20260908 Town Board Packet

Original Post Date: September 4, 2026 Town of Somers 7511 12th Street Somers, WI 53171 T own Board Meeting Agenda Tuesday, September 8, 2026 5:15 pm Town Board Meeting: Item # 1 Call to order 2 Pledge of Allegiance 3 Consent and Approval of Minutes of Town Board meetings on August 12, 2026 4 Correspondence: Notice of approval of Accessory Structure at 3818 27th Street 5 Citizens Comments 6 Chair & Supervisor Comments 7 Administrator’s Report 8 Review and discuss converting the cost of recycling and yard waste services to a direct user charge 9 Adjourn I hereby certify that as the designee of the chief elected official of the Town of Somers I posted this notice of the September 8, 2026, Town Board Meeting & Agenda in 3 public places. D ated this September 4, 2026 Wendy Burnette, Clerk-Treasurer R equests from persons with disabilities who need assistance to participate in this meeting should be made to the Clerk’s Offi ce at 262- 859-2822 with as much notice as possible. Notice is hereby given that members of the Town Board may participate telephonically. Notice is hereby given that members of the Village Board may be in attendance for the sole purpose of gathering information. A quorum may be present. However, no Board action will be taken. 1/14 Town of Somers Proceedings from the Town Board Meeting August 12, 2026 Supervisor Armes called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m. Clerk/Treasurer Burnette stated that a chairman would need to be nominated pro term. Supervisor Armes led the Pledge of Allegiance. Supervisor Lesko nominated Supervisor Armes to be Chairman pro term. Seconded by Supervisor Armes. Motion carried 2-0 vote Present: Supervisor James Armes and Supervisor Richard Lesko. Chairman Molinero was excused. Also present: Administrator Jim Hurley, Assistant Administrator Kevin Poirier, Chief Andersen and Clerk/Treasurer Burnette. Consent and Approval of Minutes of Town Board meetings on July 14, 2026 Supervisor Lesko moved to approve Minutes of Town Board meeting on July 14, 2026 Seconded by Supervisor Armes. Motion carried. 2-0 vote Correspondence: Correspondence: Notice of the rezoning of Parcel #80-4-222-234-0141, located at 3718 25th Street and Notice of Residential Accessory Structure approval at 7201 60th Street Supervisor Lesko expressed concern regarding the wording of the public hearing notice for the rezoning petition for the property at 3719 25th Street. He noted that the notice states the property would be rezoned from A-2 Agricultural Land Holding to an RS-1 Single-Family Residential District and that the purpose of the rezoning is to place the property, which was recently attached to the City, into the “correct zoning district.” Supervisor Lesko stated that the use of the word “correct” was misleading, as the property had been properly zoned A-2 Agricultural Land Holding while located in the Town of Somers and had not been incorrectly zoned. He suggested that the wording be revised to clarify that the property is being placed into the applicable City zoning district because of the change in jurisdiction. Citizens’ comments: None Chair & Supervisor Comments None 2/14 Administrator’s Report Administrator Hurley provided updates on several items. In response to questions from the previous meeting regarding tax revenue from recently annexed properties, Administrator Hurley reported the following amounts based on the most recent tax bills: 4202 24th Street – $887.00; 111 21st/38th Street – $366.96; 3719 25th Street – $851.00; and 7201 60th Street – $1,048.00 in Town taxes. Administrator Hurley reported that Invenergy/Red Oak Ridge Energy Center, proposed in the Town of Paris, is reviewing two potential sites, with the preferred location along I-94 in the Town’s growth area. He noted the location would be preferable due to nearby industrial and commercial development. The project is pending PSC review and approval, and the Town may consider a development agreement if the preferred site is selected. The 12th Street water project is nearing completion and is awaiting final approvals from Kenosha County DOT, the Village engineer, and the railroad. Final special assessment notices will be sent to affected property owners once the project is complete. The Strand Associates stormwater study will be presented on September 15 at 5:00 p.m. Property owners who requested notification and provided comments at the prior hearing will receive letters with additional information. Regarding the budget process, Capital