Town Board Meeting — Minutes

Town of Land O’ Lakes Town Board Meeting Minutes May 27, 2026, 6:00 PM I. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM by Chairman Balog. II. Roll Call Present: Chairman Dan Balog, Supervisors Sam Otterpohl, Kevin Konnow and Clerk/Treasurer Lynn Jolin. III. Pledge of Allegiance The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. IV. Approve or Revise Agenda Motion by S. Otterpohl to approve the agenda as presented was made and seconded by K. Konnow. The motion carried unanimously. V. Approve Minutes from Prior Meeting(s) Motion to approve the minutes from the 4-22-26 meeting as presented was made by K. Konnow and seconded by S. Otterpohl. The motion carried unanimously. VI. Review and Approve Treasurer Report and Check Vouchers The Treasurer presented the financial report with the following balances: ● General Fund: Balance of $204,425.53. ● Tax Collection Account: Balance of $394,954.69. ● BMO Money Market: Balance of $117,682.09. ● BMO Checking: Balance of $3,081.44. ● Local Government Investment Pool: Balance of $456,469.49. The Treasurer noted that individual direct deposit amounts for payroll were included in the detailed report, along with balance sheets, a payroll summary, and a year-to-date profit and loss statement. Motion to approve payment of checks #21685 through #21730 in the amount of $122,004.83 was made by S. Otterpohl and seconded by D. Balog. The motion carried unanimously. Motion to approve the transfer of $6,000.00 from BMO Money Market to BMO Checking was made by K. Konnow and seconded by D. Balog. The motion carried unanimously. Motion to approve payment of the BMO Harris Checking credit card/EFT in the amount of $5,649.75 was made by K. Konnow and seconded by S. Otterpohl. The motion carried unanimously. VII. Open Issues a. Enhanced Wake Ordinance for Border Lakes The Board discussed coordination would be required with Boulder Junction, which already has an existing ordinance, meaning that municipality would need to amend theirs while the Town of Land O'Lakes would need to adopt a new compatible ordinance covering the relevant border lakes, along with Presque Isle. Attorney Matt Yde was identified as the appropriate party to draft the ordinance, given his existing familiarity with the matter. Motion to proceed with having Attorney Matt Yde draft an enhanced wake ordinance for the border lakes was made by K. Konnow and seconded by S, Otterpohl. The motion carried 2-1. Chairman Balog voted no. b. Library Programs & Activities Library Director Shelly Knaack provided an update on recent and upcoming library programs. In April, the library successfully distributed 150 refurbished laptops to community members. The next laptop giveaway is scheduled for June 17th beginning at 2:00 PM and June 18th beginning at 9:00 AM, with 100 units available. Shelly noted that only 25 laptops are allocated for the Watersmeet, Michigan area and encouraged Michigan residents to arrive early on June 17th. Summer activity calendars for June, July, and August were made available to attendees. c. Big Portage Boat Landing Project Supervisor Otterpohl reported that he had spoken the previous week with Mr. Collins, a concrete contractor who previously fabricated the precast cement sections for the Black Oak boat landing and who still has the molds. Mr. Collins indicated he still has the forms and is familiar with the specifications — 6-inch thick, reinforced rebar sections with a coarse, non-slip finish — but has not yet returned a price quote. The Board agreed to await pricing from Mr. Collins before proceeding further. S. Otterpohl estimated that approximately 14 precast sections would be needed, with roughly 6 or 7 placed in the water and the remainder going up the approach grade. d. Airport Commission Members A letter of interest was received from Melissa Spiotto expressing her desire to join the Airport Commission. The Board noted that no seat is currently open, with all terms running through November. However, recognizing past difficulty in recruiting commission members, the Board agreed to place her name on record for consideration when a vacancy occurs. Motion to appoint Melissa to the Airport Commission in the event a vacancy arises was made by S. Otterpohl and seconded by D. Balog. The motion carried unanimously. e. Temporary Alcohol Beverage License for State Line Auxiliary to VFW Post 8400 The Board reviewed the application for a temporary alcohol beverage license for the State Line Auxiliary to VFW Post 8400 for their annual Fourth of July picnic at the park, consistent with licenses granted in prior years. Motion to grant the temporary alcohol beverage license to State Line Auxiliary to VFW Post 8400 for the 4th of July event was made by S. Otterpohl and seconded by K. Konnow. The motion carried unanimously. f. Operator's License Applications The Board reviewed five operator's license applications. One applicant had previously been denied, and the Board discussed the background check results and circumstances. Following review and discussion, the Board found no licensing-related violations and agreed to approve all five applications. Motion to grant operator's license applications to Mark Geis, Mitch Listau, Greg Markey, Greg Rosenthal, and Michelle Lukas Kanipes was made by K. Konnow and seconded by S. Otterpohl. The motion carried unanimously. VIII. New Business a. GIVN Presentation- Healthcare In Vilas, Gogebic and Iron Counties Richard Logan and Dan Peterson of the Gogebic, Iron, and Vilas Network (GIVN) presented an overview of the organization's mission and current efforts to address healthcare access gaps in Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Mr. Logan, who also serves as a Vilas County Supervisor representing Winchester and Presque Isle, explained that GIVN was founded in 2022 by local officials and residents concerned about access to quality healthcare. Following a federally funded planning grant awarded in 2024 and completed in September 2025, GIVN conducted community and professional meetings — including a public meeting in Land O'Lakes — and identified 10 urgent health needs: primary