City Council

COMMISSION ON PUBLIC WORKS/UTILITIES COUNCIL ROOM JANUARY 28, 2020 6:45 P.M. The Commission on Public Works/Utilities met in regular session, Chair Quicker presiding. On roll call: all members present. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Director of Public Works Flynn reported on no burials at the Cemetery, equipment maintenance, streets and sidewalks snow and ice removal, salting and sanding, hockey rink cleaning and flooding, trimming and pruning trees, chipping brush, maintaining street lighting, filling potholes, hauling brush and compost, our contractor who monitors the old landfill wells and testing reported that Well No. 4 is having issues-it appears that the frost has broken the well pipe again-they are recommending a new well be drilled within the year at a cost of $5,000-more information to follow, the Sewer Department is doing bar screen, lift station and plant maintenance, the Water Department is clearing snow from fire hydrants, meter change outs and started adding radio readouts. The WI DOT plans to redo US HWY 10 from Grand Avenue east to the County line in about five years. The State will do the project and bill the City for its share. The State will pay for the traffic driving lanes and no parking areas. The City pays for parking lanes and any utility work. It will be a full reconstruction. City Clerk Roehl reported that BMO Harris Bank is closing the Neillsville branch on April 17, 2020. This is the bank where our Water and Sewer Utilities currently have accounts. The accounts will be moved, since it is not practical to run to Marshfield with customer payments. Roehl asked if the City wants to add Simplicity Credit Union into City authorized institutions. Discussion followed. City Attorney Wachsmuth read the resolution. Motion Weiers, second Glassbrenner to recommend to the Common Council that Resolution No. 601 be adopted. (See Common Council meeting of January 28, 2020 for the printed resolution.) All Aye. Motion Neville, second Counsell, that Water Bills Nos. 1 to 37 in the amount of $66,367.84 and Sewer Bills Nos. 1 to 26 in the amount of $120,724.21 be paid. All Aye. Motion Glassbrenner, second Clough, to adjourn. All Aye. _____________________________________ Jerry L. Quicker, Chair ___________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************ COMMON COUNCIL COUNCIL ROOM JANUARY 28, 2020 7:00 P.M. The Common Council met in regular session, Mayor Glassbrenner presiding. On roll call: all members present. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Mayor Glassbrenner swore in James B. Mankowski as Chief of Police. Council Member Quicker reported on the January 21, 2020 meeting of the Library Board regarding: 1) new Library Director Janay Ziebell introduced herself, 2) Librarians’ reports, 3) discussion on and approval for Children’s Librarian Kathy Wegner to carryover 2019 unused vacation time (16 hours) to be used within 90 days, 4) discussion on and appointment of a committee to review job descriptions and new duties for assistants and substitutes, 5) payments of bills, 6) updates on donation and carryover funds and 7) discussion on community events. Council Member Quicker reported on the January 28, 2020 meeting of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities regarding: 1) current activities, 2) discussion on BMO Harris Bank closing the Neillsville branch by April 17, 2020, 3) recommendation that Resolution No. 601-Resolution Designating Public Depositories be adopted and 4) payment of bills. Mayor Glassbrenner asked if there were any questions on the Commission on Public Works/Utilities item (3). RESOLUTION NO. 601 RESOLUTION DESIGNATING PUBLIC DEPOSITORIES IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, by the Common Council of the City of Neillsville that the City Clerk-Treasurer cause all public monies received by him in that capacity to be deposited into one of the following public depositories, all of which qualify as a public depository under Chapter 34 of the Wisconsin Statutes: Associated Bank, Neillsville, Wisconsin BMO Harris Bank, Neillsville, Wisconsin Citizens State Bank of Loyal, Neillsville, Wisconsin Unity Bank, Neillsville, Wisconsin Simplicity Credit Union, Neillsville, Wisconsin BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor, President of the Council, City Clerk-Treasurer and the Deputy Clerk-Treasurer be authorized to sign checks on behalf of the City of Neillsville. __________________________________________ Charles W Glassbrenner, Mayor __________________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk Motion Clough, second Neville, that Resolution No. 601 be adopted. All Aye. City Attorney Wachsmuth presented a proposed ordinance amendment to Section 8-1-25 Off-Highway Vehicle Operation in City Restricted. The reason for this amendment is that when the