November 2023

1 TOWN OF PORT EDWARDS MONTHLY BOARD MEETING MINUTES Date: November 13th, 2023 Call to Order: Chairman Randy Moody called the Town Board Meeting to order at 6:11p.m. 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, Jeff O’Donnell, Treasurer Kathy Reese, Clerk Michelle Sorenson, and Highway Superintendent Adam Lueneburg. There were also some people present from the public. Approval of minutes from October 9th, 2023, Town Board Meeting and the October 16th, 2023, Budget Prep Meeting: Clerk presented both sets of minutes from October. The minutes of the meetings looked accurate and acceptable. Motion was made by Schmidt and seconded by O’Donnell to accept the minutes as printed. Motion carried. Agenda: ✓ Approve the agenda ✓ Approve previous meetings’ minutes ✓ Approve payment of bills ✓ Treasurer and Clerk’s monthly reports ✓ Set date for next month’s board meeting ✓ Review correspondence ✓ Road Superintendent report ✓ New business: ▪ Adopt 2024 Town budget ▪ Hear recent fire call reports ▪ Review and approve changes to Town nuisance ordinance ▪ Examine boundary line agreements ▪ Approve 2024 contract with South Wood County Humane Society noting new rates ▪ Decide on changes to make to the Town utility permit and draft an ordinance to accompany it ✓ Old business: ▪ Update on Community Center bathroom ▪ Discuss drafting a Town camper permit ✓ Public input ✓ Adjourn Motion was made by O’Donnell and seconded by Schmidt to approve the agenda. Motion carried. Bills: O’Donnell made a motion to approve payment of the town bills listed by the Clerk. Motion was seconded by Schmidt and the motion carried. Total disbursements for the month of October were $214,085.32 with total revenues being $27,861.11. O’Donnell offered to look into 2 what needs to happen as far as with our ordinances, in order for the Town to be able to bill residents when animals picked up by the SWCHS are reclaimed. Treasurer and Clerk Financial Reports: The Treasurer and Clerk reports were reviewed by the Board. All numbers balance. Total Town money as of October 31st, 2023, is $111,804.27. O’Donnell made a motion to accept the reports as submitted and Schmidt seconded so motion carried without objection. Correspondence: Both the Clerk and the Chairman received the first notice from the State of Wisconsin informing the Town we are out of compliance with our rate of assessment. Reassessment has already been scheduled with the Assessor. The Clerk received a letter outlining the new rates for Wood County Emergency Management services. It was shared with the board. Wood County Highway Department has new numbers for our trucks when using their scale system. Letter was given to Adam. A certified survey map was discussed. It was for an easement through a sliver of land on County Highway JJ. The map showed the property after division would not meet the Town minimum acreage requirements so the board was not comfortable approving the CSM at this time. Town has been getting complaints with regards to garbage pickup on Wilhorn Road. It’s already been reported to Waste Management. R. Cleary has property on State Highway 54 and is subject to State setback requirements. He has been having problems communicating with the Town’s current building inspector. Next month a new inspector will be on board. Highway Superintendent Report: The Kuhn Valley Trail sign was stolen once again. Snow fence has been put up on Nessa Lane and Kimball Avenue. All that is left is what goes up on Creamery and Batterman Roads. The task went smoothly working with Emergency Management staff. Creamery Road flooded when cranberry harvest started and we received three inches of rain. Town of Armenia has a new highway employee and his name is Clay. Frank has retired. ATV’s and UTV’s continue to tear up the Town’s dirt roads so grading continues. New Business: 2024 Budget: O’Donnell made a motion to approve the 2024 Summary Budget. Schmidt seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried. Fire Calls: M. Savage had a structure fire. Board requested the Clerk bill him for $1,000 as allowed by the Town’s fire call ordinance. Nuisance Ordinance Revisions: Attorney Flanagan returned his suggestions for the ordinance. The board accepted them. O’Donnell made a motion to approve the new revised edition of the Nuisance ordinance. Schmidt seconded that motion and the motion carried. Boundary Line Agreements: Clerk presented the board with boundary line agreements for the Town of Armenia and the Town of Remington. Both agreements are following what was agreed to in years past with adjustments for the current State Highway Aid mileage rate. 3 Schmidt made a motion to approve and sign the boundary line agreement with the Town of Armenia and O’Donnell seconded that motion. Motion carried. O’Donnell moved to approve and sign the agreement with the Town of Remington. Schmidt seconded and the motion passed. Moody will look into whether the Town has any sort of agreement with the Town of Seneca. SWCHS: The clerk presented the current SWCHS contract that was received with the most recent billing. Rates are increasing in an effort to cover the rising costs of care for the animals taken in by the Humane Society. Schmidt made a motion to accept SWCHS’s proposed contract and O’Donnell seconded the motion. Motion carried. Utility Permit: The board reviewed the new Utility Accommodation ordinance. It was a compilation from utility ordinances from other surrounding Townships and tweaked to meet the Town of Port Edwards needs. It’s more comprehensive than just relying on a permit application. O’Donnell moved to approve the new Utility Accommodation ordinance and the associated improved permit application. Schmidt seconded and the motion passed. Old Business: Community Center Bathroom: The new bathroom facility is all finished. Adam keeps the key for it. He will unlock it for scheduled meetings out there. O’Donnell suggested, when time and weather allow, whitewashing the structure to match the Community Center to extend the life of the structure. Camper Permit: The information the board had collected was passed on to Attorney Flanagan. We are waiting for his recommendations. Public input: The board heard a comment about it being noticeable that things have been getting cleaned up around the Township (with the exception of the Kellnhofer property). The campers have been moved from the residence on Kimball Avenue. Next Scheduled Board Meeting: The next regularly scheduled Town Board Meeting is set for Monday, December 11th, 2023, at 6 p.m. The meeting will be conducted at the Port Edwards Town Hall. Adjourn: Being there was no other business to conduct, O’Donnell made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:03p.m. and Schmidt seconded. All were in favor and the motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Michelle Sorenson, Clerk