MINUTES OF THE REGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING

Of  October 18, 2005,

 

 

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM.  The Pledge of Allegiance was said.  A roll call to establish quorum was asked. Jack Meinke-present, Donna Porter-present, Chris Webb-absent, Dixie Chermack-present, Dick Collyard-present. Quorum was established. Notice was verified by Clerk and October agenda approved.

Motion(Chermack/Porter) to approve the Minutes of the Last Regular Board Meeting. Motion carried

Motion (Chermack/Porter ) to dispense with the reading of the minutes. Motion carried.

The agenda is printed as follows:

  Agenda

 

                    Call the meeting to order

                    Pledge Allegiance to the Flag

                    Roll Call/Quorum Call/Verification of Public Notice and Approve the October Agenda

                    Approve the Minutes of the Last Regular Board Meeting-Motion to dispense with the reading of minutes 

                    Treasurer’s Report     

                    Voucher’s Approval           

                    Clerk / Correspondence                   

                    Department Head Reports:

                                    Highway

                                    Cemetary

                                    Fire Department

                                    Ambulance

                                    Constable                                               

                    Committee Reports will be read if needed            

                       Personnel carpooling for training and events

                       BADC funds request                                        

                       Public Comment Session – 5 minute limit for those not on the Agenda

                       Issues Timeline-Update

                     Board Member Reports             

  

                All Department Heads are required to be at the Regular Board Meetings

                                            All Department Heads and Committee Heads must submit a signed written report to the clerk

                                                 by Friday evening of the week before the meeting.

                                       

       

                                      The Town Board reserves the right to solicit information from

                                     Department heads only, without opening the floor to discussion.

Any persons requiring special needs for handicap services please contact the clerk.

                                            Elaine J. Brustad                 Barnes Town Clerk/Treasurer

                                                               Dated this 13th Day of October, 2005

                                                                                    

The Clerk-Treasurer read the Treasurer’s report as follows:

Treasurers Report

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Checking Balance from last meeting

 

 

$37,542.72

Receipts 16511-16521

 

 

 

$71,772.58

Check #'s 19743-19833

 

 

 

($122,426.83)

September Tax Payment & other direct payments

 

($6,706.45)

Service Charge September

 

 

 

($9.50)

Interest Earned September

 

 

 

$72.94

Transfer to Money Market Savings Account

 

 

$0.00

Transfer from Money Market Savings Account

 

$100,000.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHECKING BALANCE

 

 

$80,245.46

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highway Dept. Sinking Fund

 

 

 

$1,064.91

BES Sinking Fund

 

 

Interest $30.44

$16,130.40

Park Savings

 

 

Interest $21.18

$11,448.29

Ski Trail Savings

 

 

Interest $.95

 

$502.07

Parade-Event-Calender Fund

 

Interest $3.46

$1,832.31

Skate Park Savings

 

 

Interest $.56

 

$450.75

Tax Checking and Savings Account

Interest $.15

 

$357.27

Money Market Savings opened 9-2-05

 

 

$442,000.47

 

Transfer to Genl fund  

$100,000.00

 

 

 

Check order

 

$12.00

 

 

 

Interest Earned

 

$1,447.76

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL ALL ACCOUNTS

 

 

$554,031.93

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Motion(Meinke/Porter ) to approve the Treasurer’s Report. Motion carried.

 

Voucher’s Approval - Motion(Chermack/Meinke) to approve the Voucher’s. Motion carried.

 

Clerk/Correspondence –Clerk read an email from Brian McInnes asking if anyone knew when Bony Lake became Bony Lake. Dave Pease said to check with Dave Thorson as he had older plat books and may have the answer to that. She then read a letter from Jim and Judy Boisen regarding the Barnes Book.  They extended their appreciation and thanks to Dave Thorson and the Barnes Historical Society for all their hard work. A letter from Keith Kromer was received regarding the personal watercraft and waterskiing hours.  Chairman Collyard said their plan was to put a questionnaire in with the taxes and ask everyone to vote on what hours they would like to see.  Finally, the clerk read a letter from the State regarding the final estimate of population for Barnes. That number was changed to 676, with approximately 570 of voting age.  

