Village Minutes 09.16.2026

VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MINUTES Wednesday, September 16, 2026 1. CALL TO ORDER at 6:00 pm ROLL CALL: K. HANDRICK-Present, M. AHRENS-Present, K. SORENSON-Present, K. PAUL-Present, B. PARLIER-Present, J. LAWRENCE-Absent, A. CABRERA-Absent 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS a) Virtual Meeting Guidelines This meeting will be recorded and available upon request b) Public Participation at Government Meetings In Person Attendance: Brad & Ashley Schulz, Jason Guralski, Jon Kleinschmidt Virtual Attendance: Kevin O’Brien – Record Review, Morgan Romenesko – Marathon County Health Dept 4. APPROVAL OF AUGUST 5, 2026 REGULAR VILLAGE BOARD MEETING MINUTES MOTION – Approve August 5, 2026 Village Board Minutes Motion made by Ahrens second by Paul. Motion passed by voice vote. 5. REVIEW OF LICENSE APPLICATIONS a) Operator Licenses for Elizabeth Larson– GPM Southeast, LLC (R-Store) Elizabeth Larson passed background check and turned in required paperwork and fees. Recommended for approval. MOTION – Approve Operator License for Elizabeth Larson – GPM Southeast (R-Store) Motion made by Paul second by Ahrens. Motion passed by voice vote. b) Temporary Liquor License – Breast Cancer Awareness Truck Show This is the 3rd year for the Breast Cancer Awareness Truck Show but the first year of applying for a Temporary Liquor (Picnic) License. All required paperwork was turned in and fees paid. MOTION – Approve Temporary Liquor License for the Breast Cancer Awareness Truck Show Motion made by Parlier second by Sorenson. Motion passed by voice vote. c) Temporary Operator License – Nathan Karlen Nathan Karlen turned in required application and paid fees due. Passed background check. This is in association with the Breast Cancer Awareness Truck Show. MOTION – Approve Temporary Operator License for Nathan Karlen Motion made by Paul second by Ahrens. Motion passed by voice vote. 6. ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT a) Village Permits Approved in August 2026 b) Fire Department and First Responder Calls c) Administration Department Activity in August d) Police Department Activity in August e) Public Works/Utility Departments Activity in August • STH 107 • N. Industrial PKWY • County Materials Sports Complex • Veterans Park • CIPP • Well #5 f) Administrators Activities Cherek updated the Board with the daily activities of the Village staff for August and upcoming activities/projects for September. His full Administrators Report can be found in the Agenda Packet. 7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 8. NEW BUSINESS a) Discuss and Approve Conditional Use Permit for St. Matthews Church On August 3rd the Board of Appeals granted a variance for an electronic sign to be installed at St Matthew’s Church. The Plan Commission reviewed and approved a CUP for the 4’x8’ electronic sign. The CUP details time and illumination restrictions. MOTION – Approve Conditional Use Permit for St Matthew’s Church Motion made by Sorenson second by Parlier. Motion passed by voice vote. b) Discuss and Possible Action on Naloxone Box installed at the Marathon City Library and/or Village Hall *Moved to after Item 8e The Marathon City Branch Library reached out to Cherek stating the County Health Department requested installation of a naloxone box on library premises. Since the Village owns the building, the Village Board would be required to approve installation. Romenesko explained naloxone is used to help treat cases of drug overdose and would be available for residents free of charge. The intent of the dispensary is to make the medication available in cases of accidental overdose. Stratford, Athens and Mosinee Branch Libraries all agreed to have them installed. Board members questioned the location of the library with limited hours of access and thought maybe a location in the Municipal Building could be more beneficial. They inquired whether a box like this would bring more drugs into the village and ultimately decided to wait a year to determine how the other library locations have seen use. MOTION – Reevaluate Naloxone Boxes in a Year to Determine if it Would Be a Good Fit to Install in the Village Hall Motion made by Ahrens second by Parlier. Motion passed by voice vote. c) Set Trick-Or-Treating Hours for 2026 MOTION – Set Trick-or-Treat