City Council

Town of St. Joseph - St. Croix County, WI Minutes for Town Board Meeting St. Joseph Town Hall August 14, 2025 Call to Order by Chair Theresa Johnson at 6:05 pm Statement of Public Notice read by Clerk Roll Call: Chair Theresa Johnson, Dan Gavin, Chris Marshall, Richard Hailey, Justin Kruse, Engineer Lee Mann, Attorney Nick Vivian Adoption of Agenda: MOTION to adopt the agenda as presented (Kruse/Marshall). Motion carried. Pledge of Allegiance recited Public Comment: Dan Gavin stated that Bye Bursness, former Board member, has passed. Condolences were given. Business discussion and possible action on: 1. Urfer, Nathan and Shannon, Request for Driveway Relocation: Current Address: 361 White Eagle Road, Potential New Address: 1286 Eagle View Lane: Ty Dodge appeared to discuss the driveway relocation. Jay stated that the permit will stay the same, we will inform Melissa at AllCroix Inspections and Doug Avoles at the County. Once the number is assigned, a new fire number will need to be ordered. MOTION to approve the request for the driveway relocation for Nathan and Shannon Urfer from the current address of 361 White Eagle Road to the new address on 1286 Eagle View Lane. They will have to purchase a new fire number for that address, and they will have to uninstall the 361 driveway and reclaim it by seeding the ditch, etc. (Johnson/Marshall). Motion carried. 2. Kolquist, Aaron, Request for Driveway Relocation: Current Address: 1228 54 th Street: Ty Dodge appeared to discuss the driveway relocation. This is for Chapman Hills Lot 5. There is no house currently on this lot. Mr. Kolquist was present to discuss the property, drainage, and septic. Discussion regarding the potential issues with the 12% slope and width of the driveway. They will proceed with a variance application. This will carry over to the September agenda. MOTION to approve moving number 7 up to this point on the agenda (Johnson/Marshall). Motion carried. 3. Board of Education proposal to close Houlton School: John Dolan, Bluebird Drive, was present to discuss the Board of Education’s proposal. The Board of Education is proposing to close Houlton Elementary School and Willow River Elementary School. Houlton Elementary is maintaining enrollment, has the highest average of all the schools. Megan Rozowski, resident and Hudson Board of Education member; Bryan Dahl, resident and Hudson Board of Education member, and has a child at Houlton Elementary; Bob Baumann, Hudson Board of Education President, were present to discuss the financial reasoning and budget which will represent their decision. They discussed redistricting and bus routes. Justin Kruse discussed the questions he has received from the residents regarding the closure. Discussed the letter sent to Nick Ouellette and the response  from him. Theresa Johnson stated the issues the last redistricting created for many children. The Board members have stated that they will not make a decision until October, and they will hear from the community during the process. Chris Marshall thanked the members of the Board for coming to the meeting. Justin Kruse mentioned the feedback he receives from the residents is the distaste they have after the School Board spent much of the money on the high school and the football field. The perception of the School Board seems to be their biggest issue. Laurie DeRosier, resident, stated her reasons for supporting the Houlton Elementary School. Sally Casperson-Frost, resident, discussed the community value of keeping the Houlton Elementary School. 4. Update on The Oaks development on 144th and cost sharing: Lee Mann discussed the cost sharing breakdown. Everything is complete except for the restoration, which has been given to the developer. MOTION to pay our cost share on 144th of $104,484.06 (Johnson/Marshall). Motion carried. 5. St Croix Crossing – update: Lee Mann discussed the status of the St. Croix Crossing project. They should be substantially complete by the next meeting. 6. Town Hall Building update a. Pay Request #14 for building $110,403.30: MOTION to approve Pay Request No. 14 for $110,403.30 (Johnson/Marshall). Motion carried. b. St Croix Electric rebates: Justin will track this down and find out the status. c. Possible Change orders- drainage from building and others: Discussed the change order for the drain tile on the north side of the building. Discussed the materials to be used. Bruce Paulson explained the proposal. MOTION to postpone the estimate that Berghammer provided and to remove the gutters from the front of the new Town Hall and keep them on the back (Kruse/Marshall). Motion carried. d. Punch list: Bruce Paulson discussed the status of the punch list: Bruce Paulson is waiting for a status update and then will perform a final walk through. e. Update on well testing and fire suppression system: Pitless adaptor has been installed. Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) has been a part of the plan from the beginning. f. Projected expenditures and available funds and timeline for construction: Discussed the remainder of items that need to be completed before the Fall Festival. Occupancy permit was granted July 16th. Discussed the Building Project cost spreadsheet. Northwest Communications should have terminated the second internet connection. The IT invoices have a few discrepancies that need to be corrected. 7. Fire Department a. Approval of new First Responder Kate Biljan: MOTION to approve the new First Responder Kate Biljan (Marshall/Kruse). Motion carried. 