Town of Barnes
Town of Barnes, WI

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Home > Town Digital Library > Town Board Meeting Minutes > 2011 Town Board Meeting Minutes > Regular Town Board Meeting January 18, 2011

Regular Town Board Meeting January 18, 2011

 

TOWN OF BARNES
MINUTES OF THE
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
January 18, 2011
 
Chairperson Lu Peet called the Regular Board Meeting to order at 6:30PM. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited. A Roll Call was taken to establish a quorum and verification of public notice was asked of Clerk-Treasurer Brustad by Peet. Due to a quorum not available at 6:00 the closed session was not held. All board members were present at 6:30PM except Mitch McGee who arrived at 6:50PM. Ambulance director Tom Renz also did not arrive until later.    The agenda is as follows:
 
NOTICE
TOWN OF BARNES
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
January 18, 2011 at 6:00PM
AGENDA
Call the Regular Board Meeting to order
Closed Session. The Town Board of the Town of Barnes will meet in regular session to go into a closed session pursuant to State Statute 19.85(c) “considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility. The board will reconvene to the regular session immediately after the closed session at 6:30PM
Pledge Allegiance to the Flag
Roll Call to establish a quorum/Verification of Public Notice
Motion to approve the January Agenda, approve minutes of the Last Regular Board Meeting and Motion to dispense with reading of the minutes.
Treasurer’s Report
Discussion and possible approval of Contract for Audit Services for 2010-2012 by Eagle Audit and Accounting – Lynn Lutz, Auditor     
Voucher’s Approval
Clerk Correspondence
Request by Tom Ketchum of Horton Group to present a proposal for Business Insurance               
Public Comment Session – 3 Minute limit for those not on the agenda     
Department Head Reports:
                Highway
Review and possible approval of draft plan for the replacement of Upper lake boat landing                          
Update on Discontinuance of Grassley and Deer Grove Roads
Approval to purchase an Auger-Sander for approximately $3,900.00      
                Cemetery                            
                Fire and Ambulance Department
Discussion on Ambulance Contract for Highland with upcoming meeting on 1.20.2011
Discussion and possible approval of applicants for the Ambulance Department  
                Constable
Committee Reports
                Building Maintenance Committee
                                Review and approval of proposals for replacement of side (ramp) door  
Land Use Planning Commission
Citizens Request for Action:
Request by J.A. Carney to place a sign on Schiller Road and remove old “Road 91” sign tabled from December 2010 meeting
Request by Bud Heerema to display pictures of past Town Chairperson in the Town Hall
Discussion and possible action on market analysis received on the parcel off South Shore Road to be sold
Discussion on policy to not allow businesses to use the transfer site
Discussion on changes to employee handbook manual
Issues Timeline Update
All Department Heads are encouraged to be at the Regular Board Meetings
All Department Heads and Committee Heads are to submit a written report to the clerk
by the Friday evening prior to the Board Meeting.
The Town Board reserves the right to solicit information from
Department heads and Committee heads only, without opening the floor to discussion.
Any persons requiring special needs for handicap services please contact the Clerk-Treasurer
Elaine J. Brustad Barnes Town Clerk-Treasurer      Dated this 13th day of January, 2011
 
Peet asked for a motion to approve the January Agenda, approve minutes of the Last Regular Board Meeting and Motion to dispense with reading of the minutes.
 
Motion (Webb/Porter) to amend the agenda to move the Ambulance and Fire report up in front of the highway report, to approve the minutes of the last Regular Town Board meeting and to dispense with the reading of those minutes. Motion carried.
 
