Regular Board — Minutes

VILLAGE OF CAMERON REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES September 8, 2025 | 6:00 P.M. 300 N 1st Street, Cameron, WI 54822 1. CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/ROLL CALL Meeting called to order at 6:00 pm by Village President, Russell Hulback. Answering roll call were: Trustees Jessica Larson; Steve Johnson; Denise Paddock; President Russell Hulback; Trustees Kathy Krug; Dave Ebner; Randy Hill. All present. Staff present were: DPW Ebert; Chief Engel; C-T Story. Guests present were: Joe Atwood, Interim Building Inspector and Amy Kelsey, Cooper Engineering. 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS Chief Engel wished to speak in public comment in reference to a truck parade he was approached by a Barron County Fair participant. The route would consist of 53 Exit down USH 8 to CTH W to CTH SS returning to USH 8 to US 53 on September 27th at approximately 8:30 p.m. as a truck light show / parade. As time did not allow a future board meeting, therefore, the Clerk requested to complete a Street Permit Application with the consensus from board to approve application. Consensus granted. 3. CONSENT AGENDA a. Treasurer’s & Budget Comparison Reports; b. Minutes of Meetings: August 11, 2025; c. William Koepp Building Inspection Services Invoices: May/June 2025 $2,769.60 and July/August 2025 $1,104.00; Motion by Trustees Paddock/Johnson to approve consent agenda. All aye. None opposed. Motion carried. 7-0. 4. STAFF REPORTS & COMMITTEE UPDATES a. Building Inspector Report: Joe Atwood submitted a monthly inspection report. Board members requested Joe to review the garage and shed to include on the existing raze order properties. Joe will review and follow up at the next meeting. b. Public Works Report: Full report provided by DPW Ebert. The new truck is on the way, the chasis is being built, will be equipped in near future. A driveway was installed without a permit on 404 Elm Ave-this will be reviewed and possibly go before the board or board of appeals as owner may be requesting a variance. Other driveways have been added onto within the village as well so what direction does the board want to go. Review and return to board at a future meeting. Leak study was completed and found two large leaks totaling 80,000 gallons a day loss. Will include annually for budget, about $2,500 per year. Been having some issues with the lift station at Clayton and Haglin with rocks, gravel, and cat toys that were stuck in it. The splashpad is closed for the season. The pickleball and volleyball nets will be left up for a few weeks yet as we continue to see people utilize them. Bayer Ave project will not be done yet this year but completed in Spring 2026. The Playground equipment is ordered and will be prepping the site for install. The parking lot project for the Food Pantry has been discussed and working with Steve Johnson in getting elevations shot so we can start looking for options. Arlington Ave had a curb stop leak and A-1 had to dig it. c. Law Enforcement Report: Full report provided by Chief Engel. Purchased and installed new key box and keys are now displayed in PD. Each squad has set of keys for bathrooms and night crew will start locking bathrooms. Each squad has a cell phone, and officers have been instructed to utilize work cell phones for work related events. Pickup squad was reprogrammed. Radar unit for Ford Explorer was sent out for repair. Quote from Tice Tech for security camera for interview room $769. Went to glass company in RL and got a new lock cylinder for front PD door. Went to Officer Bennett Smith’s funeral. Officer Schroeder got his new vest. Ordered conversion kits for squad’s shotguns. Ordered two cordless cameras. DPW Ebert also ordered two cameras for the parks. Ordered 100 ft tape measures for squads as well as a photograph scale to photograph evidence. Got a quote for a spare pistol for $1,032 for a backup pistol. The Chevy pickup does not have a tonneau cover and got a quote for $800 including install. Activity report provided. Total of 50 calls from August 12, 2025 to September 8, 2025. Would like to hire Jeff Kostner for the village’s firearm instructor part- time casual employment. Discuss more – see Agenda number 6k. d. Clerk Report: C-T Story provided report. Prochnow Assessing sent out letters village wide for the 2026 tax year. Budget comparison’s provided in consent agenda, any questions board members should feel free to