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August 21, 2007 Town Board Minutes
MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING OF August 21, 2007 The regular monthly meeting of the Town of Delavan Town Board was held at Town Hall after due notice had been posted. Chair Polzin called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Clerk Dixie Bernsteen called roll call. PRESENT; ALSO PRESENT; ABSENT/EXCUSED Chair, Wayne Polzin Treasurer, Patricia Morelli Supervisor, Kay Franzen Clerk, Dixie Bernsteen Supervisor, Jim Wolfgram Police Chief, Andrew Mayer Supervisor, Frank Jones Fire Chief, Gerald Edwards Supervisor, Herb Sessner PW Foreman, Mike Petkoff Mechanic, Tom Thiele Town Attorney, Steve Wassel Press: Mike Hoey Audience: Approximately _60___ people Chair Polzin declared a quorum present for doing business. Communications: Frank Jones Town of Walworth covered bridge subdivision project letter submitted. Chair Polzin read letter of complaints from county: Cindy Male camper, Ravenswood Subdivision Chief to look into 1.All monthly agenda requests must be into the clerk’s office no later than the Thursday before the scheduled meeting in writing 2.Insurance Horton Group and Wausau renewed 3.Letter from Colleen (On file) 4.Jim Wolfgram, Received lot of calls from citizens wondering if a slow no wake would be posted due to high waters from rain. Talked with Kevin MacKinnon about level of lake and John one of the two DNR wardens about putting signs at public boat launch areas. John did not have an immediate answer. An ordinance needs to be drafted that specifically states what Lake elevation you want to close the lake or put a slow now wake restriction, and it must be approved by the DNR. Once approved goes through 90 day notice period, then it can be done. We do not have an ordinance like this at the present time. Board will convene and put an ordinance together for this purpose. 5.Chair Polzin stated, “Has one announcement to make and if the Town Board is displeased with the announcement I have to make then they can speak now or forever hold their tongue. As of tonight I am going to close the town park until further notice. When the water recedes and we can have boats go out there and have wakes, with all of the complaints I have got and all the telephone calls I have made. I think it is high time that this step be taken to close the town park. We can close it on day to day basis and when the sanitary district takes the water levels, when we get to where the water level is the same we can go ahead and open it.” I don’t know if we have the authority to just go ahead and close the ramp, I don’t know what the DNR would do. As far as the park we can close the town park. Being we do not have that on the notice I am going to do it on my own and I will take what ever chances there are, if you want me removed from office for doing it FINE. It is not going to bother me a bit, but that is what I intend on doing. I am going to ask Mike and Tom before they leave this evening if they would go down and do what ever they have to do to close the Town Park and put signs down there. Now I would like to hear from the town board members.” Supervisor Jones wanted to know if we are doing this in the interest of boat safety. Chair Polzin stated, “The water is above some of the piers and if they are not caught before they are floating away. Boats and wave runners have already been retrieved by the police department.” Kevin MacKinnon: the Sanitary District has been monitoring Lake Levels on a daily basis since 1983. Typically we get 4” of rain in August; we are at 12” and have another week to go. Gates are electrically operated, as of Saturday the lake level was normal lake elevation and we were flow matching with Mound Road. Saturday Night there was a rain event, Sunday morning when the dam was checked the flow coming into the lake was running about 200 cubic feet a second, we opened all 3 gates to full open and we were discharging about 225 cubic feet a second. We were keeping up and slightly lowering the lake. If we have a two inch rain fall we have an instant 2 inch raise in lake level, plus what ever runoff afterwards. Sunday and Sunday evening the rain started and in the last 3 days we have gotten approximately 6 inches of rain. On top of that 6 inch raise in the lake level we have had run off on Mound Road. On Sunday we were running 400 cubic feet a second. Monday morning about 4AM we were running about 1100 Cubic feet a second. We don’t know