>NOTES OF THE TOWN OF WASHINGTON BIMONTHLY TOWN BOARD MEETING: May 1, 2008

A quorum being present Chrm. Hanson called to order the bimonthly Town Board meeting of the Washington Town Board at 7:00 p.m., on Thursday, May 1, 2008, at the Town Municipal Building, 5750 Old Town Hall Road.

Members Present: Thomas Hanson, Donald Perry, Michael Stacy, and Karen Tomesh

Staff Present: Kimberley Bunderson, Janelle Henning, and Micheal Peterson

Members/Staff Absent: George Losby

Minutes: Supv. Tomesh moved TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 17, 2008 BIMONTHLY TOWN BOARD MEETING. The motion was seconded by Supv. Stacy. Aye 4, Nay 0

Harvey Hite: Explained to the Board that he was unable to attend the rezoning hearing for his property and that a portion of information presented in the Eau Claire County Staff Recommendation report was in error as it pertains to soils.

Public Hearing:
Dan Green: Chrm. Hanson opened the public hearing for a rezoning request by Dan Green for a planned unit development to include two commercial buildings on one lot. The property is located at 6000 Arndt Lane which is between State Road 93 and Arndt Lane, about 200 feet south of Greenway Street.

Admr. Peterson reviewed the Eau Claire County Planning and Development Staff’s recommendations which were to approve the request for the reason that the proposed planned unit development (PUD) is consistent with the requirements and the purpose of the zoning ordinance. The PUD meets the standards for conditional use permits.

No one spoke in opposition.

Supv. Perry moved TO APPROVE THE REQUEST OF DAN GREEN FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT TO INCLUDE TWO COMMERICAIL BUILDINGS ON ONE LOT. The motion was seconded by Supv. Tomesh. Aye 4, Nay 0

Allen Briggs: Chrm. Hanson opened the public hearing requested by Allen Briggs for an amendment to a conditional use permit (CUP1999-60) for a planned commercial development to add a hair salon in the existing building. The property is located at 3350 Horlacher Lane which is on the northeast side, about ¼ mile south of the intersection of Horlacher Lane and Hamilton Avenue, next to the Lowes Creek Little League Field.

Admr. Peterson reviewed the Eau Claire County Planning and Development Staff’s recommendations which were to approve the request for the reason that the proposed planned commercial development meets the standards for conditional use permits and is consistent with the zoning ordinance.

Allen Briggs Con’t: No one spoke in opposition.

Supv. Tomesh moved TO APPROVE THE REQUEST OF ALLEN BRIGGS FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A PLANNED COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT TO ADD A HAIR SALON IN THE EXISTING BUILDING. The motion was seconded by Supv. Stacy. Aye 4, Nay 0

Clerk/Treasurer’s Clerk/Treasurer Henning reported the open book has been scheduled for
Report: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. The Board of Review has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, 2008 from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.

There are three pending annexations to the City of Altoona that have been brought forth since the annexation of Curt Manufacturing and JD Manufacturing. Additionally, there is another annexation pending with the City of Eau Claire in relation to former Unity Health Club.

Checks: Supv. Perry moved TO APPROVE CHECKS #18054 THROUGH #18070 TOTALING $11,343.35. The motion was seconded by Supv. Tomesh. Aye 4, Nay 0

Licenses: None.

Black Top Bids: Admr. Peterson presented a report by Fleming, Andre & Associates, Inc. of the blacktop bids received. Allied Blacktop Corporation was the lowest.

Supv. Stacy moved TO APPROVE THE LOWEST BLACK TOP BID OF $290,231.58 BY ALLIED BLACKTOP CORPORATION. The motion was seconded by Supv. Perry. Aye 4, Nay 0

Bike Trail Snow Supv. Tomesh moved TO APPROVE SNOW REMOVAL OF BIKE TRAIL
Removal: FROM FRIEDECK ROAD TO THE PLEASANT VALLEY/TOWN OF WASHINGTON BORDER. The motion was seconded by Supv. Stacy. Aye 3, Nay 1

Administrator’s The Crew is done with the sweeping in the urban areas which has gone well
Report: with the new sweeper. Currently, the Crew is working on the road area with the sweep away broom.

Three parking tickets have been issued. The Town responded to one accident.

A new speed sign of 25 mph has been placed on Joanne Lane. Plus, a replacement sign was installed on Andrew Drive.

Old Town Hall Road will be closed during construction of the round-of-about on HWY 53. There will be a lane open at all times for emergency vehicles only.

Clerk/Treasurer Supv. Tomesh presented the proposed job description for the Clerk/Treasurer’s
Job Description: position that was developed by Supv. Tomesh and Supv. Stacy as requested by the Board. Supv. Tomesh explained that the job description includes the State Statutory requirements and highlighted changes resulting from making the position appointed. The proposed job description specified the Clerk/Treasurer reports to the Administrator and designated a three year appointment term. The reporting structure and the appointment term were discussed at length.

