Town Board Meeting — Minutes

1 DRAFT MINUTES TOWN OF PLOVER BOARD MEETING AUGUST 26, 2026 1. CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Garbe called the meeting of the Town of Plover Town Board to order at 6:00 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance. Also present were Supervisors Bentley, Firkus, and Pavelski; Clerk/Treasurer Weller; Superintendent of Highways William Honaker; and Town of Plover resident Priscilla Garbe. Supervisor Tuttle was excused. 2. CORRESPONDENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS: Chairman Garbe reported on an open house session scheduled for August 27 regarding the ATC transmission infrastructure rebuild between Stevens Point and Appleton, a Julia Court resident request for permission to maintain and decorate the cul-de-sac which may lead to a conversation about moving mailboxes and garbage and recycling carts to accommodate snow plows and curbside pickup trucks, his attendance at a meeting to plan Town of Plover property owners’ access to County Road HH in conjunction with the new development in their neighborhood, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Surface Water Grant Program which could be used to help fund the treatment of invasive weeds in Love Creek, and Plover Area Convention and Visitors Bureau updates. Supervisor Pavelski shared information from Wisconsin Public Service Corporation pertaining to work on a natural gas pipeline near his home, and Chairman Garbe mentioned a related preconstruction meeting to take place August 31. Supervisor Firkus relayed the message that a former employee is interested in the Superintendent of Highways position. 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS: There were no public comments. 4. HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT REPORT AND AUTHORIZATION FOR PURCHASES: Superintendent of Highways William Honaker reported on a grader blade with carbide teeth, removing excess chips from 110th Street and ditching along it to drain water, and preparations for sign installation. 5. STATUS OF GRAVEL ROAD PROJECTS: Chairman Garbe indicated that the Birch Drive and Prairie Drive overlays were completed. Kennedy Avenue improvements with the Town of Stockton have been delayed, and there has been no progress on the Buena Vista Drive project other than ditch mowing. Supervisor Pavelski made the motion to hire Best Excavating & Trucking LLC to haul a maximum of three loads of road material to Kennedy Avenue and to ask Kenneth Feltz if he would like to contribute as previously offered. Supervisor Firkus seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 6. STATUS OF 80TH STREET RESURFACING PROJECT: In conjunction with the jurisdictional transfer of the roughly nine-tenths-mile section of the former Wood County Highway U (80th Street) between North Biron Drive and State Highway 54, Wood County finished the curb project that stretched beyond the roughly three-tenths-mile section of the former Wood County Highway U (80th Street) covered by the 2019 jurisdictional transfer agreement; resurfacing was expected before Labor Day. 2 7. CONTRACTING OF A TRACTOR WITH BOOM CUTTER AND OPERATOR FOR ROADSIDE CLEARING OF OBSTRUCTIONS AND GROWTH: Board members discussed the cost of brushing, scheduling and length of the rental period, and work direction. Supervisor Bentley made the motion to extend the previously authorized two-week rental contract of the tractor and mulching head boom cutter with an operator from Serwe Implement Municipal Sales Co. LLC by three weeks to take advantage of the free fifth week of equipment rental, as well as cover the additional three weeks of operator compensation and lodging. Supervisor Pavelski seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 8. CONSIDERATION OF CLASS B WEIGHT LIMITS ON TOWN ROADS: To qualify for future Agricultural Roads Improvement Program funding, board members recommended creating an ordinance to impose Class B weight limits on Birch Drive, Isherwood Road, Prairie Drive, Taft Avenue, and possibly Hoover Avenue South. Chairman Garbe mentioned that an ordinance should also be prepared to formally adopt Kennedy Avenue and Shady Drive weight limits of seven and a half tons. 9. UPDATE OF FIVE-YEAR ROAD PLAN: Board members and Superintendent of Highways William Honaker reviewed and discussed historical data and the draft 2026-2031 capital road plan along with grant opportunities and possible Portage Solar, LLC, obligations per joint development agreement stipulations. 10. FUTURE IMPACT OF COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE REWRITE: Chairman Garbe reported on the Portage County Town Planning Charrette Series – Western Towns Session. The rewrite of the Portage County Zoning Ordinance will require the Town of Plover Plan Commission to participate in the translation of old zoning maps and categories to new, including identifying and correcting resulting nonconforming situations. 11. AUTHORIZATION FOR PLAN COMMISSION ATTENDANCE AT OCTOBER TRAINING SESSION: Supervisor Bentley made the motion to authorize expenditures for Town of Plover Town Board and Town of Plover Plan Commission member registration fees and applicable per diems for a Zoning Board of Adjustment and Appeals Workshop scheduled for October 13. Supervisor Firkus seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 12. ATTENDANCE AT ANNUAL WTA CONVENTION IN OCTOBER: Chairman Garbe noted his intention to attend the Wisconsin Towns Association fall workshop and annual convention in Stevens Point; other board members were undecided. 13. REPORT ON AUGUST 11TH PARTISAN PRIMARY ELECTION: Clerk/Treasurer Weller shared that 339 Town of Plover residents voted in the August 11, 2026, Partisan Primary, of which forty-four were absentee voters. Five residents registered to vote on the day of the election. Equipment functioned as expected, and processes ran smoothly overall. 14. MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETINGS AND ANY OTHER MINUTES TO BE PRESENTED: Supervisor Pavelski made the motion to approve the minutes of the August 4, 2026, town board meeting as presented. Supervisor Bentley seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 3 15. RECONCILED BANK STATEMENTS AND CASH SUMMARY: • RECONCILED BANK STATEMENTS OF JULY 31, 2026: The Local Government Investment Pool (LGIP) committed and uncommitted accounts reconciled at a total of $1,405,921.89 on July 31, 2026. Supervisor Bentley made the motion to approve the LGIP statement reconciliation as presented, Supervisor Firkus seconded, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. • CASH SUMMARY AS OF AUGUST 25, 2026, AT 5:00 PM: Town of Plover cash totaled $1,533,563.89 consisting of $224,661.87 committed funds and $1,308,902.02 uncommitted funds. Supervisor Bentley made the motion to approve the cash summary as presented, Supervisor Firkus seconded, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 16. BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS: Clerk/Treasurer Weller reported an overage of $4,316.55 in Public Safety - First Responders due to the second contract payment to the Village of Plover. Supervisor Bentley made the motion to adjust the overage by transferring $4,316.55 from Contingency Fund. Supervisor Pavelski seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 17. APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS FOR PAYMENT, SIGNING OF VOUCHER LIST, AND AUTHORIZATION OF TRANSFER OF FUNDS: Supervisor Bentley made the motion to approve the payment of $264,022.13 to cover Checks 28467 through 28495 and electronic funds transfers EFT073Q26 and WIRE082126. Supervisor Firkus seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 18. FUTURE MEETING DATES AND AGENDA ITEMS: The next regular town board meetings are scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, and Tuesday, September 22, at 6:00 PM. Future agendas will include road weight limiting, the five-year road plan, authorization for the purchase of carbide teeth for the grader blade, and the hiring of truck drivers for snow plowing. Clerk/Treasurer Weller will investigate the possible purchase of a new printer with partial funding from the 2026 Election Security Subgrant Program for Municipalities. 19. ADJOURNMENT: Supervisor Firkus made the motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:06 PM, Supervisor Bentley seconded, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. Respectfully Submitted By: Patricia Weller, Clerk/Treasurer Approved: