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2010 Town Board Meeting Minutes
> Regular Town Board Meeting February 16, 2010
Regular Town Board Meeting February 16, 2010
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING FEBRUARY 16, 2010 Chairperson Lu Peet called the Regular Board Meeting to order at 6:30 PM? The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited. Peet asked for a roll call to establish a quorum, all board members were present. Clerk-Treasurer Brustad verified the posting of the Public Notice as required. Peet then asked for a motion to approve the February Agenda, approve minutes of the Last Regular Board Meeting and a motion to dispense with reading of the minutes. Motion ( Porter/Meinke) to approve the agenda, the minutes of the last RegularTown Board meeting and to dispense with the reading of those minutes. Motion carried. The agenda is as follows: NOTICE TOWN OF BARNES REGULAR BOARD MEETING FEBRUARY 16, 2010 at 6:30PM AGENDA Call the Regular Board Meeting to order Pledge Allegiance to the Flag Roll Call to establish a quorum/Verification of Public Notice Motion to approve the February Agenda, approve minutes of the Last Regular Board Meeting and Motion to dispense with reading of the minutes. Treasurer’s Report Voucher’s Approval Clerk Correspondence Department Head Reports: Highway Cemetery Fire and Ambulance Department Constable Committee Reports Land Use Planning Commission Public Comment Session – 3 Minute limit for those not on the agenda Dan Augustine: claim for excessive assessment and unlawful taxes as per sections 74.37 and 74.35 Wi. Stats Citizen’s Request for Action: 1) Randy Zarecki: request for refund of 2nd half of taxes paid 2) Randy Zarecki: request for ATV noise reduction on Lake Road Issues Timeline Update All Department Heads are encouraged to be at the Regular Board Meetings All Department Heads and Committee Heads are to submit a written report to the clerk by Friday evening prior to the Board Meeting. The Town Board reserves the right to solicit information from Department heads and Committee heads only, without opening the floor to discussion. Any persons requiring special needs for handicap services please contact the Clerk-Treasurer Elaine J. Brustad Barnes Town Clerk-Treasurer Dated this 11th day of February, 2010 Treasurer’s Report
Motion ( Meinke/McGee) to approve the Treasurer’s report as read. Motion carried. Voucher’s Approval Motion ( McGee/Porter) to approve the voucher’s as presented. Motion carried. Clerk Correspondence Brustad said she had received a check from the Property Owners Association in the amount of $800.00 for additional donations towards the Eurasian Water Milfoil project. She reported receiving taxes equal to approximately 2/3 of the total amount due during December and January. Brustad read a letter received from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue acknowledging the Resolution sent to them last month regarding the proposal for County-Wide assessment and the Town’s stand against it. July 5th will be the day the State Smoke-free Workplace Law goes in to effect, banning smoking in enclosed places that are places of employment. More information will be available as that date gets nearer. Brustad read a publication from the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin regarding the Census form and where to fill one out. They warned the form itself can be confusing, and our residents who go south for the winter should not fill out the form at their southern home but to wait until they return to fill out the form at their legal residence so as to not be counted elsewhere. Department Head Reports: Highway We have had one full plow since the last meeting, otherwise we have been busy scraping and sanding blacktops and widening roads. Due to the two ice storms we had earlier in the season, we have not been able to keep the major blacktops as clean as in past years. With the thawing and freeze cycle at this time of year, please keep this in mind as you drive our Town blacktops. Areas on Town blacktops that see the sun on a warm day will turn to glare ice overnight, and will be treacherous to drive on until we can get sand on them. We have had no major breakdowns with the plow equipment, but have had numerous issues with minor items. On the tenth of February we took delivery on the new garden tractor. The all -wheel steer is a big advantage when blowing snow off the hockey rink. Cemetery Bud Pease reported no activity this past month. He ordered new maps from Duke Martin, will leave them at the Town Hall. Would like to find someone with good penmanship who could transfer all the owners onto the new maps so it would be easy to read. Fire and Ambulance Department Since the last Town Board meeting we have had two ambulance runs. 1 - Great Divide was called for mutual aid as we did not have enough personnel to staff 1- Snowmobile accident patient transported to St. Mary’s with gold cross intercept Irene Wells has completed her National Registry exam and had passed with flying colors so I am looking forward to getting her on board and responding to calls. After several months we have received an adjustment on the billing issues I have discussed in previous meetings. Mitch and I attended the last Town of Highland meeting. I presented to them the billing issue and explained it to them. I asked if they had any further questions to this issue and they did not, but tabled the issue until next months meeting that I will not be able to attend because I will be out of Town for Training. I do not believe we need to attend this one anyways as they will just decide whether to draft an ordinance up. The ordinance I am asking for are those that have no account activity for ninety days. The Fire Department has had no runs since last Town board meeting. I have also met with Pottowottomi association president, Jack and Marty where we discussed priorities in the implementation of getting water supply to that area and working together on a joint effort with the Town of Highland to support the same project as it would benefit them as well for the MurrayLake road area. I know it may seem early but we are starting to plan for the spring fire season already. So be prepared and watch for more info in the biog. Tom Renz also showed a DVD on a new product called a FIT knockdown tool which will lower a fire’s heat considerably to ensure safety for the firefighters and also cuts costs down for repair of homes as there is less water damage. He has purchased two of these, they can only be used once, but the costs are reimbursed by a homeowner’s insurance company. The cost of each was $995.00. Tom and Marty Kasinskas from the DNR also spoke about the Firewise program and how the Potawatomi community has adopted the program. They