Town Board Meeting — Minutes

TOWN OF ROME BOARD MEETING MINUTES THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 5:00 P.M. 1. Call to Order Chairman Carl Hasdal called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. 2. Roll Call Present: Chairman Carl Hasdal; Supervisors Cyndee Lewis, Vito Giardino, Mark Samelstad and Tim Reppen; also present Clerk Wendy Newsom and Finance Director/Treasurer/Interim Administrator Robbie Schaub-Ruemler 3. Certify Posting of Meeting Wendy Newsom certified that on, Tuesday, September 15, 2026, the Agenda for the Town of Rome Board meeting for Thursday, September 17, 2026 was posted at: Posted at the Rome Town Hall 12:25 p.m. Posted at Kwik Trip, LLC 12:31 p.m. Posted at Nekoosa Port Edwards State Bank 12:39 p.m. Emailed to the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune 1:32 p.m. 4. Approve the Agenda Motion by Giardino/Lewis to approve the agenda. Motion carried. 5. Pledge of Allegiance 6. Citizen Comments – During the Citizen Comment period of the agenda the Town Board welcomes comments from any town resident, not a member of the Town Board, on any item not on the agenda. Please know that pursuant to State law the Board cannot engage in conversation with you but may ask questions. The Board may refer the item to staff, a standing committee or a future board agenda for discussion and action. Each person wishing to speak will have up to 3 minutes to speak. Speakers are asked to submit a card to the Clerk providing their name, address and topic for discussion The board will also take comment from the public on agenda items as called by the Chair, but not during Citizen Comment. Please note that once the board begins discussion on an agenda item no further comment will be allowed from the public on that issue Clerk Wendy Newsom read a statement from Up North Brewing Company regarding Mobile Food Vendor Licensing. Town of Rome Nekoosa, WI 54457 www.romewi.gov NO ACTION CONTEMPLATED EXCEPT POSSIBLE REFERRAL TO FUTURE AGENDA: 7. Information Updates, Meeting Recaps, Recent Correspondence, Current Events, Announcements Lewis: Visit Rome continues to work on their website refresh and are looking at the Tourism Agreement with the Town. They are also looking at future ideas for the Link the Lakes project. She attended the Comprehensive Plan Committee meeting today and they are looking at the Town’s Comprehensive Plan which needs to be updated every 10 years. Giardino: He stated that he received notice from the County that the ADA Pier project is moving forward. The Library starting at 9:15 next Friday they will be having Coffee With Friends every Friday. Starting October 15th the Library will be having a Scarecrow contest and anyone is invited to create a scarecrow. Samelstad: Reppen: This Saturday at 9:30 LCPOA is having their monthly meeting. Hasdal: The Tri-Lakes Annual meeting was held a couple of weeks ago and was a good meeting. There was a Nine Key Element Plan that was set up years ago between the DNR and the County regarding the dams with little input from the Town and feels that the Town should write a letter to the County and the DNR to inquire about what the status is of that plan. 8. Department and Committee Reports ☐ Administration ☐ Rome Police Department ☐ EMS District/Lifestar ☐ Rome Public Works Department ☐ Lester Public Library of Rome ☐ Public Works and Utility Committee ☐ Parks Committee ☐ Community Development Authority ☐ Police and Fire Commission ☐ Visit Rome, WI ☐ Rome Fire Department ☐ Zoning Department ☐ Town Clerk ☐ Finance Director/Treasurer ☐ STR Report ☐ Court Report Supervisor Giardino spoke regarding the complaints on the Short-Term Rental complaints. Supervisor Samelstad stated that the staff is who should be addressing these issues not the Town Board. Cindy Mazurowski, 1657 Aspen Ave, had a question regarding a vacation rental. She was directed to contact the Clerk with her questions. DISCUSS AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: 9. Discussion and possible action – Approval of the September 3, 2026 meeting minutes Motion by Samelstad/Reppen to approve the September 3, 2026 meeting minutes. Motion carried. 10. Discussion and possible action – Checks, Vouchers, Receipts and Journal Entries - approve checks #50862 - 50953 totaling $1,968,491.81; Auto-payments totaling $128,938.08; State / Social Security / Medicare / Withholdings totaling $41,745.73; Payroll Vouchers V25779 – V25941 totaling $122,666.93; Receipts #27603 - 27672 totaling $2,343,062.24 Motion by Samelstad/Reppen to approve the financials as presented. Motion carried. 11. Discussion and possible action – Update on the Solar Farm Chairman Hasdal gave an update on the Solar Farm. 12. Discussion and possible action – Approval of the Aspirus Employee Assistance Service Program contract renewal Clerk Newsom stated that this is the contract for the Employee Assistance Program. Motion by Samelstad/Reppen to approve the Aspirus Employee Assistance Service Program contract renewal. Motion carried. 