VILLAGE OF LA FARGE

Special Board Meeting and Public Hearings 

Thursday, April 20, 2023

                                                                   

*Village President Frank Quinn called the special meeting of the La Farge Village Board to order at 6:30 p.m. at the Emergency Services building. Roll Call. Board members present were Quinn, Barbara Melvin, Aaron Appleman, Aaron Nemec, and Karen Leis. Absent was Terry Jensen. Also present was Public Works Manager Wayne Haugrud and Clerk Kimberly Walker.

  

*Verification of posting at the Bank, Post Office, and Village Office on April 19, 2023 was given for the special meeting, and the two public hearings were posted on April 13, 2023 and published in the La Farge Episcope. 

 

*Dale Klemme, from CDA, was present to conduct a Public Hearing on the CDBG Planning program funds, and following this, a public hearing on the CDBG-PF funds. He gave an overview of how both programs work. CDBG funds are monies from HUD given to the state annually. The State is required to spend this on beneficiaries that are 51% low to moderate income. The money is then distributed between housing, disaster recovery, economic development activities, public facilities projects, and planning activities.

 

*Back in February we talked about housing with reps from Delta 3 and the office staff, on how to proceed with addressing the need for housing. So it was thought to apply for a planning grant for housing. Dale has since gone through our economic development plan and there is a design in this for housing and some infrastructure costs. He doesn’t feel applying for another planning grant would include any more strategy than we already have in our plan. So Dale suggested not applying again, as it’s not going to give us what we want.    

 

*The village doesn’t want to be the developer in a project like this. It’s a big investment to buy the land and put in the infrastructure. Maybe for now, look at empty lots in town to build homes on. We would need to look at an implementation grant, not a planning grant. There’s not much for residential development, there’s more money for commercial development, for businesses. He’s not aware of any program that would help with developing residential land. The board asked a few questions, then closed the public hearing.

 

*Next, Dale conducted a Public Hearing on the proposed application for CDBG Public Facilities (PF) program funds. This project, which is due by May 18th, will be for making improvements to Main Street, (from Cherry to Maple), to include looping some water mains and sanitary sewer work. The DOT is to pave this area and will be working on the bridge by Elm Street. And on Mill Street (from Highland up to Seelyburg), do water main replacement. Delta 3 has plans/costs for both of $1,390,000. Looking at 2/3 grant, of $926,650, and local share of $463,350. To cover our share, we will use TIF funds. Depending on what’s left of these funds, Delta 3 will also look into a safe drinking water loan and a clean water fund loan. Dale asked for any comments. There were none. At the May board meeting, Dale will have 2 resolutions, one authorizing the Village President to sign to submit the application and the other to commit match money from our available funds if funded by the State.          

 

*Discussed appointing a new Village Trustee, to fill the unexpired term of Frank Quinn, which was left vacant after he was elected to the Village President position. We have a couple of interested members of the community to fill this for a year. Frank and Kim looked at the State Statutes and checked with the League of Wisconsin Municipalities on how the process should work. We don’t need to solicit. The board can vote on them, and we can then appoint one. We have two interested, and Frank has talked with both. They are Dave Fish and Dan Gremban. Frank gave a brief background on both. To decide, we can do a paper vote. Write who you want, but you must initial the ballot in case someone asks. We don’t have to read it aloud, but it needs to be in the record. After voting, Frank opened the results. It was 5 votes for Dave Fish. Kim will reach out to them and have Dave sign the oath of office. Nemec moved, Appleman seconded to approve Dave Fish. (Carried).      

 

*A sheet of President Quinn’s appointments for this years’ committee recommendations was reviewed. Newly appointed Village Trustee Dave Fish was added to the list.     

          Finance & Personnel Committee:  

            *Chair- Karen Leis, Terry Jensen, Barb Melvin

    

          Streets and Utilities Committee:

            *Chair- Aaron Nemec, Terry Jensen, Karen Leis     

       

          Police Committee:     

            *Chair- Terry Jensen, Barb Melvin, Aaron Nemec  

                                          

          Parks, Grounds, Buildings and Cemetery Committee:

            *Chair- Aaron Appleman, Karen Leis, Dave Fish   

              

          Emergency Services Building Committee:

*Chair- Cheryl Purvis, Bonita Dorschied, Dave Sarnowski, Wayne Haugrud,

       Kimberly Walker           

   

          Medical Committee:     

            *Chair- Aaron Appleman, Aaron Nemec, Dave Fish                                                       

          

          Library Committee:      

            *Chair- Barbara Melvin, Gail Muller, Carol Persons, Donna Niles, Kimberly Walker

                   Georgia Everson, Gwendolyn Hatfield

           

          Zoning Board of Appeals:

             *Chair- Terry Jensen, Dan Gremban, Mike Donovan, Dean Steinmetz, Frank Quinn 

     

          Planning Commission:  

             *Chair- Karen Leis, Angee Williams, Eric Hartwig, Meaghan Gustafson, Marcy West,

                    Dan Gremban, Aaron Appleman

 

                Main Street Committee:

              *Chair- Aaron Nemec, Deb Nelson, Margaret Becker, Kathy Appleman, Nick Burnard

 

           Flood Recovery/EDA Committee:     

               *Chair- Brad Steinmetz, Dean Steinmetz, Greg Lawton, Kris Gabrielson, Barb Melvin

               

*Municipal Court representatives: Frank Quinn-Primary/ Karen Leis-Alternate

* President Pro-Tem: Aaron Nemec                        * Health Officer: Chief Steven Palmer

* Emergency Coordinator: Frank Quinn           * Weed Commissioner: Chief Steven Palmer  

* Attorney: Jenkins, Stittleburg, & Menn            * Assessor: Chimney Rock Appraisal

* Official Newspaper: La Farge Episcope           * Bank: Farmers State Bank/La Farge

* Building Inspector/Zoning Commissioner: Wayne Haugrud      

 

*Melvin moved, Leis seconded to approve the new committee appointments (for the April 2023-April 2024 time frame). (Carried). 

 

*Nemec moved, Leis seconded to renew our ad in “The Visitor” publication at $150. (Carried).

     

*Melvin moved, Appleman seconded to adjourn. (Carried). Adjourned at 7:07 p.m.

  

                                                                         __________________________________

       Kimberly Walker, Village Clerk/Treasurer