TOWN OF BELL BOARD MEETING

Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021

7:00

 at the Community Center

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.  Board members present were Roger Lindgren,

James Kaseno, Allen Hahn, Jackie Eid, Andrew Sauter Sargent, MaryBeth Tillmans and Janice Olson.  The meeting was available with Zoom.

-Board Meeting Minutes-

Board Meeting -J. Eid made a motion to approve the minutes with revisions and J. Kaseno

2nd the motion.  Unanimous. Approved.

-Treasurer’s Report –J. Eid made a motion to approve the report and J. Kaseno 2nd

the motion.   Vote (3-1) Yes-J. Eid, Andrew Sauter Sargent & J.  Kaseno.

No- Allen Hahn.  Abstained – R. Lindgren. Approved.

 

Board Comments

1. Hahn – The Turkey Feed by the Cornucopia Fire was success. Many compliments

were received about it being a wonderful family event. Compliments were also received

about the community center being a great facility.

1. Kaseno – Thank the fire department and the volunteers for their help and success of

the Fire Dept’s Thanksgiving dinner.

1. Lindgren – He thanked the volunteers for the decorations at the community center and

around town.

 

Correspondence– – Reviewed

Committee Reports-Reviewed

• Recycling center – Tires are being collected until Dec. 20^th. There will be a collection

for small batteries. A. Hahn is looking into providing new services at the center.

Public Comment Period –

Nancy Moye – Has an opinion that Lost Creek Beach should be closed to commercial

operators.

.     Y. Fleming – Offers her support to vote yes to support the Cornucopia Club Trails

Incorporated joining Bayfield Area Trails Committee (BATC).

 

Old Business

1. BIG, RBF Award, HAP Grant Award – update

Additional Funds were approved for the RBF grant.  The town did not receive the

matching grant from BIG. The HAP grant was withdrawn because of the

expense.  The match could not be met. R. Lindgren is talking with the Army Corp of

Engineers about some money being available for this type of project.

2. Commercial use of Public Lands – table until next meeting
3. Parking at CC and boat launch – table until next meeting
4. Enforcement of Ordinances – Progress on list of fines.
5. Lindgren put together a list of ordinances with fines. The board will review it.

 

 

5. Siskiwit Lake Campground

Previous letters received from citizens were reviewed by the board. Doug Becker

spoke about changes to the campground.  The Parks & Lands is working on site fees

and the campground layout. They are putting together a plan for pit toilets.

6. Broderson Class A Special Use permits – Jackie Eid
7. Lindgren and J. Eid were in contact with Matt Broderson about his Class A permit

for shoreland grading.  At the last board meeting, the board voted not to recommend

approval of it to Bayfield County Zoning.  Bayfield County Zoning did contact the town

and asked them to reconsider approving it.  Discussion was held.  A. Sauter Sargent

made a motion to approve recommending approval of the permit to the county with

applicable fines.  J. Kaseno 2^nd the motion.  Vote (4-1) Yes-R. Lindgren, J. Eid,

1. Kaseno and A. Sauter Sargent. No- A. Hahn. Approved.
2. Tillmans Rezone – Jackie Eid

The Planning Commission recommended approval of the rezone the parcel to R-4.

The lot size is conforming.  A. Sauter Sargent made a motion to recommend approval

of the rezone and J. Eid 2^nd the motion.  Unanimous decision. Approved.

8. Clarification of North Stone Road adoption – Matt Hipsher
9. Hipsher spoke. It is native soil and will remain that way.  At the last meeting, the

town board approved adopting it with the understanding that it would meet the

town roads specifications.  This will not be the case.  A. Hahn made a motion to

rescind his motion from last month to adopt the road with the requirement that

it met town road standards.  A. Sauter Sargent 2^nd the motion.  Unanimous decision.

Approved.  A. Hahn made a motion to adopt North Stone Road after the

improvements are completed by the county. A. Sauter Sargent 2^nd the motion.

Unanimous decision.  Approved.

9. Decision to join/support BATC – Gordon Anderson

A local group of citizens have formed the Cornucopia Club Trails Incorporated.  Their

purpose is to develop and promote trails in the Town of Bell.  They have been invited

to join BTAC. A town board representative is needed to sign the Memorandum of

Understanding with BTAC.  A. Hahn made a motion to join and support the BATC.

1. Sauter Sargent 2^nd the motion. Unanimous decision.  R. Lindgren will be the

town board representative.

10. Lost Creek Beach – Doug Becker – Tabled

The land was surveyed. There is a concern of private use of the public land.

11. STH13 – Superior Avenue Crosswalk – Jackie Eid

An official crosswalk will be placed crossing Hwy 13 from Superior Ave.  The

estimated cost is $10,600.  The DOT wants it to be a 90 degree angle crossing the

road. R. Lund wrote WI DOT a letter to do it the DOT way and asked for funding to

do it their way.

12. Whitecap Kayak – request for use of public lands – lost creek beach

A letter was received from Whitecap Kayak asking to use the Lost Creek property.