ATV and UTV ordinance was updated last Fall this section was missed in the update. The only change is to add “except for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) which are covered elsewhere in this ordinance”. Wachsmuth stated that Council Member Counsell contacted her about how this language affects riding lawnmowers and farm type equipment. Wachsmuth stated that most tractors are designed for on road use having front lights, rear tail lights, etc., but lawnmowers could be a concern. Discussion followed on lawnmowers, use of slow-moving vehicle signs, state laws and golf carts. Wachsmuth stated golf carts are a whole separate issue and ordinance. Officer Patrick Fehlman stated there are State statutes on golf carts. Wachsmuth will draft a new amendment for the Council’s review-no action taken. Chief of Police Mankowski stated that the 2020 Police Vehicle budget has $27,000 in it for a hybrid squad-the price is not reasonable as the City does not have a “Ford Fleet Number” and we do not have enough vehicles to get one. To order a squad car now it will take almost a year to order and receive one. Mankowski presented a proposal to obtain two used squad cars from Chicago Motors, Chicago, IL. Chicago Motors is a wholesalers of squad cars from police departments no longer in business and he has used them before. The two vehicles are both 2013 Ford Interceptor Sedans with 64,000 and 68,000 miles respectively. Our current vehicles both have over 110,000 miles each (Chevy Tahoe and Dodge Charger). Mankowski stated the bottom line is we need more vehicles. By assigning a vehicle a task you will extend vehicles life, now vehicles are run 24 hours a day, with four vehicles: Vehicle One-day shift patrol, Vehicle Two-night shift patrol, Vehicle Three- investigator/training vehicle/municipal vehicle, Vehicle Four-Chief of Police. Discussion followed. Motion Neville, second Counsell, to authorize the purchase of two used squad cars. All Aye. Chief of Police Mankowski stated recruitment is one of the biggest problems in law enforcement and he feels there will be quite a good chance a vacancy will be coming up. He would like to establish an eligibility list by advertising locally and with the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Network to get ahead of the 8-ball. Hiring and field training will take five to six months or more. Mayor Glassbrenner questioned if this would be the complete hiring process. Mankowski replied this would be collection of interested people and initial screening. If and when a need occurs the candidates would be processed through the Police and Fire Commission hiring process. Discussion followed-no action taken. Officer Fehlman reported on December, 2019 complaints, citations, warnings and investigations and a summary for 2019 activities. Chief of Police Mankowski stated that moving forward his reports will include a new category for business checks, as he feels they are just as important as writing tickets. Fire Chief Matt Meyer reported on the Fourth Quarter 2019. The Department responded to 7 calls (6-rural: a two vehicle accident, a LP tank leak, a truck fire, a combine fire, a car fire and a mutual aid call to Granton; 1-City: a vehicle fire; the Firemen’s steak feed had 731 in attendance; Fire Prevention Week visits by school children, 4K classes, St. John’s and Ehlen’s Childcare; attending Community Fire Hall and Rural Fire Association meetings, did a community service day for fire fighter’s widow’s (fall cleanup, raking leaves, etc.); helped as crossing guards for Halloween Trick or Treat; drove Santa to the tree lighting at the Gazebo; couple of fire fighters attended a grain bin rescue training in Pittsville, the Jaws of Life equipment has been recertified; the new 2019 Dodge truck is in service. The City’s trucks are in good condition; however the 1978 International is 42 years old and the 1995 Freightliner is 25 years old (cost of a new fire truck is in the $350,000 to $400,000 range). Mayor Glassbrenner presented the press release from West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission inviting the public to the February 12, 2020 presentation of the Economic Impact Study Findings for the Marshfield Medical Center-Neillsville Campus to be held at the Clark Cultural ART (CART) Center, 201 E. Fourth Street, at 6:00 P.M. Council Member Clough stated the Neillsville Winter Carnival will be held on February 21, 22, 23, 2020. Tavern Operator’s License Application: Alex M. Langreck Motion Quicker, second Neville, to grant. All Aye. Motion Neville, second Weiers, that City Bills Nos. 67 to 124 in the amount of $771,515.55 be paid. All Aye. Motion Counsell, second Neville, to adjourn. All Aye. __________________________________ Charles W Glassbrenner, Mayor _______________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************