meet with the clerk. The HSA for employees will be switched and employees will be offered an optional payroll deduction Single $4,400 and Family $8,750 for the 2026 year. New health insurance premium reviewed by Personnel Committee and Department Heads. Open Enrollment will be in November and will have an all staff meeting at that time. Received a scholarship from the League of Wisconsin Municipalities for the Fall Conference, attendance and lodging covered so will be out of the office Sept 17-18-19. Insurance is paid for another year, the League’s insurance continues to remain considerably less than the previous ins co. The annual EOP is due and will have it at the October meeting, time willing. Will have to work with Public Works and Law Enforcement to update this. The Village’s estimated population came in as a decrease so challenged the DOR with their challenge form, for which the DOR accepted. The Village Hall will be closed Thanksgiving Day and the day after and December 24 & 25 all day. A Joint TID meeting will be held Thursday, September 11 th at 1 PM. The DOA is redirecting the CDBG Housing Program from municipalities back to the state finalizing it Fall 2026. The Welcome to Cameron sign is being installed thru the Cameron Business Association on village property (previously approved by the board) in October. Request to waive the sign fee. Concensus of board to waive the sign permit fee for the Welcome to Cameron sign provided by the Cameron Business Association. The village has been recommended by Joe Atwood to contract with REM for commercial electrical permits. This will be on the October agenda. 5. OLD BUSINESS a. Update by Amy Kelsey, Cooper Engineering regarding Sunnyside Ave Project and Survey; Amy Kelsey provided an update on the CDBG Sunnyside Ave survey. The area was physically surveyed in January 2025. The board approved an income survey, a requirement for the CDBG grant application. We will need to receive 36 responses of the 43 mailed. ITA is December 30th. The deadline for the CDBG application is May 2026. The application does require designs and specs to be included. 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Consider/Act on Liquor License Combination Class “B” Beer and “Class B” Liquor to Donna DiStasio d/b/a Cameron Club, 109 N 6th St., Cameron, WI 54822; Agent: Donna DiStasio, 2182 County Road HH, Junction City, WI 54443; Motion by Trustees Ebner/Krug to approve Donna DiStasio d/b/a Cameron Club for a Class B liquor license to follow all rules and regulations. All aye. None opposed. Motion carried. 7-0. b. Consider/Act on Acceptance of Bid Award with Northwest Builders for Door Replacement Project in the amount of $68,443.10; Clerk noted that one bid was received. Proper publication was completed. Motion by Trustees Ebner/Paddock to approve the bid to Northwest Builders in the amount of $68,443.10. All aye. None opposed. Motion carried. 7-0. [Clerk Note: Bid reflects materials and labor for five aluminum frame exterior doors with ADA Handicap Accessible on main entry door for Village Hall and one metal frame exterior door for Village Garage]. c. Consider/Act on Acceptance of Bid Award for Building Inspection and Zoning Administrator Services with a one-year renewal contract to Joe Atwood; Clerk noted that two bids were provided. One from Daryl Dostal and one from Joe Atwood for the Building Inspector and Zoning Administrator duties. Proper publications were completed. Discussion by board members. Motion by Trustees Johnson/Larson to award the bid for services to Joe Atwood with a one- year contract. All aye. None opposed. Motion carried. 7-0. d. Consider/Act on Crossing Guard; Discussion of the history of the crossing guard. Trustee Hill had discussed with Joe Leschinin. Motion by Trustees Ebner/Paddock to discontinue the crossing guard effective December 31, 2025. All aye. None opposed. Motion carried. 7-0. e. Consider/Act on Pet Policy at Community Center; The Library Director requested to review a pet policy due to issues at the community center building. The library has a current pet policy but the community center does not. A pet policy was drafted. Discussion by board. Motion by Trustees Hill/Ebner to approve the drafted pet policy. All aye. None opposed. Motion carried. 