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November 17, 2008 Special Board of Supervisors Meeting

Maine Minutes

November 17, 2008
Special Board of Supervisors Meeting

Maine Town Hall
6111 N. 44th Avenue
Wausau, WI 54401

OFFICIAL NOTICE AND AGENDA

The Board of Supervisors of the Town of Maine will hold a special meeting on Monday, November 17, 2008 at 3:45 p.m.

Agenda

1. Call meeting to order at 3:45 p.m. � Betty Hoenisch, Chairperson
2. Travel to and discuss a fence line in Assessor�s Plat #1
3. Travel to and discuss N. 44th Avenue cul de sac.
4. Travel to and discuss ditches on N. 4th Avenue.
5. Travel back to Town Hall
6. Discussion on proposed Road Maintenance Agreement for N. 4th Avenue with 3M Corporation.
7. Review the proposed 2009 Budget.
8. Adjournment.

I certify that this agenda was posted at the Red Granite Bar, Richard�s Supper Club, Schmidt�s Bar and the Town Hall, 6111 N. 44th Avenue on or before November 14, 2008.

Tammi Walter
Town of Maine Clerk

Monday, November 17, 2008
Special Board of Supervisor Meeting

A Special Meeting of the Board of Supervisors was held on Monday, November 17, 2008 at 3:45 p.m.

Chairperson Hoenisch called the Special Board meeting to order..

Present were Chairperson Betty Hoenisch, Supervisor Tad Schult, Supervisor Sue Shore, Clerk Tammi Walter, Treasurer Marilyn Grunenwald and Town Attorney Randy Frokjer. Also present were John Edwards from 3M Corporation and public works employees John Marquardt and Scott Czyan.

Chair Hoenisch, Supervisor Shore, Supervisor Schult, Attorney Frokjer and public works employees John and Scott traveled to N. 53rd Avenue to view the Assessor�s Plat # 1 fence line.

Steve Zahn met the group in his field and proceeded to show the fence line that his family had farmed for over 100 years. The Board viewed the field, the alignment of N. 52nd Avenue to the north, Mr. Zoltowski�s fence and the ginseng garden that runs south to a adjoining farming fence line that has been the acknowledged as the property line for years.

Chair Hoenisch handed out copies of REI�s drawing showing Mr. Zahn�s fence line.

Discussion followed on whether the un-built portion of N. 52nd Avenue that divided the Zoltowski / Zahn properties had been vacated properly.

Chair Hoenisch explained that this was the first road vacation the Town has done. Next time it may be wise for the Town to survey before the actual vacation process is voted on. It is hard to visualize the areas the map is describing without doing a on-site meeting.

Mr. Zahn explained that he wants to work with the Town on this, but he never realized from the drawings that he was losing this much farm land. He explained the transfer of land between himself and Mr. Anderson to help the Town clear up old boundary line issues and hopes the Town will reconsider the fence survey line issue.

Attorney Frokjer said that he would like to talk to Tom Radenz from REI to determine how the original Assessor Plat was surveyed and what monuments were used in the current survey. He went on to explain how with the new GPS survey system the survey lines almost never match what was surveyed earlier using old survey methods.

The Supervisors and Attorney Frokjer discussed the possibility that the un-built portion of N. 52nd Avenue should have been divided between Zahn�s, Zoltowski�s and Rosenau�s. The Board told Mr. Zahn they were going to investigate the matter. Mr. Zahn thanked them for coming to view the fence line and discuss the issue.

Next item of business was to travel to N. 4th Avenue to view the ditches and discuss the best location for a bicycle / pedestrian path.

The group stopped several times and public works employees measured the width of N. 4th Avenue to show where the new road top would be. They viewed the ditches to determine the best method for constructing a bicycle / pedestrian path along N. 4th Avenue.

Scott and Sherrie Brenneman arrived home as the group was surveying their ditch line. Discussion followed with the Brenneman�s on the different proposal for a N. 4th Avenue bicycle / pedestrian path. Brenneman�s stated that they try to stay off of N. 4th Avenue as much as possible. They use other roads and the nature path to walk their dogs because of all the truck traffic and the fact that they consider N. 4th Avenue 3M�s road. Mr. Brenneman said that if the Town creates a bicycle / pedestrian path they will only encourage more people to use the area for recreation creating additional liability issues for 3M and the Town.

Mr. Czyan explained the Town�s maintenance issues and lack of adequate equipment to maintain a off road bicycle / pedestrian path.

