VILLAGE BOARD
OCTOBER 2, 2012

The Village Board of Combined Locks was called to order by President John Neumeier. Trustees in attendance included: Rick Strick, Justin Krueger, Ruth Wulgaert, Beth Sewall, andRoger Kirch. Jim Ponto was absent.

Also in attendance were: Village Administrator Sean Hutchison, Fox Valley Metro Police ChiefErik Misselt, Public Works Foreman Ryan Swick, Jim Hamilton, Nick Johnson, Racquel Shampo-Giese, andJudy Hebbe of the Times Villager.

The first item on the agenda was to review the minutes and bills from the previous month. R.Wulgaert made a motion to approve the minutes as presented. R. Kirch seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. R. Strick made a motion to approve the bills as presented. R. Kirchseconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

Thenext item on the agenda was the Administrator’s report. He reported that the Clerk’s Office will be open until 6:00pm on 10/03 and 10/17 for residents to update their voter registration or register to vote for the first time. In addition, the elections workers will participate in in-house training as well as election training sponsored by another experienced Clerk. It’s estimated that at least 500 absentee ballots will be received for the 11/06/12 election. The Administrator also reported that the 21st Annual Fox Cities Marathon was held on 09/23/12. Runners passed through Combined Locks via Buchanan Road. The Police Department and Public Works Department made sure roads were blocked for safe travel for the runners. The Administrator explained that he has been and will continue to work on the proposed 2013 operating budget. The maximum increase to the levy of 1.05%, or $12,918, plus the reduction in state shared revenue and transportation aid makes for several challenges.

The next item on the agenda was Public Works Foreman’s report. TheForeman reported that asphalt is to be installed on the streets in the 1st Addition to Coonen Subdivision by the end of the week. The crew spent time updating equipment for leaf collection, sweeping streets, hauling away yard waste, flushing hydrants, and updating the GIS addressing system with Outagamie County. He reported there was a major problem with the automatic trash truck, which will cost a few thousand dollars to repair.

The next item on the agenda was a presentation from the FVMPD Police Chief. The Chief put together the presentation as a result of the many requests regarding the amount of time FVMPD officers actually spend in Combined Locks and as an update for the Village Board with regard to the merger status. He reviewed the Fox Valley Metro Police Department’s principles and mission. The presentation included information regarding the Joint Police Commission comprised of two representatives each of the three communities, the partnerships FVMPD participates in, including the MEG Unit, Harbor House, NAMI, Gang Task Force, Outagamie County ERT, and Wisconsin Probation and Parole. The Chief explained that the department is making a conscious effort to be more visible in Combined Locks, and one of the goals for the department is to rejuvenate the Neighborhood Watch Program. When asked why the Chief could not give a quantitative answer to the amount of time officers spend in Combined Locks, the Chief responded that the best service is quality, not quantity. He has recently received public comments thanking the department for improving its visibility in Combined Locks. The Chief reminded the audience and Board members that he is available to discuss any police concerns at any time; just call or stop in. The Chief also provided a police service cost comparison which shows that the department is very lean as compared to others in the area. A copy of the comparison will be placed on the Village’s web site.

The next item on the agenda was to review and consider approval of amending Ordinance Section 10-1-40(c) regarding unnecessary acceleration and display of power prohibited. The Administrator explained that this is one of the ordinances that needs revision because the language includes non-motorized vehicles. The matter was discussed briefly. J. Krueger made a motion to approve the amended ordinance as presented. R. Strick seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

The next item on the agenda was to appoint additional poll workers. The Administrator explained that additional poll workers are necessary to help process absentee ballots and provide breaks for the regular poll workers. The appointments include: Tom Jakl, Donna Morey, Inge Murphy, Beth Voet, Ron Hoffman, & Patti Stapleton. R. Wulgaert made a motion to appoint the additional poll workers. B. Sewall seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

In other general business, the Administrator announced that Fire Chief Carney has given his notice of resignation effective 12/31/12. The search for a replacement will begin immediately. The FVMPD proposed 2013 budget was reviewed briefly. The budget will be presented for approval by the three communities at a meeting in Little Chute on 10/22/12. The Administrator also provided a brief review of the proposed 2013 budget. He expects the local portion of the tax rate to be about $5.27 per $1000 of assessed value. The previous year’s rate was $5.23.

J. Krueger made a motion to adjourn the meeting. J. Ponto seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

Village Board

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