Committee of the Whole Minutes 11192025

1 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes 11/19/2025 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Wednesday, November 19, 2025, 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, Paula Oakley, Dan Watson , Norm Propson, and Kathy Schroeder . Also present were City Administrator Scott Depies, City Attorney Steve Sor enson, Fire Chief Craig Carey, Police Chief Eric Fisher, Public Works Director Jason Meyer, Emergency Management Director Rus Thiel, and Police Captain Chuck Schroeder. GUESTS: Mark Sherry APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA: A motion was made by Oakley, seconded by Watson, and carried to approve the agenda as presented. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A motion was made by Schroeder, seconded by Mosier, and carried to approve the November 4, 2025 Committee of the Whole Minutes. CITIZEN INPUT: • None FINANCE AND PURCHASING: a. The monthly invoices and financial report for the month ending October were presented. A motion was made by Mosier, seconded by Abrams, and carried to recommend to the Common Counci l approval the invoices as presented and acceptance of the financial report as presented. PROTECTIONS OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY: • None CITY BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS: • None RECREATION DIRECTORS: • None PERSONNEL: • None OLD BUSINESS: • None NEW BUSINESS: 2 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes 11/19/2025 a. NHFD Accident Response Fee Request NHFD Chief Carey informed the Committee that the Department is requesting approval to begin charging for responses to accidents involving individuals who reside outside of the Department’s service area. This request is being made because these individuals do not support the Department through local taxes, and the State of Wisconsin does not allow invoicing the State for accident responses on state highways unless the individual’s insurance is billed first. If approved, the Department would invoice the individual’s insurance company based on a set fee schedule determined by the equipment and time required for the response. A motion was made by Propson, seconded by Snelson, and carried to forward the Non-Resident Auto Accident Response Fee Schedule to the Common Council for approval. b. Employee Health Insurance Opt-Out Depies stated that under the current Employee Health Insurance Opt-Out policy, an employee who does not enroll in the City’s health insurance may receive 19 percent of the City’s portion of the health insurance premium, with a maximum benefit of $300 per month. This cap has been in place for several years and has not previously been reached. Due to rising insurance premiums, a family policy would now exceed the $300 limit. Depies recommended removing the cap, noting that the City realizes significant savings when an employee elects not to take City-provided health insurance. Several Committee members expressed a desire to maintain an overall limit. Depies stated he would review options for increasing the cap and would present those options to the Council. A motion was made by Mosier, seconded by Propson, and carried to forward an increase to the Health Insurance Opt-Out limit to the Common Council. c. Resolution 1587 Amending the City of New Holstein 2025 Annual Budget Depies reported that based on the City’s end-of-year estimate, a budget surplus of approximately $77,000 is projected. Of this amount, $22,563 would be needed to balance the 2026 budget. For the remainder of the surplus, he recommended allocating $5,000 to support the New Holstein Baseball/Softball Association’s refurbishment of the Kiwanis Park baseball diamond, $6,240 to replace aging tasers for the New Holstein Police Department, and $20,000 toward the cost of a mini-excavator scheduled for purchase by the Public Works Department in 2026. A motion was made by Watson, seconded by Schroeder, and carried to forward Resolution 1587 to the Common Council. Closed Session: a. A motion was made by Hess, seconded by Abrams and carried to go into closed session Pursuant to Wis. Stats. Sec 19.85 (1)(e) to deliberate under one or more exemptions provided in the statue. In this case specifically for the purpose of conferring with legal counsel and action that may be taken on land and future development of the area of TIF District #4. b. b. A motion was made by Abrams, seconded by Hess, and carried to adjourn the closed session and reconvene in open session. c. c. A motion was made by Abrams, seconded by Hess, and carried to forward to Council the Notice of Claim submitted by Mary Heider. d. d. A motion was made by Schroeder, seconded by Mosier, and carried to forward to Council the development agreement with Terrance Rowe. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Scott Depies, City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer