City Council

COMMISSION ON PUBLIC WORKS/UTILITIES COUNCIL ROOM October 12, 2021 6:45 P.M. The Commission on Public Works/Utilities met in regular session, Chair Clough presiding. On roll call: all members present. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Director of Public Works Friemoth reported on three burials at the Cemetery, lawn mowing and weed trimming, mulching leaves, brush mowing, working at the new City Hall, fixing the driveway approach and installing directional signs, patching potholes, curb and gutter repairs on Fifth Street and Cemetery Road, tarring streets, hauling brush, Water Department- daily testing and maintenance, utility locates, meter reading, changing out meters, installing radio readouts, gained two new water customers as they abandoned a shared private well (corner of Center Street and E. Fifth Street), Sewer Department– daily testing and lab work, lift station maintenance, repaired the sludge tank blower starter, general plant maintenance, attended a collection system seminar in Marshfield, restrooms were vandalized in four parks, the repairs cost $1,175 ($535 parts & $640 labor) and our electronic recycling event is Friday, October 15, 2021 from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. City Clerk Roehl presented the Third Quarter 2021 Water & Sewer Financial Statements. Motion Murphy, second Perrine, to adjourn. All Aye. ________________________________ Daniel M. Clough, Chair _________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************ COMMON COUNCIL COUNCIL ROOM OCTOBER 12, 2021 7:00 P.M. The Common Council met in regular session, Mayor Murphy presiding. On roll call: all members present. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. The minutes of the previous meetings were declared approved. Council Member Harnisch reported on the October 12, 2021 meeting of the Beautification Committee regarding: 1)discussion of flower pots and hanging baskets, 2) approved the purchase of forty-eight 16-inch hanging baskets with swivel hangers, 3) discussion on 2022 flowers, 4) approved having the grower pick the plants in the colors of yellow, lavender, and hot pink (rose) for the hanging baskets and pots, including a grass for the center of the pots, 5) approved requesting flower proposals from Falls Florist, Reiff’s Greenhouse and Reit’s Garden Center, 6) discussion on Christmas and Fall decorations, 7) approved a gift certificate for Jim Wetzel for straw bales and corn stalks, 8) discussion on date for Christmas decorating and 9) discussion on flower pots for the new City Hall. Mayor Murphy reported on the October 5, 7 and 11, 2021 meetings of the Finance Committee regarding: 1) presentation of departments budgets, 2) work on the 2022 budget, 3) adoption of the Wage Schedule for 2022, 4) reviewed major areas of revenues and expenditure changes and 5) recommendation of budget categories and levy amount of the 2022 budget to the Common Council for Public Hearing Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at 7:15 P.M. Total budget $3,521,685 – Proposed Levy including Tax Incremental Districts - $1,352,647 – an increase of $69,021. Council Member Clough reported on the October 12, 2021 meeting of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities regarding: 1) current activities and 2) reviewed the Third Quarter 2021 Water & Sewer Financial Statements. Mayor Murphy declared all reports filed as presented by the City Clerk. City Clerk Roehl stated the current Trick-or-Treat hours were set back in 2011 from 5:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. on Halloween Day, October 31, each year. Recreation Director Judy Linder recommended changing the hours from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. this year, since October 31, 2021 falls on a weekend instead of a workday. Discussion followed. Motion Neville, second Perrine, to set the October 31, 2021 Trick-or-Treat hours from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. for this year only. All Aye. Council Member Clough request that the issue of cockroaches be put on the next year agenda. Health Officer Doris Bakker has a proposal regarding inspection of rental properties. Fire Chief Matt Meyer reported on the Third Quarter 2021. The Department provided units for the 4th of July fireworks, a fire demo at the Marshfield Dental Clinic, at Heritage Days – an accident rescue demo, participated in the parade and held a fireman’s water fight, a unit to the Motorhead Mafia Car show, worked with Park Place on fire hydrant mapping, a fire demo for Russell’s , burned the City’s brush pile, worked on the 2022 budget, set up a truck display for the 20th anniversary of 9-11, provide a unit for the Granton Fall Fest parade, attended Community Fire Hall and Rural Fire Association meetings and four new firefighters were added to the Department – Lathum Schleis, Samantha Featherston, Clint Hannasch and Cody Kallian. The Department responded to 17 calls (4 – City: 1 car accident, transformer fire, ambulance lift assist, gas line leak; 13 – Rural: tree fire, down power line, 3 car accidents, 3 ATV/UTV accidents, ambulance lift assist, mutual aid calls to Granton and Curtiss (feed mill fire), lightning strike and shed fire). The Jaws of Life passed reinspection tests; working on turn out gear and SCBA grants and updates; the City’s trucks are in good condition, however the 1978 International is 43 years old and cannot pass the pump test, the 1995 Freightliner is 26 years old. Council Member Counsell stated: as an officer’s report and to clarify the record, I want to address recent articles appearing in the Clark County Press on October 6 and on WCCN News on October 2 of this year. As a result of those articles, I received a number of calls regarding what my position is on the Rails to Trails project of the Neillsville Improvement Corporation. There are many people that do not support that project and they let me know their thoughts. Back in April the motion I made and voted in support of was for the City’s application for a Wis DNR Stewardship Aids Grant for Acquisition and Development of Local Parks. My vote supported the Carl and Millie Opelt Park to be constructed and located east of Buck’s Creekside Bar. Before those news articles were published, I was not contacted by anyone about my vote and position. Thus, to clarify, any inference in those articles that my motion and vote were in support of the development of a 13-mile trail along the former railroad corridor between Neillsville, Granton and Chili is wrong. Quite simply, I have not in the past and do not now support the development of such a trail. City Clerk Roehl presented the Third Quarter 2021 Financial Statements. Tavern Operator’s License Applications: Paul O. Ludwig and Bonnie M. Short Motion Counsell, second Harnisch, to grant all the listed licenses. All Aye. Motion Neville, second Perrine, that City Bills Nos. 904 to 962 in the amount of $380,043.32 and CDBG Housing Escrow Voucher No. 4 in the amount of $300.00 be paid. All Aye. Motion Counsell, second Neville, to adjourn. All Aye. __________________________________ Diane L. Murphy, Mayor ________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************