MINUTES OF THE REGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING

OF JULY 15, 2003

 

Chairman Gene Ratzel called the meeting to order at 6:35PM.

The Pledge of Alliance was said.

The July agenda was read as follows:

Agenda

Call the Meeting to Order

Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

Approve the July Agenda

Approve the Minutes of the Last Regular Board Meeting

Treasurer’s Report

Treasurer-Change the way the accounts are done

Voucher’s Approval

Clerk / Correspondence

License Applications- 1-year Operator’s License-Todd Walsh

Anyone not on Agenda- 5 minutes

Discontinuance of Sweet Lake Road

Ski Trail Groomer Bid- Gene Miller

Constable Issues

Buck N Bass- Kevin Murphy

Potawatomi Land Issues- Dawn Pittman

Cemetery Committee- Bud Pease

BADC- Updates

Comprehensive Land Use Planning Committee- Updates

Department Head Reports

Board Member Reports

 

Motion (Webb / Scharlau) to approve the Agenda as read. Motion carried.

 

Motion (Scharlau / Meinke) to approve the Minutes of the Last Regular Board Meeting as presented. Motion carried.

 

Treasurer’s Report- Debbie Sesko gave the Treasurer’s Report as follows:

Checking Balance from last meeting                                                             $       39,217.75

Receipts #15799-15838 ($ 43,550.00 Transfer from BES)                              $       138,764.11

Checks #16769-16876                                                                                 $       (58,939.83)

June and July EFTPS                                                                                   $        ( 8,074.44)

June Interest                                                                                               $              26.74

June Service Charge                                                                                    $             (16.80)

Automatic Withdrawal-June Insurance Payment                                           $       ( 3,608.24)

 

                                                   Checking Balance                                    $       107,369.29

 

Ambulance Dept. Invest. Fund-Receipt #15834-$4.45                                   $          1,805.34

Highway Department Sinking Fund-#15831- $172.75                                     $        70,030.79

Highway Department Operational Fund-#15830-$2.49                                   $           1,010.94    

BES Sinking Fund-Receipt #15833-$120.80(Less Transaction)                       $          5,422.38

BES Operational Fund-Receipt #15832-$2.49                                                $         1,009.43

Park Savings-Receipt #15806-#15829 and #15835-$196.03                            $         9,767.52

Ski Trail Savings-Receipt #15797 and #15836--$28.97                                   $         1,644.13

Parade-Event Calendar Fund-Receipt #15837 $6.47                                      $         2,622.98

 

                                            Balance All Accounts                                      $      200,682.80

 

Motion (Webb / Meinke) to approve the Treasurer’s Report as given. Motion carried.

 

Treasurer- Change the way the accounts are done. Treasurer Sesko presented the plan to close out the Highway Operational Account and the BES Operational Account and put these funds, along with the General Property Tax Levy that we had on our 2003 budget into the General Fund, under sub accounts. This is on the advice of the town’s CPA firm. All checks are issued from the General Fund and these accounts are only sub accounts of the General Fund and should not have their own separate bank accounts. In the Tax Savings Account we have about $260,000.00. All money, except $1,10.00 to avoid a service charge in the that account, will go to the General Fund Account under the sub accounts for the Highway Fund and the BES Fund. This amounts to $46,555.00 to go into the General Fund Account under the BES sub account and at the August settlement we will owe the BES sub account $20,000.00. To the Highway Fund sub account we will put the exact amount levied which is $212,681,00. When we close out the two Operational Accounts, that money will also go into the General Fund under those sub accounts. All monies due these accounts, including the tax levy, are listed under the sub accounts in the system as well as any monies paid out, so there is a detailed accounting of all monies. The accounts that are for special purposes such as the sinking funds, park, ski trail savings and parade-event funds will remain as they are as these are not funds included in the budget.

Motion (Webb / Scharlau) to minimize the number of accounts that we have at the bank currently and transfer those operational funds into sub accounts under the General. Motion carried.

 

Motion (Webb / Scharlau) to approve the vouchers as presented. Motion carried.

