VILLAGE OF BRUCE
BOARD MEETING MINUTES
October 2nd, 2023
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a scheduled monthly meeting of the Village Board was held on Monday, October 2nd, 2023.
Village President Shane Trott presided and called to order the meeting at the Village Hall facility at 7:03 p.m. Board members present were Darlene Wundrow, Tim Dolan and Mark Zimmer. Clerk/Treasurer Jessica Hayes and Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Nicole Frisinger attended also.
– PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE –
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Wundrow to approve the September 11th, 2023 Regular Monthly Board Meeting Minutes, carried.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Dolan to approve the Treasurer’s report as given, carried.
EMPLOYEE’S REPORT: Casey Gudis attended the meeting to inform the Board that the schools’ meter has been installed. The crew has been busy street patching and the hydrants have been flushed. The first layer of paving is complete for the Water Filtration Project.
Gudis also stated that the mural is completed. The lights, flags and benches have been installed. He mentioned that the Board might want to look at getting additional flood lights installed to illuminate the portraits better.
PETITIONERS-CITIZEN COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS:
Backpack Blessings – Donation request: A donation request was submitted to the Board from the Backpack Blessings Program through the school. After review of the budget, the Board denied the donation request. Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Dolan to keep the request on the agenda until year 2024, carried.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: Jim Doke from the Bruce Kiwanis attended the meeting to ask the Board for a donation to go towards the ‘Welcome to Bruce’ sign that was recently put up on Highway 8 by Bruce Telephone. This is a project that the Kiwanis has been working on for around four years. Electricity will be installed soon. After the sign is complete, Doke said that the Kiwanis would be gifting it over to the Village. Again, after review of the budget by the Board, the donation request was denied.
APPLICATIONS:
Building Permit:
Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Zimmer to approve a building permit to Karen Hanson for a bathroom remodel at her property located at 530 S. Main Street, carried.
Operator’s Licenses:
Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Wundrow to approve an operator’s license to Shannon M. Evans, carried.
Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Dolan to approve an operator’s license to Seanes Lucios, carried.
Bow Hunting Permits:
Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Zimmer to approve a bow hunting permit to Dan Stanisch to hunt on Village owned property, carried.
Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Zimmer to approve a bow hunting permit to Dan Carrillo to hunt on Village owned property, carried.
Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Zimmer to approve a bow hunting permit to Joe Vojtasek to hunt on Village owned property, carried.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Utility:
Committee Meeting 9/26/23 Minutes/Report: A committee meeting was held on September 26th, 2023 to discuss the garbage contract. Below are the minutes from that meeting:
Gudis presented the committee with a quote for a used garbage truck for the price of $106,900 and also pricing for purchasing new garbage carts: There are roughly 380 customers Village wide.
65 gallon @ $48.29 each x 380 = $18,350.20
95 gallon @ $72.00 each x 380 = $27,360.00
and 95 gallon recycling carts @ $72.00 each = $27,360.00
The committee is recommending the following:
* Charge customers a one-time ‘service charge’ for the receptacles. ($144.00) This can be billed over 4 quarters.
* Purchase the used truck for $106,900
* Purchase the 95 gallon recycling and 95 gallon refuse carts for an estimated total of $54,720.00
* Increase current garbage rates 2.5%, effective 1/1/24, then dropping the rate back to $57.50 1/1/25 with the added $144.00 fee for the carts
* In the Spring of 2024, send out letters to residents informing them of the Village’s plan to go with their own service
* Look at getting quotes to build a storage shed on the property the Village owns on Coleman St. to store the new truck and carts
** Re-evaluate things after one-two years to see if the Village would like to take on dumpsters as well
Adjourned at 2:42 p.m.
Garbage Contract Discussion: Before the Board makes approval on the recommendations from the committee meeting on September 26th, 2023, they would like to speak with the auditor on budget status. The Budget Workshop is scheduled for October 12th, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Zimmer to send the item to committee to discuss further and to table the ‘Garbage Contract Discussion’ item until the November, 2023 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Sewer Main Replacement on East Arthur /S. Main St.: The assessments were determined and adopted for the project at the public hearing that was held at 6:30 p.m. before the regular meeting. The Village is waiting to hear back from the contractor on when they can schedule the work. Nothing further to report at this time. Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Dolan to table the ‘Sewer Main Replacement on East Arthur/S. Main St.’ item until the November, 2023 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Public Works:
Veteran’s Memorial Park Site: The mural is completed with the lights, flags and benches installed. Gudis mentioned that additional flood lights might be needed to illuminate the mural better. Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Dolan to remove the item from the agenda, carried.
