Village Board Meeting — Minutes

Village of Benton January 21, 2026 Board Meeting Minutes Members present: Ken Farrey, John Perkins, Jill Knight, Scott Cruse, and Joseph Slater Village employees present: Sonya Silvers, Jared Roling, Eric Mowry Others Present: Michelle Savatski, Greg Droessler, Greg Lee The regular board meeting of the Benton Village Board was called to order by village president Ken Farrey at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room of the Benton Business Incubator Building at 244 Ridge Avenue on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. In compliance with the open meeting law, proper notice of the meeting had been posted in four public places: the Zephyr Depot, Benton State Bank, Benton Post Office, and the Benton Business Incubator Building. The minutes from the village board meeting on December 03, 2025 were presented. Motion (Knight, Slater) to approve the minutes from the regular village board meeting held on December 03, 2025, as presented. Voice-all ayes. Carried The minutes from the special village board meeting on December 10, 2025 were presented. Motion (Perkins, Cruse) to approve the minutes from the special village board meeting held on December 10, 2025, as presented. Voice-all ayes. Carried The minutes from the special village board meeting from December 22, 2025 were presented. Motion (Perkins, Slater) to approve the minutes from the special village board meeting held on December 22, 2025, as presented. Voice-all ayes. Carried The interceptor prints were approved from the DNR and the next step is the bidding process. There was a small set back with the utility easement but the property owner is working on that. Motion (Knight, Cruse) to approve progress with the bidding process for the inceptor project. Voice-all ayes. Carried Michelle Savatski has received written communication that the $250,000 WEDC grant funds are at underwriting. It is estimated funds will be received in 2-4 weeks. These funds can only be used on construction cost. A progress meeting was held on Wednesday, January 21. The shell of the building is complete. Better weather is needed to complete the wrap and roof. The interior framing is about 50-60% complete. After the rook and wrap the next step would be installation of the windows. Still waiting on approval from the state for the HVAC system. Greg Lee presented cost estimates scenarios for the Hwy 11 project. If the village is not going to request a delay in the project they need to make the decision if the curb and gutter will be replaced as part of the project. John Perkins recommend that the village replace the north curb with the water main project. Eric Mowry inquired about the storm sewer at 149 E. Main Street and if that would be rerouted. Greg presented a cost estimate of $50,000-$117,000 to reroute that to Bean Street. John Perkins mentioned that running the storm sewer from where it daylights on private property over to Bean Street would be more cost effective. Motion (Perkins, Knight) was proceed with the next step with the State for replacement of the north curb with the water main project. Voice-all ayes. Carried. When Treganza Street was vacated part of the street was added to parcel 107.0336.2310 owned by Leland Felderman. Ken Farrey spoke to Leland who agreed to quit claim deed the property to the Village of Benton in exchange for a 2 year extension to build on property he owns in the industrial park. Village of Benton January 21, 2026 Board Meeting Minutes Motion (Perkins, Knight) was proceed with acquiring the land from the vacated Treganza Street by quit claim deed in exchange to Leland Felderman for a 2 year extension to build on the industrial lot he owns. Voice-all ayes. Carried. A Certified Survey Map (CSM) was presented to merge parcels: 107.0206.0000, 107.0209.0000, 107.0297.0000, and 107.0313.0000 at 249 E. Main Street for St. Patrick’s Church. Motion (Slater, Perkins) to accept the CSM from St. Patrick’s Church to merge parcels: 107.0206.0000, 107.0209.0000, 107.0297.0000, and 107.0313.0000 at 249 E. Voice-all ayes. Carried. A Certified Survey Map was presented to merge parcels 107.0296.2000 and 107.0296.2100 at 38 Bean Street for Eric Mowry. Motion (Cruse, Slater) to accept the CSM from Eric Mowry to merge parcels 107.0296.2000 and 107.0296.2100 at 38 Bean Street. Voice-all ayes. Carried. Discussion was held regarding the plans for the Treganza Street, water, and sewer for the industrial lot being purchased by Steffanie Nemitz Kohn. The Village will put in the water, sewer and a street. The street will possibly be gravel for a time being and blacktopped at a later date. Eric Mowry suggested that the street be engineered and do the grade work to save cost in the future when extending the road. Motion (Cruse, Slater) to complete engineering on Treganza Street for the full street, do grade work, and do base work for access. At a minimum the street will be gravel. Voice-all ayes. Carried. Pay the Bills Motion (Knight, Cruse) to pay the bills. Voice-all ayes. Carried. The meeting was adjourned at 7:49 P.M Motion (Perkins, Slater) to adjourn. Voice-all ayes. Carried.