Elk Mound village board learns police department paperwork caught up

By Cara L. Dempski

ELK MOUND — After being on the job just over a month, Elk Mound’s interim police chief Mike Tietz reports he has dug out from under the backlogged paperwork.

Tietz provided an in-person report to the village board for the first time July 19 after assuming his position in mid-June. The interim chief provided a written report, and discussed the call log for Elk Mound since June 1.

The written report indicated Tietz has dug out from the paperwork backlog, completed a department inventory, reorganized all department spaces, and initiated some ordinance enforcement for animals, vehicle parking, long grass, and other public nuisances.

Tietz also created a pair of surveys seeking information pertinent to hiring a new police chief, and both were provided for board members to review. 

He also said he and village president Steve Abraham attended a meeting with the county regarding the village’s plan and status for the police department. Sheriff Dennis Smith plans to attend the August 2 board meeting for a question and answer session.

The report noted the next step in the search for a new full-time police chief is for the appropriate committees to meet, go over the surveys and any other necessary information, talk over ideal characteristics for candidates, prepare a wage and benefit package to attract experienced officers, and then prepare a job posting.

Tietz said people are welcome to contact him for more in-depth updates on village law enforcement activities, but provided a brief synopsis of what he has done so far and hopes to focus on in upcoming months.

He has reviewed calls to Elk Mound since June 1 and does not see any concerning trends. Calls and concerns continue to come in to the department, and he is handling them in as timely a manner as possible. Moving forward, Tietz would like to work on identifying and reacting to ordinance-related issues like vehicle and junk storage.

Tietz provided a prepared press release indicating many of the complaints are from “concerned individuals about the accumulation of unregistered vehicles, vehicle parts, disabled or dismantled vehicles, and ‘junk’ accumulating on private property within the village.”

He said the department will be identifying those properties not in compliance with village ordinance. Tietz will ask initially for residents with unregistered, inoperable, “parted-out” vehicles, or discarded property to voluntarily comply with village ordinance regarding public nuisances (ordinance 11-6).

Penalties for violating ordinance can exceed $200, and could cost significantly more in abatement costs for property owners to who fail to comply.

Anyone wishing to speak with Tietz more regarding this can reach him at 715-879-4411. Those seeking clarification can also contact the village hall at 715-879-5011, or look up the ordinance on the village website.

Other business

The board also addressed several other items during the meeting. The plan commission recommended approval of both an extraterritorial certified survey map submitted by Jackson McMahon for a proposed building on land owned by Paul McMahon, and a request from village homeowner Tim Riley for zoning at 104 Taylor Street to be changed from R1 to R2.

Both recommendations were approved unanimously.

The board also approved the repair costs for the village’s 5525 John Deere Loader. Public works director Mark Levra indicated the clutch has gone out on the piece of equipment, which will cost approximately $4,000.

He looked into the trade-in value of the loader, which is approximately $23,000. Levra’s suggestion was to repair the clutch, and this received unanimous support.

The trustees and president pro tempore, Greg Kipp, then discussed a street use permit for an old-fashioned street dance sponsored by the Elk Mound Area Lions Club.

Trustee Terry Stamm explained the plan had changed to holding the dance exclusively on the Pourhouse’s property due to village ordinance and safety concerns. The area will be surrounded by fencing, and signs posted advising attendees that leaving the area will result in not being readmitted.

The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office also plans to assist by providing extra staff the evening, and the Lions Club is considering having several members serve as “bouncers” at the event.

The board also approved building permits for Pete Scharlau of VLCL Properties for a manufactured home at E109 Menomonie Street, lot 19, Jerry and Beverly Johnson of 103 Lincoln Street for re-roofing, and Patricia Hahn of N505 Holly Avenue for a potting shed.