VILLAGE OF BRUCE
BOARD MEETING MINUTES
May 5th, 2025
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a scheduled monthly meeting of the Village Board was held on Monday, May 5th, 2025.
Village President Shane Trott presided and called to order the meeting at the Village Hall facility at 5:30 p.m. Board members present were Galen Brainerd, Darlene Wundrow, Tim Dolan, Jim Johnson & Kim Grasley. Mark Zimmer was absent. Clerk/Treasurer Jessica Hayes and Deputy Nicole Frisinger attended also.
– PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE –
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Wundrow to approve the April 7th, 2025 Regular Monthly Board Meeting Minutes, carried.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Motion by Johnson, seconded by Grasley to approve the Treasurer’s report as given, carried.
EMPLOYEE’S REPORT: Casey Gudis attended the meeting to inform the Board that the dirt work and concrete work are completed on the garbage truck building. The project is 100% complete.
Don’s Sweeper Service has the Village on the schedule to sweep streets this summer.
TJ Electric was here looking at several streetlights that are not working. Gudis mentioned switching over to LED. A couple options would be to either stay with the current tear drop globe with an LED bulb for $2,100.00 a piece, or the cobra light, a more flatter globe with an LED bulb for $700.00 each. There are roughly eight street poles that would need to be done. Xcel Energy informed Gudis that with switching over to LED, the Village would save a significant amount in energy costs. Motion by Johnson, seconded by Dolan to send the item to committee to discuss further, carried.
Gudis submitted a quote from Keystone Tree Services to the Board for tree removal at the Bruce Park located near the Veteran’s mural wall. The quote included removal of two white pine and four red pine trees, pulling 3 stumps and grinding 4 stumps for a total of $2,400.00. Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Brainerd to approve hiring Keystone Tree Services for $2,400.00 to complete the work, carried.
The hydraulic hose system is set up. After speaking with the business that the Village usually buys hoses from, their markup is 75%. Gudis asked what the Board would like to charge for the making of hoses for outside individuals/contractors. The Board instructed him to charge a 50% markup.
The new plow truck has yet to be delivered.
Lastly, discussion was had on the part time seasonal position that is open and posted. With mowing season, someone would need to be hired as soon as possible. There are several applications that have been submitted. Motion by Johnson, seconded by Grasley to send the item to committee and give the committee approval at the committee meeting to hire the candidate they see fit, carried.
PETITIONERS-CITIZEN COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS:
Trevor Richards – Library Update: Trevor Richards, the newly hired Bruce Area Library Director, attended the meeting to introduce himself to the Board and to give them an update on the activities the Library will be hosting this Summer for their Summer Reading Program. A full list of activities can be obtained at the Library.
Richards also expressed his concern with federal funding that has been pulled for state & public libraries that could possibly affect the Library’s budget for next year.
Bruce Blue Hill’s Lion’s Club Festival Donation Request: A request for a donation for the Bruce Lion’s Club Blue Hill’s Festival was received. Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Dolan to approve donating $500.00 to the 2025 Blue Hill’s Festival, carried. The festival will be held July 11th, 12th & 13th, 2025.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Jena Guider attended the meeting in regards to her snow fence that was asked to be removed on the property she rents on Alvey Street. She was instructed that her landlord would have to take out the permit, as he owns the property. Once the application is approved by the property owner and submitted to the office, she would have to have the building inspector come out to the property and verify that the fence will be placed within the correct setbacks before installation.
Colleen Kopras attended the meeting regarding her dispute with her garbage services on her utility account for her property on Main Street. An invoice charged for the receptacles was incorrect so the invoice will be adjusted and mailed back out with the correct amount due.
She had stated that she no longer wanted services charged to her property and that she will be receiving a dumpster from an outside company. She was instructed that proof of the contract would have to be supplied to the Village before services would be terminated with the Village. Service fees will not be waived prior to supplying proof. Discussion was had on if the property was a business. A lease is attached to the property, categorizing the property as a business, which would be included in the Village ordinance for mandatory collection services.
APPLICATIONS:
Operator’s Licenses:
Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Grasley to approve an operator’s license to Colton J. Rodewald, carried.
Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Grasley to approve an operator’s license to Timothy T. Tinker, carried.