Improvement Plan presentations have been completed. Ellers is reviewing the requests and potential impact on reserves, with further discussion planned regarding borrowing and debt capacity. Department heads have also begun preparing their departmental budgets, with additional discussion scheduled for September. Administrator Hurley reported that the RFP for the replacement of Fire Station No. 2 has been issued, with proposals due at the end of the month. The Board will be updated once a design firm is selected. Assistant Administrator Poirier reported that the zip code legislation passed out of Senate committee and is scheduled for consideration by the Senate in September when the Legislature reconvenes. Update on the Financial Management Plan, and 8/4 Village Board Discussion on the Municipal Court The Village Board has been reviewing options related to water rates and the loss of town tax revenue from annexations. After working with Ehlers, the Board decided not to pursue a PILOT application but did submit an application for a public fire protection fee. The fee would apply only to properties within the water utility district and would not impact town residents. More information is expected within the next four to five months. 3/14 Other revenue options discussed included closing TID No. 2 and implementing a direct recycling charge, which will be discussed at next week's Village Board meeting. The Board is also reviewing potential expense reductions as part of the budget process. Municipal court was discussed, including the option of abolishing the court. After reviewing the financial impact and recent changes at the state level, it was determined there would be little to no savings from doing so. The Village will continue to review expenses and options for the municipal court judge position. Action on application for Special Event Permits for Ukes Harley-Davidson Homecoming September 4-7, 2026. Supervisor Lesko move to approve Special Event Permits for Ukes Harley-Davidson Homecoming September 4-7, 2026 Seconded by Supervisor Armes Motion carried. 2-0 vote Action on Applications for Class “B” (Picnic) Beer License for Ukes September 4-7, 2026 Homecoming Event and request to waive fees. Supervisor Lesko moved to approve Applications for Class “B” (Picnic) Beer License for Ukes September 4-7, 2026 Homecoming Event and request to waive fees Seconded by Supervisor Armes. Motion Carries. 2-0 Approval of Operator Licenses: Vannessa Fabiszak Supervisor Lesko moved to approve Operator Licenses: Vannessa Fabiszak Seconded by Supervisor Armes Motion carried. 2-0 vote Adjourn Supervisor Lesko moved to Adjourn at 5:32 pm. Seconded by Supervisor Arms. Motion carried 2-0 vote These minutes are considered a draft and have not been approved by the Town Board. Wendy Burnette, Clerk/Treasurer. 4/14 5/14 VILLAGE OF SOMERS VILLAGE BOARD WORK SESSION ITEM MEMORANDUM WORK SESSION: Sept. 1, 2026 TO: Village President Stoner and Village Trustees FROM: Jim Hurley, Village Administrator Kevin Poirier, Assistant Administrator AGENDA ITEM: #2 Administrator’s Report Below please find a bulleted summary of major issues that Administration has worked since our Aug. 4 Work Session: Development • Starting Aug. 31, Wisconsin Highway 195 at 22 nd Avenue will be resurfaced (2-inch mill and overlay) from County Highway Y, (Meacham Road, 22nd Avenue) to County Highway G (Wood Road). • Continue negotiation of a development agreement for the Red Oak Ridge Project, which is a proposed gas turbine power plant in the Somers Growth Area. The Village engineer is also working with their team on design plans for surrounding infrastructure improvements. • Met with Home Path to discuss the Streets of Maplecrest housing project, and outstanding items. Home Path needs to submit their stormwater plans and receive approval from the Village engineer to move forward. Approval of the final plat is still required as well. • President Stoner attended the Kenosha Area Business Alliance Summer Social on Aug. 4 and had a following meeting Aug. 19 with North Star, a Florida firm that specializes in promoting municipalities. KABA received a grant to promote employee relocation to Kenosha. Somers is one of the partners that was included in the conversation • Discussed plans with Stream Realty to change plans from two building into one at the Somers Business Park. The updated plan will be presented at the September Plan Commission meeting. 