Village Board

Village of Grantsburg Village Board of Trustees Meeting Monday, December 8, 2025 The Board of Trustees for the Village of Grantsburg met on Monday, December 8, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in the Village Board Room, 316 S. Brad Street, Grantsburg, Wisconsin. Present: President Rick Lindberg, Trustee Greg Peer, Trustee Leo Janke, Trustee Hank Java, Trustee John Addison, Trustee Matt Chadwick, Trustee Kim Korhonen Others: Police Chief Jared Woody, DPW John Erickson, Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Allison Longhenry, Library Director Lynett Yoerg, Greg Marsten-Burnett County Sentinel, Isaac Steinmeyer -SEH, Todd & Michelle Engstrand, Brent Blomberg. Call to Order. President Lindberg called the Village Board meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. Clerk/Treasurer Meyer conducted roll call. The pledge of allegiance was recited. Water Treatment Plant project. Isaac Steinmeyer, engineer with SEH, summarized the preliminary design plans of the water treatment building on the Well #1 site on Burnett Avenue. Steinmeyer reviewed the building exterior and floor plan showing two chemical rooms with a shower and eye flushing station in each room, the location of the filtration tanks, mechanical room and front office/testing area. The initial estimate for the construction of the building is approximately $4.94 million with a contingency built in at $820,000. Final design plans will be worked on from January-June 2026 with permitting taking place from June-December 2026. The project will be bid in late 2026 or early 2027. 4:15 p.m. Public Hearing-Conditional Use Permit. A Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application has been received from Crex Development Corporation, Todd Engstrand, owner of 824 Gateway Street, for a liquor store. President Lindberg called the Public Hearing to order at 4:15 p.m. C/T Meyer read the Notice of Public Hearing. President Lindberg asked for anyone wishing to speak in favor of the CUP request. Todd Engstrand explained his wish to have a standard liquor store in the former T-Dawg’s Convention Center. Police Chief Woody expressed his concerns with the number of previous break ins at T-Dawgs and wondered if Engstrand had a plan for upgraded security. Engstrand replied there will be alarm bars on the front and back doors with an upgraded security system and multiple cameras. Trustee Chadwick asked Engstrand why he wanted to open a liquor store in this location and what he thought it brought to the community. Engstrand said the former Convention Center was not adequate for T-Dawgs and he felt he could bring a better selection of wines and spirits than are now available in the Village. President Lindberg asked for anyone wishing to speak against the CUP request. No one spoke. The Public Hearing was closed at 4:18 p.m. Motion by Trustee Addison, second by 1  Village Board Meeting Monday, December 12, 2025 Trustee Java to grant a Conditional Use Permit to Crex Development Corporation, Todd Engstrand, owner for a liquor store at 824 Gateway Street. Motion passed unanimously. Liquor license application. A Class A Liquor and Beer license application was received, and all paperwork is in order. Motion by Trustee Java, second by Trustee Addison to approve the Class A Liquor and Beer license as requested by REKN Enterprises, LLC, dba Crex Liquors at 824 Gateway Street, Stanley T. Engstrand, agent. Motion passed unanimously. Public Comments. No one appeared. Correspondence. Included in the Trustee packets were the Burnett County Administration newsletter, the monthly project update report from S E H, and the Golf financials. Minutes. President Lindberg asked if there were any changes, corrections or additions to the minutes presented from the following 2025 meetings: November 10th Administration Committee; November 10th Village Board. None were proposed. Minutes were accepted as presented. Appointment of election workers. Deputy C/T Longhenry presented a list of possible election workers for the 2026-2027 election cycle. Motion by Trustee Addison, second by Trustee Janke to approve the election workers presented for the 2026-2027 election cycle. Motion passed unanimously. 2026 Recycling Attendant Agreement. C/T Meyer informed the Trustees this would have to be postponed until January since the proposed agreement has been mailed by RCC but has not been received at the Village Office. 2026 UDC Inspection Services. A proposed agreement was presented from REM Inspecting, LLC, for required UDC Inspection Services in 2026. The proposed agreement reflects the Village’s decision to inspect one- and two-family homes and additions to homes newer than 1980 only. Motion by Trustee Addison, second by Trustee Peer to approve the agreement with REM Inspecting, LLC, for Uniform Dwelling Code inspections for 2026. Motion passed unanimously. The Village Church of Grantsburg rental contract. The Community Center rental contract was presented with no changes proposed from the 2025 contract. Motion by Trustee Java, second by Trustee Janke to approve the 2026 Community Center and Storage Room #1 rental contract with The Village Church of Grantsburg as presented. Motion passed unanimously. 