Buell Consultants Karl Gerber Buell and Brent Kabat, representing their AT&T client, attended the Aug. 23 Redgranite Village Board meeting to discuss a proposal to build an AT&T tower north of the quarry on village property. Buell told the board that AT&T would lease the land from the village if the village approves and if AT&T’s inspections, soil borings, material sampling, radio frequency testing and other tests are positive. Buell gave the board an “Option and Land Lease Agreement” to inspect.
Comments from some of the area citizens who were also in attendance at the meeting said they felt the cell tower would be detrimental to the view of the quarry. Some of the board members also shared those concerns. After further discussion, it was decided that the “Option and Land Lease Agreement” be given to Village Attorney Sondalle to inspect. The board also asked Buell to look at some of the other location options they have proposed, which they agreed to do.
ARPA Village Consultant Julie Fredrick told the board that the USDA grant that she and Police Chief Kyle Tarr applied for ($38,000) was awarded in the amount of $85,900, due to extra grant funds being available. Some of the grant money will be put towards a new squad car, while other money will be used to purchase cameras for parks and the municipal building and other equipment for the department’s use. Village President Belinda Passarelli and Trustee Jim Erdmann praised and thanked the two for securing the grant funds.
In his monthly report, Public Works Lead Jim Fredrick told the board that they have been preparing the parks for the Labor Day week-end festivities, which also included a donation of 8 tons of sand by Badger Mining in Berlin; the sand is being used to place under park playground equipment. In addition, Sobieski Brothers, Berlin, is donating time and materials to refurbish the Willow Creek Park bridge.
Passarelli announced new committee assignments for board members, as follows: Finance, Personnel, Insurance—Angie Ralls & Jim Erdmann; Machinery, Garbage, Ordinances—Jim Erdmann & Laurie Oltesvig; Municipal Buildings—Angie Ralls & Gina Smukowski; Parks, Cemetery—Laurie Oltesvig & Gina Smukowski; Police, Fire—Gina Smukowski & Jim Erdmann; Sewer, Water—Matt Knollenberg & Mark Juslen; and Streets, Sidewalks, Ditches—Mark Juslen & Matt Knollenberg.
In other business, the board approved:
*Resolution 2022-08, a resolution of the village board exercising referendum option: the village board directs that the question of increasing the allowable village tax levy for 2022 (to be collected in 2023) by $125,000 over the allowable levy be put to referendum at an election on November 8, 2022. A mailer will be sent out to village residents, with a public hearing also to be scheduled.
*The appointment of Gina Smukowski as a board trustee.
*Changing the regular board meeting date to the 3rd Monday of each month, at 6:30 p.m., effective with the September 19 meeting.
*The retirement letter submitted by the full-time Village Clerk-Treasurer Christy Groskreutz, effective at the end of the day on February 24, 2023, then work part-time as Deputy Clerk to assist the new clerk-treasurer until April 28, 2023, and as needed during the new clerk-treasurer’s first year. The Personnel & Finance Committee will meet to plan and begin the hiring process on September 12 at 6 p. m.
*The hiring of two part-time public works employees, one working 28 hours per week, with the other working as needed. An advertisement for the positions will be advertised in the Waushara Argus and on various state sites.
*Extending summer hours (four 10-hour days) for full-time Public Works Lead Jim Fredrick from May 1 through October 31. The schedule would return to five days per week November 1 through April 30.
*A Committee of the Whole meeting on Sept. 20, at 6 p.m., to review village ordinances.
*The installation of ice guards on the municipal building, with an approximate cost of $3,000.
*Repairs to the 2005 orange snowplow truck, for $8,000.
*The purchase of oil for annual oil changes, from Condon Oil for $1,130.
*Additional estimated expenses for clarifier repair, from Crane Engineering for $5,000.
*The purchase of tablets for board members, using ARPA funds, from Badgerland Computers for $1,533.
*The appointment of Kyle Tarr as a representative to the Redgranite Area Fire District, with the village president as an alternate.
*Kimm Hackney and Linda Thom as election workers.
*An operator’s license for Jennifer Smerling (Dollar General) and a temporary operator’s license application for Tricia Sieg (Redgranite Advancement Association) for September 3-5.
The next regular Redgranite Village Board meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the municipal building.
