TOWN BOARD MEETING — Minutes

MEETING MINUTES TOWN OF LAFAYETTE APRIL 20, 2026 5765 197TH ST. CHIPPEWA FALLS WI 54726 Call To Order / Roll Call: Chairman Staber called the meeting to order at 7:29 pm and confirmed that the meeting had been properly posted and noticed. Roll call was conducted with the following results: Chairman Staber, Brennan, Larson, Mathwig and McIlquh am present. Approval Of Town Board Minutes: The board reviewed the town board minutes April 6th, 2026 Regular Board Meeting & Current Agenda. Larson moved to approve the minutes and the regular board meeting agenda and Mathwig seconded. Financial Report: Chairman Staber presented the financial report, indicating the township had $978,788.61 in the checking account at the end of March. March expenses totaled $211,416.96, with the largest expenditure being $183,000 to the fire district. Moved by Supervisor McIlquham, seconded by Supervisor Brennan. Public Comments: Resident expressed frustration about culvert replacement practices, arguing that culverts should be replaced as standard procedure when roads are repaved. He emphasized his business experience selling culverts locally and felt the townsh ip should support local businesses. He noted he has operated his business for 9 years while roads have been paved without culvert replacement, despite paying significant property taxes on his $600,000 home. He suggested establishing this as standard pract ice to prevent future complaints and maintenance issues. Old Business: No old business was discussed. New Business Polytek Quotes – Bathroom And Concession Area: Chairman Staber presented quotes from Polytek for floor coating in the park bathrooms and concession area. The bathroom quote was $2,850 for both bathrooms, requiring a $1,425 deposit with the remainde r due at completion. The concession area quote was $6,072. Only one quote was received as Garage Force never responded despite multiple contact attempts. Staber recommended proceeding only with the bathrooms, citing concerns about the concession area flooring becoming slippery when wet from spilled beverages and ice. He noted that Polytek sometimes becomes slippery when wet, which could create safety hazards for children. Board member Mathwig raised concerns about slipperiness in bathrooms when children enter with wet shoes from dewy grass. Discussion ensued about adding grit or texture to improve traction. The board decided to contact Polytek about adding anti-slip texture before making a decision. Motion: Supervisor McIlquham moved to table the quotes for bathroom and concession area until the next meeting on May 4th. Yellow River Acres Plat: Ben Peterson from Real Land Surveying presented the Yellow River Acres Plat for approval. He explained this is a subdivision to facilitate land transactions between the current owner and Paul Close, who will handle the main development. Since owner already completed a 4-lot CSM, he cannot do another CSM to divide the land further. Peterson clarified that this approval is only for the plat subdivision to enable the land transaction. The actual development plans, including storm water manageme nt and developer's agreement, will be submitted separately after this approval. All storm water calculations have been completed by ADC, with drainage designed to handle both 70th Street runoff and the new town road through the subdivision. The PRTLU had previously approved the Yellow River Acres plat. Peterson indicated that if subsequent approvals are obtained, construction could potentially begin this year, with Corey planning to build additional homes on 70th Street where he currently has 8 lo ts. Motion: Brennan moved to approve and seconded by Mathwig. Town Communications From Board & Road Supervisors, Town Clerk & Town Chair: Chairman Staber discussed a text messaging service proposal for township communications. The system would cost approximately $9,000 for setup and $4,000-$6,000 annually. The service would allow the township to send text notifications about road work and other township matters to residents who sign up. After discussion, board members expressed concern about the cost-effectiveness, noting that emergency notifications are already covered by the sheriff's dispatch system, and routine communications can be h andled through the township website and Facebook page. The board consensus was that the expense was not justified for the level of s ervice provided. Sharon McIlquham reported that town cleanup is scheduled for Saturday from 8 AM to 3 PM, and the thrift sale will also occur Saturday with signs already posted. Tom Larson reported issues with ZieliesTree Services, contracted by Excel Energy for tree trimming. While their crews properly trimmed trees near power lines and cleaned up debris, a crew with a large crane saw recently cut through forested areas and l eft brush piles, creating fire hazards. Similar issues occurred along Highway K, with hopes the company will return to clean up the remaining debris. Mark Brennan raised concerns about the preliminary plat for Haas Wood development, noting that developers have bulldozed 40 acres without yet appearing before the town board. Chairman Staber clarified that property owners have the right to clear their lan d regardless of development plans. Brennan questioned the placement of retention ponds, particularly one planned behind an existing residence whose owners built in 2019 expecting to maintain their wooded privacy. Staber explained that pond placement depends on topography and drainage patterns, and final storm water plans must be approved by County Land Conservation. The board noted this topic should be formally added to a future agenda when developers present their plans. Neil Mathwig requested adding township procurement process discussion to a future agenda, citing issues with obtaining comparable quotes for projects like the town hall painting and current flooring project. He suggested establishing formal procedures for projects over certain dollar amounts. Board of Review was scheduled for May 14th from 5-7 PM, with Jami and the Chairman serving as the two-person board. The board confirmed that at least three members would be present. Motion To Adjourn was made at 7:56 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.