Common Council - Regular Meeting

meeting of the Lake Mill City Council to order for Tuesday, October 7th of 2025. Misty, would you please call the role? Miss Curler, here. Here. Sorry, Miss Thank you. Miss Schmeer here. Miss Quednau here. Mr. Coots here. Mr. Waters here. Thank you. Thank you. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Next agenda item is correction and acceptance of city council meeting minutes. Uh we had our regular meeting from September 16th and a special meeting from September 24th. Are there any corrections or comments on either of these minutes? Mary? Uh I just have one uh I believe it was a typo on the minutes for September 16th of 2025. Troy was noted twice in the peak pill that were in attendance. And so if I would just suggest a adjustment to remove him. I think only one Troy was here. Oh, just strike the strike the duplication. It's just written. It's just um a duplicative in there. Okay. Any other corrections or comments? No.

Okay. With that uh minor correction, we will accept the city council minutes from those two meetings into our public record. Uh next agenda item is board and committee reports and acceptance of board and committee meeting minutes. So, we have minutes from the library board, police and fire commission, board of review, and also the Lake Mills senior citizens meeting. Are there any comments or questions on any of those minutes? And I would note the board of review only meets once a year typically and so that's why their um meeting minutes are from last year in the spring. Okay, seeing no comments or questions, we'll uh include all of those in our record as well. So, our next item is correspondence and constituent contacts. Um, for me, it was a pretty busy 3 weeks, I guess, since we had a 3-week period. So, I'll go through mine and then, um, uh, check with everyone else as well. So, I received some correspondence about blue green algae blooms on Rock Lake, a followup on Milton Street traffic and tree protection. Um, a contact about the former Sentry property downtown, some um restaurant and park designs uh related to Sandy Beach from one of our constituents. Uh, I was notified that our public works board chair um has is moving out has moved out of the city, so we have a vacancy there. Um there's the elementary school groundbreaking. Um our building inspector uh unfortunately going to be leaving us in a few weeks. Um a contact from a constituent about sidewalk hazards. I got a call uh regarding the board of review meeting after the meeting. Um a request from our library director about the library capital campaign committee. and then a constituent contact uh with concerns about the sewer great covers uh during the chip sealing process. And I

would note that uh city staff did a great job of following up with their concerns about possible flooding. And we also got a really nice flyer on uh everybody's door doors on uh Prospect Street. So it was nice to get that um communication about what was going to be happening. So uh Mary, anything else that uh you received context about? Uh the only thing I had a small number of questions on was the notice for the public information meeting on the water level order in addition to those that you have mentioned. Okay. Some of those you mentioned. Great. Greg Coots. Uh nothing to add. Greg Waters. Uh the only thing I had was uh uh questions on a sidewalk issue. That's that's it.

Okay. And Michelle, nothing to add. Okay. Great. Thank you everybody. M our next agenda item is public comment. Individuals who have registered to speak are invited to address the council at this time. State your name and address when you're called on to make your comments. No action will be taken for items that are not listed on the agenda and each speaker is limited to three minutes. Um I will note that we don't have anybody in the room here um that is has uh appeared to speak or signed up. U Misty, is there anyone online that has asked to speak?

Nobody online. Okay, thank you. Um, since there's no um interest in public making public comment this evening, we'll close that agenda item and we'll move on to the city manager report.

Okay, I got a few items here. I will uh type this up and attach it uh to the agenda. I was unexpectedly out for a few days so um wasn't able to type it up. Uh sidewalk pouring is ongoing. Um a reminder to anyone watching that crews will return to remediate the area. So, if there is still remediation to be done, they will be back out. Uh, Milan overlays are scheduled uh for this week. Um, a task order has been executed for the uh analysis of Catelyn Drive changes. They're they'll be beginning work here in the near future, near future now that the speed limit speed limit change went into effect after the publication of the ordinance in early October. Um and that all work has now been um essentially completed on the street. Um as was mentioned, the DNR will be hosting a public information meeting regarding the Rock Lake water level order. That is on October 22nd at 5:30 p.m. and that's downstairs in the community center. Um open for anybody to attend. Um, I will be providing the library with a letter of support for their grant application to the state of Wisconsin local pro projects program. Uh, and the city received approximately $90,000 grant from the state of Wisconsin uh to assist in an update to our IT systems.

