Colfax approves variance for Grassland Dairy
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — The Colfax Village Board has approved a variance for Grassland Dairy, located on Dunn Street, to accommodate a walkway that was never previously approved and a “bump out” for employee lockers.
The Colfax Zoning Board of appeals met just prior to the Colfax Village Board on August 26 and recommended the variance.
A variance was never previously granted for a walkway that exists at Grassland Dairy, and the company, which has been purchased by another corporation, plans to build a small bump-out for employee lockers that will not extend any farther than the walkway, said Carrie Johnson, village administrator-clerk-treasurer, at the village board meeting.
Grassland currently has six employees, and the plans are to increase operations so that 12 to 15 employees are needed, said David Guinter, who was representing Grassland.
The bump out will provide space for proper changing rooms for men and women, restrooms and a break room, he said.
The plan is that by providing better working conditions with the changing rooms, new restrooms and a break room, more people will be encouraged to work at Grassland to fill the additional positions, Guinter said.
The company will begin expanding production by expanding to two 10-hours shifts, he said.
The addition will not extend farther out than the handicapped ramp is now? asked Jeff Prince, village president.
The existing ramp needs a variance because a variance has never been recorded for it, Johnson said.
Grassland needs the variance in order to be “in the right standing” with the community, Guinter said.
Johnson said there had been concerns about snow plowing.
There is a new parking area on the south side, and that will be made larger to accommodate 10 vehicles, Guinter said.
The village board has received a recommendation to approve the variance and make it permanent for the ramp at the front of the building, noted Gary Stene, village trustee.
The Colfax Village Board unanimously approved the recommendation to grant a variance.
Village trustee Margaret Burcham was absent from the meeting.
Other business
In other business the Colfax Village Board:
• Approved a training request for Carrie Johnson to attend the town officials workshop on budgeting on September 12 at Florian Gardens in Eau Claire at a cost of $70. The fall town and village workshops are presented by the Wisconsin Towns Association.
• Approved a bartender operator’s license for Burgandy Quimby (Express Mart).
• Approved bartender operator’s license for Amanda Kikilas (The Concierge Home Decor & More).
• Approved a temporary Class “B”/“Class B” retailers license the Colfax Sno-Drifters for a sip and shop event at The Concierge Home Decor and More on September 13.
• Approved an employee holiday schedule for 2025 that includes Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 20, 2025) as a training day for village employees.
• Approved the purchase of a filing cabinet for the administrator-clerk-treasurer’s office in an amount not to exceed $1,500. Johnson had asked for $700, but village board members wanted to provide some leeway so that the office would have adequate filing cabinet capacity.
• Discussed repair or replacement of playground equipment in the village parks. Replacement of the equipment could cost tens of thousands of dollars.
• Discussed assigning park management duties. Rand Bates, director of public works, noted that all employees in the public works department work in all areas of the village: sewer and water, streets, and maintenance of village-owned property, such as the parks, including Tom Prince Memorial Park, and Evergreen Cemetery.
