Village Board meeting

MEETING MINUTES Village of Palmyra SPECIAL VILLAGE BOARD MEETING Joint meeting with the Town Board of the Town of Palmyra Monday December 29, 2025 Village Hall 100 W. Taft Street 6:00 P.M. The meeting was called to order by President Gorsegner: Roll call: Ball, Deichl, Gorsegner, Petruska, Smith, Tucker, Wallace-present. The Town of Palmyra called their meeting to order. Gajewski and Martens present. New Business 1. Discussion/possible action on the Fire/EMS Contract. The Village supplied the Town with a letter from their Auditor stating that it is highly suggested from Auditor standards that any surplus that may be left at the end of budget year 2026 be kept repaying the general fund for the standing deficit that the fire/EMS fund has. The Town is requesting that any 2026 surplus be used to help offset the 2027 budget. Town Supervisor Gajewski said that there were 4 areas of language change, and the village accepted 3 but not the budgetary surplus. Gajewski says the village never requested to open the contract to talk about the deficit and they don’t want to backfill the deficit. They are asking if there are any town funds left that they get shifted back to the town. The village can do whatever they want with their leftover funds. Village Trustee Smith asks if the costs go up and we have a deficit in 2026 can we have the same verbiage to charge the town for their half of the budget. Gajewski says that the Town won’t have any more money during the year to add to any mid-year deficit. They have no fund balance. They had to borrow for operational costs. They have no flexibility. Trustee Wallace said the Town has seen our 2026 budget and we have made cuts and we are still providing a great service. She doesn’t foresee a surplus in the next 2 years. Acting Town Chairman Martens asked “if we don’t foresee a surplus then why not put the language in. Smith says she only wants the verbiage on both sides. Gajewski says they are a customer, and they don’t make deficit decisions, only the village can do that. Trustee Smith uses examples of contracting with garbage you don’t get to tell them what to do with their surplus. Trustee Petruska agrees. Gajewski says we could have come to the Town for consideration of overages in the past. Martens- says it would not be a check back to them but rather a credit to be applied to the 2027 budget. Petruska says there is deficit that needs to be paid back to general fund. President Gorsegner says in his opinion the town has already levied the amount we gave them for 2026. The Village told the Town that if there is no signed contract by Jan. 1st there will be per call charged billed to the Town. Village Attorney Luke Martell said that an official charge would be decided in closed session but $4500 was the approx. number. Any large and specialized calls could be higher fee. If the Village Board approves the resolution for the per- call charge tonight, then they will notify the town of the actual costs. The Village loses as well as the town if this relationship becomes fractured. Everyone loses. Town funds do help the village provide better services; we must be ready to respond all of the time if we go to a per call basis it doesn’t matter. Trustees Ball, Petruska, Wallace and Smith all say we should follow the Village auditor’s recommendation. Gajewski asks; what if we pick a surplus number to agree upon? The Village Board stated that they could  talk it over in closed session. The Town board went into recess to reconvene to the town hall at 6:39 pm. 2. Smith/Wallace motion to convene into closed session at 6:41 pm pursuant to State Statute 19.85(1)(e) Deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session. Specifically, the Fire/EMS contract with the Town of Palmyra. At 6:40 pm. Roll call vote: Ball, Deichl, Gorsegner, Petruska, Smith, Tucker, Wallace-aye. Motion carried. Paul Blount and Mike Gartzke remain in closed session along with Village Attorney Martell 3. Petruska/Wallace motion to convene in open session at 7:05 pm pursuant to §19.85(2), Stats., for possible additional discussion and action concerning any matter discussed. Roll call vote: Ball, Deichl, Gorsegner, Petruska, Smith, Tucker, Wallace-aye. Motion carried. Petruska/Smith motion to adopt the resolution presented tonight that would charge a per call fee to the Town of Palmyra a fee schedule for the town. All ayes-motion carried. Trustee Petruska called Town Supervisor Gajewski and him that we are keeping the Dec. 1st wording, we are not agreeing to any surplus wording, and we adopted the resolution for fees if there is no agreement Jan. 1st there will be a $4595 per service call. Smith/Ball motion to adjourn at 7:13 pm. All ayes-motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Laurie Mueller, Village Clerk/Treasurer Minutes approved without correction Jan. 19, 2026