Hours for Saturday, October 31, 2026 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Motion made by Sorenson second by Ahrens. Motion passed by voice vote. d) Possible Action on New Cadet for Fire Department – Dylan Behnke Chief Hall interviewed Behnke for a Cadet position with the Fire Department and recommends him for approval. MOTION – Approve Dylan Behnke as a Cadet with the Marathon Fire Department Motion made by Ahrens second by Paul. Motion passed by voice vote. e) Discuss and Possible Action on South Road Rodent Population *Moved to after Item 3 Residents living on and near South Road have expressed issues with rats again this year from the south ditch on South Road. Cherek noted the Village hired an exterminator years ago to address the issue. The property south of the ditch is in the Town of Marathon. Board members and residents discussed possibly spraying weeds, cutting the ditch back or having the Fire Dept potentially do a controlled burn to help eliminate the habitat for the rats. Cherek will meet with an excavator and the Town of Marathon land owner to discuss the best possible option to eliminate the rats. f) Discuss and Approve Cooperative Waste Reduction, Reuse and Recycling Education Program Agreement Administrator Cherek submitted the 2027 Recycling Grant application to the DNR. Part of the Grant Application includes participating in the Marathon County Recycling Cooperative Waste Reduction & Education Agreement other municipalities. This would be a renewal Agreement for the Village. MOTION – Approve the Cooperative Waste Reduction, Reuse and Recycling Education Program Agreement Motion made by Sorenson second by Parlier. Motion passed by voice vote. g) Appointment of Open Position on Board of Appeals – Keith Marks With 2 open spots on the Board of Appeals, Keith Marks expressed interest in filling one of those spots. MOTION – Appoint Keith Marks to Board of Appeals Motion made by Ahrens second by Paul. Motion passed by voice vote. h) Discuss and Approve Temporary Hunting Application for Matthew Kroepfl Matthew Kroepfl turned in a temporary hunting application to bow hunt on his parcels off of North Ridge Road. (151-2806-061-1009 & 151-2806-061-1036) MOTION – Approve Temporary Hunting Application for Matthew Kroepfl Motion made by Ahrens second by Parlier. Motion passed by voice vote. i) Discuss and Approve STH 107 and 4th Street Intersection “No Parking Zone” Cherek explained that during the DOT Highway 107 Project final walkthrough he noted No Parking signs on 4th St from the 107 corner to the east alley that he was unaware would be there. After looking through the original contract and plans it was designed to be there but overlooked. The land owner expressed concerns over parking for their clients which typically utilized 4th St. The DOT agreed to allow the Village to move the east-most No Parking sign back to the west 64’, freeing up about 3 parking spots from the alley. The land owner was ok with this compromise. MOTION – Approve the Village Street Dept to Move the 4th St No Parking Sign to the West from the Alley 64’, Freeing up 3 Parking Spots on 4th St. Motion made by Sorenson second by Ahrens. Motion passed by voice vote. j) Discuss 2027 General Fund Draft Budget – Draft Cherek’s draft GF Budget reflects a shortfall of $17,629. He noted some factors for the shortfall: - A goal in the 2025 Capital Improvement Plan was to get to $120,000 cash funded street projects. The 2026 Budget split the $120,000 between Street Maintenance and Projects. The Draft 2027 Street budget shows $120,000 for Street Projects and $35,500 for Street Maintenance, including salt and snow removal. - Interest Revenue has always been allocated to the General Fund. While working with the PSC Audit for the water rate increase, Cherek learned the Village may need to allocate interest earnings between the General, Utility and TID Funds, further causing stress on the GF. - The Administrator payroll shifted significantly to the TIDs between 2019-2024 where budget issues were noticed in TID 2. Cherek began allocating off the TIDs to the GF and Utility Funds in 2025 & 2026. His draft 2027 budget shows payroll allocation of 40% to the General Fund, 25% to Water, 25% to Sewer and 10% to the TIDs. This distribution still reflects 208 hours in the TIDs. Cherek’s goal is to remove Administrator