City Council

COMMISSION ON PUBLIC WORKS/UTILITIES COUNCIL ROOM FEBRUARY 8, 2022 6:45 P.M. The Commission on Public Works/Utilities met in regular session, Chair Clough presiding. On roll call: Council Member Counsell absent, all other members present. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Chair Clough presented Director of Public Works Friemoth report on one burial at the Cemetery, building maintenance organizing Cemetery shelves, the skid steer has been repaired, installed new tail lights on the Kubota RTV, installed a brake controller on the truck, replaced hydraulic hoses on the snowblower, washing & waxing trucks, burned brush pile, cleaning snow and ice from street corners, changing oil in trucks, Water Department- daily testing and maintenance, completed the hazardous chemical report for Emergency Management, preparing for the annual audit, replaced two frozen meters and billed homeowners, installed security cabinet for network router and firewall, training Austin Zank on daily rounds, Sewer Department-lift station maintenance and rounds, breaking ice up in oxidation ditch, built and installed new work bench and storage shelves, submitted yearly DNR reports (sludge characteristics, land application and phosphorus) and one sewer backup on the homeowner’s side. Motion Perrine, second Harnisch, to adjourn. All Aye. ________________________________ Daniel M. Clough, Chair _________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************ COMMON COUNCIL COUNCIL ROOM FEBRUARY 8, 2022 7:00 P.M. The Common Council met in regular session, Mayor Murphy presiding. On roll call: Council Member Counsell absent, all other members present. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. The minutes of the previous meetings were declared approved. Council Member Neville reported on the February 3, 2022 meeting of the Personnel Committee regarding: 1) discussion on recruitment of Police Officers and 2) a closed session on comparisons of Neillsville wages and benefits to other municipalities – adjourned in closed session. City Attorney Wachsmuth presented the February 4, 2022 meeting of the Police and Fire Commission regarding: 1) discussion on comparisons of Neillsville wages and benefits to other municipalities, hiring and retention of Police Officers, 2) closed session on vacant Police Officer positions, 3) reconvening into open session, 4) the hiring of Ethan Enhalt as a Regular Full-Time Police Officer, 5) the hiring of Erik Backlund as a Regular Full-Time Police Officer and the hiring of Nicholas Spanske as an Other Part-Time Police Officer. Council Member Perrine reported on the February 7, 2022 meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board regarding: 1) presentation by Dan Clough, Neillsville Improvement Corporation (NIC) on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Outdoor Recreation Aids Grant for the Rails to Trail project and 2) discussion on and approval of placing the bathroom facility on City property. Council Member Clough reported on the February 8, 2022 meeting of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities regarding current activities. Mayor Murphy declared all reports filed as presented with the City Clerk. City Clerk Roehl reported on receiving a $497.71 donation from Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church Trust Fund for the Police Department. Chief of Police Mankowski would like it to be placed in the Police Training budget line. Motion Neville, second Perrine, to accept and appropriate $497.71 to Account No. 52100-333 Police Department Administration-Police Training and to thank Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church for their donation. All Aye. Council Member Clough presented a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Neillsville Improvement Corporation (NIC) and the City of Neillsville (CITY) for use of recreation land located on tax parcels 261.0940.001 and 261.1396.001. Council Member Clough stated that the City applied for and was awarded a DNR Outdoor Recreation Grant in the amount of $50,000.00. The DNR has requested the MOU between the NIC and the CITY, because currently NIC is the owner of the land, as part of the grant a 25-year covenant is placed on the land to assure the DNR Grant is used for recreational purpose, if the land is transferred to the City in the future. City Attorney Wachsmuth stated a paragraph was added that NIC, as Fiscal Agent, shall be directly responsible for the costs associated with the Project. Motion Harnisch, second Perrine, to approve the Memorandum of Understanding between the Neillsville Improvement Corporation (NIC) and the City of Neillsville (CITY) for use of recreation land located on tax parcel 261.0940.001 and 261.1396.001 and authorize the Mayor to sign it. All Aye. Council Member Clough stated that the City has received the Outdoor Recreation Aids Grant Contract with the State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources which includes the covenant. The DNR has already signed it. Motion Neville, second Perrine, to approve the Outdoor Recreation Aids Grant Contract with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and authorize the Mayor to sign it. All Aye. Mayor Murphy thanked Council Member Clough for all the time and work put in on this project. Mayor Murphy reported a League of Wisconsin Municipalities bulletin regarding the State of Wisconsin’s projected budget surplus and how Cities and Villages have seen a steady decrease in shared revenues since 2003, as well as, strict levy limits. The League is urging its members to contact their representatives and push for restoring the shared revenues that were cut. Tavern Operators License Applications: Jaden K. Barth, MacKenzie M. Keller, Kara R. Oldham, Jaylee A. Williams Motion Neville, second Harnisch, to grant all the listed licenses. All Aye. Motion Neville, second Clough, that City Bills Nos. 111 to 159 in the amount of $458,541.27 and CDBG Housing Escrow Account Bill No. 3 in the amount of $600.00 be paid. All Aye. Motion Perrine, second Harnisch, to adjourn. All Aye. __________________________________ Diane L. Murphy, Mayor ________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************