Mr. Marquardt explained that other municipalities designate truck routes and that may be a better option for the Town to consider. That would discourage people from using N. 4th for recreation.

The group drove thru the sub division area along N. 4th Avenue. They discussed the possibility of building a nature trail using un-built sub division roads so people have place to walk and bike without using N. 4th Avenue.

Next the group traveled to N. 44th Avenue to view the three different cul de sac designs that REI had surveyed.

After viewing the designs, discussion followed on tree removal, terrain of the land and the best cul de sac design for plow trucks, school buses and emergency vehicles to turn around.

Mark Radant joined the group and explained that his family and the Roehl family prefer the hammer head design option. This item will be on the December Board agenda.

Travel back to the Town Hall.

Mr. Edwards, Clerk Walter and Treasurer Grunenwald joined the meeting.

Chair Hoenisch explained that Mr. Edwards had requested documentation on previous maintenance contributions for Town road damage. She read old minutes and found many references to funding cooperation from 3M, Anderson Brothers & Johnson, Hanz Contractors and American Asphalt. She distributed packets and explained the highlighted minutes that referenced the maintenance funding.

Mr. Edwards explained that he needed documentation to show 3M Corporate that the Town is consistent with making companies contribute to the maintenance of road over the past 30 years. This will help make his case of the Town�s requiring the 90% / 10% cost share.

Attorney Frokjer talked about other townships that also require maintenance funding . He said that Hanz Contractors paid 100% of the reconstruction costs to replaced Bunker Hill Road in the Town of Pine River. Also Peterson Brothers Trucking paid 100% of the cost to replace a road they damaged in the Town of Rib Falls.

Mr. Edwards explained that he is working with the City of Wausau to purchase a parcel of land next to their N. First Avenue facility. If the City is agreeable some of the money that 3M pays for the land would be paid to the Town for the N. 4th Avenue project. This would allow 3M to expense this project and allow the company to depreciate the cost for tax purposes. Mr. Edwards said that he expects a answer from Mr. Joe Gehin soon.

Mr. Edwards talked about the economy, the slow building industry and the 90,000 lb weight limit that may not be permanent. 3M Corporate asked him to investigate other funding for the project. Mr. Edwards explained that he is working with Donna Seidel on a Department of Transportation TEA grant. If grant is approved it will hopefully fund 15% of the project. 3M�s cost would be the 75% that he already secured support for.

Attorney Frokjer asked about maintenance funding if the 90% - 3M / 10% - Town is finalized. Mr. Edwards felt that the maintenance should be the Town�s responsibility. Chair Hoenisch explained that in 1998 and 2002 the chip sealing was done by the Town with 3M furnishing the chips. Mr. Edwards felt 3M would be receptive to that plan.

Discussion followed on the on-site meeting held earlier on N. 4th Avenue. Attorney Frokjer explained to Mr. Edwards that he was surprised at the amount of truck traffic he witnessed. He stated that the Town�s role for roads should be for function and safety. The Board agreed that after viewing the ditches, width of road, the traffic, discussing maintenance issues with the workers and talking to the Brenneman�s it would be wise to prohibit biking and walking on N. 4th Avenue. It would be best to create a separate bicycle / pedestrian trail from Belmont onto the quiet residential sub division roads.

Mr. Edwards asked if the Town needed a draft agreement for the November 19, 2008 Budget Public Hearing. Attorney Frokjer said the Board could get tentative approval for the loan based on the Town and 3M entering into a 90% - 3M / 10% - Town road maintenance agreement that includes conditions that the Town will stipulate.

Mr. Edwards said that he felt there was goodwill by this Town Board to get this project done. 3M needs assurance from the state people that the 90,000 lb weight restrictions are here to stay. The proposed road maintenance agreement will show good cooperation between Towns an businesses.

Mr. Edwards asked if he should attend the November 19, 2008 Budget Public Hearing. The Town Board felt that it would be very advantageous to have him there to promote the project.

Next item on the agenda was for the Town Board to review the proposed 2009 Budget.

Chair Hoenish and Clerk Walter distributed the budget and revenue worksheets.

Chair Hoenisch explained the expenses and revenues. The Board made suggestions to implement for the November 19th meeting. Chair Hoenisch asked the Town Board to arrive at 7:00 p.m. on the 19th to review the final forms before the meeting.

Supervisor Shore made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:35 p.m., seconded by Supervisor Schult. Motion carried.

Respectively submitted and approved on December 8, 2008.

Tammi Walter
Town of Maine Clerk

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