City Council

COMMISSION ON PUBLIC WORKS/UTILITIES COUNCIL ROOM MAY 10, 2022 6:45 P.M. The Commission on Public Works/Utilities met in regular session, Chair Clough presiding. On roll call: Council Member Perrine absent, all other members present. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Director of Public Works Friemoth reported on two burials at the Cemetery, cleaning and opening restrooms, setting up and cleaning shelters, clearing out cemetery ditches and lawns, replacing sod, clearing Arboretum trails, cleaning and raking parks, installed Listeman Trout Pond signage, cutting out and prepping first round street patches, street sweeping, removing trees and debris from the dam, hauling brush, Water Department-daily testing and maintenance, utility locates, completed monthly DNR reports, repaired a service leak on Hewett Street, generator maintenance, Sewer Department-lift station rounds and plant maintenance, completed monthly DNR reports, drained and cleaned mixing basins, cleaned raw pumps, installed UV lights, Cummins Filtration is temporarily parking on Industrial Park streets while their parking lot is resurfaced, Waste Management has included a fuel surcharge on their garbage/recycling billing due to rising fuel cost (this adjustment is per the contract), the new O’Neill Creek floating fountain has been picked up, the boom truck repair is done and the high school senior banners will be going up soon, the right cap for the new hospital lift station has finally come in and the generator issue has been fixed, a reminder don’t blow your grass onto the street as it plugs up the storm drains. Motion Neville, second Counsell, to adjourn. All Aye. ________________________________ Daniel M. Clough, Chair _________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************ COMMON COUNCIL COUNCIL ROOM MAY 10, 2022 7:00 P.M. The Common Council met in regular session, Mayor Poeschel presiding. On roll call: Council Member Perrine absent, all other members present. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Council Member Clough reported on the May 10, 2022 meeting of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities regarding current activities. Mayor Poeschel declared the report filed as presented with the City Clerk. Trena Abbott appeared to raise awareness of the monarch butterfly. The access off the end of W. Eighth Street by the compost pile going to the Sewer Plant has the right condition of shade and light to grow milkweed and a high level of eggs. Last year this road was posted as a private road. There will be a researcher writing her doctorial thesis here this summer and they would like to gain access to this area. Director of Public Works Friemoth stated he would get her the private owners contact information. Council Member Petkovsek stated that previously Mina Ozturk had contacted the Beautification Committee about becoming a monarch city. Mayor Poeschel stated the next agenda item is regarding the new City Hall sign. What would we like it to say and who is responsible. The sign is an opportunity to give everyone who drives by a message or impression of our community, events, functions, etc. Council Member Counsell stated we need to advertise our community, put together a list of activities and designate a person to oversee it. It should never be bare. Council Member Clough asked who does it now. Director of Public Works Friemoth stated he does. Council Member Petkovsek stated that she was contacted by a citizen who would like to see the City’s website, sign and TV all coordinated. Chief of Police Mankowski stated the City’s website needs updating, to make it more user friendly, as people can’t find what they are looking for. Council Member Petkovsek asked how things get on the TV channel. City Clerk Roehl stated that when things are received Deputy Clerk Grap puts them on the TV channel. It’s mainly non-profit groups or City items. Council Member Counsell stated Friemoth could have a part-time person do the sign, a form and process should be developed, how many words do they have, etc. Council Member Neville asked what if you have two events at the same time – what is the criteria for who goes up on the sign. Mayor Poeschel presented a request from Randy Fitzmaurice, Motorhead Mafia Car Club President, for closing W. Seventh Street, W. Sixth Street, West Street and the lower City parking lot on Saturday July 16, 2022 from 7:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. for a car and bike show. Motion Counsell, second Petkovsek, to grant the request to close West Street from W. Eighth Street to the Unity Bank parking lot, W. Seventh Street from Hewett Street to Grand Avenue, the intersection of West Street and W. Sixth Street and the lower City parking lot on Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 7:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. for a car and bike show. All Aye. 7:15 P.M. – Mayor Poeschel declared the Public Hearing on the Conditional Use Permit to use and install a driveway on the undeveloped W. Seventh Street right-of-way – Robert and Donna Pavlac applicant, City of Neillsville, owner, now open. Director of Public Works Friemoth presented the application, public notice of this public hearing was in the Clark County Press and area landowners were notified. Director of Public Works Friemoth stated that the Planning Commission at its April 19, 2022 meeting discussed and recommended approval of the Conditional Use Permit. Mayor Poeschel called three times for appearances. There being none. 7:17 P.M. – Mayor Poeschel declared the Conditional Use Permit Hearing closed. Motion Clough, second Neville, to accept