 

Clerk / Correspondence- There was one Intent To Cut for Louise Jones for Bill Hecimovich. The notice that FCL and MFL money will be coming in. Also the 2003 Fire Dues of $4,354.70 will be coming in. The Fire Dues payment to us is based on the town’s equalized value.

 

License Application-1-year Operator’s License for Todd Walsh. Motion (Meinke / Scharlau) to approve the one- year operator’s license for Todd Walsh. Motion carried.

 

Anyone Not on Agenda – 5 minutes. Marcia Wellnitz asked for the town’s support of the Northern Waters Library System of which Bayfield County is a part. Because Barnes does not have a library of its own, it relies on a lot of the services provided by the system. Cuts are planned that could eliminate some of these services. Wellnitz asked that a letter be sent to the County Board Finance Committee to say that Barnes wants to see continued funding of the library system of a 2% increase or at least the funding level of 2003. Motion (Meinke / Scharlau) to have the clerk send a letter to the County stating our support of the library system. Motion carried. The clerk will draft the letter and send it to the County Finance Committee.

 

Discontinuance of Sweet Lake Road- (Mr. Zigman was not at the meeting at this time. Ratzel said we would table the issue until Mr. Zigman was here to present his issues. [See further into meeting minutes]

 

Ski Trail Groomer Bid- Gene Miller presented the groomer bid information. There was one bid for $1,091.00 from ABR, Inc. (Eric Anderson) from Ironwood, Michigan. The minimum bid was for $1,000.00 so this bid did meet the requirement. Motion (Meinke / Scharlau) to accept Mr. Anderson’s bid for the ski 

trail groomer for $1,091.00. Motion carried. Gene Miller will assist in the transfer of the old groomer to Mr.

Anderson.

 

Snow Plowing Issues-The issue is broken down into two issues. 1. Will the town continue to plow snow and 2. What will the town charge? Motion (Webb / Meinke) to open the floor to discussion. Motion carried. The board asked Len Schiller if there was anyway that the cost of plowing snow could be determined, as the town is not supposed to loose money doing this. It should break even. Mr. Schiller said that he had started to keep track of how much it cost the town last year and made notes on how much time was spent on driveways. Webb asked if he could get that information to the board. There was a decline of about 50% in the requests for driveway plowing compared to the year before. The issue has to be set by the August meeting as the notice of snow plowing has to be put out before September as that starts the snow season. Motion (Webb / Meinke) to close the floor to discussion. Motion carried. After discussion, Webb said she was in favor of continuing to plow private drives at the same rate as last year, unless something shows up in the figures that will be presented at the next meeting in August. This issue will be on the August agenda.

 

Constable Issues- Chairman Ratzel said he had met with John Chambers, the attorney who will be taking over for Jon Anderson. Mr. Anderson will be assuming the judgeship in August. Mr. Chambers will generate the instrument that will give us the authority to issue tickets and he will let us know when it is ready. We can proceed with the rest of the issue after that is done. Ratzel said he has discussed this with the constable and O’Keefe said this issue had been brought up before, but that no action was ever taken. Ratzel said this could cause costs to the town in the form of court costs, addition wages, attorney fees, etc. Motion (Webb / Scharlau) to open the floor to discussion. Motion carried. The constable asked if the existing ordinance was looked at? Ratzel said that is has been looked at and that the model that the attorney has presented back to us is about the same as our old ordinance. There are just a few issues to clarify. Scharlau asked what the amount of the costs could be. The costs can be recouped to a large degree according to Tom Renz, who works in the Sheriffs Department. Wages for the constable would be one cost that the town would have to pay. The Sheriff’s Department cannot issue tickets for local town ordinances and they would contact the constable to handle these issues and vice versa, the constable would contact the Sheriff’s Department for other state and county issues. Ratzel said that the time has come to enforce our ordinances. O’Keefe said he has been busy informing people of the laws and regulations. A question was brought up as to the ordinances being up to date. This issue is being looked into at this time and all ordinances will be gone over and all action will be taken on them in the near future. The attorney was also notified that the town would be redoing the ordinances. Motion (Webb / Scharlau) to close the floor to discussion. Motion carried. The clerk asked if this issue would be back on the August agenda? The issue will be back on when the information is available.

