Minutes

Town Board Meeting Minutes – APPROVED Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 Time: 5:00 p.m. Location: 2800 Ward Ave, La Crosse, WI 54601 Present: Chairperson Tim Candahl, Supervisors Tim Ehler, Renee Knutson, Tim Padesky and Marlene Heal (until 6:14 p.m.); Clerk Fortune Berg, Treasurer Melissa Erdman, and Fire Chief Tony Holinka. Excused/Absent: Administrator Christina Peterson. Attendance List: None. 1. Meeting called to order by Candahl at 5:01 p.m. 2. Minutes from 02/17/2026. Motion by Heal to approve minutes from 02/17/2026, second by Padesky. Motion carried unanimously. 3. Bills Payable. Motion by Heal to accept closed invoices for $35,688.72, second by Padesky. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Padesky to pay open invoices for $19,860.67, second by Knutson. Motion carried unanimously. 4. Treasurer’s Report. Erdman noted that Fire Department got a grant that was not anticipated during the 2026 budgeting, which is reflected in this report. 5. Public Comment. None. 6. ATV/UTV Ordinance. Discussion on roads listed for approval. Discussion on required signage. Discussion on enforcement and ordinance content. Motion by Padesky to approve and sign Ordinance 2.26 for All Terrain Vehicles, second by Ehler. Motion carried. Knutson opposed. 7. Multiple Dog Applications Denson (1341 Shorewood Drive), Hermanson (4031 Glenhaven Drive) and Bablitch (N2314 Briarwood Ave). Berg noted no new issues reported from La Crosse County or Coulee Region Humane Society. Motion by Padesky to approve Multiple Dog Applications, second by Heal. Motion carried unanimously. 8. Fire Department Report. Holinka reported … a. He and Assistant Chief Proksch have been meeting monthly with Christina Peterson and Marlene Heal. b. Anita Dickman and KJ Blanton retired in December. Daron Schieldt retired in February. Currently, 6 members are probationary, Holinka is not looking to immediately fill the vacancies. He will begin to consider hiring when less members are on probation. c. Responded to 66 calls already in 2026, averaging ~1 call per day. Calls have ranged from medical to a car fire, to backfilling the City of La Crosse Station for mutual aid. d. Responded to 471 calls in 2025, highest year for calls yet. e. Department training upcoming to identify abuse/neglect in children while on calls. f. End of April/Early May training will practice trail extraction on ORA trails. g. End of May/Early June training will practice commercial/warehouse response in a Kwik Trip facility. Holinka noted Kwik Trip cares has been generous in supporting the department with everything from cases of water to food after a call. h. Officer Kate Holinka obtained a grant for EMS equipment. Funds will be used to purchase amplified stethoscopes, heart rate monitors, new pagers, new radios, and additional equipment for trail response. i. Chicken Q is coming up March 15th. Holinka is reviewing expectations for new members for setup, day of and teardown. Members are selling tickets door to door on the weekends. j. Candahl reported engine 464 will be looked at this Friday to identify problems and get it ready for sale in the Spring. k. Candahl stated he is hopeful to have a response on the Wisconsin Capital Improvement Grant by April 1st. 9. Recycling Ordinance. Motion by Padesky to approve and sign Ordinance 3.12 for Responsible Unit Recycling, second by Heal. Motion carried unanimously. 10. Chairperson and Supervisors Report. Candahl reported … a. Sheriff’s Deputies have started working in Shelby. Introduced Deputy Carsten Jahr. b. Highway 35 and GI connector trail construction began today. c. La Crosse County Committee reviewed and approved Featherstone Preliminary Plat. d. School District is interested in taking over Hillview Ballfields, the County seems open to transferring the lease. e. Ehler introduced special event in Mormon Coulee Park East that will be coming up in July 2026. f. Knutson reported that she and Terry Wright met to plan plants and landscaping for parks in 2026. 11. Administrator and Public Works Report. Berg reported … a. Peterson plans to submit funding for filtration system in Arbor Hills. b. Public Works will be working on equipment maintenance, maintenance on plow trucks and pickup trucks are complete. New Brine Pump was delivered and will be installed; the first pump they received was cracked and unusable. Snow plowing as needed and tree trimming when time allows. 12. Adjournment. Motion by Ehler to adjourn at 6:53 p.m., second by Knutson. Motion carried unanimously. Work Session with Public Works March 17, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. at Town Hall Next Regular Meeting on March 31, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. at Town Hall Respectfully Submitted by Fortune Berg, Clerk