October 14, 2025

1 TOWN OF PORT EDWARDS MONTHLY BOARD MEETING MINUTES Date: October 14, 2025 Call to Order: Chairman Randy Moody called the regular Town Board meeting to order at 6:00p.m. The pledge of allegiance was recited to begin this meeting. Meeting Certification: This meeting has been properly posted (on the Town Hall door), as well as published on our website to notify the public of date, place, time, and agenda. Attendance: Chairman Randy Moody, Supervisors Tim Schmidt, Trevor Jensen, Treasurer Kathy Reese, Clerk Tracey Draper. Mayor of Wisconsin Rapids, Matt Zacher, Village of Port Edwards Fire Chief, Dustin Lease, Nekoosa Fire Chief, Mike Hartje, and four people present from the public. Agenda: Approve the agenda Review and approve previous meeting minutes and Public Hearing meetings’ minutes New Business: - Discussion of Wisconsin Rapids EMS proposed contract – Wisconsin Rapids Mayor, Matt Zacher present for discussion - Discussion of United Ambulance proposed contract – United Ambulance Representative present for discussion - Discussion of Village of Port Edwards Fire contract – Chief, Dustin Lease present for discussion - Discussion of Wood County Sheriff’s Department proposed contract - Discussion of South Wood County Humane Society (SWCHS) proposed contract Public input Approve payment of Town bills Treasurer and Clerk monthly financial reports Set date for November 2025 Board meeting Set date for Public Hearing on proposed 2026 Town budget Road Superintendent report Review correspondence received - Sanitary Permit – RPN Properties - Variance approval for new well 4751 State Highway 173 - Fire Reports - Emergency Management – Hazard Mitigation Plan - Wisconsin DNR Landfill meeting date and approve well testing contractor Old business: Update on new tax collection software Town Board will motion to convene in “closed session” under Wis. Stat. 19.85(1),(e) to discuss Wisconsin Rapids and United Ambulance contracts, Sheriff’s Department 2 contract, Village of Port Edwards fire contract, and SWCHS contract Convene into open session Review and approve ambulance contract Review and approve Sheriff’s Department contract Review and approve Village of Port Edwards fire contract Review and approve SWCHS contract Adjourn Motion was made by Jensen, seconded by Schmidt to approve the agenda. Motion carried. Approval of minutes from September 8, 2025, Town Board Meeting and Public Hearing Meetings Minutes: Clerk Draper emailed the minutes from September’s Board meeting and minutes from the three Public Hearings held September 8, 2025 to the Board prior to the meeting for review. The minutes from all September meetings looked accurate and acceptable. Motion was made by Jensen and seconded by Schmidt to approve the minutes as presented. Motion carried. New Business: Discussion of Wisconsin Rapids EMS proposed contract: Chairman Moody introduced Wisconsin Rapids Mayor, Matt Zacher, who supplied a handout and explained a “cooperative” idea with an ongoing contract for EMS. This would include a yearly cost of living adjustment increase. Discussion of United Ambulance proposed contract: Chairman Moody presented the proposal received from United Ambulance, as a Representative was not in attendance for discussion. Discussion of Village of Port Edwards Fire contract: Chairman Moody introduced Village of Port Edwards Fire Chief, Dustin Lease. Chief Lease presented changes that would be made to the 2026 contract. Discussion of EMT coverage and fire inspections followed. Chief Lease will send fire reports to the clerk for information and tracking purposes. Discussion of Wood County Sheriff’s Department proposed contract: Chairman Moody presented the proposal sent by the Wood County Sheriff’s Department, which explained the option of area Towns sharing the cost of hiring a deputy for municipality citation purposes or paying and hourly rate for a deputy to cover these calls. Discussion of the options followed. Discussion of South Wood County Humane Society (SWCHS) proposed contract: Chairman Moody explained the proposed contract and changes in charges as noted in the proposed contract received from the SWCHS. Public Input: - Dan Goodness gave his input on ambulance service. - Cary Smith suggested adding a line item to the budget; possibly adding a fee for emergency service on taxes. 