Colfax approves paying for new salt shed from undesignated fund — for now
By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — With the fall season just around the corner, the Colfax Village Board has approved paying for the new salt-sand shed out of the undesignated fund.
The Colfax Village Board had originally planned to pay for the new salt-sand shed with money obtained from selling the lot on Evergreen Street where the old salt-sand shed had been located.
But, as they say — “time’s a-wastin’” — and at the July 24 meeting, village board members approved paying for the new structure from the undesignated fund in order to get the salt-sand shed built before the snow flies.
Earlier this year, the village board approved putting a new salt-sand shed at the lift station on state Highway 170 across the road from Tom Price Memorial Park. The new salt-sand shed is expected to be a hoop-type of construction and will cost around $32,000.
The village board also discussed at the July 24 meeting the appraisal for the old salt-sand shed lot on Evergreen Street as well as the timeframe for taking sealed bids.
Because of the amount of time needed to publish notices, hold an informational meeting, advertise for sealed bids and then to allow time for the bids to come in and wait an additional amount of time for the closing on the sale — the new salt-shed building most likely would not have been ordered until October.
And once the building is ordered said Rand Bates, director of public works, another six or eight weeks would go by before the structure could be built.
“It does not make any sense to wait until October and then the salt shed isn’t built until December when (the salt-sand) should already be delivered and in the shed,” Bates said.
Appraisal
The appraised value of the lot where the old salt-sand shed was located came in at $20,000, said Lynn Niggemann, village administrator-clerk-treasurer.
The lot is 72 feet by 158 feet, and the appraiser used four comparable lots to determine the appraisal, Niggemann said, including a lot in Elk Mound with a garage that sold for $20,000 and a vacant lot in Chetek that was the same size as the Colfax lot.
Several village board members wondered about changing the zoning on the lot.
The lot is currently zoned for public use, and until the lot is sold and the buyer determines what he or she is going to use it for, the zoning cannot be changed, Niggemann said, noting that she had checked with the village’s attorney, the law firm of Weld Riley, about particulars concerning the lot.
The village is selling the lot “as is,” but what does the board want to do — sell it on sealed bids or try to encourage someone to build a house there? asked Gary Stene, village president.
Several village residents came to the July 10 meeting to say they had started a petition and that 100 village residents had signed the petition in favor of keeping the salt shed lot residential and not turning it into a commercial lot.
The village residents did not turn in the petition to the village board, and as of the July 24 meeting, had not yet turned the petition in to the clerk’s office.
Since the petition has not been turned in to the village, it carries no weight.
The clerk’s office would have to verify names and addresses on the petition before it could be officially accepted as a petition, Niggemann said.
Informational meeting
Several people have indicated an interest in buying the lot.
Niggemann suggested an informational meeting would be appropriate.
Some residents may have a misconception about what a commercial business in town would use the lot for, and they may be thinking of semi-trucks driving into the lot by the park, Niggemann said.
Some of the concern expressed by residents who attended the July 10 village board meeting was for children who play in Iverson Park located next to the old salt shed lot. Children use the park every day, they said.
“I think some of the concern is not now, necessarily, but once (the lot) is zoned commercial, then you cannot stop (other businesses). Ten years down the road, if it’s sold to another company, then you’ve got a battle,” said Casey Rihn, village trustee.
“It’s obvious people don’t want to change the nature of the neighborhood. What CTL wants to do would be six or seven cars with a large garage, but I would rather have (a representative from) CTL to explain,” Stene said.
Stene also noted the intent of the village residents who came to the previous village board meeting and who also reportedly signed the petition was clear: they want the lot to remain residential.
An informational meeting would give all of the parties a chance to speak and express concerns, said Mark Halpin, village trustee.
Since 100 people reportedly signed the petition, the village board should consider holding the meeting in a larger venue, perhaps at the high school, Niggemann said.
The issue should be “aired out” at an informational meeting, and then the village board must decide what to do, Stene said.
No matter what the village board decides, the decision will be made in the best interests of the village, he said.
Carey Davis, village trustee, asked about putting the lot up for sale at auction.
At a previous village board meeting, Annie Schieber, village trustee, also has suggested selling the lot at auction.
The Colfax Plan Commission recommended at the June 5 meeting that the village board sell the lot by sealed bid.
The Colfax Village Board at the June 12 meeting tabled the agenda item for taking sealed bids on the lot until the lot had been appraised.
The village board did not set a date and time for the informational meeting.
Stene said the arrangements for an informational meeting and a special village board meeting should be left up to Niggemann.
“I know you wouldn’t do it any way but right,” Stene said.
Other business
In other business, the Colfax Village Board:
• Approved a training request for Police Chief Anderson to attend the National Drug Enforcement Children’s Conference August 29 through August 31 in Green Bay. In the past year, the Colfax Police Department has had several instances where children have been taken away from families due to drug problems, the police chief noted.
• Approved a training request for Megan Schleusner to take an advanced EMT class this fall. Colfax also sponsored Megan for the EMT basic class, and she will be finishing up next week, said Don Knutson, director of the Colfax Rescue Squad. The advanced course is only offered once every two to six years, and it happens to be offered this year and fits Schleusner’s schedule, he said. The EMT advanced class would be under the same kind of contract as the basic class. If Schleusner does not pass, she reimburses the village, Knutson said. The village’s contract also requires EMTs to work for the village for two years, and if the EMT stops working for the rescue squad prior to the two years, the EMT must pay the village back for the cost of training.
• Approved a facility rental for the 22ers 4-H Club for the FFA building at the Colfax Fairgrounds from August 3 to August 5 and waived the $30 fee.
• Approved a domesticated chicken license for Pam Moen (705 University Avenue) and JoAnn Mayfield (204 Viking Drive) from July 24, 2017, to June 30, 2018.
• Approved a temporary Class “B”/ “Class B” retailers license for the Colfax Woman’s Club for the annual pig roast August 4 at Colfax Health and Rehabilitation Center.
• Approved a temporary Class “B”/ “Class B” retailers license for the Colfax Commercial Club for the Founder’s Day Main Street Block Party August 5.
• Approved bartender operators’ licenses from July 24, 2017, to June 30, 2018, for Mark Johnson (Colfax Commercial Club); Tiffany Prince (Colfax Softball Association); Bridgette Lentz (Cedar Country Cooperative and A Little Slice of Italy); Don Braaten (American Legion); Katherine Walters (American Legion); Tarris Turner (American Legion).
• Approved a street use privilege permit for the Colfax Commercial Club for August 5 for the Main Street Block Party and waived the fee of $5. In the past, it would cost $800 or $900 to have Dunn County shut down the street, said Stene, who had been told the county charged so much because county employees had to haul the signs back and forth. Stene had talked to the highway department and was told it would be all right for Colfax to go and pick up the signs, and that’s how it ended up as a street use privilege permit for $5. Colfax now has all of the signs necessary for a detour and does not have to obtain them from the county highway department, Niggemann said.