MINUTES OF THE

TOWN OF BARNES

REGULAR BOARD MEETING

SEPTEMBER 15, 2009

 

 

Chairperson Lu Peet called the Regular Board Meeting to order at 6:30PM.  The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited.  A Roll Call to establish a quorum was done and the Clerk-Treasurer verified the Public Notice was posted in 3 places as required. 

Roll call taken: All present except Chris Webb.

 

Motion ( Porter/McGee) to approve the September agenda.  Motion carried.  The agenda is as follows:

 

NOTICE

TOWN OF BARNES

REGULAR BOARD MEETING

SEPTEMBER 15, 2009 AT 6:30PM

AGENDA

Call the Regular Board Meeting to order at 6:30PM

Pledge Allegiance to the Flag

Roll Call to establish a quorum/Verification of Public Notice/Motion to approve the September 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

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

Citizen’s Request for Action:

                1)            Shelby Woodard with presentation of petition and letters to not use water                                      from Pickerel Lake and request of Board to send a letter to the Department                                        of Transportation on their behalf    (tabled from last meeting)

                2)            Request by Margaret Bossow for a speed limit change on Birch Lake Road

                3)            Request by Chuck & Pat Luckinbill and Tom & Kristen Ritchie to overturn                                        the ordinance amendment adding Peninsula Road as an ATV route               

Land Use Planning Commission   

Zoning:

1)                   Class A Special Use Request by Second Star LLC for a short-term seasonal rental on their guest house at 51340 Lake Road in Barnes

2)                   Conditional Use Application by Robert Rucker to exceed shoreland height limit with a structure of 38 feet at 2061 Lake Road in Barnes

Department Head Reports:

                Highway                               

                Cemetery             

                Fire and Ambulance Department                  

                Constable

Committee Reports

                Eurasian Water Milfoil      

                Town Roads and Right-of-Way                      

                Town Hall Maintenance

Increase charges for Ambulance calls effective 1-1-2010

Discussion and possible resolution to charge for fire calls                  

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 14th day of September, 2009

 

 

Peet asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the Last Regular Board Meeting and a motion to dispense with reading of the minutes.

 

Motion (Porter/McGee) to approve the minutes of the last regular town board meeting and to dispense with the reading of the minutes.  Motion carried.

 

Treasurer’s Report

 

 

General Fund

 

 

 

Checking Balance from last meeting

 

$52,788.93

 

Receipts

 

 

 

 

$16,563.42

 

Check #'s 24083-24180

 

 

($97,559.18)

 

August Direct tax payments ck #s 340-342

 

($4,060.96)

 

Service Charge August

 

 

($19.29)

 

Interest Earned August

 

 

$9.04

0.15%

 

CHECKING BALANCE

 

 

$17,721.96

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Money Market

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Money Market Gen'l Fund Balance from Last Meeting

$347,345.93

 

Deposit Aug Settlement

 

 

$191,613.41

 

Transfer to HCCU

 

 

 

($150,000.00)

 

Transfer to General Fund

 

 

($50,000.00)

 

Interest earned August

YTD Interest $3,803.53

$117.31

0.35%

 

Sub-Total Money Market Gen'l Funds

$339,076.65

 

Highway Dept. Sinking Fund

 

 

$16,072.92

 

BES Sinking Fund

 

 

 

$214.05

 

Park Savings

deposit alum cans $167.70

$15,242.38

 

Ski Trail Savings

 

 

 

$1,245.21

 

Town Hall Maint & Repair  Fund

 

 

$15,628.20

 

ACT 102 Fund

Zoll Medical CK 1123  $2,997.00

$960.39

 

Total all Money Market Funds

 

 

$388,439.80

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hayward Community Credit Union

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Savings

 

Interest

1

August

$25.10

0.47%

9 Month CD

Interest

234.83

August

$101,539.41

2.76%

9 Month CD

Interest

234.83

August

$101,539.41

2.76%

6 Month CD

Interest

95.96

August

$50,642.69

2.25%

9 month CD

Interest

114.95

August

$150,114.95

2.36%

 

 

 

YTD Interest $4,427.19

 

 

Total Hayward Community Credit Union

 

$404,427.19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL ALL ACCOUNTS

 

$810,588.95

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

               

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

 

Voucher’s Approval

 

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

 

 

 

 

Clerk Correspondence

Brustad read a thank you from the Walt LaJoie family. They sent a check for $50.00 to be used for something for the town hall.  Brustad asked Evelyn if there was something needed in the kitchen and she thought more bowls would be nice.  The Board said to go ahead and order some bowls for the money. 

A letter to the Gordon Chairman, John Cosgrove by Paul LaLiberte was copied to the Barnes Chair requesting 20% of the boat landing costs at the Lower Eau Claire landing.  The costs associated with the lower boat landing were $8,682.57, so requested were $1,731.11.  Peet said she hadn’t heard from John Cosgrove on the matter.

Brustad read a letter regarding Local Road Improvement Program funds for the upcoming year.  New rules are in the works and until they are adopted the program is on a standstill.

Brustad also asked the Board if they had received her email regarding the sign being done for the Upper Boat landing.  She showed the board a copy of the proposed sign to see if they had any objections.  They did not.

 

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

Shelby Woodard wanted to update the board on the outcome of the variance request that came before the Board in March of 2008.  Since then the Board of Adjustment denied the request after receiving the Town’s recommendation to deny.  The owners of the property filed an appeal to the Wisconsin Circuit Court.  In August of this year the Circuit court upheld the Board of Adjustment’s decision.  Although the Town Board had voted to deny the variance, she was still upset that the Town Board did not allow anyone in the audience to speak.  The comment session was also at the end of the evening so she felt there was no voice from the audience in that issue.  Peet responded that now the 3 minute comment session is in the beginning of the meeting, so there should not be anytime while she is in office that the board does not hear comments on a matter before the board acts on it.

