Town Board Meeting — Minutes

1 MINUTES TOWN OF PLOVER BOARD MEETING MAY 2, 2024 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 Bentley, Firkus, Pingel, and Rossier; Clerk/Treasurer Weller; Superintendent of Highways William Honaker; Town of Plover residents Priscilla Garbe, Debra Sniadajewski, and William Sniadajewski; and Visar Adili of Plover Cafe. 2. CORRESPONDENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS: Supervisor Bentley mentioned upcoming Lake Pacawa Park improvements including pickleball courts and another parking lot; the Heart of Wisconsin Pickleball Association has approached the Plover Area Convention and Visitors Bureau for grant money for the project. Board members discussed the possibility of the Plover Area Convention and Visitors Bureau helping fund the purchase and installation of rectangular rapid flashing beacons on Lincoln Avenue near the Boston School Forest. Chairman Garbe reported on the status of updating the Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement to form a joint tourism entity, a tourism zone commission, and to administer the local room tax through the establishment of a tourism zone encompassing the boundaries of the Town of Plover and the Village of Plover. 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS: There were no public comments. 4. EVALUATION OF LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION FROM NEW OWNER OF PLOVER CAFE (FORMERLY FOUR STAR FAMILY RESTAURANT): Visar Adili of Plover Cafe presented his preliminary plans for business operations and answered questions from town board members. The new owner of the former Four Star Family Restaurant building is currently renovating the property and anticipates opening in June or July of 2024. Adili intends to open Plover Cafe as a family restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner; he is applying for a Class “B” and “Class B” combination alcohol beverage license. Board members will score the Town of Plover Class B Liquor License Application submitted by Visar Adili and discuss their results at a future meeting. 5. HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT REPORT AND AUTHORIZATION FOR PURCHASES: Superintendent of Highways William Honaker reported on downed trees, road conditions, and a sign repair; Supervisor Rossier noted a couple of problem areas on roads. 6. PURCHASE OF CATEGORY II QUICK HITCH FOR JOHN DEERE TRACTOR: Supervisor Firkus shared information about Worksaver quick hitch options for the John Deere tractor. Supervisor Bentley made the motion to authorize Supervisor Firkus and Superintendent of Highways William Honaker to decide whether to purchase the Worksaver Category II HD quick hitch with adapter for $890.00 if it will be compatible with the Town’s other equipment. 2 Supervisor Pingel seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 7. REPAIR/RESTORATION OF ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE SHED/REMOTE SIGN: Power is not getting to the small shed north of the shop or the lights which illuminate the Town of Plover sign along State Highway 54; there appears to be an issue with the underground wire between the shop and the small shed north of the shop. Employees will investigate further and attempt to fix the problem themselves before hiring an electrician. 8. CONTRACT FOR INFRARED ASPHALT PATCHING BY KWIK TRIP ON HARDING AVENUE: Board members discussed experimenting with infrared heat patches to repair Harding Avenue asphalt near Kwik Trip and reviewed an estimate from Arrow Precision Asphalt Maintenance, LLC. Supervisor Pingel made the motion to accept the Arrow Precision Asphalt Maintenance, LLC, proposal for eighteen infrared heat patches plus gravel on Harding Avenue near Kwik Trip at a cost of $2,200.00. Supervisor Rossier seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 9. CONTRACT FOR INFRARED PATCHING IN THE SHOP DRIVEWAY: Board members discussed options for repairing the shop driveway and reviewed patching estimates from A-1 Services Wisconsin Rapids LLC and Arrow Precision Asphalt Maintenance, LLC. Supervisor Pingel will check on the specifications and the price of crack filler through Arrow Precision Asphalt Maintenance, LLC. Supervisor Rossier made the motion to accept the A-1 Services Wisconsin Rapids LLC proposal for ten patches at a cost of $950.00. Supervisor Bentley seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried. Supervisor Pingel voted against the motion. 10. LETTER OF INTENT REGARDING DISPOSITION OF AVAILABLE LIQUOR LICENSE: Board members reviewed and discussed the draft letter of intent to reserve one available “Class B” alcohol beverage license for the Michael Langlois family to be used in their new bistro which is under construction; the Town will hold this license until July 1, 2025. Supervisor Rossier made the motion to issue the letter of intent for the Michael Langlois family with the addition of the word “the” before “Mike” in the first sentence of the first paragraph, the deletion of the word “open” in the first sentence of the second paragraph, and the addition of quotation marks around “Class B.” Supervisor Firkus seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried. Supervisor Bentley voted against the motion. 