2026.05.26 VB Minutes Approved

Village of Somers Proceedings from the Regular Board Meeting May 26, 2026 President Stoner called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. President Stoner led the Pledge of Allegiance. Present: President Stoner, Trustees Karl Ostby, Ben Harbach, Scott Fredric k, Jack Aupperle and Jackie Nelson . Trustee Smith was excused. Also present: Administrator Jim Hurley, Clerk/Treasurer Wendy Burnette, Assistant Administrator Kevin Poirier and Chief Andersen. Consent and Approval of Minutes of Regular meeting on May 12th, Vouchers dated May 14th and May 21st. Trustee Aupperle moved to approve Minutes of Regular meetings on May 12th, Vouchers dated May 14th and May 21st. Seconded by Trustee Ostby Motion carried. 6-0 vote Correspondence: none President and Trustee Comments: none Citizens Comments: Administrator Hurley read aloud the citizen comment guidelines. Gregg Sinnen, 750 Green Bay Road Mr. Sinnen addressed the proposed meeting schedule change, agenda item #11. He acknowledged there could be benefits to reducing meetings but expressed concerns about potential negative impacts, including longer agendas, extended meeting times, and delays for developers working under tight timelines. He emphasized the importance of trustees and staff addressing questions prior to meetings to avoid unnecessarily lengthy discussions during meetings. Mr. Sinnen noted that reducing meetings to once per month could lead to meetings becoming more contentious or difficult due to the increased volume of agenda items. He encouraged the Board to carefully evaluate the pilot program and review what worked well and what did not at its conclusion. He also expressed concern regarding public comment periods, stating that with fewer meetings, more residents may wish to speak at each meeting, potentially adding significant time to already lengthy sessions. He referenced prior instances where public comment times were reduced to accommodate larger numbers of speakers and cautioned against limiting public participation. Additionally, Mr. Sinnen stated he supports trustees notifying staff in advance about questions they intend to ask, but he emphasized that those questions and answers should still be discussed publicly during meetings so residents can hear the discussion and understand the reasoning behind decisions. He concluded by thanking the Board for their service. Ted Terletzky, 9015 12th Street Mr. Terletzky expressed appreciation for a Board member’s research into past subdivision developments, stating the information was helpful and informative to residents. He raised concerns regarding proposed subdivisions, including Mastercraft, Maplecrest, and Goldmark, questioning why variances are frequently granted when Village ordinances already establish subdivision standards such as lot sizes and curb and gutter requirements. Mr. Terletzky also expressed concern regarding the proposed meeting schedule changes under agenda item 11, stating that residents often feel decisions are substantially made before matters reach Village Board meetings. He referenced ongoing discussions between developers and the Village prior to public meetings and emphasized the importance of maintaining meaningful opportunities for public input. Additionally, he requested that public comments be allowed during work sessions if the Village moves to a reduced meeting schedule. He suggested limiting comments to the specific agenda item being discussed so residents can provide input earlier in the process, particularly on development-related matters. He concluded by encouraging the Board to continue providing residents with opportunities to have their voices heard throughout the decision-making process. Sharon Janusz 8730 12 th Street Ms. Janusz spoke about concerns related to the Highway E water project, sewer planning, and increased development activity in the area. She described ongoing issues with village communications, including repeated attempts to correct her mailing address and difficulty obtaining project documents. She expressed concern about the high cost of the water project being placed on local taxpayers and questioned whether better planning could have reduced the financial impact. She also discussed receiving a letter requesting a sewer easement on her property, later learning the easement may not actually affect her parcel, which caused confusion and frustration. She then raised concerns about heavy truck traffic, construction noise, and future impacts from developments such as MasterCraft and proposed housing projects. She questioned why alternative truck routes were not being used and asked what steps the board is taking to protect the quality of life for residents as development continues. Action on proposed Resolution No. 2026-013, Authorizing Submittal of CMAR Report to the Wisconsin DNR Trustee Ostby moved to approve proposed Resolution No. 2026-013, Authorizing Submittal of CMAR Report to the Wisconsin DNR Seconded by Trustee Harbach Motion carried. 