Volunteers hope to start baseball association in Boyceville

By LeAnn R. Ralph

BOYCEVILLE  —  A group of parents is planning to start a baseball association in Boyceville to coordinate the Little League program.

Harry Joles Jr. spoke about the proposal for a baseball association at the Boyceville Village Board’s meeting on Monday.

The meeting, held at 4:30 p.m., was, in part, a continuation of the October 12 meeting that was cut short due to the sudden illness and death of Village Trustee Jo Palmer.

Gilbert Krueger, village president, began the meeting with a moment of silence in memory of Palmer.

Volunteers fixed up the ball field in Wheeler this year, and a tournament team played 20 games, Joles told the village board.

Boyceville’s community education and recreation program has a director, “but it’s a big job for one person,” he said.

So far Joles has gathered about 15 volunteers but said he believes many more would be willing to participate.

The baseball association would hold fund raisers and would write grant applications, he said.

To help the association with start-up, Joles said he hoped the Boyceville Village Board would be willing to provide some funding.

The baseball association would need to purchase 60 to 80 helmets, bats, practice balls and other equipment, he said.

“We know what we are getting into. We know it’s a lot of work … we would like to provide a program you’re proud of,” Joles said.

The Boyceville Village Board will soon be setting a budget for 2016, Krueger said.

A letter Joles provided to the village board on behalf of the group of volunteers suggested that $3,500 to $4,000 from the village would help the association get started.

“Anything the village can do, we will appreciate it,” Joles said.

Krueger wondered if the baseball association would plan to use the ball fields in Wheeler and in Connorsville as a regular part of the program.

Joles said an individual donated money to fix up the ball field in Wheeler, and Tim Sempf, also a member of the parents’ group, had spoken to the New Haven Town Board about fixing up and using the Connorsville ball field.

“Wheeler is pretty excited about the team,” Joles said.

The Wheeler team won the Bloomer Little League tournament this year, and Bloomer went on to win the state tournament, he noted.

“I’m kind of excited about it myself,” Krueger said.

“Me, too,” chimed in Village Trustee Ted Erickson.

The Boyceville Village Board plans to hold a hearing for the 2016 budget on November 19.

Cedar Country

In other business at Monday’s meeting, the Boyceville Village Board approved a Class “A” fermented malt beverage  license application for Cedar Country Cooperative, Theresa Raehsler, agent, for the location at 915 State Highway 79 for October 21, 2015, through June 30, 2016.

It was not clear whether the village board intended to approve a retail beer license or a retail beer and liquor license.

Although the agenda listed it as a Class “A” beer and liquor license, a Class “A” fermented malt beverage license allows for the retail sale of beer for consumption off premises, whereas a “Class A” license allows for the retail sale of intoxicating liquor for consumption off premises.

The Cedar Country Cooperative store on Railroad Avenue will be put up for sale with a “non-compete” clause, meaning that no one else can operate a convenience store or gas station at that location.

Other business

In other business, the Boyceville Village Board:

• Approved a bartender operator’s license for Cassandra Hanestad for the period ending June 30, 2016.

• Postponed action until the next village board meeting on purchasing security equipment to automatically open the community center for storm warnings when the warning siren is activated by the Dunn County 911 communications center.

• Approved a use application permit for water wells on private property.

Following a closed session:

• Approved charging 5 percent of the insurance premium costs to the village employees, setting a health savings account (HSA) for each employee of $2,500, a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) for each employee of $2,500 for single coverage and $5,000 for family coverage, and to offer a $200 per month stipend to each employee to not take the family coverage.

• Approved hiring Karen Adams to assist in the clerk-treasurer’s office with a starting wage of $15 per hour. The motion included the information that hiring Adams and paying $15 per hour “is not to be construed as precedent setting.”