Town of Barnes
Town of Barnes, WI

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Home > Town Digital Library > Town Board Meeting Minutes > 2012 Town Board Meeting Minutes > March 20, 2012: Regular Board Meeting

March 20, 2012: Regular Board Meeting

APPROVED

MINUTES OF THE TOWN OF BARNES

REGULAR MONTHLY BOARD MEETING

MARCH 20th, 2012

At Barnes Town Hall

Chairperson Lu Peet called the Regular Board Meeting to order at 6:35pm.  Roll call was taken:  Board members were present with Supervisor Meinke absent; Peet stated that Jack was having surgery and the Board sent good wishes for his speedy recovery.  Peet verified with Clerk-Treasurer Baldwin that public notice for the meeting and the agenda had been posted.

Agenda

6:30PM:  Call Meeting to order, Roll Call & Verification of Public Notice

Pledge Allegiance to the Flag

1)       Motion to approve the Agenda

2)       Motion to approve the Minutes of the February Board Meeting and to dispense with the reading of those minutes.

3)       Treasurer’s Report

4)       Voucher’s Approval

5)       Clerk Correspondence

·         Monthly Board Meeting Minutes, e-mail requests & new lists, and web site update.

·         Update on the State Voter ID Law, poll book change for the April election, Absentee Voting and early voting in the Clerk’s office.

·         Update on the State Recall Elections for May and June.

·         Discussion and possible action on request from Associated Appraisals to schedule the annual Open Book for 1-3pm on Saturday, May 19th and the Board of Review for 1-3pm on Saturday, June 9th.

6)       Annual TOB Insurance Policies Package Review & Renewal proposal, Mike Sherry, Holden Insurance

7)       New & Updated TOB Ordinances

a.       Formal approval of the Updated Recycling Ordinance from last month’s meeting.

b.      Review & approve new Ordinance for April Term Extensions for Town Board officers, required by state law change. 

8)       Department Head Reports:

a.       Highway Department

·         Review & approve/finalize the membership and mission of the new TOB Transfer Site & Waste Management Committee

·         Update and possible action on the Burrows lot purchase

·         Monthly Roads Report

b.      Cemetery                                 

c.       Fire and Ambulance Departments

·         Status of Board letter to Town of Highland on Fire & Ambulance contracts

·         Status of LifeQuest proposal for Ambulance billing change.

·         Update and possible action on applications for new FD members.

·         Review and possible action on a proposed change to the TOB Fire/Ambulance Pay structure to simplify payroll process.

·         Discussion and possible action to purchase the Mudd-Ox Rescue Vehicle demonstrated on 3/15/12.

d.      Constable Report

9)       Committee and Commission Reports:

a.       Eurasian Water Milfoil Committee – no planned report

b.      Recreation Committee – no planned report

c.       Land Use Planning Commission – Update on 3/15/12 Commission meeting with Mike Furtak, Bayfield County Zoning Administrator

10)   Request to change the designated ATV Road Routes for ‘downtown’ Barnes, Loren Bohl, President, North Country ATV Club

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

12)   Review & Update of the Board Issues Timeline Log

13)   Adjourn

Motion( Webb/ Porter )to approve the meeting Agenda and the minutes of the February Regular and Special Board meetings.  Motion Carried.

 

3.      Treasurer’s Report:

a.      Clerk-TreasurerBaldwin read the summary balances for the cash asset accounts from the following monthly Treasurer’s report:

As of March 20th, 2012

TOB Balance Sheet

(Corrected Version)

ASSETS

       
 

Current Assets

   
   

Checking/Savings

   
     

100 · TOB General Fund-SBOD Checking

10,857.46

 
     

101 · TOB Money Market SBOD Savings

   
       

101A · Money Market-General Savings

382,801.11

 
       

101B · Highway Sinking Fund

26,327.92

 
       

101C · BES Sinking Fund

40,464.05

 
       

101D · Park Savings Fund

12,542.96

 
       

101E · Ski Trail Fund

1,032.47

 
       

101H · Building Maintenance Fund

95,932.54

 
       

101J · ACT 102 Fund Checking

5,213.35

 
       

101K · Bridges Maintenance Fund

12,000.00

 
       

101L · Waterways Maintenance Fund

10,000.00

 
       

101 · TOB Money Market SBOD Savings - Other

136.75

 
     

Total 101 · TOB Money Market SBOD Savings

586,451.15

 
     

110 · TOB Cash Reserves

   
       

110-1 · HCCU Shares Savings Acct.