 

Buck N Bass Resort-Kevin Murphy. Mr. Murphy was not able to attend the meeting tonight, but would like to be put back on the August agenda.

 

Sweet Lake Road Discontinuance- (Mr. Zigman arrived and the Sweet Lake Road issue was the put back on the agenda after being tabled earlier). Mr. Zigman discussed the various issues dealing with his request to discontinue Sweet Lake Road. He asked the board to pass the resolution that he has presented to the board asking that Sweet Lake Road be discontinued and that the land revert back to the original property owners as provided by State Statute 66.1003. This details how the town board can discontinue the road and the rules on how it reverts back to the original landowners. Mr. Zigman referred to a court case dealing with this issue. He also addressed the issue of adverse possession. He said that most of the land abutting Sweet Lake Road

belongs to him or one of his companies. All others have signed off on the issue. Mr. Zigman’s attorneys, the town’s attorneys and Mr. Ratzel, will work out any legal details. There was discussion if the board had experience with this type of issue. It was noted that there have been other discontinuances. Webb asked about the west branch of Sweet Lake Road. This would remain a town road. There was discussion on the procedures to follow. The resolution needs to be approved by the board and then the other agencies have to be notified, any hearings and legal procedures have to be followed. Webb said the board should accept his petition. Motion (Webb / Scharlau) to accept Mr. Zigman’s petition to discontinue Sweet Lake Road that reads as follows: “Resolution-Resolved, that the Town of Barnes abandon [Discontinue] the Sweet Lake

Road and that right-of-way as described in Mr. Zigman’s Memorandum dated June 21, 2003 and authorize the Town Chairman to approve, execute and file any documents that may be required to carry out and finalize this Resolution including, but not limited to, information letters to the Department of Transportation, the DNR, the Bayfield County Emergency Services to update their records and a Quit Claim Deed.” and then go to the town’s attorney for clarification on all issues. Motion carried. This issue will be on the August agenda after the attorney lets us know how we need to proceed.

 

Potawatomi Land Issues-Dawn Pittman. Ratzel said that he had spoken with the town’s attorney. (Mrs. Pittman asked who the attorney was? Ratzel said Spears, Carlson and Anderson would continue to be our law firm even though Jon Anderson has been elected to the judgeship. John Chambers is the attorney Ratzel spoke with about all of the matters here tonight.) The town will have the lawyer prepare the documents that will release the town’s interests in these lands. This issue will be back on the August agenda.

 

Cemetery Committee-Bud Pease. Pease reported that a couple of monuments had been installed recently. The committee is going through the records and getting the right documentation done. Ratzel said that he has seen all the work at the cemetery that Bud and Dixie have done so far.

 

BADC-Updates- Ratzel said he had met with Steve Schraufnagel, the design architect for the industrial park, on the site and that they went over it point to point. There are some preliminary drawings done. Everything else is about the same.

 

Department Head Reports-

Ambulance Department -Viola Friermood, Ambulance Director.

Since the last meeting we had 6 calls-One intercept with the helicopter, 3 to transports to Hayward, 1 transport to Duluth and 1 call to a fire scene on Bony Lake Road. Peggy Kman and Viola went to a training session put on by the state on database for the EMS. It is only for director and assists. They can access the information and they can create the licenses for the EMTs after all information is in about classes and training, etc. Friermood asked permission from the board for the Ambulance Department to purchase a new blood pressure cuff that they have had in the ambulance for a month. This one works a lot better when the vehicle is in motion. It is around $2,500.00. It is difficult to get parts for the old one. There was discussion on what was left in the budget. Friermood also asked to buy a new cot, one that would be able to load with one person and would be able to lift heavier persons. This would cost about $7,200.00. Webb said there would be money for the blood pressure monitor. Motion (Webb / Meinke) that the ambulance department go ahead and purchase the blood pressure cuff monitor that they have been using. Roll call vote was taken. Scharlau-yes, Meinke-yes, Webb-yes, Ratzel-yes. Motion carried.

