VILLAGE OF BRUCE
BOARD MEETING MINUTES
April 1st, 2024
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a scheduled monthly meeting of the Village Board was held on Monday, April 1st, 2024.
Village President Shane Trott presided and called to order the meeting at the Village Hall facility at 7:00 p.m. Board members present were Jim Johnson, Galen Brainerd, Kim Grasley, Mark Zimmer and Tim Dolan. Darlene Wundrow was absent. Clerk/Treasurer Jessica Hayes and Deputy Nicole Frisinger attended also.
– PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE –
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Grasley to approve the March 4th, 2024 Regular Monthly Board Meeting Minutes, carried.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Johnson to approve the Treasurer’s report as given, carried.
EMPLOYEE’S REPORT: Casey Gudis attended the meeting and reported that the crew has been busy installing the barn quilts throughout town.
The DNR is scheduled to be on site at the water treatment plant tomorrow, April 2nd.
They have been busy repairing and fixing up lawnmowers to prepare for the summer mowing months.
He obtained pricing for crack sealing the basketball court at the park. Costs would be around $250.00. The Board gave full approval to move forward with the work.
PETITIONERS-CITIZEN COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS:
Jake Johnson – Bruce Park Baseball Field Use: Jake Johnson attended the meeting to discuss the Blue Hills Beasts using the baseball field at the Bruce Park. Bruce is hosting sectionals this year and the last time the field was used by the team it was left in poor condition. He submitted photos to show the Board. Motion by Johnson, seconded by Grasley to charge the Blue Hills Beasts $100.00 rental fee per game to use the field and a $100.00 deposit as well, which will be kept if the field is not put back in the same condition it was before they use it, if the field is not put back in the same condition, they will not be able to use the field for the remainder of their season, carried. The park would need to be shut down by 11:00 p.m. after every game.
Sectionals are scheduled for June 4th. The Beasts have a game scheduled for June 2nd, which will have to be rescheduled. Any conflict with the Bruce School games, the Beasts would need to reschedule as well.
To date, no one from the Blue Hills Beasts has contacted the Village about using the field.
APPLICATIONS:
Building Permit:
Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Grasley to approve a building permit to Nash Jackan Funeral Homes to reconstruct a carport at their business located at 125 W. Arthur Avenue, carried.
Operator’s Licenses:
Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Grasley to approve an operator’s license to Alexis M. Roberts, carried.
Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Grasley to approve an operator’s license to Debra L. Bessel, carried.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Public Safety:
Purchase of Speed Bumps & Safety Signs: Additional signs were installed up by the school.Nothing further to discuss at this time.Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Dolan to table the ‘Purchase of Speed Bumps & Safety Signs’ item until the May, 2024 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Termination of Per Mar Security Services: Motion by Grasley, seconded by Brainerd to terminate services with Per Mar Security Services, carried. The current contract ends June 30th, 2024.
Utility:
Committee Meeting 3/11/24 Report/Minutes: A committee meeting was held on March 11th, 2024 to discuss the garbage truck storage building. Below are the minutes from that meeting:
A proposed 40 x 40 concrete slab with a 40 x 15 apron was discussed for the storage building for the garbage truck/carts. A floor drain would also be installed in the building. Discussion was had on stubbing in a water line. Site prep would need to be done to raise the building up to avoid water runoff in to the building. The committee discussed increasing the current loan for the building by $35,000.00 to cover the costs of the work.
The committee is recommending moving forward with the 40 x 40 slab, 40 x 15 apron, getting all site work completed, stubbing in a water line and increasing the loan $35,000.00 to cover costs of the work.
Motion by Johnson, seconded by Zimmer to approve the committees’ recommendations and move forward with the work, carried.
Garbage Contract Discussion: Motion by Grasley, seconded by Johnson to table the ‘Garbage Contract Discussion’ item until the May, 2024 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Public Works:
LRIP (Local Road Improvement Program) Funds: The original quote obtained for the Business 40 project was for overlay only. The Board asked to obtain an additional quote for grinding and paving. Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Dolan to table the ‘LRIP (Local Road Improvement Program) Funds’ item until the May, 2024 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Water Filtration Project – Corrective Work on Village Wells & River Avenue:
-DISCUSSION & ACTION-
– UPDATE –
The DNR will be onsite April 2nd to complete a pre-start up inspection. On April 9th, Springlake and B&B Electric will be on site to connect Well #1 directly into the water treatment plant, connect the flow meter, make any revisions requested by the DNR after inspection, connect the flow meter to the SCADA panel, make any other electrical connections needed to the water treatment plant controller, connect the water treatment plant controller into the SCADA system and to verify that Well #3 is also electrically controlled by the SCADA system. April 15th thru April 17th, WaterSurplus will be on site preparing the filters to go online as well as training in the crew on running the system. Water samples will be taken at that time and if safe, the treatment plant will be ready to go online. The facility will run for about three weeks to make sure all is operating correctly, tests are good, and then Well #1 will go offline and chemically rehabilitated. A May 1st, 2024 completion date is still on schedule.
Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Grasley to table the ‘Water Filtration – Corrective Work on Village Wells & River Avenue’ item until the May, 2024 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Public Welfare:
Committee Meeting 3/19/24 Report/Minutes: A committee meeting was held on March 19th, 2024 to discuss upgrades needed at the park. Below are the minutes from that meeting:
Items in need of repairs are as follows:
Small Concession Stand:
– bottom 3 ft of the building needs tin put on
– new tin roof
– new door
– new paint
Large Concession Stand:
– needs 3 new doors
– north serving window needs replaced
– new paint
North Dugout:
– needs repairs/paint
The committee is recommending replacing all necessary doors with new locks and to replace the fascia on the baseball pavilion. Maintenance crew along with volunteers will complete the work. Other repair items will be budgeted for in the future.
Motion by Dolan, seconded by Grasley to approve the committees’ recommendations from the March 19th meeting and move forward with the work, carried.
Bruce Park Concession Stand/Contract between Bruce School & Village Discussion: Motion by Grasley, seconded by Zimmer to table the ‘Bruce Park Concession Stand/Contract between Bruce School & Village Discussion’ item until the May, 2024 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Park Dugout Update: Nothing further to report this month. Motion by Johnson, seconded by Zimmer to table the ‘Park Dugout Update’ item until the May, 2024 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Library Interior Painting: Quotes have yet to be submitted by the contractors. Nothing further to discuss at this time. Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Grasley to table the ‘Library Interior Painting’ item until the May, 2024 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Administration:
Committee Meeting 3/20/24 Report/Minutes: A committee meeting was held on March 20th, 2024. Below are the minutes from that meeting:
The committee met to discuss the maintenance position hire.
The committee is recommending calling in Paul Wester for a full-time position with the Village. With Will retiring in the near future, a full-time position is needed to have time to fully train the individual to replace the position. This full-time position would take away the part time employee mowing position.
After Weinert was informed of her termination with the Village Hall cleaning position, she had informed the Village of her possibility of not being able to stay on staff for summer lawn care help.
Trott was approached by 3 high school kids that are looking for part time summer work. No recommendations with moving forward with this item at this time. The committee would like to wait and see what happens with the full-time position before moving forward with determination on hiring part time summer help.
Trott reported that Weinert was in contact with the Village after the committee meeting on 3/20/24 and she will be staying on staff for the part time summer help position.
Committee Meeting 3/27/24 Report/Minutes: An interview was had with Paul Wester. No determination on the position at this time.
Closed Session:
Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Grasley to go in to closed session for considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility, under Wisconsin Statues 19.85 (1)(e) and (1)(c), motion carried.
All responded yes – Closed session at 8:08 p.m.
Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Johnson to reconvene to Open Session – at 8:26 p.m. – Motion carried.
Motion by Grasley, seconded by Brainerd to offer the maintenance position with a cap at $23.00/hr with a $250.00 monthly stipend for health insurance, carried.
Maintenance Position Hire: Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Johnson to table the ‘Maintenance Position Hire’ item until the May, 2024 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Industrial Site:
Industrial Site Land Lease – Bid Opening: Two bids were submitted for consideration in leasing the Industrial Site land. Trott opened the bids from Mike Hopkins, offering to lease the 21 acres for $75.00 an acre per year for five years and Jerry Johnson, offering to lease the 21 acres for $72.00 an acre per year for five years. Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Grasley to accept the bid from Mike Hopkins to lease 21 acres at the Industrial Site for $75.00 an acre per year for the next five years, ending in April of 2029, carried.
APPROVAL OF BILLS: Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Grasley to pay vouchers and electronic payments totaling $235,925.84, carried.
ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Grasley to adjourn, carried. Adjournment was at 8:32 p.m.
Jessica Hayes
Clerk/Treasurer