3,750.38

 
       

110-2 · HCCU 35-Mo. CD - 2/20/2014

101,508.82

 
       

110-3 · HCCU 18-Mo. CD - 5/7/2013

106,671.68

 
       

110-4 · HCCU 18-Mo. CD - 5/19/2013

157,531.66

 
       

110-5 · HCCU 18-Mo. CD - 1/4/2013

52,959.75

 
       

110-6 · HCCU 18-Mo. CD - 8/10/2012

101,153.07

 
     

Total 110 · TOB Cash Reserves

523,575.36

 
   

Total Checking/Savings

1,120,883.97

 
 

Total Current Assets

1,120,883.97

 

TOTAL ASSETS

1,120,883.97

 

LIABILITIES & EQUITY

   
 

Liabilities

     
   

Current Liabilities

   
     

Other Current Liabilities

   
       

2100 · Payroll Liabilities

8,108.42

 
       

2200 · Other Liabilities

-1,281.71

 
       

26000 · Advance Tax Collections

82.48

 
     

Total Other Current Liabilities

6,909.19

 
   

Total Current Liabilities

6,909.19

 
 

Total Liabilities

6,909.19

 
 

Equity

       
   

3000 · Opening Bal Equity

383,075.84

 
   

3900 · Retained Earnings

791,266.25

 
   

Net Income

-60,367.31

 
 

Total Equity

1,113,974.78

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY

1,120,883.97

 
             

Supervisor Webb noted that our Hayward Credit Union CD accounts for the Cash Reserves Fund were not listed correctly.  Baldwin reported that the dollartotals were correct but was changing the names for each CD to correctly list their exact term and current expiration date and had just noted the same; he said he would immediately correct the account names on the report to display properly.

Motion (Porter/McGee) to approve the Treasurer’s report as read.  Motion carried.

 

4.      Voucher’s Approval

Motion (McGee/Porter) to approve the voucher’s as presented.  Motion carried.

 

5.      Clerk Correspondence

a.      Monthly Board Meeting Minutes, e-mail requests & new lists, and web site update.  Baldwin stated that he would like to establish the protocol for the office whereby all Board meeting minutes would be submitted to the Board for their review within 1 week of the meeting; they then would be posted to the town web site and copies printed and available at the Town Hall office.  He said that in response to many resident email requests he was developing an e-mail distribution list and would email minutes to anyone who requested to be on that list.  He asked all Barnes property owners to provide their email addresses to him by emailing him at [email protected], and to state in the email if they desired to receive email notices or minutes from the clerk’s office.  He stated that the Barnes web site was finally current with all Board minutes listed in proper chronological order and that he had also done the same for the EWM Committee minutes web page, created a 2012 EWM Minutes link and their recent meeting minutes were also current.   

b.      Update on the State Voter ID Law, poll book change for the April election, Absentee Voting and early voting in the Clerk’s office. Baldwin stated that, as had been reported on the news, the state 2011 Voter ID had been declared unconstitutional.  As a result, there was a court injunction against asking for any ID’s at the upcoming April 3rd Spring Election so our poll workers will not be asking for Voter ID.  However, he reminded all that there was already a new replacement bill at the State Senate so voters should be prepared to have ID for future elections.  He reminded voters that the ballots are now at the Clerk’s office so any interested voter could vote early in the Town Clerk’s office during posted business hours until 5pm on Friday March 30th.  Per the new law, there is no voting or registration allowed anymore on the Monday before Election Day.

c.       Update on the State Recall Elections for May and June:  Baldwin announced that he had just received confirmation from the WI State GAB (Government Accountability Board) that the election dates for the Governor Recall elections had been set:  Tuesday May 8th for the Democratic Primary and Tuesday June 5th for the Governor Recall Election.

d.      Discussion and possible action on request from Associated Appraisals to schedule the annual Open Book for 1-3pm on Saturday, May 19th and the Board of Review for 1-3pm on Saturday, June 9th:  The Board discussed the suggested dates by the Assessor and instructed Baldwin to tell the Assessor that those dates were ok.

 

6.      Annual TOB Insurance Policies Package Review & Renewal proposal

Mike Sherry, from Holden Insurance and our Town agent, presented and reviewed with the to the Board two policy packages.  The first was for the Barnes Emergency Services for coverage for both the Fire and Ambulance Departments.  Total annual cost for the package:  $6,833.  This was a premium increase of only $265. over last year’s rate.  He then discussed our general package that includes all our property & buildings coverage (including the donated conservation club building), all town vehicles, liability coverage, workers comp, and the “Inland Marine” coverage for all of the Highway Department equipment.  Total annual cost:  $20,380., a $580. increase over our 2011-2012 premium.  Sherry stated that Lang, Baldwin and Renz had done a great job reviewing the policies documentation and had identified a number of errors that had been corrected.  The increase was primarily due to the additional Highway equipment that had been listed, especially for the brand new CAT tractor/backhoe.

Motion (Webb/McGee) to approve the Holden Insurance packages as presented and authorize payment of the annual premium as invoiced.  Roll call vote taken:  all responded yes.  Motion carried.

