Town Board Meeting — Minutes

MEETING MINUTES TOWN OF LAFAYETTE Sept 15, 2025 5765 197TH ST. CHIPPEWA FALLS WI 54726 Call To Order / Roll Call - The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM. A roll call was conducted confirming the presence of Supervisors Brennan, Larson, Mathwig, McIlquham, Chair Staber, Clerk Konwinski and residents. Approval of Town Board Minutes - Supervisor Larson made a motion to approve the town board minutes from August 18, 2025, and the consent agenda for tonight's meeting. McIlquham seconded the motion. FINANCIAL REPORT - Chairman Staber reported that in August, the town received the second half of the tax settlement, which was just over $500,000. He noted that the town also borrowed $250,000 in August due to the timing difference for the $253,000 blacktop expense. The balance at the end of August was $753,887.45. He mentioned that approximately $167,000 in bills would be going out today, and another fire department bill of almost $200,000 would be coming due soon. Supervisor Mathwig asked about a check listed on the financial report, which Chairman Staber clarified was for an end loader that the town leases rather than purchases outright. He explain ed they lease it on a 5-year cycle to maintain good trade-in value. Supervisor Mathwig made a motion to approve the financial report and bills. The motion was seconded by Brennan and approved unanimously by roll call vote with all supervisors voting aye. PUBLIC COMMENTS - A Life Scout addressed the board regarding his Eagle Scout project. He proposed building garbage and recycling can holders for the Lafayette Town Hall area, including the sports field playground, pickleball court, and disc golf course. He described how the holders would secure the cans in place, prevent animals from getting into the trash, improve appearance, and include hinged covers to keep out rain. The Scout presented a picture of his proposed design and indicated he was seeking initial feedback before submitting a formal proposal. Chairman Staber thanked him for his presentation and directed him to first bring his proposal to the PRTLU Commission before returning to the Town Board. NEW BUSINESS Fredrick CSM – lot addition/modification - The board reviewed the Frederick CSM, which involved rearranging some lot lines to place old buildings in the market on a separate piece of property. Supervisor Mathwig made a motion to approve the Frederick CSM as presented. McIlquham seconded the motion. Dehli CSM – lot combination - The board reviewed the Delhi CSM, which involved combining two lots. Supervisor Msthwig made a motion to approve the Delhi CSM as presented. Brennan seconded the motion. Eckwright preliminary approval for CSM - Chairman Staber reported that Mr. Eckwright had made some changes to his CSM as suggested by the PRTLU, but wasn't present at that meeting. The applicant shared that he had spoken with Pete Garamin about the project but he didn't have enough time to prepare new materials for today's meeting. The applicant explained that he was planning to start building on Lot 2, which is a separate 20-acre parcel. Chairman Staber clarified that the applicant could start with one house on that property without a CSM, but would need the full plat to develop additional lots. The applicant presented his plans, noting that he had spoken with the highway department about access points. Two main issues were discussed: stormwater management and the length of the road ending in a cul-de-sac. Chairman Staber confirmed that any road longer than 500 feet is required to have a cul-de-sac at the end, which this plan included. No action was required on this item. The applicant would continue working on stormwater management plans and return to a future meeting. Ewings CSM - Jason Heiss - The board reviewed the Ewings CSM presented by Jason Heiss. The proposal involved creating two lots from a certified 30-acre parcel, with Lot 2 (10 acres) being sold or given to the owner's grandson. The new lot would have access from 70th Street. Supervisor Larson made a motion to approve the Ewings CSM as presented. Supervisor Brennan seconded the motion. Open a 2nd Town Checking account for tax collection - Chairman Staber explained that opening a second checking account specifically for tax collections would simplify the QuickBooks accounting for the township. Currently, everything from interest to tax collections goes into the township account, causing confusion when funds are transferred in and out. The proposed separate account would handle tax collections, refunds, and interest, with only a single transfer to the township account after settlements. Supervisor Mathwig made a motion to accept the Town Treasurer's recommendation to open an additional checking account to be used strictly for tax collection purposes. The motion was seconded by McIlquham and approved unanimously. Animal citation as drafted by Weld Riley - The board discussed an animal citation drafted by Weld Riley. Chairman Staber explained that Steve, the animal control officer would bring information back to the town hall, and a citation could be assigned to property owners as needed. Supervisor Larson made a motion to approve the citation as drafted by Weld Riley. The motion was seconded by Brennan. Raze order for property on Hwy X by Bateman - Chairman Staber discussed a property on Highway X by Bateman Tavern, currently owned by Al Balsinger. The property was previously sold on land contract to James and Becky, who started renovations but created "a huge mess." The