Committee of the Whole Minutes 03182026

1 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes 03/18/2026 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Wednesday, March 18 2026, at 6:00 PM City Hall, 2110 Washington St, New Holstein, WI 53061 CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Council President Woelfel. ROLL CALL: Roll call was taken by Depies. Present were Gene Woelfel, Richard Snelson (via Teams), Steve Abrams, Brad Hess, Becca Mosier, Dan Watson , Norm Propson , Paula Oakley , and Kathy Schroeder . Also present were City Administrator Scott Depies, DPW Director Jason Meyer , Fire Chief Craig Cary , Police Chief Eric Fisher, and Police Captain Chuck Schroeder GUESTS: Mark Sherry, APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA: A motion was made by Hess, seconded by Watson, and carried to approve the agenda as presented. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A motion was made by Abrams, seconded by Propson, and carried to approve the February 18, 2026 Committee of the Whole Minutes. CITIZEN INPUT: • None FINANCE AND PURCHASING: a. The monthly invoices and financial report for the month ending in February were presented. A motion was made by Mosier, seconded by Schroeder, and carried to recommend to the Common Counci l approval of the invoices as presented and acceptance of the financial report as presented. PROTECTIONS OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY: • Chief Fisher reported 326 incidents over the reporting period, noting participation in several community events including sendoffs for local high school teams. He reviewed a domestic disturbance resulting in arrest and charges, as well as several atypical calls, including handling of an urn donation and a report of abandoned ducks. Chief Fisher also reported completion of the department’s annual report and noted efforts to improve transparency by making departmental goals publicly available. He also provided a staffing update, indicating the department is expected to be down two officers. Recruitment is underway for a lateral candidate currently in process of having their background checked. • Chief Carey reported nine calls for service, including mutual aid responses and one structure fire within the City where a functioning smoke detector prevented further damage. Additional calls included gas leaks, a fluid spill, and odor investigations. He reported ongoing training activities, including firefighter certification, surface water rescue, and wildland training. Chief Carey also noted that a new truck is expected in May. • No formal report for Emergency Services was provided. Administrator Depies noted that the State declared a winter storm emergency for the recent weather event , and the City will be working with the County to evaluate potential reimbursement for eligible expenses. 2 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes 03/18/2026 • The Municipal Court report for the months of January and February were provided. A total of 58 adult cases were scheduled for initial appearance, including 20 no contest or guilty pleas, 18 guilty by default for failure to appear or pay, 6 not guilty pleas set for pretrial with one scheduled for trial, 5 dismissals related to plea agreements or corrected vehicle defects, 5 cases held open pending crime lab results, and 4 cases reset to a later date. Eight juvenile cases were also scheduled, resulting in 2 no contest or guilty pleas, 3 guilty by default, 1 dismissal, 1 deferred prosecution under review, and 1 not guilty plea set for pretrial. In addition, six adult pretrial hearings were held, resulting in 2 agreements, 1 hold open per the City Attorney, 1 dismissal, and 2 guilty by default. No juvenile pretrial hearings were scheduled during this reporting period. CITY BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS: • Director Meyer reported on winter operations and routine maintenance activities, including tree removal and equipment use. He provided an update on the 1995 Snowplow Truck , noting it has been made functional as a dump truck and discussed the sale of the unit to New Holstein Utilities. RECREATION DIRECTORS: • An application was received from Tim Ehlenbeck for the New Holstein Soccer Tournament, scheduled for June 19–20, 2026. PERSONNEL: • None OLD BUSINESS: • None NEW BUSINESS: • Annual Audit Presentation Reported by Bakertilly Administrator Depies introduced the representative from Baker Tilly, John Rader, to present findings from the City’s annual audit. Mr. Rader stated that the City received a clean audit opinion, with the exception of a standard finding related to financial statement preparation. He noted that the City’s fund balance remains strong and that debt levels have continued to decrease. Discussion occurred regarding the City’s financial position and future capital planning. No motion was made on the discussed item. • Purchase of Event Safety Equipment NHPD Captain Schroeder presented on the need to purchase additional barricades to improve safety during large City events. He stated that the additional units would allow for full street closures and improve emergency access. Funding for this item was not planned for in the annual budget. However, the cost of the equipment could be partially covered by elements of the training budget being funded by other sources. Discussion occurred regarding vendor selection, cost, and potential shared use across departments. A motion was made by Mosier, seconded by Snelson, and carried to recommend to the Common Council approval of the