Neillsville City Council Discusses Loan for New City Hall and More

Friday, October 29th, 2021 -- 12:00 PM

The Neillsville City Council discussed the Citizens State Bank loan regarding the new City Hall building.

City Clerk Rex Roehl reported that the Citizens State Bank loan has been closed and the proceeds received for the new City Hall building. The Council approved to accept and appropriate $550,000 to Proceeds from Long-Term Debt and to Public Buildings Outlay.

The Council also discussed a resolution regarding the City’s 2021-2026 Outdoor Recreation Plan. Council Member Dan Clough discussed a DNR grant, the Rails-to-Trails Project, and a lawsuit as it was mentioned during the appearances portion of the meeting.

He stated the DNR grant was requested and received for the trailhead park area and seven-tenths of a mile trail which is already owned. The seven-tenths of a mile trail has nothing to do with the lawsuit.

The trail was in the City 2013 Recreation Plan, it’s been in plans for over ten years, this is not a buyer/seller arrangement, it’s a plan. If you don’t have a plan, you don’t get anywhere, lots of plans never come about.

Council Member Julie Counsell stated it is not a co-signed application/grant, the City Mayor is the only one who signed it, and the monies go to NIC. Council Member Clough stated that NIC is the Fiscal Agent.

Council Member Counsell stated that it is a little misleading and, in the future, clarification should be better. The City was the applicant, no one else, and the Council Members never saw the application.

Mayor Diane Murphy stated they knew the City was the applicant. Council Member Clough stated it was reviewed by the City Attorney. The Resolution was adopted by the Council with 4 voting yes and one voting no.

Mayor Murphy presented a request to have a plaque made for the new City Hall dedicated to the memories of Kurt and Marquerite Listeman and Harold Naedler as they gave so much to the City. Council Member Joe Neville asked if they are naming the building after them.

Mayor Murphy replied “no”, it’s for their financial gifts to the City. Council Member John Perrine stated it would be a commemorative plaque then. The Council approved the plaque.

Mayor Murphy presented Alexander Marth’s Letter of Resignation as a City Police Officer effective October 31st. The Council accepted his resignation. It was then stated that the next item on the agenda, the expenditure of the remaining available 2021 Police Department funds and other available funds given changes made to the 2022 Police Department budget, to clear up misunderstandings and get everyone to understand.

Council Member Counsell stated during the budget process, they took $27,730 out of the 2022 budget to spend in 2021. City Clerk Roehl presented benefit money to be split half Police Department and half Fire Department as part of the discussion. Half of the benefit savings is $26,660.

Police Chief Jim Mankowski presented an over and under budget projection for 2021, which the Council did not see, and taking out the $20,000 in legal fees, he has a total savings of $44,227. Total funds available are $97,387.

Council Member Counsell stated she is trying to clarify there is the opportunity to buy a new vehicle for $47,769. Gross Motors has the vehicle on their lot, and the cost breakdown includes the vehicle plus setup.

The City has nothing relatively new, a 2013 Dodge Charger, a 2014 Chevy Tahoe and two 2013 Ford Taurus. Mayor Murphy referred to City Ordinance Sec. 2-2-3 as the Mayor being the Chief Executive Officer and State Statute 62.09(8).

Murphy stated that the Police Department is a customer service business and should be run as a business, you just don’t spend money because it’s available. Chief Mankowski has been self-employed and knows how to run his Department.

Council Member Clough stated that Council Member Counsell put these sheets together, a department head is responsible for their department and budget, and he feels Council Member Counsell over stepped her boundaries on how the Chief should spend money.

Council Member Counsell stated she worked with the Chief of Police, the Finance Committee sets the budget dollars, the Council is responsible for the budget, she made the workpapers for today and the Police and Fire Commission handles personnel.

Council Member Clough stated the Council sets the budget, the Chief runs the department and department budget, he feels there was overstep. Council Member Neville asked how much does the Chief have to spend.

City Clerk Roehl stated that the amount taken from the 2022 budget ($27,730) is doubling up with the half share of benefits savings ($26,660). The 2022 amount was a proposal with no money levied for it, so it cannot be counted as cash.

Council Member Counsell stated the $44,000 City Clerk Roehl proposed is the $18,000 projection from the Chief’s over and under budget projections plus the $26,000 half benefits savings, you need to add the $20,000 back for legal fees which the Council approved for the Police Department to go over budget.

Chief of Police Mankowski stated after talking with City Clerk Roehl the proposed car ($16,500) and equipment ($10,660) was taken out of the 2022 budget and to be purchased in 2021 with the one time benefit budget savings.

Chief of Police Mankowski stated that he is trying to run the Department as efficiently as possible, purchasing good used equipment from other departments, he is implementing a property and asset management system for more accurate accounting.

The Department is not a business, but has to be fiscally responsible and he does not want to get into the politics. City Attorney Bonnie Wachsmuth stated it is not the spending, it is how much do you have to spend.

City Clerk Roehl and Council Member Counsell don’t have the same dollar amount. Council Member Counsell stated that City Clerk Roehl’s dollar amount includes the $20,000 in legal fees.

Chief of Police Mankowski stated if you buy new, it wears out fast and if you get a new vehicle now what’s in the future, he doesn’t like high speed pursuit. If the Council wants brand new. Council Member Neville stated they are not here to tell him what to spend.

Chief of Police Mankowski asked if he has a Department budget or a line item budget. Council Member Clough stated it is a Department budget plan. Council Member Neville stated Chief Mankowski is in charge to do what he thinks is best.

During the appearances portion of the meeting, Jon Counsell stated you have an agenda item adopting a future Recreation Plan. The plan includes a trail from Neillsville through Granton to Chili costing $3 to $5 million.

It’s a basic reality the trail has to be on someone else’s property. For this to occur you need a willing property owner. There currently is a Clark County Court Case involving Lloyd Meyer/Xcel (NSP) Energy/ Neillsville Improvement Corporation (NIC).

Dawn Schultz, Xcel /NSP siting land rights agent, placed under oath, stated at this time Xcel/NSP has no interest in transferring land to NIC or anyone else. How accurate is this proposed plan? Is it proposing something feasible or just a wild dream? Take a close look at the lawsuit and papers filed at the Courthouse.

Diane Kren, Chamber of Commerce Director, stated she spoke with the Mayor about people living in a van on W. Seventh Street, since being evicted from the old hotel. The City has no ordinance against it. Do we want the City to become a slum?

They need to beef up the City ordinances, so the Chief of Police can enforce it. The Council should be working for the people. Kren stated at the July 13th Common Council meeting, the Council had granted the use of the Gazebo and Library parking lots for Autumn Fest.

A week before the event, Council Member Clough called stating the Farmer’s Market is still going on. Her records show the Farmer’s Market from the last weekend in May until the first weekend in October. When did it change? She has been advertising wrong.

Did the City take it over? She was told there were five vendors, so she marked off the rest for the Autumn Fest event, more showed up and she lost her food vendor, as they had no place to plug in. The Farmer’s Market people harassed her about being there.

Once the Council gives permission, there should be a way to enforce it. This needs to be figured out. Council Member Clough stated that the Farmer’s Market had been abandoned for years when former Chamber Director Deanna Heiman brought it back.

Working with the Extension office, a set of guidelines were developed. Council Member Neville stated someone has to be in charge. City Attorney Wachsmuth asked who wrote the rules? The City owns the property. If there are rules then the City should be approving them.

Council Member Neville stated Kren needs direction. There has to be a point person and safety rules. Council Member Clough stated that he has been putting out the sign. Being downtown, the vendors come to him. He had talked to the vendors ahead of time, however there still was confusion.

Mayor Murphy stated that she had talked to both the City Attorney and Chief of Police on the people living in the van. Kren stated that a County Health person was delivering bottled oxygen to the van. The lady in the van smokes and she is concerned about the whole City block.

Should the County Health Department not have stepped in? Chief of Police Mankowski stated that if they are back, call him. City Attorney Wachsmuth stated that there is not ordinance against sleeping in your vehicle overnight.

Another resident questioned why the County isn’t doing mandatory reporting and stepping in and she is concerned about the City co-signing on the DNR grant and not knowing the full truth about the trail project.

Chief of Police Mankowski stated it all ties together – the eviction notice, closing the hotel, living in the van, the Health Officer’s order to change the locks, an uncooperative property owner as well as the cockroach issues and moving place to place.

They need to schedule a meeting time with the City Attorney. Council Member Counsell asked if they have other locations. Health Officer Doris Bakker stated an eviction should be immediate to stop the spread. Their ordinances don’t have enough teeth to affect what is needed.

City Attorney Wachsmuth stated there are limitations on what you can do, we can strengthen our ordinances. Health Officer Bakker stated that we try to do things cooperatively first. Chief of Police Mankowski stated education first, before involving the City Attorney and putting people out.

Chief of Police Mankowski then reported on training, personnel openings (two full-time and two-part time), equipment (purchase of three used AR-15 rifles from the New Glarus Police Department for $900 and receiving a donation of two pet scanners to read chipped dogs and cats) and September citations, warnings, complaints, business checks and activity hours. The single point of access at the Courthouse has created no parking issues.

City Clerk Roehl reported that the City Assessor, Appraisal Consultants, sent out 911 questionnaires during the revaluation process to property owners with 408 being returned for a rate of 44.79% and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue has certified our 2021 Assessment Ratio at 102.94%.

Mayor Murphy reported on the October 14th meeting of the Property Committee-City Hall and Police Department regarding the cabinets, base frames and countertops are installed; the monument sign base has been installed and the electrical is scheduled; and directional signs have been installed.

Also, the tile has been installed in the IT room and vault; the carpet tile has been installed in the lobby and Council Room areas; tables have arrived; Council chairs and the stackable chairs have been ordered; and the Wisconsin Election Commission is going to require a .gov email address.

The office area cabling is scheduled; Audio Architects have been contacted that the flooring is done; discussion on a PEG channel through the Police Department network; the telephone system change over will happen November 1st; and the email directory will be migrated this weekend.

Also, the City Shop internet installation has been delayed; the new City Custodian has started; the City’s Workhorse Software will have to be reinstalled on the new network; discussion on replacing the refrigerator; and discussion on the City Hall move; and the new City Hall opening date will be Monday, November 1st.

Council Member Dave Harnisch reported on the October 20th meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission regarding discussion on adding the Merchant’s Hotel property, 105 W. Seventh Street, to the Local Historic Registry of Historic Places; and discussion on the signage process.

Also, the Historic Preservation files have been moved to the new City Hall; discussion on funds and; discussion on and approval of payment for a $891 Historic Preservation grant to Roger and Sharon Christopherson, The Brickyard owners, for their painting project, and; discussion on a Christmas Tour of Homes and other alternatives, but no action taken.

Council Member Clough reported on the October 26th meeting of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities regarding current activities; discussion on nuisance properties; and payment of bills.

Also, they had a closed session for the purpose of deliberating or negotiating the purchase of public properties, the investing of public funds, or the conducting of other specified public business, as long as competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session, and adjourned in closed session.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.