Neillsville City Council Approves Funds for Listeman Park Improvements; Also Hear Concerns About Homecoming

Friday, October 13th, 2023 -- 1:01 PM

The Neillsville City Council approved the appropriation of funds for some work in Listeman Park.

The Council approved the recommendation to appropriate Parks and Recreation Room Tax funds for a pickleball court in Listeman Park at a cost of $22,500 and roof repairs to the Schuster Park South shelter at a cost $10,500.

Chief of Police Jim Markowski presented a request to purchase a used 2019 Ford Explorer SUV from Veto Enterprises, Inc. in the amount of $18,500. The funds would come for the Department’s Hospital Insurance Expense to the Police Auto account. The Council approved the request.

The Council also approved to accept the resignations of Mark Olson and Krista Rueth as members of the Heritage Days Committee. Several members of the community spoke during the appearances portion of the meeting about Neillsville’s Homecoming and some of the actions taken during that time frame.

Debra Berg stated she is speaking about community. This community works together. It broke her heart when the news media made it sound like all the children are bad when most are not. What happened with the parade route was totally uncalled for.

The School and those involved did a great job relocating it on short notice. Vandalism can happen. She is willing to be a part of a committee with the Police Department and the School. Other communities have a list of who is willing to be toilet papered, as well as, a list of people who will help clean up. Our children are growing up way too fast, they should paint store windows, build floats and toilet paper.

Jack Miller stated homecoming last year had picnic tables put on Hwy 10 and two children tried to steal his concrete eagle, but they could not lift it, smashing pumpkins, etc. The Chief of Police should keep doing what he is doing. These children have not been raised right; you don’t damage other people’s property.

Another resident thanked the Fire Chief and firefighters for the little pamphlet provided with the steak feed fundraiser this year. Also, she respects peoples’ positions, she listens to the Police scanner and when you stop people for wearing black, it is profiling and that is not right.

Neillsville District Administrator John Gaier thanked the Council Members for what they do. He thanked the community for passing the school referendum. He apologized for the oversight in not getting a parade permit.

He personally offered to pay the fine, but didn’t want to put the Police Department in that position. The choice was not to have the parade or do something else. It was moved to around the school. The Chief of Police was put in the middle, you do nothing, now you’ve done too much. Homecoming was not ruined. The children had fun and staff made it a special day. The community unifies when something needs to be done.

Jeremy Schultz stated that he is part of the community, is on the Fire Department and chose to raise his children here. He is disappointed in City leadership with the bullying shown. Bullying is not wanted in our community.

Decisions made placed harm and threats of force have instilled fear of law enforcement. It was unnecessary and costly to the City. The streets have been closed for the parade for years, now a select few have bullied our citizens, businesses and children. If they are unhappy, why do they serve on the City board?

Jon Counsell stated there are a few misunderstandings. The majority of students are not bad, things happen, but people don’t realize the extent of it-picnic tables placed on Hwy 10 and on a park shelter roof, students physically confronting an elderly person by punching them and other things that happened last year.

To gain control, sometimes a drastic action is needed to send a message, there are repercussions, so little things don’t turn into big things. This is not about toilet papering; other things lead to the decisions made.

Chief of Police Markowski reported on:

• Taser training;
• Purchase of blowhorn for homecoming;
• Squad car maintenance;
• September parking enforcement, citations, warnings, incidents, office activity, calls, officer activities, business patrols, and citizen interactions;
• And Town of Mentor contract policing.

Fire Chief Matt Meyer reported on the Third Quarter 2023:

• Applied for a DNR 50/50 grant for Wildland fire pants;
• Filled two swimming pools;
• Set-up and lit Fourth of July Fireworks;
• Heritage Days parade and water fights;
• Held the first annual Public Safety Night with the City Police Department and Ambulance EMS;
• Attended a Clark County Emergency Services Association meeting in Greenwood;
• Filled the mud pit and provided stand by at the Mud Bog;
• Burnt brush piles for the City and Highground;
• Attended planning meeting and stand by for the Chris Kroeze concert at the Fairgrounds;
• Provided trucks and crew for the Demo Derby;
• Provided traffic control for the Highground Ride to Remember;
• Provided water truck and crew for the Rock Crawlers event;
• Placed a truck and empty set of turnout gear in the parking lot for the 23rd anniversary of 9/11;
• Truck in the Granton Fall Festival parade.
• The Department responded to 17 calls: 8 – City: down power line, child locked in bathroom, mulch fire, paint fire booth, lift assist, false alarm and cancelled enroute to a lift assist; 9 – Rural: tree fire, a two-car accident, UTV accident, transformer fire, silage/manure fire, cancelled to missing kayaker, tractor fire, grass fire, called to an accident by I-phone call in – nothing found;
• One firefighter left the Department;
• All equipment in good working order;
• The new engine should be here in about a year;
• The Department would like to thank the community for its support of the annual steak feed which was held last Saturday – 1,112 steaks were served along with 37 kid’s meals.

County Member Clough stated that the Chamber of Commerce Autumn Harvest Fest will be help Saturday, October 14, 2023. City Clerk Roehl presented the Third Quarter 2023 City Financial Statements and the River County Co-op Grand Opening on October 11, 2023.

The Council also heard the various committee reports. Mayor Dewey Poeschel reported on the September 26th meeting of the Grants Committee regarding:

• Reviewed and updated the list of grants in progress;
• Discussion on possible sources of grants and financial assistance;
• Discussion on how Departments apply for grants;
• Discussion on CDBG Housing Loan default going into foreclosure by the first position lender;
• Discussion on and referral of the 2024 Grants Committee budget to the Finance Committee for inclusion within the Economic Development Commission budget.

Mayor Poeschel reported on the October 3rd, 5th, and 9th meeting of the Finance Committee regarding:

• Presentation of department budgets;
• Work on the 2024 budget;
• Adoption of the wages schedule for 2024;
• Reviewed major areas of revenues and expenditure changes;
• And recommendation of budget categories and levy amount of the 2024 budget to the Common Council for Public Hearing Tuesday, November 14th at 7:15 P.M. Total budget $3,932,194 – Proposed Levy including Tax Incremental Districts - $1,441,116 – a increase of $160,399.

Mayor Poeschel presented the October 5th meeting of the Heritage Days Committee regarding:

• Discussion on the 2023 event;
• Discussion on the set-up for Autumn Harvest Celebration, Saturday, October 14th in the downtown parking lot on West Street;
• And discussion on and approved booking Kalliah & Black Water Band for Thursday night July 11th of 2024.

Council Member Dan Clough reported on the October 10th meeting of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities regarding:

• Current activities;
• And reviewed the Third Quarter Water and Sewer Financial Statements.

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