EM village board holds budget hearing, approves creating police position

By Cara L. Dempski

ELK MOUND — The Elk Mound village board held a budget hearing before approving creation of a full-time police chief position, approving the 2017 budget, and electing a new board president at its December 7 meeting.

The board also heard plans regarding future use of land being used for a new housing development during a closed session at the end of the meeting.

At the December 7 budget hearing, the village board proposed a total budget of $626,167 for 2017 and a 2016 tax levy of $302,004. The levy amount was approved during the November 16 meeting, and was part of an ongoing argument regarding whether the village could afford creating a position for a full-time police chief.

“The budget supports hiring someone at $23 per hour,” village president Andy Peterson stated after the successful vote to create the position. “I think it’s a good number.”

Board member Tom Gilbert mentioned to the board that the personnel committee was considering offering current part-time police chief Travis Hakes the full-time position, and asked for clarification of whether such a proposal could be brought to an open meeting or if it needed to be a closed session.

Village clerk Pat Hahn stated if the committee wished for the board to discuss a specific person for the position, a closed session would be acceptable.

The board moved on to approving the general fund budget based on the numbers presented in the budget summary. After discussion about the levy amount, the board discussed debt service using funds remaining in the budget at the end of each year.

“We always guess high, for a cushion,” Gilbert said. “When we don’t spend it, it goes into various savings accounts and I question why we don’t bring it back to use it to pay down on debt. We’re paying interest on debts that is higher than interest on our investments.”

Hahn explained that the annual audit recommends leaving money in accounts in order to have money available for emergency expenditures. It should be further noted that at the end of each annual audit, the board is presented with a detailed total for each designated budget line item.

Village board members agreed to further examine using a percentage of funds left over each year to apply to debt service. Gilbert moved to approve the general fund budget, and Terry Stamm seconded it. The board was unanimous in its approval of the budget.

Peterson’s resignation

Village president Andy Peterson announced his resignation at the December 7 meeting, citing his family’s upcoming move to a new home in another municipality. His last day as president was December 8, and his term is scheduled to end in April 2017.

The board accepted his resignation.

Board members Rebecca Livingston and Tom Gilbert expressed interest in occupying the president’s seat, and were invited to speak to the board regarding their qualifications for the position.

Livingston spoke first and stated she is a graduate of Elk Mound High School, lives in the village, and owns a business on Menomonie Street. She is in her second year as a board member.

“I feel, like our recent national election, we could use a fresh set of eyes,” Livingston stated at the end of her speech.

Gilbert, who previously served as the board’s president pro tempore, said he has nine years of experience and a good grasp of what needs to happen and how things need to be taken care of.

“I have contemplated running in the past,” Gilbert said. “The position, as Andy said, is not always fun. I am more than comfortable taking a stand on one thing or another.”

With statements closed, Peterson opened the floor for formal nominations. Gilbert was nominated by Brenda Carpenter, and was the only candidate nominated for the position. The board voted unanimously to make Gilbert the village president until the end of Peterson’s term in April.

During the open meeting, the board also:

Scheduled the first board meeting of 2017 for January 3.

Approved Ordinance 16-1, which amends the regulation of fermented malt beverage, wine, or intoxicating liquor licenses to include hard cider. The beverage will be sold at Mound View Store.

Closed session

Len Schreiber, part of a development group working to secure a housing development on the south side of Independence Drive, met with the village board in closed session to discuss the group’s plan for building further homes on the land. No details regarding the need for closed session were provided, and it was unclear why the board went into closed session.

During a November 16 update on the group’s progress with the first two duplexes on the land, Schreiber stated he would return to the village board for the December 7 meeting to present a full plan, and he was hoping for approval of the plan at the December 21 meeting.

The property in question is part of the village’s tax increment district #1, which makes village taxpayers responsible for funding any further work needed on the water/sewer system on Independence Drive in order for the development team’s plan to be realized. As stated in previous articles, this is the development team’s third attempt at building a new housing development in Elk Mound this year.

The group first presented a plan for approximately 12 homes on the west end of University Street, across from the high school, but this was scrapped when it was discovered that it would cost several hundred thousand dollars to provide sewer and water service to the buildings from the main line on University Street. They then asked to have a lot on Jersey Lane rezoned to R2 or R4 in order to build a multi-family dwelling. This measure was voted down by the plan commission.

No information regarding the development team’s plan was made available after the session reopened.