how much over that we went, because the overflow from Mound Road went over the road east and west of the bridge. That was the highest gauge reading that we have had since 1993. At noon today we have peeked on the lake elevation and we are approximately 15-16 inches above lake level. Most of the pier sections are almost a wash; boats that are floating are going to float free. If we get any more significant rain in the next few days the lake level will continue to go up. We are talking 1-2 inches in the next 48 hours. If that happens you can expect to see another 2-6 inches in lake level. The gates in the dam are full open and are checked twice a day. We can typically lower the lake about ½ inch a day. The incoming is going down; the gauge at Mound Road this afternoon was 252 cubic foot per second in flow. Chair Polzin: How about the people in the audience, how many of you feel we should stop boats from entering the lake by closing the park? Every telephone call I got today they wanted the police boat out there, they wanted the boat ramp closed I talked to our counsel and he thought it would be a lot easier to close the park than the boat ramp. Citizen: What about private boat launches” Chair Polzin: We can not do anything about the private boat launches but we hope that the people who live out on the lake that they police their neighbors. We can’t do anything about their neighbors. Due to the ordinance not being in place the police department is unable to enforce it. Attorney Wassel suggested contacting Mayor Niewenhuis to help with enforcement at Lake Lawn. Supervisor Jones Closing the park seems like it will be precious little to help but who ever was talking to the DNR they don’t have any emergency powers? Attorney Wassel the last time it took 2 years for the DNR to approve in Ravenswood Bay. Supervisor Wolfgram has asked the DNR that question and the answer was that is the only avenue we have. Citizen: You can’t just put a sign that says for common courtesy, and then also put them up at private subdivisions? Supervisor Jones is in favor of closing the park if that is all we can do. Supervisor Franzen I think it is most important to protect the people and not have anyone get hurt. I agree with it. Chair Polzin stated if Steve Schoff wants someone to come into the park that is OK, but no boats are to be let in. The town will be in contact with the Sanitary District to see when the no wake can be lifted. Clerk Bernsteen: Chair Polzin could you do a press release to the radio stations and have them advertise that so we get less traffic? 6.Induction of new Part time Police Officers by Chief Mayer, Clerk Bernsteen swore in Travis Wisniewski, Jeremy Renz, and Chris Kristalidis. Comments and Suggestions of Citizens Present: John Blake 613 Wallis Ave High waters on corner of Wallis and Cochran streets danger for children. Billy Jo Papcke 2719 Cameron Do we have and emergency government any more? “Yes,” stated Chair Polzin. And they do meet? Chair Polzin did not know when they last met; if there is an emergency which I don’t consider the Lake an emergency that is the entire town. It is a problem within the town, but it is not like a tornado coming through or some disaster that affects it. Billie Jo stated “you are going to shut our park down but that is not an emergency.” Her point was that why does the committee not meet on a regular basis? Beth Peterson stated “that what is being suggested by Billie Jo, if there was an emergency committee that Delmar Subdivision could have gotten a hold of someone on the committee.” Chair Polzin stated “you are taking the emergency committee all wrong, that is not what the emergency committee would be doing. That would be working with the Town Board the Public Works Committee and the Highway Foreman, in fact it would probably go before Public Works and they would make recommendations to the Town Board. Attorney Wassel announced Open Goose Season, September 1-15 need permit from Police Department. Thank you to Kevin it is only appropriate to have dedication of a building to him. Kevin Mackinnon, “thanks all of you, it was a great surprise.” Jane Harries on the agenda you have Special Town Board meeting August 4th 2007 Inlet project are we going to talk about what was asked for and I think voted upon at that meeting of the engineering costs. Is that going to be considered in your discussion? Over 65% of the water going into Lake Delavan passes through the Inlet. Hopes when this takes place that the board will vote to