VILLAGE OF LA FARGE

                Regular Board Meeting        Monday, February 12, 2024

                                                                         

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, at 201 S. Cherry Street.

    

Roll Call – Present at the meeting:

All Board members: Karen Leis, Dave Fish, Aaron Nemec, Barbara Melvin, Aaron Appleman, Terry Jensen (by phone), and Frank Quinn.                

Also: News reporters Lonnie Muller and Bonnie Sherman, Public Works Manager Wayne Haugrud, Utility Clerk Greg Lawton, Police Chief Steve Palmer, Mark Digman, Reggie Nelson, Brad Steinmetz, 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 Thursday, February 8, 2024.    

             

3). Melvin moved, Leis seconded to approve the previous meetings minutes: (1-8-24/Regular Village board meeting; 1-23-24/Regular Library Board meeting; and 2-6-24/Special Library Board meeting). (Carried).

 

4). Correspondence: March 16th is the La Farge Fire Department’s annual banquet for board members, office staff, and their guests. Cocktails at 6 p.m./Dinner at 7 p.m. Let Kim know by March 4th if attending.

**The League of Wisconsin Municipalities is hosting a roundtable meeting on February 22nd at Westby, (at the library), starting at 4 p.m. They’re discussing Housing, having a lite dinner, then roundtable discussions. This is a good resource for us. Frank and Greg are planning to attend. Anyone is welcome to attend.      

 

5). Public Comment: None.   

 

6). Utility business:

**Mark Digman, from Delta 3 was present. Last Thursday, construction bids were opened for the Main/ Mill Street project. We had 3 bidders: Gerke Excavating, H. James & Sons, Inc., and Badger Environmental & Earthworks, Inc. The bid info and specs were sent to the board to review with their monthly packets. Badger, from Westby, was the low bidder, at $1,624,883.50, which is $50,000 under Delta 3’s construction estimate. Delta 3 recommends going with them. They’ve worked with them before and see no issues. Mark mentioned the village is looking to receive 1.6 million in grant money, and $3-$400,000 loan from the DNR. This is a low interest loan, with the Safe Drinking water at 1.287% and the clean water portion at 0% for 20 years. Looking at a $2 million project (with engineering and admin). The village out of pocket is 20% or less. Fish moved, Nemec seconded to approve the low bid of Badger Environmental & Earthworks, Inc. (Carried). Mark will get the contracts started. Looking at April for a pre-construction meeting, followed by a public information meeting for the residents and businesses.         

 

**PWM Haugrud reported that for 2023, the phosphorus discharge payment is $2,275.35, due March 1st. Delta 3 did the water quality trading for us, and Mike Lepke did the work. It’s still not been approved by the DNR, so don’t know what the payment will be for 2024. Should be a reduced amount.  

**Still waiting on quotes to fix the clarifier at the wastewater treatment plant. It’s old, so having a hard time finding equipment.

**Originally, Johnson Block thought our electric rate increase would be 6-7%. They’re done with their part, and are recommending to the PSC, a 4 ½% increase. Now waiting to hear from the PSC.  

**The electric substation is still moving along. The switchgear and generator are in the new building. They’re working on the controls and fuel system and hope to start commissioning the first part of April.

 

7). Old Business: Daycare update: Quinn said the grant money is in our bank account. We have until the end of May to spend the funds. Having a meeting tomorrow night to discuss this further with the committee. 

 

8). Reggie Nelson was present to request a nomination to the Kickapoo Reserve Management Board. He’s been serving on the board since August 2016. The term starts May 1, 2024, and is for 3 years. Fish moved, Melvin seconded to nominate Reggie Nelson. (Carried).    

  

9). Earl Nelson was on the agenda for discussion to close an alley between Silver and Mill Streets, behind the La Farge Truck Center Body Shop, but was not present. Will put this on a subsequent agenda.

 

10). Had discussion to go out for bids for Village Attorney. We haven’t done this in the past. Quinn talked with our Attorney to let him know about this, and he was ok with it. Quinn said it helps the whole process, making it more competitive. Leis moved, Nemec seconded to go out for bids, and make the determination in April at the special board meeting when we do our annual re-organization of committees, etc. (Carried).   

 

11). Leis moved, Fish seconded to approve an operator license for Owen Hadley (Carried). He completed the Learn 2 Serve Training on 1-30-2024.    

 

12). Police Report/Update: Police Chief Palmer reported on the following:

**A representative from AXON will be here tomorrow to install the new dash camera. After it’s installed, Steve will have a period of training.

**Steve’s been working with the Sheriff’s department, to do monthly rotations for the K-9, for walk throughs at the school. This is done randomly, and we’ve had no issues yet.    

**Steve had a press release that was put out for “Opioid Prevention and Abatement Grant Funds Awarded”. Steve is part of this steering committee. They awarded funds to the Vernon County Health department for lock boxes for people to store their prescription medications in. Then the health department is going to distribute them to pharmacies throughout the county. Trying to educate people on securely storing meds.     

 

**Steve attended a recent training on DOT administrative rules. They mentioned looking at our ordinances to see if we enforce these. In our ordinances, we do enforce DOT rules on Standards for Vehicle Equipment, Leasing of Vehicles by Private Carriers, and Slow-Moving Vehicle Emblem. Reviewing ours, Steve found our ordinance on these are not current. Steve contacted our Attorney, and he made us a resolution (#2-12-2024), describing the old rules and showing the current rules. Steve is asking to get it updated, so he can enforce it. Fish moved, Appleman seconded to approve the resolution “Amending Section 10-1-2(a) of the Village Ordinances” to the updated version. (Carried).    

 

13). Committee Reports and Updates:     

**Dave Fish received some pictures of Veterans from our La Farge area who served and inquired on a public place to display them. He would like to put them in a frame and hang this in the community center. He was told to take this to the committee. Frank also mentioned the Lions would like a secure area in the community center to store their things. The Park committee will meet to discuss both soon.     

**Library: Barb stated the library is looking for a new cleaning person, hopefully to be hired by early March. And they had a magnifying viewer donated to them for people with vision impairment. Lisa will be setting it up for people to see it.   

**The ambulance association had a meeting and has agreed to go ahead with the process to purchase a new ambulance. They will sell the old one, once the new one arrives. There is no cost to the association, which the village is apart of.

**Police: Steve, Karen, and Frank have attended meetings regarding Municipal court. They’re losing their Judge, as she moved out of the district. No one else has taken out papers to run in the upcoming election in April. A lawyer needs to run and will need to count write-in votes if we have anyone. If we can’t find one, then it’s open to a non-lawyer. The village is owed a lot of money. The new committee is working on ideas.

**On March 2nd, there is a chili cook-off at the Eagles in Viroqua for the Amara Rose fundraiser. They reached out to us, and Frank said he would do it.

 

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

          

15). Jensen moved, Appleman seconded to adjourn. (Carried). Adjourned at 7:03 p.m.

     

                                                                                      __________________________________      

                                                           Kimberly Walker, Village Clerk/Treasurer