Building Permit:
Motion by Grasley, seconded by Johnson to approve a building permit for Rachel Moser to install drain tile at her property located at 924 N. 1st St., carried.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Public Safety:
Rezone Parcel #106-00175-0000 & #106-00174-0000 Approval: A request from the property owner of parcel #106-00175-0000 & 106-00174-0000 was submitted to the board for approval to change the zoning from residential to multi-family. Motion by Grasley, seconded by Johnson to approve the request, carried.
Utility:
Garbage Contract Discussion: Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Grasley to approve moving forward with adding services of interested residents on the Trails End Loop, end of Chippewa Avenue, Quade Road, Blueberry Lane and Hwy 40 South and to remove the ‘Garbage Contract Discussion’ item from the agenda, carried.
Committee Meeting 4/14/25 – Report/Minutes: A utility committee meeting was held on April 14th, 2025. Below are the minutes from that meeting:
The committee met to discuss possible utility line hook ups within the Village. A well permit application needs to be drawn up.
Public Works:
Committee Meeting 4/14/25 – Report/Minutes: A public works committee meeting was held on April 14th, 2025. Below are the minutes from that meeting:
The committee met to discuss unsightly properties in the Village. Letters will be mailed to the residents requesting to clean up the property within 10 days and if it is not done, the Village will do the work and bill the property owner for it. Spring Clean Up information as well as Village ordinance 8-1-8 – ‘Unhealthy, Hazardous or Unsightly Materials on Public or Private Property’ will be mailed.
Alleyway Vacate & Quit Claim Deed Approval: Steve Berglund, the owner of the properties located at the end of Blackburn Street/E. Washington Avenue, approached the Board to ask if they would be willing to vacate the abandoned alleyway that runs through his property with no outlet. The alley has not been in use for many years and would never be used by the Village in the future. Motion by Grasley, seconded by Johnson to approve moving forward with vacating of the alleyway and quit claim deed process, carried.
Water Filtration Project – Corrective Work on Village Wells & River Avenue:
-DISCUSSION & ACTION-
– UPDATE –
Trott reported a letter received from a resident regarding re-installing the filtered water sink in the Village Hall. The Village water is currently being filtered, and the sink will not be reinstalled.
The final reimbursement check will be received from the DNR on May 14th, 2025. After the payment is received, the final closeout paperwork will be signed and submitted. The project will be closed out at that time.
Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Grasley to table the ‘Water Filtration Project – Corrective Work on Village Wells & River Avenue’ item until the June, 2025 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Public Welfare:
Bruce Park Concession Stand/Contract between Bruce School & Village Discussion: Trott reported that the Booster Club, along with the Lion’s Club are in the process of getting a plan together to present to the Board regarding upgrades to the concession stand at the park. They plan on submitting the proposal after the Blue Hills Festival.
Gudis stated that the last addition of the cemetery is filling up and we are in need of extending in to the 6th addition soon. He stated that the school uses the field currently for parking during after school sports. He stated that it will soon need to be roped off to start working on getting the site prepped for the newest addition. Nothing further to discuss at this time. Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Johnson to table the ‘Bruce Park Concession Stand/Contract between Bruce School & Village Discussion’ item until the June, 2025 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Administration:
Designation of Chippewa Valley Bank Account Signers: Motion by Grasley, seconded by Wundrow to approve Shane Trott, Jessica Hayes & Jim Johnson as signers on all Chippewa Valley Bank accounts, carried.
APPROVAL OF BILLS: Motion by Grasley, seconded by Johnson to pay vouchers and electronic payments totaling $155,165.18, carried.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Village Wide Spring Clean-Up: May 9th & 10th, 2025. The collection site will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. If you are unable to haul your own refuse either of those days, pick up service is available May 12TH, 2025 for a fee.
2025 Open Book – Wednesday, May 14th from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
2025 Board of Review – Wednesday, May 21st from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Village Wide Garage Sales: June 14th, 2025
Cruise Nights-Classic Auto Collision Center has set the calendar for Cruise Night in the parking lot at 705 N. Main Street in Bruce, 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. May 20th , June 17th, July 15th & August 19th.
Saturday July 12th from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. will be the annual Open House/Craft/Car Show. Contact Classic Auto Collision Center at 715-868-CARS or classicauto@brucetel.net for more details.
ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Johnson to adjourn, carried. Adjournment was at 6:15 p.m.
Jessica Hayes
Clerk/Treasurer