have become the first Firewise Community in this region, and many communities are looking at what we are doing up here with the Firewise program and the Community Wildfire Protection plan in place. Potawatomi is talking about putting in a well for fire suppression. They are planning two “chipping” days for their residents also. Renz said the Drummond and Barnes residents will be allowed to dump brush in the Del Jerome pit and people not able to do the heavy lifting or brushing can have the fire department personnel do the work for them. The DNR also looks at these plans first when making recommendations for grants. Renz said this year we have been awarded an 18,000.00 education grant and also a 21,000.00 fuel reduction grant from the DNR. Some of the fuel reduction money will be used with the highway department when they do some of the roads, making more green space along the road areas. Renz said if you would like them to come and do an inspection of your property you can call or email him or Marty at the DNR station. They will make recommendations for you on how to make your property “firewise”. (This information is also available on the Barnes website: www.barnes-wi.com) Constable Brustad said she had not received a report from Mike. Committee Reports Ingmar Ekstrom said the Eurasian Water Milfoil Committee had met the previous night to get ready for the next season. They would like to ask the Board for approval of an increase in the rate they pay the workers from 9.00 an hour to 10.00 per hour and also the coordinator’s position would increase from 11.00 per hour to 12.00 per hour. This will be put on the next month’s agenda for approval. They will have an informational meeting on Saturday, June 5th for the TomahawkLake people and the committee. Land Use Planning Commission Dave Pease said they did not meet as there were no items brought up for them to discuss. Public Comment Session – 3 Minute limit for those not on the agenda Ingmar Ekstrom wanted to ask if the ski trail could be groomed during the holiday season each year. This past year it was not done and his family enjoys using the trail during the holidays. Jerry responded that this past holiday season they were busy with snow plowing, he said that always takes priority. Dan Augustine: Claim for excessive assessment and unlawful taxes as per sections 74.37 and 74.35 Wi. Stats Dan Augustine and his wife spoke on the claim delivered to the Clerk in January. When he received his tax bill in December was the first time they saw that their taxes had gone up 192%. They never received the notice from the Assessor. He tried calling her but did not get a hold of her, so called Elaine, also called the CountyTreasurer and was told he needed to talk with Ms. Johnson. Ms Johnson said he could pay the tax and she would in 2010 take a look at the property again to see if it needed to be changed. But since they didn’t have the money even for the first half they are unable to do that. They paid an amount equal to the first half of 2008 taxes or $1,771.71 instead of the $5,170.39 for the 2009 first half due. Since he never received the Notice of Assessment he never went through the proper channels to complain but felt he should have some way to do so. He finally called the State Department of revenue and they told him he should be able to make a claim of excessive assessment and unlawful taxes. Charlotte Johnson was present and gave the Board some history on the property. She said she had been combining the lots for the Augustine’s the last few years which is really not the proper way to do it. She indicated she had explained to them they needed to physically combine the lots through a survey then she could properly keep them combined. In 2009 she then assessed them as 4 individual lots which made the total assessment quite higher. She talked with Mr. Augustine in December, and explained she could not keep them combined without him legally combining them through a survey. If he felt the assessment was excessive he should have come to the Open Book. She said all notices of assessment are printed by the county and she mails them all out. She initially thought his had been returned as she had received quite a few back but was did not receive it back. It had the same address as the tax bill so she had the correct address. Motion (Webb/Porter) to table the decision until the Board can make an informed decision. By Statute we have to contact them within 90 days. Brustad will contact the town’s attorney and also the State Department of Revenue as to what options they have. Motion carried. Citizen’s Request for Action: 1) Randy Zarecki: request for refund of 2nd half of taxes paid Mr. Zarecki was not present. Brustad explained that two checks were sent to her for payment of taxes, supposedly sent by their bank through internet banking. The first one was receipted for the first half. The second one was for more than the second half so she receipted it as paid in full and issued a check back to the Zarecki’s for the overage. One week later Mrs.’ Zarecki called and wanted her second check back. She called the CountyTreasurer’s office to see what their policy was and he indicated to her there was none but he would not issue a check back to her if it were up to him. She then talked with Mr. Zarecki in the afternoon and told him no, she wasn’t able to do that as it was already posted as paid, she had deposited the funds the week previous and had uploaded the receipts as paid to the County already. He then wanted to know how to address the board on this matter and she gave him that information. Motion (Webb/McGee) to deny the request to refund his proposed second half payment of taxes. Webb said the main reason was to maintain the accuracy of the payments of taxes and it would be too difficult to back that out. A roll call vote was taken and all members responded in agreement. Motion carried. 2) Randy Zarecki: request for ATV noise reduction on Lake Road Since Mr. Zarecki was not present the board did not address the issue. There is a county ordinance for decibel limits so if Mr. Zarecki feels the ATV noise is excessive he should take it up with the County. Issues Timeline Update TownOwnedLand – Working on putting new road in Potawatomi which will be able to be used for the old stump dump. Should get a good price for chipping, will be leaving the red and white pines Town Hall Maintenance – New furnace is in, committee to meet on Wednesday Roads – nothing addressed Zoning – Furtak is checking on 2 items up for renewal Motion ( Webb/Meinke) to adjourn the Regular Town Board meeting of February 16, 2010. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:20PM. Respectfully Submitted, Elaine J. Brustad, Clerk-Treasurer |
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