Thank you. Any questions for Drake on those items or anything else? Uh, Drake, I have one question. um if you know for the uh DNR publicformational meeting, is that um an opportunity for public comment? Can people speak and give their input or is it just um maybe asking questions and DNR presenting their findings? Uh my understanding is there will be an opportunity to speak um for those in attendance.

Okay. Um but there's it's large the largest component is anformational um piece to explain the water level order the process that it went through and what their um current preliminary order states. Great. Thank you. Anything else from council members? Okay. Great. Then we will move on to council business. Our first item tonight is resolution 25-57. Misty, would you read that title for us, please?

City Council resolution 25-57, resolution declaring intent to exercise special assessment police powers under Wisconsin statute 66.0703 for sewer service to 805 Lynen Street, Lake Mills, Wisconsin.

Okay. Can we have a staff summary of this before we u go to motion? Uh this is for the um it's been discussed a few times, but this will be for an extending service to the newly annexed parcel within on Lynen Street. Um so the cost of extending service is special special assessed. Um there's a process that we have to go through unless there's a a waiver of that process and so this um essentially kicks that process off. Great. Okay. Are there any questions? Yeah, this was uh this is for only the property where the uh septic is failing, not the remaining properties on Lynon Street.

Correct. The remaining properties remain in the town. Um this would only serve the one annexed parcel here. Yeah, I just had a question regarding how specific or do we need to be more specific in the resolution related to the discussion we had about this specific unique situation where we're not using I would say the traditional conventional approach does it the no you don't have to be the way that okay

it's only it's the process is only for the allowance of the count of the city to special assess for the costs okay um so the details of the project plan aren't relevant to that piece of it beyond the that we will be special assessing for the project. Okay. Thanks for the clarification. Any other questions? Okay. Make a motion to approve city council resolution 25-57. Second. We have a motion by Mr. Waters and a second by Miss Qued. Now, any further discussion? Okay. Seeing none, Misty, would you please call the role on resolution 25-57? Miss Mer,

I. Miss Quednau, I. Mr. Coots, I. Mr. Waters, I. Miss Curler, I. Motion passes 50. Thank you. Our next agenda item is resolution 25-58. Misty, would you read that title for us? City Council Resolution 25-58 authorizing the city manager to execute a professional services agreement with MSA professional services for building inspection services and approving an updated building inspection fee schedule. Thank you. Uh Drake, would you uh give us an overview of this item?

Sure. Uh so as was mentioned, our building inspector will will be uh leaving uh the city. Final day is October 15th. Uh the city city is statutoily required to provide building inspection services. Um the the turnaround of it necessitates a contract for those services. We reached out to um several uh individuals and entities. Um and MSA is the firm before you. Um we do we we we do need to um enter in an agreement for building inspection services. is it'll be on an hourly and expenses basis which is necessitates the approval of a building inspection fee schedule. Um they submitted this fee schedule to us as it's one that they're confident covers their costs. Um so the city is not out anything. Um the permit revenue covers the costs related to the services and then there's some left over. Um they will also be providing services to the townships while they consider whether we want to amend the IGA to reflect the new relationship or if uh they want to find um services in another manner in which case um we can simply release them from the IG. If we don't uh come to any kind of understanding that on October 21st, I would imagine we would formally um uh provide notice of termination of the IGA um to them for 90 days from uh the next council meeting. Um but they are they've been informed and they are considering what they what steps they want to take next. But uh in the meantime, they will have coverage uh through this contract.

Thank you. Are there any questions from council members? Greg, so as I read the agreement, we can terminate within 30 days. Correct. Okay. Any other questions? Michelle, are we exploring hiring another building inspector? Not in the immediate future.

Okay. Um, I have a I guess question slash comment. um our current um building inspector is also our zoning administrator. So he has a number of duties um that he carries out at a very high level for our community. So um in addition to this contract for the building inspection, how are we going to um I guess sort of fill you know cover some of those other responsibilities and you know in the zoning area that Troy has been handling.

Uh in the immediate future it'll be shared between Dan and I. Um, for the most part, the MSA is working on a proposal for also perhaps providing some zoning related services. We're exploring options there. Um, but for now, existing staff will um manage zoning related matters until we find a more permanent solution. Thank you. Any other questions or comments? If not, I'll be uh entertain a motion on resolution 25-58.

