May 14, 2019 Board Meeting Minutes

The Village of Birchwood Trustees held the May meeting on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. The meeting was called to order by Village President. John Depoister.  Roll Call: Depoister, Seffinga, VanGilder, and Small- present.  The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

 

Police Report – The Chief reports he has been kept busy Birchwood School, follow ups, and drug investigations. Squad had new battery for radio replaced under warranty. $4000 safety grant received to pay for new equipment.

 

Maintenance Report – Ron will put barricades up for Birchwood Spring Fling. Banners will be posted Friday. Doolittle Park is up and running; black dirt brought in to fill holes; parks meeting needed; and lawn mowing began today. Tree was cut down over at the baseball field and all of the wood has been spoken for and is to be picked up by Monday, May 20^th.  Street committee needs to schedule a meeting, it is too late in the year to plan projects for this year.  The black plow truck is needs repairs as there are issues with the wiring/pins.  The mechanic currently has some health issues but is going to fix the truck as soon as he can.  The mower was returned to the village and now needs to be repaired.  Ron is going to find out what all needs to be fixed.

 

Public Comment – Virginia Hurckman, concerns regarding a large deck that has been built on a seasonal camper at Doolittle Park.  Virginia also stated that there was a camper that brought in a large amount of fill to level their camper and that there is a park model camper in the campground and was wondering what the rules are for all of these concerns.  The parks committee will be holding a meeting the following week and will address all of the concerns that were addressed by Virginia.

 

Bonita Basty, has a question regarding the remodel of the tennis courts.  Bonita is wondering if it is possible to add pickle ball lines to the tennis courts as this is becoming a growing sport and she feels that it would benefit the village.  Bonita was advised that the Dowd Family would be notified and asked if they would allow the pickle ball lines to be added.  It was also discussed that a quote would be needed from Northwest Builders on the additional cost of the additional lines.

 

Linda Zillmer, concerned that the committees in the village are not being appropriately staffed.  Linda stated that the committees and the board needed to get back on track where it should be with the committees. Linda stated that per the village ordinances, the plan commission requires 5 members in total, 2 of which needed to be trustees and the 3 remaining were to be citizens of the village.  Linda also stated that with zoning variances that there must be a Board of Appeals, which would need to hold a public hearing and that there would need to be a public notice of said hearing.

 

New Business

1. Motion by Small, second by Seffinga to approve agenda, change the wording on agenda item #6 from “Birchwood Playground” to “Birchwood Playground Agreement. Agenda item #11 not brought to the president’s attention for approval before the meeting and would like this removed until a further time, carried 5-0.
2. Motion by Vanguilder, second by Seffinga to approve minutes from April 8th, 2019 Board Meeting, carried 5-0.
3. Sign-up sheet for the vacant trustee position collected from main doorway, there were 3 residents that signed that they would like to fill the position. The term for the open position would begin immediately through Spring Election 2020.  Candidates are Virginia H., Duanne R., and Linda Z.  Each candidate was given the opportunity to speak and give background of their experience. President Depoister gave his recommendation that Virginia H. fill the open trustee position due to her position as the president in the previous term and that Virginia has extensive knowledge of the current projects that have been ongoing.  Viginia H. unanimously voted to fill the vacant trustee position 5-0. Swearing in of trustee Hurckman completed and Hurckman to immediately fill the vacant position.
4. Motion by Hurckman, second by Vanguilder to approve Boss Inspection as Village of Birchwood building inspector beginning June 1^st, 2019 when the current building inspector Ben Campbell is finished, carried 5-0.
5. Griff from Northwest Builders updated on the progress on the skatepark and the tennis court. The skatepark is set to be completed by the end of May as long as the weather cooperates.  Tennis courts are set to be completed by the end of June with the weather permitting.  Griff explained that the color of the tennis courts would need to be determined and that once he was notified, they would begin working on that.  The board told Griff that the Dowd Family would be contacted regarding the coloring on the tennis courts as they were the donors and no decisions were being made without their consent.
6. Motion by Vanguilder, second by Seffinga to approve updating the Memorandum of Understanding for the agreement between the Village of Birchwood and the School District of Birchwood for the Birchwood Playground Agreement, carried 5-0.
7. Motion by Hurckman, second by Small approving the Operators License Application for Timber Wolfe, carried 5-0.
8. Jim J. from Masonite present for the discussion of Masonite variance application. Board of Appeals Committee needs to be formed and hold a public hearing within the next month to discuss variance.  Jim J. stated that he was advised by building inspector Ben Campbell that the Masonite variance fell under Birchwood Ordinance 28.452 – A setback of less than or greater than that required by section 28-451 shall be required by the administrator where there is at least one main building on either side of the applicant’s lot within 200 feet of the proposed site that is built to less than or greater than the required setback. In such case, the setback shall be the average of the setbacks of the nearest main building on each side of the proposed site or if there is an existing main building on only one side, the setback shall be the average of the existing building’s setback and the required setback. Jim continued to explain that the building in which the new building would be next to does meet the setback requirements.  Jim also explained that it would take 10 weeks for the plan to be approved and that Masonite is looking for a completion date of November 1^st, 2019.  President Depoister advised Jim J. to go forward with the state application and that the Board of Appeals would set a hearing date within a month if needed.
9. Linda Zillmer presentation on BFCESD District fire protection costs and proposed changes.
10. Motion by Seffinga, second by Hurckman to approve UWGB Municipal Treasurers Institute attendance by Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Heleyna Kasten, carried 5-0.
11. Agenda item tabled until further date.
12. E-mail requesting employee records was received from American Transparency, sent the requesting party the Request for Open Records for with the charges for requested information, requesting party never responded.
13. Motion by Hurckman, second by Small to reconvene in closed session pursuant to 19.85(1)© and 19.85(1)(b) WI statues which, if discussed publicly, would likely have a substantial adverse effect upon the reputation of any person(s) referred to in such data, carried 5-0; Depoister-yes Hurckman-yes VanGilder-yes Seffinga-yes Small-yes.
14. Motion to reconvene in open session to discuss issues and take action on matters discussed in closed session.
15. Next Parks Committee meeting to be held Monday, May 20^th, 2019. Small to get the agenda to Beffa Thursday, May 16^th, 2019.  Streets committee set to meet on Monday, May 20^th, 2019, time and place still to be determined.
16. Motion by Small, second by Vanguilder to approve new bills, payroll and accept Treasurer’s Report., carried 5-0.
17. Motion by Small, seconded by Seffinga to adjourn meeting, carried 5-0.

 

Submitted by Heleyna Kasten, Deputy Clerk/Treasurer