 

Fire Department-Tom Renz. There was 1 structure fire started by lightening and 1 helicopter landing zone set up. Renz discussed the fireworks on the 4th. He said he had been in contact with Arrowhead Fireworks Company and had informed them that the employees that were sent to do our display were extremely intoxicated when they came to do the display. The town will not be doing business with them next year. The tanker that we hope to replace caught on fire during the parade. This was caused by an over heated light switch. The sales contract has been received from Elite for our new fire truck. Ratzel said that the loan papers were at the attorney’s office, being checked over, and that as soon as the town gets them back the papers would be sent in. The chassis has been ordered. The Spaghetti Feed fund raiser that will be put on by the VFW for the new fire truck is going to be held this Saturday, July 19, 2003 at the VFW Post 8329 on Lake Road from 12:00PM to 5:00PM.

 

Constable-Mike O’Keefe gave the constable’s report. He responded to 22 calls since the last meeting. He said that the majority of the calls were ATV or  trespassing complaints.

 

(Webb reminded the Chairman that the Comprehensive Land Use Planning Committee report had been omitted.)

Comprehensive Land Use Planning Committee-Updates. Dave Pease, chairman of the committee, said that the committee has had a little trouble with MSA Professional Services regarding the contract for the plan. There were so many changes in the contract that the committee decided to meet with several other planners to see what they would offer. This would be an on- going project for a while, Pease said.

 

Garage Report- Len Schiller reported that the crew had fixed up the area by Idlewild Lake Road and West Idlewild Lake Road and put up a stop sign there. About 30 yards of gravel was brought up to the Transfer Site and the area was graded and the drainage improved. It looks a lot better. Schiller reported that he had contacted the Solon Springs postmaster and was given permission to pick up the old knocked down mailboxes that were down around town. The useable ones are available. Anyone needing a mailbox may contact Schilller. They may need paint, etc., but they are useable. The new locks were installed on the doors in the garage and the fire and ambulance halls. The dumpster at Peninsula Lake Road Landing is being mostly used for household garbage. The old outhouses at Tomahawk Lake Park have been removed. Red Mundle replaced the brakes on the 1997 dump truck. The west end of the Island Lake Road and the Lynx Road loop have been completed. Two stop signs have been installed there. The new swim ropes and buoys have not arrived yet, so the old ones were put up temporarily at Tomahawk Lake Park. Schiller has spoken with the most of the residents on Clearwater Road and Wallman Road about the upcoming roadwork. Most residents received a notice on the projects.  Most issues, mainly tree issues, have been resolved. Thompson Sand and Gravel will be starting the roadwork any day now. The first thing will be cutting of the trees. Wallman road will be started on first, and then they will go on to Clearwater Road. Arch Heating will be installing the new heating system in the garage tomorrow. The town crew will be gravelling the very end of Cranberry Lake Road shortly. It’s a narrow stretch near Art Smith’s home and won’t be widened.

 

Board Member Reports-

Jack Meinke-Jack had nothing for this meeting.

 