7-0. [Clerk Note: No changes were made to the drafted pet policy. Clerk will provide to the Library and the Library will post at the community center.] f. Consider/Act on Reversal of Resolution 2025-08 ETF Group Health Insurance; A brief review of the previously approved Resolution, the rate hikes ETF has implemented for 2026 and the lesser option cost wise for the level funded plan for employee health insurance was reviewed. Motion by Trustees Johnson/Krug to reverse Resolution 2025-08 ETF Group Health Insurance. All aye. None opposed. Motion carried. 7-0. g. Consider/Act on Group Health Insurance Plan with Benefit Advisors Insurance; Review of health insurance rates were reviewed by the Personnel Committee and therefore the Personnel Committee is recommending the level funded employee insurance plan. Motion by Trustees Paddock/Larson to act on the group health insurance as recommended by the Personnel Committee thru Benefit Advisors as the highlighted plan indicated in packet. All aye. None opposed. Motion carried. 7-0. h. Consider/Act for Police Department to purchase (1) one Glock-45 Pistol as spare from Kiesler Police Supply Co. for $1,031.68; The Law Enforcement Committee recommends the purchase, other pistols are assigned to current officers, a spare is necessary in case of malfunction or a shooting. Motion by Trustees Johnson/Paddock to approve the purchase of one pistol by Kiesler Policy Supply for $1,031.68 and paid by the Law Enforcement Equipment Fund. All aye. None opposed. Motion carried. 7-0. i. Consider/Act on Tice Technologies to furnish and install a camera in Police Department’s interview/interrogation room for $768.99; Discussion by Engel on security camera and to connect to existing equipment in basement so no additional cost there. Necessary to have in an interview/interrogation room. Motion by Trustees Ebner/Krug to furnish a security camera by Tice Tech at a cost of $768.99 to be funded by the LE Equipment Fund. All aye. None opposed. Motion carried. 7-0. j. Consider/Act on Cameron Auto Body furnish and install a tonneau cover for the Police Department’s 2023 Chevrolet Truck for $800.00; Motion by Trustees Krug/Ebner to act on Cameron Auto Body to purchase and install a tonneau cover for the police department squad pickup. All aye. None opposed. Motion carried. 7-0. k. Discuss/Consider/Act on Hiring Firearms Instructor, Jeff Kostner, as a Part-Time Casual Employee for the Police Department; Discussion by Engel to board regarding the village previously using a firearms instructor thru the Chetek Police Department but that instructor left. It is a requirement to have regulated firearms training. Motion by Trustees Paddock/Krug to act on hiring a part-time casual employee for the Police Department effective immediately for Firearms Instruction and Training purposes. All aye. None opposed. Motion carried. 7-0. 7. FUTURE MEETINGS & OTHER COMMITTEE UPDATES Street Committee Update: Bayer Ave will be completed by the Barron County Highway Department. Jaden Ebert provided an update that 235 Feet from the old driveway on Bayer Ave to the new Bobcats Plus driveway. This needs to be passable by January 1, 2026 so Bobcats Plus can open their store. Barron County is hoping to move in their equipment tomorrow and the county dept will be on site. The road will not be fully done but the section of 235 feet x 65 feet wide will be complete and correlate with finishing off the street come spring 2026. DPW Jaden Ebert also informed the board there will be no more paving completed in 2025 now. Also, the no passing will be painted when the painting crew is in the area. The Law Enforcement Committee reported from their committee meeting that body cams were discussed. Still waiting on another quote. The County is going to these body cams in 2-5 years. Their system is a 2 band and ours is a 1 band. There are options for payments from a 3, 5, or 7 year payment plan. The cost is upwards of $136,000. Can order it together with the county. The Water-Sewer Committee reported from their water-sewer committee meeting providing an update to the board on possibly shifting the hydrant fee to utility billing. Another meeting will be held on September 17, 2025. Future Meetings: JRB (for TID) September 11, 2025; W/S Committee September 17, 2025; Special Board Meeting (for Budget Workshop) September 24, 2025. Board members requested the Village Clerk to review changing Regular Board Meetings to Wednesdays. The Clerk will review and have information for the October meeting. 8. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Trustees Johnson/Paddock to adjourn at 7:43 PM. Submitted by, Ardith Story, Clerk-Treasurer