purchase of event safety equipment, with Watson voting no, and Schroeder abstaining. • Amendment to the Agreement with Northerstar Administrator Depies reported on proposed amendments to the Purchase Agreement with Northernstar for the building of apartments on the former Tecumseh site. He stated that the changes are intended to clarify items as part of the full proposal submission to WHEDA. The amendments clarified that there is currently no road access to the lot, updated the application date to March 17th, that the parcel had been rezoned to General Business/Commercial which permits the proposed project and that the Northernstar 3 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes 03/18/2026 proposal was selected after a public offering. A motion was made by Mosier, seconded by Oakley, and carried to recommend to the Common Council approval of the amendments. • Resolution 1590 – Resolution to Reinstate Bonus Compensation for the NHPD Administrator Depies reported on Resolution 1590 regarding bonus compensation for the Chief and Captain’s positions of the New Holstein Police Department. He stated that the resolution is meant to recognize additional contributions during an expected staff shortage. Discussion occurred regarding budget impacts, precedent, and that officers under the union agreement would be offered any overtime hours first. A motion was made by Mosier, seconded by Hess, and carried to recommend to the Common Council approval of Resolution 1590, with Schroeder abstaining. • Disposition of DPW 95 Truck to New Holstein Utilities Alderperson Mosier inquired if there was any requirement to publicly bid the truck for disposition, of which there is currently no state or municipal requirement to do so. A motion was made by Abrams, seconded by Propson, and carried to recommend to the Common Council approval to sell the DWP 95 truck to New Holstein Utilities. • Wage Adjustment for Part-Time Public Work’s Positions Public Works Director Meyer reported on staffing needs for the upcoming season, noting that a returning seasonal employee will be joined by additional high school applicants. He identified that the current wage schedule is fixed at $16 and $18 per hour, which limits flexibility and does not allow for incremental increases. Meyer proposed adjusting the wage structure to a range of $18 to $20 per hour to improve hiring flexibility and remain competitive. It was noted that the adjustment had been incorporated into the updated wage schedule and that sufficient funds exist within the current budget due to an unfilled full- time position. A motion was made by Mosier, seconded by Schroeder, and carried to recommend to the Common Council approval of the wage schedule adjustment. • Selection of Road Improvement Projects for 2026 Public Works Director Meyer presented a proposed list of road improvement projects for 2026, noting that projects were selected based on roadway condition while confirming that underlying sewer, water, and storm infrastructure were adequate, as Utilities does not plan to undertake major infrastructure work at this time. Three projects were recommended: Illinois Avenue (STH 57 to the railroad area near Quick Trip), Monroe Street (Illinois to Pleasant), and Lincoln Street. Meyer provided estimated costs of approximately $42,000, $32,000, and $37,000 respectively, noting that costs include asphalt and base work, with materials such as gravel already stockpiled and minimal engineering costs anticipated. Discussion occurred regarding project locations, pavement conditions, and future development considerations. It was noted that funding is available within the capital roads budget. A motion was made by Hess, seconded by Abrams, and carried to recommend to the Common Council approval of the proposed 2026 road improvement projects. • Update to the City Sidewalk Program Public Works Director Meyer provided an update on the City’s sidewalk program, noting that the City rotates through quadrants on a five-year cycle and that the program had been delayed one year due to COVID. He recommended proceeding with the southeast section for the current year. Meyer reported that sidewalks are generally improving due to consistent program implementation. Discussion occurred regarding whether to adjust pricing, with consensus to maintain current rates and revisit in the future if necessary. It was noted that a public hearing will be required prior to implementation. A motion was made by Hess, seconded by Schroeder, and carried to recommend to the Common Council approval to proceed with the southeast section of the sidewalk program. 4 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes 03/18/2026 • Staining/Painting of Optimist Chalet Public Works Director Meyer reported on the condition of the Optimist Chalet and recommended staining/painting improvements in coordination with the installation of new playground equipment. He presented two quotes for the work, noting a significant price difference between vendors. Discussion occurred regarding scope of work, including exclusion of doors and concrete sealing, and whether to proceed or seek further clarification. It was agreed to proceed with the lower quote, with the understanding that scope would be verified. A motion was made by Abrams, seconded by Oakley, and carried to recommend to the Common Council approval of the contract with Quality Painters for the staining of the Optimist Chalet. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Scott Depies, City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer