Physical Facilities & Utilities Committee — Minutes

1 VILLAGE OF EPHRAIM PHYSICAL FACILITIES & UTILITIES MINUTES WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2026, 10:00 AM 9996 WATER STREET Action Items: Flottman moved, Reinhardt seconded to approve the minutes of May 5, 2026, all ayes. Motion carried. Flottman moved, Reinhardt seconded to recommend to the Village Board approval of planting a Princeton Elm Tree as the Village’s Liberty Tree to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States, with a dedication plaque mounted on native limestone at Harborside Park, all ayes. Motion carried. Flottman moved, Reinhardt seconded to recommend to the Village Board to create language addressing non-profit requests to rent the Village Hall that are not local to Ephraim. Only non-profits, located within the Village of Ephraim, shall be exempt from Village Hall rental fees, all ayes. Motion carried. Flottman moved, Reinhardt seconded to undertake snow removal on the North End Path, all ayes. Motion carried. Flottman moved, Reinhardt seconded to recommend to the Village Board to concentrate more time and effort on options #2 and #4 for the Administration Building Plans, both in scope, size, and potentially location for option #4 if required, all ayes. Motion carried. Flottman moved to adjourn at 11:06 AM, Reinhardt seconded, all ayes. Motion carried. Present: Paul Flottman, Brian Reinhardt, and Matt Meacham – Chair. Absent: Scott Lohman. Staff: Brent Bristol – Village Administrator, Justin MacDonald – Maintenance Manager/Fire Chief, and Kim Roberts - Deputy Clerk. Guests online: Lane Methner (EBC), Jane Larson, and Ken Nelson. Guests in person: Carly Mulliken and Sarah Martin. 1. Call to Order: Meacham called the meeting to order at 8:00 AM. 2. Quorum: A quorum was present for this meeting. 3. Changes in Agenda: There were none. 4. Approval of Previous Minutes: Flottman moved, Reinhardt seconded to approve the minutes of May 5, 2026, all ayes. Motion carried. 5. Visitors’ Comments: There were none. 6. Maintenance Manager Report: MacDonald provided an overview of the activities the Maintenance Department completed in May: • Outdoor work for the season commenced, including opening bathrooms, placing garbage cans, flower planting, hanging flags, and mowing operations. • The 2026 paving projects were coordinated with the Door County Highway Department, slated to begin in June. • The launch dock was installed at the marina. • Five (5) year well inspections were completed by the WI DNR. • Interviews were conducted for the vacant maintenance position. • Stumps were cut down to as close to grade as possible on Moravia Point to prep the site for future work. • Placement of no-parking signs and pedestrian signs for the season. 2 • Attended Fyr Bal emergency planning meeting. • Final preparation for the brush and yard site was completed, including signage and two (2) loads of gravel. • Six (6) new fire signs were installed. 7. Discussion and consideration of Liberty Tree: Meacham provided an informational update on the Liberty Tree project, noting that the task force consisting of Cody Shreck, Carly Mulliken, and himself had reached a consensus. They are recommending a Princeton elm tree to be planted at Harborside Park, near where another tree had come down. Harborside Park was selected as the most suitable location for a substantial-sized tree. A discussion was held regarding the Liberty Tree. Mulliken explained that the task force agreed on using native Door County limestone to mount the plaque, with a local masonry contractor donating the stone. While the plaque will be mounted on the native limestone, it can be moved as the tree grows larger. The 4” tree will be sourced from Hortonville, Wisconsin and is a species that is resistant to elm disease. Bristol noted that equipment and digging will be coordinated between the vendor and MacDonald. Flottman moved, Reinhardt seconded to recommend to the Village Board approval of planting a Princeton Elm Tree as the Village’s Liberty Tree to celebrate the 250 th anniversary of the United States, with a dedication plaque mounted on native limestone at Harborside Park, all ayes. Motion carried. 8. Update on Village Dump Hours of Operation: Meacham initiated a discussion about dump hours of operation due to concerns raised at the last Board meeting regarding unauthorized dumping. While there was consideration of restricting hours, many residents use the dump on weekends, and unauthorized dumping has occurred even after hours. The discussion evolved toward installing security cameras on visible red poles, so users know they are being monitored, along with additional signage. MacDonald reported significant unauthorized dumping, including wood chips, topsoil, and tree trunks, which are not acceptable materials. A Mass email notification has been sent to residents about proper usage. MacDonald noted that many other municipal dump sites control their hours, typically operating only during set times or specific days. He suggested that if abuse continues, the Village may need to restrict contractor access or implement limited hours. Committee members discussed that the volume of material suggests usage beyond what Ephraim residents alone would generate. The Committee agreed to start with camera installation and improved signage as first steps, with enforcement likely having a deterrent effect once word spreads. MacDonald will report back on the effectiveness of these measures. 