Town Board Meeting — Minutes

1 MINUTES TOWN OF PLOVER BOARD MEETING MARCH 4, 2026 1. CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Garbe called the meeting of the Town of Plover Town Board to order at 6:01 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance. Also present were Supervisors Firkus, Pingel, and Tuttle; Clerk/Treasurer Weller; Town of Plover residents Priscilla Garbe, Thomas Haferman, Eugene Pavelski, Michael Schoenholz, and Timothy Zinda; Portage County Highway Commissioner Nathaniel Check; Dexter Kaetterhenry of Gremmer & Associates, Inc., Karla Lockman of the Boston School Forest, and Alex Wong of the Point/Plover Metro Wire. Supervisor Bentley was excused. 2. CORRESPONDENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS: Chairman Garbe reported on a public involvement meeting for the County Road R reconstruction project scheduled for March 11 and an upcoming local official meeting for a safety project at the intersection of 110th Street and State Highway 54 East. Supervisor Pingel recommended that Chairman Garbe attend the Portage County Board meeting at which action may be taken on the revision of the Wellhead Protection Ordinance. 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Town resident Michael Schoenholz mentioned that solar companies are receiving $50,000.00 in subsidies per acre and called out the companies for that misrepresentation concerning project funding. 4. DISCUSSION REGARDING OPTIONS FOR JURISDICTIONAL ROAD TRANSFER: The Town of Plover Town Board must decide whether to accept jurisdictional authority along with the Village of Biron for a roughly nine-tenths-mile section of the former Wood County Highway U (80th Street) between North Biron Drive and State Highway 54. The Village of Biron is willing to take on all maintenance responsibility for the road in exchange for the Town of Plover’s share of General Transportation Aids; incorporation of the 2019 jurisdictional transfer agreement for a roughly three- tenths-mile section of the former Wood County Highway U (80th Street) into a possible new jurisdictional transfer agreement may also be considered in further discussions. Portage County Highway Commissioner Nathaniel Check noted that municipalities can refuse or accept a proposed jurisdictional transfer, but all parties must agree to its terms to finalize it; there is no standardized agreement. Positives and negatives should be evaluated, such as those related to future driveway permitting. 5. DISCUSSION REGARDING DESIGN OPTIONS FOR REPLACEMENT OF BRIDGE OVER CROOKED RIFT CREEK ON BIRON DRIVE EAST: Board members previously expressed interest in applying for Local Small Structure Improvement Program funding for up to ninety percent of the repair or replacement cost of the bridge over Crooked Rift Creek on Biron Drive East by the deadline of May 1. Given that the structure has been given a rating of three of ten, is weight-limited, currently has a lane closure, and is on a road classified as a local collector, the project has potential to be selected. Engineer Dexter Kaetterhenry, Vice President of Gremmer & Associates, Inc., provided information about replacement options including a bridge structure, a double-cell box culvert, a large-width bottomless pipe arch, and quad sixty-inch culvert pipes. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources prefers the bridge 2 structure but would find the large-width bottomless pipe arch acceptable. Dexter Kaetterhenry recommended the bridge structure if pursuing grant opportunities and suggested further hydrologic and hydraulic analysis to find the most cost-effective solution if forgoing grant funding. Residents questioned how the various options would impact three driveway culverts downstream of Biron Drive East. All designs would require coordination with several agencies and organizations to ensure regulatory compliance. Portage County Highway Commissioner Nathaniel Check agreed with Engineer Dexter Kaetterhenry that a replacement bridge structure should span over twenty feet due to stream dynamics, constructability issues, and qualification for federal bridge aid. 6. REVIEW OF AND FINALIZATION OF BID DOCUMENTS FOR 2026 CHIP SEAL PROJECTS: Board members reviewed bid documents for chip sealing on Birch Drive, Boston Drive, Hoover Avenue South, Isherwood Road, Pine Tree Avenue, Pleasant Drive, Prairie Drive, and Weller Road. They discussed options for aggregate and use of a polymer-modified asphalt product for Boston Drive, Hoover Avenue South in front of the Town of Plover Town Hall, and Pine Tree Avenue to handle heavy truck traffic. Board members agreed to use 3/8” Cisler material on all roads, apply the polymer-modified asphalt product on the roads proposed, and allow the contractor to stockpile aggregate. 