Town Board — Minutes

Town Board Meeting Minutes October 14th, 2024 1. Call to Order, Roll Call and Pledge of Allegiance: Chairman Perry Goetsch called the meeting to order at 7 pm. Supervisors present included Dave Koester, Rick Ziegler, Amy Rinard, and Daniel Rupnow. 2. Proof of Posting and Notice: Clerk/Treasurer Lesser confirmed the meeting notices were posted at the Town Hall, Ixonia Bank and the Ixonia Post Office as well as on the Town’s website. 3. Approval of Minutes – September 9, 2024: Rinard made a motion to approve the September 9, 2024 meeting minutes with corrections. Ziegler seconded the motion. Motion carried, 5-0. 4. Public Comment (Agenda Items) – Persons wishing to speak must sign in and will be allowed three (3) minutes to address the board. • Brian Derge; commented on item #7, indicating that the ordinance is unenforceable, there already is legislation and this ordinance is a waste of time. • Amanda Ewert; commented on item #7, indicating that by having the ordinance, law enforcement will be able to act faster on violations. • Lorna Gartzke; commented on item #8, thanking the Board for responding to her emails and she now has 14 new trees planted. Stated that Ebert’s was wonderful to work with. 5. Treasurer’s Report – Financial Reports: September 2024: Rinard made a motion to accept the reports as presented. Rupnow seconded the motion. Motion carried, 5-0. 6. Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department Report and/or Jefferson County Supervisor Report : Bruce Degner reported that the County will be filling the position of County Administrator, the position will be filled by the Deputy until a new administrator is hired. A work group has been established to look into EMS issues. The County will be holding budget hearings within the next month. Solar farms are a topic of conversation as there are residents of the county getting contacted with regards to renting out their land for solar farms, the county does not have any legislation on this currently. Unfinished Business: 7. Town of Ixonia drone ordinance: Attorney Stan Riffle explained that the ordinance presented for adoption was as stringent as is allowed. Penalties would follow the current schedule. Rinard made a motion to adopt 18 -14 regulating the use of drones within the Town of Ixonia. Rupnow seconde d the motion. Motion carried, 4-1. 8. Update on LNG plant screenings: Rinard explained that there was a distribution of 100 trees, the process went smoothly. A thank you to Ebert’s, especially Mark Ebert and Jake in the tree and shrub department. 12 property owners were eligible for trees, only 7 properties elected to take trees, the breakdown was 14 trees per property. Delivery was on September 19th and all trees were picked up by the 28th with the exception on one property owner who made special arrangements. There were 2 trees left over, and one property owner asked for the additional 2 and they were allowed to take them. 9. Payment request #7 from Super Excavators, Inc. in the amount of $194,950.00: Chairman Goetsch explained that there is a balance of $733,839 in the equipment replacement fund and this amount will be used to pay the following invoices. Rinard made a motion to pay request #7 in the amount of $194,950 to Super Excavators. Rupnow seconded the motion. Motion carried, 5 -0. 10. Payment request #18 Staab Construction Corporation in the amount of $613,707.00: Rupnow made a motion to approve payment request #18 in the amount of $613,707. Rinard seconded the motion. Motion carried, 5 -0. 11. Payment request from Donohue for work completed 8/18/24 to 9/21/24 in the amount of $28,175.79: Rinard made a motion to approve payment request from Donohue in the amount of $28,175.79. Ziegler seconded the motion. Motion carried, 5-0. 12. Payment request for WWTP lab equipment in the amount of $8,557.09: It was noted that this new lab equipment monitors the equipment that was installed and was not part of the original project quote. Rinard made a motion to approve the purchase of the lab monitoring equipment in the amount of $8557.09. Ziegler seconded th e motion. Motion carried, 5-0. New Business: 13. Silver Circle Sports Events-Sean Osborne to ask approval; (3)Special Events for 2025 1. Lake Country Tri-July 26th, 2025 2. Burrito Biathlon-September 7th, 2025 3. Lake Country Challenge-August 30th, 2025 Sean Osborne explained about the three different races, he confirmed that there would be no need for barricades that they are self-sufficient. Rinard made a motion to approve Silver Circle Sports Events to operate their three events in 2025. Ziegler seconded the motion. Motion carried, 5-0. 