Payroll from the TIDs. - Statutorily, the debt levy can be at the level of debt taken. In years past, the Village has increased their debt service for projects/equipment but has kept the debt levy constant at $50,000. The Village pays for approximately $263,000 of debt services via the General Fund. Increasing the Debt Levy could help with the strain on the GF. k) Discuss 2027 CIP Projects and the CIP ‘28-‘29 Future Funding Plan as it relates to ‘27 General Fund Budget - The 2025 Capital Improvement Plan had Market St from 4th to 8th Streets to be done in 2027. At the time, Cherek estimated cost of project to be around $350,000 to be funded locally and by a state grant. During engineer review with the grant submittal, it was determined the storm sewer is failing and needing to be replaced increasing the project total to around $491,000. The Village was awarded an MSID grant with 50/50 match, putting the Village funded portion around $246,000, up from the $175,000 originally laid out in CIP. - The Village was awarded $35,295 in an LRIP grant to replace a section of 4th St from Pheasant to Thornapple. Cherek estimated the cost of this project to be around $135,000, the Village’s portion to be around $99,000. With budget review, he determined this project to be expensive. The LRIP grant allows for 1 substitution. Cherek, along with Vierbicher Engineering, feel switching to a section of 5th St between Chestnut and East St would be more worthwhile. Cost for 5th St is estimated to be around $87,500 with the Village portion being just over $52,000. - Matt from Vierbicher suggests finding a way to put $15,000 in 2027 towards chip sealing newer roads to prolong their life. - Total local funds needed for 2027 street projects is around $313,000. Cherek’s proposed funding includes $54,648 remaining from the 2025 Bonding for Market St, $120,000 from the 2027 CIP General Fund cash (given the budget can get to that amount) and 2027 Street Maintenance budget of $15,000. The Village would need to borrow $124,500 to finance the remainder of costs, which would get lumped in with the future 2028-2029 CIP Bonding. MOTION – Approve LRIP Switch from 4th St to 5th St and Move Forward with Market St & 5th St Projects Borrowing $124,500 Motion made by Paul second by Sorenson. Motion passed by voice vote. 9. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF BILLS Board members questioned the following bill payments: Check 49795 – Bassett Mechanical – Library furnace Check 49801 – Marathon Plumbing Service – Library water heater MOTION – Approve Payment of Bills Motion made by Ahrens second by Sorenson. Motion passed by voice vote. Cassie Lang Village Clerk / Deputy Treasurer 10. RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES a) Discuss and Approve Amending Ordinance Article 2, Section 2.2.4 Entitled “Salaries” Board salaries are established by ordinance. Cherek provided a draft ordinance amendment changing Board salary establishment to be set via resolution going forward. Setting/changing Board salaries by resolution is common practice. MOTION – Approve Amending Ordinance Article 2, Section 2.2.4 Entitled “Salaries” Motion made by Sorenson second by Paul. Motion passed by voice vote. 11. VILLAGE BOARD WILL GO IN CLOSED SESSION PER WIS. STAT. 19.85 (1)(c) “CONSIDERING EMPLOYMENT, PROMOTION, COMPENSATION OR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION DATA OF ANY PUBLIC EMPLOYEE OVER WHICH THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY HAS JURISDICTION OR EXERCISES RESPONSIBILITY.” a) 2026 Employee Wages & Compensation MOTION – Go into Closed Session at 8:29 pm Motion made by Sorenson second by Ahrens. Motion passed by roll call vote. ROLL CALL: AHRENS-Yes, SORENSON-Yes, PAUL-Yes, PARLIER-Yes, HANDRICK-Yes 12. VILLAGE BOARD WILL RETURN TO OPEN SESSION BY ROLL CALL VOTE MOTION – Return to Open Session at 8:46 pm Motion made by Sorenson second by Paul. Motion passed by roll call vote. ROLL CALL: SORENSON-Yes, PAUL-Yes, PARLIER-Yes, HANDRICK-Yes, AHRENS-Yes 13. TAKE ACTION ON CLOSED SESSION ITEM(S) No action taken from closed session. 14. FUTURE SCHEDULED MEETINGS: a) Regular Village Board Meeting – Wednesday, October 7, 2026 – 6:00 pm b) Special Village Board – As Needed 15. ADJOURNMENT at 8:47 pm Motion to adjourn made by Sorenson second by Ahrens. Motion passed by voice vote.