 

Citizen’s Request for Action:

 

                1)            Shelby Woodard with presentation of petition and letters to not use water from Pickerel Lake and request of Board to send a letter to the Department of Transportation on their behalf    (tabled from last meeting)

Woodard spoke on behalf of Connie Balcom who was out of town.  The number of letters received was 30, representing 36 properties.  She asked the Board to please forward them on by letter to the Department of Transportation.  Motion (Porter/Meinke) to forward a letter to the DOT of the taxpayer concerns.  Motion carried.  Brustad will write the letter and have the Chair, Lu Peet, sign on behalf of the Board.

 

2)                   Request by Margaret Bossow for a speed limit change on Birch Lake Road

Brustad read the request to lower the speed limit on Birch Lake Road, mainly in the area of the sharp curves.  The road committee has been put back into use and will address the requests to lower speed limits on this road and others.

 

3)                   Request by Chuck & Pat Luckinbill and Tom & Kristen Ritchie to overturn the ordinance amendment adding Peninsula Road as an ATV route

Brustad read the requests to the audience and the Board.  The ATV route is a route only for residents of the particular road to access the nearest trail, therefore the concerns of the citizens were unfounded.  No action was taken.

                 

Land Use Planning Commission   

Dave Pease spoke on the two items on their agenda. For the Class A Special Use request for Second Star, LLC to have a short-term seasonal rental for their guest house the Plan Commission voted to allow that but they request that the gate to the property be open at all times during rental periods for emergency access.

For the Robert Rucker request to exceed the height limit with a structure of 38 feet, the Plan commission made an error, they considered this issue an application for a variance. They are requesting the board table the request until next month when the Plan Commission can revisit it.

 

Zoning:

 

1)       Class A Special Use Request by Second Star LLC for a short-term seasonal rental on their guest house at 51340 Lake Road in Barnes

 

Motion (McGee/Meinke) to approve the Class A Special Use Request by Second Star LLC for a short term rental on their property.   The gate should be kept unlocked and open at all times when rented. Motion carried.

 

 

 

3)                   Conditional Use Application by Robert Rucker to exceed shoreland height limit with a structure of 38 feet at 2061 Lake Road in Barnes

This request will be tabled until next month after the Plan Commission addresses it as a Special Use application.

 

Department Head Reports:

 

                Highway

No report was given, but Meinke mentioned the sidewalk is complete.

                               

                Cemetery

Brustad read Bud’s report:  He put more grass seed out.  Figures were obtained for the fence and signs.  There was a burial for Chad Hunter on the 12th of September.

 

                Fire and Ambulance Department  

No report was given as Tom was in the hospital.  Peet said all our prayers are with Tom and his family.  McGee said the water tank is being put in the ground this Friday.

               

                Constable

( 4 ) Alarms : from sheriff...........( 10 ) ATV complaints..............( 1 ) assist motorist Hwy 27............( 1 ) check welfare : overdue hunter..........( 3 ) animal complaints...........( 4 ) fireworks / firearms : 3 Had permits for fireworks over holiday weekend ....1..property owner target shooting on his property ........( 1 ) trespass complaint : hunter parked on private land.........( 1 ) excessive noise complaint : Music to loud over holiday weekend........( 2 ) assist boaters : on middle : out of gas : towed to shore..........total hours : 62.........total miles : 420.......total fuel : 30 gallons.......End report.......................Note to: seasonal residents :.........If you would like me to make periodic checks on your homes over the winter , feel free to contact me at my home 715-795-3111 or e-mail me at( barnesconstable@ yahoo.com) with details and key holder names and phone numbers if any .

 

Committee Reports

                Eurasian Water Milfoil

McGee said the season is over, they are now gathering all the costs associated with the grant request.

 

                Town Roads and Right-of-Way

The committee has met twice, they are now waiting for the speed limit requests to come back to the committee from Jerry.

               

                Town Hall Maintenance

Five members were appointed at the September 10th Special Town Board meeting.  They are: Margaret Bossow, Greg Martin, Mike Trembley, Bob Paszak, and Steve Hunter.  Jerry Witt and Mitch McGee should also be included in each meeting.

 

Increase charges for Ambulance calls effective 1-1-2010

Tom Renz had recommended increasing fees at the last budget meeting.  Brustad checked with Advantage billing and we are much lower than other departments in the area.  His recommendation was to increase the fees to $500.00 for residents and $600.00 for non-residents. 

Motion (McGee/Meinke) to increase the ambulance fees to $500.00 for residents, and $600.00 for non-residents and bill out for supplies used.  Roll call vote taken: Porter –abstained, Webb-absent, McGee-yes, Meinke-yes, Peet-yes.  Motion carried.  

 

Discussion and possible resolution to charge for fire calls  

The board felt they needed more information from Tom as to what to charge and to whom.  This can be discussed later once Tom returns to work. 

Motion (McGee/Meinke) to table for more information.  Motion carried.

               

Issues Timeline Update

Town Owned Land – work in progress

Town Hall Maintenance – the committee will be meeting on the 17th

Roads – Jerry is researching for speed limits

 

 

 

 

 

 

Motion (McGee/Meinke) to adjourn the meeting of September 15, 2009.  Motion carried.  The meeting adjourned at  7:25PM.  

 

Respectfully Submitted,`

 

 

 

Elaine J. Brustad

Clerk-Treasurer

Dated this 24th day of September, 2009