TOWN BOARD MEETING — Minutes

MEETING MINUTES TOWN OF LAFAYETTE AUGUST 3, 2026 5765 197TH ST. CHIPPEWA FALLS WI 54726 Closed Session – Office Assistant Position Interviews: The board convened in closed session under Wisconsin statutes section 19.85(1)(c) to deliberate on office assistant position interviews at 6:31pm. A roll call was conducted with Chairman Staber, Brennan, Larson, Mathwig, and McIlquham were present. Call To Order / Roll Call: Chairman Staber called the regular meeting to order at 7:00 pm and conducted roll call. Present were Chairman Staber, Brennan, Larson, Mathwig and McIlquham. Approval Of Town Board Minutes: The board reviewed the town board minutes July 20th, 2026, Regular Board Meeting & Current Agenda. Mathwig moved to approve the minutes and the regular board meeting agenda and Brennan seconded. Financial Report: NONE Public Comment: A resident, Sam Link, who resides near the intersection of County Road J and 40th Avenue (at the Schuetzy's corner), addressed the board regarding a serious traffic safety concern. He reported that vehicles — including farm trucks and passenger cars — routinely fail to stop at the four-way stop intersection. Mr. Link noted that he has observed this problem consistently over the course of 6 years and has called Chippewa County multiple times. He expressed urgency, stating his belief that a fat ality at the intersection was inevitable if action was not taken. Board members engaged with Mr. Link, and the discussion touched on possible remedies, including flashing lights on the stop s igns, rumble strips, and the possibility of having a patrol vehicle visible at the intersection. It was noted that rumble strips wo uld require county involvement, as the county maintains portions of the intersection. Several board members acknowledged awareness of the problem. Mr. Link was informed that County Road J is already on the county's plan for repaving in the coming year. The board indicated that installing small flashing red lights on top of the stop signs was a viable near -term action they could pursue. No formal action was taken, as public comment items are informational only. Old Business: NONE New Business: County Emergency Management Plan – Jason Mosses: Jason Moses, Chippewa County Emergency Manager, provided an overview of the county’s emergency management framework and disaster declaration process. He emphasized that county emergency management supports, rather than replaces, local authority during emergencies. Mr. Moses stressed the importance of documenting all incident-related activities and expenses from the beginning to support potential state and federal reimbursement. The Board discussed past storm damage and FEMA reimbursement requirements. Mr. Moses noted that the state disaster fund may cover approximately 70% of eligible costs when federal thresholds are not met and that WisDOT has assisted with certain documented r oad damage. The Board discussed the Town’s Emergency Operations Plan and agreed that an annual review would help ensure Board members and partner organizations are familiar with their roles. Mr. Moses also provided updates on GIS mapping and fire number assignmen ts and noted that older address discrepancies are being addressed. Mr. Moses offered to tour Town buildings with Board members following the meeting. 2027 Outdoor Recreation Plan Report: The board reviewed the 2027 Outdoor Recreation Plan report, which had been distributed in advance. Chairman Staber noted that the town's recreation fund balance is growing and recommended that the board begin planni ng for expenditures to draw it down appropriately. It was also noted that three slip buoys at the lake have gone missing again, possibly drifting into deeper water or being displaced by recreational users. The board discussed anchoring and retrieval, and a board member was asked to obtain pricing on replacement buoys, with the intent to purchase using recreation funds. Mathwig moved to approve and accept the 2027 Outdoor Recreation Plan Report and seconded by Larson. CSM – Janicki: The board considered a Certified Survey Map (CSM) request from the Janicki family. The applicant seeks to add ten feet of land from the adjacent family-owned property to their residential parcel in order to meet the required 20-foot side yard setback for a planned home addition. The properties are located at approximately the corner of 52nd and 10th Avenue. No applicant representative was present. Motion to approve the CSM for Janicki was made by Brennan and seconded by Mathwig. Stormwater Fee Schedule: The board reviewed the county stormwater fee schedule, which covers costs associated with stormwater permit review, site visits by consultants, and permit closeout. It was clarified that all fees under this schedule are paid b y developers, not the town. The board noted that the municipal service fee component is approximately $43,000 annually, shared proportional ly among participating townships, with Lafayette's share being approximately $11,000. All townships are required to formally app rove this fee schedule. Motion to approve the county stormwater fee schedule was made by Mathwig and seconded by Brennan. Repair or Replace Well Pump in Back of Town Shop: Road Supervisor Mark reported that the well pump at the back of the town shop was originally installed around 1978–1979. The pump had been previously pulled and serviced, and was confirmed to have run successfully all day. It was determined that the pump itself is in good working order; however, the control box, wiring, and piping require replacement. The cost of repairs was estimated at under $1,000, to be performed by a contractor. It was noted that th e well, once repaired, could be used for sprinkling the adjacent fields, making its continued operation beneficial. Replacing the pump entirely would cost approximately $10,000, making the repair option clearly preferable. Sufficient budget was confirmed to exist under direct maintenance. Motion to approve up to $1,000 for repair of the well pump at the town shop was made by Mathwig and seconded by Brennan. Town Communications Board & Road Supervisor, Town Clerk & Town Chair: Road Supervisor: Reported that 163rd Avenue was paved on Saturday, with the service road on 165th scheduled for Thursday. He also noted community interest in approximately 40 acres of land near the corner of Double O Road and 180th Street, which was donated to a church and is now listed for sale at approximately $386,000 for 38 acres. Multiple developers have expressed interest, though the farmer currently working the land holds a right of first refusal. A board member recalled that the original donor had stipulated the land should not be sold to a developer. PRTLU Member (Scott): Announced he would not be attending any September meetings due to travel. He requested that his alternate attend the relevant meetings in his place and noted that Sue would cover the PRTL meeting. Town Supervisor Mathwig: Acknowledged and commended local business owners Thaler (for significant improvements to the local gas station – Express Mart) and Jacobson (for the renovation of a large commercial building, which will include a 6,000 square -foot fitness facility among other tenants). Town Chair Staber: Reported attending the county unit meeting on Tuesday, where the proposed additional 0.5% county sales tax for road funding was discussed. If approved by the state legislature — and contingent on neighboring counties (Eau Claire and Dunn) participating — Chippewa County could generate approximately $9,000,000, with half distributed to townships. Lafayette's estimated share would be approximately $300,000–$350,000, restricted to road use. The Chair also reported attending a TAC meeting in Eau Claire on Thursday, where legislative updates including annexation ordinance proposals were discussed, though no actionable outcomes emerged. He additionally noted that Chippewa County has bonded for r oad work in the coming year and plans to reconstruct 20 miles of county roads. It was confirmed that with Labor Day falling on September 7th, only one meeting (September 21st) would be held that month. Town Supervisor Larson: Raised the ongoing concern regarding Airbnb rentals proliferating in the township, noting that not all operators are submitting the required paperwork. The town clerk confirmed that two recent rentals have been approved and that a checklist is in place. It was suggested that public health be consulted to ensure all new operators are being captured in the registration process. Motion To Adjourn was made at 7:37 PM Respectfully submitted by: Jami Carter / Clerk These minutes are intended to reflect the discussed topics and propositions during the Lafayette Town Board Meeting, ensuring transparency and providing a clear understanding of the deliberations and decisions made.