Department Head Reports:

Highway- Collyard said Jerry was on vacation for 2 weeks so wasn’t able to give his report.  Collyard said the Quonset hut had been filled this week with salt and sand, Mike had been out grading roads also.  The flag light has been repaired.

 

Cemetary – Clerk Brustad read the report for Bud Pease. One burial on October 13th, Block 2, lot 7, Site 1, no other activity.

 

Fire Department-Tom Renz- Tom was working this evening, There was one fire run since last meeting, entry-level firefighter class will be starting next Thursday the 27th in Barnes at the Firehall.  Last Wednesday the Fire and Ambulance Departments had “meth-lab” training. 

 

Ambulance Department- Del is attending his Board Meeting tonight. There were 7 ambulance runs since the last meeting:  2 Gold Cross intercepts, 1 Great Divide intercept, 1 to St. Mary’s – Duluth, 1 to Luke’s One, 1 – St. Mary’s Life Flight, and assist fire department at smoke alarm.

 

Constable – Mike O’Keefe was not yet at the meeting, he had 4 alarms from Sheriff, 5 ATV complaints, 3 deer hits, 2 assist motorist, 5 animal complaints, the sheriff’s department wrote 2 citations to the dog owner, 5 fireworks-firearms complaints, 2 tresspass complaints (hunters on property) and 1 assist stranded boater on the Middle Eau Claire, total 27 calls, logged 560 miles, used 30 gallons fuel.

 

Committee Reports – Comprehensive Land Use Committee – Dave Pease said they would be holding an extra meeting to get caught up. The next meeting would be October 26th at 7:00PM at the Hall. Dixie Chermack said she was pleased to see they were making good progress on the land use element.  Dick mentioned the ad for members to the Citizen’s Advisory Board.  There were still positions available if anyone was interested in joining. 

 Community Wildfire Protection – Jack Meinke gave a report from the meeting of last week.  They plan to be done by end of December with their “wildfire plan”.  This will be another “model” for the state because the Drummond/Barnes area is so heavily forested. There will be education of the public because everyone can do their part to make their property safer in the event of a wildfire. On that same subject Collyard said he had asked Jan Victorson to email him the NIMS training that everyone needs to complete.  Elaine would print it off and give copies to the Board members.

 

Personnel Carpooling for training and events- Collyard said this came about during budget meetings that we should make sure that if two or more people are going to the same training or event they should be carpooling to save expenses.  If not then they would need approval in advance from the department head or Board.  Chermack thought this should be made part of the policy handbook.  It was thought the Board members should give their thoughts to the clerk and she will write out a policy.  It will then be approved at the next regular board meeting.

 

BADC Funds request – Jack asked that they open the floor to allow Gene Ratzel to speak on this subject. Motion (Porter/Meinke) to open the floor for discussion. Motion carried.  Ratzel said historically speaking the town allocated funds for the BADC each year because it was in the BADC’s Protective Covenents to do so. Although at the moment there is no need for funds to be dispersed for next year, if someone comes in to the Park then there would be expenses generated.  Currently the BADC has about $18,000.00, but power to be brought in if someone came into the park would be an immediate $10,000.00.  He felt the 2006 budget should have funds allocated to the BADC in case something would be happening next year. The funds allocated in this year’s budget should be dispersed upon request, which the clerk said had been done verbally.  Collyard thought the request should be in writing. He also felt the BADC should present an operating budget to the Board for 2006 to see what the Board should budget for them.  He asked that Gene do this by Monday so the Board could look at it at their budget meeting on the 26th. Gene felt the BADC should be put on hold until the land use plan was in place to get public opinion on the BADC project.  Meinke felt we should put a questionnaire in with the taxes for this too, to get a more accurate opinion of what the townspeople want for the park.  Chermack felt we shouldn’t put money in the budget for 2006 unless we were sure the BADC would be using them. She said the money could be used elsewhere.  She agreed the BADC should be put on hold until after the Land Use plan was completed. Meinke talked with Tim Kane (of the County Extension Agency) about possible funding for the infrastructure.  If that could be done he felt they then could get viable candidates for the park. If the BADC was dissolved all the monies would go back to the Town along with the property so the town would not lose out. Collyard asked Gene Ratzel to bring in the operating budget plans for 2006 by Monday so the Board could review for their 2006 budget. He said the Board would definitely pay out the budgeted amount of $5,000.00 for 2005 upon written request by the BADC.  We should send a card out with the taxes with a brief description of what the park should be for the people to vote on. Motion (Chermack/Meinke) to close the floor for discussion. Motion carried. 