8. Public Works a. 2025 Road maintenance project update: Lee Mann discussed the status of the road maintenance. A cursory review was completed, and everything looks okay. Recommend the Town require the contractor to provide a 3-year warranty. i. Pay Request #1- $18450.90: MOTION to pay Request #1 in the amount of $18,450.90 and to instruct Allied Blacktop that we need an additional year warranty added to the current two-year warranty to make it a total of a 3-year warranty due to the lack of oversight by our engineering firm because they were not contacted prior to the project start (Johnson/Marshall). AMEND MOTION to add that Stantec needs to have some certification as to what they applied and at the rate they applied it (Johnson/Marshall). Motion carried. ii. Adding additional roads to project: Lee Mann discussed that there is approximately $33,000 left in the budget. The contractor will come back and do more crack seal in September. Walsh Drive, Oakwood Lane, 126th Ave, 124th, 82nd, 84th St., 132nd Ave., and 134th Ave. could be included. MOTION that we  approve Stantec going forward with this additional crack sealing on the roads listed and to also consider 150th to the west to include in that total (Johnson/Marshall). Motion carried. b. WISLR update due December 2025: MOTION that we use Delmore for a trial for 2025 (Marshall/Hailey). AMEND MOTION propose that we use Delmore with the WISLR rating and Pacer rating as costs come forward (Marshall/Hailey). Motion carried. c. Road damage on Perch Lake update: Chris Marshall has checked on the repair and it is in good shape. d. Radar sign from Town of Somerset on 150th: Mark Simpson stated we have to coordinate with the Town of Somerset and he has been in contact with them. MOTION that the Town of St. Joseph collaborate with the Town of Somerset in posting their speed limit cart on 150th on the east side of Bass Lake (Marshall/Kruse). Motion carried. e. Storm damages and request for reimbursement from State: Theresa Johnson discussed the reimbursement from the State. MOTION to approve filing the Request for Reimbursement due to Storm Damage (Kruse/Marshall). Discussion followed. Motion carried. f. Vehicles parking on roadway – River Rd and Trout Brook Rd: Discussed the vehicles parking on the road. Darla Meyers discussed what she has seen in the area. Will carry over the vehicle parking issue on River Road and Trout Brook Rd to next month. Discussed the tags needed to be put on the no parking signs. Will discuss the no parking sign tags at the next meeting. 9. Plan Commission: Anton Rang discussed the possibility of a CAFO ordinance. Nick Vivian suggested a look at the Town of Trade Lake’s CAFO ordinance. a. Junkyards and other chronic nuisances and enforcement issues: Jay Kimble discussed the additional items on the Michaud property. He has until October 1st to finish cleanup. b. Update Town Comprehensive Plan: We have until 2026 to update the Town Comprehensive Plan. We will wait until next year to begin the update. 10. Parks, Trails and Recreation: Janet Lindstrom was present to discuss the building landscaping. a. Fall Festival: The Fall Festival is set for September 20th. Discussed doing an 8:30 am ribbon cutting, followed by invitation only opening for former Board members, followed by a 9:00 am viewing for the general public; to be followed by the commemoration of the Bob Marty Building at 10:30 am. Would like to plan a viewing for other towns who have requested to view the building, possibly on September 24th. Mark Simpson asked about having a Shred-It truck available at the Fall Festival. 11. Letter to new residents: Discussed the letter to new residents that was drafted by Jay Kimble and Theresa Johnson. Clerk will send the letter to Dan Gavin for review. 12. Public Records Requests – progress and costs: Clerk stated there have been no requests since the last meeting. 13. Review of expired building permits and action: Nothing to review at this time. 14. Operator Licenses: Misty Weispfenning, Jordan Yacoub, Paul Leindecker: MOTION to approve the Operator Licenses for Misty Weispfenning, Jordan Yacoub, Paul Leindecker (Kruse/Marshall). Motion carried. 15. Pioneer Cemetery on County RD V –maintenance: Chris Marshall stated that someone is still maintaining the Pioneer Cemetery 16. Signage for Maintenance Garage: Sign should cost approximately $150.00. 17. Open House for new town hall – residents – municipal leaders: Discussed this at the Fall Festival above. 18. SCEDC request for November meeting at new hall: MOTION to approve the SCEDC request for the November meeting at the new Town Hall for Wednesday, November 12 th at 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm in the afternoon (Gavin/Marshall). Motion carried. 19. Approval for Fall/Winter Newsletter: MOTION that we produce a Fall/Winter Newsletter (Marshall/Kruse). Motion carried. 20. Approval of Town Board minutes – July: MOTION to approve the minutes for July 10th Special Meeting, the July 10th Regular Meeting, and the July 17th Special Meeting (Marshall/Gavin). Motion carried. 21. Budget, Invoices, checks and bank balances: MOTION to approve Check Nos. 26140 through 26407 and hold the check to CTI until we get this worked out as to what any change is going to cost us because right now we are paid in full and the laptop is not inside the cabinet (Johnson/Hailey). Motion carried. 22. MOTION to go into Closed Session pursuant Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(e) and (1)(g) (Kruse/Marshall) Roll Call: Richard Hailey-Aye, Justin Kruse-Aye, Chris Marshall-Aye, Dan Gavin-Aye, Theresa Johnson-Aye. Motion carried. a. Closed Session: Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(e) and (1)(g) - 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 / Conferring with legal counsel who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved; i. Stantec Resolution regarding Well and Fire Suppression System b. Wis. Stat. §19.85(1)(g) – Conferring with legal counsel who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved. i. Cox Non Conforming structure MOTION to go into Open Session. (Kruse/Marshall) Roll call: Chris Marshall-Aye, Theresa Johnson-Aye, Richard Hailey-Aye, Justin Kruse-Aye, Dan Gavin-Aye. Motion carried. 23. Motions regarding any decision from closed session: No motions at this time. 24. Adjournment: MOTION to adjourn at 10:15 pm (Kruse/Marshall). Motion carried. Minutes submitted by Teri Kelly.