Town Board Meeting February 14, 2008

Chairperson Ray Knapp convened the Regular Town Board Meeting on Thursday, February 14, 2008, at 7:00, p.m. Fritz Anding, Jan Cuccia, and Gloria Wahrenbrock were present.  Dan Pearson was absent.

 

The following people signed the attendance sheet: Susan Gilbert, Mel Hermansen, Josh Miller, Michele McElmed, Ron Pierce, Diane Nelson, Nancy Miller, Jill Berke, Ken Sontedahl and Charlie Macdonell.  Others were present who did not sign in.

 

R. Knapp invited those present to join in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

 

APPROVE MINUTES - Minutes of the January 10, 2008 Town Board meeting had been distributed to the Board.  Gloria Wahrenbrock to moved to approve the minutes of January 10, 2008, seconded by Jan Cuccia.  Motion passed, all in favor.

 

CITIZEN INPUT –

Resident John Salmon voiced his concerns about the run-off from Meadow Ridge of Troy onto his property.  He also feels the developer, DCCI should be required to install a 5 wire fence along his property line and that the town should reimburse him for reinstalling the fence removed during the reconstruction of East Cove Road.  The board decided to put this on the agenda next month.  Cedar Corp. will contact the developer to address these issues.

 

Nancy Miller, River Falls Library Director, stated that Hudson does deserve a new library.  However she is concerned about the town offering more funding to one library over another.  She stated that the town is currently paying for library services through the county levy.  She would like the town to support increasing the current county reimbursement rate of 70% to 100%, which supports circulation costs.

 

Ken Sortedahl announced he is running for the Branch 4 Circuit Court Judge.  He gave a brief history of his experience and asked for voters support in the February Primary.

 

Resident Ron Pierce would like to see a “No Outlet” or “Dead End” sign at the bottom of the hill on Day Farm Road.  He lives at the end of Day Farm Road and has seen the number of vehicles turning around in his driveway increase because drivers do not realize that this road is a dead end.  The board agreed to look at the signage during the Annual Road Tour scheduled for April.

 

PARK BOARD REPORT – Copies of the January Park Board minutes and Park Board Report were distributed to the board.  Jill Berke explained that the Park Board had an extensive discussion on the 2006 Parks and Recreation Plan to help them identify planning goals for the town parks.  Their goal for 2008 is to upgrade the existing ball field and/or add an additional ball field in Glover Park.  This project may also include the addition of a concession/storage shed.  R. Knapp asked if the ball field was in the budget.  J. Cuccia noted that it was part of the unallocated capital expenditure budget and would need Town Board approval. 

 

J. Berke also explained that the Park Board would like to improve the handicapped accessibility at Glover Park in the bathrooms and in the playground.  R. Knapp asked if the town is in violation and if that is what is driving the discussion.  J. Berke responded that the town is in compliance but could do more.

 

J. Berke, J. Cuccia and Marian Webber attended the Public Hearing for the St. Croix County Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan on January 31st and outlined the town’s recommendations. 

 

PLAN COMMISSION REPORT – Copies of the Plan Commission minutes had been distributed to the board.  R. Knapp reported that the Plan Commission reviewed two different concept plans at its February meeting.   He also summarized the Plan Commission discussion regarding their role in the Riverway Ordinance Review process.  The DNR wants to set-up an application review process to determine what is working, what can be improved and what changes need to be made.

 

CONSTABLE & SHERIFF REPORTS – Copies of the Constable Report and the Sheriff’s report were distributed to the board.  Constable Mel Hermansen stated the current process followed for unlicensed dogs is to send a warning letter to the owner and then issue a citation if the owner doesn’t license the dog after the warning.  According to information received from St. Croix County, the town can turn the matter over to the County District Attorney’s Office if it sends out two warnings and doesn’t receive any response to those warnings from the dog owner.  M. Hermansen asked for guidance from the board.  Town Board consensus was for him to continue what he’s doing until directed otherwise.  F. Anding will contact the county to see what other municipalities are doing and what their recommendation is for the town. 

 

M. Hermansen also stated that there’s a dead tree at the boat launch that should be removed before the boating season.  R. Knapp asked Cedar Corp. and Charlie Macdonell to integrate this into the repair work scheduled for the boat ramp this spring.

