VILLAGE OF LA FARGE

                 Regular Board Meeting          Monday, July 10, 2023

                                                                                    

1). Village President Frank Quinn called the regular meeting of the La Farge Village Board to order at 6:30 p.m. at the Emergency Services building.

 

Roll Call – Present at the meeting:

Board members: Barb Melvin, Aaron Appleman, Terry Jensen, Karen Leis, Dave Fish, and Frank Quinn. Absent was Aaron Nemec.             

Also: News reporters Gail Muller and Bonnie Sherman, Utility Clerk Greg Lawton, Pam Hysel, Jim Hanson, Police Chief Steve Palmer, and Clerk Kimberly Walker.     

             

2). Verification was given of meeting publishing in the La Farge Episcope, and of posting at the Bank, Post Office, and Village Office on Friday, July 7, 2023.    

          

3). Melvin moved, Fish seconded to approve the previous meetings minutes: (6-12-2023/Regular Village board meeting and 6-28-2023/Tax Incremental District Joint Review Board meeting). (Carried).    

             

4). Correspondence: None.  

   

5). Public Comment: None.

 

6). Utility business:  

**The 2000 Chevrolet utility pickup truck is at its end. Looking at options to replace it. Asking for approval of a dollar amount, so if we find something, we can buy it. The utilities would borrow the money from the village equipment fund and reimburse them back over time. Leis moved, Jensen seconded to put a cap of $35,000 for a replacement vehicle. (Carried).      

**Regular Utility business: None. Wayne is gone and Greg didn’t have anything.  

  

7). Old Business: None.      

 

8). Jim Hanson was present for 2 requests. The first was asking to purchase a parcel of land at the top of the Village Park, adjacent to the properties of Maggie Hogan and the Bethel Parkside, to build a house and 30’X 80’ shed. The builder says things are tight for both, so that’s the reason they’re looking at it. This land is .62 acres and has been unmaintained around the North and East sides. The shed they’re building is to relocate their Bid City Auction company business from Oshkosh to here. They need space, as they do a lot of shipping. This is a chain of events that will lead to more investment in the community. As they get this up and running, they can move the items currently stored upstairs of the Hardware building, to the shed and then they can renovate the upstairs area to make it a livable space to be rented. Then they’ll also have the back apartment of the store to rent, after they move out and into their new house. This will also get the village land on the tax roll. They’re offering the village $1,500 for this. Fish moved, Jensen seconded to approve the village receiving $1,500 for the unused land. (Carried 5-1, with Leis abstaining, as she’s an employee of Jim).

 

**Second part of the request was asking permission to trim some tree branches that are hanging over where they are planning to build, that is the village property. The board was fine with this.

 

9). Gundersen Health Systems has a Memorandum of Understanding agreement for a no cost eyecare and eyewear program for the employees from Gundersen Vision Services. There’s no cost to the village either.

We don’t have vision insurance, so it gives the employees discounts for exams, glasses, etc. thru this program. It is a benefit, even if there’s no cost, so felt it needed board approval. Melvin moved, Leis seconded to approve the MOU with Gundersen. (Carried).  

 

10). Jensen moved, Fish seconded to approve hiring Greg Lawton and Kim Walker as the listing officials to do the annual dog count for the village. (Carried).

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11). Driftless Wisconsin asked if we’d be a sponsor again this year for a Driftless WI ad campaign. Jensen moved, Fish seconded to approve sharing the $500 sponsorship with LAPA, each paying $250. (Carried).      

 

12). Jensen moved, Leis seconded to approve an operator license for Gary Campbell. (Carried). He completed the Learn to Serve Beverage training course on 5-29-2023.

  

13). Police Report/Update: Police Chief Steve Palmer was off a couple weeks in June for surgery, so he included his June report with July. He reviewed a few things and said his mobile router is now in service.  

 

14). Committee Reports and Updates:

**Parks: Karen reported a park committee meeting will need to be held to review a list of issues at the Lions Shelter, that Mike Fowell and Allison Benson are putting together. They may have kids available to help with some things as part of their community service credit.      

**Clinic: A clinic meeting may be needed to discuss the $75,000 grant the village received to put in a daycare. Had previously discussed possibly using the old dental clinic site for this.    

 

15). Melvin moved, Jensen seconded to approve payment of the bills. (Carried).

       

16). Jensen moved, Appleman seconded to adjourn. (Carried). Adjourned at 6:51 p.m.

   

                                                                                      __________________________________      

                                                           Kimberly Walker, Village Clerk/Treasurer