Town Board Meeting — Minutes

1 MINUTES TOWN OF PLOVER BOARD MEETING APRIL 15, 2025 1. CALL TO ORDER: Immediately following the annual meeting, Chairman Garbe called the meeting of the Town of Plover Town Board to order at 6:53 PM. Also present were Supervisors Bentley, Firkus, Pingel, and Tuttle; Clerk/Treasurer Weller; Superintendent of Highways William Honaker; Town of Plover residents Denice Bentley, Todd Booth, Priscilla Garbe, Susan Groom, Donald Jochman, Michael Schoenholz, Debra Sniadajewski, William Sniadajewski, and Simone Vanden Heuvel; District 19 Portage County Board Supervisor Amberle Schwartz; and Denise Blader of Best Western Plover. 2. CORRESPONDENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS: Chairman Garbe reported on utility permitting for contractors working on Porter Drive and Taft Avenue. He previously shared his email response to two Town of Plover residents pertaining to snow plowing concerns. Clerk/Treasurer Weller indicated that the Town has not yet received legal fee reimbursement from Doral Renewables LLC in connection with the drafting of the joint development agreement, and Chairman Garbe noted that environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin regarding its decision on the Vista Sands Solar Project. 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Portage County Board Supervisor Amberle Schwartz provided updates on a new committee tasked with finding a buyer or partner for the Portage County Health Care Center, upgrades to the Portage County Courthouse, initial planning for a new justice center, and a proposal to regulate large concentrated animal feeding operations. 4. SEATING OF NEWLY ELECTED TOWN OFFICERS / OATHS OF OFFICE: Town of Plover Town Board Chairman Garbe, Town Board Supervisors Bentley and Tuttle, and Town Clerk/Treasurer Weller recited their official oaths of office which they had previously signed. 5. CONSIDERATION AND DISPOSITION OF ITEMS BROUGHT FORTH AT THE ANNUAL TOWN MEETING: No items brought forth at the annual meeting required consideration. 6. REQUEST FOR AN ADDITIONAL DRIVEWAY AT 4720 PIERCE AVENUE: Town of Plover residents Todd Booth and Simone Vanden Heuvel requested a second driveway at 4720 Pierce Avenue to accommodate access to a new storage shed on their property. Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve the Town of Plover Driveway Construction Permit Application submitted by Todd Booth and Simone Vanden Heuvel, Supervisor Firkus seconded, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 7. HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT REPORT AND AUTHORIZATION FOR PURCHASES: Superintendent of Highways William Honaker reported on crack filling, a local business parking equipment in the road right-of-way, interest in an employee boot allowance policy, road patching, disposal of accumulated items at the electronic recycling event, and garbage dumped on roads. Supervisor Bentley mentioned a broken sign on Prairie Drive and various roads in need of shouldering and suggested selling the old tar kettle. 2 8. PURCHASE OF GRADER BLADES: Chairman Garbe noted that there is a new set of blades on the grader and there is a spare set in the shop; he recommended delaying the purchase of additional blades. Board members briefly compared purchase options. 9. RECONSIDERATION OF PLANNED PAVING OF CHERYL’S DRIVE IN 2025: Supervisor Pingel expressed concerns about the cost of paving a road on which one resident lives; he suggested double chip sealing the road at a lower cost and diverting the savings to other possible roadwork. Chairman Garbe anticipated that a double chip seal would fail and indicated that he doesn’t have time to create bid packets for other potential projects in 2025. Board members talked about the probability of future development around the road as well as planning work in conjunction with grant applications. Meeting attendees also shared feedback on whether to reconsider paving Cheryl’s Drive. Supervisor Bentley made the motion to proceed with 2025 asphalt projects in accordance with action taken at the March 26, 2025, town board meeting. After discussion, Bentley withdrew his motion. No further action was taken. 