Special Council Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the Special Council meeting held on Monday, March 30th, 2009 at city hall pursuant to notice duly given.

1. Meeting called to order at 6:09 p.m. by Mayor Nerenhausen.
2. Roll call: Mayor Nerenhausen, Ed Young, Lloyd Heier, John Wittkopf, Al Schreiber, Joe Stiloski, Marlene Zahn, Dick Doeren, Jim Lacourciere, Sue Exworthy, Jack Maas and Atty. Mraz.
3. Invocation and pledge of allegiance given by Alderperson Schreiber.
4. Moved by Heier seconded by Schreiber to approve of the agenda as presented.
5. Public appearances: Mayor presented a certificate of appreciation to Dennis Ladwig for his years of service as a firefighter for the City of Oconto; Copy of draft Oconto County Comprehensive Plan; minutes of the airport commission and park & recreation committee minutes; league bulletins; Bay-Lakes Regional Planning newsletter;
6. Discussion/action on:
a. Jeff Belongia, Hutchinson Shockey Erley & Co., presented the refinancing information that originally came to the council last fall; Belongia stated that Standard’s & Poor’s (S&P) have issued an A+ rating on our utility which allowed for very low interest rates over the next 5 years on this refinancing issue; as a credit enhancement S&P felt strongly after reviewing our year end audit info and our utility operation; not many utilities can secure ratings; city can appreciate the good management and infrastructures we have in ground; good fiscal responsibility and our user rates we have in place; the interest rates we have on this refinancing saved thousands of dollars in debt payments;

Moved by Maas seconded by Wittkopf to approve of the Resolution Authorizing the Issuance and Sale of $5,430,000 Waterworks and Sewerage System Revenue Bond Anticipation Notes.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 10 ayes

b. Mayor reported on the meeting had with Pat Scanlan regarding the relocation of Hwy 22; all concerns raised at last meeting have been addressed; Wittkopf questioned what will the cost be for acquiring the ROW…all costs before moving the road; Mayor stated before we can talk to Brezinski about acquiring property from him, we need council approval to move forward; Maas questioned where will money come from; Mayor stated $133,000 is what DOT stated they will give to county as jurisdictional transfer (JT) money…but Scanlan is protesting that amount because of the price of oil in the black top…state is reconsidering, so additional JT funds maybe allocated; Maas stated he wants to see a map on where Charles Street will go….with the relocation; Exworthy referenced the map…stated the negotiation with the property owner will be for both pieces of property; Maas questioned what the discussion and motion was from last meeting on this issue; Exworthy questioned what are the unknowns yet…cost of the real estate; Wittkopf stated he has no problem with the plan…but would like to know the cost of the property;

Moved by Maas seconded by Doeren to accept the Mayor’s report on the relocating of Hwy 22.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 10 ayes

c. Moved by Maas seconded by Heier to authorize Mayor to contact Mr. Brezinski regarding his two parcels of property for acquisition of ROW for the relocating of Hwy 22 and the bike/walkway trail.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 10 ayes

d. Discussion on application for DNR grant for bike/walkway trail.
Moved by Exworthy seconded by Doeren to approve of application being submitted to DNR for the bike/walkway trail.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 10 ayes

e. Mayor presented recommendation from Park & Rec on concept for signs to be used for park entrances. Mayor stated we need to develop a sign theme…top of signs will all have same design with city logo; Mayor stated Vital Signs designed what is being recommended;

Moved by Exworthy seconded by Wittkopf to approve of the recommendation from Park & Rec on the design for signs for the park entrances.

Lacourciere questioned if the signs will go out for bid…referenced the
courthouse signs; Exworthy stated Vital Signs is very competitive…are
local…an active member of the Chamber of Commerce; Young stated the
logo should be given more room…draft design is crunched on draft;
Maas agreed logo should be more visible;

Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 10 ayes

Verbally council stated they want to see the amended design for the park entrance signs.

f. Heier stated the wage & personnel committee met and are recommending
that a LTE position for a pool manager be approved for a maximum not to
exceed 599 hrs at an hourly rate of $10.84 and a parks supervisor at an
hourly rate of a $9.25/hr; Kale Proksch was at the meeting, explaining that
having such positions will help structure his dept;

Moved by Heier seconded by Wittkopf to approve of recommendation
from Wage & Personnel and create two LTE positions, one as pool
manager for a maximum not to exceed 599 hrs at an hourly rate of $10.84
and a parks supervisor at an hourly rate of $9.25/hr.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 10 ayes

g. Moved by Maas seconded by Lacourciere to accept recommendation from Airport Commission and create two new part-time positions as employees of the commission, one as airport manager and the other as a common laborer.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 10 ayes

h. Mayor stated he thought we had all three locations for the Community
Sensitive Design signs confirmed; on West city limits we have an
agreement with Gerald Bickel; on the North city limits, the Riewe’s are
considering allowing for a sign on their property on the East side of the
hwy…originally requested of the Riewe’s to place the sign on the West
side…next to the Heise property…Ms. Heise will not give approval;
Mayor in discussion with the Riewe’s stated they did give approval for the
East side of the hwy…by the cellular tower…. will allow us to fill in so
that the sign is very visible…but Riewe’s want language in the lease to
cover rent going up over time; on the South city limits have contacted five different owners; Doeren questioned what about LaFortune? Mayor stated we had o.k. from Don LaFortune, but now LaFortune told Mayor that his wife doesn’t want the sign; Mayor has made some phone calls, will continue to find property;

Moved by Maas seconded by Doeren to approve of the an agreement for the East side of the city limits subject to the Riewe’s approving of the lease agreement language.

Stiloski questioned the size of this parcel; Mayor stated 50 x 50; Stiloski stated we should just buy this property; Mayor stated the county will not allow a lot that is this small.

Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 9 ayes 1 no – Stiloski

i. Moved by Maas seconded by Zahn to refer the request from Paula Lucas, tenant at 416 Third Street for a conditional use permit to allow for a kennel license to the Plan Commission.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 10 ayes

j. Moved by Wittkopf seconded by Heier to approve of applications for Paul Trepanier, Cynthia Miller, and Amy Albert, an operator’s license and a Temp Class B license for the Oconto Sportsman’s Club for May 29th & May 30th at City Docks for the annual Perch Derby and for the Oconto Trailbusters Motor Sports Club for June 12th, 2009 for the annual truck pull.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 10 ayes

k. Moved by Doeren seconded by Wittkopf to approve of an application for a Combination Class B Tavern License for Rob French and Brenda Race for the Log Jam Saloon (formerly k/n/a Woody’s O.K.) 900 Main Street, Oconto, WI 54153.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 10 ayes

7. Reminder no Com of the Whole meeting in April as this is the date for the Spring Election. Next regular council meeting will be Tuesday, April 14th, 2009.

8. Moved by Zahn seconded by Schreiber to adjourn. M/C
Meeting adjourned at 7:04 p.m.


Minutes submitted by
Linda M. Belongia,
Administrator