11-22-2022 public hearing minutes

The minutes of the Public Hearing for the 2020 budget of the Town Board of Sanborn, Ashland County Wisconsin held November 22nd, 2022. The Public Hearing was called to order at 6 p.m. Those in attendance are attached on a separate list which totaled 32 electors. Luis opened the public hearing and discussed that the hearing was to discuss the 2023 budget in which there was a higher tax levy increase and to discuss giving an increase to the Clerk/Treasurer in which the electors would vote on at the special town meeting along with the 2023 budget vote following the public hearing. Luis then turned it over to Jamie to present the 2023 budget on behalf of the Board. Jamie presented copies of the 2023 budget to the electors present. He then gave an overview of why an increase for the clerk/treasurer position to $35000 was being discussed. Jamie stated that the clerk/treasurer positions work had increased to an 85% position which is about 1750 hours per year that increased since 2017 and that the position was about a 40% to 50% position which is about 900 to 1000 hours per year job previously before 2017 and was getting paid currently $19200. Questions were asked as to why the increase of salary. Jamie stated that the salary did not match the work of the position and he brought it to the board for discussion and the board agreed and wanted to bring it before the electors to vote on it. The board thought that value of the work was $20.00 per hour which multiplied by the 1750 hours is $35000. He also stated that the town has grown over the years and the work steadily increased and that the work really increased in 2014 when the tax litigation started and that it has been steady since. And now with all the work that will need to be done moving forward finalizing the paperwork for the tax litigation will be enormous. More discussion follows and the electors thought that the increase was fair as local fast food businesses pay $15.00 per hour for making burgers and fries. Luis read the current salaries of the Board and the stipends/per diem/training of $100 including election workers and committees would not be changing and remaining the same. Jamie then gave an overview of the 2023 budget and went through the increases to explain the higher tax levy of $25000.00 for the total tax levy of $181920 plus long term debt of $101406 for a total of $283326. Questions were asked to talk about the increase. Luis stated that the lawyers would need to be paid for to finish the tax litigation cases as the insurance would not be paying for them anymore as we have been defended and the Town would be picking up the charges to help guide the Town through the process of resolving the tax cases in which the Board put in $20000 for legal expenses. Luis further gave an overview of how the Town got to the point we are now in regards to the tax litigation and that the problems that we are facing now were discussed many years ago. Jamie also added that prices for everything have been going up since the Covid outbreak and that the Board would re-evaluate next year to see if the increase can be reduced. Discussion follows. Jamie also added that there may be more costs moving forward that cannot be anticipated as it is unknown what exactly the Town will need to do to be done resolving the tax cases and that we would need to play it by ear. Luis then stated that the Town will be working with the Tribe to see if we could restore the previous arrangement with them where the Tribe contributed for the EMS services which were 80% of the EMS contract until 2016 when the tax case put tribal lands back on the tax roll and the payments ceased and that if the Town could get the funds back, it would help reduce the taxes for the electors for future years. Luis also stated that he has been talking to the Governor seeking help with the taxes that need to be repaid to the Tribal members and that the Town is responsible for repaying all of the taxes even though we did not collect and keep all of the taxes and that the Town’s portion is very small and that we were being used as a bank. Luis also stated that the tax cases have damaged the Town severely and that he would be working to resolve the damage and build the relationship with the Tribe moving forward. Jamie then stated that the Town would have to pay interest of the taxes going back to 2017 and did not know how much that would be yet. Discussion follows. Sandy asked if the Board could put some funds in the budget for cultural diversity. Luis stated that the Board did have funds of $600.00 put in for this kind of thing. Discussion follows. Jamie then asked if there were any more questions for the board and there were not. Jamie then stated that the Town had a plan moving forward and that the Board knows things will be difficult for awhile but the Town will push forward. Motion to close the Public Hearing at 6:25 p.m. by Carole Kraft seconded by Joe Bates, motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Jamie Weaver Clerk/Treasurer