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Neillsville City Council Approves Resignation of a City Employee and More

Thursday, June 15th, 2023 -- 12:01 PM

The Neillsville Common Council approved the resignation of a city employee at their meeting on Tuesday.

The Council accepted the resignation of Assistant Clerk-Treasurer Debbie Winder effective June 23rd and thanked her for her service to the City of Neillsville. The Council then approved to accept the recommendation to advertise the Assistant Clerk-Treasurer position vacancy.

The Council also approved a request by the Heritage Days Committee to extend the closing hours to 2:00 A.M and noise hours to 1:30 A.M. to allow the bands to play on Friday, July 7th and Saturday, July 8th in Schuster Park for the Heritage Days events.

The Council also approved a request by the Heritage Days Committee to close the following streets for Heritage Days events:

  • Thursday, July 6, 2023 West Street-from W. Fifth Street to W. Sixth Street;
  • Friday, July 7, 2023 Boon Boulevard-from the North Legion Hall driveway to Lucille Lane;
  • Saturday, July 8, 2023 Willow Street-from Elm Street to Country Club Stairway;
  • Sunday, July 9, 2023 West Street-from W. Fourth Street to W. Sixth Street W.;
  • Fifth Street-from Hewett Street to the Dollar Tree parking lot entrance;
  • W. Sixth Street-from Hewett Street to Grand Avenue;
  • Hewett Street-from Division Street to W. Eighth Street (parade route times).

The Council also approved an ordinance stating that this ordinance effectively terminates the City Attorney as an employee and goes to contracted service, this cannot be done without cause.

City Attorney Bonnie Wachsmuth stated that she is consenting to the termination of the City Attorney employee position and therefore will not be able to sue the City for it. Council Member Barb Petkovsek thanked Wachsmuth for all the years she served as City Attorney.

City Attorney Wachsmuth read Ordinance No. 1075, stating it includes the language requested by the DNR. The ordinance deals with designated ATV/UTV routes. The ordinance states the City of Neillsville authorizes the operation of ATVs on all state and county roads within the City of Neillsville, Clark County, Wisconsin, boundary limits where the posted speed limit is 35 mph or less.

The Council also accepted the 2023 Recycling Grant funds received from the State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in the amount of $9,919.26. That’s a slight decrease from 2022’s $9,938.49.

City Clerk Rex Roehl reported that the Associated Bank loan has been closed and the proceeds received for the Public Works vehicles and equipment and appropriate $510,000 to the appropriate accounts.

Mayor Dewey Poeschel presented a request from Crystal Frese to park a trailer in the Gazebo parking lot during the City-wide garage sale days for the sale of frozen Angus beef. City Clerk Roehl stated that she would be parked overnight and she knows that if she needs electricity the park fee is $30 per day. The Council approved the request.

Chief of Police Jim Mankowski reported on:

  • Training;
  • Interviewing a part-time police officer candidate;
  • Police Officer Jason Wampole graduated from the Police Academy and has started field training;
  • The department’s computer server needs to be replaced and has been ordered;
  • A desktop computer also crashed and a replacement ordered;
  • Squad car maintenance;
  • May parking enforcement, citations, warnings, incidents, office activities, calls, officer activities, business activities, citizen interactions;
  • Gave a safety presentation to the Girl Scout Group about social media;
  • Performed background checks on each City licensed bartenders and inspected licensed establishments.

City Clerk Roehl presented an email from the Neillsville Area Chamber of Commerce regarding issues with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue on the Farmer’s Market. The DOR is claiming it is an organized event of the Chamber. The Chamber is not going to be responsible for the paperwork and monthly reporting requirements.

Council Member Dan Clough reported that the Opelt Park play structure has been installed, the fitness structure is about half done, concrete will be poured on Thursday and the rubberized surface put down in a couple of weeks. Please stay off the structures until everything is ready.

