Chairman Darrel Fehr called the meeting to order on October 10, 2011 at 8:00 pm. The supervisors present: David Clements and John Sykora. Other officers present were: Victoria Trinko-Clerk and Judith A. Prince-treasurer. See attached list for delegation present.
PUBLIC COMMENT: Victoria Trinko stated that dust continues to billow from Jeff Buchner’s mining site. She inquired, “Where is the water truck that was to be coming next week in July?” Jeff Buchner informed the town board at the July regular town meeting that a water truck was coming next week. David Clements reported the case concerning Chapter 19 ordinance will be heard by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Comment by the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Dept-noise pollution: This was not addressed as no one from the Sheriff’s Dept. attended the meeting.
Comment on Humane Officer Training workshop-Calvin Swartz: Sue and Calvin Swartz attended the 40 hr. workshop in Madison and passed the test to become certified Humane Officers. This certification allows them as Humane Officers to obtain a search warrant for suspected cases of abuse or neglect of animals. They need to be appointed by the Town of Cooks Valley to become a humane officer for the town. There are forms to be filled out for picking up strays. They need 32 hours of training in two years to maintain their certification. Their facility must be licensed and inspected for which there is $125.00 facility licensing fee. They delivered a pit bull to Wausau to be taken to Appleton Rescue center. Two more pit bulls were delivered last week. A bill for the training session will be presented to the towns involved in the animal control.
David Clements made a motion to approve and place on file the minutes of September 19, 2011 regular town board meeting. John Sykora seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
Discussion and possible action on budget categories: John Sykora made a motion to transfer $250.00 from non-allocated funds to U-138-town hall maintenance & supplies. David Clements seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0. David Clements made a motion to transfer $2500.00 from non-allocated funds to P-144 Animal Control, with a remainder of $5660.40 in non-allocated funds. John Sykora seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
Approval of the October Financial Report: David Clements made a motion to approve the October financial report. John Sykora seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
Reading and Approval of the September bills: John Sykora made a motion to approve the September bills. David Clement seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
Building Permits: There were no building permits.
Darrel Fehr made a motion to move item 12 to item 10. David Clements seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
Discussion on water issues: Ted Peterson, plant manager from Preferred Sands and Tom Holstrom with Barr Engineering, representing Preferred Sand and whose main office is in Minneapolis , gave a slide presentation of the locations of wells, water and soil layers, the location of the production well in August and a second production well. Preferred Sands has a monitoring well to measure the affects of the production well of 250 feet depth, which pulls 500 gallons per minute about 12 hours daily. The monitoring well will be tested monthly. They will provide one-time free well water testing within the blue area, a ½ mile radius for residents that request a well testing. The town board requested a copy of the results of the well water testing. Preferred sands will be adding a flocculant, polyacrylamide, a clarifier that allows sand particles to form a larger mass for settling out. There are 2 clay lined trenchers that the solids from the water clarifier will go into. At this time, 15-20 acres of land is exposed at the Preferred Sands mine site. When reclamation begins, materials from the mine site and materials from Woodbury will be used in the reclamation process. Woodbury adds a flocculant made from sea shells in their process. Preferred Sands is requesting sand that has not had flocculants added to be used in the reclamation process. This is a request but it was indicated some sands with added flocculants may be used. Chippewa County Land Conservation has requested tests of returning sand to pass requirements for use in the reclamation process. Ted Peterson, plant manager for Preferred Sands, reported having a 3400 gallon water truck on the premises for dust control. Usage of the water truck is determined by the humidity and other weather variables. He indicated Preferred Sands would like to pave the commercial road up to the scales. Preferred Sands has requested a variance from the state for air monitors. A variance means they do not want to have to install air monitors to measure the dust in the air coming from the mine site.
Discussion and possible action on flex patching and crack sealing of town roads: Fahner submitted a bid for the flexpatching of 150th Avenue-$3135.00, 148th/150th Avenue-$2805.00 and 178th Avenue-$10,195.00 for a total of $16,335.00. They will try to complete the flexpatching this fall but if the weather does not permit, the town will prepay for flexpatching in the spring of 2012. David Clements made a motion approving the bid from Fahner to flexpatch 150th Avenue, 148th/150th Aventine and 178th Avenue for a total of $16,335.00. John Sykora seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
Discussion and possible action on application/requirements for TRID funding-40th Street: Darrel Fehr made a motion to file for TRID funding for 40th Street from County Highway A to 155th Avenue, have an engineer fill out the forms and submit the forms to the Chippewa County Highway Dept. David Clements seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
Possible approval of operators application-Teressa Aasen, Ashley Larson-Trout Creek Inn: David Clements made a motion to approve the operators applications of Teressa Aasen and Ashley Larson-Trout Creek Inn. John Sykora seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
Discussion and possible action on Noise Pollution Ordinance: Chairman Darrel Fehr has consulted with the Sheriff’s Dept and Randy Yeakey- state patrol officer. The Town of Cooks Valley would need a constable and may have no way to enforce a noise pollution ordinance. The town would like to erect signs limiting jake braking on certain portions of town and county roads but cannot place a sign on a county road as the town would have no way to enforce it. Communities having signs concerning jake braking have police officers to enforce the ordinance. This item was postponed until the next board meeting.
Discussion on county approval of ordinances: The town clerk will send a copy of the Comprehensive plan to Doug Clary of the Zoning office.
Discussion and possible action on funding for fire truck: The cost of a new fire truck will be $396,446.00. With a prepay of $300,000.00 at the signing of the contract, the final cost of the new fire truck ill be $383,565.00. The Town of Cooks Valley’s portion will be $41,463.00 or 10.81%. Due to of the placement of money into certificates of deposit for a number of years in the past by the existing town boards of Cooks Valley for the anticipated purchase of a new fire truck; there is available money for the new fire truck and money will not need to be drawn from the checking account. David Clements made a motion to pay the Town of Cooks Valley’s portion of $41,463.00 for the purchase of a new fire truck for the Bloomer Fire Dept. John Sykora seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
Discussion and possible action on the Chairman attending the WTA convention: David Clements made a motion for Chairman Darrel Fehr to attend the WTA convention with expenses not to exceed $400.00. John Sykora seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
Discussion of land acquisition-Steve Russell: Steve Russell would like to purchase 2 ½ acres. John Sykora made a motion to remove item 19 from the agenda. David Clements seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
Chairman’s Report:
Dissemination of Information:
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND BUSINESS
ADJOURN: Darrel Fehr made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:05 pm. John Sykora seconded the motion. The motion carried 3-0.
Typed: October 19 2011 Respectfully submitted,
Approved: November 14, 2011 Victoria Trinko, town clerk