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CITY OF GILLETT COMMON COUNCIL Council Chambers – Municipal Building 150 N McKenzie Ave – Gillett, WI 54124 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2025 AT 6:00 PM MINUTES 1. Mayor Blaskowski called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Roll Call Present: Mayor Jon Blaskowski, Clerk Treasurer Chelsea Anderson, Alderpersons Nanette Mohr , Keri Hicks , Jerry Luther, Ashley VanStraten, Matt Young, David Bunker, Police Chief Shane Breitenbach, Fire Chief Kurt Hicks, Librarian Shannon Stoner, Utility Operator Mat Wickman and City Attorney Robert Gagan . MSA Engineer s Art Bahr and Dan Rammer. Public: Norm Finnell and Shawn Park. 3. Clerk Treasurer informs the Council that the Open Meeting Law has been complied with. 4. Public Input: Citizen Shawn Park wants to o bserve the meeting and help find ways for the community to grow. Grateful to live in Gillett and happy to meet everyone. 5. Discussion & possible action on Meeting Minutes from October 2, 9, and 23, 2025 MOTION: VanStraten/Mohr Motion to approve minutes from October 2, 9, and 23, 2025. Voice Vote: All Voting Aye - MOTION CARRIED 6. Discussion & possible action on MSA Contracts and Engineering a. Vibrant Spaces Grant Administration Agreement MOTION: Luther/Mohr Motion to approve the contract for Vibrant Spaces Administration Agreement for $4,000. Roll Call Vote: All Voting Aye - MOTION CARRIED b. MSA Agreement for TIF/TID Service 2025/2026 MOTION: Luther/VanStraten Motion to approve the TID Service Agreement for $4,000. Roll Call Vote: All Voting Aye - MOTION CARRIED c. Zippel Park Improvement Project Engineering Amendment MOTION: Luther/Mohr Motion to approve the Engineering Amendment for the Zippel Park Playground, contingent upon clearing up Zippel Park Lease and a clear title to the property. Roll Call Vote: All Voting Aye - MOTION CARRIED 7. Library Report: Library Director: Programming a. November 3 we put up our Mitten Tree for We Believe. People can come to the library and take a mitten from the tree, buy that present, and return it to the Gillett Public Library UNWRAPPED and with the mitten so we can give it to We Believe. We had help from a young patron to set it up and decorate for winter in the library. b. Beeswax Luminaries with The Woodsy Dude, Friday, November 14, 10 am-12 pm. c. Turkey Bingo Date: Friday, November 14, 3-5; Monday, November 17, 11am-1 pm: Need help getting food for Thanksgiving? Join us for Bingo where you can win what you need. We will have all the trimmings as well as 2 turkeys graciously donated from 2 Schowalter farms in Oconto Falls. One turkey will be given out in the morning and one in the afternoon. Big shoutout to Seneca Foods who donated 50 cans of food for our community. d. Monday, November 24, 1 pm: we are having the UW Madison Physics Department for a “Wonders of Physics” program for kids e. Already looking forward to next year with America’s 250th celebration and Summer Reading Program 2026. Programming is starting to be scheduled. I would like us to have an events with colonial era games, re-enactments (butter making, bread making, etc.), and maybe even having our own Boston Tea Party where kids can create their own flags. i. In the not-too-distant future, the Gillett Public Library turns 100 years old in 2027! So there’s two years of big celebrations to be prepared. f. Our Wisconsin Science Festival bags were all distributed. We hope everyone had a ‘rocking’ good time. 1. I applied for a PBS Kids Library Cohort which connects libraries across the state of Wisconsin, blending professional development, hands-on learning, collaboration, and program implementation. It comes with a $350 stipend if we are chosen. 2. Applying genre stickers to adult fiction continues.... 3. Wisconsin DNR is offering free tree seedlings to every fourth grade student in Wisconsin as part of its annual Arbor Day tree planting program. Planting seedlings from state nurseries is a great way to celebrate Arbor Day (April 24, 2026). I contacted them to see if public libraries would be welcome to participate in this program. I will give an update when one is available. 4. We want to thank Nanette for her donations of Halloween decorations for the library as well as donations of decor for our Little Free Pantry. 8. Tourism & Marketing Commission/Gillett Area Chamber of Commerce: Alderperson Luther stated they will have a meeting on January 8, 2026 at 5:00 PM. 9. Financial Report: Clerk Treasurer – a. Updated Monthly Check Register MOTION: Luther/Hicks Motion to approve October Check Registers. Voice Vote: All Voting Aye - MOTION CARRIED 10. Police Department Report: Police Chief Breitenbach a. Discussion on Training, Public Relations, and Incident Summary Report -Chief Breitenbach provided the incident report: Training and Public Relations- From the Chief's Desk: Gillett Police Department / October 2025 / 277 incidents This past month Officers Hull and Braun continued to improve their skill sets through various training events. Officer Hull participated in a simulated mass casualty event at the Oconto Falls High School hosted by the Oconto County Rescue Task Force. The Oconto County Rescue Task Force is a specialized life-saving program bringing together Emergency Management, law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel to respond together in high-threat situations. Officer Hull also completed her ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Investigator training. Officer Hull will be our lead contact assigned to the ICAC Task 3 Force. The ICAC Task Force is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces, representing over 5,400 federal, state, and local law enforcement, dedicated to investigating, prosecuting and developing effective responses to internet crimes against children. Officer Braun attended the NWTC Detective Academy. The Detective Academy supports patrol officers and newly appointed detectives with improving their skills while handling investigations, case management, interview/interrogations, crime scene management, evidence recovery, search warrants/subpoenas, courtroom survival tips, and officer wellness. On October 25, the Gillett Police Department hosted the annual fall National Drug Take Back Day event at the Gillett Police Department. Nearly 34 lbs. of unused/expired medications were collected and turned over to the DEA for proper disposal. Here are a few community events that our officers were involved in this past month. Gillett City Fire Chief Kurt Hicks and I handed out approximately 15 lbs of treats during the city-wide Trick or Treat event. Officer Braun provided a department tour for the preschoolers from the Sunny Side Day Care center. Officer Braun also collected the children’s fingerprints for their parents to have for their personal records. I regret to inform the council, for reasons beyond her control, that Officer Braun will need to return to part-time status beginning in December. I have posted to WILENET that we are accepting applications for full and part-time officer positions. 