Hank Java, Trustee Rick Lindberg. Absent: Trustee John McNally Others: Police Chief Jared Woody, Director of Public Works John Erickson, Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Allison Longhenry, Library Director Lynett Yoerg, Greg Marsten-Burnett County Sentinel, Dan & Dawn Kegley-REM Inspecting LLC, Brent Blomberg, Harlan Prine Call to Order. President Kucera called the Village Board meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Clerk/Treasurer Meyer conducted roll call. The pledge of allegiance was recited. Public Comments. Harlan Prine, 128 W. Madison Avenue appeared to express his concern and frustration with snow that is being removed from the four businesses east of his property. The snow is being pushed into a pile east of his property and remains there until it melts. President Kucera informed Prine the Board could not act on this now but if he wanted to be on the agenda for a future meeting, he should call the Village Office. Correspondence. Included in the Trustee packets were the Burnett County Administration newsletter, a monthly project update report from S E H, a flyer for Securing Burnett County’s Future seminar, and the property account detail for the Burnett County Agricultural Society Fair Association. Minutes. President Kucera asked if there were any changes, corrections or additions to the minutes presented from the following 2025 meetings: February 10th Administration Committee, February 10th Village Board, and February 26th Special Village Board. None were proposed. Minutes were accepted as presented. REM Inspecting LLC. Dan and Dawn Kegley, owners of REM Inspecting, LLC reported on the 2024 Uniform Dwelling Code (UDC) permits in the Village. They issued 1 permit for a new dwelling and there are 2 permits still open from 2023. SEH Clean Water Fund Application/Administration Contract Amendment. An amendment was submitted by Brea Grace, SEH, to update the dates on the previously approved contract. Motion by Trustee Janke second by Trustee Java to approve Supplemental Letter 1  Village Board Meeting Monday, March 10, 2025 Agreement Amendment No. 1 updating the dates from the Agreement dated and approved on February 23, 2023, for the Application and Administration of the WDNR Clean Water Fund Loan Program for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements project. Motion passed unanimously. STAFF REPORTS Public Works 1) DPW Erickson presented his report informing the Trustees of items the Village crew has been working on since the last board meeting. Erickson reported on a previous discussion about jake brakes being used on State Highway 70 through the Village. The Village has an Ordinance that prohibits the use of jake brakes within the Village, but DPW Erickson was told by WI DOT it is not illegal on State Highways. The Board decided to leave the existing Ordinance as is. Police Chief Woody presented his police report and graph. Chief Woody reported Officer Getts and Officer Tyler are registered for some training during March, the Explorer has been taken out of service, is getting all police equipment removed, and will be sold on WI Surplus once this is completed. Chief Woody also reported he has hired 2 part-time transport officers that will be doing transports, when needed. Clerk/Treasurer C/T Meyer presented the licenses and permits report showing one operator license issued since the last meeting, the cash report showing a checking account balance of $136,558.49 after all vouchers are paid, and a Treasury account balance of $601,225.05. C/T Meyer also provided an Actual to Expected report showing revenues and expenditures to date compared to the 2025 budget. Library 1) Library Director Yoerg presented the monthly Library report showing February activities and upcoming March programs. Fire Assn. Village Rep Trustee Barton reported that Cory Barnette was re-elected as Fire Chief. The current roster is 17 firefighters after 1 retired 12/31/2024. There were 199 calls in 2024 compared to 166 in 2023. COMMITTEE REPORTS Administration Committee 1) Community Center rental agreement with Grantsburg School District. C/T Meyer explained the School Board’s requested changes to the second draft agreement the Village sent to the school. They asked for clarification on the CPI increase, that language be added to ensure the Village would not terminate the lease to displace the gymnastics team while they are in season, remove the room divider panels as an item the School would have to repair from excessive wear and tear, add language that if the School paid for a full quarter and the lease were terminated prior to the end of that quarter, the Village would issue a refund to the School, and that language be added to other rental 2  Village Board Meeting Monday, March 10, 2025 agreements stating the gymnastics equipment is off limits and any damage to the equipment would be the renter’s or the Village’s responsibility to repair. The committee recommended the Village Board approve a draft agreement C/T Meyer had prepared clarifying the CPI paragraph, changing the repair from excessive wear and tear to periodically vacuuming the panels, adding that all efforts will be made to not interrupt the high school gymnastics season if terminating the lease and clarifying that a refund would be issued to the School if the lease were terminated mid quarter. Motion by Trustee Peer, second by Trustee Lindberg to approve the revised Community Center rental agreement with the Grantsburg School District for a five-year term from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2029, at a yearly rental fee of $3,500 plus $1,200 for rental of Storage Room #2 (increased by CPI yearly) and to pay $6,000 toward the purchase of $9,000 room divider panels purchased by the Village. Motion passed with Trustee Java abstaining. 2) Street closure/signage a) Rock the Block April 12th. The Administration Committee approved the street closure request for Rock the Block on Saturday, April 12, 2025, from noon to 8:00 p.m. b) BMC 5k and 10k June 17th. The Administration Committee approved safety signage be placed on Village streets for the BMC Go for the Gust Race on June 7, 2025. 3) Code of Ordinance changes to Chapter 330-17. C/T Meyer explained Ordinance Chapter 330 Article I. Licenses and Permits §330-17 Outdoor sports activities and beer/beverage gardens. is no longer used since alcohol license holders are now able to include their outdoor patios on the liquor/beer license applications as consumption areas. Motion by President Kucera, second by Trustee Janke to repeal § 330-17 of the Village Code of Ordinances effective immediately. Motion passed unanimously. 4) Public Works a) Stump pile. DPW Erickson explained there is very little room left to accept stumps at the brush site. He received a quote from Ray Rumpke’s Stump Grinding to grind the current pile for a cost of $50,000. The Administration Committee recommends not accepting stumps for now. The Village Board agreed. b) Line painting. DPW Erickson informed the Board that line painting costs increased to $10,850 from the 2024 cost of $7,000. Options for spray machines were presented, and the Administration Committee recommends purchasing a sprayer so the Village crew can do the line painting as needed. Trustee Janke questioned whether the Village crew had time to paint the lines. Motion by Trustee Barton, second by Trustee Java to authorize DPW Erickson to purchase the 5900 Series Spray Painter at a cost of $11,706.25. Motion passed 4 to 2 with President Kucera and Trustee Janke voting nay. Bills Motion by Trustee Janke, second by Trustee Java to approve payment of the bills as presented: 3  Village Board Meeting Monday, March 10, 2025 Checks #36285-36332 $953,716.05 Payroll vouchers V9340-9374,16746-16752 $38,444.21 ACH/EFTPS payments $75,833.92 Total $1,067,994.18 Motion passed unanimously. Trustee reports, concerns… Trustee Peer talked about a report he received from Richard Hartman, Burnett County Economic Development Director regarding affordable housing in Burnett and Polk counties titled Forward Analytics Document Spotlighting – Is Home Affordability Out of Reach? The information showed the median home price in Burnett County in 2024 as $301,250 compared to Polk County at $300,000. The median household income in Burnett Co was $78,296 and in Polk Co $69,230. Both counties had an affordability index number that classified them as unaffordable for a 30-year mortgage. The Trustees asked to be emailed the link to the report. Adjournment The Village Board meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m. Sheila Meyer Clerk/Treasurer 4