care (including sliding fee scale services), dental care, mental health, women's health, substance abuse counseling, universal depression screening, medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction, affordable child care, home care for seniors with disabilities or dementia, and expanded senior services. Mr. Peterson, Secretary-Treasurer of GIVN's board of directors, provided a detailed update on efforts to reopen the Land O'Lakes clinic. He recounted that after the clinic's potential closure became apparent, GIVN requested $1.8 million over three years from the Governor's office for lease and staffing, with little follow-up. Senator Baldwin's office has been a consistent supporter. Despite outreach to numerous state and federal agencies, no immediate funding was available. A meeting the previous Friday with the Assistant Secretary for Health for the Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services indicated that state budget funding would not be available until approximately July 2028 due to the state's two-year budget cycle. In the interim, GIVN is pursuing multiple grants to occupy the clinic space and retain access to the building while the property is reportedly going to market. Pending grant applications include: ● A UW Milwaukee grant to train 9 social workers to serve the tri-county area, to be housed in the clinic building. ● A family practice residency training program to train up to 12 residents by 2031. ● A $750,000 Veterans Administration suicide prevention grant, to be submitted within approximately 10 days, which would include a social worker, health educator, and benefits counselor for local veterans. ● State-recommended grants for opioid response and a regional systems-of-care planning initiative focused on physician recruitment and retention. Mr. Peterson noted that if all grants are funded, GIVN projects revenues of up to $1.74 million by end of 2027 supporting a staff of 18, with a total potential budget of $3.2 million. He expressed strong commitment to Land O'Lakes as the primary service delivery location for both Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, citing the significant medical underservice in Gogebic and Iron Counties in Michigan. In response to a board question about whether GIVN could purchase the building outright, Mr. Peterson explained that federal grant funding structures and indirect cost rate requirements generally limit organizations to leasing rather than owning property. b. Fire Inspection Ordinance A draft fire inspection ordinance was presented for initial review. It was noted that the draft has not yet been reviewed by the town attorney, and the Board agreed to forward it to the attorney for review. The draft is to be reviewed by the fire department as well before being brought back to the Board for further consideration. c. Cintas Quote for Fire Alarm System Repair The Board reviewed a Cintas inspection report and associated repair quote for the Town Hall fire alarm system. Key deficiencies identified in the inspection included a ground fault on the fire alarm panel, a broken door holder magnet, and several fire doors that do not fully close due to physical obstructions. Discussion also covered the existing fire alarm panel. It was noted that the current panel is a conventional zone-based system, and the inspector recommended consideration of an addressable panel, which would identify the specific device or location of an alarm rather than just a general zone, providing more precise information to responding firefighters. Motion to approve the Cintas quote for fire alarm system repair was made by S. Otterpohl and seconded by K. Konnow. The motion carried unanimously. d. Next Meeting Date and Agenda Items for The Town Board - Wed. June 17, 2026 At 6pm The next regular Town Board meeting was confirmed for Wednesday, June 17, 2026 at 6:00 PM. Agenda items identified for that meeting include: ● Evergreen Rd camper issue ● Annual liquor license renewals, including review of licenses for establishments that have not been open for a full year. K. Konnow noted copies of the relevant ordinance should be sent to affected license holders. ● Review of the fire inspection ordinance draft following attorney and fire department review. e. Open Book with Assessor - May 28th From 11am-1pm and Board of Review will be June 9th from 2pm-4pm IX. Public Input - Limited to Items on the Agenda Several members of the public addressed the Board on the Enhanced Wake Ordinance item. A representative from the Border Lakes area offered to share previously drafted ordinance language with the town attorney, noting that their association had been through the drafting process numerous times and was familiar with the state statute requirements. The Board acknowledged the offer while indicating it preferred to proceed through its own legal counsel. Roger Larson of the High Lake Fish and Hunt Association reiterated the association's previously stated position, drawing the Board's attention to a letter submitted after the annual meeting from Camp Manito-wish YMCA operator on the lake expressing concern over the safety of campers in relation to enhanced wake boats. Mr. Larson also noted that a large recreational rental facility operating on High Lake actively advertises wake surfing on their website, describing the lake as having few other users — a characterization the association viewed as encouraging problematic behavior. He expressed that an ordinance on the books would provide a meaningful tool for communicating expectations to such operators. Linda Pils, a trained loon ranger, spoke about the ecological impact of wake boat waves on common loons. She described how large waves from wake boats wash away nests, cause eggs to be knocked into the water, and present significant hazards to young chicks riding on adult loons during their first weeks of life. She encouraged the Board to adopt the ordinance as a conservation measure as well. X. Adjournment Motion to adjourn at 7pm was made by S. Otterpohl and seconded by K. Konnow. The motion carried unanimously. Respectfully submitted, /s/ Lynn Jolin, Clerk/Treasurer