I will uh move to approve city council resolution 25-58 authorizing uh both the professional services with MSA and the building inspection fee schedule. Mr. Coots will second. Have a motion by Miss Schmaker, seconded by Mr. Coots. Any further discussion? Seeing none, can we have a roll call vote, please, on resolution 25-58? Miss Quednau, I. Mr. Cuts, I. Mr. Waters, I. Miss Kurler, I. Miss Schmegger, I. Motion passes 5.

Thank you. Uh before we move on, um since you're here, Troy, I would just like to recognize you and the work that you've done um for the city in the last I guess a couple years now, I think it's been. Um and we, you know, we made a decision a few years ago to create a zoning administrator position and I I think we were all thrilled to have you, you know, to have the opportunity to hire you and have you in this role. So, you're going to be sorely missed and and u my understanding I want, you know, folks to be aware that it you have family matters to attend to and it's not not any um not for leaving this position. So, I I greatly appreciate um all the the excellent work that you've provided to our community.

Well, I appreciate that. Um I want to thank everybody. Um these guys are you have a great team here. I was fortunate enough to work through oh almost 19 municipalities in the last 12 13 years and uh these guys, you know, you were talking earlier about zoning. All the heavy lifting comes from Dan and Drake. I just kind of get to be the one that regurgitates it to you guys, but these you got a really good staff here. I never get any agendas pushed down my throat that um are they're trying to push me one way or another. It's always what does our code want? What does council want? So, um, you guys pretty fortunate. Got a pretty good team and, uh, yeah, this definitely wasn't on my radar. I I've had dreams of retiring from here, but, um, yeah, life happens. So, I appreciate everything.

Well, thank you, Troy. So, your work's not over yet. And with that, we'll move on to ordinance 1281. Got a couple weeks. This is our next agenda item. Uh, this is the third reading. So, Misty, would you please conduct the third reading? Ordinance 1281 amending comprehensive plan future land use map parcel number 246 0713114000000 city of Lake Mills Wisconsin. Thank you. So, um Troy, do you want to go over this one for us?

Sure. Um I think you guys got more the memo from from Dustin. Uh this one is really uh a pretty simple process. They're they're not asking for anything. Um there's no PDD on this one. So the the future land use map has to be amended to um meet what we're going to be reszoning it to here. So the next agenda item or the next ordinance is going to be the reszone, but uh the cart in front of the the horse here, we don't want to do that. So we we have to have the future land use map uh be amended to allow for the reszone to R312.

Thank you. And I'll note that uh David uh Werning is here representing uh the property owner Greyar. Um, so he doesn't have any prepared remarks, but if we have questions, if any of the council member members have questions for him, we can certainly ask him to to step forward. Um, is are there is there any discussion or questions that council members have at this time? I'll move to approve ordinance 1281 amending comprehensive plan future land use map. I'll second. We have a motion by Mr. water. Second by Miss Quedno. Any further discussion or questions?

Seeing none, uh, Mr. would you please call the role on ordinance 1281? Mr. Coots, I. Mr. Waters, I. Miss Curler, I. Miss Meer, I. Miss Quednau, I. Motion passes 5-0.

Thank you. So the next item um is on related to the same property ordinance 1282 and this is also the third reading. So Misty would you do that third reading for us? Ordinance 1282 amending City of Lake Mills ordinance section 660-44 official zoning map city of Lake Mills Wisconsin parcel identification number 246071311400000000 owner OW Lake Mills LLC vacant land south of Tyrannina Park Road east of Maple Court and west of Brock Lake Cemetery Lake Mills Wisconsin. Thank you. Uh so we have a memo on this one as well. Uh Troy, anything you would like to add?

Nope. This is really just the uh ordinance to change the parcel from the PB to the R312, the multif family. Any questions or comments from council members? Okay, seeing none, uh Misty, would you please call the role on ordinance 1282? Mr. Waters. Oh, do we have a motion? I'm sorry, we didn't have a motion yet. Would someone like to make a motion on ordinance 1282? I'll move to approve ordinance 1282. Second.

Thank you for catching that. So, we have a motion by Mr. W, seconded by Miss Schmeaker. Any further discussion or comments? Okay, seeing none, uh, let's please call the role on ordinance 1282. Mr. Waters, I. Miss Curler, I. Miss Schmeer, I. Miss Quednau, I. Mr. Hoots I motion passes 5-0.

