9-22-25 Village Board — Minutes

Village Board Meeting Minutes September 22, 2025 On September 22, 2025, President Mike Brusberg called the Village Board meeting of the Village of Brooklyn to order at 6:30 p.m. Trustees present were Mike Gehrmann, David Berland, Dan Olson, Todd Klahn, and Christian Allen. Trustee Jake Bachim was absent. Also present was Jason Marshall and Clerk-Treasurer Linda Kuhlman. Pledge of Allegiance. There were no public comments. President’s report – Brusberg thanked the Klahn family and Klondike Farms for hosting the Luke Bryan concert. He also thanked Ashley Leavy for putting on the Autumn farm festival this last Saturday. Olson made a motion to approve minutes from September 8. Klahn seconded. Motion carried. Oregon Youth Center presentation is postponed. They were unable to make the meeting. Hotel Street project – Brusberg stated the board has information in their packets via email. Brusberg would like to get everybody’s perspective. Gehrmann said he looked at response from engineers. There are some punch list items to get taken care of, but there’s no glaring simple solution to any particular problem. Berland said based on responses from engineer, everything has been built to spec. Brusberg added and built to ADA compliance. Allen stated state specs for ADA compliance, we’re trying to cooperate with those and maintaining slopes, and the way the specs are is very strict. Marshall said there’s water sitting on and running back into Woodtick’s building. He thought everyone would have a meeting and look at the slabs. Speedway had very little leeway to give off the engineer’s specs, but there’s poor workmanship, and water is running back into his building. Brusberg stated we have reached out to the owner of Woodtick to get feedback and we’re struggling getting a response back from him. We’ve attempted to get this in writing from him to get his observations so we can pass that along to the engineer. Marshall asked what happened with meeting with Austin. Brusberg said trustees were asked to take a field trip and independently take a look, get perspectives, and get all the feedback tonight. Marshall asked if everyone did that with a level and checked it out, ran water to see what we’re talking about with all the water sitting on the sidewalk. Brusberg said he went and looked and tried to see if it’s level, looked for trip hazards and parts that catch. Klann did not, except when he was with Marshall, but otherwise he’s not been not there. Marshall asked about between the buildings where there is water pooling from slab they redid. Brusberg stated between the building is private property between the two parties. The fact the slab was removed and then put back in, it was a cost to us, not to you. Marshall asked if he’s able to rip out and redo. Allen said if it’s off the public sidewalk, it’s your discretion to do that. There was a similar comment about a steel post. Marshall said we’re fine with this, the way it sounds, and we’re fine with the water and it is what it is. Gehrmann looked at it. It’s a tough area to get it just right, and it looks like this project is under warranty. We’ve got winter coming up, and he’d like to see what happens over the winter, where problems and where not. It’s water, and if you shove it from one spot to another, are you pushing the problem somewhere else. We’ve got a contract, and if there’s problem with workmanship or craftsmanship that shows up over the winter or a spot that puddles and we have an ice problem, then we know exactly where it’s at. Right now we’re in the hemming and hawing, and in a perfect world we could change the pitch elevation and get everything just right, but we’ve got buildings that are old and nothing that was put in at the same time, so it’s tough to get that all to fit in there. He’d rather like to see what happens over the winter, where the problem spots are. Olson added once the gutters are put in. Gehrmann said he’d hate to do work, replace slabs, change pitch and now it’s moved or didn’t solve it. Marshall doesn’t have a problem with that. He doesn’t have an issue as long as we can keep this open and look at it and revisit it this winter when the problem happens. Gehrmann said the job has a one-year warranty. Allen said we’re just discussing whether we’re doing something now or not. There’s been an underrated comment that the building needs gutters, and that would make a huge difference, we believe, if we can see that get put up and bring the snow melt down and off and into the drain. Marshall said it doesn’t matter if the gutters are there. Allen disagrees. He thinks it will make a difference. Brusberg said he disagrees and the engineer does also. Those trench drains are installed to directly connect into the downspouts. Marshall said the end where the downspouts go is put in there backwards, so the downspout comes down and put in there and it’s not in the right direction. They have to redo all