 

Public Comment Session – 5 minute limit for those not on the agenda.

Jon Harkness wanted to publically thank the Barnes Ambulance Service for their professional and efficient treatment of him last June.   He was very grateful for their effort and felt the emergency services budget should not be scrimped on. He later added his thanks for the work done on Cranberry Road.

John Kudlas wanted to mention the huge stump dump in Potawatomi.  It has 4-5 acres of stumps and needs to be bulldozed and covered up to alleviate the potential problem with fire. Meinke said we are working with the  DNR on the management of our properties and he’ll get their ideas on that.  Concerning the Wildfire Protection Plan he thought the DNR might have grant monies available for this type of project and he’ll check on that also.  John offered to volunteer his services if needed in any way for that.  Then, as the Eurasian Water Milfoil Coordinator he wanted to thank the Board and to thank Elaine for all her work.  He especially wanted to thank the Ad Hoc Committee members as they worked very hard for no pay.  The final report is ready to go, there will be a community meeting this Saturday at 9:30AM on the report. The whole study is on CD and will soon be available on the website so everyone can access it.

 

Issues Timeline Update –

Rustic Roads Committee- will be addressed by the Drummond Board hopefully next month.

Contractor Road Damage – Elaine will check again with the attorney to get the correct verbage to use in a letter.

Fireworks Ordinance- will be on the November Board Meeting agenda.

Letterhead Contest – One submittal so far and that also will be on the agenda for November to choose the winner.

Assessor – Charlotte Johnson will be here at the November Board Meeting to meet everyone.

Jim Miller Subdivision – Elaine will ask the attorney for an update.

Skate Park Grant – Elaine will check on this also.

All else on the timeline is ongoing and no specific updates.

 

Board Member reports:

Jack Meinke- nothing more and thanked the members of the audience for attending this evening.

Dixie Chermack  - talked about a Planning Commission workshop in Wascott on October 27, 2005, she had asked anyone on the Land Use Core committee if they wanted to attend, and if so the Town would pay for it.  She had one other form the committee wanting to go.  She also gave a report on the elections seminar she attended while at the Wisconsin Towns Association Convention this week. The state received funds for compliance for the Help America Vote Act of 2002, and would be distributing monies to each community for an ADA compliant voting machine.  She, Elaine and Dick had attended also demonstrations on 3 of these machines so far, none of which have been approved by the State yet. 

Donna Porter- thanked everyone for attending the meeting this evening and all the good comments they gave.

Dick Collyard – spoke on the WTA Convention he and Dixie had attended, there was a lot of good information received.  He attended a class on highway updates and was happy to hear of a “Traffic Sign and Marketing Program”, which is a grant for communities of older populations like ours to have better road signs and marking of roadways.  It is a $10,000.00 grant with a 75% match.  Jack has been talking about wanting to stripe Lake Road, Pease Road and Ellison Lake Road and with this grant we may be able to get it done for around $2,500.00.  The person he talked with will be sending an email to him with the information we need to complete the grant.  He also heard that the Transportation aids were higher than we had thought, $2,192.00 a mile is the figure he heard.  He got another sample driveway ordinance, and thought we needed to get this done because the County had not done it yet.  He had nothing else to report.

Motion (Meinke/Porter) to adjourn the meeting of October 18, 2005. Motion carried.  The meeting was adjourned at 8:20PM.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Elaine J. Brustad,

Clerk-Treasurer

Dated this 20th day of October, 2005