Village Board

Village of Withee Phone: 715.229.4319 Fax: 715.229.4451 511 Division * P.O. Box A * Withee, Wisconsin 54498 The Withee Village Board met on November 4, 2024, in the Municipal Building, Conference Room, for a 6 pm Budget Meeting. ROLL CALL-President Lindgren called the meeting to order. Roll call was answered by Trustees Lindgren, Shelton, Mueller, Kroeplin, and Kalepp. Clerk Niemi recorded the meeting. Also present were Cindy Cardinal, Teamster Union representative, Aaron Bembnister, and DPW Derek Schad. BAY TOWEL CONTRACT-The Bay Towel contract for the mats in the municipal building was updated from a renewal date of March 9, 2027, with 8% annual increase to December 31, 2027, with a 5% annual increase to make it easier for Bay Towel to implement the annual increase. A Kroeplin/Kalepp motion to approve the updated Bay Towel maintenance contract with a renewal date of December 31, 2027, with a 5% annual increase carried with all ayes. HEALTH INSURANCE FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES-Clerk Niemi presented health insurance options with four different companies as the renewal for the current plan came in at 18.04% increase for $61,647.96 for 2025. A Shelton/Kalepp motion to approve the TeamCare Plan M9 for $49,285.60 for 2025 carried with all ayes. VOLUNTARY RECOGNITION WITH TEAMCARE INSURANCE-A Kroeplin/Mueller motion to approve voluntary recognition with TeamCare Insurance carried with all ayes. CLOSED SESSION PER §Ch. 19.85 (1)(c) CONSIDERING EMPLOYMENT, PROMOTION, COMPENSATION OR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION DATA OF ANY PUBLIC EMPLOYEE - A Shelton/Kalepp motion to convene into closed session per §Ch. 19.85 (1)(c) considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee for employee wage and benefits and Union contract at 6:14 pm carried with all ayes. A Lindgren/Shelton motion to invite Clerk Niemi and Aaron Bembnister into closed session at 6:14 pm carried with all ayes. A Kroeplin/Kalepp motion to invite Derek Schad into closed session at 6:21 pm carried with all ayes. Bembnister, Niemi, and Schad left the closed session at 6:25 pm. Bembnister, Niemi, and Schad returned to closed session at 6:35 pm. A Kalepp/Mueller motion to reconvene into open session at 6:45 p.m. carried with all ayes. A Mueller/Kroeplin motion to approve a 4% wage increase for Derek Schad, a 4% wage increase for Ellen Niemi, and a 1% wage increase for the David Laabs effective January 1, 2025, carried with all ayes. REVIEW OF 2025 BUDGET- The board reviewed the budget proposal for the year 2025. The increase for the tax levy this year will be 4.91% for net new construction which increased the levy $3,250. TIF amounts are not known yet but were decreased by $35,000 in 2024 as the TID#1 closed. TID#1 real estate is now part of the regular tax levy. The state shared revenue increased by $42,687 because the legislators passed an increase for all municipalities. Legal was decreased because the average legal expense in 2024 decreased. Elections were decreased due to two possible elections in 2024. The state increased the pension from 13.8% to 13.9%. Health insurance was guessed at 8% increase for $56,005.41 with HSA contributions. However, the renewal came in at 18.04% increase which would cost the Village $68,647.96 with HSA contributions. If the Village chooses to go with the renewal, $12,642.55 would have to be deducted from the savings line in the budget. However, if the Village chooses the TeamCare Plan there would be $6,719.81 to help pay for union dues/wages and the rest could increase the Transfer to Other savings line. The auditor amount increased $900. The assessor cost is lower than last year as the Village is now paying maintenance prices instead of revaluation contract. Insurance premiums slightly increased. Office expenses increased due to QuickBooks, tax/dog receipting software, check printing, paper purchase, and TownWeb increasing their fees. The police budget increased from $105,464.64 to $127,706.88. The fire budget increased from $19,918 to $24,743.17. Garbage/recycling income and expenses are a lot higher as the rates change from $12.33 to $17.65/residence/month. The cemetery stayed the same at $6/resident. Debt service is lower due to paying off the Industrial Park loan but having a new loan for endloader. Summer rec/donations and economic development have been put at zero. Monies were put into Transfer to Other savings found on the right-hand side of the budget sheet and any remaining funds were put into TIF road savings for future growth. Discussion was had that there are extra monies now that the health insurance wasn’t as much as originally projected. A Kroeplin/Shelton motion to put $2,000 to donations and return some savings monies cut into the proposed 2025 budget carried with all ayes. NEXT BUDGET MEETING- A Kalepp/Mueller motion to set the next budget meeting for November 11, 2024, at 6:15 pm carried with all ayes. A Kalepp/Mueller motion to adjourn at 6:54 pm carried with all ayes. Ellen Niemi Village Clerk