Regular Meeting - Common Council — Minutes

COMMISSION ON PUBLIC WORKS/UTILITIES COUNCIL ROOM, CITY HALL AUGUST 25, 2026 6:45 P.M. The Commission on Public Works/Utilities met in regular session, Mayor Poeschel presiding. On roll call: Council Member Clough absent, all other members present. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Director of Public Works Friemoth reported on one cremation and one full burial at the Cemetery, placed matting, border and rubber mulch around the toys at Listeman Park, touching up paint on various toys, watering flowers and a few areas that were seeded with grass, hauling out pulverized material on the Ferguson and W. Second Streets project, removed curb and gutter, dug out and replaced base material on two blocks of W. Second Street between Oak Street and Grand Avenue, equipment maintenance, Water Department- daily testing and well rounds, utility locates, scheduling meter change outs, adjusting risers and repairing broken road boxes, cross connection inspections, Sewer Department-daily testing and lift station rounds, lift station inspection and maintenance, added degreaser to various lift stations, testing out a different chemical to reduce our phosphorus levels, measuring manhole covers throughout town to raise them so the road is smoother and equipment maintenance. Director of Public Works Friemoth stated that work is going well on the Ferguson and W. Second Streets project. Curb and gutter was installed last week and American Asphalt stated that paving is likely to be a couple of weeks out. Director of Public Works Friemoth presented the HydroCorp service agreement renewal contract. They do our commercial cross connection inspections, and this is something that is very time consuming. Our current contract for $8,326, or $181 per inspection, and that has got us caught up but the new contract is a 2-year contract for a total of $14,344.97, or $193.85 per inspection, which would be an increase per inspection. Motion Gelhaus, second Pavlac, to recommend to the Common Council to accept the HydroCorp service renewal agreement contract as presented. All Aye. Motion Petkovsek, second Neville, that Water Bills Nos. 220 to 248 in the amount of $64,495.66 and Sewer Bills Nos. 145 to 163 in the amount of $ 95,510.55 be paid. All Aye. Motion Neville, second Pavlac, to adjourn. All Aye. __________________________________ Duane G. Poeschel, Mayor ________________________________ Debbie Winder, Clerk * * * * * * * * * * * * COMMON COUNCIL COUNCIL ROOM AUGUST 25, 2026 7:00 P.M. The Common Council met in regular session, Mayor Poeschel presiding. On roll call: Council Member Clough absent, all other members present. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. City Clerk-Treasurer Debbie Winder announced that there is a correction to the meeting minutes from the last Common Council meeting of August 10, 2026. In the minutes, it was stated that the Chief of Police Mankowski said that the State requires 20 hours of training per month, but he actually said the State requires 24 hours of training. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved as corrected. Council Member Petkovsek reported on the August 25, 2026, meeting of the Personnel Committee regarding: 1) re-hiring Rex Roehl to continue to serve as the Community Fire Hall Treasurer and 2) to move the salary line item from the City Clerk’s budget and place it under the Fire Department’s budget effective as of the 2027 budget. Mayor Poeschel reported on the August 25, 2026, meeting of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities regarding: 1) current activities, 2) renewal of the HydroCorp service agreement and 3) payment of bills. Mayor Poeschel declared all reports filed as presented with the City Clerk. Mayor Poeschel asked if there were any questions on the Personnel Committee items (1 & 2). Motion Gelhaus, second Pavlac, to accept the recommendation to re-hire Rex Roehl as the Neillsville Community Fire Hall Treasurer. All Aye. Motion Gelhaus, second Pavlac, to move the salary from the City Clerk’s budget and place it under the Fire Department’s budget effective as of the 2027 budget. All Aye. Mayor Poeschel asked if there were any questions of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities item (2). Motion Neville, second Gelhaus, to accept the recommendation to renew the HydroCorp service renewal agreement contract as presented. All Aye. Mayor Poeschel presented a request from the Neillsville Area Chamber of Commerce to close West Street between W. Fifth Street and W. Sixth Street from 12:01 A.M. to 11:59 P.M. and West Street between W. Fifth Street and W. Fourth Street from 12:01 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. and the intersection of West Street and W. Fifth Street from 12:01 