board_meeting_minutes_april_2026.pdf

Village of Siren is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington DC 20250-9410 VILLAGE OF SIREN – VILLAGE BOARD MEETING WEDNESDAY APRIL 22, 2026 MINUTES The Regular Village Board meeting held on April 22, 2026, was called to order at 4:30 p.m. by Village President Steve Young. Members Present: Aaron Bentley, Kelly Gunderson, Nick Haessly, Sara Reimann, Eileen Thiex, John Tinman, Steve Young Others Present: Ann Peterson, Clerk/Treasurer; Teresa Anderson, MSA; Becky Strabel, Burnett County Sentinel; Sarah Radomsky, Inter County Leader; Mark Krause, Wagner Surveying; Scott Mars; Scott & Mary McCabe Clerk/Treasurer Peterson swore in the new Board members – Aaron Bentley, Kelly Gunderson, and Eileen Thiex. President Young called for Public Comments. Scott McCabe brought up his concerns on garbage piling up on various Village properties. He is concerned that with the upcoming construction there will be more traffic in residential neighborhoods that will notice these issues. A motion was made by Aaron Bentley and seconded by John Tinman to approve the agenda with the change of moving Plan Commission approvals to earlier in the meeting. Motion carried without negative vote. A motion was made by Kelly Gunderson and seconded by Aaron Bentley to approve the following minutes: • Regular Village Board meeting of March 25, 2026 • Streets & Utilities Committee meeting of April 13, 2026 • Buildings, Grounds & Parks Committee meeting of April 13, 2026 • Public Safety Committee meeting of April 15, 2026 • Personnel & Finance Committee meeting of April 15, 2026 All in favor, motion carried. A motion was made by John Tinman and seconded by Sara Reimann to approve payment of the bills in the amount of $57,935.26 general vouchers and checks cut since the last regularly scheduled board meeting in the amount of $286,858.24 for a grand total of $344,793.50. Motion carried without negative vote. President Young gave the President’s Report. He thanked Ed Johnson and Dave Doty Sr. for their time on the Village Board and welcomed Aaron Bentley and Eileen Thiex as new Board members. He wanted to remind the Board that they need to follow Roberts Rules of Order and that the Board needs to make sure that we act respectfully toward each other. The Chamber of Commerce has been working on signage for businesses during the upcoming Road Construction Project. The Village has previously agreed to waive the sign requirements that business signage must be on their own property. The Chamber is coordinating the placement of yard signs from May 1st through the end of October. There will be a notice in the water bills providing information on recycling and garbage options for Village taxpayers. Clerk/Treasurer Peterson informed the Board that there will be a community meeting on Thursday April 30th at 5:00 at the Lodge on the State Road 35/70 Reconstruction Project. A representative from the Contractor will be in attendance. Board of Review is Village of Siren is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington DC 20250-9410 scheduled for May 5th. Kelly Gunderson has taken the training, but others can take it as well if they desire. Chief Thiex was at training so unable to attend the meeting. The March Police Report was included in the packet. Board member John Tinman reported the Siren Fire Association did not meet this last month. Board member Sara Reimann had nothing to report on the Burnett County Towns Association. Board member Kelly Gunderson had nothing to report for the Burnett County Housing Committee Report. STANDING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS & REPORTS Streets & Utilities Committee A motion was made by John Tinman and seconded by Aaron Bentley that any funds received from the sale of crushed concrete by A&W be put in the Street Outlay Fund. The price of the concrete will be $14/ton with A&W doing the loading and hauling. The concrete was originally crushed in 2024 and paid for through the General Fund. All in favor, motion carried. Buildings, Grounds & Parks Committee A motion was made by Nick Haessly and seconded by Sara Reimann to allow Christmas Decorations in the Village Parks between the dates of the second weekend of November through January 31st. This information will be shared with the Siren Lions Club and the Siren Chamber of Commerce. Companies and Organizations that put up decorations will also need to use something other than posts to secure the decorations so there is not a safety hazard when the decorations are removed. All in favor, motion carried. Public Safety Committee A motion was made by John Tinman and seconded by Steve Young to amend Village Ordinance §445 Licensing of Short-Term Rentals and Agents. The changes are on the recommendation of Siren Fire Chief John Doric after discussions with DATCP on the licensing requirements for the state rooming license. The change eliminates the need for duplicate fire inspections. President Young called for a roll call vote: Bentley aye Thiex aye Gunderson aye Tinman aye Haessly aye Young aye Reimann aye Motion carried. Planning Commission A motion was made by Kelly Gunderson and seconded by Steve Young to rezone the lot at 23487 State Road 35 from C-1 General Commercial to R-1 Single Family Residence. This is at the request of Scott & Tracy Mars, the owners of the property. All the property around this address is already zoned R1. The existing building has a Conditional Use Permit to be used as a short-term rental. All in favor, motion carried. A motion was made by Kelly Gunderson and seconded by Sara Reimann to approve the CSM for 23487 State Road 35 to subdivide the lot into two parcels. Both parcels meet the requirements of a lot in the Village. All in favor, motion carried. A motion was made by Steve Young and seconded by Eileen Thiex to approve the CSM Village of Siren is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington DC 20250-9410 for Outlot 1 on the west side of the Gandy Dancer Trail at 23835 State Road 35. The lot is zoned W1 Conservancy and meets all the requirements