11. Fire Department Report: Fire Chief Hicks a. Discussion on Training, Public Relations, and Incident Summary Report 5 Fire Calls: MABAS Structure Fire, Fire Call Co2, Lift Assist, Auto Aid Underhill, and Lift Assist. We had 80 people training on incident command. The Fire prevention program at the high and grade school were successful. Showed trucks and ran a program to show all the equipment and did a fire drill. Accountability of children and teachers were taught. Fire safety, fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, safety at home were other topics. More training on water drafting and water movement, worked on how to handle rural fires. Halloween went great, a lot of candy handed out. The Generator is hooked up and functioning at the Fire house. Worked on radio upgrades with Baycom, they are improving towers and communication, so the bases and equipment needed upgrades. Daycare kids also toured the fire house. 12. Health, Protection and License Committee Report: Alderperson VanStraten a. Discussion & possible action on Alcohol License for El Borracho MOTION: Luther/Mohr Motion to approve the Alcohol License for El Borracho, contingent upon surrendering the old license with agent Christine Lopez. Voice Vote: Roll Call Vote: Young/VanStraten Nay, 4 Voting Aye - MOTION CARRIED 13. Utility Committee Report: Flushed last month and found a broken hydrant, will be fixed shortly. Water Tower was cleaned and is back to operational. Noted, it is in major need of a paint job inside. Hauler station screen is broken at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. SCADA program also needs programming, after the tower was put back online, some wells are having communication problems. a. Discussion & possible action on loan from Peshtigo National Bank for $829,000 for cost overrun for HWY 22 Project: 7 years 4.4% fixed rate. MOTION: Mohr/VanStraten Motion to approve a loan from Peshtigo National Bank for $829,000 for cost overrun from HWY 22 Project. Roll Call Vote: Aye - MOTION CARRIED 4 14. Board of Public Works Committee Report: Alderperson Hicks- Public Works removed the small merry go round, the climbing tower, and tree in park to help the Fair Board prepare for the pulling track extension. Picking up leaves. Leaf vacuum is broken, hydraulic pump needs to be replaced, will be fixed by next week. a. Discussion & possible action on new cold storage build location MOTION: VanStraten/Young Motion to approve the fire department location, 310 W Park Street, in the grass area. Voice Vote: All Voting Aye - MOTION CARRIED 15. Finance and Personnel Committee Report: Alderperson Mohr reported the 2026 budget meeting needs to be scheduled. a. Discussion & possible action on RESOLUTION 13-2025 AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF A $1,500,000 SEWERAGE SYSTEM REVENUE BOND ANTICIPATION note MOTION: Luther/Hicks Motion to approve Resolution 13-2025. Roll Call Vote: All Voting Aye - MOTION CARRIED b. Discussion & possible action on RESOLUTION 14-2025 AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF A $2,500,000 WATER SYSTEM REVENUE BOND ANTICIPATION NOTE MOTION: Luther/VanStraten Motion to approve Resolution 14-2025. Roll Call Vote: All Voting Aye - MOTION CARRIED c. Discussion & possible action on Quarles Contract MOTION: Young/Hicks Motion to approve the Quarles Contract, not to exceed $5,000. Roll Call Vote: All Voting Aye - MOTION CARRIED 16. Park and Cemetery Committee Report: Alderperson Luther a. Discussion & possible action on Christmas in the Park MOTION: VanStraten/Hicks Motion to approve Christmas in the Park Event, December 6, 2025. Voice Vote: All Voting Aye - MOTION CARRIED 17. Planning Committee Report: Alderperson Bunker- reported he has been working on the planning of moving the scout buildings to the water tower location near the school woods. 18. Clerk Treasurers Report: City Clerk Treasurer Chelsea Anderson stated we are at a standstill with the HWY 22 project because of the government shutdown. We need USDA approval for our commercial loan rates before we can approve the loan, that money needs to be used first. With the shutdown, we cannot move forward. DOT and PTS are willing to work with us because of the circumstances. With the Public Works Department Head position open, I have sent in the LRIP: Local Roads Improvement Program and WISLR: WI Information system for local roads reports. I am also currently working on the PSC application for raising water rates due to our shortfall in revenue, based on our audit and observation from the USDA. The USDA rejected our cost overrun application for the HWY 22 project because of this shortfall. Election nomination papers will be ready for circulation 5 December 1, I have finished our workers compensation audit, and a reminder we need to have a budget hearing before next council. 19. Attorneys Report: Conway, Olejniczak, and Jerry S.C. Attorneys at Law- City Attorney Robert Gagon stated he has tried every avenue to contact the USDA with no luck. 20. Public Input: None 21. Mayor's Report: Mayor Blaskowski gave a shout-out of thanks to employees for stepping up even though we are short staffed. 22. Adjourn at 7:20 PM MOTION: Mohr/VanStraten Motion to adjourn. Voice Vote: All Voting Aye - MOTION CARRIED Respectfully submitted by Clerk Treasurer Chelsea Anderson