the downspouts. It’s hard to explain unless you get a hose and see how bad it is. He’s fine to leave open and look once winter comes. Brusberg if you’re noticing something materially inaccurate about where the downspouts connect, he would say get gutters installed and downspouts ran and we can tackle that right now. Gehrmann added if this is what you need to connect to this and it doesn’t connect, then look at it. Marshall said they don’t. The one downspout coming down the building is a full turn off. The problem with one drain is actually flat and level across the center of it. He’s fine with leaving it open, as long as we’re able to address this winter when we can get a visual. Brusberg asked if he’s committed to getting downspouts and gutters. Marshall said that’s the plan. Brusberg asked if that is something you’re doing this fall. Marshall said he’d have to reach them. Allen if we want to close the circle on this, the only true test is if gutters are installed and designed for this entire system. We can leave it open on warranty, but can’t truly test the warranty if not performing the way it’s supposed to because the gutters aren’t there. Brusberg it’s hard to go back to Speedway and engineers when those are specifically designed to do that. Marshall they’ll get the downspouts done if we can revisit it this winter. Klahn said from the board perspective, we have to take the voice of our engineer that we paid for to do it, and sitting on the board, we have to physically see it this winter and bring him by and then we can address it. He understands what Marshall is talking about, but we have to go with what engineer stated to us, and when we have the issue, we’ll bring the engineer back down. We will take care of issues. Berland said his responsibility is to be on this board and listen to our engineer. He can appreciate you want them to come out there. He has a degree in engineering. He’s not going to come to watch the hose run. He’s going to trust the engineer. So when the engineer goes out, it’s your responsiblity to meet and talk to them productively so we can have a conversation. As a board member he's not going to go out there. Marshall said the last meeting we were at you wanted to have a meeting with an engineer and professional cement person. Olson said the engineer has been out multiple times. Gehrmann said we have an engineer we’ve paid, and he says it’s good. Klahn added he said it’s the best they can do to meet ADA specs. He understood the issues, and this is the best we can address at the time, and if there is an issue, we can readdress after the issue. Brusberg said grades match specs. It goes back to the trench drains and until downspouts are in and connected to drains. Marshall said as long as we can keep it open, and they can get the downspouts in, and revisit this winter. Klahn it’s an open contract for a year warranty. Brusberg said they’re trying to represent a combination of him, other business owners, community and take a view from our engineer to make a decision. And what the engineer is telling us, those drains are meant for the downspouts. That’s the sole purpose, and that will get water moving. Our commitment to you is we’ll monitor throughout the winter. If you notice you’re starting to run into icing issues, the village can provide salt resources to minimize the slip and fall potential. We really need Woodtick to provide documentation on the issue he’s having, because there’s been comments made that this was problem he’s having potentially before the construction. We need it to come from him. Marshall said he doesn’t care about water running into his. He cares about water pooling on the sidewalk. Klahn said we do, too, but because of the ADA and engineer, we have to run the process. That is what the village has to do. Gehrmann in the long run it will be a better product, if we have a problem, and this engineer solves it. We won’t make two new ones to solve one old one. If he comes up with a problem and we reengineer and have the problem next year, we can go to them and say we still haven’t solved it. If we try to do on our own and doesn’t work, then we have to try something on our own. Again, it would be all on us as opposed to going through a licensed engineer. Marshall as long as we’re keeping it open. He thinks it's worse now than it was prior. Brusberg what this means is the project is done, but we have a one-year construction warranty. Marshall asked if they’re still responsible if it doesn’t drain right. Brusberg we need your help with gutters. That’s going to be the biggest factor, because lot of their observations were tied to the gutters and those trench drains are tied to the downspouts. Marshall he gets it, they’ll put it on there, and we’ll see what happens come winter. Klahn we’re going to go one step at a time. Brusberg said we are committed to getting this right, and he thinks all the village board is too. Marshall asked why not get out