Town of Bell Harbor Commission Meeting Minutes – Feb. 7, 2022
Town of Bell
Harbor Commission Meeting
Monday, February 7, 2022
7:00 p.m. at the Community Center
The meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m.. Members present were Chuck Perry, Jesse Kaseno, Pauline Colamatteo, Will Tillmans, Jessica Resac and Jennifer Sauter Sargent. Nick Colberg was absent. Mike Thorson was also present. MaryBeth Tillmans was present for the minutes and financial reports.
Minutes – A motion was made by P. Colamatteo to approve the minutes and J. Kaseno 2nd the
motion. Unanimous decision. Approved.
Change of Agenda – J. Kaseno made a motion to move the financials reports to the top of the agenda
and P. Colamatteo 2nd the motion. Unanimous decision. Approved.
Financial Statement – M. Tillmans reviewed the financial statements, P. Colamatteo made a motion to
approve the financial reports and J. Kaseno 2nd the motion. Unanimous decision. Approved.
Colamatteo made a motion to accept M. Tillmans’s secretary timesheet with a subsequent wage
rate increase of 2.5% as of Jan. 4, following the town pay rate increase. J. Kaseno 2nd the motion.
Unanimous decision. Approved.
Conflict of interest – None
Public Comments – Ken Scott will not have a boat slip this year.
Public Hearing – None
Reports:
Harbor Dredging Committee –D. Tillmans report presented by W. Tillmans. It covers the entryway from the opening at the mouth to the turning basin. It covers the turning basin and into the east and west slip approximately 30 feet. It covers the river from turning basin upstream to Hwy.13 bridge.
It allows spoils from this section to be hauled to the town gravel pit and to the town garage/recycle center areas.
The DNR wants more sediment testing and analysis in order to dredge further into the east and west slips.
The submerged land lease area northeast of break wall is included in permit for beach nourishment. The DNR wants more testing before using this disposal area in the future.
This looks to cover basic needs right now but will need to be expanded more in the future as needs increase for both dredging and disposal areas.
This work with the Wisconsin DNR has taken over 5 months and has involved six of their individual specialists, An entirely new process for all and the first permit for three of them
Green Shed – It is closed for the winter.
Shop Lease Policy Statement – J. Sauter Sargent made contact with Amanda Holmes, executive
director of the Preservation Society of Fish Town in Leland. They have similarities to what we do
with the shops. They lease the buildings. They have more controls over things. A copy of their
lease agreement was received. Discussion was held. J. Sauter will work on a rough draft of a
questionnaire for the parameters on what the town would like to see.
Old Business:
1. Halvorson Lease 2022
It is going up for its final approval at the next town board meeting on Tuesday. They would like
to use the area around the corner by the entry and the north wall by the green shed. They have
requested 260 feet of boat length. They can shuffle their boats around for the 260 feet of boat
length. This will be put on their docking.
- Harbor Map -The transition from the harbor to the break wall and beach will be where the
corrugated sheet steel begins. Discussion was held about the bathrooms and being on the
map. They will be included on the map. How to handle the bathrooms will be on the agenda
next month. W. Tillmans will continue to work the map.
- Ten Year Plan – No update
- Breakwater access –No action has been taken. It will be done in the spring.
- Boardwalk leveling – This is a project expected to done in the spring.
- BIG and RBF and HAP grant update – The town got the original BIG grant, but the extension was
declined. The town did get the RBF with the extension.
- Harbor Master Job Description/Harbor Master Replacement – Discussion was held about
requirements. J. Kaseno made a motion to approve the Town of Bell Harbor Commission job
description with the changes discussed. J. Sauter Sargent 2nd the motion. Unanimous decision.
Approved. P. Colamatteo made a motion to make the Harbor Master position a $5000.00 annual
salary, to be paid monthly. J. Resac 2nd the motion. Unanimous decision. Approved. The position
will be posted.
- General Rule Update – The last one was from June 2021, which included quiet hours after
9:00 p.m.. Discussion was held about excluding operations of commercial vessels from
quiet hours.
- AIS prevention grant – Update – There has been communications with the national parks service.
They do have a boat cleaning station for the Town of Bell marina. They are working on a
document that they want the Harbor Commission to sign. The document will be distributed
New Business
- Financial Statement – Covered at the start of meeting.
Communications
. P. Colamatteo received an email from Ray Jones. He has purchased a new boat and would like a bulk
head slip. He is requesting a refund from last year.
At 8:58 p.m., J. Sauter Sargent made a motion to adjourn and P. Colamatteo 2nd the motion.
Approved.
Respectfully submitted,
MaryBeth Tillmans – Secretary