property has since been transferred back to Balsinger. Staber explained that a raze order would give the property owner 30 days to demolish the structure and clean up the property. If the owner doesn't comply, the town would have the authority to hire a contractor to clean up the property, with costs added to the tax roll. Supervisor Larson made a motion to approve the raze order for the property to move the project forward. The motion was seconded by Brennan. Replace tractor mower, consider leasing with 5-year lease - Chairman Staber noted that he was waiting for more information from Tractor Central regarding trade-in value and leasing options. Supervisor Larson mentioned that employees had expressed interest in a tractor with regular tires instead of tractor tires, which Staber confirmed was included in the proposal. Supervisor Mathwig made a motion to table this item until the next meeting. The motion was seconded by McIlquham and approved unanimously. Chippewa Fire District Budget - Chairman Staber presented the Chippewa Fire District budget. He noted that Lafayette's percentage had changed from 25% to 26%, representing a 5.9% increase. The town's total contribution would be $752,003.62, compared to the Village of Lake Hallie's $675,000. He explained that the difference was due to Lafayette being ahead of the village on property reevaluation, which would likely balance out in the next budget cycle. Supervisor Mathwig made a motion to approve Lafayette's portion of the budget at $752,003.62. The motion was seconded by Larson and approved unanimously by roll call vote. Lafayette Fire Station dehumidifier option - Chairman Staber reported meeting with Josh from Poland's regarding humidity problems at the fire station. The proposal included installing a central dehumidifier in the furnace room upstairs for approximately $3,200. Additionally, changes were made to the thermostat in the meeting room, which had been running in "occupied" mode 24/7, causing the system to continuously draw in warm, humid air. A motion was made by Supervisor McIlquham to approve the installation of the humidifier for $3099.00 and was seconded by Brennan. Approve name for the proposed park east of LeMay Addition - Chairman Staber shared that the PRTLU Committee had recommended naming the park after Sandra Harvey, a longtime town clerk who served for over 20 years. Mark Sedlacek confirmed that he had spoken with the Harvey family, who welcomed having the park named after their mother and grandmother. The board discussed various naming options, including "Harvey Park," "Sandra Harvey Memorial Park," and "Harvey Park in honor of Sandra Harvey" with the establishment da te. After discussion, Supervisor Mathwig made a motion to refer the final naming decision back to the PRTLU Committee. Supervisor Brennan seconded the motion. UTV trail in park east of LeMay Addition - Chairman Staber reported that after discussions with Chris Elstran, it was determined that County Highway K would not be suitable for a UTV trail due to high-speed traffic and volume. Instead, they would work on establishing a UTV trail coming out of LeMay to the east, which would give residents an option to access trails without having to load and transport their vehicles. The trail would be designated specifically for UTVs, while the rest of the park would remain available for hiking, cross-country skiing, and other activities. The UTV club would provide funding for signage. Supervisor Larson made a motion to approve the UTV trail east of LeMay addition in the new park. Supervisor Brennan seconded the motion. Boot Allowance receipts needed for tracking - The board discussed whether receipts should be required for the $350 boot allowance provided to employees. Currently, employees receive the allowance and are required to have appropriate safety equipment inclu ding boots, gloves, and safety glasses, but aren't required to submit receipts. After discussion, the board decided to maintain the current policy of providing the allowance without requiring receipts, with the understanding that employees must have the appropriate equipment for their work. Town Communications from Board & Road Supervisors, Town Clerk & Town Chair – Reports included: the soccer fields are seeing increased usage, with the new parking lot being well-received. The rec director had created girls-only leagues for younger players, which had significantly increased participation. Suggestion of planting trees between the parking lot and playground area. The recommendation of installing green flashing lights on Kyle's dump truck for safety purposes. Safety equipment for recycling center workers is in place and emphasizes the need for high-visibility clothing for worker safety. Representative from the fire department requested a $500 donation to pay the band for the fall festival on October 5th and will be discussed at the next meeting. Closed session under Wisconsin statutes section 19.85(1)(c) - Supervisor Mcilquham made a motion to go into closed session under Wisconsin statutes section 19.85(1)(c) to deliberate on personnel matters. The motion was seconded by Brennan. Supervisor Brennan made a motion to go out of closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Statute Section 19.85(1)(c). McIlquham seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously through a roll call vote. Motion to Adjourn was made at 8:23 following the closed session discussion. Respectfully submitted by: Laura Konwiski / 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.