with Austin and physically look at what we’re seeing. He's not saying the engineer is a bad person, but they make mistakes. You run a water hose and you can physically see what it’s doing. He’ll get the eavestroughs and wait until winter. Brusberg said he trusts the engineers have looked at it. For the board to do it, it’s micromanaging those that have greater expertise. Marshall supposed to have. Brusberg said they have better expertise than him. He wants to make right at the end of the day. Marshall asked what should they do with the downspout running backwards. Gehrmann said when the person is there putting it in, and part A doesn’t fit into part B, get ahold of Spilde and tell him. Then we get ahold of the engineer and ask is it the way it fits in the concrete, or is it the downspout or is it an adapter. He guarantees there’s other ways to hook up a downspout to a hole in the ground. Marshall said the downspout is there and put in 180 off. Brusberg that wasn’t documented as part as Roneks. Klahn will drive by and look at the downspout. Marshall said he'll get all new downspouts and see what happens this winter. Marshall thanked the board. Allen said it is mentioned in Roneks comments. Klahn made a motion that we observe what happens this winter for the new sidewalk project and will address standing water issues as they arise, or after they arise, if it’s faulty workmanship. Allen seconded. Brusberg said it was mentioned the downspout receiver is oriented incorrectly, and he’s getting that flagged to address it. Motion carried. Klahn said it says once the gutters are put in, we will connect the drains. Olson said it’s down on the concrete where you come down with the downspout to come it, he’s saying that’s 180 off. It’s the fitting they hook the downspout to. It's a matter of how they bring the downspout down. It might be set where the wide end comes down and they might have it designed where that is turned in a different direction. Kuhlman asked if we need to send a letter to Marshall. Klahn we have it on record, and we had a motion and vote. We don’t need a letter. He will share the responses with Marshall. Brusberg appreciates there’s members of the board that have the skill set. Public Works/Utilties/EM – Olson reported monthly samples were taken and safe. They’ve been doing meter replacements. Klahn stated when he was on the board last time, did we get the meters replaced. We were doing the upgrade, was that done. Kuhlman said we have the program with the tower, and we have about 2/3 of the village able to be read by the tower, and they’re replacing meters as we can. We have about 250-300 meters left to replace. Olson continued that Well #1 roof went out for bid. We received one bid and decided to go with Custofoam. Hydrants were flushed and maintenance done. Spilde working on updating business contact list. Luke Bryan Farm Tour happened. Water Tower park fence is in the works of getting done. Highway 92 project did start grinding and heading to Belleville. They haven’t done in town yet. Gehrmann asked if we have any say over the final for the sidewalks. Olson stated that’s beyond our control. It’s the state. Klahn has to say watching the village fire/ems/rescue at the farm tour, they did a wonderful job of keeping up with issues and good staff out there. He said a big thank you to the staff and county’s police departments. They were out there and friendly with interactions he had, so that was a wonderful success. Olson continued that the painting of curbs and crosswalks are done. International patrol truck needs new starter and wiring ends done. It was all corroded from the salt. Went over budget a little bit. Squad is on surplus but goes off in the next few days, and it’s just over $7000 now. Klahn what was the estimation. Olson didn’t know. Skatepark equipment is still on surplus. Bachim is working with Spilde on getting the sculpture here and fastened to the concrete. Street sweeping contract – we’ve had Kleen Pavement for a number of years. Reached out to others and only heard back from one. Kleen Pavement sent out their sweeping terms for 2026, 2027, 2028 and looking at $1815 per sweep and that was based on 3 per year for 3 years, with additional sweeps. They might add a fuel of $164.50 if there is a crazy fuel increase. Any additional like with seal coating is a separate charge. Gehrmann asked if we’re happy with them. Olson said they’ve been great, extended the contract last time, kept prices down. He doesn’t see a significant increase. Basically going from $1645 to $1815 per sweep. The other one was Precision and they wouldn’t give a three year, only a one year, back in 2019. Klahn made a motion to accept Kleen Pavement pricing for 2026, 2027 and 2028. Olson seconded. Motion carried. Olson said they discussed that the ordinance committee should review the fee schedule for all ordinances. The reason is a lot we don’t have a fee schedule for so it’s hard for the