14. Appointment of Sherry Brisch, Ann Schmitz, and Rochelle Chaffin as Election Inspectors for the 2024-25 election cycle: Ziegler made a motion to approve the appointments of Sherry Brisch, Ann Schmitz, and Rochelle Chaffin as election inspectors for the 2024-25 election cycle. Rupnow seconded the motion. Motion carried, 5-0. 15. Discussion and action regarding service dogs in parks: Peter Marks explained that the park does not allows dogs and therefore the Sheriff’s Department was not able to bring in their service animal to the Fall Fest event. Rupnow made a motion to allow for the Sheriff’s Department service dog in Firemen’s Park on October 27th for Fall Fest events. Rinard seconded the motion. Motion carried, 5-0. 16. Request for approval from Ixonia-Concord Explorers (ICE) for a snowmobile trail heading North/South along West side of drainage ditch, adjacent to the Fireman’s Park Softball field: Chairman Goetsch talked with Andrew and there are no problems with the snowmobiles. Rinard made a motion to approve the request from Ixonia -Concord Explorers for the snowmobile trail heading North/South along west side of drainage ditch adjacent to Firem en’s Park. Rupnow seconded the motion. Motion carried, 5-0. 17. Staff Updates Fire & EMS Monthly report – September 2024-report was presented. Update on TNT battery powered extraction equipment: the department received the last piece of battery extraction equipment that was paid for by donations. Public Works Update on 2023 Ford F550 Plow Truck: The truck has been received after ordering it 2 years ago, the truck has been put into service. Truck 6 has been stripped of parts and on the auction site. Update regarding donation of radar signs: Received 4 radar signs donated by TAPCO, 3 solar and 1 electrical. Will look for areas to install them. Updates to Winter Road Maintenance Policy: This item will be placed on the next agenda. 18. Public Comments (General) – Persons wishing to speak must sign in and will be allowed three (3) minutes to address the board: • Tryg Ansen; handed a petition into the record regarding public safety concerns. There was a situation on September 12th that turned into a domestic dispute of travelers through the area, it took 20-30 minutes for the Sheriff’s Department to respond. They are not complaining about the Sheriff’s Department, they understand the constraints the department is under and is wondering if there could be alternate solutions. Would like to see the Town of Ixonia research alternate solutions. 19. Upcoming Meetings: Plan Commission – October 23, 2024 @ 7:00 pm Ixonia Fire Dept. Officer’s Meeting – November 6, 2024 @ 6:30 pm Park & Recreation Committee – November 11, 2024 @ 5:00 pm Town Board Meeting – November 11, 2024 @ 7:00 pm Budget Workshop-October 28, 2024 @ 7:00 pm Clerk Lesser read the upcoming meeting list. Chairman Goetsch read the following statement: 20. You are hereby notified that the Common Council of the Town of Ixonia, following all regular business, will convene into closed session. The Chair will announce to all those present the purpose of the meeting and the fact that the Board intends to convene in closed session for the below -delineated purposes. Upon motion duly made and seconded and acted upon by the majority of the members present as required under §19.85(1)(a), Stats., the closed session will take place which may be attended by the Town Board and staff. The purpose of the meeting is to confer with legal counsel who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted with respect to litigation in which it is likely to become involved as authorized under §19.85(1)(g), Stats. Specifically, to be discussed is threatened litigation involving claims for additional compensation pertaining to the new force main construction contract with Super Excavator. The purpose of the meeting is Considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility under 19.85(1)(c), Stats. Specifically, to be discussed is the compensation for the Fire/EMS position. Kester made a motion at 8:04 to enter into closed session. Rupnow seconded the motion. Motion carried by unanimous voice vote. Kester made a motion to reconvene to open session at 8:46 pm. Ziegler seconded the motion. Motion carried, 5 -0. 21. The Board may reconvene into Open Session for purposes of potential additional discussion and/or action on matters discussed in closed session and for adjournment (the Board retains the right to adjourn in closed session in the event it does not reconvene into Open Session). Rupnow made a motion to approve the pay increase for Calvin Sauer from $26.52 to $29.12 for full -time hours, effective immediately. Motion carried, 3-2. 22. Adjourn: Meeting adjourned at 8:48 pm on a motion by Rinard and seconded by Rupnow. Motion carried, 5 -0. Jo Ann Lesser, CMC, WCMC Clerk/Treasurer