Committee of the Whole Minutes 02032026

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 6:00 PM New Holstein City Hall, 2110 Washington Street, 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, Becca Mosier, Richard Snelson (virtually), Dan Watson, Kathy Schroeder , Paula Oakley , Norm Propson, Brad Hess, and Steve Abrams . Also present, City Administrator Scott Depies , Fire Chief Craig Carey, Police Chief Eric Fisher, Police Captain Chuck Schroeder, Public Works Director Jason Meyer, and Emergency Management Director Russ Thiel. GUESTS: Travis Price, Lois Schroeder, and Don Schroeder APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA: A motion was made by Propson, seconded by Watson, and carried to approve the agenda as presented. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A motion was made by Abrams, seconded by Oakley, and carried to approve the minutes from the previous meeting. CITIZEN COMMENT: None. FINANCE AND PURCHASING : Administrator Depies informed the Council that the annual financial audit has been completed. The auditors are scheduled to present their findings to the Committee in March. The auditors reported that no concerning items were identified and commended Deputy Clerk Beck for being well prepared. PROTECTIONS OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY: a. Chief Fisher reported that the Police Department handled 256 total incidents during the month of January. There were no major incidents to report. Due to severe weather conditions over the past three to four weeks, officer activity was limited to necessary calls in order to reduce exposure to extreme cold and prevent potential frostbite or other weather -related safety issues. Enforcement efforts focused primarily on snow -related ordinance violations, including unshoveled sidewalks and snow being deposited into the roadway. Officers conducted 87 traffic stops and issued 15 parking citations. Overall, the month was reported as relatively quiet. b. Chief Carey reported that the Fire Department responded to seven calls for the month of January. Responses included a lift assist in the Town of New Holstein; mutual aid provided to the City of Kiel for a shed fire; a smoke detector activation in the Town of New Holstein caused by spray paint; and an odor investigation in the Town of New Holstein. The Department also responded to two motor vehicle accidents, one in the Town of New Holstein and one in the Town of Russell. Additionally, a fire alarm activation on Hoover Street was reported, which was determined to be caused by cold weather conditions. Cold air resulted in a temperature change that triggered the alarm. It was also reported that surplus equipment will be sold through Wisconsin Surplus, including old flashlights, thermal imaging cameras, a water tank, and a pump. Proceeds from the sale will be returned to Fire Committee of the Whole February 3, 2026 2 Department accounts and used for the purchase of new equipment. The Department further reported that its annual report has been submitted, including an updated roster and training information. c. Emergency Management Director Thiel reported that the company selected to update the City’s sirens expects to complete the work within approximately one week and will coordinate scheduling for installation. d. No update was provided for the Municipal Court. CITY BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS: a. Director Meyer provided the Public Works Department update for the month of January. Director reported that a dead pine tree was removed from Civic Park and a willow tree along Jordan Creek near A-1 Polishing was removed. The skating rink was opened for the winter . Snow removal operations continued, and while salt availability has been a concern this winter, the City currently has approximately 280 tons of salt on hand out of a 320 -ton storage capacity, with an average annual usage of approximately 250 tons; approximately 30 tons more have been used compared to this time last year . The Department also reported that Dump Truck No. 209 (1995) has been out of service throughout January due to a failure of the hydraulic system. Replacement parts are no longer available due to the age of the vehicle, this is the second extended outage this year, and replacement of the truck is anticipated. PERSONNEL: a. Administrator Depies provided an update on efforts to hire part-time snow-removal support. Despite a second round of advertising and an increase in the proposed wage, no applications were received. As a result, the City will move forward with contracting for additional snow-removal services. OLD BUSINESS: a. Snow Removal Contracting Administrator Depies informed the Committee that two proposals were received to provide snow removal services for the City. Alderpersons were provided copies of the proposals for review, and the merits of each proposal were discussed. Following discussion, a motion was made by Mosier, seconded by Schroeder, to forward the proposal submitted by Travis’ Turf & Landscaping to Special Common Council for consideration. Prior to the vote, Mayor Snelson requested additional discussion regarding pricing differences between the proposals, noting in particular that the proposal submitted by JD Custom Field Service included salting, which affected the overall cost. Alderperson Watson called the question, and the motion carried. NEW BUSINESS: a. Utilization of Funds from Land Sale of North Monroe Administrator Depies reported that the sale of Lot 2 of CSM 4205, located on the north end of Monroe Street, has been finalized. After closing costs, the City received $30,149.51. Administrator Depies requested that these funds be used to purchase a new boiler for the Aquatic Center, as the current boiler has exceeded its useful life and portions can no longer be serviced. Aquatic Center Director Jon Weir is in the process of obtaining updated quotes for the equipment. A motion was made by Mosier, seconded by Watson, and carried to allocate funds from the land sale for the Aquatic Center. b. Loan Agreement with the Optimist Club for Playground Equipment Lois Schroeder, and Don Schroeder, on behalf of the Optimist Club, provided background on fundraising efforts for playground equipment at Optimist Park beginning in 2024. The fundraising goal Committee of the Whole February 3, 2026 3 is $100,000, with estimated equipment costs of $90,000 and miscellaneous expenses of approximately $10,000. Ms. Schroeder outlined the plan for ordering and installing the equipment. While the Club anticipates that sufficient funds may be available, a request was made for the City to provide a loan in the event of a shortfall. A motion was made by Alderperson Abrams, seconded by Alderperson Hess, and carried to bring a loan agreement to the Common Council once prepared. c. Golden Harvest Festival Administrator Depies reported that he was approached by a citizen regarding a proposed Golden Harvest Festival. The event is intended to fill a gap in the local fall event calendar and support local businesses, civic organizations, and nonprofits. The proposal includes food and beverage vendors, artisan and retail booths, family -friendly activities, live entertainment, and seasonal décor. Participation fees would be placed into a designated event fund to support the festival and other community events. The organizer is requesting City support for partial funding and organizational assistance. The Committee requested additional information before considering support, and the item will be scheduled for a future agenda. No action was taken. d. Beautification Committee Spring Procurement Administrator Depies provided an update on the most recent Beautification Committee meeting. The Committee is requesting authorization to use $5,275.82 in dedicated funds to purchase 24 additional planters to supplement those used last year and enhance high -traffic areas throughout the City. A motion was made by Alderperson Mosier, seconded by Alderperson Schroeder, and carried to forward the invoice to the Common Council for approval. MISCELLANEOUS: None FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: None Being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Scott Depies City Administrator