Chrm. Hanson moved TO HAVE THE CLERK/TREASURER AND THE ADMINISTRATOR REPORT TO THE TOWN BOARD. Supv. Perry seconded the motion. After further discussion, Supv. Stacy moved the previous question and the Board agreed. The motion was denied. Aye 1, Nay 3

Supv. Tomesh moved TO APPROVE THE CLERK/TREASURER JOB DESCRIPTION AS PRESENTED WITH THE CLERK/TREASURER REPORTING TO THE TOWN ADMINISTRATOR. The motion was seconded by Supv. Stacy. Aye 4, Nay 0

Supv. Tomesh also distributed, as information, the proposed salary and benefit package for the Clerk/Treasurer position. She requested that Board review the information and it be placed on the next meeting’s agenda.

Employee Vacation Supv. Tomesh stated that this was currently a work in progress and requested
Time: postponing discussion until the review of the Employee Handbook which is scheduled to take place in July.

Chairman’s Report: None.

Supervisor’s Report: None.

Citizen’s Input: None.

Future Zoning None.
Requests:

Items for Next Clerk/Treasurer Position Salary and Benefit Proposal
Meeting’s Agenda:

Adjournment: Supv. Perry moved TO ADJOURN. The motion was seconded by
Supv. Tomesh. The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m. Aye 4, Nay 0

THE BOARD’S NEXT MEETING WILL BE THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2008, AT THE TOWN MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 5750 OLD TOWN HALL ROAD.

Kimberley Bunderson
Administrative Assistant

Attendance: Mr. & Mrs. Allen Briggs, Dan Green, Harvey Hite, and Marlys Hite.

   Mirroring an alarming trend taking place across the state, various non-native and potentially harmful plants have invaded the area’s lakes, including Lake Altoona, raising concerns about their possible ecological and economic impacts.

Read the rest of this entry »

   On Sunday, May 25, Thuy Smith International Outreach, Inc., hosted the third annual Vietnam Veterans Appreciation Dinner at the Eau Claire VFW. Open to Vietnam veterans from Wisconsin and Minnesota who served in Laos, Cambodia, or off a naval ship directly linked to Vietnam, the dinner was attended by roughly 80 veterans, as well as State Representative Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire), guest speakers and Vietnam veterans Larry Williams and Dan Banks, and representatives from the Vietnamese community. It was an opportunity for Vietnam veterans from Altoona as well as surrounding communities to foster camaraderie and community among fellow veterans who were formerly strangers; it was also a time for healing and reconnecting.

Read the rest of this entry »

   Hundreds of lives in the Chippewa Valley are affected by cancer each year, but for the past 15 years, the Chippewa Valley Chapter of the American Cancer Society has fought back. On Saturday, June 7, the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life will be held at Eau Claire’s Carson Park. Co-chaired by Altoona resident Ken Koopmann, the overnight relay will raise funds for cancer research. This annual, nationwide event is held overnight, which, according to the ACS website, symbolizes the darkness of life affected by cancer. 

Read the rest of this entry »

   Altoona resident Ted Theyerl was a guest speaker at a first-time manufacturing event at UW-Stout on Wednesday, May 21.

Read the rest of this entry »

   At the Altoona City Council meeting on Thursday, May 22, council members heard from Sean Lentz, financial advisor of Ehlers and Associates, regarding a new tax increment district in the city of Altoona.

Read the rest of this entry »

   At the Tuesday, May 27 meeting of the Eau Claire County Parks and Forest Committee, Altoona resident Cindy Ziebell presented her concerns regarding the blue-green algae present on Lake Altoona. Along with Ziebell, Ken Jain of the County Health Department addressed potential health issues with the situation.

Read the rest of this entry »

   On Thursday, May 22, AHS students participated in Spanish teacher Melanie Engen’s annual Spanish Amazing Race. Visited locations included Chippewa Falls’ Micon Cinemas to watch a Spanish movie, Casa Mexicana to eat lunch, and Eau Claire’s Supermercado Sandoval to shop. Each visit required photographic proof of the students’ completing the task. Above, Monica Rasmussen, Antoine Stafford, Josh Kriesel, Nathan Poquette, Dakota Thompson and Michael Peterson form the Spanish word “Sí.”

   Editor’s Note: This memory is a continuation of “The bloody knuckle: Nighttime fun” that was published in the May 16 issue of the Altoona Star. 
   There used to be three in a row, but now there are only two with the middle one gone, obvious in its absence like a missing middle tooth. At one time, the three taverns on one block used to make up about 30 percent of the downtown Altoona business population. As time goes by, the memory of the Rail Haven will fade, and it will be forgotten, except in the memories of us “old farts” who cut our teeth on visiting the “grown-up” saloon. We were resigned to the 18-year-old bars ‘til we reached 21, and didn’t have to drive out to the country to socialize and have a cold beer. 

Read the rest of this entry »

Altoona High School hosted its fifth annual Youth Football Camp on Saturday, May 17. Forty-eight students registered and were taught by AHS alumni that included Storm Harmon, Michael Tackmann, and Jacob Bernardy.