April 9

COMMON COUNCIL – April 9, 2019 Page 1 CITY OF OCONTO FALLS COMMON COUNCIL Council Chambers – Municipal Building 500 N. Chestnut Avenue - Oconto Falls, WI 54154 TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2019 – 7:00 PM MINUTES Meeting called to order at 7:02 PM by Mayor Brad Rice Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call Present: Mayor Brad Rice, Aldermen: Kevin Rusch, Devin Wirtz, Marty Coopman, Mathew McDermid, and Tim Holman Also present: Administrator Vicki Roberts, Deputy Clerk Nancy Brye, Police Chief Brad Olsen, Street Superintendent Terry Magnin, and Fire Chief Tim Magnin Excused: Alderman Jay Kostreva and City Attorney Larry Jeske Others: Samantha Doney, Warren Bluhm-Times Herald, Gail Yatso, Chad Trudell, Jon Spice, Emily & Sue Gonnering, Jim Patenaude, Rick Belanger, Patrick Ahlgrim, Chad Markiewicz, Jeff McDonald, Mark Krumrei, and Christos Anastasopoulos Approval of Minutes – Special Common Council Meeting on March 7, 2019 Common Council Meeting on March 12, 2019 Special Common Council Meeting on March 26, 2019 MOTION: Rusch / Wirtz Motion to approve the minutes as presented for the Special Common Council Meeting on March 7, 2019, Common Council Meeting on March 12, 2019, and Special Common Council Meeting on March 26, 2019. Voice Vote: All present voting aye - MOTION CARRIED Treasurer’s Report – February MOTION: Rusch / Wirtz Motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report as presented for February and place on file. Voice Vote: All present voting aye - MOTION CARRIED COMMON COUNCIL – April 9, 2019 Page 2 Bills Payable – March MOTION: McDermid / Holman Motion to approve the Bills Payable as presented for March. Voice Vote: All present voting aye - MOTION CARRIED Reports: written reports submitted for review Administrator Report Police Report Municipal Court Report Fire Department Report – no written report Verbally added – written reports have not been submitted the past few months because the fire chief and department as a whole has been extremely busy. The department has responded to two major fires in the past month; ST Paper Mill and Oconto County Lumber. Chief explained issues they are having with one of their trucks and an approximate cost to repair being $16,000. Reuben Radke has served on the department for 60 years and was presented with a bronze axe at the last fire department meeting. Street Department Report Building Inspector Report Utility Commission Report/Minutes MOTION: Holman / Wirtz Motion to place reports on file. Voice Vote: All present voting aye - MOTION CARRIED DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE FOLLOWING Correspondence/Information:  Summer Sunset Concert Series – Music by the River at East Side Beach:  June 28, 2019 – Subject 2 Change Band  July 26, 2019 – Glam Band  August 23, 2019 – The Fabulous Rugburns OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL – addressed later in the meeting. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING: Old Business: A. Dog park project update. Last July, Council gave Emily Gonnering permission to start fundraising for her Girl Scout Gold Award to construct a dog park and to use city property on the city’s west side, directly to the left COMMON COUNCIL – April 9, 2019 Page 3 after you cross the bridge on Maple Avenue for its location; as long as she keeps the city informed with fundraising efforts and comes back to council for final approval before any construction begins. Gonnering presented Council with an update on her project. To date, she has currently raised $14,700 of her $25,100 goal. In addition to receiving donations from those just wanting to support the dog park, her fundraising efforts included sending letters to business owners and making and selling dog treats and toys. She has raised approximately 70% of the cost of the fence and would like to ask the city to contribute funding for the remaining cost in hopes that a fence could be constructed before Memorial Day. She would need $5,300 to complete the fence purchase. Gonnering would like to put the fence up as soon as she has funds so the community could see the project moving forward in hopes to receive more donations. Her plan would be not to open the park until it was totally finished with benches, signs, tables, and trees. Council felt it was too premature to contribute funds or to start construction of the dog park. Financially, the city did not budget for any contribution but may be able to help at a later date when she comes closer to reaching her goal. It was suggested that Gonnering erect signs at the site declaring it as the future community dog park and possibly place a thermometer sign up showing the progress made and amount needed to reach her goal. Council did not want construction to start until all the funds were in place and would like her to come back for final approval before starting. Gonnering also asked if she could get a group of art students together to paint a dog mirror on the side of the small building which is currently on the dog park site. Council thought this would look nice and go with the dog park theme. She would like the mirror to be an end of summer project and felt this would also help promote donations. Council thanked Gonnering for all