City Council

COMMISSION ON PUBLIC WORKS/UTILITIES COUNCIL ROOM NOVEMBER 23, 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 two burials at the Cemetery, taking down Fall decorations, putting up Christmas decorations, equipment maintenance, patching potholes, picking up leaves, curb and gutter work on West Street, mowing landfill, hauling brush, Water Department-daily testing and maintenance, utility locates, winterizing fire hydrants, repaired service leak at 203 State Street, the automatic valve at the filter plant is leaking, having to manually backwash filters daily, replacement parts have been ordered, Sewer Department-lift station maintenance, completed monthly DNR reports, changed tubing for raw and effluent samplers, washed down final clarifiers. City Clerk Roehl presented a notice from Clark County Treasurer Renee Schoen that Clark County has taken the former Andrea Mehner property at 209 W. Tenth Street by tax deed. The City has Delinquent Utilities ($1,073.00) and Weed Cutting ($1,070.00) charges against the property totaling $2,143.00. If the City is interested the cost to buy the property is $6,834.13 plus the current 2021 real estate taxes. Motion Neville, second Perrine, that Water Bills Nos. 259 to 277 in the amount of $26,604.90 and Sewer Bills Nos. 195 to 207 in the amount of $43,988.90 be paid. All Aye. Motion Perrine, second Murphy, to adjourn. All Aye. ________________________________ Daniel M. Clough, Chair _________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************ COMMON COUNCIL COUNCIL ROOM NOVEMBER 23, 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 Clough reported on the November 23, 2021 meeting of the Commission of Public Works/Utilities regarding current activities. Mayor Murphy declared all reports filed as presented with the City Clerk. Deanna Heiman, Neillsville Improvement Corporation (NIC) and former Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, presented a history of the Farmers Market. In June 2011 she was contacted by Sheila Nyberg, Clark County Economic Development Executive Director about restarting the Farmers Market in Neillsville. A set of rules was developed and approved by the Council on March 27, 2012. The Chamber Director handled the management functions-paperwork, U-W Extension and Public Health meetings. Dan Clough, a Chamber Ambassador at the time, handled setting out and taking down of the sign, vendor questions and walk-through compliance checks on Saturdays. The Farmers Market has been June through October-she had an old flyer and listings in both the City’s and Clark County’s websites. Heiman stated that the Christmas Tree Lighting has always been a City event. In 2011, Mayor Dewey Poeschel, asked if the Chamber would help with the event. The donations were to the City. Dan Clough as a downtown business owner has donated the beverages. During that time weekend holiday promotion was added with the Chamber doing the promotion. The weekend promotion was on the back of the Tree Lighting brochure at that time. Heiman stated this was a historical perspective, when you organize community events there will always be hiccups-it’s how you handle these hiccups that matter. Open channels of communication are needed, set aside differences, the most important thing is the people we are trying to attract to come here, drama is a waste of time. Suzanne Stanfley, Clark County Social Services Business Office Manager and Mobility Manager, thanked the City for its partnership and support of the taxi services. For 2022, the City has budgeted 7,929 hours for the Neillsville Taxi and Clark County has budgeted 3,600 hours for the County Taxi. The Federal and State Aid reimbursement rate is 59% through the Section 53.11 program. The remaining cost split is 69% City and 31% County. Both taxi services are provided by Abby Vans, Inc. who was selected through a Request for Proposal process in 2017. Seeing that 2022 is an option year the new rate had to set using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which was 5.8%. The new hourly rate will be $28.34. Ridership for 2019 was 11,831 or 33 trips per day, for 2020 ridership was 8,869 or 24 trips per day, projected ridership for 2021 is on the upswing at 9,164 through October or 30 trips per day. Total local share cost is estimated at $123,518 (City $85,227; County $38,291). In 2021 the CARES Act funds covered 100% of the net cost. Stanfley asked for the City’s approval for submission of the 2021 taxi grant application jointly with Clark County and support of the City’s cost share. Motion Harnisch, second Clough, to approve submission of the 2022 taxi grant application with Clark County and support of the City’s cost share. All Aye. City Clerk Roehl reported on receiving a $2,750 donation from the Marquerite Listeman Foundation for the Listeman Park Pickleball Court lights. Motion Neville, second Harnisch, to accept and appropriate $2,750 to Account No. 57620 Parks Outlay and to thank the Marquerite Listeman Foundation for their donation. All Aye. Diane Kren, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, stated she is asking for clarification, she wants to work with the City, we can work together, she does not want to create drama. When she took the Chamber job, she did not know a lot about who is responsible for what and it is hard to make posters and promote events if you don’t know. The Tree Lighting was on Fridays, the stores downtown would stay open longer for people to walk around. Mayor Murphy has other obligations and moved the Tree Lighting to Thursday-will the next Mayor continue to do the planning. Council Member Clough stated that the Hometown Holidays and Farmers Market are done by him as a Downtown business person not by the City. He puts out the Farmers Market sign so the Chamber Director doesn’t have to drive in to put it out, wait four hours and take it in. We have gotten away from communication, could the Chamber come in every three months or so and inform the Council of what’s going on. It would be helpful to have a central coordinator where every organization could list their events. Kren stated that she doesn’t want to take something away from someone else, she wants to work together. Mayor Murphy stated she called Kren and told her she was planning the Tree Lighting and Kren told her to go ahead. A lot of the businesses in town don’t belong to the Chamber and as Mayor she represents them all. She likes doing the Tree Lighting and seeing the children. They are planning a 150 treat bags and wagon rides. Council Member Clough told Kren to call on him as a downtown business person. Kren stated on the other side, she has Chamber members who are confused and asking why the change-we just want communication. Council Member Neville stated he has run Farmers Markets for 15 years at his place of work, you need a point person-we can work this out-form a partnership. Tavern Operator’s License Applications: Vicki A. Dux and Philip J. Monsos Motion Harnisch, second Clough, to grant all the listed licenses. All Aye. Motion Neville, second Perrine, that City Bills Nos. 1071 to 1115 in the amount of $584,687.24 and CDBG Housing Escrow Account Bill No. 7 in the amount of $600.00 be paid. All Aye. Motion Perrine, second Clough, to adjourn. All Aye. __________________________________ Diane L. Murphy, Mayor ________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************