VILLAGE OF LONE ROCK

LONE ROCK, WISCONSIN

OFFICE OF CLERK

Minutes of The Lone Rock Village Board Meeting
Tuesday, December 12, 2017, at 7:00 P.M.,
Village Office Conference Room, 314 E Forest St, Lone Rock, WI.


Trustees: Harry Pulvermacher, Marvin Joles III, Tom Whalen, Dan Quinn, Corey Ewers, Richard Brander. Board President, Dean Ewers presiding.

Call to Order – The meeting was called to order by Board President Dean Ewers at 7:00 PM.

Roll Call – Roll call was taken with all board members present with the exception of Tom Whalen, who was ill. Also in attendance were Marian Copus, Adam Reno, Christa Quinn, Tootie Pulvermacher, Mary Ann Evans, Dan McGuire, Mrs. Richard Brander, Gilbert Williams, Lone Rock Milling, Sen. Howard Marklein, Samantha Mueller and Andy Van Sickle from Bug Tussel, and Karen Kampen.

Approval of Agenda – Motion to approve the agenda by Dan Quinn, second by Harry Pulvermacher, all in favor, motion carried.

Approval of Minutes – Motion to approve the minutes by Harry, second by Marvin Joles III, all in favor, motion carried.

Sen. Howard Marklein – Talked about budgets, a lot of money is being shipped to Milwaukee. Lots of construction going on there for a long time. General Transportation Aid is now going up. Repealed prevailing wage on state roads. Sen. Marklein lives in town of Spring Green. Replaced a bridge. DNR holds up construction progress and there is a lot of waste as a result. They had to build a temporary bridge, redo the other bridge, then tear down the temporary bridge. Replace in kind alternative. Want to put extra stuff in like bike paths, etc. What is it going to cost to replace ujust the road. Hwy 154 was being pushed out to 2023. Being bid this month, will begin construction in the spring.

Can apply for broadband grants now. No state tax on the property tax bills this year. Rural EMS services is big on his agenda. The EMS rules were written by people in the big cities, who have no idea of what is going on in the rural areas. It is interesting to see the rules we have to EMS. There was a heart attack victim near Warrens, which is just across the State line in Illinois. Since the victim was on the WI side of the state line, Warrens EMS could not respond. The local EMS from the WI side would take a long time to get there, but out of state could have gotten them much sooner. He voted to pass a bill in the Senate that now they can respond across state lines. Another issue is that if an EMS is licensed as basic,but the EMT responding is a nurse or a paramedic, they cannot provide services other than basic because of the licensure of the EMS unit. The bill in the Senate will change the law so that according to the new law the unit cannot advertise as anything as basic, but if someone on the team is licensed higher, now they can provide service according to the individual’s certification. EMS training money is available, and now that grant money is available for First Responders as well. That is important, especially in rural communities. EMT in Boscobel said he has personalized EMT plates, and has to pay the extra $15. They are helpful, so law enforcement knows they can let them through to provide aid. The proposed bill will cover that cost.

Corey said when he took the EMT class he had to pass the National Registry. When he took the 2-year refresher course, the National Registry certification wasn’t necessary anymore. The National Registry has been a big hang-up for a lot of people who would otherwise have been able to help, but could not pass the National Registry test. If I don’t have to be on the National Registry now, why do these new people have to pass the National Registry test before they can be on a local unit? Howard said it goes back to Katrina, and having responders from all over the country showing up. It is getting everyone at the same level, which is a laudible goal, but affects us in rural areas. Corey said if someone is interested in that it’s fine but most people are not, why does it hold them up from being able to assist? Even first responders have to pass the National Registry, and it keeps otherwise very qualified people from being able to serve.

