ANNUAL MEETING OF

THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS

OF THE TOWN OF BARNES

OF APRIL 11, 2006

 

Chairman Dick Collyard called the meeting to order at 7:00PM.

 

The Pledge of Allegiance was said.

 

Motion   ( Tom Renz/Gene Ratzel )to dispense with the reading of the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of April 12, 2005. Motion carried.

 

The clerk read the results of the Local April 4thElection:

 

                                SUPERVISOR:      JACK MEINKE                    129         

                                                                MITCH MCGEE                   120

                                                                FRED HORSTMAN                2          

                                                                DIXIE CHERMACK               2          

                                                                VIC WEKKIN                          2          

                                                                BARB ROMSTAD                  1

                                                                JIM JOHNSON                        1

                                                                STEVE HUNTER     1

                                                                DEAN PEET                             1

                                                                WALTER PEASE    1

                                                                GENE RATZEL                        1

 

State of the Town Address by Chairman Collyard
Collyard first introduced Mitch McGee as the new supervisor, replacing Dixie Chermack.  He also thanked Dixie for her years of service.  Dixie thanked the people and the Board members for their support. 

Collyard said there had been many changes this past year. Elaine Brustad was hired as Clerk-Treasurer and has made many changes already in the bookkeeping system and reports for the Board.  Jerry Witt was hired in the summer as the new Road and Property Foreman and had been doing a very good job as well. He had received many compliments on how the roads were plowed this year.  The Centennial Celebration was this past summer and was a huge success.  The Ice rink was flooded this winter and although the weather was too warm at times to skate, it was used a few times.  The warming shed had been repaired also for the skating season.  He talked about the plans for trying to acquire the 35 acres behind the town complex from Mosinee, which in the future would be beneficial when planning for the museum, library, and new town hall.  He showed everyone the Town property map which had been updated this year.  There were new ordinances created for Fireworks control and animal control, so hopefully this year things would be better around the 4th of July.  Permits for fireworks this year will only be allowed one week before and one week after the 4th of July, or for special occasions at other times during the year.  People need to have a permit to set legal fireworks off, and will need to follow the permit regulations, such as all fireworks must be set off before 11:30PM.  The transfer site building is in the works yet, and hopefully will be completed  this summer.  The Board had adopted a Land Use Planning Ordinance, and Collyard had selected 5 people to be on the Plan Commission.  They will be getting started this month, will their organizational meeting to be held this coming Monday.  The results of the survey put out in the taxes revealed there were more people interested in limiting the hours from 10:00AM until 5:00PM instead of 6:00PM, so the Board will be addressing that at a future meeting.  Del Jerome was retiring from the ambulance service this spring, and Tom Renz was appointed Ambulance Director on a trial basis until the end of this year.  He will be Fire Chief and Ambulance Director.  This year also the Assessor will be doing a revaluation of all properties in Barnes.  She will be starting this spring. 

 

 

Town Audit- Lynn Lutz

Lynn explained the new format this year for a few of the charts.  She also talked about the Town developing a written policy for Code of Conduct by employees and also a written Disaster Plan.

All in all, Lutz said the audit went very well, she appreciated Ms. Brustad’s help and expertise. She said Brustad had spent much time in redoing the computer accounting program to make it easier for the Board to get reports they could read.  She felt Ms. Brustad was doing a very good job.

Motion (Gene Ratzel/Lee Wiesner) to approve the 2005 Annual Report as presented. Motion carried.

 

Treasurer’s Report

 

April 11, 2006 Annual Town Meeting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treasurers Report

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Checking Balance from last meeting

 

 

 

$16,405.71

 

Receipts

 

 

 

 

 

$87,071.65

 

Check #'s 20198-20266

 

 

 

 

($50,035.63)

 

Febuary Tax Payment & other direct payments

 

 

($9,854.33)

 

Service Charge February

 

 

 

 

($6.20)

 

Interest Earned February

 

 

 

 

$14.22

 

Voided Check # 20197 Dated Feb 20

 

 

 

$360.00

 

Transfer from Money Market Acct

 

 

 

$20,000.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHECKING BALANCE

 

 

 

$63,955.42

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highway Dept. Sinking Fund

 

 

 

$1,068.94

 

BES Sinking Fund

 

 

 

 

$16,160.89

 

Park Savings

 

 

 

 

$10,467.76

 

Ski Trail Savings

 

 

 

 

$627.02

 

Parade-Event-Calender Fund

 

 

 

$1,835.77

 

Skate Park Savings

 

 

 

 

$451.60

 

Money Market Savings

 

 

 

 

$598,242.01

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest Earned

 

$2,262.56

 ytd interest earnings: 10,866.39

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ck # 1020 Trans to Genl Fund

-$20,000.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL ALL ACCOUNTS

 

 

$692,809.41

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Motion (Tom Renz/Jon Harkness) to approve the Treasurer’s Report as read. Motion carried.