1. Becker spoke with neighbors. The road is narrow and there is insufficient parking.

The Parks and Lands Committee asked the board to deny permits for commercial use

of Lost Creek.  A. Hahn made a motion to deny Whitecap Kayak use at Lost Creek.

1. Sauter Sargent 2^nd the motion. Unanimous decision.  Approved.

 

New Business

1. Road Committee – should have budgeted some engineering – table

Looking for members to help find funding and improving the roads in the Town of

Bell.

2. Finance Committee – focusing on where $$ spent and critique – search for resources –

table

Looking for members. R. Lindgren has found out that it is possible for the Town of

Bell to be considered a premier resort area and collect a sales tax.  The tax would be

.5% tax that would come to the town. He will be researching this more.

3. Recycle – Changes in waste categories/ charges/our fees – mattresses, large furniture,

tires and batteries, formation of oversight committee

The costs of waste are going up. A. Hahn made a motion to increase the rate of

mattresses and large furniture to $30.00.  R. Lindgren 2^nd the motion.  Unanimous

decision. Approved. A. Hahn is trying to add services.  He will keep the board

informed.  He proposed an oversight committee of decision making at the recycle

center. The purpose is for proposing policy, fact finding and finding funds. It can

be formed, if he can find members.

4. Coffee Hour Thursdays
5. Lindgren is proposing The Cornucopia Coffee Cart have a coffee hour open to all

persons with current and up to date vaccinations.  He is recommending people not

attend if they are sick.  Masks will not be required.  He did send the proposal

request plan to Sara Wartman, the county nurse.  He has not heard not back from

her.

5. Approval of Election Officers
6. Tillmans read the list of election officers. A. Sauter Sargent made motion

to the approve the list as edited and J. Kaseno 2^nd the motion.  Unanimous decision.

6. Set date for annual caucus – January 11, 2022
7. Hahn made a motion to approve the date for the caucus and J. Eid 2^nd the motion.

Unanimous decision.  Approved.

7. Town of Bell Sanitary District – Mark Ehlers

The same collection system that was created when the town started sewage

collection is still being used today. The town has seen an increase in population and

summer residents. Today, there are more residents living outside the district that

have holding tanks, that need to be pumped. There is increased usage and more

holding tanks. The current pond is not sufficient. The sanitary district is looking into

adding an additional pond. Currently, there is no funding available.  The amount

needed is approximately $950,000. It would be for a separate collection system. The

sanitary district has applied for a loan from the WI DNR for the fiscal year

2022-2023. They need the town board to support the project. They can use it to

help find funding. The town board does acknowledge the problem for the town and

approves of the Town of Bell Sanitary District applying for loans and grants.

The Sanitary District is in need of a commissioner.  The commission consists of three

commissioners.  Currently, the commissioners are Mark Ehlers and Jesse Kaseno.

If someone is interested, they should contact M. Ehlers – mgecpa@cheqnet.net .

8. Proposed additions to Bayfield County Forest

A proposal from Jason Bodin, of the Bayfield Co. Forestry Dept. was received.

They are proposing a project for Bayfield Co, along with the Bayfield Conservancy

of adding 2,017 acres to the County Forest. They want to include two parcels,

that total approximately 600 acres, that are in the Town of Bell.  One parcel is

440 acres near Siskiwit Lake. It is at the end of Rocky Road and southeast of Siskiwit

Lake. An additional project in conjunction with Landmark Conservancy is a is 160

acre parcel north of Kaseno Road near Lost Creek Falls.  The current total

value on the tax role for the parcels in their current classification is $617.00

($1.03 acre) a year.  If put in the county’s project, approximately $1700 a year would

be received. Discussion has held.  Board questions will be given to J. Bodin. He will

be asked to attend the January board meeting.  A. Hahn made a motion to support

in principle Bayfield Co. Forest Department’s proposal for the land acquisition as

part of their project in the Town of Bell.  A. Sauter Sargent 2^nd the motion.

Vote (3 -0-2): Yes(3)-R. Lindgren, A. Hahn & A. Sauter Sargent; No(0);

Abstained (2)- J. Kaseno & J. Eid.  Approved.

9. Goveia Short Term Rental – Jackie Eid

The Planning Commission recommended to approve the permit to the Bayfield

County.  A. Sauter Sargent made a motion to approve recommending the permit to

Bayfield Co. Zoning and A. Hahn 2^nd the motion.  Unanimous decision.  Approved.

10. Board may entertain a motion to move into closed session pursuant to §19.85(1),(f),

pertaining to financial, medical, social or personal histories or disciplinary data of

specific persons, preliminary consideration of specific personnel problems or the

investigation of charges against specific persons except where par. (b) applies which,

if discussed in public, would be likely to have a substantial adverse effect upon the

reputation of any person referred to in such histories or data, or involved in such

problems or investigations.

At 9:30, A. Sauter Sargent made a motion to go into closed session and A. Hahn 2^nd

the motion. Unanimous decision. Approve.

 

Bills were paid.  At 12:15 a.m., A. Sauter Sargent made a motion to adjourn the meeting and A. Hahn 2nd the motion.  Approved.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

MaryBeth Tillmans – Clerk