City Council

COMMISSION ON PUBLIC WORKS/UTILITIES COUNCIL ROOM APRIL 12, 2022 6:45 P.M. The Commission on Public Works/Utilities met in regular session, Chair Clough presiding. On roll call: Council Member Harnisch absent, all other members present. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Director of Public Works Friemoth reported on four burials at the Cemetery, prepping ball fields, finished working on the partition for the Police Department, getting spring equipment ready, patching potholes, street sweeping, replaced brooms on the sweeper, salted roads, hauling brush, Water Department-daily testing and maintenance, meter change outs, utility locates, repaired a valve at the booster plant, replaced filter flow meters, well pump maintenance, Sewer Department-lift station rounds and maintenance scheduled sewer main cleanings and televising, changed light fixtures in the old sewer plant control room, fixed clarifier washdown valve, responded to two sewer smell complaints – no backups, weather permitting leaf pickup will begin and a reminder Waste Management will pick up bulk items, but you have to call and make arrangements first. Friemoth stated that with the City Hall move and spring clean ups we have lots of stuff that is no longer needed and may have value to others – office furniture and equipment, Christmas decorations, old street light globes, etc. A sale or auction may bring in more money than scraping or recycling would. Discussion followed on do a sale during the City-wide garage sale in June, holding it at the City Garage and advertising, if it is junk just get rid of it. Motion Murphy, second Perrine, to recommend to the Common Council to authorize Director of Public Works Friemoth to sell or get rid of City of Neillsville surplus items. All Aye. City Clerk Roehl presented the First Quarter 2022 Water and Sewer Utilities Financial Statements. As we heard from the Auditors’ report, the Water Utility’s rate of return continues to drop and may need to be reviewed. Last rate change was in 2013. Motion Counsell, second Perrine, to adjourn. All Aye. ________________________________ Daniel M. Clough, Chair _________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************ COMMON COUNCIL COUNCIL ROOM APRIL 12, 2022 7:00 P.M. The Common Council met in regular session, Mayor Murphy presiding. On roll call: Council Member Harnisch absent, all other members present. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Council Member Neville reported on the March 24 and April 17, 2022 meetings of the Heritage Days Committee regarding: 1) financial report, 2) discussion on and hiring of Time and ½ variety band for Saturday from 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. and Uncommon Denominator for Saturday from 9:00 P.M. to 12:00 A.M., 3) discussion on kid’s events, 4) booked a face painter, 5) discussion on and approved spending $400 on Neillsville Heritage Days signs, 6) discussion on donation letters, Grand Marshall, trailers, Miss Neillsville, golf outing and a fishing tournament at the trout pond for kids; 7) discussion on entertainment, kids events, signs, donation letter, 8) discussion on and approval of Dania Shilts as the 2022 Grand Marshall, 9) updates on the parade, Miss Neillsville, food golf outing and music, 10) discussion on and approval to change the event theme to “Neillsville the Gold Standard”. Council Member Clough reported on the April 12, 2022 meeting of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities regarding: 1) current activities, 2) discussion on and recommendation to authorize Director of Public Works Friemoth to sell or get rid of City of Neillsville surplus items and 3) reviewed the First Quarter 2022 Water and Sewer Financial Statements. Mayor Murphy declared all reports filed as presented with the City Clerk. Diane Kren, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, asked the Common Council to establish guidelines for the Room Tax distribution so they are clear with no gray area; to train the Room Tax Committee so they understand the rules and expectations; to set-up and post the Room Tax Committee agendas and minutes on the City website; to create a clearer expectation of use for Grant Applicants so they know what the money can and can’t be used for. Sheila Nyberg, Clark County Economic Development Executive Director, stated that she enjoys working with the City. She gets inquires for every location within the County, looking for continuing opportunities to grow, she will continue to work with and for the City to grow. Mayor Murphy asked if there were any questions on the Commission on Public Works/Utilities item (2). Motion Clough, second Perrine, to accept the recommendation to authorized Director of Public Works Friemoth to sell or get rid of City of Neillsville surplus items. All Aye. Mayor Murphy read Mary Mashin’s resignation from the Tourism Committee. Motion Counsell, second Neville, to accept Mary Mashin’s resignation as member of the Tourism Committee and to thank her for her years of service. All Aye. City Clerk Roehl reported that the Common Council’s annual reorganizational meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 19, 2022 at 4:00 P.M. followed by the annual meeting of the Board of Health at 4:30 P.M. Council Member Counsell stated that the last two years, we have gotten the draft nominations from the Mayor for the Committee nominations on the Friday before the reorganizational meeting to give the Council Members time over the weekend to look over the nominations. City Clerk Roehl stated City Hall would be closed on Friday, April 15, 