Town of Barnes
Town of Barnes, WI

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Home > Town Digital Library > Town Board Meeting Minutes > 2010 Town Board Meeting Minutes > Regular Town Board Meeting October 19, 2010

Regular Town Board Meeting October 19, 2010

 

NOTICE
TOWN OF BARNES
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
October 19, 2010 at 6:30PM
 
 
 
Chair Lu Peet called the Regular Town Board Meeting to order at 6:35PM, immediately after the Special Town Board meeting adjourned. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited. A Roll Call to establish a quorum and verification of the Public Notice was asked by Peet.
 
Roll call vote taken: all responded yes. Motion carried.
 
Peet asked for a motion to approve the October Agenda, approve minutes of the Last Regular Board Meeting and Motion to dispense with reading of the minutes.
 
Motion (Porter/Meinke) to approve the agenda, the minutes of the last Regular Town 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
October 19, 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 October 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             
Department Head Reports:
                Highway                
                Cemetery                               
                Fire and Ambulance Department                         
                Constable
Committee Reports
                EWM Committee
Recreation Committee
Land Use Planning Commission
                Zoning:
1)       Variance Request by Don & Deb Sesko, Jim Beauto, agent, at 1765 Boulder Lodge Road to exchange bar unit and campground unit for one residential unit at the Boulder Lodge Complex.
2)        Variance request by Robert & Jennifer St. Arnold at 47550 Cranberry Lake Road, for a reduced setback of 30 feet from the center line of a town road.
Marty Kasinskas from the DNR to present an award from the Community Wildfire Protection Plan to the Town
Citizen’s Request for Action:
1)        Request by Rodney Buss to purchase a small parcel of land owned by the Town of Barnes near his property at 1180 South Shore Road
2)       Request by Del Griffin of 55860 to address sand build up in front of his driveway
3)       Request by Terry Boren for road repairs on Otter Lane
4)       Request by Joyce Zimm to check Borman Road for wash out conditions
5)       Request by Dave Pederson of the ATV Club to use fill out of pit to repair trail on the Breugger and Hough property near the pit.
Request by Paul Susienka for the Town Board to write a letter to the County to not reduce funding to the Sheriff’s Department
Operator’s Licenses: 
Two Year New License Application for Teresa Scharlau      
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 15th day of October, 2010
 
Treasurer’s Report

General Fund
Checking Balance from last meeting
$21,713.62
Transfer from Money Market Account
$50,000.00
Receipts
$5,994.92
Check #'s 25271-25379
($44,267.39)
Direct Tax Payments Check #s 370-373
($9,382.08)
Service Charge September
($16.34)
Interest Earned September
$4.43
0.15%
CHECKING BALANCE
$24,047.16
Money Market
Money Market Gen'l Fund Balance from Last Meeting
$534,939.98
Transfer to General Fund Checking
($50,000.00)
Interest earned September
YTD Interest $1020.86
$99.71
0.20%
Sub-Total Money Market Gen'l Funds
$485,039.69
Highway Dept. Sinking Fund
$72.92
BES Sinking Fund
$20,214.05
Park Savings
$17,054.25
Ski Trail Savings
$960.21
Town Hall Maint & Repair Fund
$56,656.20
ACT 102 Fund
$5,513.46
Tasler prepaid taxes for 2010
$5,393.87
Total all Money Market Funds
$590,904.65
Hayward Community Credit Union
Savings
Interest
42.45
September
$103,552.21
0.50%
18 Month CD
Interest
174.03
September
$104,171.87
2.055%
15 Month CD
Interest
82.46
September
$51,903.69
1.953%
18 month CD
Interest
256.91
September
$153,779.92
2.055%
YTD Interest $5,849.42
 
Total Hayward Community Credit Union
$413,407.69
TOTAL ALL ACCOUNTS
$1,028,359.50

 
 
Motion (Meinke/Porter) to approve the Treasurer’s report as read. Motion carried.
 
Voucher’s Approval
 
Motion (Porter/McGee) to approve the voucher’s as presented. Motion carried.
 
