Village of Holmen

Board Proceedings

November 8, 2007

 

President Chapman called the Holmen Village Board meeting to order at 7:00 PM on November 8, 2007 at the Holmen Village Hall.  All board members were present.  Also present were Attorney Peterson and department heads McHugh and Haines, Brogan was excused.

 

Motion by Proctor, seconded by Seitz to approve the minutes of the October 11 and October 24, 2007 meetings. Carried unanimously.

 

Finance and Personnel Committee – Motion by Seitz, seconded by Proctor to approve the November claims for payment in the amount of $359,299.15. Carried unanimously. Motion by Seitz, seconded by Anderson to approve an operators license for Kara Scherr at Festival Foods. Carried unanimously. Motion by Seitz, seconded by Forde to approve Resolution 23.07 – Opposition to Passage of H.R. 811, Voter Confidence And Increased Accessibility Act of 2007. Carried unanimously. Motion by Seitz, seconded by Proctor to approve Resolution 24.07 – Cooperative Recycling Efficiency Agreement. Carried unanimously.

 

Park, Recreation and Library Committee – Motion by Forde, seconded by Anderson to award the Halfway Creek Park Improvements – Phase 1 contract to the low bidder, McHugh Excavating and Plumbing in the amount of $399,875.24. Carried unanimously. Motion by Forde, seconded by Olson to approve the 2008 Turf Maintenance contract as presented in the amount of $12,616.90. Carried unanimously.

 

Law Enforcement Committee – Trustee Proctor updated the Board on recent Law Enforcement activity.

 

Joint Municipal Court – No meeting. Nothing new to report.

 

Fire Board Report – Trustee Forde updated the Board on recent Fire Board activity. The next meeting is December 20, 2007 at 6:30 PM.

 

Public Works Committee – Motion by Anderson, seconded by Forde to remove from the table Resolution 21.07 – Ensure Adequate WWTP Resources. Carried unanimously. Motion by Anderson, seconded by Forde to approve Resolution 21.07 – Ensure Adequate WWTP Resources. Carried unanimously.

 

Economic Development – Trustee Seitz updated the Board on the monthly Economic Development Committee activity. The Committee met at Scientific Recycling in Holmen on October 25th at 10:30 am. Seitz gave an enthusiastic overview of the facility tour.

 

Public Hearing – At 7:20 PM President Chapman called the public hearing to order for the 2007 WWTP Facilities Plan. Motion to remove from the table the 2007 WWTP Facilities Plan. No one present spoke in favor or opposition of the proposed plan. President Chapman closed the public hearing at 7:22 PM. Motion by Anderson, seconded by Seitz to approve the 2007 WWTP Facilities Plan as presented. Carried unanimously.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Board Proceedings

November 8, 2007

Page 2

 

At 7:22 PM President Chapman called the public hearing to order for Ordinance 8.07 – Storm Water Management Utility. Village resident Howard Olson spoke in favor of the proposed utility. Mr. Olson was a member of the Storm Water Utility Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). Mr. Olson stated that he is in favor of taking storm water management costs off of the tax levy. In his opinion a utility is a more fair and equitable way to pay for storm water management and the associated unfunded mandates from the EPA and DNR. Mr. Olson pointed out that under an assessment based system of funding storm water management, residential property owners are funding 80% of the cost while generating only 50% of the runoff. Village resident Joan Hauser spoke in favor of the proposed utility. Ms. Hauser was a member of the TAC. Ms. Hauser voiced her support of the comments made by Mr. Olson. She also feels that the utility is the most fair and equitable way to fund storm water management. Ms. Hauser felt that it is unfortunate for churches to be charged a utility fee as their resources for funded are limited. She also pointed out that the Village would prefer not to have to implement a utility, but must do what is in the best interest of Village residents in meeting the requirements of the unfunded mandates. Town of Holland resident Tim Medinger spoke in opposition to the proposed storm water management utility on behalf of the Holmen Area School District. Mr. Medinger was a member of the TAC. Mr. Medinger expressed concern regarding the accurate measure of runoff from properties as, in his opinion, the basis is theoretical and scientific rather than exact. He also expressed displeasure with the proposed credit system that allows for a maximum 50% ERU credit and will not go into effect until 2009. Mr. Medinger also expressed a philosophical difference with the proposed ordinance in that, in his opinion, the Village is using the school district as a conduit to pass along costs to surrounding communities. It is his opinion that it is the responsibility of a government unit to absorb all costs of providing services within municipal boundaries regardless of the source of contaminants or residential location of municipal service users. Mr. Charles Clarkin spoke in opposition to the proposed storm water management utility. Mr. Clarkin was a member of the TAC. As the owner of multi-family dwellings in the Village, Mr. Clarkin felt it would be most fair for multi-family properties to be charge per calculated runoff area rather than per residential unit. As a landlord, he feels the utility works in his favor, as his property tax bill will be reduced and the utility charge will be passed on to his renters. He also agrees that a utility is a more equitable way of funding storm water management as opposed to the assessment based tax levy. President Chapman closed the public hearing to testimony at 7:31 PM. Motion by Anderson, seconded by Forde to approve Ordinance 8.07 – Storm Water Management Utility as presented. Carried unanimously.

 

La Crosse County Supervisor – Supervisor Chuck Spiker reported on the La Crosse County Board activity including:

-          Increase in tipping fee at landfill; estimated to be between $2 and $3 per ton.

-          La Crosse County Roadway Plan.

 

Joint Shared Ride Committee – Trustee Szak updated the Board on the monthly Shared-Ride activity.

 

Other – President Chapman reported that he and Administrator Schmit had attended the Town of Onalaska Board public hearing on 10/25 and expressed the Village’s opposition to  proposed revisions to the Town of Onalaska Comprehensive Plan as requested by Gavaghan, LLC. He also reported that the lighting in Deer Wood Park was complete and was an attractive addition to the park. Trustee Olson commended staff and poll workers on the good job they did during the recent school district referendum election.

 

 

 

 

Board Proceedings

November 8, 2007

Page 3

 

 

Trustee Seitz thanked the Blue Cup Restaurant for the donated coffee they provided the poll workers and electors on election day. He also expressed appreciation to those individuals who donated their personal time to participate on the Storm Water Utility TAC. Trustees Forde, Proctor and Szak echoed his sentiments.

 

Motion by Olson, seconded by Seitz to adjourn at 7:55 PM.  Carried unanimously.

 

 

 

 

 

Catherine J. Schmit, Village Administrator/Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These minutes may contain confidential closed session information. They are not to be released unless authorized by the Village Administrator.