2022 for the Good Friday Holiday. Mayor Elect Duane Poeschel stated that he would turn in as much as he can by late Thursday afternoon. Fire Chief Matt Meyer reported on the First Quarter 2022. Attending a DNR mock forest fire planning meeting, a DNR engine training in Augusta, an ice rescue training refresher and trainer training, then they came back and trained the rest of the Department, attended a Clark County Emergency Services meeting in Thorp, the rescue trailer is ready to roll, the four new firefighters have started training, all the ladders have passed testing, provided a port-a-tank for the Polar Plunge event, provided a truck for the girls’ basketball send off to State, attended the State Fire Conference in Green Bay. The Department has responded to 16 calls (12-Rural: four vehicle rollovers, two faulty alarms, house collapse, two structure fire, log skidder fire, dump truck accident and a mutual aid call to Granton; 4-City: two CO2 alarms and two false alarms). Fire Chief Matt Meyer stated they looked at trucks while attending the Green Bay Fire Conference and prices have gone up 15%, a truck is about $500,000 now and continuing to increase. Many of the companies won’t give a quote as it takes 16 months to build. In 2013 the Rural Fire Association truck cost $238,000. They have met with a representative of Rosenbaur, South Dakota and will be meeting with a representative from Darley, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin later this month. We are continuing to look around. Chief of Police Mankowski reported on trainings, Officer Backlund has completed Department Field Training and now on solo patrol, Officer Anhalt is in Department Field Training, working on pre-employment background check on a part-time officer candidate, construction and painting of the Police Department is finished, squad car maintenance, March citations, complaints, business checks and activities. Mayor Murphy stated that this is her last meeting, we need to keep progress going in this Community. The following was accomplished during her terms as Mayor: 1) new sewer plant, 2) Boon Subdivision Development – formed a TIF with streets and utilities, 3) Leeson Electric located here in a spec building, built a second facility – sold to Regal Beloit, now MEC, 4) Nelson Muffler left the City, worked with OEM to expand here, negotiating with Lloyd Meyer for the land for OEM to build on, 5) extended a road north our of the Industrial Park for emergency access, working with Industrial Park employers to get a State of Wisconsin TEA grant for the construction costs, 6) Motel study – Tom Silberngal built the Super 8 Motel, 7) Dental Clinic in Boon Subdivision worked with the Marshfield Clinic, 8) purchase of the former BMO bank building for the new City Hall, 9) working with NIC to get a $50,000 state grant for the future Bike and Walking Trail, 10) updated the City’s Comprehensive Plan which allowed creation of a TIF District for Developer’s Agreement and adjacent Street improvements for the Lisenby’s apartment development, 11) the Swiderski Housing development will invest about $12 million into our community – they are asking the City to create an overlaying TIF and invest $1.2 million for land and as street. There had been very little progress between 2010 and 2020. Murphy stated she has worked hard to move the City forward and will continue to do so, the largest obstacle has been mean spirited people, she has done nothing wrong, some errors possibly, she has worked with committees and others. Murphy stated keep working on the Swiderski development, keep Don Quicker, Chris Straight from WCWRPC and Natalie Erpenbach involved in the creation of a needed TIF District. Murphy stated she is still going to stay involved. President of the Council Neville presented Diane L. Murphy with a plaque for dedicated service to the City of Neillsville for two years (2020-2022). City Clerk Roehl reported that Open Book will be Wednesday, April 13, 2022 from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M., Board of Review will be Monday, May 16, 2022 from 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. and City Hall will be closed Friday, April 15, 2022 for the Good Friday Holiday. City Clerk Roehl reported that the City of Neillsville was incorporated 140 years ago on the second Tuesday of April 1882 and became a Fourth-Class City 100 years ago on January 1, 1922. Tavern Operator’s License Applications: Melanie S. Ganje, third Operator’s License application City Clerk Roehl read Chief of Police Mankowski’s letter regarding the third license application from Melanie S. Ganje. Mankowski’s position has not changed and he does not recommend issuing Ganje an operator’s license. Chief of Police Mankowski stated he did a follow-up and sent police reports to the Council Members. Motion Neville, second Counsell, to deny the license. Council Member Counsell stated this is the third time Ganje has applied, she has been selling without a license, putting her employer in jeopardy also. She is ignoring us, not asking for a second chance, why would an employer allow her to sell. All Aye. Janine M. Bethea, Joseph R. Bethea, Melissa L. Sidewell Motion Neville, second Clough, to grant all the listed licenses. All Aye. Motion Counsell, second Neville, that City Bills Nos. 326 to 400 in the amount of $255,785.68 and TIF District No. 4 Account Bill No. 1 in the amount of $44.00 be paid. All Aye. Motion Counsell, second Clough, to adjourn. All Aye. __________________________________ Diane L. Murphy, Mayor ________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************