3 - Kathy Goodness asked about a stipend for the Town of Port Edwards First Responders, being the Town pays the Village of Port Edwards for EMT services. Asked that this be discussed during the budget meetings. Bills: Schmidt made a motion to approve payment of the town bills, Jensen seconded, and the motion carried. Total disbursements for the month of September were $99,655.28 with total revenues being $465.06. Treasurer and Clerk Financial Reports: The Treasurer and Clerk reports were reviewed by the Board. All reports balance. Total Town money as of September 30, 2025, is $122,326.73. Jensen made a motion to accept the reports as delivered, Schmidt seconded. Motion carried. Next Scheduled Board Meeting: The next regularly scheduled Town Board Meeting is set for Monday, November 10, 2025, at 6:00pm at the Port Edwards Town Hall. Also scheduled at tonight’s meeting was the date for the Public Hearing for the proposed 2026 Town budget. It was decided to schedule the meeting for Monday, November 17, 2025, at 6:00p.m. at the Port Edwards Town Hall. Road Superintendent report: Road Superintendent, Adam Lueneburg was unable to attend the meeting. Chairman Moody read the report in his absence. Correspondence: The approval of a Sanitary Permit by Wood County for RPN Properties was received. Notice of a variance approval for a new well at 4751 State Highway 173 was received. Fire Reports: Nekoosa Fire and Port Edwards Fire Departments and emergency services responded to a motorcycle vs. automobile accident on County Hwy. JJ & Grunewald Lane. Nekoosa Fire Department and emergency services responded to an ATV accident on County Hwy. JJ. The Town Board decided to charge the responsible parties for each incident $500 in accordance with the Fire Call Fee Schedule. Emergency Management – Hazard Mitigation Plan: Chairman Moody presented a letter received regarding necessary updates and the need for involvement in the workgroup planning team. He will attend these meetings. Wisconsin DNR Landfill meeting date and approve well testing contractor: Chairman Moody explained a letter received from the DNR regarding the need to test the water at the Town landfill site. The DNR would like to meet with Town Board members/Town employees to check the site/find the wells, and asked for contact with a proposed date. The Board would like to meet on October 21st. Moody will contact the DNR to assist in coordinating this check. It was noted that in this process the Town was reminded that the CD regarding this site must be maintained for 40 years. Chairman Moody noted that the Town received a timber cutting permit. 4 Old Business: Update on new tax collection software: Treasurer Reese explained trainings she has been involved in regarding the new “cloud-based” software that will be used for tax collection this year. With this software, tax payers will have the option of paying online; however, there will be an associated fee for this convenience, which will be based on the amount of the payment. The software is going live this following week. Jensen made motion that the Town Board convene in “closed session” under Wis. Stat. 19.85(1),(e) to discuss Wisconsin Rapids and United Ambulance contracts, Sheriff’s Department contract, Village of Port Edwards fire contract, and SWCHS contract, Schmidt seconded, motion carried. Jensen motioned at 8:49pm to convene into open session, Schmidt seconded, motion carried. Review and approve ambulance contract: Chairman Moody explained the contract’s figures were not necessarily the final numbers for the contract. Schmidt motioned to table the vote on the ambulance contract until the Board is presented with definite numbers, Jensen seconded, motion carried. Review and approve Sheriff’s Department contract: Jensen motioned to approve the Wood County Sheriff’s contract at an hourly rate, Schmidt seconded, motion carried. Review and approve Village of Port Edwards fire contract: Chairman Moody reviewed the Boards discussion regarding the contract and the consensus to request a contract without the EMT services. Schmidt motioned to table the vote on the Village of Port Edwards fire contract until a revised contract is received, Jensen seconded, motion carried. Review and approve SWCHS contract: Jensen motioned to approved the SWCHS contact as presented, Schmidt seconded, motion carried. Adjourn: Being no other business to conduct, Jensen made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:53p.m. and Schmidt seconded. All were in favor and the motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Tracey Draper, Clerk