VILLAGE OF LA FARGE

                 Regular Board Meeting          Monday, June 9, 2025

                                                                                    

1). Village President Aaron Nemec called the regular meeting of the La Farge Village Board to order at 6:30 p.m. at the Emergency Services building, at 201 S. Cherry Street.

 

Roll Call - Present at the meeting:

Board members: Barbara Melvin, Karen Leis, Dave Fish, Jill Stoltz, Cathy St. John, and Aaron Nemec. Absent was Terry Jensen.               

Also: News reporters Lonnie Muller and Bonnie Sherman, Public Works Manager Wayne Haugrud, Utility Clerk Greg Lawton, Police Chief Steve Palmer, Jim and Crystal Hanson, and Clerk Kimberly Walker.     

            

2). Verification was given of meeting publishing in the La Farge Episcope, and of posting at the Farmers State Bank, La Farge Post Office, and Village Office bulletin board on Thursday, June 5, 2025.     

              

3). Melvin moved, Fish seconded to approve the previous meetings minutes: (5-12-2025/Streets and Utilities committee meeting; 5-12-2025/Regular Village Board meeting; 4-21-2025 and 5-5-2025/Nuisance Property committee meetings; and 5-22-2025/Board of Review). (Carried).    

 

4). Correspondence: Reminder of the 50th anniversary banquet for the La Farge Ambulance on June 21st.

Received notice from Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office that she is requesting $250,000 for the Storm sewer improvements (for Adams Street). This is the first step of the process, and they will keep in touch.

   

5). Public Comment: None. 

 

6). Utility business:   

**Pay application #8 was received from Badger Environmental & Earthworks for $146,546. Most of the work is complete. Paving is expected at the end of this week. Fish moved, St. John seconded to pay Badger Environmental for application #8. (Carried).

 

**We were contacted today from an engineering firm that is hired by the DOT, regarding the DOT project, from the Kickapoo River Bridge to Cherry Street. We had previously signed a State Municipal financial agreement with them over a year ago, for about $50,000, as we’re responsible for the parking lanes to Maple Street. Then we added new curb and gutter from Maple to Elm, and from Oak to Cherry Street. They informed us the cost has risen about $53-$54,000 more than what we signed for. Wayne talked with Kim and Greg about the financing. We’ve been putting away money for this. It won’t be done until 2026, but Wayne wanted the board to be aware of the extra costs. This project does include the curb ramps that we did in 2021, which is a credit on this agreement.      

 

7). Old Business: Leis inquired on the sign (for Franklin Street). Wayne is working on a design. Also, Chief Palmer said he has a plan, to once a month, get an idea of the safety of that road. He did document the safety of the street during a rain storm not too long ago. 

 

8). Jim and Crystal Hanson were present on a proposal (sent with the board packets), to purchase a parcel of land the village owns at the top of the Village Park, bordering their current property. This is East to what they purchased a year ago from the village and is off from One Organic Way. There were no negatives on this. Fish moved, Leis seconded to approve the proposal. (Carried).

 

9). Stoltz moved, Melvin seconded to approve a picnic license for the La Farge Volunteers for July 3rd and 4th, for the beer stand, and for the 4th of July Committee for July 5th, for a Beer and Wine Walk. (Carried).    

 

10). St. John moved, Fish seconded to approve the 5 business alcohol license renewals: Phil & Deb’s Town Tap, Jam’s 2 LLP, Zzip Stop (Toors Easy Stop), Twisted Raven Lounge, LLC, and the Dollar General. (Carried). Agent background checks were completed by Chief Steve Palmer.

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11). A list was reviewed of 43 renewal operator licenses and 3 new licenses, for Jennifer Krings (alcohol server training done 5-18-2025), Jennifer Hammje (training done 10-11-24), and Abigail Oliver (training done 3-20-2025). Chief Palmer did background checks on the 3 new ones. One renewal, #22, has an OWI from 2024. Stoltz moved, St. John seconded to approve the new licenses and renewals, except #22 (C. Collar). (Carried).   

 

12). Police Report/Update: Chief Steve Palmer gave his monthly report:

**The Taser 10 is now in service.    

**The Nuisance Property committee and Chief Palmer are working on a plan for how to enforce the abandoned and junked vehicles in town. They have a plan to divide the community up in different sectors. Steve will start with Sector one, then progress to the others. He’s looking to start working on this in August and September. This way it’s not all at once to try to control. There are 7 sectors currently. He plans to send a map to the paper and post it on Facebook, to show a timeline for enforcement. Hoping this will help to get some voluntary compliance.    

 

13). Committee Reports and Updates:

**Library: Barb said at the last meeting, it was brought up to have a suggestion box available for people.

 

14). Fish moved, Melvin seconded to approve payment of the bills. (Carried).

        

15). St. John moved, Stoltz seconded to adjourn. (Carried). Adjourned at 6:52 p.m.

   

                                                                                      __________________________________      

                                                           Kimberly Walker, Village Clerk/Treasurer