9. Discussion on rental of the Village Hall: The discussion arose because of the amount of time the maintenance crew spends breaking down and setting up the Village Hall before and after nonprofit events. Currently, nonprofits are not charged rental fees, and there is only one paying event for 2026. Meacham proposed that if nonprofits leave the hall in the same condition they found it, no fee should be charged. However, if additional cleanup is required, an $85 fee would be assessed. Mulliken noted that local nonprofits like EBC and EHF would find regular fees detrimental to their programming. Bristol explained that the current situation differs from pre-COVID, when the hall sat empty year-round, versus now, when it's regularly used for meetings. Flottman moved, Reinhardt seconded to recommend to the Village Board to create language addressing non-profit requests to rent the Village Hall that are not local to Ephraim. Only non- profits, located within the Village of Ephraim, shall be exempt from Village Hall rental fees, all ayes. Motion carried. 10. Discussion and recommendation on snow removal and other items related to the North End Walking Path: 3 Meacham noted that as a north end business person, there's limited winter activity, though there are now two established year-round businesses with a third coming soon. He questioned whether to provide snow removal services for the new walking path, similar to downtown sidewalk maintenance. A discussion was held regarding snow removal on the North End Path. MacDonald confirmed they currently clear downtown sidewalks but not the shorefront walkway. He indicated that snow removal would be done with a snowblower, similar to downtown operations, though timing would depend on how the path interfaces with highway snow removal. Flottman recommended planning to clear the path initially, noting that usage patterns could be evaluated after the first winter season. Bristol confirmed they wouldn't know the actual time and resource requirements until they attempt it, noting that the first portion near the curve would be similar to downtown clearing, while the farther section might be more challenging. The Committee agreed to try snow removal for the first season to evaluate feasibility and usage patterns. Flottman moved, Reinhardt seconded to undertake snow removal on the North End Path, all ayes. Motion carried. 11. Discussion and recommendation regarding Administration Building Plans: Meacham presented four options for the administration building, noting that option #2 (approximately $1.6 million) was preferred by office staff, while option #4 represented a completely new facility for roughly $2 million. He argued from a financial standpoint that spending $1.8 million to renovate the existing building with an antiquated basement and old plumbing doesn't make financial sense when a new building could be built for only $200,000 more. A discussion was held regarding the Administration Building Plans. Mulliken clarified that option #4 pricing doesn't include teardown costs or potential land purchase if the building were to be built elsewhere, and wouldn't include ongoing and required maintenance of the existing building if it remained standing. Jane Larson commented that option #4's costs are incomplete without teardown expenses and urged consideration of neighborhood impacts, expressing support for option 2 as a taxpayer. Bristol explained the reasoning, noting that while option #4 might be best over 40-50 years, option #2 was recommended as most likely to move forward while addressing staff needs and respecting the building's community significance. Committee members discussed the building's history as a 1948 schoolhouse and its role in the community. Bristol explained the Administration Building was next on the Capital Project list after Anderson Dock, North End path, Maintenance Garage, and Fire Station projects. He stressed that Option #0 is the starting point; it is not an option to do nothing with $0 expense. The Committee explored basement accessibility issues, noting that none of the current options make it ADA accessible; an elevator addition is estimated at $400,000. Meacham maintained that option #4 makes more financial sense despite architectural considerations. Flottman noted the challenge of balancing historical preservation with practical needs and future growth requirements. He pointed out that the building was not serving the needs of the employees or the community. Various Committee members expressed concerns about being constrained by the current property's limitations versus building new, while others emphasized the importance of community sentiment and the building's local significance. After extensive discussion of the pros and cons of both approaches, the Committee focused on options 2 and 4 as the most viable paths forward. Flottman moved, Reinhardt seconded to recommend to the Village Board to concentrate more time and effort on options #2 and #4 for the Administration Building Plans, both in scope, size, and potentially location for option #4 if required, all ayes. Motion carried. 12. New Business for the next meeting: No new business was discussed. 13. Adjournment: Flottman moved to adjourn at 11:06 AM, Reinhardt seconded, all ayes. Motion carried. Recorded by, Kim Roberts – Deputy Clerk