City Council

COMMISSION ON PUBLIC WORKS/UTILITIES COUNCIL ROOM APRIL 25, 2017 6:45 P.M. The Commission on Public Works/Utilities met in regular session, Chair Quicker presiding. On roll call: all members present. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Chair Quicker asked for nominations for Chair of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities for the upcoming year. Mayor Mabie Nominated Council Member Quicker. Chair Quicker called three times for other nominations. Motion Glassbrenner, second Clough, to close nominations and cast a unanimous ballot for Council Member Quicker as Commission Chair. All Aye. Director of Public Works Flynn reported on two burials at the Cemetery, equipment maintenance, raking gravel from the Cemetery road shoulders, picking up branches, preparing mowers for the season, trimming and pruning trees, sweeping the main streets, maintaining street lights, filling potholes, hauling brush, accepting applications for summer help until May 1, 2017, the electronics recycling had a reasonable turnout, spring cleanup was held last week and Cummins Filtration is considering a tire and paint recycling event if there is enough interest. City Clerk Roehl opened and read the American Asphalt of Wisconsin, Mosinee, bid of $72.25 per ton - $86,700. Director of Public Works Flynn stated that the bid is based on an estimated use of 1,200 tons for City use only. The contractor will no longer do private projects at the City bid rate. Motion Mabie, second Clough, to recommend to the Common Council the acceptance of the asphalt bid from American Asphalt of Wisconsin, Mosinee, in the amount of $72.25 per ton. All Aye. Motion Neville, second Counsell, that Water Bills Nos. 84 to 115 in the amount of $55,195.55 and Sewer Bills Nos. 59 to 84 in the amount of $93,463.72 be paid. All Aye. Motion Mabie, second Clough, to adjourn. All Aye. _____________________________________ Jerry L. Quicker, Chair ___________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************ COMMON COUNCIL COUNCIL ROOM APRIL 25, 2017 7:00 P.M. The Common Council met in regular session, Mayor Mabie presiding. On roll call: all members present. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Council Member Glassbrenner reported on the April 12, 2017 meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board regarding: 1) current activities of the Recreation Department, 2) current activities of the Parks Department, 3) presentation of and discussion on grant application for the 30% Room Tax – Parks and Recreation funds and 4) the recommendation to approve a grant to the Parks Department for a new restroom at Schuster Park South - $7,406.18. Council Member Neville reported on the April 12, 2017 meeting of the Heritage Days Committee regarding: 1) Jay Loos and Scott Suchomel, S&S Distributing, presented information and updates, 2) reviewed and discussed posters, 3) the Mini-Rodders will be at the American Legion again and 4) the American Legion will hold it’s chicken dinner. Council Member Clough reported on the April 17, 2017 meeting of the Connect Communities Committee regarding: 1) a report on the Small Business Academy, 2) discussed and decided not to renew membership in the Connect Communities Program, 3) approved transfer of further action on the Downtown Revolution initiative to the Neillsville Improvement Corporation, and 4) discussed an e-mail from WEDC on upcoming classes and Downtown Open House – May 17, 2017. Mayor Mabie reported on the April 18, 2017 meeting of the Board of Health regarding: 1) Health Officer Bakker’s City annual health report and activities for 2016-2017 and 2) discussed and approved each Council Member to do an individual tour of their wards with the Director of Public Works. Council Member Quicker reported on the April 25, 2017 meeting of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities regarding: 1) Election of Council Member Quicker as Commission Chair, 2) current activities, 3) opening, discussion and recommendation to accept the asphalt bid from American Asphalt of Wisconsin, Mosinee, in the amount of $72.25 per ton and 4) payment of bills. Mayor Mabie declared all reports filed as presented with the City Clerk. Mayor Mabie asked if there were any questions on the Parks and Recreation Board item (4). Motion Clough, second Quicker, to accept the recommendation to approve a grant of $7,406.18 from the 30% Room Tax – Parks and Recreation Funds towards a new restroom at Schuster Park – South. All Aye. Mayor Mabie asked if there were any questions on the Commission on Public Works/Utilities item (3). Motion Counsell, second Glassbrenner, to accept the recommendation to accept the asphalt bid from American Asphalt of Wisconsin, Mosinee, in the amount of $72.25 per ton. All Aye. Donald Boon, Boon ADM, LLC, stated he is here to clarify misunderstandings about the Boon Subdivision and the new hospital. 1. Boon Subdivision does not have enough land to house the proposed new hospital. 2. Answer: There is 50.82 acres of buildable land, not including the infrastructure or land south of Sand Lane. 3. The proposed hospital land (Wetzel property) after subtracting wet lands and flood plain, is only 38 acres. You will need infrastructure yet, the intersection of River Avenue and US HWY 10 will have to be brought up to DOT specifications, River Avenue will have to be reconstructed, water and sewer lines installed, the cost of a lift station ($+200,000), it will not be just a simple river crossing, you will encounter hard granite, most likely requiring drilling and blasting (Boon told of his experience in Black River Falls) cost $600,000 to $800,000 to connect to the sewer line at Clay Street and W. Division Street. 