Proceedings of the regular meeting held Tuesday, January 14, 2014 at the Village Hall, Cochrane, WI at 7:00 p.m. Notice of meeting was recognized in the C-FC Recorder.
Village President Dave Busch presiding. Trustees present were Shawn Auman, Tim Bossert, Greg Hofer, Tom Hansen, and Bill Meier. Tim Bossert and Kari Wilde were absent. Also in attendance were Edna Meier, Tom Platteter, and Chuck Speltz.
Motion Shawn; second Bill to approve the December 10, 2013 minutes. All yes. Approved.
Committee Reports
-One water shut off had to be dug up as the pipe was bent and the homeowners had frozen pipes. We repaired the curb stop.
-The Fire Dept. submitted their budget for 2014. Cochrane’s 21% share is $8,823.30. Dave will ask Bruce for an equipment schedule with estimated amounts for the future. After the 2015 purchase, they are not expecting another until 2020.
The CapX2020 Environmental Impact Fee Payments have begun. Cochrane will receive $6,431 annually plus a one-time payment of $53,594. Our first payment has been received. We received a pro-rated share for 2013 of $3,751 plus the one-time payment for a total of $57,345. The one-time fee is to be used for parks, conservancy, or similar environmental programs. The annual fee has no restrictions. The board discussed ideas for the use of this payment. Options proposed: continued maintenance digging of Goose Lake, more aeration, and bigger fountains for Goose Lake. Sherry mentioned that the Town of Belvidere might have an interest in assisting with improvements for the park, as their residents use our park and Buffalo City’s. With that in mind, Shawn proposed possibly restructuring the whole lake. It was originally designed to be one big lake, without the fingers and bridge in the middle. One big lake would allow for better circulation and help with the problems. Other ideas also include a hiking trail along the drainage ditch and a bike path from Cochrane to Buffalo City. We will continue to explore these ideas.
Motion Shawn; second Greg to approve the bills. All yes. Approved.
There was some discussion about BBC. The County has said we can no longer use the bobcat for anything but recycling. That will mean hiring someone to push brush, clear snow, etc. Shawn at one time offered to the County that BBC would pay the annual $700 leasing fee to use the bobcat. We may need to address that again. We should also consider swapping mowing and plowing with Buffalo City. These items will be discussed at the Feb. meeting.
Shoveling crosswalks was discussed. Corners are the responsibility of the property owner; not the Village maintenance crew.
Motion Bill; second Shawn to adjourn. All yes. Meeting adjourned.