Harry Pulvermacher asked about the bridges. Marvin Joles said businesses here depend on those bridges to keep their businesses operating. Gilbert Williams spoke up from the audience and said he owns Lonesome Stone Milling, but lives in the Town of Spring Green. Said that bridge needs to be able to handle 8,000 pounds, because grain needs to be able to be transported across the river in Lone Rock to his business. Sen. Marklein said it is on the schedule. Dean said bids are going to be due soon, Construction will be done in 2024. Sen. Marklein suspects the new bridge will be built right alongside the existing bridge, and that the existing bridge will be torn down after the new one is constructed. He is pretty confident that the bridge will be built. Brander asked about getting sidewalks put in along the Village Main St. portion of State Hwy 130 to make it safer for people to walk out to the businesses on Highway 14. Sen. Marklein said to contact Vince Williams is the DOT contact in Marklein’s office, talk to him about concerns.

Other budget items, sales tax exemption for building materials for UW. Marklein voted to get rid of that sales tax so the public doesn’t have to pay sales tax on university projects. Marklein voted to freeze tuition on UW students.

Dan McGuire said the governor wanted to end recurring referendums, what is happening to that? In 2018, the referendums can only be scheduled on regularly-scheduled election days. Dan said Barneveld just had one and it passed. Howard said any referendum that has passed, will be there permanently.

Brander asked if anything more is happening in choosing schools, the vouchering system. Marklein replied that they look at the math for the Choice Program on the Milwaukee schools, because they are the biggest by far in the state. It costs state taxpayers $8,000 to send a child to Milwaukee Public School System. It costs $5,000 to send a child to St. Anthony’s, which is in the Choice Program. Why shouldn’t we support them? Don McGuire said Wermuth said that $100,000 goes to Milwaukee voucher system. Marklein said no, it doesn’t. It goes to the Milwaukee Charter schools system, which is part of the Milwaukee Public Schools system. Big difference. It does not go to St. Anthony’s, and it does not go to the Choice program. The board thanked Sen. Marklein for his very informative information.

President Ewers moved Bug Tussel representatives next on the agenda.

Samantha Mueller and Andy Van Sickle, their attorney, of Bug Tussel Consider approval of Lease Agreement with Bug Tussel – Samantha gave a brief update on where they are at, and presented the Lease Agreement, which was signed. Samantha will be at next month’s meeting as well, with another update. Discussion on removal of trees.

Appointment of Election Inspectors for 2018 – Pat Alt, Marian Copus, Nancy Fischer, Mary Gorman, Nancy Greenheck, Alice Hatfield, Esther Marshall Motion by Dan, second by Harry to approve the appointment of Election Inspectors for 2018. All yes, motion carried.

Set Date and Time for Caucus (the date needs to be Established Between December 1 and January 1, according to Statutes, and the date set at the December meeting needs is to be held between January 2nd and January 21st,) motion needed to set date and time.January 16th at 7:00 P.M. – Dan made a motion to hold Caucus on January 16th at 7:00 P.M. at the village office. Second by Richard, all yes, motion carried.

Building Permits – Nothing to report.

Police – Officer Price was not present. Dean gave a brief update.

Streets – Adam -- Richard asked if we see any changes that need to be made with the bussing situation and snowy roads? Adam said will have to see when it snows. Dan said maybe ask parents to use the side streets instead of main streets. Corey said we got the LRIP grant of $21396.41. The meeting Corey went to at the County. Adam said it has to be used next year or the year after, and has to be used on the streets they submit.

Library - Tootie said the total 595 patrons for November, four new library cards issued, 184 computer sign-ins. Storage closet has been patched and shelves hung; coat hooks for patrons have been hung; towel dispensers and a uti8lity panel was installed. Thanked Dan W. and Adam for their work.. New blinds in the three windows have been installed and they look very nice. A thermal receipt printer has been installed, and it prints out a receipt each time a person checks out that lists their transaction, plus whatever items they still have checked out. It saves paper and ink costs. She showed the board what the receipt looks like. Super Readers Food Drive for the Food Pantry. Can drop off non-perishable food items. Library entered a tree in the Festival of the Trees, but their tree was not included in the judging.

New Library hours from Jan. 8th to March 1st will be 11 to 5:30, and the 2nd Saturday of each month will be open from 9 to 12. We still have the Children’s Program on Thursday mornings, and a lot of children come to that. It is very popular. The Library is selling T-Shirts that say “Reading Rocks.” They are $8 each. Debbie Peach comes in and works with the kids, and she has a big group, too. They made ornaments for the Festival trees. They will be doing Valentines in Jan. & Feb., and will do Easter things in March and April. We just pay Debbie for her materials, she does not charge for her time.

