Minutes – Town of Bell Board Meeting, Tues., Feb. 14, 2023

TOWN OF BELL BOARD MEETING

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

7:00 p.m.

at the Community Center

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m.  Board members present were Roger Lindgren,  Gordon Anderson, Paul Ehlers, Jackie Eid, Jesse Kaseno and Janice Olson. MaryBeth Tillmans was present on Zoom.  The meeting was available on Zoom.

-Board Meeting Minutes-

Eid made a motion to approve the minutes and G. Anderson 2nd the motion.

Unanimous decision. Approved.

-Treasurer’s Report –G. Anderson made a motion to approve the minutes and J. Eid 2nd the

motion. Unanimous decision. Approved.

 

Board Comments

  1. Lindgren – Ken Roman thanked Jody Hipsher for the beautiful Christmas tree on

Superior Ave. Roger thanked all the other volunteers for their work in

making the town a great place to live.

Correspondence– – Reviewed

Committee Reports-Reviewed

Sanitary District – They are still working with the DNR on the permit for the new ponds.

Delineation is being done for the new ponds.  A special permanent plan is

needed for the treatment of the lagoons to be done twice a year. An engineer

has been hired to help with the plan. Things are moving slowly.

Public Comments

  1. Anderson – He acknowledged the passing of Bruce Grainger.

 

Old Business

  1. Security Cameras –

Cameras have been installed in the Community Center. They are now recording.

Improvements are still in process. Noted that cameras are also activated by sound

and do record.

  1. EMS – Support by EPC

The Emergency Planning Committee met.  They are reviewing their purpose and

objectives.

  1. Potential Ice Caves

The next meeting with the Park Service is Friday, Feb. 24th.

  1. Housing

There was a Town Bell listening session with the county on Feb 14th at 6:00 PM

the Community Center, which no one attended. There will be another listening

session. The date will be announced later.

 

 

New Business

  1. Private Drive Ordinance

Changes were made to the ordinance to improve the paperwork flow.

The fee was changed from $10 to $25. J. Eid made a motion to approve the

amendment of the Private Drive Ordinance and G. Anderson 2nd the motion.

Unanimous decision. Approved.

  1. Resolution: Bridge Grant for Mountain Road.

A federal grant, is available for culverts or bridge on Mountain Road.  The current

culvert is failing. It would be 100% funded. The town can apply for a grant under

STP Local for paving of Mountain Road.  It would be a 80/20 funded grant.

Kaseno made a motion to proceed with applying for the grants for Mountain

Road and J. Eid 2nd the motion.  Unanimous decision. Approved.

  1. Resolution to support Bayfield County application for RAISE Grant.

Eid made a motion to send a resolution of support for Bayfield County’s

Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE)

Grant application. G. Anderson 2nd the motion.  Unanimous decision.

This grant project will:

  • Create a second all season north south road in Bayfield
  • An essential Improvement for resident and visitor mobility within Bayfield
  • Improve traveler safety between US Highway 2 and State Highway 27
  • Provide the forest industry year-round access to county and national forest
  • Provide year-round access for construction and agricultural industries.
  • Provide Multi-Modal opportunities.
  • Provide Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Barnes and Iron River
  1. Revised snow plowing policy

The town plows a lot of roads that are not residential streets. There was an

incident this winter, where a truck cab was impaled by a fallen tree. The policy is

being changed to handle situations like this. The plow truck operator will stop

and report it.  It will be investigated by the town road supervisor and chair to

resolve the matter. J. Eid made a motion to send the Revised Snow Plowing Policy

to a committee consisting of R. Lindgren and Matt Hipsher and anyone else who

they think may be applicable, to put it in proper format. J. Kaseno 2nd the motion.

Unanimous decision. Approved.

  1. Broderson proposal to build 20-unit housing

Matt Broderson attended the Planning Commission meeting via Zoom, on Mon.,

Feb. 14th. He is proposing to do a multi-unit housing project. A housing study

has not been done. Currently, he does not have the land for the project.  There

would be five buildings with 4 units.  The plan is not supported by the Town

of Bell Comprehensive Land Plan.  More information will forth coming.

 

 

 

  1. Town Board Meeting and Parliamentary Procedure Ordinance

Lindgren copied the Wis. Statue for Town Board Meeting and Parliamentary

Procedure for the town board to review. R. Lindgren proposed assigning a group of

Lindgren and G. Anderson or whoever, to put this into proper ordinance format for

presentation at the March 14th meeting, for review and approval. J. Eid made a motion to have a Parliamentary Procedure Ordinance                 reviewed and properly executed by R. Lindgren and G. Anderson and anyone else that would like to work

with them. G. Anderson 2nd the motion.  Unanimous decision. Approved.

  1. PFAS-PFOA potential in our water

A document was received about the potential of these chemicals in the area water.

Lindgren spoke with AnneMarie Coy from the Bayfield County Health Dept. about

this.  She stated that it was unlikely that this is in our aquafers. She is part of group

researching samples from the flowing well outflow.  A report will be coming out on

the matter.

  1. Wolf Management Plan – Pat Quaintance.

Pat Quaintance the President of the area’s Wildlife Federation, spoke about the DNRs

new Wolf Management Plan.  The Wildlife Federation has thirty two concerns about

the plan.  He spoke about those concerns.  The DNR is still taking comments until

February 28th.

  1. Lakeside Mining LLC: Short Term Rental.

This application is for a short term rental on Mountain Ash Road.  The Planning

Commission recommends denial of the application.  They felt the application was

in prematurely.  They have no running water and it doesn’t meet Bayfield Co.

Health Departments requirements for short term rentals.  J. Eid made a motion

to deny approval until further clarification of concerns and R. Lindgren 2nd the

motion.  Unanimous decision.  Motion approved.

  1. Recycle Center – Hours of Operation, Fees, Staffing

The Recycling Center is losing an employee.  An ad was posted. They are looking at

hiring a manager and a part time operator.  Applicants have applied. The hiring of

positions will be discussed in the closed session.  It is being considered to

only be open on Sundays or Mondays in the summer.

  1. Request to approve Map of Harbor Commission’s jurisdiction

The Harbor Commission put a map together of their jurisdiction for approval

from the town board. Questions were raised about the bathrooms, boats that

don’t float and the break wall.  Should these areas be the in the Harbor

Commission’s area and not the Parks and Lands?  R. Lindgren made a motion

to direct the Parks and Lands committee and the Harbor Commission to have

a joint meeting to discuss these questions. J. Eid 2nd the motion.  Unanimous

decision. Approved.

  1. Agreement to collect last 12 months power bills from CC and Town Garage to ask for    evaluation

The town will collect 12 months of power bills from the Community Center and

town garage.  An evaluation will be done to see the possible value of solar power.

 

       At this point in the meeting there was a break to celebrate Pauline and Mark Ehlers as

citizens of the Year 2022.

 

Closed Session

      At 8:42 p.m. the board moved into a closed session.

 

  1. Wage issues

 

At 9:16 p.m. the board moved back into the regular board session.

Eid made a motion to adjourn the meeting and G. Anderson 2nd the motion. Approved.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

MaryBeth Tillmans – Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Archives, Board Minutes 2023