Parks, Property & Streets Committee Meeting

1 PARKS, PROPERTY & STREETS COMMITTEE MINUTES 2 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2025 3 (Approved as amended) 4 5 1. Call to Order & Roll Call 6 November 3, 2025, meeting of the Parks, Property & Streets Committee was called to order by 7 Committee Chair Louise Howson at 1:00 P.M. 8 9 Committee Members Present: Committee Chair Louise Howson and members Denise Bhirdo, Nate 10 Bell, Mike Laszkiewicz and Jerry Ahrens 11 12 Staff Members Present: Village Administrator Julie Schmelzer, Parks & Streets Director Erik 13 Linczmaier, and Administrative Assistant Sarah Bertges 14 15 Others Present: Jennifer (Robert E. Lee & Associates), Ellie Soderberg-Guger, Erin Peddle, John 16 Lijewski, John Nelson, Sally Pfeifer, Allan Kroll, John Olles 17 18 2. Approve Agenda 19 Motion by Bell, second by Laszkiewicz, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried – all 20 ayes. 21 22 3. Approve Minutes: October 6, 2025, Regular Meeting 23 The committee reviewed the minutes from the October 6th regular meeting and identified several 24 corrections. 25 26 Motion by Laszkiewicz, second by Ahrens, to approve the minutes from October 6, 2025, as amended. 27 Motion carried – all ayes. 28 29 4. Comments, Correspondence, and Concerns from the Public 30 There were no public comments. 31 32 5. Discussion/Action Items 33 a. Triangle Road Project; Robert E. Lee 34 Jennifer from Robert E. Lee & Associates presented a summary of public comments received 35 regarding the Triangle Road Project. Schmelzer noted that despite sending letters to residents asking 36 about parking needs, they received minimal response. However, one resident at the informational 37 session mentioned having five cars at their second home. Jennifer reported that public comments 38 showed mixed feelings about whether to raze or keep the admin building. Other topics included 39 questions about connecting downspouts and sump pumps, which had been addressed in a previous 40 meeting with the committee agreeing to provide stubs in the right-of-way for property owners to 41 connect to. Jennifer displayed a map showing the On-Deck property, noting that the owner was 42 concerned about losing parking spaces due to road reconfiguration. The committee discussed the 43 redesign of the parking area, with Jennifer explaining the parking is not on site but in the public 44 right-of-way and that the current parking situation operates as "made up parking" with vehicles 45 hanging into the lane of travel. The proposed design would formalize six spaces, down from the 46 current eight or nine informally used spaces. Jennifer presented details about drainage issues for 47 property owners on Parkview Drive, explaining that the committee had previously discussed 48 providing a storm sewer stub for homeowners to connect to. The committee reached consensus to 49 allow for the installation of a 10-12 inch storm sewer stub, though homeowners would be 50 responsible for connecting from their properties.  Minutes of the November 3, 2025, meeting of the Parks, Property & Streets Committee – approved as amended 1 Discussion then moved to whether Parkview Drive should be one-way or two-way. After hearing 2 from resident John Olles, the committee reached consensus to maintain it as a one-way street with 3 improved signage and higher curbs to prevent parking problems. Regarding the property at Lure, 4 Jennifer proposed an agreement with the owner to create angled parking spaces, which would 5 require an easement of 10-15 feet. The committee reached consensus to pursue angled parking 6 provided it remains public parking with no private signage and no cost to the village for the 7 easement or land. Jennifer then presented information about non-compliant driveways throughout 8 the project area. The committee discussed the properties with non-compliant driveways individually. 9 After extensive discussion about the administration building, the committee made the following 10 decision: 11 12 By consensus, Schmelzer is to contact the noncompliant driveway owners to determine if they prefer 13 their driveway be brought to code with the project, or, the owner pay to bring it into compliance at a 14 later date, should they decide to change the use of their property or go through a new site plan 15 review. 16 17 Motion by Ahrens, second by Howson, to advise Robert E. Lee to design the project with the admin 18 building not in place and will consider options for razing or relocation. Motion carried 4-1: aye- four 19 (Howson, Bhirdo, Laszkiewicz, Ahrens), nay- one (Bell). 20 21 Motion by Laszkiewicz, second by Bhirdo, to offer the building to some entity that would like to save 22 and move it, but agree that it doesn't stay in the same location. Motion carried 4-1: aye- four 23 (Howson, Bhirdo, Laszkiewicz, Ahrens), nay-one (Bell). 24 25 Jennifer also discussed the project timeline, recommending a phased approach with utility work in 26 2026 and road construction in spring/early summer of 2027. The committee supported the 27 proposal. 28 29 b. Concession Stand Restroom; Discuss Alternatives 30 Howson reported that she contacted the Community Foundation regarding the Community 31 Investment Fund grant for the concession stand restroom project, which was signed in February 32 2025. She explained that these grants are treated differently than normal grants and would not 33 expire after one year. The committee discussed options, noting that previous bids came in around 34 $200,000, which was considered too high. 35 36 Motion by Bhirdo, second by Laszkiewicz, to return the grant and reapply to the Community 37 Foundation and other potential funding sources for the restroom project at a later date. Motion 38 carried – all ayes. 39 40 c. Christkindlmarkt; Request Parks & Streets Department Assistance 41 John Nelson from the Historical Society expressed gratitude for the village's support and requested 42 assistance again this year with setting up parking signs along roadways for the Christkindlmarkt 43 event to maintain safety. Linczmaier explained that the Parks Department had helped in previous 44 years with staking, running ropes, and placing barricades, which takes about a day and a half to two 45 days for four staff members. He noted this occurs during their busy season preparing for Christmas 46 decorations. 