2  Village Board Meeting Monday, December 12, 2025 STAFF REPORTS Public Works DPW Erickson informed the Trustees of items happening since the last board meeting including Christmas in the Park getting set up without interference from the WWTP project contractors, the skating rink being ready for skating, Well #2 being back online after being rehabbed. Erickson informed the Trustees that the employment ad for a Water/Sewer operator will be reposted with wage and benefit information. A concern was brought up about the WWTP contractors, Market & Johnson, having items too close to the snowmobile trail. Erickson will discuss this with them. Trustee Chadwick asked about the skating rink warming house hours. The bathhouse/warming house will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day. Police Chief Woody presented his incident report and graph for November. Chief Woody also reported his department participated in Shop with a Cop the previous weekend, purchasing toys and warm hats & mittens for children in need and were one of the agencies that responded to the vehicle crash on Hwy 87. Trustee Addison asked if the Burnett County Sheriff’s Department is helping with calls in the Village with our department being short-staffed. Chief Woody responded they are responding to calls when needed. Administration Clerk/Treasurer Meyer presented the license and permits report showing several zoning and operators permits issued, the cash report with a checking account balance of $427,715.05 after all vouchers are paid, and a Treasury account balance of $1,429,828.94. C/T Meyer reviewed a list of budget changes to the 2025 budget resulting in additional revenues of $398,921 and additional expenditures of $97,848. Motion by President Lindberg, second by Trustee Janke to approve the 2025 budget changes and amended budget as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Library Director Yoerg presented the library report showing a recap of November programming and several programs scheduled for December. Yoerg reported attendance and check out numbers were down in November and continue in December, as expected. COMMITTEE REPORTS Administration Committee. 1) Community Center rental agreement with the Grantsburg School District. President Lindberg reported we are still working on cleaning up the contract language. 2) Water/Sewer operator employment ad. See Public Works above. 3) Zoning exception form. Trustee Addison suggested sending the proposed form to Attorney Norenberg for his comments. 4) Sommerfeld exception request. The Sommerfelds will be attending the January meeting with additional information. 3  Village Board Meeting Monday, December 12, 2025 Bills Motion by Trustee Janke, second by Trustee Java to approve payment of the bills as presented: Checks #36746-#36787 $1,021,499.04 Payroll vouchers V9762-V9791 $32,399.11 ACH/EFTPS payments $52,468.05 Total $1,106,366.20 Motion passed unanimously. Market and Johnson Inc., change orders. Change orders #1,2,3,5,6,7 were presented for all changes on the WWTP project to date. Motion by Trustee Addison, second by Trustee Java to approve change orders #1,2,3,5,6,7 on the WWTP project as submitted by Market & Johnson. Motion passed unanimously. Trustee reports, concerns… Trustee Peer asked about having a Public Safety meeting for ordinance enforcement. Chief Woody said it is being worked on. President Lindberg reported Chamber of Commerce will be meeting tomorrow and Fire Association on the 15th. THE VILLAGE BOARD WILL CONVENE INTO CLOSED SESSION to review applications and interview candidates for the Deputy Clerk/Treasurer position pursuant to WIS. Stats. 19.85 (1) (c) “Considering employment, promotion, compensation, or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the government body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility.” Motion by Trustee Java, second by Trustee Janke to convene into closed session at 5:06 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. Two candidates were interviewed for the Deputy Clerk/Treasurer position. THE VILLAGE BOARD WILL RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85 (2). Motion by Trustee Java, second by Trustee Janke to reconvene into open session at 6:15 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Trustee Addison, second by Trustee Janke to offer the Deputy Clerk/Treasurer position to Sarah Longhenry at a wage of $25 per hour. Discussion ensued. Several Trustees felt the wage should start lower with the ability to reach $25 per hour with positive reviews. Motion by Trustee Addison, second by Trustee Janke to offer the Deputy Clerk/Treasurer position to Sarah Longhenry at a starting wage of $23 per hour with a possible wage increase to $24 per hour after a positive 6-month review. Motion passed unanimously. THE VILLAGE BOARD WILL CONVENE INTO CLOSED SESSION pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85 (1) (e) to discuss matters pertaining to a collective bargaining agreement which for competitive or bargaining reasons requires a closed session. 4  Village Board Meeting Monday, December 12, 2025 Motion by Trustee Java, second by Trustee Janke to convene into closed session at 6:25 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. The latest draft of the Labor Agreement between the Village of Grantsburg and the General Teamsters Union Local 346, Law Enforcement League, was reviewed. THE VILLAGE BOARD WILL RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85 (2). Motion by Trustee Java, second by Trustee Janke to reconvene into open session at 6:56 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. Labor Agreement. Motion by Trustee Java, second by Trustee Korhonen to ratify the Labor Agreement between the Village of Grantsburg and the General Teamsters Union Local 346, Law Enforcement League for the period December 8, 2025 to December 31, 2027, with the amendment to the lateral section stating, “All current officer’s wages will be reviewed by the Village Board when any new officers are hired”. Motion passed unanimously Adjournment The Village Board meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m. Sheila Meyer Clerk/Treasurer 5