6/14 • Met with representatives of Golden Oil and the hotel on August 28 to discuss future plans for the site. Administration • The Public Works Department has installed all the 790 water meters purchased through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds. This is the largest replacement program undertaken by the Village and took about 18 months to complete. They are now starting the second phase of the program: the replacement of 186 meters that just turned 20 years old and installing 234 radio reading devices. Staff expects the radio installation to be completed within three months and the meters will be replaced over the next 2 years to avoid large replacement increments. Large commercial meters will be replaced first. • Update on the Somers Creek infrastructure: as of Aug. 28, Public Utilities (sewer and water) have been installed and tested, proof roll for road base, and by the time of this meeting, the binder course should have been completed. Gas and electric utilities are expected to be done as well. • Worked with auditor to finalize the 2025 that was reviewed at last month’s meeting. The audit is now available on the Village website. • Worked with Strand Associates to finalize the flood study that will be presented at the September 15th stormwater commission meeting. • Village Assistant Administrator Poirier and Accounting Manager Ealy went through Wisconsin Government Finance Officers Association classes about financial statement and the budgeting process. • Work with SWRPC on preliminary maps for the Village’s 2050 Comprehensive Plan. As required by State law, Comp Plans must now include “phasing”. After the Kenosha County housing study is presented on September 15 th, we will reconvene with SWRPC to 7/14 develop a schedule to present plans and discuss at a joint Village Board and Plan Commission meeting. • Construction of the 12th Street Water main project is completed. The work is still pending review by the CPKC railroad, and final punch list items. Shoreland Lutheran High School has connected to the water main. In addition, four residents have received and paid for permits to connect to the watermain. • The Water Transfer Station construction remains ongoing. • Continue discussing the KR District water and sewer service areas. Currently, the areas are served by the City of Racine. The Village is in communication with the City on possible options for the Village to serve the area now that utility infrastructure is available. • Met with the City of Kenosha Public Transportation to discuss their interest in extending bus routes into the Village near Walmart and Sam’s Club. The Village shared concerns, but the City has the authority to extend it, and grant funding available. • Issued the Fire Station #2 design RFP. Submissions are due on Friday August 28 th. The review committee will select firms for interviews and make a recommendation to the Village Board. • Met with the Town of Paris and Ehlers to discuss the revenue sharing agreement for the Somers Growth Area. The formula must be approved by the intergovernmental commission. Most of the discussion is how to factor in costs for public safety services. • Met with new website developer on layout for the website scheduled to go live later this year. The design will be ready in October and is scheduled to go live by the end of the year. • Met with department heads to review and discuss their proposed budgets. Staff plan to start discussions with the Board at the Sept. 8 meeting, and the special budget workshop scheduled on Sept. 22. • Staff continues to work with BS&A on adding a credit card terminal at the front counter. BS&A software would minimize the redundancies required of operating different systems. We’re waiting for their legal counsel’s response to the Village’s proposed changes to the agreement. We hope to receive a response this week. • Met with a representative of the Oakwood Cemetery. The Cemetery Association is unsure how much longer it can continue to operate. Under State law, we are told the Village would be responsible for management. Nothing is imminent at this time, but we requested as much advanced notice as possible so we can plan accordingly. 