47 48 The committee reached consensus that the Historical Society should pay for the staff time required 49 (approximately $2,600), that the Society should arrange to pick up barricades and picnic tables 50 themselves, and that the village and Historical Society should develop a formal operating agreement 51 similar to what exists with the Sister Bay Advancement Association. 2  Minutes of the November 3, 2025, meeting of the Parks, Property & Streets Committee – approved as amended 1 2 d. Logerquist Property; Consider Sale of Nesting Boxes & Perches 3 Schmelzer explained that a gentleman who spent time at the Logerquist property chicken coop as a 4 child was interested in purchasing or receiving the old chicken nesting boxes. The committee 5 discussed that they do not have a policy for disposing of such items. Committee members noted that 6 the committee should not piecemeal items away from the property before developing a 7 comprehensive plan for the site. John Nelson of the historical society offered to ask the Historical 8 Society's curator if they would have interest in the items. 9 10 The committee agreed to review and potentially amend the existing disposal policy that currently 11 only covers vehicles and equipment. The committee decided to keep the individual’s information for 12 future contact when a decision has been made regarding the items and policy. 13 14 e. Logerquist Property; Consider Allowing Goose Hunting 15 The committee briefly discussed whether hunting should be allowed on the Logerquist property. 16 Members believed there is a village ordinance against discharging firearms within the village limits 17 that would prohibit this activity. By consensus, the committee decided no. 18 19 f. Memorial Bench Program; Bench Requests; Bench Moratorium 20 Motion by Bhirdo, second by Laszkiewicz, to have a moratorium on accepting new applications until 21 the policy has been reviewed, a working GIS map of bench placement is created, the waiting list is 22 updated, and to postpone the two outstanding bench requests in the current packet. 23 Motion carried – all ayes. 24 25 Bhirdo clarified that the committee had previously spent months creating the current policy, which 26 is now being reviewed again. 27 28 g. Fall Decorations; Review Invoice 29 The committee discussed an invoice from Jerry’s Flowers for corn stalks and pumpkins used to 30 decorate village property. Schmelzer explained that the purchase was not budgeted, not ordered by 31 staff, and required committee approval. Committee conversation was Howson had indicated the 32 work was to be done at no charge, with Howson explaining she ordered the work and realizes she 33 shouldn’t have. 34 35 Motion by Bell to pay the bill as submitted but there was no second. The motion died for a lack of a 36 second. 37 38 Howson offered to pay for the decorations personally. The committee discussed the precedent this 39 would set and by consensus, decided that Howson should pay Jerry’s Flowers directly, with 40 documentation for the village records. 41 42 h. Waterfront Park; Concrete Work & Bids 43 Schmelzer reported that despite the committee's direction to use a specific vendor for the concrete 44 work at Waterfront Park, that vendor has not provided a bid after two months and does not do the 45 pillar/stonework that is needed. Due to the delay, the project will be postponed until next year. 46 47 The committee agreed that staff should proceed with obtaining other bids for the work, noting that 48 this delay will also affect the installation of the historical sign. 49 50 i. New Parks Maintenance Building; Final Cost 3  Minutes of the November 3, 2025, meeting of the Parks, Property & Streets Committee – approved as amended 1 Schmelzer provided an update on the new Parks Maintenance Building, reporting that the $4 million 2 budget was sufficient but only left about $36,000 for the cold storage building. She explained that if 3 the parks building had not had to pay for the entire sewer lateral that serves the building, they 4 would have had more funds available for the cold storage building. 5 6 The committee discussed options for the cold storage building, including whether to replace all siding 7 or just repair damaged boards and paint it. They agreed to include this as an agenda item for the 8 January meeting. 9 10 j. Discuss Department Staffing, Proposed Hires, Wages 11 Schmelzer reported on discussions with the Parks Department staff regarding staffing needs. The 12 proposal included: 13 ● Hiring a seasonal full-time person for six months (spring through Fall Fest) to be included in the 14 weekend rotation 15 ● Hiring two part-time seasonal mowers, targeting students 16 ● Providing compensation at the next step in the wage scale for winter months 17 Staff had also requested triple time pay during Fall Fest. The committee discussed the physical and 18 emotional toll that Fall Fest takes on employees, with Linczmaier confirming that most staff would 19 prefer not to work the event. 20 21 The committee agreed to forward the staffing proposal to the Personnel Committee, recommending 22 a bonus structure rather than triple time for Fall Fest. 23 24 6. Staff Report, Board Update & Annual Flower Pot Angels Report 25 Linczmaier reported that they were still waiting on curb work, with a deadline of November 10th 26 approaching as the concrete factory closes November 14th. 27 28 The committee noted that the Flower Pot Angels Report about the Flower Pot Angels included 29 purchasing gift certificates, which had been discussed and rejected the previous year. The 30 committee agreed to follow up with an official letter clarifying that this practice should not continue. 31 32 7. Matters to be Placed on a Future Agenda or Referred to a Committee, Official or Employee 33 Future agenda items identified: 34 ● Operating agreement with the Historical Society for Christkindlmarkt 35 ● Policy for village property disposal (beyond vehicles and equipment) 36 ● Memorial bench policy review and waiting list update 37 ● Cold storage building repairs and roof discussion 38 ● Pebble Beach erosion 39 ● Beautification/decorations committee 40 ● Administration building soil borings 41 ● Location for administrative staff when the existing building is removed 42 43 8. Next Meeting: Regular Meeting December 1, 2025, at 1:00 PM 44 The next meeting has been confirmed for Monday, December 1, 2025, at 1:00 PM. 45 46 9. Adjourn 47 Motion to adjourn made by Laszkiewicz, second by Ahrens. Meeting adjourned at 4:30 P.M. Motion 48 carried – all ayes. 49 50 Respectfully submitted by Sarah Bertges, Administrative Assistant 51 4