Treasurer’s Report

General Fund
Checking Balance from last meeting
$100,521.65
Receipts
$33,427.18
Check #'s 25561-25649
($84,306.32)
Direct Tax Payments Check #s 378-379
($3,869.82)
Service Charge December
($16.97)
Interest Earned December
$11.03
0.15%
CHECKING BALANCE
$45,766.75
Money Market
Money Market Gen'l Fund Balance from Last Meeting
$117,879.90
Taxes Collected
$592,342.00
Cks 1160-1165 refunds on overpayment of taxes
($500.27)
Interest earned December
YTD Interest $1,169.78
$54.01
0.20%
Sub-Total Money Market Gen'l Funds
$709,775.64
Highway Dept. Sinking Fund
$72.92
BES Sinking Fund
$20,214.05
Park Savings
Dep Water money $237.78
$10,329.93
Ski Trail Savings
$960.21
Town Hall Maint & Repair Fund
$56,656.20
ACT 102 Fund
$5,513.46
Tasler prepaid taxes for 2010
Ck# 1163 tax payment
$0.00
Total all Money Market Funds
$803,522.41
Hayward Community Credit Union
Savings
Interest
43.92
December
$103,682.51
0.50%
18 Month CD
Interest
180.75
December
$104,707.38
2.055%
15 Month CD
Interest
85.62
December
$52,157.38
1.953%
18 month CD
Interest
266.82
December
$154,570.44
2.055%
YTD Interest $7,559.44
 
Total Hayward Community Credit Union
$415,117.71
TOTAL ALL ACCOUNTS
$1,264,406.87

Motion (Meinke/Porter) to approve the Treasurer’s report as read. Motion carried.
 
Discussion and possible approval of Contract for Audit Services for 2010-2012 by Eagle Audit and Accounting – Lynn Lutz, Auditor
 
Motion (Webb/Meinke) to approve the contract with Eagle Accounting for the amounts each year as outlined in the contract. Roll call vote taken and all present responded yes. Motion carried.
 
Voucher’s Approval
 
Motion (Porter/Webb) to approve the voucher’s as presented. Motion carried.
 
Clerk Correspondence
Brustad received two Notices to Cut on property owned by Plum Creek in Section 1, Township 43North, Range 9 West, and in Section 36, Township 44 North, Range 9 West.
 
Request by Tom Ketchum of Horton Group to present a proposal for Business Insurance
Brustad received a request via e-mail from Tom Ketchum of the Horton Group to present a proposal to the Board for business insurance. The renewal date is April 1st. She was directed by the board members to do so. 
 
Public Comment Session – 3 Minute limit for those not on the agenda
No-one wished to speak.
 
Department Head Reports:
                Highway
The new patrol truck was delivered the first week of January. A couple of days were spent making modifications and adjustments to meet our needs. Jerry is experimenting with the sanding system and belly scraper to become efficient in their usage. The sander mounts on the tandem truck bent and had to be cut off and new ones fabricated and installed. We have been plowing almost daily and spreading some sand on days that it doesn’t snow. Now we will start winging and pushing back intersections as the snow banks are starting to get substantial in areas. With the addition of the new truck, we have changed tactics and reassigned the old truck to plow the Potawatomi area which has cut about 2.5 hours off of the route and allows the roads to be widened immediately. I have made some contacts on the handicap access door to the town hall and have a couple of quotes, and I’m also working on the dishwasher leaking problem with Don Adams. Bob Gotelaere has decided to “pull the plug” on his employment with the Town in his role as an emergency road plower.
 
Review and possible approval of draft plan for the replacement of Upper lake boat landing          
Jim Baaken was available to present the draft plan to the Board. Greg Martin wanted to make sure we obtain a permit from the DNR that will allow us to make any repairs needed in the future without obtaining any further permits. Baaken will make sure this is done.
 
Motion (McGee/Webb) to approve the draft plan by Ayres and Associates. Roll call vote taken and all responded yes. 
               
Update on Discontinuance of Grassley and Deer Grove Roads
Brustad said the Public Hearing will be held at 6:00PM before the next Regular Town Board meeting on February 15th. All letters have been sent out.
Approval to purchase an Auger-Sander for approximately $3,900.00      
Town Road Foreman Bob Lang said this type of sander will be more efficient and should eventually cut down the amount of salt added in the salt-sand mixture if each truck is equipped with this type of sander.
 
Motion (Webb/McGee) to approve the purchase of the auger-sander amending the budget to take the monies out of the sinking fund for the highway. Roll call vote taken: all responded yes.  Motion carried.
 
                Cemetery
Dave Schiess, the new Cemetery Sexton reported there were no grave openings since last month’s meeting. The person who digs our graves fell and broke his leg but      his brother will be able to do it or the town crew can use his machine also if need be. He is working on getting new prices set for grave openings as he thinks we are low for winter openings. Brustad also added the Board needs to approve formally the new secretary, Linda Clark of the Cemetery Committee. She will put that on the agenda for February’s meeting.
 
                Fire and Ambulance Department
Since the last Town Board meeting we have had 11 Ambulance calls.
5 – Transported to Hayward
4 – Transported to St. Luke’s
1 – St. Mary’s
1 – Met with Helicopter at the Heliport
We will be meeting on Thursday with the Town of Highland in reference to the Ambulance Contract. It is my recommendation that the Town Board stick to the original proposal of $4000.00 a year for the contract service and that they guarantee payment for any ambulance run that has no activity for 90 days. Our collection service does take care of the small claims that do apply to these accounts but then we are charged more for those accounts. If we have to involve attorneys then we need to add the additional attorney fees into the contract. We need to stick together on whatever the Town Board decides. We have the service and they want it, we are not going to take a loss at our tax payer expense to provide the service to them you can’t go to a car dealer or grocery store and tell them what you are going to pay and we should not allow that here. 
There are two applications for Town Board approval. 
I recommend approval of Michael Bott as First responder with condition that he complete First responder training and 1 year probation period after completion of Class. 
I leave the second Gregg Friermood to the Town Board with no recommendation one way or the other from me.
Both the Ambulance and Fire Departments met last week at joint meeting. The main topic of discussion was new members. As time goes on the membership is getting older especially on the Ambulance Side. A t the continued rate we will be down to a skeleton staff on Ambulance in a few years. The recommendation to the Town Board for membership on both sides is as follows.
First a prospective employee signs an agreement prior to employment that if they do not finish the training they must reimburse the Town for the cost of training. In the past as when I took the EMT training we were paid the training stipend from the town.   We would like to continue this only in a different form. We keep track of the training times and dates and hold on to the Stipend money keeping track of it as it accumulates. At the end of their training after their completion of all final exams and/or licensing the persons probationary period will begin. After six months of the probationary period if the employee is still in good standing the employee would be paid the saved stipend money as a sign on bonus. 
On the Fire Department side we have had one run which was a snowmobile accident and the Fire Department responded with the rescue sled for patient extrication off the trail and also set up landing zone for the same snowmobile accident. 
 
Discussion on Ambulance Contract for Highland with upcoming meeting on 1.20.2011
Tom reiterated what he stated in his report, that we should stick together and be firm in what was previously stated. We should not make our taxpayers pay for any Highland ambulance bills. 
Motion (Porter/Meinke) to approve Tom Renz’s recommendation of $4,000.00 per year and Highland is to cover any billing that has had no activity on it for 90 days, plus attorney fees if needed. We should not make our residents pay for this. Roll call vote taken and all were in agreement and voted yes. Motion carried.
 
Discussion and possible approval of applicants for the Ambulance Department  
 
Motion (Webb/Porter) to table this request for both applications until the next Board meeting. We will do a closed session to discuss this after this Thursday’s meeting. Motion carried. 
 
                Constable
2 alarms from the Sheriff, 1 animal complaint in the Barnes Road area, 2 firearms/fireworks complaints-property owner was target shooting, 4 assist stranded motorists during recent snowstorms on highway 27 and County Y, 2 trespass complaints-snowmobiles on private property in the Moore Road area, 12 check homes for out of town residents who requested his assistance during their absence.
 
Committee Reports
                Building Maintenance Committee
They are planning on getting together for a meeting in February. 
 
                                Review and approval of proposals for replacement of side (ramp) door  
Two proposals were received. Greg Martinson Construction’s proposal was for a hollow metal insulated commercial door and with installation was $2,400.00. Hayward Glass and Door was contacted by Bob Lang for a proposal of a full glass aluminum clad door and with installation the cost would be $1,767.00. Bob stated he has used Hayward Glass and Door before and knows the type of door also. He felt a full glass door would add light in the room and you would be able to easily see who was at the door.
 
Motion (Webb/McGee) to approve the proposal from Hayward Glass and Door for $1,317.00 and an estimated labor of $450.00. Roll call vote taken: all responded yes. Motion carried.
 