 

DISCUSS & CONSIDER APRIL REFERENDUM ON JOINT LIBRARY CAPITAL COSTS:  R. Knapp distributed copies of the proposed ballot question to the board.  He stated that Troy residents pay a county library tax of approximately $28/resident for library services.  The tax is divided up with most going to the River Falls Library and to the Hudson Joint Library.  A portion is distributed to surrounding rural libraries.  The members of the Hudson Joint Library (Town of St. Joseph, Town of Hudson, Village of North Hudson and City of Hudson) are adding an advisory referendum question to the April ballot asking residents if they are willing to support using public funds to jointly pay for acquiring, developing and future operating costs of a new library.  R. Knapp explained that even though the Town of Troy is not part of the Hudson Joint Library, he would like to see a similar referendum question on Troy’s ballot for acquiring and developing a new library but not for operating costs.  This would amount to a levy of $6 per $100,000 of assessed value.  After conferring with legal counsel, it was decided the referendum question must be town-wide, although R. Knapp tried to first focus on residents within the Hudson School District.  He went on to explain that as a rural community the question of helping to fund city capital costs for services such as ambulance, fire and libraries will be raised more often in the future.  If River Falls asked for capital funds for a municipal building, the town could not ask only Troy residents in the River Falls area to fund this request.  These levies must be done on a town-wide basis.  R. Knapp stressed that he is not recommending a change in the way the Town of Troy residents presently fund library operating expenses through the county library tax. 

 

Susan Gilbert, Hudson Joint Library gave a brief presentation of the proposed new library site, circulation and population figures and library costs. 

 

The board discussed the financial impact to Troy residents and to the River Falls Library and the role the town has in supporting capital projects for services it utilizes.  G. Wahrenbrock shared some historical insights about previous funding requests, but suggested that it might be the right time to take this kind of advisory referendum to the voters.

 

R. Knapp moved that the Town Board support putting the proposed ballot question on the April 1st  election ballot and it would read, “Should the Town Board of Troy, along with the City of Hudson, Village of North Hudson, Town of Hudson and the Town of St. Joseph, use public funds to jointly pay for acquiring and developing a new joint library to be located at 700 First Street, Hudson, WI?”  Seconded by F. Anding.   Motion passed, all in favor.

 

SPEED LIMIT MAP – Rob Jones, Cedar Corp., distributed copies of the updated Speed Limit Map.  It integrated the speed limit changes made by the board through-out the year.  J. Cuccia moved to adopt the Official Speed Limit Map approved on April 13, 2006 and revised on January 9, 2008.  Seconded by F. Anding.  Motion passed, all in favor.

 

UTILITY PERMITS:  None.  R. Knapp explained that R. Jones is working on a “template” letter to go out with a citation to Comcast for failing to file a complete permit application for utility work it is doing within the town. 

 

BUILDING PERMITS:  The following permits were submitted by the Building Inspector and reviewed by the town board.

PERMIT #

APPLICANT

ADDRESS

PROJECT

07-209

Dreamstructure

317 Lindsay Rd

New Home

08-101

YMCA Camp St. Croix

532 CTH F

Alteration

08-102

John  MacLeod

562 High Ridge Dr.

Addition

 

 

 

 

 

DRIVEWAY PERMITS – The following permit was submitted by the Building Inspector and reviewed by the town board.

07-125

Dreamstructure

317 Lindsay Rd

 

 

 

 

DISCUSS & CONSIDER DIRECTION OF COMPREHENSIVE ZONING CODE COMMITTEE – Copies of a rough draft of a Comprehensive Zoning Code (CZC) Guidance Memorandum were distributed to the board.  J. Cuccia walked the board through the process she and Charlie Macdonell used to develop the memorandum.  C. Macdonell distributed copies of the CZC Committee meeting minutes from January 22nd.  He read part of the motion made by the committee:

“1. The committee has identified the Highway 35 corridor as the sole future area for potential commercial development in the town; 2.The committee shall consider road access, topography, landowner concerns and other planning criteria in identifying specific future commercial areas within the Highway 35 corridor; and 3. The committee shall review the value and feasibility of integrating the system of farm transfer of development rights under the Town Subdivision Code into standards for determining commercial property densities.”

He felt that the motion made by the CZC Committee and the draft memorandum were compatible.

 

G. Wahrenbrock thanked J. Cuccia and C. Macdonell for their work on the guidance memorandum.

 

J. Cuccia moved to adopt the CZC Guidance Memorandum, seconded by F. Anding.  Motion passed, all in favor. 

 

DISCUSS PLAN FOR FINALIZING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN – After several years, the town is now ready to move forward in finalizing its Comprehensive Plan.  R. Knapp summarized an email he received from Gwen Kuchevar, town attorney, stating that the Plan Commission or other designated committee creates a Comprehensive Plan and recommends adoption by a resolution adopted by a majority vote.  The Plan Commission would process the Plan, develop it and solicit public input.  Once they feel its ready, they would make a recommendation that it be adopted.  To get to that point, the Comprehensive Plan will be discussed at length at the March Plan Commission meeting.  Cedar Corp. will try to get copies of the draft to Plan Commission and Town Board members along with updated maps by the end of February. 

