November 19, 2025 Minutes

925 Proceedings of the Town of Pine Lake Board Meeting held on November 19, 2025, at 6:30 p.m., in the Pine Lake Community Building, Fire Department Meeting Room #1, 4197 River Road. Notice of meeting was posted in two (2) locations within the Town of Pine Lake and on the town website at www.townofpinelake.com according to Wisconsin Statutes. Present: Chairman Jim Flory, Supervisors Tim Oestreich, Brian Gehrig, Jennifer Cordy, Ron Lueneburg, Treasurer Cory Hoffmann and Clerk Cindy Skinner. Chairman Jim Flory called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Motion by Ron Lueneburg to approve the agenda and the chairman to move items as needed, second by Tim Oestreich. Motion carried by voice vote. Motion by Ron Lueneburg to approve the minutes of the October 15, 2025, Town Board Meeting, second by Jennifer Cordy. Motion carried by voice vote. Library Report. Pam Winchell not present. The monthly emailed report from the director was available for the board. County Board Supervisor report. Diana Harris has resigned from the county board. The county will advertise for a replacement but the town board can also recommend any resident in Diana’s wards for consideration. Constable Report. Jake Nitzel reported a follow up check on the dog issue on Aberdeen Road. The owners have installed an invisible fence to contain the dog in the yard and everything else is now settled. Received a dog complaint on Oak Drive. He checked on a driver stopped on Spider Lake Road – no problem just watching the deer. Citizens Concerns. None. Financial Report. Cory Hoffmann reported – Book Balance – 9/30/2025 - $763,710.17, Income for October - $47,356.81, Expenses for October - $74,511.19, Book Balance – 10/31/2025 - $736,555.79. Peoples Checking Balance - $243,640.43. Peoples Money Market Balance - $492,915.36. Bank Balance – 10/31/2025 - $736,555.79. Funds needed to be transferred from reserves into budget for the septic system – Motion by Jennifer Cordy to transfer $11,000 from General Funds Reserve into 52203 Fire Station #1 Repairs, second by Ron Lueneburg. Motion carried by voice vote. Item #9 – Wages for 2026 Budget and Health Insurance Renewal for Town Crew moved to end of the meeting. Personnel Committee Report. Jen reported that the committee had met twice to draft job descriptions, work evaluations and update work agreement. Those were reviewed for the board by Jen and copies will be given to the other board members to further review for suggestions and feedback. The evaluations will be started late December or early January to give the crew an idea of what the evaluations will entail and those will be used beginning in 2027 for wage determinations. The next Personnel Committee meeting will be December 10th to review feedback from the board and finalize forms and agreement for approval at the December town board meeting. Highway Shop Committee Report. Tim reported that the crew had finished the brushing on Highlander Road. They continue to do shouldering. The town dumps had the brush pushed up and ready for winter. Spider Lake Road and crack filling are completed. Brian attended the LRIP meeting at the county. Shepard Lake Road and Cross Country Road had been submitted for consideration for grants. Pine Lake was ranked #8 by the committee. Brian had also met with the representative from Vestis to reduce the amount of items being delivered to the shop monthly which will result in cost savings to the town. Building and Grounds Report. Brian reported obtaining an estimate of $1,245 from AA Seamless Gutters and Roofing for gutters for the town hall end of the building. Fire Department Report. Brian reported October had 44 EMS and five fire calls. The Halloween Open House had about 500 visitors. About $20,000 in donations have been received from the donation letter. Expecting a grant of $10,000 to $13,000. Some additional repairs needed for Truck 1 estimated at $10,000 which will be paid for out of donations. A light tower on the rescue truck needs repairs. And some work was done on the trailer. 926 Communications. Jim received a follow up letter from Planning and Zoning regarding the animals at Limberlost Road residence. Another letter was sent to the Highway 17 property with people living in the campers and not getting the required septic systems installed. Several notices have been sent to them. Cindy received the dues notice from the Wisconsin Towns Association for next year. First non-compliance notice received from the state regarding the town falling out of required the percentage of assessments to full value the past 4 years. Information received from the town’s assessor regarding the introduction of an assembly bill that would put undo requirements costing the town money and time as well as on the assessor. He asked that state legislators be contacted to not support the bill. An anonymous letter was received regarding a salvage/junkyard on County Hwy W that was taken to Planning and Zoning to investigate. A property had been reported to the town on Skunk Creek Road for not having an address or the proper building permit for a cabin that had been applied for as a garage. Also no driveway permit had been issued. The county will also follow up and investigate. Jim and Cindy had met with Howard Disposal regarding the need to split up recycling weeks on each of the pickup days due to increased amount of recycling being collected, which is a good thing. The new calendars were shared with the board and the plans for mailing out and handling the new scheduling. Item #9 – Wages and health insurance. Discussion of the spreadsheet options that were created during Budget Committee meeting from earlier in the evening continued. The comparisons from Newbold, Pelican and Crescent requested by Brian indicate that the towns are behind in wages with a couple of the other towns increasing wages and/or changing how crews are being compensated. Discussion about using the developing work evaluations for future wage increases, etc. Several options were worked on to come up with a solution taking into consideration the increases for social security, medicare, retirement, etc., caused by increasing the wages that were suggested by the Budget Committee and trying to figure out from where in the budget that money would come from. Motion by Jennifer Cordy to approve Option #2 with rates as follows: Lead - $29.00/hour, Shop 1 - $27.00/hour, Shop 2 - $24.25/hour with a total increase with benefits to the budget of $14,834.94, second by Ron Lueneburg. Further discussion as to timing of evaluations, the amount of work being done and not being done as well as other items. Roll call vote – Cordy, aye, Lueneburg, aye, Flory, aye. Oestreich and Gehrig abstained. 3 ayes, 0 no, 2 abstained. Motion by Jen Cordy to approve the November vouchers for payment, second by Ron Lueneburg. Motion carried by voice vote. Motion by Ron Lueneburg to adjourn, second by Jim Flory. Motion carried by voice vote. Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Cindy Skinner, Clerk