her efforts and dedication in making this project contribution for the community to enjoy. No action taken. OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL Chad Trudell, event chairman for Panther Pride’s Memorial Weekend Celebration, gave a run-down of festivities planned for the weekend event. Festivities included the carnival, softball tournaments, fireworks, Dash O.F. Color 5k run/walk, bean bag tournament, music bands, bicycle give-a-way, car show, craft vendors, and parade. He will supply a contact list to city hall to help stream line callers with event questions. B. Potential redevelopment for Memorial Field. Scott Groholski, plan designer for Point of Beginnings, presented the Memorial Park Master Plan for reconstruction of the city park. The two easterly baseball fields and two shelters in the middle will remain. Everything else was removed to develop into the master plan. The plan was broken down into three phases. Phase 1 is the construction of a junior varsity baseball field and multi- purpose green space/practice field with a projected cost of approximately $887,760.; Phase 2 is the construction of a varsity baseball field with a projected cost of approximately $792,630.; and Phase 3 is the plaza entry area with a projected cost of approximately $303,360. The multi-purpose green space can be used for football, soccer, car show, etc. Groholski informed that for an additional $5,000, his company would help to organize, set up a website campaign, and offer guidance with fundraising efforts. There are funds offered from entities already to cover this cost. They are COMMON COUNCIL – April 9, 2019 Page 4 seeking Council approval of the master plan so they can proceed with fundraising efforts under the guidance of Point of Beginnings. MOTION: McDermid / Rusch Motion to approve the Memorial Park Master Plan as presented by Point of Beginnings and allow groups to continue with fundraising efforts. Voice Vote: All present voting aye - MOTION CARRIED New Business: A. Ambulance Service update. Six to nine months ago, the ambulance service in Oconto Falls was going through some uncertain times and leaning heavily on Gillett’s ambulance service for assistance. Last July, Patrick Ahlgrim was hired on as the new director and has significantly changed things around. Oconto Falls Ambulance Service is now helping Gillett. Members that had previously left the service are now coming back. There is also a strong relationship between the ambulance service and fire department. Progress has been made and the service is growing stronger each day. No action taken. B. Temporary Class B License Application for the Panther Sponsor to sell beer on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday; May 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27, 2019 at Memorial Field Park in an area fenced in by the music bands during Memorial Weekend Celebration. The bona fide club has filed proper application with the City to obtain a license to sell beer throughout the weekend celebration. MOTION: McDermid / Holman Motion to approve the Temporary Class B License Application for the Panther Sponsor to sell beer on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday; May 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27, 2019 at Memorial Field Park in an area fenced in by the music bands during Memorial Weekend Celebration. Voice Vote: All present voting aye - MOTION CARRIED C. Temporary Class B License Application for County Line Rod and Custom to sell beer on Monday, May 27, 2019 at Memorial Field Park in an area fenced in by the car show area on Memorial Day. The bona fide club has filed proper application with the City to obtain a license to sell beer at the car show on Memorial Day. COMMON COUNCIL – April 9, 2019 Page 5 MOTION: Holman / Coopman Motion to approve the Temporary Class B License Application for County Line Rod and Custom to sell beer on Monday, May 27, 2019 at Memorial Field Park in the fenced in car show area on Memorial Day. Voice Vote: All present voting aye - MOTION CARRIED D. Application for agent change on the Oconto Falls Golf Club Inc. Alcohol License from Kevin Patenaude to Kevin Williams. Proper application has been filed by Oconto Falls Golf Club Inc., d/b/a River Island Golf Course to change their agent. Chief Olsen completed a background check and has signed off on the application. MOTION: Wirtz / McDermid Motion to approve the application for agent change on the Oconto Falls Golf Club Inc. Alcohol License, naming Kevin Williams as the new agent. Voice Vote: All present voting aye - MOTION CARRIED E. Operator’s License Application: 2 year – Dyani L.O. Brunette The applicant has successfully completed a beverage server class and filed proper application with the city to obtain a license. Chief Olsen completed a background check and has signed off on the application. MOTION: Wirtz / Holman Motion to approve the 2 year operator’s license application for Dyani L.O. Brunette. Voice Vote: All present voting aye - MOTION CARRIED F. Adjournment. Mayor Rice asked if there was any further business before the meeting is adjourned. Having no further business, he declared the meeting adjourned at 7:58 pm. ________________________________ City Administrator Vicki A. Roberts