MAY 2023 TB MINUTES

TOWN OF DEERFIELD MONTHLY MEETING, MONDAY, MAY 8, 2023, 7:00 P.M., DCC CENTER, 10 LIBERTY ST. MIKE SCHLOBOHM CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 7:00 P.M. WITH ALL OFFICERS IN ATTENDANCE. ON A MOTION BY RANDY BEHLKE, SECONDED BY NICK BRATTLIE, THE BOARD ADOPTED THE MEETING AGENDA. MOTION CARRIED. ON A MOTION BY RANDY BEHLKE, SECONDED BY DAN KELLY, THE BOARD APPROVED THE APRIL MEETING MINUTES. MOTION CARRIED. UNDER PUBLIC COMMENTS, JIM MAPLE SPOKE ABOUT THE KOSHKONONG SOLAR PROJECT AND THE NEED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE C.U.P. APPLICATION FOR J. IRONSIDE. MIKE SCHLOBOHM GAVE A REPORT OF THE FIRE DEPT.’S NEED FOR UPGRADING THEIR HYDRAULIC JAWS TOOLS. BILL ROELOFS STATED THAT THE ARPA FUNDS DISBURSEMENTS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND SEVERAL OTHER COMMENTS WERE MADE REGARDING LOSS OF REVENUE FOR VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. ON A MOTION BY KATIE MICHEL, SECONDED BY RANDY BEHLKE, THE BOARD APPROVED A MOTION TO VACATE A PORTION OF FAIR OAK RD. (PRIVATE DRIVEWAY) LOCATED AT 233 FAIR OAK RD. MOTION CARRIED. THIS PART OF THE REGULAR MEETING WAS ALSO SCHEDULED AS A PUBLIC HEARING PORTION TO DISCUSS THE MERITS OF VACATING THE PORTION OF FAIR OAK RD. DISCUSSION CENTERED ON THE DEERFIELD COMMUNITY CENTER’S REQUEST OF $60,000.00 FOR ASSISTANCE IN RETIRING DEBT OBLIGATIONS. THE CENTER STATED THAT THE LOCKDOWNS HAD SEVERELY LIMITED THEIR ABILITY TO GENERATE REVENUE AND PROVIDED PAPERWORK TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR FINANCIAL POSITION. THE COMMUNITY CENTER’S POSITION WAS THAT THIS REQUEST WOULD BE THE FINAL REQUEST FROM THEIR ORGANIZATION FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING. ON A MOTION BY RANDY BEHLKE, SECONDED BY KATIE MICHEL, THE TOWN WOULD PROVIDE $45,000.00 TO THE DEERFIELD COMMUNITY CENTER FOR DEBT RETIREMENT FROM THE TOWN’S AVAILABLE ARPA FUNDS. MOTION CARRIED ON A 4-1 VOTE WITH MIKE SCHLOBOHM VOTING AGAINST THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING. DISCUSSION WAS HELD ON THE PRELIMINARY FAVORABILITY OF THE TOWN SIGNING THE PROPOSED FIVE YEAR CONTRACT WITH DEER-GROVE EMS FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. THE TOWN WOULD HAVE ITS ATTORNEY STUDY THE CONTRACT LANGUAGE AND A CLAUSE WOULD ALSO BE ADDED GIVING THE TOWN OF DEERFIELD THE OPTION OF OPTING OUT OF THE CONTRACT SHOULD THE DEER- GROVE EMS SERVICES ORGANIZATION DISSOVE FOR ANY REASON. A MOTION WAS MADE BY RANDY BEHLKE, SECONDED BY KATIE MICHEL, STATING THE ABOVE RECOMMENDATIONS. MOTION CARRIED. DISCUSSION CENTERED ON TOWN ROAD PROJECTS FOR 2023 AND FUTURE YEARS. A DECISION WAS MADE TO HAVE BIDS PLACED ON ALL THE TOWN ROADS NEEDING CURRENT MAINTENANCE AND THE TREASURER WOULD OBTAIN CURRENT INTEREST RATES AND TERMS IN THE EVENT BORROWING WAS INVOLVED. ON A MOTION BY NICK BRATTLIE, SECONDED BY DAN KELLY, THE TOWN APPROVED THE TREASURER’S REPORT AND A GENERAL FUND VOUCHER OF $124,291.81. MOTION CARRIED. A SHORT DISCUSSION FOLLOWED ON A NEW IDEA TO REARRANGE THE SPACE WITHIN THE TOWN GARAGE TO BETTER UTILIZE THE SPACE FOR A LARGER MEETING ROOM, NEW BATHROOM(S), AND REMODELING THE CURRENT COLD STORAGE AS A HEATED, INSULATED SPACE. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: DEERFIELD FIRE DEPT., DEER-GROVE EMS, KOSHKONONG SOLAR PROJECT, ARPA FUNDS, C.U.P. APPLICATION FOR J. IRONSIDE, ROAD MAINTENANCE AND BUDGETING, AND TOWN TRUCK REPAIRS. ON A MOTION BY RANDY BEHLKE, SECONDED BY MIKE SCHLOBOHM, THE BOARD ADJOURNED THE OPEN SESSION OF THE MEETING AND MOVED TO CLOSED SESSION. MOTION CARRIED. ON A MOTION BY RANDY BEHLKE, SECONDED BY DAN KELLY, THE BOARD ADJOURNED THE CLOSED SESSION AND RETURNED TO OPEN SESSION. ON A MOTION BY RANDY BEHLKE, SECONDED BY DAN KELLY, THE TOWN OF DEERFIELD WOULD INCREASE THE WAGES OF BOTH AL AND TODD BY $1.00 PER HOUR AND INCREASE THE RETIREMENT BENEFITS TO $6,000.00 PER YEAR EFFECTIVE JUNE 1, 2023. MOTION CARRIED. ON A MOTION BY RANDY BEHLKE, SECONDED BY DAN KELLY, THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:55 P.M. MOTION CARRIED. BOB RIEGE-CLERK