10. CONSIDERATION OF ADDITIONAL CHIP SEAL IN 2025: Bids for 2025 chip seal and asphalt projects came in lower than anticipated, freeing up some budgeted funds for other roadwork. Chairman Garbe recommended chip sealing Gil’s Drive and Old So-White Road in addition to completing the chip seal projects approved at the March 26, 2025, town board meeting. James Zdroik of Fahrner Asphalt Sealers, LLC, projected the cost per mile to be comparable to the chip seal bids already accepted. Because the total cost of the two extra roads would be roughly $6,000.00 to $7,000.00, the formal bidding process is not required and a request for proposals will suffice. Specifications should include sweeping the roads after chip sealing. Supervisor Bentley made the motion to authorize Chairman Garbe to draft a request for proposals for the chip sealing of Gil’s Drive and Old So-White Road in 2025. Supervisor Firkus seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 11. CLASS “B” BEER LICENSE FOR KRISHIVA INVESTMENT LLC (DBA BEST WESTERN PLOVER): Town board members reviewed and discussed the Alcohol Beverage License Application submitted for Krishiva Investment LLC, DBA Best Western Plover, and offered opinions about putting conditions on the license to prevent video gambling. Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve a Class “B” Beer license for Krishiva Investment LLC, DBA Best Western Plover; he clarified that the license should be effective April 16 and contingent on receiving the prorated licensing fee. Supervisor Bentley seconded the motion and clarification, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 12. OPERATOR/BARTENDER LICENSE FOR EMPLOYEE OF KRISHIVA INVESTMENT LLC (DBA BEST WESTERN PLOVER): Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve the operator/bartender license for Best Western Plover employee Denise Blader. Supervisor Firkus seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 3 13. CONSIDERATION OF STEVENS POINT URBAN AREA SEWER SERVICE AREA PLAN 2040 UPDATE: Chairman Garbe provided background information regarding the Stevens Point Urban Area Sewer Service Area Plan 2040 Update. Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve the Stevens Point Urban Area Sewer Service Area Plan 2040 Update as presented. Supervisor Bentley seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 14. MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETINGS AND ANY OTHER MINUTES TO BE PRESENTED: Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve the minutes of the February 20, 2025, town board meeting as presented. Supervisor Firkus seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve the minutes of the March 5, 2025, town board meeting as presented. Supervisor Firkus seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 15. RECONCILED BANK STATEMENTS AND CASH SUMMARY: • RECONCILED BANK STATEMENTS OF FEBRUARY 28, 2025, AND MARCH 31, 2025: Clerk/Treasurer Weller previously distributed copies of the February Portage County Bank statement and reconciliation to board members. The Portage County Bank NOW checking account reconciled at $98,531.25 on February 28, 2025. Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve the Portage County Bank statement reconciliation as presented, Supervisor Bentley seconded, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. Clerk/Treasurer Weller previously distributed copies of the March Local Government Investment Pool (LGIP) statement and reconciliation to board members. The LGIP committed and uncommitted accounts reconciled at a total of $1,232,331.95 on March 31, 2025. Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve the LGIP statement reconciliation as presented, Supervisor Tuttle seconded, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. • CASH SUMMARY AS OF APRIL 15, 2025, AT 5:30 PM: COMMITTED FUNDS: $ 213,004.55 UNCOMMITTED FUNDS: GENERAL ACCOUNT $ 1,078,637.77 NOW CHECKING $ 8,940.28 TOTAL UNCOMMITTED FUNDS: $ 1,087,578.05 TOTAL CASH FOR TOWN OF PLOVER: $ 1,300,582.60 Supervisor Pingel 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: There were no budget adjustments presented. 4 17. 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 $22,977.29 to cover Checks 27766 through 27792 and electronic funds transfers EFT031Q25 and EFTETF0225. Supervisor Tuttle seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 18. FUTURE MEETING DATES AND AGENDA ITEMS: The next regular town board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6, at 6:00 PM. Future agendas will include road weight limits and grant programs. Open Book will be held on Friday, May 9, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM; Board of Review will be held on Friday, May 16, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Board members discussed assessment changes related to the conversion of farmland to solar project land. 19. ADJOURNMENT: Supervisor Pingel made the motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:49 PM, Supervisor Bentley seconded, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. Respectfully Submitted By: Patricia Weller, Clerk/Treasurer Approved: 05/20/25