Town Board Meeting — Minutes

Town of Liberty Grove Minutes of the Town Board meeting on August 19, 2026 (this meeting was correctly posted) Agenda: 1. Call to order 2. Declaration of quorum followed by the Pledge of Allegiance 3. Approve Agenda 4. Approve minutes from 8/5/26 5. Public input 6. Committee Reports 7. Utility District#1 a. Payment of bills b. Treasurer’s Report 8. Payment of Town bills 9. Town Treasurer’s Report 10. Overview of fire sign replacement project from Jeb Saelens 11. Consider Recommendation from Plan Commission Re: Preliminary Plat Review for Six Birches 12. Approval of Guardian renewal package 13. First look at LGUD#1 2027 Budget 14. Discuss Recommendation from Highway Committee Re: ATV/UTV Use on Town Roads 15. Operator Licenses 16. Short Term Rental licenses 17. Correspondence 18. Future meeting(s) 19. Adjourn Chairman Nancy Goss called the meeting to order at 6:00pm. Supervisors Janet Johnson, Sylvann Welcome, Cathy Ward and Dan Watts were present along with Administrator Buckingham, Clerk/Treasurer Pamela Donart-Welcome, and 24 members of the public. Johnson moved, Ward seconded to approve the Agenda as posted. Carried 5 – 0 Ward moved, Goss seconded to approve the 8/5/26 minutes as presented. Carried 5 – 0 Public input was given on ATV/UTV use as noted prior to discussion on agenda item# 14 below. Committee Reports: Ward reported that the Parks & Property Committee have finalized a draft CORP and asked the office to send it on to the County for their input before sending it on to the Town Board for approval and confirmed their 2027 budget requests to be presented to the Finance Committee for review. Goss moved, Ward seconded to pay the Liberty Grove Utility District #1 bills totaling $492.84. Carried 5 – 0 Treasurer’s Report: Donart-Welcome reported the following Utility District #1 account balances as of July 31, 2026: Checking Account $ 109,874.39 Savings Account $ 212,297.43 Restricted Savings $ 132,658.75 CD $ 174,550.33 TOTAL $ 629,380.90 Johnson moved, Ward seconded to approve the Utility District#1 Treasurer's Report as presented. Carried 5 – 0 Goss moved, Ward seconded to pay the Town bills totaling $80,251.92. Carried 5 – 0 Treasurer’s Report: Donart-Welcome reported the following Town account balances as of July 31, 2026: Municipal Checking $ 1,972,196.25 Money Market Account $ 1,186,987.91 General Checking $ 121,909.98 Utility District #1 $ _ 629,380.90 TOTAL $ 3,910,475.04 Ward moved, Johnson seconded to approve the Treasurer's Report as presented. Carried 5 – 0 Jeb Saelens, Director of Emergency Management for Door County gave a summary of the project to replace all the fire numbers in the Towns of Door County with newer, more visible blue signs. The project is being done in stages and is progressing north to south. The County crew began by replacing signs that were on usable posts located within 20 feet of the driveway and unobstructed. They will then go through on a second pass with any properties that need new posts installed along with the new number signs. He noted that if anyone choses to keep their old fire number, they should write “save” on the back with permanent marker or tape, and the installation crew will leave their sign next to the post for the owner. They are anticipating getting up into the Liberty Grove area in 2027 if not sooner. Ward summarized the request to review the preliminary plat for Six Birches, LLC that came before the Plan Commission at their 8/12/26 meeting, and how the Commission was approved after notifying the applicant that the owners would need to consider DarkSky-friendly lighting on the property, and consider ensuring the access road(s) from the highway to the property would meet standards allowing emergency vehicles to enter safely. Ward moved, Goss seconded that the Town Board of Liberty Grove recommend approval for the preliminary plat review of major land division and creation of a conservation subdivision on parcel number 018053233291181 owned by Six Birches LLC. Carried 5 – 0 The Clerk summarized the renewal package for the Town employee Guardian Life and STD/AD&D, sharing that the rates have not changed significantly in the annual premiums. Johnson moved, Welcome seconded to renew the Guardian insurance package as presented. Carried 5 - 0 After reviewing the first draft of the 2027 LGUD#1 budget, the Board agreed by consensus to send it on to be reviewed by the Finance Committee along with the Town’s proposed budget. Public Input regarding allowing ATV/UTV use on all Town Roads: Jay Olson of 11504 Mink River Rd in Ellison Bay spoke in favor of allowing the use of ATVs and UTVs on all Town roads. Walter Kalms asked for clarification on the definitions for ATV and UTV in the draft ordinance, as it seemed to be incorrect. Billy Appel clarified the definitions as written were taken directly from State Statutes. He followed by noting the need for 111 signs to be purchased and posted throughout the Town to direct allowable routes for ATV & UTV traffic. The Town Board and Administrator agreed the next step would be to have the Town attorney review the draft ordinance before any final action is taken on it. Johnson moved, Goss seconded to authorize the Administrator to send the proposed ordinance for ATV/UTV use on Town roads to our legal team for review and recommendation. Roll Call: Welcome, Ward, Goss, Watts, and Johnson voted aye. There were no nays. Motion carried 5 - 0 There were no Operator Permit applications or Short-Term Rental applications to present to the Board for approval at this meeting. Correspondence: Administrator Buckingham shared: a letter from the Door County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) indicating housing remains one of the most significant issues affecting Door County's workforce, economic sustainability, and quality of life, prompting them to hire Place Dynamics to conduct a comprehensive countywide Housing Study, and ask each of the municipalities to make a contribution to help with the cost; an email from the WI Dept of Administration reporting the Demographic Services Center’s preliminary estimate of the January 1, 2026 population for the Town of Liberty Grove us 2,201—an increase of 105 persons (5.01%) since the 2020 Census, and a net change of 46 housing units in 2025; a notice that some tree removal was permitted on private land on Scandia Rd; a letter from the LGHS notifying that the F.J. King Shipwreck was entered into both the State and National Register for Historic Places; an email form David Christiansen sharing there will be a Recycling event taking place the morning of September 26 in the former Shopko parking lot; a notice from the Wisconsin Towns Association that there will be an increase in member dues in 2027; an email request from Maryanne O’Dowd asking for a Ceremonial Proclamation from the Town to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Winnie-the-Pooh by symbolically renaming the community a fun “Pooh- inspired” name for the day of Wednesday, October 14, 2026; a “Thank You” card from the Ellison Bay Service Club (EBSC) for the Town’s help in making this year’s Ellison Bay Day a big success; an email from EBSC announcing they will hold their annual meeting on September 17th which will include a showing of the “Through Fire, a Community” film; a letter from the WI Department of Administration sharing their 2026 edition of the Wisconsin Great Lakes Chronicle. Future Meeting: The next regular Town Board meeting was scheduled for September 2, 2026 beginning at 6:00pm. Goss moved, Johnson seconded to adjourn at 7:08pm. Carried 5 - 0 Respectfully submitted, Pamela Donart-Welcome, Clerk/Treasurer Approved on 9/2/26