officer to enforce the ordinances. Klahn recommended having a separate fee schedule for ordinance. Ordinance committee is Allen, Bachim and Gehrmann. Klahn made a motion to go through ordinances for fee schedule. Olson seconded. Kuhlman said we can raise and lower fee schedule by ordinance. Gehrmann suggested looking at fees from other communities and from our zoning administrator. Motion carried. Olson made a motion to pay all Spectrum bills by ACH payments. Gehrmann seconded. Motion carried. Olson made a motion to approve the bills as presented. Brusberg seconded. Motion carried. Clerk’s report – Kuhlman reported the financials for August, we had $335,977.87 total deposits; of that was $235,506.82 for the July tax installment. Total $150,787.37 of withdrawals, and $24,592.50 of that was debt service. Ending balance in all accounts was $2,592,011.89. Other financials were handed out. Hotel Street project costs were handed out. The balance is $127,073.85, but there are still Speedway bills to pay yet. The amount left to their bid is $51,109.23. We should have about $70,000 left that we can pay back. We have a fund balance of $252,100 to be used for capital projects. Joint Fire/EMS meeting was held and all boards approved the budgets. Olson and Kuhlman had the fall treasurer conference by Zoom, and they did levy limit talks. Our expenditure restraint was about $15,000 this year, and next year it went down to $4,600. It happened statewide due to the fact it’s a set amount of money in the fund but there are more municipalities participating now. Next year we probably won’t qualify due to our higher levy. She’s exploring about putting fund balance as a line item in the budget to use for capital projects. Dumpster days ended and there was a lot of stuff sitting around the dumpsters Monday morning. We might need to include extra dumpsters next year. The TID Joint Review Board met, and it’s reporting to the school, county and Madison College an update of the TID annual report. GCDC agenda and minutes from last week were given to the board. GCDC director has received some internation acclaim. Diggers Hotline is making some changes to their bylaws. OPEB valuation report and contract started about 5 years ago as part of the audit and is done by an actuarial service. The contract is up this year. It went up a couple hundred dollars per year. Klahn made a motion to do the four- year contract with Foster & Foster. Gehrmann seconded. Motion carried. Budget discussion. Kuhlman explained to new board members how to look at budget report – shows last year actual totals, then totals to date, then projections to end of this year, then this year’s budget and then proposed budget for next year. She highlights changes from year to year. Wages and fringes are all updated. It went up about $25,000 from last year. Other changes are based on contracts and expenses we know are increasing, then changes based on expenses this year. We have not received DOT highway aids. She added line item for new Verizon cell tower contract. We only put in half because not sure when the project will start. Sheriff’s department is updated, with 20 hours of OT coverage. Took squad maintenance to zero now that we’re leasing. We have about $8000 that can be spent yet. Brusberg suggested going down to $2500 for gas for police. Kuhlman explained the budgets are divided by general fund, cemetery, recreation/special fund, debt service, water, sewer and TID. Discussion. Changed summer rec wages to $3500 and combine summer rec expenses and field trip lines. Water outlay is high due to well inspection and maintenance needed next year. TID increment isn’t in the budget yet. Discussion on TID debt. Discussion on timeline – board will approve budget at the November 24th meeting. Fire/EMS Commission update – Brusberg said at the joint session the budget was approved. There were comments about the decrease from Kathy Pennington. He has a phone call with her tomorrow night on the rationale. Her point of view is to use overage as an equipment fund, but there’s an opposing point of view. We’ve had increases in recent years in the budget and this was an opportunity to sharpen the pencil and good financial discipline. Kudos to secretary, chief and others. They had a brief district board meeting where officers were named for coming year. Marx is president. Brusberg is vice president. They also talked about boilers in the bay, and they are at that point where they need to be replaced. They got bids and gave Chief Barber the direction to move forward through Hillstead. They granted the ability to go up to $18,000 if something happens and need to rebid. Lafayette County reached out on the ambulance and they gave Barber a starting point and a floor, to cover defibrillator costs. Gives us the ability to avoid taking it to auction. Klahn made a motion at 7:58 p.m. to adjourn. Gehrmann seconded. Motion carried. Linda Kuhlman, WCPC, CMTW Clerk-Treasurer