 

R. Knapp distributed copies of a map of the 35 corridor.  Currently, the Wisconsin DOT is focusing on the Coulee Trail overpass, slated to start in 2011.  The DOT will be contacting the town’s Highway 35 subcommittee to set up a meeting to discuss the current status of the project and changes that have been made.  They are also asking that the town do some official mapping for the project because the town has more authority in this area than the DOT does. 

 

CODE BOOK PROJECT UPDATE – Mark Mitchell emailed board members the preliminary code book changes and an updated Chapter 102 – Officers and Employees.  M. Mitchell reviewed these with the board and will incorporate their recommendations.  The board will review Plan Commission and Public Records next month.

 

DISCUSS & CONSIDER ANNUAL MEETING DATE/TIME:  J. Cuccia moved to set the Annual meeting for Tuesday April 8, 2008 at 7:00p.m. The meeting will be at the Town Hall to be proceeded by the Troy United Fund meeting at 6:30 p.m., seconded by G. Wahrenbrock.  Motion passed, all in favor.

 

DISCUSS & CONSIDER 2007 BUDGET –  S. Provos distributed copies of a budget amendment summary and the designated fund balance.  She isn’t recommending any 2007 budget amendments, but wanted the board to review the designated fund balance.  After discussing current and budgeted fund balance designations, G. Wahrenbrock moved to designate funds into conservation easement defense in the amount of $5,000, the equipment/building fund in the amount of $30,618 and the public safety reserve fund in the amount of $20,000, seconded by J. Cuccia.  Motion passed, all in favor.  S. Provos commented that this left an undesignated balance of $302,243 to be carried over from 2007.

 

CLERK/TREASURER REPORT – Copies of the cash reconciliation, budget summary and impact fees collected were distributed to the Board.  S. Provos asked stated that she’s running out of burning permits and was told not to reorder them until the Burning Ordinance has been updated.  It was decided that M. Mitchell will get the town attorney the proposed changes to the Burning Ordinance and it will be put on March’s agenda for adoption.  S. Provos asked the board if LarsonAllen would be doing the 2007 audit since it hadn’t been sent out for bids.  The board consensus was yes.

 

BILLS: Checks numbered 020779 – 020799, 019801 - 19845 and the Elan bill were presented in the amount of $5,202,665.02. A majority of the total amount of the bills are pass-through amounts going to the public school districts, county and vocational schools.Due to an error by the company that provides the town with checks, the check numbers aren’t consecutive and are duplicates of check numbers used in the past.  J. Cuccia moved to approve checks numbered  020779 – 020799 and 019801 - 19845, including the Elan bill of $183.55 for a total of $5,202,665.02, seconded by R. Knapp.  Motion passed, all in favor.

 

REVIEW ARTICLES FOR FEBRUARY TOWN NEWSLETTER – Copies of the newsletter articles were distributed to the board.  R. Knapp agreed to do an article on the assessment revaluation and on the library referendum.  J. Cuccia will work with Chris Mueller on an article regarding high speed internet.  The newsletter is on schedule and should be out by the end of February.

 

CORRESPONDENCE –

R. Knapp received a letter from EarthTech regarding a salt shed storage site inspection.  S. Provos will give it to the road crew.

 

G. Wahrenbrock will start to work on the TDR Survey emailed by D. Pearson.

 

State Senator, Sheila Harsdorf will be holding listening sessions to listen to resident concerns.  J. Cuccia and G. Wahrenbrock will try to attend one.

 

G. Wahrenbrock explained that the DNR has some concerns with Carpenter Nature Center and is requesting an audit.  She is working with G. Kuchevar about possible conservation easement concerns.

 

 COMMITTEE REPORTS –

J. Cuccia attended and spoke at the Rural Affairs Committee meeting in Madison about the Charter Town Bill.

 

D. Pearson and R. Knapp met with Cedar Corp.  Bidding for road projects will start in March with construction to begin in May.

 

F. Anding and R. Knapp will be meeting with the road crew to go over the Employee Handbook. 

 

 

J. Cuccia moved to adjourn, seconded by G. Wahrenbrock.  Motion passed, all in favor.

 

The meeting adjourned at 10:25 p.m.

 

These minutes were taken at a meeting

of the Troy Town Board held on the

14th day of February, 2008.

 

________________________

Sharon Provos, Clerk/Treasurer