Committee of the Whole meeting
Regular MeetingPalmyra, WI · November 17, 2025
Minutes
MEETING MINUTES
Committee of the Whole
Nov. 17, 2025
6:15 pm
Village Hall
100 W. Taft St.
Palmyra, WI.
The meeting was called to order by Gorsegner at 6:00 p.m. Roll call: Ball, Wallace, Petruska,
Smith, Deichl, Tucker, Gorsegner-present. Also present: Paul Blount, Mike Gartzke, Scott
Halbrucker, Penny LePak, Stephanie Butler.
Pledge of Allegiance
Communications: President Gorsegner read aloud the press release from the Public Safety Dept.
regarding the 287(g) program. Trustee Petruska said that the library is having a presentation on
Bangladesh, she also asked if there is an update from 5 Bugels. Rural Entrepreneurial Adventure
meeting is scheduled for Dec. 4th at 6 pm at the HS community center. This is through a
partnership with the UW Rural extension. Petruska has reached out to the local bank and school
and also local businesses and invited them to attend.
Department Reports:
o Building Inspection - none
o Clerk / Treasurer- budgets, grant information and working with the 2 ladies who have been
helping with the court financials.
o Library- Trustee Petruska reported that they will be having a capital improvements meeting,
redid the budget and approved
o Parks & Recreation-stephanie end of basketball Nov. 11th, other baseball team option.
o Public Safety-Paul Blount said that our department will be heavily involved in Frank
Sauter’s funeral. Sauter was a Sharon and Palmyra police officer. Recruitment update: The
first paid on call community member is back. There are 2 more in process. Traffic patrol is
busy; Dec. court will be busy. The 12-hr. patrol schedule is going well M-Sat. Mike Gartzke
reported that last week their dept. had 18 calls for service, 8 in one day. Mutual aid for a
combine field fire to Kettle Moraine, barn fire on Marsh Road today. They will be hiring PT
paid on call people, they have 2 interested people. 5 Bugels had their 1st onsite visit today.
They told us to anticipate 3-4 months’ start to finish before we see a report. There will be
different groups of people coming through to do their portion of the assessment.
o Public Works- Scott reported that we scored 7th out of over 100 applicants for the DNR
funding for the PFAS loan so we will be eligible for 50% principal forgiveness up to $7
million. Halbrucker updated the board on the class action lawsuit regarding the PFAS and the
funding we will receive from 3M, Tico and BSF. The Christmas decorations went up today
and they are getting the plows ready. Hazel Green will be coming to tour our sewer plant with
Energenecs. There will be 1 more yard waste date, Nov. 29th.
Committee Reports: None
New Business:
1. Entire Committee of the Whole
A. Smith/Tucker motion to move our court citations to Lake Country out of Oconomowoc
upon advice of our Village Attorney and research that Director Blount has done. They have
court clerks on staff 5 days a week to answer calls about citations and North Prairie is only
part time. All ayes- motion carried.
B. Tucker/Ball motion to approve the minutes from November 3, 2025 Village Board meeting
as presented. All ayes- motion carried.
C. Discussion/possible action on the Historic Preservation’s requests to approve adding 38
structures within the Village to the Historic registry. Alissa Simmons from the Historic
Preservation Commission was present and stated that this is for only 10 addresses, not 38.
Their Commission has made this recommendation, and the Village Board needs to approve.
Wallace/Petruska motion to add the 10 addresses presented tonight. All ayes-motion carried.
2. Administration & Planning: Chairperson Deichl
A. Trustee Wallace submitted a form that she drafted using some ideas from other
communities. Tucker/Deichl motion to approve the special event/parade form as presented
tonight, this will be effective Jan. 1, 2026. All ayes-motion carried. The clerk will send the
form out to the groups that use it the most to give them advance notice.
3. Budget & Finance Committee: Chairperson Wallace
A. Smith/Ball motion to approve the payment of bills totaling $173,344.59 on the bill list
with the extras presented tonight to AFLAC, municipal court payments to the state and county,
Von Briesen legal, and UNUM . Roll call vote: Ball, Wallace, Petruska, Smith, Deichl,
Tucker, Gorsegner- aye. Motion carried.