the Planning Commission’s recommendation to approve the Conditional Use Permit to use and install a driveway on the undeveloped W. Seventh Street right-of-way to Robert and Donna Pavlac, applicants, with the condition that the City of Neillsville still owns and retains the right-of-way to the property. All Aye. Mayor Poeschel presented a press release from John Schlice, MTAW Executive Secretary. The Municipal Treasurers Association of Wisconsin (MTAW) is proud to announce that Rex Roehl has completed the necessary requirements to maintain his designation of Certified Municipal Treasurer of Wisconsin (CMTW) and was awarded this coveted designation by the MTAW Board of Directors on April 28, 2022. In an organization of over 500 members, Rex Roehl is the first active member to have achieved the honor of fifth recertification. The individual must meet both extensive educational standards in addition to work experience to be recertified. The certification must be renewed every 5 years by attending continuing educational classes and maintaining proficiency in their area of fiduciary responsibility. The MTAW awards Rex Roehl CMTW for this achievement. Mayor Poeschel stated that the next item is the City email accounts for Council Members, Mayor and City Attorney. Council Member Clough stated this has come up before, do we really need it, he finds it unwielding to have multiple accounts, keep it simple. Council Member Counsell stated she would like to have a City email account; you have to keep these records forever. City Attorney Wachsmuth stated that there is no law requiring you to have an email account, emails can be saved to a folder, they don’t have to be saved on the hard drive. Mayor Poeschel asked who would be interested. Council Members Counsell and Neville and Mayor Poeschel are interested, Council Member Petkovsek will let us know. Council Member Clough and City Attorney are not interested. Council Member Counsell stated that by having a City email, it could be listed with all the contact information the City puts out. Council Member Petkovsek stated the School District has an email icon on their website. Chief of Police Mankowski stated to use the email icon you have to have Microsoft. Council Member Counsell stated set up Gmail accounts for each one and put on the City’s website. City Clerk Roehl stated the cost to set up an email account is $158.50 per year through Bauernfeind with GoDaddy security. They suggest set up like: Neillsville Mayor or Neillsville Ward 1, then as people change only the password entry would have to updated to log in. It’s available, if you want it, last year when it was brought up no one signed up. Mayor Poeschel stated that he would follow up with Deputy Clerk Grap and Assistant Clerk Boyer on the email set up. 7:20 P.M. – Mayor Poeschel declared the Public Hearing on the Conditional Use Permit for a rooming house at 319 State Street, Parcel No. 261.0378.000 – Bonnie Thunstrom and Joe Hastings/Pray’s Golden Gaits, LLC, owners and applicants, now open. Director of Public Works Friemoth presented the application, public notice of this public hearing was in the Clark County Press and area landowners were notified. Director of Public Works Friemoth stated that the Planning Commission at its April 19, 2022 meeting discussed and recommended approval of the Conditional Use Permit. Mayor Poeschel called for appearances. Lynette Mueller stated there are currently three units in the building, can they change the number of units and will someone be living there, who watches over things. Director of Public Works Friemoth stated they would have to get a building permit to do another unit and they have no intentions of living there, they would have to clean after each use. Discussion followed on short term rental, 30 days or less for room tax report, less than a year, etc. Mayor Poeschel called three times for appearances. There being no further appearances. 7:31 P.M. – Mayor Poeschel declared the Conditional Use Permit hearing closed. Motion Neville, second Counsell, to accept the Planning Commission’s recommendation to approve the Conditional Use Permit for a rooming house at 319 State Street, Parcel No. 261.0378.000, Bonnie Thunstrom and Joe Hastings/Pray’s Golden Gaits, LLC, owners. All Aye. City Clerk Roehl reported on receiving donations from the Marguerite Listeman Foundation for the 4th of July Fireworks ($3,500) and Heritage Days ($2,000). Motion Clough, second Petkovsek, to accept and appropriate $5,500 to Account No. 55340 Celebrations and to thank the Listeman Foundation for the donations. All Aye. City Clerk Roehl stated that Ben Urlaub, Listeman Foundation, has contacted him and verbally stated that the Listeman Foundation has committed to $150,000 towards a new firetruck at $50,000 per year beginning in 2023. Chief of Police Mankowski reported on trainings, working on a part-time officer candidate, squad car maintenance, April citations, complaints, business checks and activities. City Clerk Roehl presented a Certificate of Appreciation from The Highground of the City’s continuing support and Board of Review will be Monday, May 16, 2022 from 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. Hotel/Motel Room Tax Permit Application: Forward GRP, LLC, Neillsville House, Logan Grap, Agent, 401 W. Seventeenth Street Motion Clough, second Counsell, to grant. All Aye. Motion Neville, second Clough, that City Bills Nos. 446 to 495 in the amount of $133,504.93 be paid. All Aye. Motion Counsell, second Neville, to adjourn. All Aye. __________________________________ Duane G. Poeschel, Mayor ________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************