Elk Mound approves borrowing $49,000 to buy water meters
By LeAnn R. Ralph
ELK MOUND — The Elk Mound Village Board has approved borrowing $49,000 from the state trust fund to purchase water utility meters.
The village board approved the resolution for borrowing the money at the February 4 meeting.
The Elk Mound Village Board first talked about replacing all of the old water meters in Elk Mound at the January 7 meeting but held off making any decisions until Mark Levra, director of public works, could gather more information.
Only a dozen of the existing meters in Elk Mound are the new wireless meters.
All together, the village needs 289 new meters.
Although the village board had asked initially about using refurbished water meters, Levra explained that because of lead content in old water meters, the older meters cannot be installed in another house.
The old meters can only be installed, or reinstalled, in the house from which they were removed, Levra told the village board at the January 7 meeting.
Pat Hahn, village clerk-treasurer, noted at the February 4 meeting that the $49,000 from the state trust fund loan can only be used to purchase new water meters.
The Elk Mound Village Board unanimously approved the resolution to borrow $49,000 to buy new water meters.
Village President Andy Peterson, and Village Trustees Tom Gilbert, Tony Schrantz, Pat McDougall, Chad Mousel, and Travis Wenzel voted in favor of the resolution.
Village Trustee Paula Turner was absent from the meeting.
Other business
In other business, the Elk Mound Village Board approved a police bond schedule for citations written out in the village by the police department.
Most of the citation amounts will remain the same, said Travis Hakes, Elk Mound police chief.
Many of the bond amounts are for state citations, and the state sets the amount of those bonds, he said.
The citations range from $169 to $200.50, Police Chief Hakes noted.
Peterson wondered how much money the village retained from the citation amounts.
If, for example, someone left their keys in the vehicle ignition with the motor running, it would be a $169 fine. The village would receive $25 from the fine, but the village also most likely would pay a processing fee of $5 to Dunn County, so the village would actually receive $20, Police Chief Hakes explained.
Writing citations is not cost-effective, he said, adding he has gotten compliance on violations by using a verbal and written warning system.
If people do not heed the written warning, then Police Chief Hakes said he will write out a citation.
Some of the citations and corresponding ordinances conflict with state law, and the ordinances and citations should be removed from Elk Mound’s book of ordinances, Police Chief Hakes noted.
The Elk Mound Village Board approved the bond schedule and sent the issue of the ordinances to the public safety committee for review and to make recommendations to the village board.