LRIP (Local Road Improvement Program) Funds: Nothing new to report this month. Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Dolan to table the ‘LRIP (Local Road Improvement Program) Funds’ item until the November, 2023 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Purchase of Speed Bumps: Trott mentioned that he would like to see speed bumps installed throughout the Village, particularly on Main Street, Trails End Avenue and 2nd Street. These would be movable speed bumps so they could be moved from street to street as needed. At this time, there are no funds in the budget for this type of purchase. Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Zimmer to table the ‘Purchase of Speed Bumps’ item until the November, 2023 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Water Filtration Project – Corrective Work on Village Wells & River Avenue:
-DISCUSSION & ACTION-
– UPDATE –
Larry Gotham of Morgan & Parmley, Ltd. attended the meeting to give the Board an update on the Filtration project. The first layer of paving is completed. All paving and site restoration will be completed this fall. Well house #3 is currently getting painted and the roof should be installed in the next month or two.
Trott asked about the tin on the addition at the Village Shop that needs to be installed. It has not been installed yet. The company that installs the filtration system, Water Surplus, had some miscommunication with the contractor over site plans. Due to this as well as supply chain issues, the project was set back. Shop drawings have now been approved. Once the filter plant arrives, it will take roughly 90 days to get the plant up and running. Trott asked what the final completion date was. The completion date, per contract, is November 27th, 2023. The Board vocalized the urgency to get the project done in a timely manner.
Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Zimmer to table the ‘Water Filtration – Corrective Work on Village Wells & River Avenue’ item until the November, 2023 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Morgan & Parmley Ltd. – Invoice Payment Approval: Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Wundrow to pay the invoice in the amount of $4,757.75 to Morgan & Parmley, Ltd. for engineering work on the Filtration Project, completed thru September 30th, 2023, carried.
Haas Sons, Inc. – Invoice Payment Approval: Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Dolan to approve paying the invoice from Haas Sons, Inc. in the amount of $134,161.04 for work completed on the Filtration Project thru September 25th, 2023, carried.
Public Welfare:
Committee Meeting 9/28/23 Minutes/Report: A committee meeting was held on September 28th, 2023 to discuss the contract between the Bruce School and the Village on the Bruce park use. Below are the minutes from that meeting:
The committee is recommending the following:
* Draft a contract with the School for park use for the months of May, June & July
* The Village needs to be able to regulate the sprinkler system – A new lock would need to be installed as well as a new lock on the concessions and dugout storage
*The Village is responsible for the supplies at the field (paint, gravel, gas for mowing & fertilizer, etc.)
* Village maintains sprinkler system & all maintenance equipment
* Whoever uses the field must clean dugouts, rake & drag field after use
* User would be responsible for painting lines & writing down paint usage
The approximate costs for the Village are: Utilities: $1,000.00
Sprinkler Maintenance: $1,000.00
Gravel: $1,000.00/year
Fertilizer: $800.00 (est.)
Paint & lime: $350.00
Maintenance: $200.00
*** Proposed costs to the School for a 3 month Contract: – $6,000.00
Adjourned at 3:15 p.m.
Bruce Park Concession Stand Discussion: An itemized list of expenses will be drafted. Until that time, motion by Zimmer, seconded by Dolan to table and reword the item to combine it with the ‘Approval of contract between Bruce School & the Village on Park Use’ item until the November, 2023 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Park Dugout Update: Nothing new to report this month. Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Wundrow to table the ‘Park Dugout Update’ item until the November, 2023 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Approval of contract between Bruce School & the Village on Park Use: An itemized list of expenses will be drafted. Until that time, motion by Dolan seconded by Zimmer to table and reword the item to combine it with the ‘Bruce Park Concession Stand Discussion’ item until the November, 2023 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
2024 Library Budget Approval: Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Zimmer to approve the 2024 Library Budget of $57,042.99, carried.
Administration:
Maintenance Position Hire: Nothing new to report this month. Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Dolan to table the ‘Maintenance Position Hire’ item until the November, 2023 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Finance:
Rusk County Sheriff’s Department Contract Discussion & Action: Nothing new to report this month. Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Wundrow to table the ‘Rusk County Sheriff’s Department Contract Discussion & Action’ item until the November, 2023 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Delinquent Bill from Village Owned Property Damage: Motion by Wundrow, seconded by Zimmer to remove the item from the agenda, carried.
APPROVAL OF BILLS: Motion by Dolan, seconded by Wundrow to pay vouchers and electronic payments totaling $56,573.28, carried.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Village Wide Fall Clean-Up: October 13th and October 14th, 2023, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Zimmer, seconded by Wundrow to adjourn, carried. Adjournment was at 7:51 p.m.
Jessica Hayes
Clerk/Treasurer