Land Use Planning Commission
Dave spoke on their meeting and the request they received from the Property Owners Association to amend the Land Use plan to allow for a lighted tower over 200 feet south on the 43 road, but no lighted towers north of that location in Barnes. A Public Hearing will be held sometime in May or later of this year to allow for returning residents to be able to attend. 
 
Motion (Porter/Webb) to open the floor to discussion. Motion carried. 
Jon Harkness said it was not the Property Owners initiating the request; it was a group of people including some of the Property Owners members.
 
Motion (Porter/Meinke) to close the floor to discussion. Motion carried. 
 
Citizens Request for Action:
 
Request by J.A. Carney to place a sign on Schiller Road and remove old “Road 91” sign tabled from December 2010 meeting
Chris Webb was going to research this but didn’t. Bob Lang said he felt it was the Town’s responsibility to replace road signs even though they weren’t town roads.
 
Motion (Porter/McGee) to approve replacing the old Road 91 sign and install a new road sign “Schiller Road”.  This will be done in the spring when the frost comes out of the ground. Motion carried.
 
Request by Bud Heerema to display pictures of past Town Chairperson in the Town Hall
Bud had been working on this for quite a while; he has located pictures of 22 of the past 24. He made pictures of all one size. He would like the town to get frames and name tags purchased. He gave the pictures to Chair Lu Peet. 
 
Motion (Webb/Meinke) to purchase frames and name tags for each picture. The Board thanked Bud for his hard work. Lu will get actual prices and present to the Board at the next meeting. Motion carried. 
 
Discussion and possible action on market analysis received on the parcel off South Shore Road to be sold
Brustad obtained a market analysis from Webb Realty and from Smith Realty, both located in town. Both were in the range of $500.00 to $1000.00 for the parcel. 
 
Motion (Porter/McGee) to offer the parcel to the persons interested for $1,000.00. Roll call vote taken and all responded yes. Motion carried.
 
Discussion on policy to not allow businesses to use the transfer site
This matter was brought up as it had been an unwritten policy to not allow businesses to use the site in the past but the Community Church had used the Transfer Site and Recycling area as well. Brustad thought the policy should be in writing and clarify who was allowed to use the Transfer Site. The Recycling center cannot be used by businesses per their Recycling grant rules. We could segregate the business recycling with another recycling dumpster placed at the Transfer Site. 
 
Motion (Porter/McGee) to write a resolution to not allow businesses to use the Transfer Site.  Meinke wanted to know what the definition was of a business. Would the church be included? He felt it shouldn’t. After discussion, it was felt the motion should be changed to add organizations also, which would include the church, local clubs and groups such as BAHA. Porter and McGee changed their motion to read:
Motion (Porter/McGee) to write a resolution to not allow businesses and organizations to use the Transfer SiteMotion carried with Meinke opposing. Brustad will write the Resolution and present it at the Board meeting in February. 
 
Discussion on changes to employee handbook manual
There was a discussion on a few changes to the handbook brought up by Bob Lang. He felt holidays should be included in the 40 hours for overtime pay. Comp time should be offered in lieu of overtime at the time and one half rate to be used by May 1st of each year. He wanted clarification on when the work week starts and would like it to start on Monday and end on Sunday. Currently it is from Sunday through Saturday. There also was one reference to personal appearance to not have a shaved head and wanted that deleted. Brustad will do the changes and present them for approval at the next board meeting.
 
Issues Timeline Update
Town Owned land – work in progress, no money received yet
Town Hall maintenance – accepted bid today for replacement of side door
Boat landings – Accepted preliminary plan tonight’s meeting
Town Roads – Public hearing to be on February 15th
Town Policy – Work in progress
 
Motion (Webb/Porter) to adjourn the meeting of January 18, 2011. Motion carried.
The meeting adjourned at 8:32PM.
 
Respectfully Submitted
 
 
Elaine J. Brustad
Clerk-Treasurer
Dated this 8th day of February, 2011             

 
The notices, agendas, minutes and postings on the Town website are for informational purposes only. They may not be the most current version and therefore are NOT considered the official or legal copy.
CONTACT THE TOWN
715-795-2782
Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. 8:00 AM - Noon
[email protected]
3360 County Highway N, Barnes, WI 54873

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