4. The City has two TIF Districts on the books. Both have room for development. Do you want to annex more property into the City. The Council needs to go into this with their eyes wide open. The Hospital is going to pay for these improvements, but who is going to pay for the regular maintenance or if there are problems. Who is going to pay for the snowplowing – the Hospital does not pay taxes – the City taxpayers will get the burden.  5. The Boon Subdivision is too expensive. Boon stated that he has talked to Ryan Neville twice. The first time he was told to keep it quiet – then the “Red Hat” ladies group was told at their October meeting and the Press had a story. The second time was in Neville’s office – he had cardboard cutouts and blueprints, but the scale was wrong. Neville has Boon’s e-mail address and since last October has not received any updates. The Boon Subdivision price was a ballpark number and he would like to sit down with the Board and discuss this. Boon stated that he is not against expansion, but he foresees some awful burdens from the City. The City should be backing what’s already within the City – The Neillsville Industrial Park and Boon Subdivision. Mayor Mabie thanked Boon for all the commitments his company has made in the City and asked if Boon felt his concerns were aired. Boon stated that the sewer lines under US HWY 10 is in bad shape, so when the Boon Subdivision was built it was made big enough to handle a re-route of the Industrial Park sewage. The Hospital will not attract traffic by being on US HWY 10. Director of Public Works Flynn stated that he has had correspondence with Luke Hilger, Merchants Hotel. Bob Schultz, Fire Department Inspector did an inspection on December 21, 2016 noting fire extinguishers needing updating and the harboring of items in the basement area, the sale of the hotel fell through. Mr. Hilger was invited to this meeting to explain why he is not in compliance and the cockroach concerns. It seems like we get blown off. Schultz did another inspection on April 23, 2017 with no change noted. Mayor Mabie stated that the accumulation of stuff is not just a fire hazard, it is just not safe. Fire Chief Meyer stated that he just found out about this matter yesterday so he is unprepared. Mrs. McBride is the caretaker and she is setting out bags from the basement accumulation for garage pickup. Flynn stated the fire extinguisher checks are minor, the main concern is the accumulation of items – not only is it a fire hazard, but dangerous for firefighters. The Fire Department Inspectors should set a specific time period to be in compliance. Flynn uses a 10 day letter with pictures – if no action is taken, then he contacts the Chief of Police to issue a citation – if they are making an honest effort to correct the problem, some leniency is given. Council Member Counsell states that this is the third time, since she has been on the Council that the Merchants Hotel has had problems; she is not happy about the cockroach problem; the City Ordinance states the Fire Inspector shall serve a written notice giving the owner 10 days to remove the hazard; we have been talking about these things over and over again; we don’t care who is at fault, we need to take a harder look at this. Chief of Police Klueckmann stated one of the issues is the way the City duties are split up between Public Works Director, Health Officer, Fire Department, Police Department and City Attorney. We need to bring all the entities together. Diesel Enterprises of Custer, WI is the owner with Luke Hilger the contact person. Rachel McBride the local contact has no authority to do anything. City Attorney Wachsmuth stated that until the citation is brought to her, she has no knowledge of what has been going on. Meyer stated that the fire inspection form is three part – the landowner gets one, the inspector gets one and he as Fire Chief gets one. Council Member Counsell stated someone needs to figure out how to put this together and is it normal to wait four month to do a re-inspection. Meyer stated that a few things were done and inspections are required twice a year. Mayor Mabie states in this case the inspections should be done once a month and a deadline set. City Clerk Roehl reported that the Citizen’s State Bank loan has been closed and the proceeds received for the Public Works Vehicles and equipment. Motion Clough, second Counsell, to accept and appropriate $375,000 to Account No. 49100 Proceeds From Long-Term Debt (revenue account) and to Account No. 57320 Machinery & Equipment Outlay (expense account). All Aye. Mayor Mabie recommended the appointment of Brian Barth to fill the vacant position on the Airport Commission. Motion Neville, second Counsell, to accept the Mayor’s recommendation to appoint Brian Barth (2023) as a member of the Airport Commission. All Aye. Tavern Operators License Applications: Gina K. Krzyzanowski Motion Neville, second Glassbrenner to grant. All Aye. Motion Neville, second Glassbrenner, that City Bills Nos. 379 to 434 in the amount of $599,392.74 be paid. Motion Counsell, second Neville, to adjourn. All Aye. _______________________ Steven J. Mabie, Mayor ___________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************