Water and Sewer Dan said he’s been working on checking homes for lead pipes. No lead pipes found so far. Brander said Fluoride is being taken out of the water in a lot of places. Something to think about. Dean said if there is a way, but DNR forced us to put Fluoride in our water. Richard said put on agenda in the next couple months. He will have handouts.

Dean Ewers said he will recuse himself from the grant portion of the meeting to preclude any possible conflict of interest in case his father’s company decides to bid on the project later on. Motion by Corey, second by Harry to have Marvin Joles III fill in as President in Dean’s absence. All yes, motion carried. The board asked Karen to contact Atty. Leineweber to be sure we are doing everything we need to do to avoid any conflict of interest.

Consider approval of CDBG-PF Grant Agreement – Dept. of Administration

Kampen gave board members a copy of the contract to read over, and asked if they have any questions. Hearing none, a motion by Dan Quinn, second by Harry Pulvermacher to approve the CDBG-PF17-20 Grant Contract, and to authorize Village Trustee Marvin Joles III sign the contract on behalf of the Village. All yes, motion carried. The agreement was signed.

Dean Ewers was brought back into the meeting.

Public Input - Don Brander would like to get a committee together to decide what to do with the empty elementary school building.and wants the full support of the board on it. He suggested having two Village Trustees on the committee, and probably two RVSD board members, pus five members at large from the Village. Dean asked Dan McGuire if he has anything on the closing policy discussed at the Nov. Meeting. Dan said the policy is being distributed for the first reading, and will be distributed again a month later before it becomes policy. Dan distributed a sheet of what has been done on the school building and the dates. Dan said the building is actually in better shape than he originally thought. 9-inch asbestos tile was removed, and 12-inch non-asbestos tile was put in. The roof was replaced just a section in 1987. the insulation under the rubber roof is not adequate. Some of the roof is 30 years old, some of it is 4 years old. Items C and D cost $55,000 and A cost $50,000. About 60% of the roof is old. Steam boiler is 18 years old. Oversized boiler, which was common back them. No modulation. It fires up and goes all the way. Today’s boilers modulate, run slower in spring, for instance. Windows need updating. Electrical fixtures could be updated, but the lighting is not bad in there. Marvin asked about the cost for lights and heat cost, Dan said it’s about $20,000 a year for gas and electric. Discussion on possible uses for the building that made it a viable possibility for the Village.

Dan said he fully supports Don Brander’s ad hoc committee idea, and Dan is willing to serve on that committee. Initially, Dan was not in favor of taking over the building, because in another school district, someone got the building cheap, and ended up having to put $300,000 to $400,000 into tearing it down.

Dean recommended having two board members on the committee, two school board members, and

Dan McGuire said Lone Rock should be able to occupy the building and have the RVSD maintain it for five years. Give a day care center free rent for five years, a dentist free rent for five years, etc. Our tax dollars went to Spring Green to maintain that building, now they still have the tax money, they need to continue to maintain the building. Dan Quinn said we need to put some studying into it before we offer free rent, as for instance to ready a space for a dentist would cost a lot of money. Tootie asked, Dan said the kitchen is fully functional condition. Dan Quinn said we can get federal money to put in a senior citizen center in. We tried that previously, in the Community Center, but that building was not handicap-accessible. The school building is fully handicap-accessible, and would be ideal for a senior center.
Discussion followed on what could/should be done to the school, and what it might cost.

Put on January agenda to support the school building ad hoc committee.

Put on Wil-Kil to add the Village Office to our contract with them.

Review Bills The bills were distributed for written approvals.

Upcoming Meetings – Next Board Meeting January 9, 2018,
Village Caucus will be January 16, 2018 at 7:00 P.M.,
Bart Nies from Delta 3 will be here for February 13th Board Meeting

Meeting Adjourned at 8:42 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Karen J. Kampen, Clerk