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. on Saturday, October 10, 2026, for the Autumn Harvest Fest event. Motion Petkovsek, second Neville, to grant the request from the Neillsville Area Chamber of Commerce to close West Street between W. Fifth Street and W. Sixth Street from 12:01 A.M. to 11:59 P.M. and West Street between W. Fifth Street and W. Fourth Street from 12:01 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. and the intersection of West Street and W. Fifth Street from 12:01 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. on Saturday, October 10, 2026, for the Autumn Harvest Fest event. All Aye. Mayor Poeschel presented a request from the Neillsville Area Chamber of Commerce to close the lower Municipal parking lot on West Street from Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 8:00 A.M. until Monday, October 12, 2026; extend the hours until 11:59 P.M. for the band on Saturday, October 10, 2026, and use the Heritage Days tent, stage, tables and chairs for the Autumn Harvest Fest event. Motion Neville, second Gelhaus, to grant the request from the Neillsville Area Chamber of Commerce to close the lower Municipal parking lot on West Street from Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 8:00 A.M. until Monday, October 12, 2026; extend the hours until 11:59 P.M. for the band on Saturday, October 10, 2026, and use the Heritage Days tent, stage, tables and chairs for the Autumn Harvest Fest event. All Aye. Mayor Poeschel presented a request from the Neillsville Fire Department to close W. Eighth Street from Grand Avenue to Hewett Street and West Street from W. Eighth Street to the rear parking lot of The Brickyard Bar & Grill for their steak feed fundraiser on Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 2:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Motion Petkovsek, second Gelhaus, to grant the request from the Neillsville Fire Department to close W. Eighth Street from Grand Avenue to Hewett Street and West Street from W. Eighth Street to the rear parking lot of The Brickyard Bar & Grill for their steak feed fundraiser on Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 2:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. All Aye. City Clerk Winder presented the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs Division of Emergency Management-Cyber Security Grant (Cycle 1-4th Quarter, 2025) in the amount of $7,538.25. Motion Neville, second Pavlac, to accept and appropriate $4,113.77 to Account No. 51600 City Hall and $3,424.48 to Account No. 52100 Police Department Administration. All Aye. City Clerk Winder reported on receiving a donation from the Listeman Foundation in the amount of $1,000.00 for Christmas decorations. Motion Neville, second Pavlac, to accept and appropriate $1,000.00 to Account No. 55360 Christmas Decorations and to thank the Listeman Foundation for its donation. All Aye. City Clerk Winder reported on receiving the following donations from the Listeman/Naedler Foundation: $2,500 for Police Department portable radio and $17,000.00 for the following park projects: $5,250 for the C.C. Sniteman Park Town Square clock tower; $3,400 for the Steam engine in Schuster Park; $5,250 for the Schuster Park north pavilion roof replacement; and $3,000 for fencing along E. Fifteenth Street by the playground equipment at Listeman Park. Motion Petkovsek, second Neville, to accept and appropriate $2,500.00 to Account No. 52100 Police Department Administration and $17,000.00 to Account No. 57620 Parks and to thank the Listeman Foundation for its donations. All Aye. Council Member Petkovsek stated that she wanted to acknowledge the generosity of the Listeman Foundation after they previously made a donation towards the C.C. Sniteman Park Town Square clock tower repair and then this most recent donation after discovering that the clock tower would have to be replaced and not repaired. Temporary Class “B” Retailers License (Beer Only) Application: Neillsville Area Chamber of Commerce, Jose L. Neville, Agent for the parking lot on West Street, for Saturday, October 10, 2026 – Autumn Harvest. Motion Gelhaus, second Pavlac, to grant. All Aye. Soda Water License Application: Neillsville Area Chamber of Commerce, Jose L. Neville, Agent for the parking lot on West Street, for Saturday, October 10, 2026 – Autumn Harvest. Motion Gelhaus, second Pavlac, to grant. All Aye. Tavern Operator’s License Application: Kristin K. Smith Motion Neville, second Gelhaus, to grant the listed license. All Aye. Motion Neville, second Pavlac, that City Bills Nos. 769 to 813 in the amount of $695,472.51 be paid. All Aye. Motion Petkovsek, second Pavlac, to adjourn. All Aye. __________________________________ Duane G. Poeschel, Mayor ________________________________ Debbie Winder, Clerk * * * * * * * * * * * *