 

7.      New & Updated TOB Ordinances

a.      Formal approval of the Updated Recycling Ordinance from last month’s meeting.

Motion (McGee/ Webb) to approve theupdated Town Recycling Ordinance with the revisions that were reviewed and discussed at the February Board Meeting.  Roll call vote taken:  all responded yes.  Motion carried.

b.      Review & approve new Ordinance for April Term Extensions for Town Board officers, required by state law change.  Peet read the following new Ordinance and explained that it was required due to state election law changes to adjust the term end-dates for elected officials; she stated that it was recommended by the WTA (Wisconsin Town Association).

ORDINANCE NUMBER:   CHAPTER 2, SECTION 2-11

An Ordinance to Extend Town Officer Terms In Response to Election Law Changes

Whereas, the term of elected town officers for our Five Person Board, defined in Section 2-2, have previously begun on the 2nd Tuesday in April;

Whereas town officers elected in April 2012 and thereafter will now have their terms of office commence on the 3rd Tuesday in April due to recent state election law changes;

Whereas this law change results in a week long "gap" between the end of the current terms of office for those town officers elected in either 2010 or 2011 and the start of the new terms of office for those officers elected in April 2012 or April 2013;

Whereas, 2011 Wis. Act 115 provides that a town board may enact an ordinance providing that the terms of any elective officers in the town who were elected or appointed to serve for terms expiring on the 2nd Tuesday in April 2012 or 2013 may be extended to the 3rd Tuesday in April in the same year in which the terms would otherwise have expired;

 

Therefore, be it hereby ordained by the Town Board of the Town of Barnes, Bayfield County:   the terms of elected town officers which shall expire after 11:59 p.m. on the 2nd Monday of April in either April 2012 or April 2013 shall be extended until the 3rd Tuesday of April in the same year in which the terms would otherwise have expired.

                This ordinance shall be effective upon publication or posting by the town clerk as required, pursuant to s. 60.80, Wis. Stat.

Adopted this 20th day of March 2012, by the Town Board of the Town of Barnes in Bayfield County, Wisconsin:

 

_________________________________              ________________________________

Lu Peet – Town Chairperson                                        Christine M. Webb– Supervisor

 

_________________________________              ________________________________

Jack Meinke – Supervisor                                            Donna Porter – Supervisor

 

_________________________________

Mitch McGee – Supervisor

Motion (Porter/Webb) to approve the new Term Ordinance as read.  Roll call vote taken:  all responded yes.  Motion carried.

 

8.      Department Head Reports:

  1. Highway

·         Review & approve/finalize the membership and mission of the new TOB Transfer Site & Waste Management Committee:   Peet stated that she had received a list of great volunteers for the committee.  After discussion with Bob Lang, the decision was to keep the committee to a reasonable size of 9 members and a mix of town employees and townspeople.  The following people were named to the committee:  Mitch McGee, Bob Lang, Susan Pagnucci, Greg Martin, Ron Pearson, Jim Olesen, Mike Trembley, Gene Ratzel, and Tom Peiters.

Motion (McGee/Webb) to approve the new Transfer Site Committee membership as presented.  Motion carried.

 

·         Update and possible action on the Burrows lot purchase:  Bob Lang stated that he was in favor of the town purchasing the surrounding land and then sell it so as to resolve and ultimately avoid road issues.  After brief board discussion Peet said we would need to discuss with our town attorney and validate this plan, and we would also review the possible purchase with Mike Furtak, our County Assistant Zoning Administrator, to identify if there were any county issues with the possible purchase.

·         Monthly Roads Report

After not having much of a winter, on February 29th we received the heaviest snowfall the area has seen in many years.  We worked long and hard to keep the main routes passable, and had all occupied road opened by the end of the next day.  We’ve had a nice warm stretch which has most of it melted away, but the equipment is ready to go if we get another blast.

One of the ongoing problems that we are seeing is the depositing of snow from private driveways into the town roads.  Depositing snow into the roadway is no different than depositing any other debris into the roadway.  It is illegal, it creates a traffic hazard, and home owner is liable for damage or personal injury if someone hits it.  I will put together a sample ordinance for the board to consider before next winter.

Now that winter is coming to a close, the sand that was put on the roads for vehicle traction is visible.  I would like to rent a sweeper to remove it from the major road routes, or we can let Mother Nature wash it off with the rains.

We put up the weight limit signs on March 12th.  It’s too early to tell, but if the weather patterns continue, we may be able to remove them ahead of schedule also.  They will remain on until the county pulls theirs.

The new coupler system for the loader has had some operational issues.  The CAT mechanic has been working with us to resolve the problems.

The road crew will be attending Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) training at the Great Lakes Visitor Center on March 28th.  This is an annual full day class that is required for anyone who enters a gravel pit.