6-0 vote Action on Change Order #1 for the 12th Street Watermain Project to Replace Bid Set Drawings with the Construction Set Dated 3-17-2026 Trustee Aupperle moved to approve Change Order #1 for the 12th Street Watermain Project to Replace Bid Set Drawings with the Construction Set Dated 3-17-2026. Seconded by Trustee Fredrick Trustee Harbach asked Village Engineer Doug Synder for clarification regarding a proposed change order related to the water main project. Trustee Harbach questioned why changing from an open-cut water main installation to directional drilling resulted in an additional cost of approximately $52,000. Doug explained that the directional drilling itself accounted for approximately $28,620 of the increase, while the remaining costs were associated with having to excavate deeper than anticipated to avoid existing sewer laterals. He stated that additional excavation, disposal of unsuitable material, and imported granular backfill were necessary to prevent damaging the sewer laterals or relocation of sections of water main. When asked whether the depth of the sewer laterals had been known beforehand, Doug stated that the available records provided by public works staff did not contain elevation information identifying the depth of the laterals. Trustee Ostby asked Doug whether he anticipated any additional change orders related to the project. Doug responded that he did not foresee any further change orders at this time. Motion carried. 6-0 vote Motion to approve pay request from PTS Contractors, Inc., for the 12th Street Water Main Project in the amount of $604,027.10 Trustee Ostby moved to approve pay request from PTS Contractors, Inc., for the 12th Street Water Main Project in the amount of $604,027.10 Seconded by Trustee Aupperle Motion carried. 6-0 vote Action on proposed Resolution 2026-015 to amend the 2026 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to assign $30,575 of the budgeted 2026 Paving Project to the Stormwater fund. Trustee Harbach moved to approve Resolution 2026-015 to amend the 2026 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to assign $30,575 of the budgeted 2026 Paving Project to the Stormwater fund Seconded by Trustee Ostby Trustee Fredrick asked if this amount was budgeted. Motion carried 6-0 vote Action on Village Board Pilot Meeting Schedule: June – August 2026 Trustee Fredrick made a motion to table the Village Board Pilot Meeting Schedule due to citizen comments. Seconded by Trustee Nelson Administrator Hurley added that he had included two recommendations in his memo for the board’s consideration. First, he suggested allowing public comment during work sessions to provide residents with two opportunities each month to address the board. Second, he noted that if urgent matters arise, the board always has the option to schedule a special meeting during the additional week in the monthly schedule. Motion carried. 6-0 vote Motion to adopt Resolution 2026-016, Urging the State of Wisconsin to Enact a Sustainable Transportation Funding Solution Trustee Aupperle moved to approve Building Standards for Duplex Condominium Homes Seconded by Trustee Ostby Motion carried. 6-0 vote Motion to adopt Village Board Ordinance 2026-002, Worthless Payment Charge; Overpayments Trustee Aupperle moved to approve Ordinance 2026-002, Worthless Payment Charge, Overpayments. Seconded by Trustee Harbach The Administrator noted that similar ordinances are in place in Kenosha County and the Village of Pleasant Prairie, with minor variations in refund thresholds. Under the proposed ordinance, individuals would have 90 days to review their account and request a refund of any overpayment. Board discussion included suggestions to communicate the ordinance to taxpayers through tax bill inserts and the municipal website to ensure public awareness. Members also discussed year-end reconciliation and budgeting considerations to ensure that any collected funds are properly accounted for and reflected transparently in financial reporting. Concerns were raised regarding the legal implications of retaining overpaid funds and the potential for future legal challenges. It was noted that legal counsel could be asked to review the ordinance for any concerns. Motion carried. 6-0 vote Motion to approve order and installation of a key switch to the basement elevator from Schindler Elevator Corporation for $3,661.62. Trustee Fredrick moved to approve order and installation of a key switch to the basement elevator from Schindler Elevator Corporation for $3,661.62 Seconded by Trustee Nelson President Stoner mentioned he is not voting for this and not voting for spending any other money until he feels the budget is under control. Trustee Fredrick Aya, Trustee Nelson Aya, Trustee Aupperle Aya, President Stoner Nay, Trustee Ostby Aya, Trustee Harbach Aya Motion Carried 5-1 vote Motion to approve application for Class “B” (Picnic) Beer License from Friends of Hawthorn Hollow, located at 880 Green Bay Road for their Pike River Benefit Concert Series on June 12th, July 10th, August 7th and September 25th, and requests to waive fees. Trustee Harbach move to approve application for Class “B” (Picnic) Beer License from Friends of Hawthorn Hollow, located at 880 Green Bay Road for their Pike River Benefit Concert Series on June 12th, July 10th, August 7th and September 25th, and requests to waive fees. Seconded by Trustee Nelson Motion carried. 6-0 vote Action on Operator’s Licenses: Dolton Dupler Trustee Aupperle moved to deny Dolton Dupler’s operator’s license Seconded by Trustee Ostby Motion carried. 6-0 vote Motion to Adjourn Trustee Harbach moved to adjourn at 6:00pm Seconded by Trustee Nelson Motion carried. 6-0 vote These minutes are official and were approved by the Village Board on June 9, 2026. Wendy Burnette, Clerk/Treasurer