Village Board Meeting

VILLAGE BOARD MEETING MINUTES July 28, 2025 at 6:00 PM Kronenwetter Municipal Center - 1582 Kronenwetter Drive Board Room (Lower Level) 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER Village President David Baker called the July 28, 2025 Village Board Meeting to order at 6 p.m. A. Pledge of Allegiance Those in attendance were invited to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. B. Roll Call PRESENT: President David Baker, Trustee Ken Charneski, Trustee Aaron Myszka, Trustee Craig Mortensen, Trustee Sandi Sorensen, Trustee Dan Joling, Trustee Jessica Stowell STAFF: Fire Chief Theresa O’Brien, Community Development Director Peter Wegner, Public Works Director Greg Ulman, Interim Finance Director John Jacobs, Clerk Jennifer Poyer 2. ANNOUNCEMENT OF CLOSED SESSION President David Baker announced there would be a closed session during the meeting. 3. PUBLIC COMMENT Joe Gospodarek, 2352 Newcastle Drive, Kronenwetter, WI 54455- Comment read by village clerk and attached to minutes. Patty Tikalsky, 2153 Peach Road, Kronenwetter, WI 54455- Comment read by village clerk and attached to minutes. Dan Kindelberger, 1905 Deerwood Trail, Kronenwetter, WI 54455 – Comment read by village clerk and attached to minutes. Bernie Kramer, 2150 E. State Highway 153, Peplin, WI 54455 – Kramer spoke regarding the financial situation of Kronenwetter, including the ambulance proposal. 4. REPORTS FROM STAFF AND VENDORS C. Community Development Director Report Community Development Director Peter Wegner presented his report and answered questions from the Village Board, including questions about long grass complaints. D. Interim Finance Director Report Interim Finance Director John Jacobs presented his report and answered questions from the Village Board. E. Public Works Director Report Public Works Director Greg Ulman presented his report. He mentioned recent permit fees collected. F. Village President Report - Additional Assigned Duties Village President David Baker presented his report. He updated the board on the Lift Station 2 failure that occurred on July 26, 2025. 5. CONSENT AGENDA - DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION Motion by Joling/Stowell to approve the consent agenda items- operator bartender license and July 14, 2025 Meeting Minutes. Motion carried by voice vote. 7:0. G. Operator (Bartender) License – Renee Peet H. July 14, 2025 Village Board Meeting Minutes Minutes prepared by Jennifer Poyer. Approved on August 11, 2025. Page 1 of 9 6. OLD BUSINESS - DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION I. Update on Riverside/Kronenwetter Fire Departments' Relationship Village Trustee Dan Joling gave an update on the current status of this agenda item. He said he attended a recent EMR training and was impressed. J. Discontinuation of Fluoridation in Village Water (CLIPP) Motion by Baker/Mortensen to direct staff to prepare and send it out at a cost not to exceed $2084 and bring it back to the board for approval prior to sending it out. Motion carried by roll call vote. 6:1. Voting yea- Baker, Myszka, Mortensen, Sorensen, Joling, Stowell; Voting nay – Charneski Discussed survey options and costs; role of trustee to represent the Village; republic vs. democracy; CDC’s recommendations; opinion of utility users; advantages and disadvantages of fluoride use; and fluoride in neighboring communities. ITEMS 6K. AND 6L. WERE DISCUSSED TOGETHER. K. Proposed Changes to § 520-121. - Conditional Use Permits (PC) L. Proposed Changes to § 520-124. - Site Plan Procedures (PC) Motion by Joling/Myszka not to approve proposed changes to Conditional Use Permits 520-121 and proposed changes to 520-124 Site Plan Procedures. Motion carried by roll call vote. 7:0. Discussed background of proposed changes; attorney review; past action by Village Board; power of Village Board vs. Board of Appeals in this matter; required state statute procedure; compatibility with the Comprehensive Plan; and further discussion with the Plan Commission. 7. NEW BUSINESS - DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION M. Village Board Members' Budget Training Report Village Trustees Sandi Sorensen, Dan Joling and Jessica Stowell reported on their budget training experience. N. 2026 Budget Guidelines and Expectations (APC) Interim Finance Director John Jacobs and President David Baker presented the 2026 Budget Guidelines and Expectations. They answered questions from the Village Board and discussed the following tax levy; amount of detail needed with budget planning; debt services; and steps of the budget process. 8. REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF AUGUST 11, 2025 VB AGENDA ACTION ITEMS O. FIN-004 Policy Review (APC) Village Board members discussed the proposed changes to FIN-004. Discussed the idea of cost centers and how the changes would affect the departments and staff. The agenda item will be brought back on August 11, 2024. 9. PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES FROM COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES P. March 27, 2025 Administrative Policy Committee Meeting Minutes Q. April 9, 2025 Administrative Policy Committee Meeting Minutes R. April 23, 2025 Administrative Policy Committee Meeting Minutes S. June 19, 2025 Administrative Policy Committee Meeting Minutes T. June 24, 2025 Administrative Policy Committee Meeting Minutes Minutes were acknowledged by the Village Board. 10. CLOSED SESSION Motion by Stowell/Myszka to convene into closed session pursuant to Wis. Stat. 19.85 (1)( c ) for consideration of employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility – to wit Interim Finance Director Employment Options, to wit Update on Administrator Search Process. Motion carried by roll call vote. 7:0. PRESENT: President Baker, Trustee Charneski, Trustee Myszka, Trustee Mortensen, Trustee Sorensen, Trustee Joling, Trustee Stowell, Interim Finance Director John Jacobs and Clerk Jennifer Poyer Closed session convened at 9:20 p.m. Jacobs left closed session at 9:36 p.m. 11. RECONVENE OPEN SESSION Motion by Sorensen/Myszka to reconvene into open session. Motion carried by voice vote. 7:0. Minutes prepared by Jennifer Poyer. Approved on August 11, 2025. Page 2 of 9  Open session reconvened at 10:02 p.m. 12. ACTION AFTER CLOSED SESSION Motion by Sorensen/Mortensen to hire John Jacobs as a W2 employee as village finance director and village treasurer. Motion carried by roll call vote. 7:0. 13. CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDA Updates on CTH X, CTH XX and Pines Road intersection – County representative reporting to CLIPP on August 4, 2025 14. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Charneski/Stowell to adjourn. Motion carried by voice vote. 7:0. Meeting adjourned at 10:06 p.m. Minutes prepared by Jennifer Poyer. Approved on August 11, 2025. Page 3 of 9  From: Joe Gospodarek To: Jennifer Poyer Subject: Re: [External] Public comment for 7/28 Date: Monday, July 28, 2025 10:37:04 AM Sure thing. My address is 2352 Newcastle Drive Kronenwetter WI 54455. Thank you, Joe Gospodarek Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G, an AT&T 5G smartphone Get Outlook for Android From: Jennifer Poyer <jpoyer@kronenwetter.gov> Sent: Monday, July 28, 2025 9:36:00 AM To: Joe Gospodarek <jjgospodarek@outlook.com> Subject: RE: Public comment for 7/28 Good morning! This is exactly how to submit public comment. Will you please respond with your address? All public comments must have a name and address. I will read it during the public comments portion of tonight’s meeting. Thank you, Jennifer Poyer Village of Kronenwetter Village Clerk Phone: 715-693-4200 ext. 1722 Email: jpoyer@kronenwetter.gov 1582 Kronenwetter Drive Kronenwetter, WI 54455 www.kronenwetter.gov Subscribe to our monthly e- newsletter. Minutes prepared by Jennifer Poyer. Approved on August 11, 2025. Page 4 of 9  From: Joe Gospodarek <jjgospodarek@outlook.com> Sent: Monday, July 28, 2025 9:33 AM To: Jennifer Poyer <jpoyer@kronenwetter.gov> Subject: [External] Public comment for 7/28 Good Morning Jennifer, I am reaching out to give a public comment for the village board meeting on 7/28. I will be unable to attend the meeting but wanted my voice to be heard. If this is not the correct avenue for submitting a public comment, please let me know as soon as possible so I can correct on my end. My public comment: To the Kronenwetter village board I am against removal of fluoride from the municipal water supply. Having reached out to my local dentist, it would cost my family an additional 160 dollars in preventative care in fluoride supplements. It could also end up costing not only myself but the rest of the Kronenwetter community hundreds of dollars per person in dental care due to increased likelihood of cavities. The village vision is “Kronenwetter is a safe, growing, family-oriented community strategically located between Wausau and Stevens Point with a highly educated and skilled workforce and a focus on promoting economic opportunities while preserving a high-quality way of life." And the removal of fluoride from the water would most assuredly be against the village vision. It's hard to be a family-oriented community while driving family costs up. It will be harder to attract a highly educated and skilled workforce to move into Kronenwetter when hearing of the increased cost of dental care, and spending more time at the dentist is not what I would call a high quality of life, nor is missing work to get dental care, nor spending money that could have been spent locally within Kronenwetter for dental healthcare in nearby Wausau. The fact that this proposal had to be snuck in through the CLIPP committee instead of the utilities committee speaks for the fact that the proposal is unpopular and when the people who would be directly affected by it, unlike most of the sitting board, and who would most likely oppose it. In addition, it speaks to the cowardice that the proposal is unpopular and that there was so much pushback against the idea of a municipal water customer survey about keeping fluoride in the water. If as trustees and elected officials you are scared of hearing from your constituents, you should resign as government work is not for you. If you want to go ahead and see the feasibility of the proposal through a survey of municipal customers, and the result is for removal then at least my voice was heard and Kronenwetter will have spoken outright, and not have its future decided in an unrelated committee meeting, and pushed through by a board of cowards. Minutes prepared by Jennifer Poyer. Approved on August 11, 2025. Page 5 of 9  Joe Gospodarek Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G, an AT&T 5G smartphone Get Outlook for Android Minutes prepared by Jennifer Poyer. Approved on August 11, 2025. Page 6 of 9 Patty Tikalsky 2153 Peach Road Kronenwetter, WI 54455 President Baker and Village Trustee‛s Fluoride in Kronenwetter's drinking water is a controversial issue both locally and nationwide. Research on the topic reveals evidence both for and against it. Biggest argument you hear is to follow the scientist. Science may be advancing in fluoride research. Asbestos was once valued but later proved problematic. Lead in paint and pipes was once considered safe but proved harmful. Covid vaccine if you were to take it you would not get Covid until you did. Science is finally catching up. "My body, my choice" has become a national slogan. Putting all that aside, lets look at the residents who do not want this toxin in their drinking water. It is another burden and cost to them. Fluoride requires specific filters for Minutes prepared by Jennifer Poyer. Approved on August 11, 2025. Page 7 of 9 removal from water because of its small molecular structure. The cost of removing fluoride with a reverse osmosis system in a household typically ranges from $300 to $2,000 as a one- time expense. Annual replacement filters typically cost $80– $125. Why add more financial costs for residents when taxes, garbage fees, and sewer rates are already rising? Alternatively, fluoride can be obtained at no extra cost by choosing toothpaste and mouthwash that include it as an ingredient. Respectfully submitted, Patty Tikalsky Minutes prepared by Jennifer Poyer. Approved on August 11, 2025. Page 8 of 9 Minutes prepared by Jennifer Poyer. Approved on August 11, 2025. Page 9 of 9