 

Annual Highway Department Report – Jerry Witt gave his report:  Snowplowing over the past winter-With the purchase of the new tandem plow truck, and the labor resources available to me I completely revamped the snowplowing strategy.  Feedback from the public has been mostly positive.  Comparing labor and fuel costs between this past winter and last winter for the months of December, January, and February, fuel use was down a total of 770 gallons and the labor cost was down an average of $2,300.00 for each month. Right of Way clearing and reconstruction – Most of the problems we are experiencing with our road system can be related back to the right of ways and ditch systems along our roads.  Road longevity, safety for motorists, proper drainage, quantity of maintenance required are just a few factors that are influenced by the condition of the right of way and the ditch system.  We have been working with Dahlberg to clear the right of ways on Lake Road from 27 to County Highway Y.  This stretch of road has been very hard to maintain this past winter.  Summer projects will be:

1)         straighten pilings on the Upper Lake channel as was done on the middle this last fall

2)         shore up problem areas on the south end of Pease road and shoulder.

3)         coordinate work being scheduled for wildfire mitigation funds

4)         landscape town property after tree removal

5)         transfer site building erection.

Being a working boss Jerry realized he is not very accessible during the day.  He said he has hesitated listing his email address up to this point, but is considering listing it for the benefit of feedback from the public.

 

Annual Ambulance and Fire Departments Report -  Tom Renz gave the Ambulance report in Del’s absence.  There were 49 emergency runs, and 7 non –emergency runs, 17 no transport calls, for a total of 73 runs for the year.  His Fire report was available on the back table, there were 31 runs, 483 training hours.  Last year the department purchased the jaws of life, an infra-red heat camera, and an air compressor.  On May 3rd at 7:00PM at the Hall will be a Sky warn weather watcher class for all those who are interested in reporting the weather conditions in the Barnes area. 

 

Annual Constable Report – Mike O’Keefe reported there were 275 calls, 70 from the Sheriff’s Department, he received 175 calls at his home, and 30 water-related calls.  He reported this year will be better as he is now able to write citations, and everything is in place for that.

 

Collyard also wanted to report on the Annual Spruce –up Day which is April 29th this year.  Everyone is encouraged to sign up on the website to clean up a stretch of road.  The Transfer Site will take road-side trash for free that day and garbage bags will be available that day at no charge also for road-side litter.  There will be an informational notice in the Northwoods Shopper this coming week.  Also the Transfer site areas for brush, leaves and pine needles are now open. The website address is: www.barnes-wi.com

 

Buzzy Harkness and Rita Johnson were appointed as Clerks for the count and Janine Watts and Peg Harsvick were appointed as the two tellers.  The Clerk read Resolution No R06-6 to the electors present:

Be it hereby resolved by the qualified electors of the Town of Barnes here assembled at the Annual Town Meeting this: 11th Day of April, 2006 that;

The Town Board of the Town of Barnes is authorized to acquire the thirty five acres to the north of the Town Hall property now owned by Mosinee Paper Company through purchase or donation.  The legal description of the property is the NE ¼ of the SW ¼ less the east 467.4 feet of the north 466 feet recorded in volume 162, page 348, and parcel ID is 004-1198-08-000.

 

  Chairman Collyard asked for a motion to approve the resolution. Motion (Tom Renz/Lee Wiesner) to adopt this resolution as read.  Chairman Collyard explained he had sent a letter to Mosinee to ask them to donate the parcel of land to the Town. Hopefully they will agree to do so, but the other option would be to maybe trade with them a parcel of land of equal value.  This piece would be nice to have as the town complex would then

have access from Ellison Lake Road also.  Motion carried by a vote by ballot of 22 yes to 0 no votes.

 

Collyard asked the Clerk to read the next resolution:  

 

RESOLUTION    No. R06-7

 

 

Be it hereby resolved by the qualified electors of the Town of Barnes here assembled at Annual Town Meeting this: 11th Day of April, 2006 that;

The Town Board of the Town of Barnes is authorized to harvest the timber off all Town owned land as needed and recommended by the Department of Natural Resources.

 

Collyard asked for a motion to approve Resolution No R06-07. Motion (Harry Watts/Tom Renz) to approve the resolution as read.  Jack Meinke explained the resolution, although technically not needed for the Board to act , was put forth so everyone would know what was planned for the Town’s properties.  He read excerpts from the plan submitted to the Board by the DNR. There will be harvesting of trees from the town’s properties but only on an as needed basis, and will be done to preserve the looks of the property.  Motion carried by a vote of the electors of 21 yes votes to 1 no vote.  

 

Collyard then asked for any other resolutions from the floor. There being none he asked for a motion to adjourn the Annual Meeting.  Motion (Lee Wiesner/Tom Renz) to adjourn the Annual Meeting of the Qualified Electors of the Town of Barnes this April 11, 2006 until the second Tuesday of April, 2007, at 7:00PM.  Motion carried.

 

 

Members of the Electorate Present: Gene Ratzel, Gale Chermack, Peg Harsvick, Marv Harsvick, Roberta DeLizio, Mike O’Keefe, Janine Watts, Harry Watts, Jon Harkness, Buzzy Harkness, Jim Johnson, Rita Johnson, Lee Wiesner, Tom Renz, Ted Basacker, Jerry Witt, Clerk-Treasurer Elaine Brustad.

Members of the Town Board in attendance: Chairman Dick Collyard, Supervisors Jack Meinke, outgoing- Dixie Chermack, incoming-Mitch McGee, and Donna Porter. Supervisor Chris Webb was absent.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

Elaine J. Brustad,

Barnes Town Clerk-Treasurer

Dated this 14th day of April, 2006