4. Personnel Committee: Chairperson Tucker
A. Discussion/possible action on the performance evaluation forms for Village employees.
Trustee Tucker said that the personnel committee and dept. heads reviewed them. She said
the old process was to do reviews twice per year. They removed the self-evaluation forms.
The reviews on the employees by their dept. heads are due Jan. 31st. They will discuss goals
for the year. Then by Feb. 28th personnel committee to review dept heads. They would set
goals for the year. July 31st dept heads sit down with the teams and look at progress with
goals, Aug. 31st VB would set with dept heads to help determine raises. All forms need to be
turned into the clerk except for the employee’s reviews of the dept heads. Dec. 1st meeting
forms will be on agenda.
5. Petruska/Wallace motion to convene into closed session at 6:54 pm pursuant to State
Statute 19.85(1)(c) Considering employment, promotion, compensation or
performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental
body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility. Specifically, the Public Safety
Departments organizational structure and employee contracts. Roll call vote: Ball,
Wallace, Petruska, Smith, Deichl, Tucker, Gorsegner- aye. Motion carried.
6. Petruska/Smith motion to convene into open session at 7:55 pm pursuant to §19.85(2),
Stats., for possible additional discussion and action concerning any matter discussed.
Roll call vote: Ball, Wallace, Petruska, Smith, Deichl, Tucker, Gorsegner- aye. Motion carried.
Wallace/Petruska motion to adjourn at 7:58 pm. All ayes-motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Laurie Mueller
Village Clerk/Treasurer
Minutes approved without corrections Dec. 1, 2025
Agenda
Committee of the Whole Agenda
6:15 pm
Village Hall
100 W. Taft St.
Palmyra, WI.
*Any items not discussed or acted upon by the Committee of the Whole at this meeting will be
forwarded to a meeting of the Village of Palmyra Committee of the Whole on Tuesday
November 18, 2025 at 6:00 p.m., located at the Village Hall.
Call to Order
Roll Call
Pledge of Allegiance
Communications:
Department Reports:
Building Inspection
Clerk / Treasurer
Library
Parks & Recreation
Public Safety
Public Works
(These reports are from Staff to Board members. No item in the reports shall be discussed or
acted on by Board members unless it is specifically noted on the agenda that discussion may
occur and/or action may be taken on that item. If the Board wishes to discuss an item in the
reports, the Board will direct that item to be placed on the next Board agenda.)
Committee Reports:
New Business:
1. Entire Committee of the Whole
A. Discussion/possible action on which court the Village would like to work with once our
municipal court is abolished.
B. Discussion/possible action on the minutes from November 3, 2025 Village Board meeting.
C. Discussion/possible action on the Historic Preservation’s requests to approve adding 38
structures within the Village to the Historic registry.
2. Administration & Planning: Chairperson Deichl
A. Discussion/possible action on updating the special events/parade forms.
3. Budget & Finance Committee: Chairperson Wallace
A. Discussion/possible action on payment of Bills totaling $173,344.59
4. Personnel Committee: Chairperson Tucker
A. Discussion/possible action on the performance evaluation forms for Village employees.
.
5. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Village Board of the Village of Palmyra may
convene into closed session pursuant to State Statute 19.85(1)(c) Considering
employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public
employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises
responsibility. Specifically, the Public Safety Departments organizational structure and
employee contracts.
6. You are further notified that at the end of the Closed Session, the Board may convene
in open session pursuant to §19.85(2), Stats., for possible additional discussion and
action concerning any matter discussed.
Adjournment
This is the agenda for the November 17, 2025 Committee of the Whole meeting as of November
14, 2025 and is subject to modification prior to said meeting pursuant to the Wisconsin Open
Meetings Law. For additional information phone 262-495-8316.
Please be advised that agenda items may be taken in an order other that which appears here, and
that the Committee may choose to take action on any item listed on this agenda except topics
brought up under department reports, committee reports and public input. It is possible that
members of, and possibly a quorum of, other governmental bodies of the Village may be in
attendance at the above stated meeting to gather information. No action will be taken by any
governmental body at the above stated meeting other than the governmental body specifically
referred to in the above notice.
Requests from persons with disabilities who need assistance to participate in this meeting should
be made to the Village Clerk’s office with as much advance notice as possible by contacting 262 -
495-8316.
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