Committee of the Whole

VILLAGE OF TWIN LAKES COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MINUTES February 5, 2024 – 6:30 p.m. Village Hall, 105 E. Main Street, Twin Lakes, WI CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT SKINNER AT 6:30 PM/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/ROLL CALL: Present: Trustees Barb Andres, Bill Kaskin, Kevin Fitzgerald, Ken Perl, President Howard Skinner. Absent: Aaron Karow, Sharon Bower. Also Present: Administrator Laura Roesslein, Police Chief Katie Hall, Clerk Sabrina Waswo, Village Engineer Greg Droessler, Head Sewer Operator Greg Richter. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. Steve Woodward and Adam Metz spoke on behalf of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at 163 West School Street. They represent a charitable organization that recently emerged in Twin Lakes. Their mission revolves around assisting fellow community members. They aim to become more ingrained in the local community, offering support for village events and other initiatives. One of their primary activities involves fundraising efforts to support their charitable endeavors. Bill Michel spoke about running for Circuit Court Judge on the February and April ballots. Currently, he is conducting outreach to the community, requesting their support. PRESIDENT AND TRUSTEE REPORTS TRUSTEE SHARON BOWER - ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, JUDICIARY, LICENSING Presentation given by District Administrator Michael Plourde on the Wilmot referenda Discussion regarding the Twin Lakes Short-Term Rental Ordinance. Administrator Roesslein proposed raising the fee from $150 to $300, as previously discussed within the 2024 budget. The Board discussed incorporating a scaled map that depicts the parking area into the ordinance. There was consensus to allow any renewed permit be issued after receiving approval from all department heads, without requiring further approval from the board. TRUSTEE KEVIN FITZGERALD - STREETS & ROADS, EQUIPMENT, STREET LIGHTS, WEEDS, LAKE PLANNING AND PROTECTION Discussion regarding Resolution R2024-2-1 Approving the Village of Twin Lakes Adjusted Urban Area Boundary. The state uses these maps to identify eligible roadways for grants. They are updated every 10 years. Administrator Roesslein suggested adding back a portion that was removed on the northeast side. The state will look into this, as they are not sure why that portion was removed. TRUSTEE BARB ANDRES - SEWER, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT, YOUTH, LIBRARY Discussion regarding a quote from Sabel Mechanical for Digester Wall Repair. Greg Richter discovered a significant issue with a tank containing sludge, which was found to be increasing rapidly. Investigation revealed a leak between one of the digesters and the filtrator zone. This leak was causing thick sludge to flow back into the plant, requiring treatment twice. The wall separating these zones lacked steel support beams, unlike the other walls, making it structurally weaker. It was proposed to add four horizontal steel support beams and weld the leak to improve structural integrity. Despite concerns about why this issue wasn't addressed during construction, the wall may have failed due to age or flexing. To address the problem, structural beams are deemed necessary. There were discussions about the costs involved in hiring external contractors for the cleanup, given that the Sewer Department would handle most of the work. Update on WWTF phosphorus compliance alternatives with Village Engineer The village's request for a multi-discharge permit was denied by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). In response, they are exploring a program called Water Quality Trading, wherein they would find trading partners to offset their phosphorus discharge. The aim is to reduce phosphorus through various February 5, 2024 – Committee of the Whole Minutes Page 1 of 2 improvements. The Village needs to find 250 lbs of credits and would sign up for a clearinghouse to facilitate finding partners. In this trading arrangement, the village would pay cash to partners who agree not to farm their land upstream, thereby reducing fertilizer and chemical usage. Options include taking farmland out of production, moving cattle to non-discharging areas, or implementing manure containment measures. One advantage of using a clearinghouse is that the DNR allows more time to find partners. For the village, negotiating terms with partners involves a $5,000 fee per partner and a negotiated price per pound of phosphorus reduction. Hypothetically, if they need 250 lbs at $1,000 per lb, the first year would cost $30,000, with subsequent years costing $25,000 per year for 10 years. This compares favorably to the $5 million cost of building infrastructure, plus ongoing operational expenses. Engineer Greg Droessler would like approval to sign up for the clearinghouse, which would not cost anything. He anticipates receiving inquiries from potential partners. Ideally, they hope to find 2 or 3 partners willing to trade phosphorus reduction credits. This would likely involve taking a certain number of acres out of production to achieve the required reduction. Additionally, there may be two other municipal sewer operations in the area with whom the village would share this program. VILLAGE PRESIDENT HOWARD SKINNER Discussion regarding the Aquanuts Annual Agreement and Compliance Statement. Trustee Fitzgerald stated an agreement should have been established at the beginning with management of the sign and messages to address potential issues. There have been instances of advertising, likely from sponsors, appearing. It is suggested that advertising be limited to when shows are happening rather than being displayed continuously throughout the week. These details should be clarified and formalized in writing. OTHER – The next meeting on the 19th will include the Plan Commission and Village Board seeking approval of updated FEMA maps. They must be approved and made into an ordinance by April, which is why we are addressing it this month. The ordinance is available at the Village Hall. CLOSED SESSION Skinner/Fitzgerald motion to go into closed session pursuant to Wis. §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 regarding a Village lease at 3101 East Lakeshore Drive. Roll Call: Trustees Barb Andres, Bill Kaskin, Kevin Fitzgerald, Ken Perl, President Howard Skinner voting “aye”. Motion carried 5-0 to go into closed session at 7:55 p.m. OPEN SESSION Skinner/Fitzgerald motion to return to open session pursuant to Wis. Stat. 19.85(2) and take action on any items discussed in closed session. Motion carried 5-0 to return to open session at 8:22 p.m. ADJOURN – Skinner/Fitzgerald motion to adjourn at 8:22 p.m. Motion carried 5-0. /s/Sabrina Waswo, Village Clerk February 5, 2024 – Committee of the Whole Minutes Page 2 of 2