Thank you. Okay. Our next agenda item is ordinance 1283. Uh and this is also the third reading. Uh Misty, would you do the third reading for this item? Ordinance 1283 amending city of Lake Mills ordinance section 660-44 sub A official zoning map city of Lake Mills, Wisconsin. Partial identification numbers 246 0713 0133004 and 246713 0133003. Owners Lake Mills Area School District, Oasis Lane, Lake Mills, Wisconsin. Thank you. So Troy, just can you give us an overview on this one?

Sure. The quick recap for this one, if you guys remember, these were the two parcels that were annexed in from the town. And when they are annexed in, our ordinance brings them into the city as an RD and then we that's our default zoning and then we can properly uh reszone them for the use or the area, you know, what what their intended use is going to be. And this one happened to match up with our future land use map. So, we didn't have to modify the future land use map on this one. It's just a a straight up reszone. Thank you. And this is the school district intends to use this for their bus barn.

Yeah, correct. Actually, I have the permit sitting on my desk and we should be issuing that in the next day or two when their uh permit fee comes in. But yeah, they're um they're ready to go. They've been doing some test boring out there. So, it'll be a week or two. You'll start to see some progress out there for sure. Fantastic. Thanks. Any questions from council members? Okay. Can we have a motion, please, on ordinance 1283? I move to approve ordinance 1283. Second. Motion by Miss Quednau, seconded by Miss Schmeaker. Any further discussion? Okay, seeing none, Misty, would you please call the role on ordinance 1283? Miss Kurler, I. Miss Mer,

I. Miss Quo, I. Mr. Coots, I. Mr. Waters, I. Motion passes 5-0. Thank you. That concludes council business for this evening. So, we have um recommendations for future agendas before we go into a closed session. Um uh Drake, I think you let us know that you'll be introducing the budget at our next meeting. Uh any other items that you're aware of at this time that we'll be seeing?

Uh keep an eye out for a list of dates and times for a work session. Um, so we'll have one before I hopefully before the first reading. Um and then on the 20th of October, the parks board will be meeting and they'll be considering some recommended uh fee schedule changes um that uh Eric will be bringing forward and then those will be coming forward to the council on the 21st um with whatever recommendation the um parks board may have whether uh positive, negative or some other um change. But uh um they are incorporated into the budget document that'll be presented on the 21st. So um it'll be something for the council to grapple with.

Okay, sounds good. Any other questions or suggestions from council members? Greg, I I did want to comment on the Sandy Beach restaurant memo that we all received. Um in general, I'm supportive of the restaurant. Um, but when the referendum didn't pass, we kind of moved forward with looking at the Sandy Beach area as a whole and and got recommendations from from the parks group um parks board. So, we of course have that as an agenda item for the future that we need to circle back to and uh take everything into consideration, I guess, is is kind of where we're at at this point. But, yeah.

Yeah. Thanks. That's a good um good reminder of of w where we've left things. Um I I'd also like to remind people hopefully everyone has on their calendar October 27th at 4:30 p.m. we'll have a special meeting and that's to conduct our annual review with our city managers. So that that's the date and time that we've selected to do that. Any other announcements or recommendations? Mary,

I would just like to add on to Greg's comment regarding the Sandy Beach conversation. I know the budget was one of the areas we had places we had talked about having a discussion. I know the parks board um has a large number of recommendations that were were brought forward in August and the one most complicated possibly is food service, food and beverage service, however it presents itself. And I think that one having uh had a lot of um historical conversation, but also I think an opportunity for us to kind of get our arms wrapped around what a new conversation might look like is going to be important. And I it may not make the 26 budget, but at least I think getting a head start or conversation on on what the possibilities might be I think are be important. So I agree with you, Greg. That's an important topic for us.

Thanks. Anything else? Okay. So we'll close that item. Um our next item is to convene into close session to discuss claims against the city pursuant to Wisconsin statute section 19.851G. 851G conferring with legal counsel who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to be involved and to discuss city manager employment evaluation pursuant to section 19.851c 851c of Wisconsin statutes considering employment promotion compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility.

Motion to move into close session. Second. Have a motion by Mr. Waters, a second by Miss Quednau. Uh all in favor say I. I. I. That's five. Uh anyone saying no? Okay. So it's 5-0. We'll move into close session. Uh when we reconvene, it'll be um off television. So that's the end of our broadcast for this evening. Thank you.