If this warm weather continues, we will be ahead of schedule on our spring cleanup of the town properties and the installation of the new playground equipment, and able to get to the long list of road projects we have lined up for the summer.

 

Respectfully submitted,    Bob Lang – Roads and Property Foreman

 

  1. CemeteryDave Schiess reported that there was 1 scheduled burial in 2 weeks.

 

  1. Fire and Ambulance Departments

·         Status of Board letter to Town of Highland on Fire & Ambulance contracts.Tom Renz stated that he had a meeting scheduled with the Highland Board on next Monday evening and would report back next month on the results

·         Status of LifeQuest proposal for Ambulance billing change.

Using his laptop and the projector, Renz demonstrated to the Board the LifeQuest payroll system and how it managed payroll and reports.  Renz displayed the screens and process the system provides and the ease of use for doing payroll compared to our current manual process.

Motion (Webb/McGee) to approve and sign the LifeQuest contract for 5 years.   Roll call vote taken:  all responded yes.  Motion carried.

 

·         Update and possible action on applications for new FD members.  Renz presented the application for Kyle Boelk to become a member of the Fire Department and recommended approval.

Motion (Webb/McGee) to approve Kyle Boelk to join the Fire Department; he would be on probation per Town policy for 1 year.   Motion carried.

 

·         Review and possible action on a proposed change to the TOB Fire/Ambulance Pay structure to simplify payroll process.  Renz proposed to eliminate the current 2-tier payroll structure currently used and pay Fire and EMT’s a flat hourly rate which would provide approximately the same overall compensation but be far easier to manage and would work better with the new LifeQuest system.

Motion (Webb/Porter) to approve a new flat hourly wage for the Fire Department staff of $20./hour and a new flat hourly wage for EMT’s of $25./hour effective April 1, 2012.  Roll call vote taken:  all responded yes.  Motion carried.

 

·         Discussion and possible action to purchase the Mudd-Ox Rescue Vehicle demonstrated on 3/15/2012.  Renz projected two video demonstrations of the all-terrain and water Mudd-Ox in use displaying its hill climbing and stability.  There was extended discussion regarding the current funds that would be used to pay for it and used equipment that would be sold.

Motion (McGee/Webb) to Table the purchase until a detailed proposal is received.  Motion carried.

 

  1. Constable – Peet read the following report from Constable Mike O’Keefe:

§  2  Alarm's: from private home alarm company's

§  5  Animal complaint's:River Road, Pine Chip Road, & Island Lake Road areas

§  Suspicious person: Hwy 27 at point of pine's road, assist sheriff

§  8  Snow plow ordinance violationsfrom town road crew:  residents pushing snow onto town roads obstructing traffic

§  Assist motorist on Hwy Y with flat tire

§  Escort St Paddy's Day Parade on Hwy N

9.      Committee Reports:

·      Eurasian Water Milfoil Committee:  No report.

·      Recreation Committee:  Porter stated that there had been no meeting to report.

·      Land Use Planning Commission:  David Pease said there was not a quorum at the last commission meeting so Mike Furtak had an informal discussion with the group about FRAC mining and other current zoning issues.

10.  Request to change the designated ATV Road Routes for ‘downtown’ Barnes

·         Loren Bohl, President of the North Country ATV Club, reviewed a downtown map with the Board to propose modifying the Town ATV Routes Ordinance for route 1, Barnes Road, and route 20, Kelly Lake Road so that there would be direct access to Co. Highway N without having to circumnavigate the airport property as currently required.  Department heads Renz and Lang spoke in favor of the change.

Motion (McGee/Webb) to approve the changes to the Town ATV Route Ordinance 11-11-4 as presented for Barnes and Kelly Lake Roads; Motion carried.

11.  Public Comment Session – 3 Minute limit for those not on the agenda

·         None

12.  Issues Timeline Update

·         Board agreed that the Town Hall Maintenance Plan items had all been completed and those items could be deleted, and instructed Baldwin to remove other old prior year items from the other sections of the list. 

·         Per Bob Lang’s Roads Report, his draft for a new Ordinance on plowing snow onto Town Roads was added under Town Policy for the October Board meeting.

13.  Adjourn

Motion (Porter / Webb) to adjourn the March 2012 Regular Town Board Meeting; Motion Carried.  Meeting adjourned at 8:50PM.

 

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

 

Stephen C. Baldwin, Town of Barnes Clerk-Treasurer

Dated this 16thday of April, 2012

 

 
The notices, agendas, minutes and postings on the Town website are for informational purposes only. They may not be the most current version and therefore are NOT considered the official or legal copy.
CONTACT THE TOWN
715-795-2782
Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. 8:00 AM - Noon
[email protected]
3360 County Highway N, Barnes, WI 54873

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