7. OPERATOR/BARTENDER LICENSE APPROVALS: This item will appear on the next town board meeting agenda. 8. FY27 COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING (CPF) REQUEST: Clerk/Treasurer Weller and Boston School Forest Program Leader Karla Lockman shared details about a FY27 Community Project Funding request for Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) pedestrian crossing systems for crosswalks on Lincoln Avenue near the Boston School Forest which they anticipate submitting through the Office of Congressman Derrick Van Orden. Lange Enterprises of Wisconsin, Inc., estimated the cost of the crossing systems to be $27,099.56. Chairman Garbe made the motion to support the submission of the FY27 Community Project Funding application for Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) pedestrian crossing systems for crosswalks on Lincoln Avenue near the Boston School Forest. Supervisor Firkus seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 9. DISCUSSION REGARDING CHANGING REQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDING PERMITS: Since giving up commercial building inspections, Building Inspector Michael Bembenek has reiterated his intent to retire but has expressed interest in continuing his role if the Town of Plover is willing to revise its contract and fee schedule to only cover new homes which would be similar to the outcome of residential inspections defaulting to the State of Wisconsin. Some board members previously mentioned hesitation about losing local oversight of addition and alteration projects and accessory buildings. Chairman Garbe has communicated with Ximena Christianson, a building inspector recently retired from the City of Stevens Point, about filling the position in the Town of Plover; an interview is scheduled for the March 18 meeting. 10. MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETINGS AND ANY OTHER MINUTES TO BE PRESENTED: Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve the minutes of the December 30, 2025, town board meeting as presented. Supervisor Tuttle seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 3 11. RECONCILED BANK STATEMENTS AND CASH SUMMARY: • RECONCILED BANK STATEMENTS: This item will appear on the next town board meeting agenda. • CASH SUMMARY AS OF MARCH 4, 2026, AT 6:00 PM: COMMITTED FUNDS: $ 220,613.59 UNCOMMITTED FUNDS: GENERAL ACCOUNT $ 1,152,213.88 NOW CHECKING $ 46,418.78 TOTAL UNCOMMITTED FUNDS: $ 1,198,632.66 TOTAL CASH FOR TOWN OF PLOVER: $ 1,419,246.25 Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve the cash summary as presented, Supervisor Tuttle seconded, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 12. BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS: There were no budget adjustments presented. 13. APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS FOR PAYMENT, SIGNING OF VOUCHER LIST, AND AUTHORIZATION OF TRANSFER OF FUNDS: Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve the payment of $5,696.22 to cover Checks 28232 through 28242 and electronic funds transfer EFTETF0126. Supervisor Tuttle seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 14. FUTURE MEETING DATES AND AGENDA ITEMS: The next regular town board meetings are scheduled for March 18, April 1, and April 15 at 6:00 PM. The annual town meeting will be held Tuesday, April 21, at 6:00 PM, with a regular town board meeting to follow. Future agendas will include operator/bartender license approvals, the replacement of the bridge over Crooked Rift Creek on Biron Drive East and a related grant application, a possible jurisdictional transfer, the Americold expansion, and road bid letting. Clerk/Treasurer Weller questioned whether merchant seller permitting would apply to food trucks, and board members did not think so but emphasized that vendors should be compliant with health inspections. 15. ADJOURNMENT: Supervisor Tuttle made the motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:37 PM, Supervisor Pingel seconded, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. Respectfully Submitted By: Patricia Weller, Clerk/Treasurer Approved: 04/21/26