Council Member Petkovsek reported on the May 24, 2023 meeting of the Beautification Committee regarding:

  • Discussion on and approval of the donors list to send out donation letters for flowers and decorations;
  • Discussion on military banners;
  • Discussion on Gazebo repairs;
  • Discussion on and approval to pay Over the Garden Gate/Master Gardeners for flowers at the Library;
  • Discussion on improvements to Prock Park;
  • Discussion on weeding schedule;
  • And planting of downtown flowers and thanking “The Rec-ing Crew” and Parks Department for their help.

Council Member Petkovsek reported on the May 25 and June 2, 2023 meetings of the Personnel Committee regarding:

  • Discussion on whether the City Attorney position should continue as an employee position or go to a contracted position;
  • The recommendation to amend Ordinance SEC. 2-3-4 CITY ATTORNEY to a contracted position;
  • Discussion on and recommendation to amend Ordinance SEC. 2-3-1X OFFICIALS to remove the City Attorney position;
  • A closed session to review applications and interview candidates for the Recreation Director position-adjourned in closed session.

City Clerk Roehl reported on the June 13, 2023 meeting of the Personnel Committee regarding:

  • Discussion on and recommendation to accept the resignation of Assistant Clerk-Treasurer Debbie Winder effective June 23, 2023;
  • Discussion on the Assistant Clerk-Treasurer’s job description;
  • And discussion on and recommendation to advertise the Assistant Clerk-Treasurer position vacancy.

Council Member Petkovsek and Council Member J. Neville jointly reported on the May 25, 2023 joint meeting of the Personnel Committee and Parks and Recreation Board regarding:

  • Discussion on the Recreation Department operations during the vacancy;
  • Both the Personnel Committee and Parks and Recreation Board approved having Recreation Director Judy Lindner set up a substitute to cover the month of July, if needed;
  • Discussion on the hiring process under Ordinance SEC. 2-3-14 Recreation Director, under the Ordinance the Parks and Recreation Board appoints the Recreation Director;
  • The Parks and Recreation Board approved referring the hiring process and interviewing of the Recreation Director applicants to the Personnel Committee with J. Neville and Sue Voigt sitting in on the meeting;
  • Discussion on and setting meeting dates;
  • The Personnel Committee adjourned, the Parks and Recreation Board continued;
  • And discussion with Library Director Janay Ziebell on signage for the Story Book Trail in Schuster Park.

Mayor Poeschel reported on the June 1, 2023 meeting of the Police and Fire Commission regarding a closed session to interview a candidate for the Other Part-time Police Officer position-adjourned in closed session.

Council Member J. Neville reported on the June 5, 2023 meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board regarding a closed session to receive the Personnel Committee recommendation on candidates for the Recreation Director position-adjourned in closed session.

Council Member J. Neville reported on the June 8, 2023 meeting of the Heritage Days Committee regarding:

  • Discussion on advertising and signs;
  • Discussion on shirts;
  • Discussion on golf outing;
  • Discussion on and request to Council to extend Schuster Park hours;
  • And discussion on and approved checking account signers.

Council Member Clough reported on the June 13, 2023 meeting of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities regarding current activities.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, a resident stated there is an alleyway on Huron Street (backyards between Huron Street and Center Street) where the neighbors have trees, buildings and fences in the right-of-way. The City is aware of this, but it does not matter.

If the City doesn’t want to open it, then close it up, give it to the property owners and collect taxes on the land. The City says he has to collect signatures on a petition to close the alley, but it should be the City’s responsibility not his. In this City it is who you are and who you know.

He also stated that he wants to speak on a lot of stuff-like four wheelers, the Police Department doesn’t even have a decibel meter to monitor the noise level, they’re understaffed; this City has no sidewalks, people have to walk down the street, they planted trees down the side instead. Another resident stated that the new benches in the Town Square look very nice.

Finally, a third resident stated that she is the organizer of the City-wide garage sale and she is here to support Crystal Frese’s request to park in the Gazebo parking lot to sell frozen Angus beef from her freezer truck during the City-wide garage sale days, she will need electricity.

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