13. Discussion and possible action – Set budget meeting dates Finance Director/Treasurer/Interim Administrator Schaub-Ruemler suggested that the 7th, 14th and 21st at 3:00 p.m. would be the preferred dates. After discussion, the Board agreed on October 7, 14 and 21st at 3:00 p.m. to be the dates to discuss the 2027 Budget. Motion by Samelstad/Lewis to set November 12, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. for the Annual Budget Meeting. Motion carried. 14. Discussion and possible action – Set employee wage increase rate for 2027 Finance Director/Treasurer/Interim Administrator Schaub-Ruemler explained the numbers provided in the packet are for wages only and the rate increase is based on the Federal Cost of Living Adjustment proposed for 2027. Motion by Samelstad/Lewis to set the employee wage increase rate for 2027 at 3.5%. Motion carried. 15. Discussion and possible action – Approval of a request from the Romemakers Home & Community Educators (HCE) for a $100.00 donation to help with expenses for the Children’s Halloween Event on October 31, 2026 Motion by Giardino/Lewis to approve the request from the Romemakers Home & Community Educators (HCE) for a $100.00 donation to help with expenses for the Children’s Halloween Event on October 31, 2026. Motion carried. 16. Discussion and possible action – Discussion regarding the Town’s assigned newspaper for legal notices Zoning Administrator Emily Arndt presented to the Town Board that a once a week newspaper would push Zoning meetings out an extra month as legal notices must be in the paper for 2 consecutive weeks and the second notice must be 7 days prior to the meeting. Motion by Lewis/Samelstad to table this item for more information regarding the number of subscribers in the Town to the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. Motion carried. 17. Discussion and possible action – Parking lot in the Rome Town Center Supervisor Lewis stated that Visit Rome is not in favor of putting it in the green space that has been proposed. Supervisor Samelstad stated that the Police Chief and Director of Public works should look into this to see what can be done to make it safer. Motion by Lewis/Giardino to table to a future meeting. Motion carried. 18. Discussion and possible action – Parking in cul-de-sacs Finance Director/Treasurer/Interim Administrator Schaub-Ruemler explained that the Town has an ordinance regarding parking in the cul-de-sacs and if a resident has an issue with someone parking there they should call the police department to report it. 19. Discussion and possible action – Speed limit on Alpine Drive Supervisor Giardino stated that the Town can legally lower the speed limit but his suggestion is to either put a rumble strip in or a flashing stop sign. The stop sign is already lit up. Discussion was had regarding the speed limit. No action taken. 20. Discussion and possible action – Farmer’s Market Supervisor Samelstad suggested that the Police Chief and the Public Works Director work with Carly from the Adams County Chamber to see if there is a way to configure the Farmer’s Market so that it is safe for everyone. 21. Discussion and possible action – The Board may go into closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes 19.85(1)(c) for the purpose of considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility, to discuss Town Administrator candidates Motion at 5:58 p.m. by Reppen/Lewis to go into closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes 19.85(1)(c) for the purpose of considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility, to discuss Town Administrator candidates. Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote. The Town Board exited closed session at 6:16 p.m. 22. Discussion and possible action – The Board reserves the right to come out of closed session and go into open session authorized by Wisconsin Statutes 19.85(2) to possibly take action from the closed session and continue with the agenda Motion at 6:18 p.m. by Lewis/Giardino to come out of closed session and go into open session authorized by Wisconsin Statutes 19.85(2) to possibly take action from the closed session and continue with the agenda. Motion carried with a unanimous roll call vote. No action taken. DATES AND ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDA/MEETINGS 23. Next agenda items ➢ Status of the Handicap Letters to the businesses ➢ Newsletter and legal notices ➢ Golf Course ➢ Transfer Site 24. Next meeting date and time October 1, 2026 – 5:00 p.m. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Lewis/Giardino to adjourn the meeting at 6:24 p.m. Motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Wendy Newsom Wendy Newsom Town of Rome Clerk