Clerk Correspondence
Brustad noted receipt of a check from the Property Owner’s Association for $1,750.00 for Eurasian Water Milfoil Expenses.
She read a letter from Jon Harkness. The letter in its entirety is below:
 
“RE:                   Lighted Cell Phone Towers (Tower Heights) in the Town of Barnes DAI.E: October 9, 2010
Our organization applauds the increased cell phone coverage in the Barnes/Eau Claire Lakes area. The enhanced coverage improves safety and convenience for the people who live and recreate in the area.
We are concerned, however, for the aesthetics of the area when new cell phone towers are constructed. If the heights of cell phone towers are 199 feet or less, then aviation safety lights on the towers are not required, and the visual impact of the towers on the environment is minimal. If cell phone towers are higher than 200 feet, then safety lights are required, and these lights, white by day and red by night, can be very intrusive and degrade the visual environment.
The clear night skies that we enjoy in the northwoods are becoming rare around the world; light pollution, which ruins clear night skies, should be prevented whenever possible. Certainly, it is within our reach to prevent cell phone towers from becoming strong, ever-present sources of light pollution by limiting tower heights to 199', not requiring aviation safety lights.
Our organization recommends that Bayfield County government authorities who grant permits for cell phone towers consider the aesthetics of cell phone towers and limit existing and new tower construction to towers thatare 199 feet or less in height and therefore do not require safetylighting. Maintaining Bayfield County's original 199' cap on tower height is the right thing to do.
Thank you for consideration of our concern.”
The final estimate of the January 1, 2010 population is 734 per the Wisconsin Department of Administration.
Brustad stated she received a letter from the tax deed clerk that two parcels in the town will sold at auction. They are lot 102 Blackdeers Addition to Potawatomi and Lot 125 Runningbear’s addition to Potawatomi. 
 
Public Comment Session – 3 Minute limit for those not on the agenda
Greg Roman asked the Board if they had done anything on their junk ordinances. He brought pictures of a place in Potawatomi to show the Board
               
Department Head Reports:
                Highway
This past month we finished graveling the shoulders and aprons on the new blacktop roads.
Spot repairs to get ready for winter include N Lyndale Bay, Lower Lake Rd, Augustine, N Badger, Jones, and various roads north in the sand country.
The worn out front steer tires were replaced with new on the 05 tandem.
The Highway department has received $ 9165 from the Bayfield County Forestry dept. to purchase gravel for the sugar sand area between the second and third mile on the Halfway Rd. Weather permitting this project should be complete before freeze up.
The brusher has been out working. The tight area on Birch Lake Rd, All of Kelly Lake Rd, and the first half mile on Hall, among others has been brushed.
The majority of leaves are down at this time. Work was started yesterday blowing leaves and debris out of ditches on roads that need it.
               
                Cemetery
1 burial on September 18th in Block 1, Lot 9, Site 5. The fence has been installed along the length of the road. It looks very good. Bud reported wanting to step down as Cemetery Sexton. He spoke with Dave Schiess who would take the position over. He has been the sexton for 50 years. This will be added to the agenda in November for approval by the Board.
                               
                Fire and Ambulance Department
No report had been received by the Ambulance Director/Fire Chief   
 
               
                Constable
4 ) Alarm's from sheriff.....( 1 ) trespass complaint : Hunter's vehicle parked on private property.......( 2 ) assist motorist : Hwy 27......( 2 ) Firearm complaint's : Property owner target shooting on his own property. Neighbor's upset about the noise and the traumatic effect that gun's have on wildlife . I reminded the concerned caller's it was hunting season and their neighbor was acting in a safe & legal manner ) I was told that a new town ordinance needs to be drafted to prohibit such " violent behavior ". I informed them the meeting was October 19th......( 1 ) assist boater : on middle : prop..hit rock bar . ( 1 ) Possible stolen town property : Caller states that shallow water markers were missing on middle eau Claire and must have been stolen the night before causing her husband to damage their new boat . I informed the caller that the marker's are removed at this time every year by the conservation club to prevent ice damage to the markers because they're very expensive to repair.  She told me she demand's that the town to pay for the repair's on her boat because no notice was given or published in local newspapers. I told her the meeting was October 19th.
 
Committee Reports
                EWM Committee
Ingemar Ekstrom was not present, but Brustad said the three year grant was approved, including the treatment of Sand Bar Lake. 
 
Recreation Committee
The grant was approved also for the playground equipment; we should be ordering it in the next few days. We received approval to store it in the Conservation Club building over the winter.
 