start this project and do it this fall. Chair Polzin stated “the monies that need to be transferred from one account to another needs to be accurate.” Supervisor Wolfgram said there is no intent to halt the project. We do not have the exact amount that will be available for funds from Brown’s Channel project. Fran Flucke, “I think it is kind of sad that people who care about the lake voted $500,000 to get the Inlet project going because they recognize how vital the inlet is as a major tributary to the health and future of the lake. I t is sad that it has deteriorated to the point where we don’t now if we have a few dollars left to even do the engineering study. I would just hope that this board would expedite it in any way possible, because our lake truly needs clean tributaries.” Phil Cosanie 212 Inlet shore feels the inlet has to get done, only two feet of water and boats are getting stuck in the sediment, causing more damage to the lake. Vince Sapol 404 Inlet Shore Drive goes to all the meetings and it has been the same thing for the last 10 years. Approval of Minutes: 1.Town Board Minutes of July 17, 2007. Supervisor Sessner made a motion to dispense with reading and approve with corrections, Supervisor Franzen second, approved unanimously. 2.Town Board Work Minutes of June 13, 2007. Supervisor Jones made a motion to dispense with reading and approve with corrections, Supervisor Wolfgram second, motion approved unanimously. 3.Town Board Work Minutes of July 11, 2007. Supervisor Jones made a motion to dispense with reading and approve with corrections, Supervisor Wolfgram second, motion approved unanimously. 4.Public Hearing of July 31, 2007. Pat’s Place Supervisor Jones made a motion to dispense with reading and approve with corrections, Supervisor Wolfgram second, motion approved unanimously. 5.Public Hearing of August 4, 2007. Browns Channel Supervisor Jones made a motion to dispense with reading and approve with corrections, and abstained from voting. Supervisor Franzen second, motion approved. 6.Special Town Board Meeting August 4, 2007. Inlet Project Chair Polzin made a motion to dispense with reading and approve with corrections, Supervisor Wolfgram second, Supervisor Jones abstained from voting, motion was approved unanimously. Town Board Reports: All committee and Town Reports are on file in the Town Hall Office. 1.Treasurer’s Monthly Report Supervisor Sessner made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s report as written and place it on file in Town Hall with a second from Chair Polzin and the motion carried unanimously. 2.Finance Committee recommendation regarding payment of monthly bills check numbers 48878 to 49032. Supervisor Sessner made motion to accept Chair Polzin second motion approved unanimously. Supervisor Jones had questions Schoff & Associates (Park Manager) Phenco (Mound Rd & Brown’s Channel) Committee Reports: Placed on File Old Business: None New Business: 1.Discussion possible action to approve Liquor License for Scoop’s Place County Hwy “O”. Supervisor Franzen made motion to accept, Supervisor Wolfgram second, motion approved unanimously. 2.Discussion possible action to approve access entrance of the Covered Bridge Subdivision located in Walworth Township from South Shore Drive. This access is not wanted by residence. Chair Polzin made a motion to endorse letter read by Supervisor Jones (On File) and sent out to Walworth Township; second by Supervisor Sessner motion approved unanimously. 3.Discussion possible action to approve Final Resolution # 194, Brown’s Channel Assessment. Supervisor Wolfgram made a motion to Table for one month. Chair Polzin second, motion approved unanimously. 4.Discussion possible action of Peek Inn on South Shore Drive, investigate policy of tearing down and rebuilding with County Zoning. Chair Polzin made a motion to table to next month meeting second by Supervisor Franzen, motion approved unanimously. 5.Discussion regarding proper preparation of agenda’s by Town Board Members. Supervisors are reminded when making out agenda’s; it must be understandable by the average person to know what is going to be talked about. Have someone else read before having posted to be sure it makes sense. 6.Motion for adjournment. Supervisor Jones made a motion to adjourn the meeting with a second from Supervisor Wolfgram and the motion carried unanimously. Adjournment: Chair Polzin adjourned the meeting at 8:47 p.m. Submitted by: ______________________________________ Dixie Bernsteen, Town Clerk