Town Board Meeting — Minutes

Town of Land O’ Lakes Town Board Meeting Minutes September 16, 2026, 6:00 PM - 6:47 PM Town Hall, 4331 County Rd B, Land O' Lakes, WI 54540, USA I. Call to Order Chairman Dan Balog called the Town Board Meeting to order on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 6:00 PM at Town Hall, 4331 CTH B, Land O' Lakes, WI. II. Roll Call Present: Chairman Dan Balog, Supervisor Sam Otterpohl, Supervisor Kevin Konnow, Clerk/Treasurer Lynn Jolin III. Pledge of Allegiance The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. IV. Approve or Revise Agenda Motion to approve the agenda as posted was made by S. Otterpohl and seconded by K. Konnow. The motion carried unanimously. V. Approve Minutes from Prior Meeting(s) Motion to approve the August 19th meeting minutes with a correction to remove the phrase "and expressed interest in potentially purchasing the portion of a parcel adjacent to her property" from Section H was made by K. Konnow and seconded by S. Otterpohl. The motion carried unanimously. Motion to approve the August 20th joint meeting minutes of the Town Board and Airport Commission as printed was made S. Otterpohl and seconded by K. Konnow. The motion carried unanimously. VI. Review and Approve Treasurer Report and Check Vouchers Clerk/Treasurer Jolin presented the Treasurer's Report. Key balances were as follows: ● General Fund: $111,064.70 ● Tax Collection Account: $306,920.66 ● BMO Money Market: $44,713.11 ● BMO Checking: $897.45 ● Local Government Investment Pool: $311,817.48 Motion to void check #21863 in the amount of $1,004.41 and to approve recorded checks #21866 through #21907 totaling $90,166.74 was made by S. Otterpohl and seconded by D. Balog. The motion carried unanimously. Motion to approve check #1672 (transfer to the General Fund) and check #1673 to the Lake District, totaling $101,100.00, was made by S. Otterpohl and seconded by D. Balog. The motion carried unanimously. Motion to transfer $3,000.00 from the BMO Harris Money Market to the BMO Harris checking account was made by K. Konnow and seconded by S. Otterpohl. The motion carried unanimously. Motion to pay the credit card balance of $3,076.45 from the BMO Harris checking account was made by K. Konnow and seconded by D. Balog. The motion carried unanimously. VII. Open Issues a) Christmas Tree Lighting December 6th, 2026 Sandy Garbarek, representing the Christmas Tree Lighting event, reported the event will proceed on December 6th. She noted that fireworks costs have doubled from $1,500 to $3,000 due to increased import tariffs, and that the event's customary private donor was unable to contribute this year due to personal circumstances. She requested a Board contribution toward the $3,000 fireworks cost and indicated she is actively seeking additional donations. The Board directed her to the upcoming October budget workshop to explore a vailable funds, noting there may be remaining room tax funds or in the parks and recreation budget. The question of completing an electrical hookup at the event site prior to December 6th was also raised as a potential improvement. b) Library Programs & Activities Shelly Knaack, Library Director reported the following upcoming programs and events: a screening of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” on September 17th; a Ravens and Crows program by the Discovery Center on September 30th; a screening of “The Sheep Detective” movie on October 8th; a new book club beginning October 15th at Br ews Pub featuring The Lager Queen of Minnesota; Medicare one-on-one sessions with the ADRC on October 21st; a canine search and rescue presentation on October 17th; and the annual Halloween party on October 30th. It was also noted that the library will receive six new front windows and that sidewalk repairs are scheduled for the following week, requiring the library to close on Wednesday. September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month. c) Operator's License Applications (September 16th, 2026 to June 30, 2027) Motion to approve an operator's license for Elane Munyon for the period of September 16, 2026 through June 30, 2027 was made by K. Konnow and seconded by S. Otterpohl. The motion carried unanimously. d) Camper Violation at 4522 Evergreen Rd The Board discussed the ongoing camper violation at 4522 Evergreen Road. The matter has been referred to the Town's attorney to determine available legal remedies. A complicating factor is that the land contract between the current occupant and the property owner has never been recorded, meaning all violation correspondence and liability fall to the titled owner. The occupant has resided on the property for nearly three years without connecting to sanitation, despite initial representations that a permanent home would be built. Neighbor complaints regarding generator noise and waste disposal have been received. The Board agreed to await legal counsel's guidance before taking further action. VIII. New Business a) Streetlight at the Intersection of CTH B and Forest Lake Rd The Board considered a request submitted to install a streetlight at the intersection of CTH B and Forest Lake Road, citing safety concerns related to a blind curve between Wood Lake and Merrill Lake. Clerk/Treasurer Jolin reported that the estimated cost is approximately $1,900 for the pole and $175 for installation, plus an ongoing monthly service charge. Public attendees offered differing views: some cited concerns about light pollution and questioned whether a documented safety hazard exists at the intersection, while Chairman Balog maintaine d that the curve presents a genuine hazard, particularly in foggy or inclement conditions and for drivers unfamiliar with the area. After extended discussion, the Board voted to table the item pending further information. Motion to table the streetlight discussion was made by S. Otterpohl and seconded by K. Konnow. The motion carried unanimously. b) Changing the Town Clerk/Treasurer Position to be Appointed The Board discussed transitioning the Clerk/Treasurer position from an elected to an appointed role. Clerk/Treasurer Jolin clarified that, by statute, someone must be appointed to fill the position upon her retirement in October through the end of the term in April. The question of making the position permanently appointed would need to be decided by town electors, most appropriately at the November budget hearing and town meeting. Supervisor Konnow noted that only one application had been received and expressed concern about the risk of leaving the position unfilled if it remains elected and no candidate runs. No motion was required; the item was presented for informational purposes and planning. c) Set Date for Budget Workshop Meeting The Board set the Budget Workshop for October 21, 2026, from noon to 5:00 PM. Departments and organizations requesting budget allocations for the 2027 fiscal year were encouraged to submit their figures to the office in advance and to present at the workshop. d) Next Meeting Date and Agenda Items for the Town Board – Wed. October 21st, 2026 at 6pm The next regular Town Board Meeting was confirmed for Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 6:00 PM. IX. Public Input – Limited to Items on the Agenda Dr. Paula Hillmann, residing at 5531 County Road S, addressed the Board in strong support of the town library, encouraging the Board to account for inflation and adopt a robust library budget for 2027. X. Adjournment Motion to adjourn was made by D. Balog and seconded by S. Otterpohl. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 6:47pm. Respectfully Submitted, Lynn Jolin, Clerk/Treasurer