PAGE 4 - INTER-COUNTY LEADER - NEWS SECTION - A - AUGUST 17, 2011
Village splits sidewalk repairs with Van Meter’s
New assessor hired by Mary Stirrat Leader staff writer LUCK — With two trustees absent from the Wednseday, Aug. 10 meeting of the Luck Village Board, village trustees voted not to follow the recommendation of administrator Kristina Handt in cost sharing for sidewalk repairs with the business that neighbors the village hall. Ross Anderson and Tim Van Meter of Van Meter’s Meats attended the July meeting of the board to ask that it consider sharing the cost of repairing the sidewalk that extends between the two driveways that serve a joint parking area. Just last month, the board approved an ordinance requiring property owners to repair or replace sidewalks with cracks or heaves of three-fourths of an inch or more, and the sidewalk along the joint parking lot meets that criteria. Handt, following a 1985 agreement between the village and Van Meter’s Meats, noted that the agreement called for equal cost sharing when it comes to repairs to or replacement of the joint parking area but does not refer to the sidewalk. “The recommendation from staff,” she said, “is that the village would pay for that approach, but there wouldn’t be any cost sharing beyond that.” Handt’s comment came after Trustee Kristine King made a motion at the start of the discussion to pay 50 percent of the sidewalk repair costs. “I think we need a little discussion,” said Trustee Hassan Mian directly after King’s motion. “I think staff recommends something different.” Both Trustee Phil Warhol and village President Peter Demydowich agreed with King, saying that the village had originally agreed to cost sharing with Van Meter’s and should stand by the agreement. However, said Handt again, the agreement discusses only the parking lot, not the sidewalk. If there were an agreement for maintaining sidewalks, she said, the group would not even need to be discussing Van Meter’s request. Since the agreement is a mutual agreement easement, said Handt, perhaps the village and Van Meter’s should discuss the cost of recent work on the sidewalk/approach for the village hall.
The sidewalk between Van Meter’s Meats and the Luck village hall needs repair, and last week the village board voted to split the cost with Van Meter’s. — Photos by Mary Stirrat
With trustees John Wilcoxon and Bob Determan absent from the meeting, the board voted to pay half the cost of the repairs. In attendance were Demydowich and Trustees King, Warhol, Mian and Marsha Jensen. “It’s a shared area,” said Jensen before the vote. “Our village hall looks wonderful. Let’s share. Because we share the parking lot, let’s share the cost of the sidewalk.” No bid has yet been obtained, said Van Meter at the meeting.
Appraisal service approved Luck’s longtime assessor, Bob Clifton, announced early this year that he will be retiring this fall, and the village board has officially selected Associated Appraisals of Appleton to be the new village assessor. The village received three bids, and Associated Appraisals was given the threeyear maintenance contract. Cost for the first year is $3,500, the second is $3,550 and the third is $3,600. In addition, there will be a one-time fee of $7,600 to convert to electronic files, which the Department of Revenue requires to be completed by 2013. The other
bids were $6,000 per year and $9,100 per year. Along with two three-year contracts with Associated Appraisals, the board approved a total revaluation of the village for 2012. Cost of the revaluation is $28,500, which includes the first year’s maintenance contract of $3,500 plus the $7,600 electronic conversion. There is currently $22,673 in a village savings account for revaluation, said Handt, and another $2,500 will be added in November for the 2011 appropriation, bringing the total year-end balance to $25,175. The village has anticipated budgeting $6,800 for revaluation in 2012, but only $4,325 will be needed to meet the $28,500 commitment. The last full revaluation took place in 1997, although the Department of Revenue recommends one every 10 years. Clifton has been the assessor for the villages of Luck and Frederic as well as the Town of Laketown, and the three municipalities have discussed options for hiring a joint assessor. On Monday, Aug. 8, the village of Frederic voted to contract with Associated Appraisals. The Town of Laketown will meet Tuesday, Aug. 23, to dis-
Bernard Laird, CEO of Associated Appraisals, discussed his firm’s services with the Luck Village Board. Associated Appraisals was selected as the new village assessor following the retirement of Bob Clifton. cuss and possibly hire a replacement for Clifton, said town board Chair Dan King.
Other business • The board gave approval to the school to put in a wider driveway on the north side of the school building. The school will be eliminating the two separate driveways, one into the wood shop and one into the small engine shop, to make one larger driveway to accommodate the recycling truck. • The village plan commission will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 22, on proposed changes in the floodplain ordinance and map. At 6:45 p.m., the commission will meet at the school to discuss options for building a bypass road to alleviate traffic problems on 7th Street by the school. • The community club is seeking volunteers to begin planning the 2012 Lucky Days celebration, which will be July 20-22. Anyone interested in helping can contact Mian at 715-472-2000.
School board approves changes to district’s health insurance plan by Priscilla Bauer Leader staff writer GRANTSBURG – The Grantsburg School Board met Monday, Aug. 8. In a 50 vote, the board approved changes to the district’s health insurance plan which will bring the employee contribution to 12 percent of their health insurance premium cost. The new changes will take effect on Sept. 1. The four board members on the transition committee read the minutes of two meetings held this summer by the committee and explained the members consensus recommendation. The transition team, whose role it was to provide staff input to the school board on changes to the employee handbook, is made up of volunteers including one teacher and one support staff per school, plus principals and one nonrepresented employee. After hearing the transition team’s rec-
ommendation the board had a lengthy discussion over the details, pros, cons, costs, savings, employee contribution percentages and comparison to other local school districts also changing to a similar model, etc. The board also heard explanations of the two insurance options by Bremer insurance benefit specialist Doug Willert. The first option, a health reimbursement arrangement, would double the current deductible from $225 for a single employee and $675 for a family. The second, a health savings account combined with the HRA, would mean higher deductibles for employees than the HRA option but costs would be offset with the district helping fund the HSA from a portion of the savings on the health insurance premiums, meaning a savings to staff members. After the meeting, Superintendent Joni Burgin commented on the two options
saying employees will need to understand the options and see how they will apply to their individual medical needs. “Now that they have two options, they need to understand the differences so they can make the best decision for their situation,” said Burgin. “They, of course, are concerned they will have smaller paychecks with fixed budget responsibilities,” commented Burgin, noting the 12-percent health insurance contribution will be in addition to the 50-percent WRS retirement contribution, which is also new. Burgin went on to say the contribution is the same level as state employees and some nearby districts, including Luck and Webster, which are also changing plans and considering an HSA.
In other board business Cindi Throngard, director for the district’s community education, volunteers
and STEP programs gave the board a report on each for the coming school year. The board heard goal and building reports for the 2010-11 school year. The board voted to approve the 20112012 transportation contract with a costof-living increase of 3.8 percent on the daily equipment rate for a total increase of $7,218.69, increasing the daily equipment rate to $99.09. Cocurricular rates are frozen for 2011-2012. When applied to total fleet costs, the total cost-of-living increase is 1.31 percent. The board approved the second reading of the grade advancement policy for grades four through eight which requires students to be proficient in core classes in order to move to the next grade. The board approved the resignation of Kim Bassett with the $600 late-resignation penalty fee. The board approved Maurice Henderson as assistant football coach.
Stranded canoeists rescued Recent rainfall has made St. Croix River dangerous in spots DANBURY - A group of young campers from a Hudson YMCA camp were rescued Thursday evening, Aug. 4, after encountering high waters and rapids on the St. Croix River north of Danbury. The Burnett County Sheriff’s Department issued the following press release: On Thursday, Aug. 4, at 8:49 p.m., the Burnett County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a number of canoeists overturned and stranded on the St. Croix River
about one mile south of CCC Bridge Landing in the Town of Blaine. This area is located approximately 12 miles northeast of Danbury. According to Chief Deputy Scott M. Burns, the group of 14 female campers ages 15-20, and two adult counselors from YMCA Camp St. Croix in Hudson began an overnight canoe trip from the Schoen Park Landing in Douglas County earlier in the day and encountered high water and fast-current conditions on the St. Croix River, causing several canoes to swamp, and the canoeists to become stranded along the riverbanks. Rescue efforts were coordinated immediately, and all of the stranded campers were removed
from the riverway utilizing a hovercraft and boats by about 1:40 a.m. This incident occurred in a remote, wilderness area where the riverbanks, landings and campsites are only accessible via the river. “All campers and counselors have been accounted for and were taken back to Camp St. Croix in Hudson. North Memorial Ambulance personnel treated and released one camper at the scene who was reportedly suffering from exposure. No other injuries were reported. The Burnett County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by St. Croix Tribal Police, the Wisconsin State Patrol, National Park Service, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Danbury Fire Department, Dairy-
land Fire Department and North Memorial Ambulance. The Burnett County Sheriff’s Office reminds canoeists and boaters that recent heavy rainfall in northern Wisconsin has caused the St. Croix and other area rivers to become treacherous with many downed trees in the riverways, high water levels, and extremely fast and dangerous currents. Extreme caution must be used when on or near these waterways. Individuals and groups can check with National Park Service headquarters for river conditions before heading out on the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers. - with information from Burnett County Sheriff’s Dept.