8/14 TOWN OF SOMERS TOWN BOARD MEETING ITEM MEMORANDUM MEETING DATE: September 8, 2026 TO: Town Chairman Molinaro & Town Supervisors PREPARED BY: Kevin Poirier, Assistant Administrator REVIEWED BY: Jim Hurley, Village Administrator Josh Sullivan, Public Works Superintendent AGENDA ITEM: #8 Discuss converting the cost of recycling and yard waste services to a direct user charge. BACKGROUND: At the July 14 and 21 Special Village Board meetings, Ehlers provided options to reduce the structural deficit in the Village and Town’s operating budget. One option is to charge a direct fee for recycling costs rather than pay from the tax levy. This change would allow for a portion of the tax levy to offset reductions in abated debt, which currently funds a portion of operating expenses. According to Ehlers, recycling and yard waste costs can be combined and converted into a fee, as yard waste is not defined as garbage collections under Wis. Stat. § 287.07. Yard waste — including leaves, grass clippings, garden debris, and brush — is strictly banned from landfills, regular household trash, or garbage collections. Currently, the 2026 tax levy and State recycling aid covers $243,251.60 in annual recycling expenses, including yard waste. The Village receives approximately $30,000 per year in State aid, which reduces the cost of the service for Village and Town taxpayers. If converted to a direct charge, the $213,251.60 amongst the 2,935 customers listed by Johns Disposal. This includes both Village and the Town residents. The Village Board reviewed the proposed fees at the Aug, 18 and Sept. 1 Work Sessions and instructed staff to get a more accurate estimate of the fee to users for both the yard waste and curbside recycling service. UPDATE: 9/14 Staff has requested the list of users from our contractor. It is being reviewed to make sure the correct parcels are assigned the fee. The estimate of the annual fee is explained below: Total annual Recycling cost: $6.03 x 12 months x 2,935 users = $212,376.60 Total annual cost of the Yard Waste pickups 95 x $325 = $30,875 ______________________________________________________________________ Total annual cost of combined services $243,251.60 Estimated state aid for Recycling ($30,000) ______________________________________________________________________ Total cost to the Village/Town $213,251.60 Johns Disposal revised the 2026 rates to separate garbage, recycling and yard waste. The cost the Village will pay by the end of the year when divided by the number of users equates to the annual fees below. Recycling and yard waste: $82.08 COMMENTS: The Village Board will vote on a resolution to add the special charge via resolution outlining the fees. A resolution will have to be adopted on an annual basis. The same process will be required of the Town Board. ATTACHMENTS: Excerpt from Ehlers Presentation Johns Disposal 2026 rates Johns Disposal 2027 proposed rates 10/14 Village of Somers Financial Management Plan & Water Rate Update July 14, 2026 11/14 2 Operating Budget Deficit Actual/Estimated Operating Deficit 2026 540,805 2028 618,832 2030 833,755 *Currently using fund balance or abated debt capacity to addres s the defi ci t. 12/14 5 Other Alternative Revenues Reviewed the conversion of garbage collection to a direct charge and concluded it would not increase levy capacity Converting recycling to a direct charge would help free approximately $218,000 in levy capacity 13/14 August 28, 2026 The Town & Village of Somers Attn: Kevin Poirier - Assistant Administrator 7511 12th Street Somers, WI 53171 Re: Revised 2026 Rate Allocation Dear Kevin and Members of the Town and Village Boards, At the request of the Town and Village, Johns Disposal is restating the 2026 rates to separate yard waste from garbage. The 45 pulls previously budgeted within garbage are combined with estimated additional annual usage and shown as a separate yard waste line. Based on the current count of approximately 2,935 units, the 2026 service rates may be restated on a per-unit, per-month basis as follows: SERVICE CURRENT 2026 REVISED 2026 CHANGE Garbage $11.43 $11.05 ($0.38) Recycling $6.03 $6.03 $0.00 Yard waste Included / direct billed $0.81 $0.81 Total $17.46 $17.89 $0.43 Yard Waste Rate Detail YARD WASTE COMPONENT ANNUAL ASSUMPTION PER UNIT / MONTH Contracted allowance removed from garbage 45 pulls x $300 $0.38 Estimated additional use 50 pulls x $300 $0.43 Total yard waste allocation Approximately 95 pulls $0.81 Under this revised allocation, the garbage portion is $11.05 per unit per month, while the recycling and yard waste portions total $6.84 per unit per month for separate user-fee treatment. The additional 50 pulls are a budget estimate only and will continue to be billed based on actual use. The Town and Village may adjust the final user fee for unit additions, prorations, or actual yard waste usage. Sincerely, Nate Austin Vice President - Strategy & Growth 14/14