City Council — Minutes

Regular Meeting Minutes of the Fountain City Common Council Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at 6:00 PM The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM by Mayor Ben Adank. Roll call: Christine Williamson, Barb Schmidtknecht, Peter Schaffner, Stephen Qualy, Scott Feraro, and David Endres. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Citizens Present: Jeff Puterbaugh, Heidi Stanton, Mike Adank, Dylan Adank, Jen Tepovich, Claire Waters, Cheryl Braatz, Rosemary Binkley, Fred Kruckow, Tim Hurbner Motion B. Schmidtknecht, second S. Qualy to approve the minutes of March 11, 2026. Motion carried. Committee & Department Reports Summary Public Works Department: The Public Works reported a recent sludge pump failure. Staff is currently evaluating options for reopening the boat landing. Cemetery cleanup efforts are underway. Implementation of electronic meter reading is being explored for future utility operations. Public Works / Streets / Roads / Recycling Committee (March 25, 2026): The committee discussed potential regulations regarding trailer parking on city streets. Additional topics included the need for future replacement of the Hill Street retaining wall and ongoing drainage concerns on Main Street. Police / Personnel / Health & Safety Committee (March 25, 2026): Discussion centered on the City Administrator/Treasurer position, with a request for additional position details. The library position was removed from the agenda, as it will now be handled by the Library Board. The committee also entered closed session to discuss the resignation of Gil Adams and potential replacement options. Parks - Recreation / Tourism / City Properties / Cemetery Committee No new business was reported. UW–Eau Claire will have a separate presentation directly after the May 13, 2026, Council Meeting. Next meeting is set for Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 5pm. Finance Committee (March 31, 2026): The committee reviewed the 2026 budget and discussed the law enforcement contract. First-quarter financials were also reviewed. Discussion included the Mill Street assigned fund, with consideration given to reallocate those funds to general revenue or to streets and roads. Planning / Zoning / Economic Development Committee: No current updates were reported. Next meeting is set for Tuesday, April 14, 2026, following Park/Rec Meeting. Flexible Facilities Update: Progress continues on the facility improvements, including installation of ceiling tiles and plumbing fixtures, with painting nearing completion. Interior decorative elements such as murals and the gingerbread house have been installed. Safety concerns remain regarding glass railing stability, and this is being addressed. Mayor’s Report: Updates included transition planning for Gil Adams, coordination with DNR consultants on wastewater and water systems, and ongoing weekly meetings with staff leadership. Recruitment for Public Works Supervisor replacement will be conducted carefully to ensure continuity of institutional knowledge. Proposed committee structure revisions will be presented for adoption at the April 21, 2026, reorganization meeting. Liberty Street Bids: Four bids were received for the project, all with similar scopes including mobilization, traffic control, milling, sweeping, asphalt paving, and adjusting manholes/valves. Dunn Blacktop Company submitted a bid of $22,705. Pavement Consulting Services submitted two bids: one for $19,821 for standard paving work and another for $22,606 for a more extensive reconstruction scope. Monarch Paving Company submitted the lowest bid at $15,250.11. It was agreed the decision will be tabled until the reorganization meeting to allow time for a more thorough review and comparison of the proposals to ensure accuracy and the best overall value. Follow-up may be conducted with bidders for clarification on project scope. Motion P. Schaffner, second S. Qualy to Table the awarding of the bid until April 21, 2026, Meeting. Motion carried. The council discussed whether to move forward with creating a City Administrator–Treasurer role, noting that while action can be taken now, changes could be made later if needed. Some members emphasized the importance of establishing a clear structure through a charter ordinance and hiring a qualified professional to improve consistency and reduce reliance on elected officials for day-to-day operations. There was recognition that the council is currently highly engaged, and this may be a good time to implement changes that ensure long-term stability. Members also stressed fiscal responsibility, transparency, and the importance of making decisions based on all available information and community input. Motion P. Schaffner second B. Schmidtknecht to approve the creation of the City Administrator – Treasurer position with the position description that was provided with the salary range of $72,000 to $92, 000. Vote resulted in a 3–3 tie. The mayor declined to break the tie, and the motion failed. The issue will be revisited after the new council is seated on April 21, 2026, reorganization meeting after going back to Personnel/Police/Health & Safety Committee for review. Discussion was held regarding upcoming Library Board nominations, and a list of potential candidates was shared. Further discussion will take place at the Park - Recreation / Tourism / City Properties / Cemetery Committee meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Motion C. Williamson, second B. Schmidtknecht to leave the Old Nation Bank CD for $69,568.69 at 3.75% for 4 months. Motion carried. Motion B. Schmidtknecht, second C. Williamson, to renew with Waumandee State Bank $92,329.20 Water Repair/Replacement that matures May 4, 2026, at 3.43% for 6 months. Motion carried. Motion P. Schaffner, second S. Qualy to approve Waumandee Bank CD for $89,800.00 to combine with the $27,693.10 from Old National State Bank and move to Old National State Bank at 3.75% for 4 months. Motion carried. Motion C. Williamson, second D. Endres to approve Ordinance 2026-01 Ordinance Relating to Operating an Effective Recycling Program. Motion carried. It was agreed that a summary of the Ordinance will be published in the newspaper. Motion C. Williamson, second S. Qualy To consider a motion to convene at 7:40 to go into Closed Session under section 19.85(1)(c) of the Wisconsin Statutes for the purpose of considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation, data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility. Resignation and Replacement of Public Works Supervisor Motion B. Schmidtknecht, second S. Feraro to go back into open session at 7:58. Motion carried. Motion B. Schmidtknecht, second S. Qualy to approve the bills as presented. Motion carried. Motion C. Williamson, second S. Feraro to adjourn at 8:08 PM. Motion carried. /s/ Mayor Ben Adank /s/ Deputy Clerk Michele Klein