07-07-25_board_minutes

1 THE VILLAGE OF GAYS MILLS Minutes of the regular meeting of the Village Board of Gays Mills held Monday, July 7, 2025, which began at 6:00 p.m. in the Community Commerce Board Room. Village President Harry Heisz called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Roll call was taken with the following present: Ethan Eitsert, Harry Heisz, Emily Kinserdahl, Larry McCarn, Kevin Murray, Kim Pettit, and Art Winsor. The board received verification that the agenda was posted in accordance with the open meeting law. No citizens or delegations. Under Administrative Reports Heisz gave the swimming pool update with the report that there has been high volume usage of the swimming pool since opening in June, no complaints have been received, that the swimming pool and buildings have been kept clean, and the first set of local swimming lessons started this evening. The board discussed the temporary fix of the deck repair which is holding up with just some puddling of water. No recommendation from the Plan Commission on the zoning map amendment. The Plan Commission has scheduled another meeting on July 22nd to address this agenda item. The Plan Commission is recommending the board to approve a conditional use for 317 Main Street. The location is currently zoned Business with Dan McCormick requesting a conditional use to add extended stay usage. Murray made a motion to approve a conditional use for 317 Main Street to allow extended stay usage. Seconded by McCarn. Motion carried. Per the Public Property and Cemetery Committees’ recommendation Eitsert made a motion to adopt Ordinance Amendment 2025-02 of Section 11-3-3 of the Municipal Code of the Village of Gays Mills, Crawford County, Wisconsin, Relating to Cemetery Regulations. - 2) Addition of flower tubes. - 6) Remove option of cremation lots. - 7) Increase Full Grave Opening Fees to $600 weekdays and $800 weekends. - 8) Increase Cremation/Baby Opening Fees to $300 weekdays and $400 weekends. - 11) Addition – marker base is to be level with the ground, public works to inspect and have authority to require compliance at the contractors’ expense, all correspondences regarding marker/headstone work with contractors is to take place during normal business hours. Add space between marker/headstone and foot of grave shall be able to be mowed. - 16) Add mausoleum – to be preapproved by Village Board. Seconded by McCarn. Motion carried. 2 Under the Wastewater Treatment Project update the board learned that the Wastewater Permit to Discharge under the Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System application has been submitted by Town and Country Engineering to the DNR. This application is for the term of January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2030. Also the Final Phosphorus Report has been submitted by Town and Country Engineering to the DNR along with the Phosphorus Variance Application. Under the Public Works report it was discussed that infiltration has been an issue at the wastewater treatment plant due to all the rain and two hydrants have been repaired (intersection of Main/Railroad and top of Ten Hills). It was asked if the sidewalks are scheduled to be repaired and if the curbs on Main Street can be repaired? Murray made a motion to approve the board meeting minutes of June 2, 2025. Seconded by Eitsert. Motion carried. McCarn made a motion to approve payments of the bills as listed in the monthly expense report. Seconded by Murray. Motion carried. Under old business the village building inspector, Brad Smrcina, has referred the village to contact the state building inspector for the exterior inspection report on the nuisance properties at 200 Main Street and 208 Main Street. The village office contacted Tom Steiner who then referred the office to file an online complaint. The village received a letter back on June 23rd from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services stating that after reviewing that they do not have jurisdiction over this matter as it does not appear these buildings are in use and that dilapidated buildings should be managed through the village ordinances. The office will contact the Village Attorney on options and also to consider hiring a private company to complete these inspections. The board learned that Luke Adams rejected signing the Right-of-Way Encroachment Agreement for the driveway within the Ten Hills Street right-of-way due to Section 2 - Right of Removal. Village Attorney Eric Hagen provided additional language limiting the village’s right to remove to specific reasons. Winsor made a motion to add attorney’s language to Section 2 of Right-of-Way Encroachment Agreement. Seconded by Murray. After discussion both Winsor and Murray retracted motion. The board would like to discuss other options with the Village Attorney. Murray made a motion to approve a contract with Geek Powered for the amount of $3,780 for services on the village website to be migrated to WordPress that includes a secured HTTPS and an email setup to a .gov domain. Seconded by Kinserdahl. Motion carried. Driftless Development will contribute funds to the village for website work through a Specialty Crop Grant since the village hosts content for the orchards. The village is waiting for an estimate in order to complete evaluations of village owned buildings and fair market rental rates. 3 Nothing has been received from Vierbicher concerning a sewer main repair needed on State Highway 171 east near the Royal Bank. McCarn made a motion to accept the 2024 Johnson Block Village Audit. Seconded by Eitsert. Motion carried. Kinserdahl made a motion to approve operator’s license applications for Trevor O’Kane and Kesha Blaha. Seconded by Eitsert. Motion carried. No correspondences were received. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 4, 2025. At 6:53 p.m. Murray made a motion to convene into closed session pursuant to Wisc. State Stat. 19.85 (1)(c) for the purpose of considering employment, promotion, compensation, or performance evaluation data of any public employee. Seconded by McCarn. A roll call vote was taken: Kinserdahl, Pettit, Winsor, Heisz, McCarn, Eitsert and Murray voted Yes. Motion carried. Bob Robinson was later invited into closed session. At 7:20 p.m. Murray made a motion to reconvene into open session. Seconded by Eitsert. Motion carried. Murray made a motion to temporarily hire Emily Kinserdahl as a part-time mower until the vacant position can be filled. Seconded by McCarn. Kinserdahl abstained. Motion carried. Murray made a motion to place an ad for a seasonal part-time public works position with applications due July 30th. Seconded by McCarn. Motion carried. At 7:30 p.m. Murray made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Kinserdahl. Motion carried. Respectfully Submitted Dawn R. McCann, Clerk APPROVED 08-04-2025