Land Use Planning Commission
Chairman David Pease reported the Commission addressed two zoning requests at their last meeting. Regarding the variance request by Don and Deb Sesko, this would get rid of the tavern and eventually 25 campground spots at the Boulder Lodge in exchange for 1 additional residence for a total of 5. The Commission recommended approval by the Board. Regarding the variance request submitted by the St. Arnold’s, Pease reported they had submitted 3 different options for approval. Plan B, placing the garage with a reduced setback placed next to the house would be what the Commission would recommend. The commission did note that is that road was discontinued, this would alleviate any future problems. There are no changes to the Land Use Plan at this time after the meetings were held recently. They also reviewed items in the Implementation section.
 
                Zoning:
1)       Variance Request by Don & Deb Sesko, Jim Beauto, agent, at 1765 Boulder Lodge Road to exchange bar unit and campground unit for one residential unit at the Boulder Lodge Complex.
 
Motion (Meinke/McGee) to approve the Variance Request by Don & Deb Sesko, Jim Beauto, agent, at 1765 Boulder Lodge Road to exchange bar unit and campground unit for one residential unit at the Boulder Lodge Complex. Motion carried, Chris Webb recused herself from the vote.
 
2)        Variance request by Robert & Jennifer St. Arnold at 47550 Cranberry Lake Road, for a reduced setback of 30 feet from the center line of a town road.
 
Motion (Porter/Meinke) to approve the variance request by Robert & Jennifer St. Arnold at 47550 Cranberry Lake Road, for a reduced setback of 30 feet from the center line of a town road, with a recommendation of Plan B, a detached garage with reduced setback, or Plan C, as an attached garage. Motion carried.
 
 
Marty Kasinskas from the DNR to present an award from the Community Wildfire Protection Plan to the Town
Kasinkas presented a certificate of Community Protection Achievement for the Barnes and Drummond Community Wildlife Protection Program. Ours was the third program written nationally and the 1st in Wisconsin. We have received around $198,000.00 in grants through the Community Wildfire Protection Program in Barnes alone. 
 
Citizen’s Request for Action:
 
1)        Request by Rodney Buss to purchase a small parcel of land owned by the Town of Barnes near his property at 1180 South Shore Road
 
This parcel of land will be added to the agenda for the Special Town Meeting coming up on November 16th.
 
2)       Request by Del Griffin of 55860 to address sand build up in front of his driveway
Jerry will take a look at this.
 
3)       Request by Terry Boren for road repairs on Otter Lane
This is in the plan to be constructed to standard in the future. Until then it will be maintained in a passable condition.
 
4)       Request by Joyce Zimm to check Borman Road for wash out conditions
Will be addressed in a road plan for future construction to standards and if the road is to be kept as a town road or not.
 
5)       Request by Dave Pederson of the ATV Club to use fill out of pit to repair trail on the Breugger and Hough property near the pit.
The request was approved for the club to take whatever they need.
 
Request by Paul Susienka for the Town Board to write a letter to the County to not reduce funding to the Sheriff’s Department
Chairperson Lu Peet said she received a call from Paul Susienka that the County budget is being reduced for the Sheriff’s department. 
 
Motion (Porter/McGee) to send a letter requesting the County to not reduce the funding and to ensure monies are spent in a most efficient way. Motion carried.
 
Operator’s Licenses: 
Two Year New License Application for Teresa Scharlau      
Brustad said Scharlau’s fee had been paid, a background check revealed no criminal history and she had completed her beverage server’s course and presented a certificate as requested.
 
Motion (Webb/Meinke) to approve the two year new license application for Teresa Scharlau. Motion carried.
 
Issues Timeline Update
Town Owned Land – Work in Progress
Town Hall Maintenance Plan – ramp work has started, committee is working on the 2011 plan.
Boat Landings – Dredging done on the Upper, Robinson won’t be done until spring
Town Roads – Look at possible discontinuance of roads
 
Regarding discussion during the closed session earlier in the evening during the Special Town Board meeting:
 
Motion (Porter/McGee) to approve the following raises for 2011: Snow plow drivers to $15.00/hour; Deputy Clerk increase to 1$11.00/hour; $2,080.00 bonus to the Clerk-Treasurer payable 1/1/11, but no raise; election workers at minimum wage. Roll call vote taken and all responded yes. Motion carried.
 
Motion (Porter/Meinke) to adjourn the Regular Town Board meeting of November 19, 2010. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM.
 
Respectfully Submitted,
 
 
 
Elaine J. Brustad,
Clerk-Treasurer
Dated this 10th Day of November, 2010
 
 
 
 

 
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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