Regular Board Meeting Minutes – February 2014

The Village of Birchwood Trustees held the monthly Board Meeting on Tuesday, February 4, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. at the Birchwood Village Hall.  The meeting was called to order by President Gillett.  Roll call:  Gillett, Seffinga, Hayes, Zillmer and Small all present.  Also present:  Maintenance – Fee, Clerk-Treasurer Busick, Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Murley, John Sleik, Betsey Acrey, and Gwen Hilligoss.

Police Report – Officer Kornbroke was not available

Maintenance Report – Busy moving snow, cleaning around the fire hydrants, there were a few people with water freeze ups last month.

Public Recognition – Betsey Acrey reported that Representative Steven Smith will be at the Birchwood Café on February 15^th from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to hold a listening session to gather input from people in this area.

New Business

1. Motion by Gillett, second by Zillmer to move item #7 to follow item #3,

carried  5-0.

2. Discussed change orders for the WWTP, the cost for the electrical service

apparently was calculated incorrectly and will be increased by $25,000 or

$30,000.  Motion by Zillmer, second by Gillett to meet with Excel and Staab

Construction to understand how this can be such a difference.  A meeting

will be scheduled within the next two weeks with them before there will be

any approval of the change.

Motion by Zillmer to approve three change orders totaling $6,660 approved

by Bob Hayes at the construction meeting, second by Seffinga, carried 5-0.

3. Motion by Gillett, second by Seffinga to approve invoices for MSA totaling

$12,642.10, carried 5-0.

Motion by Small, second by Gillett to approve invoices from Staab

Construction for $61,072.65, carried 5-0.

7. After a very lengthy discussion on should the village get an appraisal for the

Hall property a motion was made by Hayes, seconded by Seffinga to authorize

Hayes and Gillett to get three quotes for appraisals and hire a firm.  The

quote will be for:  the hall, the ambulance bays and fire dept bays and a

combination of all of the building with the land. carried 5-0.

4. Katie Henk representing the Birchwood School Polar Plunge activity. She

said every thing is the same as last year, they have contacted the DNR and

as long as they have a fence around the opening it is okay.  EMS, EMT’s

and the Fire Department are going to be on site, the school has submitted

their insurance papers.  This will be a fund raiser for scholarships at the

school.  Board would like them to fill out a Special Events Permit.  Motion

by Seffinga, second by Gillett to allow BHS to hold their Polar Plunge at

Doolittle Park, carried 5-0.

5. The Community Service Program through Washburn Co was tabled until

next month so board members could have someone here to explain the

program, Gillett, Zillmer, carried 5-0.

6. There were no operator’s licenses.
7. Clerk asked the Board to approve a Procurement Procedures Policy needed

to be in place so we could receive our funding from the CDBG program

for the WWTP.  Zillmer thought we had one, Busick said she looked and

didn’t find one, this was the one that had the language recommended by

our administrator, motion by Gillett, second by Zillmer, carried 3-2 with

Small and Zillmer opposing.

 

Old Business – none

Committee Reports

BFCESD – Zillmer reported that the rates suggested to the District are in line

with Sawyer County as well as the EMT’s wages.  The property committee has been working on cost of a new building; costs are coming in at $1,848,000 option #1 and $1,657,696 option #2.  They are pursuing other property for the building from the property on Knapmiller.

Trustee Comments – Zillmer is going to Rothschild for a USDA Wis. Rural Partners on May 2^nd and will be going to Washington DC all expenses paid on April 5 – 9^th for a conference through the UW Extension on Education.

Gillett said the Washburn County Economic Division has not been active lately, they are looking for another Director.

Motion by Small, second by Gillett to approve Minutes, New Bills, Payroll and acceptance of the Treasurer’s Report, carried 5-0.

Motion by Small, second by Gillett to adjourn the meeting 7:45 p.m., carried 5-0.

 

Approved as written – March 4, 2014

 

Vicki Busick – Clerk-Treasurer