Village Minutes 10.01.2025

Cassie Lang Village Clerk / Deputy Treasurer VILLAGE OF MARATHON CITY, MARATHON COUNTY, WISCONSIN VILLAGE BOARD MEETING – HYBRID VILLAGE HALL BOARD ROOM WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2025 – 6:00PM MINUTES 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-Present, A. CABRERA-Absent 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS a. Virtual Meeting Guidelines i. This meeting will be recorded and available upon request b. Public Participation at Government Meetings Attending Virtually: Kevin O’Brien – Record Review 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS a. Discuss and Possible Action on Approval of Minutes for September 3, 2025 Village Board Meeting MOTION – Approve Minutes from September 3, 2025 Village Board Meeting Motion made by Ahrens second by Parlier. Motion passed by voice vote. 5. APPROVAL OF LICENSE APPLICATIONS 6. ADMINISTRATORS REPORT Administrator Cherek presented the Board with an update of the daily operations of the Village for the month of September. Details of the report can be found in the Agenda Packet. 7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 8. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion on Marathon County Increased 2026 Dog Licensing Fees Cherek informed the Board that Marathon County will be increasing dog license fees charged to municipalities beginning in 2026. To keep in line with County, the Village will need to raise the rates charged to residents. Rates proposed by Cherek were as follows: $24 for spayed/neutered dogs, $40 for non-spayed/neutered dogs, $160 for kennel license. MOTION – Approve New Dog License Rate Increase for 2026 as Stated Above Motion made by Sorenson second by Ahrens. Motion passed by voice vote. b. Discuss and Approve 2026 Marathon County Recycling Cooperative Waste Reduction/Education Agreement Administrator Cherek submitted the 2026 Recycling Grant application to the DNR and the Village is projected to receive approximately $11,000. Part of the Grant Application includes participating in the Marathon County Recycling Cooperative Waste Reduction & Education Agreement with 17 other municipalities. This would be a renewal Agreement for the Village. Cassie Lang Village Clerk / Deputy Treasurer MOTION – Approve the 2026 Marathon County Recycling Cooperative Waste Reduction/Education Agreement Motion made by Ahrens second by Paul. Motion passed by voice vote. c. Discuss and Approve Harter’s 5-Year Sanitation and Recycling Contract starting in 2026 Cherek presented Board members with the new 5-year contract with Harter’s for garbage and recycling services for the Village. The current contract laid out preset rates for 5 years. New contract will utilize rate increases based on the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and Consumer Price Index for Garbage and Trash Collection. Board members questioned if there were any issues known with Harter’s and Cherek noted he has not heard anything negative with their service. MOTION – Approve Harter’s 5-Year Sanitation and Recycling Contract Starting in 2026 Motion made by Paul second by Parlier. Motion passed by voice vote. d. Discuss Draft 2026 General Fund, Utility Fund, Park Fund and TID Funds Cherek’s Draft 2026 Budget showed $1,943,132.84 in Revenues and Expenditures in the General Fund with $120,000 of Expenditures being transferred to the new CIP Fund and $357,059.04 to the new Debt Service Fund. He shows an increase in Revenues of close to 6% mainly from increased state transportation aid and interest income. The General Fund Balance will gain proceeds of $13,879.95 bringing ending Balance for 2026 to $919,606.38. Cherek informed the Board he presented the Utility Commission with a Draft 2026 Utility Budget on September 24th discussing a downward trend of consumption over the past 2 years and the cure-in-place piping project approved in the CIP Plan. The Commission advised Cherek to present a Budget