of the zoning classification. The lot is separated from the rest of the parcel with the Gandy Dancer but it needs to legally become its own parcel so it can be conveyed to a different owner. All in favor, motion carried. OLD BUSINESS The Board discussed the property at 23970 State Road 35. The owners were granted a Conditional Use Permit in 2022 for the property to be used as a residence if a commercial business was being run on the same site as the owner. The owners took out building permits in 2023 and 2024 for various projects; however, those permits have now lapsed. Prior owners at the property did have the Village clean-up the property and the prior owner was assessed for the clean-up charges. The Board discussed tabling this issue until further information on the process for forcing clean-up can be obtained and then having Public Safety Committee work on forcing clean-up of the property. The Board had previously approved the updated Siren Fire Association Intermunicipal Cooperation Agreement for Fire Protection Services, so this issue did not need to be discussed at the meeting. A motion was made by John Tinman and seconded by Steve Young to approve the Updated Siren Fire Association Policy. The policy outlines the definition of an Active Fire Fighter and an Honorary Fire Fighter. All in favor, motion carried. NEW BUSINESS A motion was made by Aaron Bentley and seconded by Nick Haessly to approve President Young’s appointments for Committee assignments, etc. The first named person for each Committee will be the chair: i. Buildings, Grounds & Parks: Nick Haessly, Aaron Bentley, Eileen Thiex ii. Personnel & Finance: John Tinman, Kelly Gunderson, Steve Young iii. Public Safety: Kelly Gunderson, Sara Reimann, John Tinman iv. Streets & Utilities: Steve Young, Aaron Bentley, Nick Haessly v. Citizen appointment to Planning Commission & Board of Appeals: Chris Engstrom vi. Ballpark Committee: Brian Webster, Jackson Gerber, Nick Haessly, Jim Jaskolka, Tina Karsten vii. Board Representative to Siren Fire Association: John Tinman viii. Board Representative to Burnett Towns Association: Sara Reimann ix. Board Representative to Ambulance Negotiation Committee: Aaron Bentley x. Tourism Appointees: Steve Young, Pattie Sullivan-Wilson, Chris Sybers, Jenni Smith, Steve Rohde, Gerry Gadke xi. Citizen Member of Joint Review Board: Doug Beedle xii. Designation of Official Depositories for Village funds: Community Bank, Local Government Investment Pool, Old National Bank xiii. Designation of Official Newspaper: Burnett County Sentinel The Burnett County Housing Committee will be dissolving so Kelly Gunderson will stay on that Committee until it dissolves. Motion carried. A motion was made by Steve Young and seconded by Kelly Gunderson to appoint Kelly Gunderson as the Village’s representative to the Planning Commission. President Young called for a roll call vote: Bentley aye Thiex aye Gunderson aye Tinman aye Village of Siren is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington DC 20250-9410 Haessly aye Young aye Reimann aye Motion carried. The Board reviewed Village of Siren Ordinances §51 – Ethics and §160 – Village Board. President Young indicated that he hopes all Board members read these ordinances. The Board discussed the meeting date/time for the regularly scheduled Board meetings. Currently the Village Board meetings are on the fourth Wednesday of the month. A motion was made by John Tinman and seconded by Kelly Gunderson to change the meetings to 4:15 on the Second Wednesday of the month The Board discussed the request by L&T Painting to work on Sunday’s while doing the Water Tower Rehab project. Currently construction is allowed from 7am – 7pm Monday through Saturday. L&T would like permission to work on Sundays as well as they only have fifty days from the time the tower is taken out of service to have it back in service. The Board discussed that there is a church in the area. A motion was made by John Tinman and seconded by Steve Young to allow L&T Painting to work on Sundays between the hours of noon and 7pm. All in favor, motion carried. A motion was made by Kelly Gunderson and seconded by Aaron Bentley to approve Resolution 2026-01: A Resolution Authorizing the Issuance and Sale of up to $534,452 Water System Revenue Bonds, Series 2026A and Providing for Other Details and Covenants with Respect thereto. The Bonds will be for 20 years with a 1.485% interest rate and are for the Village’s portion of the Water System Improvements not being covered by the CDBG Grant or the principal forgiveness portion of the Safe Drinking Water Loan. President Young called for a roll call vote: Bentley aye Thiex aye Gunderson aye Tinman aye Haessly aye Young aye Reimann aye Motion carried. A motion was made by Aaron Bentley and seconded by Sara Reimann to approve the Financial Assistance Agreement for the 2026 Water System Revenue Bonds. President Young called for a roll call vote: Bentley aye Thiex aye Gunderson aye Tinman aye Haessly aye Young aye Reimann aye Motion carried. A motion was made by John Tinman and seconded by Aaron Bentley to approve Pay Request #9 for B&B Electric in the amount of $159,658.90. MSA recommended approval of the pay request. All in favor, motion carried. The meeting schedule was set as follows: a. Special Village Board Meeting: April 24th at 9:00 a.m. b. Buildings, Grounds & Parks Committee: To be set if needed. c. Personnel & Finance Committee: May 5th at 4:00 p.m. d. Public Safety Committee: May 5th immediately follow P/F e. Streets & Utilities Committee: To be set if needed. f. Planning Commission & Board of Appeals: To be set if needed. g. Tourism Commission: May 13th at 9:00 a.m. h. Ball Park Committee: May 6th at 6:00 p.m. Village of Siren is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington DC 20250-9410 i. Board of Review: May 5th from 10:00 - noon A motion was made by Kelly Gunderson and seconded by Sara Reimann to adjourn the Village Board Meeting at 5:37 p.m. Motion carried without negative vote. Submitted by Ann L Peterson, WCMC/CMTW Village Clerk/Treasurer