Chris Webb- Webb had several issues. The budget is coming up soon and she asked that the clerk send out notices to all of the department heads, etc. to get their budget proposals together so that work can start on the budget in August. The clerk said she usually sends them out the first part of August, but that she could send them out earlier. The River Road Bridge? Does any one know what is happening there? Scharlau said that Dan Carthel, the engineer, came to look at South Shore and River Road bridges today. The River Road Bridge is waiting for permits from the DNR. Webb said she was aware of the delays on that end. Webb reported that she had asked the clerk for some preliminary budget information so that we can keep up on what is being spent. Webb inquired as to the issues of any liquor licenses that had problems. The clerk said there was one, but that the issue was resolved. The clerk had contacted the Alcohol and Tobacco Department to see what the town needed to do if the issue was not resolved. The clerk is following up on that. Webb said that she and Chermack would be getting into doing the ordinances very shortly. Webb had some personnel issues. There was a meeting several weeks ago where the town hires a person and she didn’t know anything about it for a week, even though it had been posted somewhere. She wanted to know what kind of work was involved with this new job and why? Ratzel said it was physical labor and that he didn’t want to pull a machine operator off the job to this kind of labor. The work would include helping put up signs, clearing the intersections of loose gravel, helping in the cemetery, etc.-manual labor. Webb then said that perhaps the board should cut down on the special meetings and handle the issues at the regular board meeting. The clerk said that there was just one special meeting on the hiring issue. Webb asked about Henry Norton’s status. Is he going to be able to go on Social Security Disability? Ratzel said that Henry has applied for the disability and is waiting for it to be finalized. Webb asked if the two people hired to fill in were going to continue to work? Ratzel said yes, as long as they are needed. They rotate duties so that one person does not always have

to work every weekend at the Transfer Site. They are both part time positions under 30 hours a week with no benefits. Webb was concerned about the budget restraints. The picture will be clearer when the budget report is finished. The town has 3 full time workers in Highway and the others are in Parks and Recreation, Cemetery and Transfer Site departments. The other position is just part time summer help. Webb said that the board needs to work together and that the decisions have to be held until the board meetings.

 

Dave Scharlau- Scharlau said that Dan Carthel said the town should just monitor the situation at South Shore Road Bridge about 3 times a year. Carthel had taken measurements at the bridge. If this bridge lasts to 2006 when there would be funding, perhaps the town should look at putting in for funds to replace the bridge instead of putting money into all the repairs needed. The structure of the bridge is safe, however. Len said that he had rerouted some of the heavy trucking of gravel. River Road Bridge has been posted for weight. The only other thing that Scharlau had was that the Conservation Club was waiting for the permits from the county to build the steps to the lake at Tomahawk Lake Park.

 

Gene Ratzel- On the construction on the roads, we missed contacting one resident who didn’t have an  911 address. The issues were resolved with a lot of PR work. There is now a code list of the activities that are performed by the garage workers. This will be a weekly report of what has been done during the week. It will give a more accurate picture of what is being done and where the costs are going. The sand roads are time consuming. The county has stripped the topsoil off the area by Halfway Road. Ratzel brought it up to the attorney the other night and the attorney suggested that the town contact the EPA as only so much can be stripped. The board will keep an eye on that situation. Schiller has prepared a road worksheet that indicates what kind of road each is and what the town does on that road. It is in a more workable format than the Paserware that the state has the town do. The town now knows how many miles of each kind of road it has. The worksheet will work in conjunction with the Paserware program. The town has roughly 41 miles of paved road, 97 miles of sand road and 7 miles of gravel road, so it can be seen where the efforts are spent. As far as the concerns on highway expenses, effort and personnel, the town can’t address that issue until it get a handle on where it’s spending the time and effort and what are the critical issues that are out there.

 

Motion (Scharlau / Webb) to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 7:58PM.

 

Members of the board in attendance: Chairman Gene Ratzel, Supervisors Jack Meinke, Chris Webb and Dave Scharlau. Also present were Treasurer Debbie Sesko and Clerk Lu Peet.

Members absent: Supervisor Dixie Chermack (was asked to be excuse because of a previous commitment).

Members of the community present: John Kudlas, Florence Prickett, Jim Prickett, David Pease, Caroline Kearns, Norb Kearns, Robert C. Stack, Brett Harper, Dawn Pittman, Greta Pittman, Dick Rickus, Emmy Rickus, Vi Friermood, Marcia Wellnitz, Janine A. Watts, John Cramblit, Kay Cramblit, Gene Miller, Tom Renz, Bill Cirhan, Del Griffin, Joan Griffin, Keith Beaver, Len Schiller and Bud Pease. There may have been others in attendance not noted or signed in.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Lucille J. Peet

Barnes Town Clerk

Dated this 19th day of July 2003