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Neillsville City Council Discusses List of Polling Place Officials and More

Thursday, December 14th, 2023 -- 10:01 AM

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The Neillsville City Council discussed a list of polling place officials and voting registration deputies at their meeting on Tuesday.

Mayor Dewey Poeschel presented the following nomination list of polling place officials and voting registration deputies:

  • Ward I – Jana Marden, Janice Mayer, Gayle Vatne
  • Ward II – Kathy Brugger, Denise Clough, Greg Glisczinski
  • Ward III – Carol Harnisch, Mary Hartung, Brent Shoup
  • Ward IV – Sharon Bjerke, Natalie Erpenbach, Mary Nauertz
  • Ward V – Margaret Gelhaus, Lynda Hilliard, Karen Venne

This represents eight Republicans and seven Democrat representatives in the polling place. Their terms of office will be two years, from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025.

Voter Registration Deputies – Kay Anason and Debbie Tlusty. This represents one Republican and one Democrat voter registration deputy. Their terms of office will be for two years, from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025. The Council approved the list. One Alderman did abstain from the vote.

City Clerk Rex Roehl presented a request from Police Department employees to carry over 2023 unused vacation time due to personnel shortages not allowing for time to be taken off. There is a total of 120 hours. Employees are James Mankowski (80 hours) and Derek Wheatley (40 hours). The Council approved the hours to carry over, but they must be used by March 31, 2024.

Recreation Director Jessica Brown then presented a request for use of the City Hall basement for a Toddler/Child Play program. It is a new program funded by the $10,000 Listeman grant. The basement area is heated, carpeted and permanent.

She could setup the area with the play equipment and not have to take it down and store it after each use. She will be there to supervise, the program would be for six years of age and under, the parent is required to stay.

Council Member Julie Counsell asked if there would be a charge and if they had checked with the City’s insurance company. Recreation Director Brown stated that there would be a program charge and she had contacted the League of Wisconsin Municipalities and there is no concern. The Council approved the use of the City Hall basement for a Toddlers/Child Play program.

The Council then heard some information from the Neillsville Police Chief. Chief of Police Mankowski stated as he is completing his fourth year as Chief of Police. He has worked hard building a team of police officers, training them and providing the promised change that he was hired to deliver.

Now he is asking the Council for its trust. Trust that things are being done correctly and take time to thank the City’s police officers. Chief of Police Mankowski reported on receiving the FBI-LEEDA Trilogy Award for completion of required leadership courses. He is the first Neillsville Chief of Police in department history to achieve this.

Chief of Police Mankowski reported on:

  • Trainings;
  • Police Officer Mertzig will begin field training in January;
  • Police Officer Fecker will begin field training the last week in December;
  • The 2019 Ford squad will be placed in service soon;
  • The 2013 Dodge Charger squad will be auctioned off;
  • November parking enforcements, citations, warnings, incidents, office activity, calls, officer activity, business patrols, citizen interactions;
  • Town of Mentor contract policing (starting in January, 2024 the monthly commitment will increase from 10 hours to 15 hours).

Mayor Poeschel then read a letter from Bob Venne, B & F Machine Shop, regarding courthouse parking on E. Sixth Street. A few courthouse workers are abusing the parking situation, by playing a cat and mouse game of moving cars around instead of using the courthouse parking lots.

They don’t care about his customers or older people who need to use the courthouse. In Stevens Point they have an ordinance and parking signs that say “No Re-Parking,” parking is allowed one time per calendar day.

City Clerk Rex Roehl presented a note from State Representative Donna Rozar and State Senator Jesse James that they will be holding a listening session on Friday, December 15th in Neillsville. Mayor Poeschel also swore in Jake Mertzig as a City Police officer.

The Council then heard the various Committee Reports from the past couple weeks. Council Member Barb Petkovsek reported on the November 28th meeting of the Grants Committee:

  • Regarding review and updating the list of grants in progress.

Council Member Clarissa Rochester reported on the November 20th meeting of the Heritage Days Committee regarding:

  • Discussion on Friday night bands;
  • Discussion on and approval of sending out donation request letters;
  • Discussion on Uncommon Denominator band contract for Saturday night;
  • Discussion on Miss Neillsville checkbook;
  • And discussion on and approval of a contract with Chippewa Valley Sound for Friday and Saturday night shows at a cost of $3,000 plus Friday night hotel rooms.

Council Member Clough reported on the December 12th meeting of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities:

  • Regarding current activities.

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