Colfax approves $12,000 budget transfer for $16,000 South Cedar Street project

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX — Now that the $16,430 South Cedar Street paving project has been completed, all that remained was to pay for it.

The Colfax Village Board approved a budget transfer of $12,000 at the September 11 meeting to supplement the $5,000 available in the budget for Cedar Street.

South Cedar Street from Third Avenue to Legion Drive was paved August 10 by Senn Blacktop out of Chippewa Falls.

Eric Davidson of Bauman Associates pointed out during the audit report to the village board several weeks ago that one area where the village’s financial records need improvement is to formally approve budget transfers so the village does not end up over budget.

The streets budget contains about $214,000, and the transfer could come from the streets budget, said Lynn Niggemann, village administrator-clerk-treasurer.

On the other hand, the plan is to set aside money for future street projects so the village does not have to borrow money, she said.

Over the past several years, Colfax has completed reconstruction projects on Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue that included sewer and water lines, curb and gutter and asphalt pavement. Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue both cost more than $300,000.

Iverson Road also was finished this year at a cost of about $12,000, Niggemann noted.

Iverson Road may be able to be billed to the sewer and water utility, said Gary Stene, village president.

Niggemann said she had sent a message to the auditors asking if Iverson could be paid from the water fund.

In the meantime, the village board could also give permission to pay the South Cedar Street invoice and then include the budget amendment on the agenda at the September 25 meeting, Niggemann said.

If village officials are still discussing drainage problems on Cedar Street, is the village obligated to pay the invoice, asked Mark Halpin, village trustee.

Senn Blacktop did what they were supposed to do, Niggemann said.

The blacktop is not related to the drainage problems, said Rand Bates, director of public works.

“Water is the problem,” Niggemann said.

The area along South Cedar Street between Third Avenue and Legion Drive has been experiencing problems with water pooling up and not draining away after it rains.

Stene wondered if any solutions had been figured out for the drainage problem on South Cedar Street.

Easements would be needed to channel the water from South Cedar Street to a catch basin, Niggemann and Bates said.

Niggemann said she had put in a call to the village’s attorney to find out how to go about securing the  easements.

The Colfax Village Board unanimously approved a motion to transfer $12,000 to the street maintenance outside services line item from the unassigned fund balance.

Village Trustee Casey Rihn was absent from the meeting.

In addition to Stene and Halpin, village trustees Carey Davis, Dave Wolff, Annie Schieber and Keith Burcham voted in favor of the motion.

Other business

In other business, the Colfax Village Board:

• Approved a training request from Niggemann to attend the Momentum West Industrial Land Development Seminar September 26 at Bill’s Distributing in Menomonie. The cost of the seminar is $30.

• Approved a bartender operator’s license for Nicole Gotlibson (Kyle’s Market) from September 11, 2017, to June 30, 2018.

• Approved a bartender operator’s license for Caroline Dworak (Kyle’s Market) from September 11, 2017, to June 30, 2018.

• Approved a bartender operator’s license for Summer Hegge (Express Mart) from September 11, 2017, to June 30, 2018.

• Approved implementing Bremer Bank’s suggested change from a sweep account back to the older method of having a money market account and a general operating account. The money market account would earn more interest, Niggemann said. In July, the interest on sweep accounts was .21 percent, while a money market account would have had an interest rate of .91 percent. Along with the change in accounts, Bremer is working with other financial institutions to use a letter of credit rather than collateral. The sweep account would be transitioned out by the end of the year.