with a 5.5% Waste Water Rate increase to alleviate some of the Waste Water Fund Balance deficit. The 2026 Draft Utility Budget he proposed to the Village Board had the Water Fund Balance ending in a surplus of $41,266.03 and the Waste Water Balance ending in a deficit of $50,213.74 putting the overall Utility Budget in a shortfall of $8,947.71. This Budget will be on Agenda to be approved by the Utility Commission at the October 29, 2025 meeting. Cherek shared the 2025 Projected Ending Fund Balance of TID 1 reflects an inflation largely due to a full loan draw taken for payment of construction expenses of the N. Business Pkwy project. After completion of construction, the TID 1 Fund Balance is projected to end positive for 2026 at $26,191.55. The TID 2 Fund Balance remains negative at $775,745.67, but at a slower rate than years past due to shifting expenses from TID 2 to the General Fund. Cherek feels with development, the TID 2 Fund Balance will begin to see a shift to the positive in a couple years. Cherek will present a Final Budget and Resolution to adopt the 2026 Village Budget at the November 5, 2025 meeting. e. Discuss and Approve – The Overland Group, LLC – Notice of Termination of Development Agreement (D.G Market and/or Dollar General Store) Cherek presented the Board with a Notice of Termination from The Overland Group, LLC. The developer informed Cherek he has not been able to acquire a tenant for the site. The Notice satisfies Article 1, Section 2 of the Development Agreement, making Agreement null and void. MOTION – Approve Notice of Termination of Development Agreement from The Overland Group, LLC. Motion made by Sorenson second by Paul. Motion passed by voice vote. Cassie Lang Village Clerk / Deputy Treasurer 9. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF BILLS Trustees questioned the following checks: 49030 – Mickey Krautkramer – Test well rent 49047 – Seubert Excavating & Land Services, LLC. – Excavator use for barn fire on Highway U MOTION – Approve Payment of Bills Motion made by Ahrens second by Sorenson. Motion passed by voice vote. 10. RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES 11. VILLAGE BOARD WILL GO INTO CLOSED SESSION PER WIS. STAT. 19.85(1)(e) “DELIBERATING OR NEGOTIATING THE PURCHASE OF PUBLIC PROPERTIES, THE INVESTING OF PUBLIC FUNDS, OR CONDUCTING OTHER SPECIFIED PUBLIC BUSINESS, WHENEVER COMPETITIVE OR BARGAINING REASONS REQUIRE A CLOSED SESSION.” a. Veteran’s Park/County Materials Sports Complex User Agreements MOTION – Village Board will go into Closed Session per Wis. Stat. 19.85(1)(e) at7:28 pm Motion made by Paul second by Lawrence. Motion passed by roll call vote. J. LAWRENCE-Yes, A. CABRERA-Absent, K. HANDRICK-Yes, M. AHRENS-Yes, K. SORENSON-Yes, K. PAUL-Yes, B. PARLIER-Yes 12. VILLAGE BOARD WILL CONTINUE 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. Village Administrator Performance Review b. 2026 Employee Wages & Compensation Village Board continued in closed session per Wis. Stat. 19.85(1)(c) at 8:36 pm 13. VILLAGE BOARD WILL RETURN TO OPEN SESSION MOTION – Village Board will return to Open Session at 9:14 pm Motion made by Ahrens second by Paul. Motion passed by roll call vote. M. AHRENS-Yes, K. SORENSON-Yes, K. PAUL-Yes, B. PARLIER-Yes, J. LAWRENCE-Yes, A. CABRERA- Absent, K. HANDRICK-Yes 14. TAKE ACTION ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS IF NEEDED MOTION on Item 11a – Move Forward with Park Fee Schedule for Veterans Park and County Materials Sports Complex Where the Village Subsidizes 100% of Lawn Mowing Operations for 2026. Fee Schedule May Change to Subsidize Less in Subsequent Years. Motion made by Ahrens second by Sorenson. Motion passed by voice vote. 15. FUTURE MEETINGS & SCHEDULED MEETINGS: a. Regular Village Board Meeting – Wednesday, November 5, 2025 – 6:00 pm b. Special Board Meeting – As Needed 16. ADJOURNMENT at 9:17 pm Motion to adjourn made by Sorenson second by Ahrens. Motion passed by voice vote.