Town of Watertown

Monthly Board Meeting

February 14, 2011

Town Hall 7:30pm.

  1. The pledge was recited by those in attendance.
  2. Notice of the meeting was properly posted, etc.
  3. Present: R. Gimler, M. Horack, E. Bielinski, A. Winkelman, J. Wendt, Attorney Griggs.
  4. M. Horack made the motion to accept the agenda for Feb. 14 with the addition of the Plan Commission Report between #8 and #9. E. Bielinski seconded the motion accepting the agenda with the addition. Motion carried.
  5. E. Bielinski moved to open the meeting for public comment. M. Horack seconded the motion allowing public comment. Motion carried. S. Yates stated that the cost of fire protection from the City was high. She also commented that the lights on the billboards near the Town Hall, are too bright. She found that the property is zoned as commercial. J. Logeman asked what is being done with the working lands proposal? R. Gimler said that there will be a public meeting at the Jefferson County Courthouse in April regarding boundary agreements.
  6. M. Horack moved to accept the minutes as printed with corrections to #12, #13, and #15, regarding wording. E. Bielinski seconded the motion to accept the minutes of January 10, with the corrections. Motion carried.
  7. The January financial report was read by the treasurer with her making her own corrections. M. Horack moved to accept the report with the corrections. E. Bielinski seconded the motion to accept the financial report as presented. Motion carried.

It was noted by Chairman Gimler that Dale Weis and his crew who plowed snow, did a good job and positive comments have been received regarding this.

  1. M. Horack moved to pay all bills presented with checks #17028 through #17079

in the amount of $58,668.20. E. Bielinski seconded the motion to pay all bills.

Motion carried. $500.00 was over paid to the Rural Watertown Fire

Department and will be returned to the Town.

The report of the Plan Commission was given by A. Roberts. He stated that the

conditional use request for Wendy Higgins at W3384 Beryl Drive was approved

with the signage to be discussed at a later date.

The request for N8392 Little Coffee Road for James Noltner was also approved.

There will be a new building with the old being removed. All conditions applied

to the previous conditional use request will be the same. Both items will be on the

March agenda for approval by the Town Board. The Noltner request was sent to

the County with the approval of the Plan Commission being stated and that the

Town Board would ratify it at their March meeting.

  1. The Humane Society contract is the same as 2010. E. Bielinski moved to accept

the contract with the removal of “cats” in provision 3, #5. M. Horack seconded

the motion accepting the 2011 Humane Society contract. Motion carried.

  1. The boundary agreement will be discussed at the March meeting.
  2. The equalize value for the Town will be looked at. This will assist in figuring if the amount charged is appropriate. It was stated that the dollar figures should be gotten to the Town by October for planning in the budget. Also notices and such pertaining to the Town should be gotten to the board prior to it being placed in the newspaper. The contract is approximately $8000.00 less than 2010.
  3. The ordinance from the fire department will include the ability to fine or charge

those who have fires. R. Gimler made the motion to place items #10, #11, and

#12 on the March agenda. E. Bielinski seconded the motion placing the 3 items

on the March agenda. Motion carried.

  1. The property that the billboards are on, is zoned commercial. It was questioned

whether the condition of the permit changed when the lights were added.

M. Horack moved to send letters to the property owner and the renter who placed

the billboards on the property indicating that they are in violation of the Town

ordinance with the present lighting. The readjustment of the assessment of the

land will be checked into. The building inspector will be contacted to see if a

permit was filed.

  1. The Sheriffs Department will be contacted and asked to monitor traffic on East

Gate Drive more frequently. There will be a meeting on April 13 with the County

safety committee. They will check the road out at that time. It has been asked if

the speed limit could be lowered. It was reconstructed for the present limit of

45mph, thus it was questioned whether State monies might not be given if

lowered.

  1. Suggestions for Internet service, were to contact US Cellular, Hughes Net and

Wild Blue. It was also suggested that the Clerk take a class for websites to learn

to add and delete items. The present webmaster has not kept the site up. A new

person has been contacted.

  1. No oil filters can be thrown in the trash. The County Unit meeting will be

February 23 in Hebron. The district meetings coming up would be beneficial for

the clerk to attend. Attorney Griggs mentioned that the judgment with Vogel

should be held within a week. Supervisor Bielinski stated that the Steinbach

request was denied by the County, due to lack of clustering. The March plan

commission meeting will be held at 6:00pm. with the Town Board attending to

discuss the boundary agreement. March agenda items will include the boundary

agreement, City fire contract, fire ordinance,

  1. E. Bielinski moved to adjourn. M. Horack seconded the motion for adjournment.

Motion carried.

Respectfully Submitted,

James Wendt/Clerk