11. PLAN COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS: Michael Baumann, Thomas Haferman, Richard Pingel, Michael Schoenholz, and William Sniadajewski were previously appointed to the Town of Plover Plan Commission. Haferman’s term and Pingel’s term ended April 2024. Schoenholz’s term ends April 2025. Baumann’s term and Sniadajewski’s term end April 2026. Robert Slovensky was previously appointed as an alternate member with a term ending April 2025. Supervisor Bentley made the motion to appoint Supervisor Pingel as the Town of Plover Town Board representative on the Town of Plover Plan Commission and to appoint Supervisor Pingel as 3 the Town of Plover Plan Commission Chairman with a term ending April 2025, to appoint Robert Slovensky to the Town of Plover Plan Commission with a term ending April 2027, and to appoint alternate Jared Feltz to the Town of Plover Plan Commission with a term ending April 2025. Supervisor Rossier seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 12. CURRENT COMMUNICATION REGARDING MEEHAN DRIVE SOUTH RAILROAD CROSSING: Chairman Garbe shared correspondence from the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads concerning Canadian National Railway’s inquiry regarding the Town of Plover’s willingness to abandon the Meehan Drive railroad crossing. Participation in abandoning the road is said to be the Town’s decision, and voluntary participation may result in closure incentive payments by Canadian National Railway and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. But if the Town declines to voluntarily participate in abandoning the road, Canadian National Railway, the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads, or the Wisconsin Department of Transportation can request that a docket be opened to investigate the closure of the crossing. The Office would investigate, hold a public hearing, and issue a legally binding order. If the Town is ordered to abandon the road, no closure incentive payments are available. 13. VISTA SANDS SOLAR JOINT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT: Chairman Garbe will be attending a meeting on May 3 with Town of Grant Chairperson Sharon Schwab, Attorney Nicholas Flanagan, and Attorney Shane VanderWaal to discuss Vista Sands Solar’s revisions to the draft Joint Development Agreement between Town of Plover, Town of Grant, Town of Buena Vista, Village of Plover, Portage County, and Vista Sands Solar LLC. Board members suggested that retention of high capacity wells for firefighting purposes, installation of monitoring wells up and down gradient from the battery storage area, protection of drainage systems and drain tiles, construction and maintenance of snow fencing with sufficient setbacks, and reduction of glare from solar panels were the most important provisions in the Joint Development Agreement and shouldn’t be compromised if possible. 14. MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETINGS AND ANY OTHER MINUTES TO BE PRESENTED: Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve the minutes of the March 27, 2024, town board meeting as presented. Supervisor Rossier seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve the minutes of the April 18, 2024, town board meeting as presented. Supervisor Firkus seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 15. STATUS OF UNPAID PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES: Clerk/Treasurer Weller reported that she has received phone calls from representatives of two businesses that anticipate sending their payments for delinquent personal property taxes in the next week. One small payment for unpaid personal property tax was received. 16. RECONCILED BANK STATEMENTS AND CASH SUMMARY: • RECONCILED BANK STATEMENTS: This item will appear on the next town board meeting agenda. 4 • CASH SUMMARY AS OF MAY 2, 2024, AT 5:45 PM: COMMITTED FUNDS: $ 202,707.86 UNCOMMITTED FUNDS: GENERAL ACCOUNT $ 1,009,743.10 NOW CHECKING $ 36,292.36 TOTAL UNCOMMITTED FUNDS: $ 1,046,035.46 TOTAL CASH FOR TOWN OF PLOVER: $ 1,248,743.32 Supervisor Pingel made the motion to approve the cash summary as presented, Supervisor Bentley seconded, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 17. BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS: There were no budget adjustments presented. 18. 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 $5,157.03 to cover Checks 27250 through 27263 and electronic funds transfers EFTSW0324 and WIRE043024. Supervisor Rossier seconded the motion, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. 19. FUTURE MEETING DATES AND AGENDA ITEMS: The Town of Plover Board of Review meeting to adjourn to a later date is scheduled for May 23 at 5:55 PM, with a public hearing pertaining to a proposed amendment to the Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map and then a regular town board meeting to follow. A regular meeting is also tentatively scheduled for June 4 at 6:00 PM. Agendas will include approval of merchant seller’s permit applications for sales of fireworks and consideration of a special exception and variance for Allied Cooperative’s proposed project on Monroe Avenue. The Town of Plover Plan Commission will also be meeting to provide a recommendation to the Town of Plover Town Board regarding Allied Cooperative site improvements. 20. ADJOURNMENT: Supervisor Bentley made the motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:49 PM, Supervisor Firkus seconded, the question was called, and the motion carried unanimously. Respectfully Submitted By: Patricia Weller, Clerk/Treasurer Approved: 05/23/24