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

TOWN OF BELL BOARD MEETING

Tuesday, March 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, Jackie Eid, Jesse Kaseno were present at the meeting. Paul Ehlers, MaryBeth Tillmans and Janice Olson were present on Zoom.

-Board Meeting Minutes-

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

Unanimous decision. Approved.

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

motion. Unanimous decision. Approved.

 

Board Comments

  1. Eid – Nominations for the Planning Commission are being taken.
  2. Ehlers – Would like to nominate Richard Dunn for the Parks and Lands Committee
  3. Lindgren – Nominations will be taken for the Planning Commission, Parks and Lands

Committee and the Harbor Commission. The nominations can be emailed or phoned

to any board member. The nominations will be approved at the next town board

meeting. J. Eid nominated John Anderson for the Planning Commission.

-He thanked everyone for their cooperation of the survey.

Correspondence– – Reviewed

Committee Reports-Reviewed

– The Planning Commission is gathering a lot of information on

short term rentals and will be doing a workshop on March 22nd.

Sanitary District – They have nothing new to report.

Public Comments

            Susan Keachie – the Cornucopia Business Assoc. will be having a Lupine Festival

on June 10th & 11th.  It will include a town wide garage sale on Sat., June  10th.

Participants can check the CBA wide site for more information.

Richard Dunn – He is willing to serve on the Parks and Lands committee. He

had question about the nomination process.

Old Business

  1. Housing Presentation by Kelly Westlund

Kelly Westlund, Bayfield County Housing Outreach Specialist was present

to discuss rural community housing, and to answer questions or concerns.

  1. Resolution/proposal to form housing work group to develop Request For Proposal

Kaseno will chair a work group to develop a RFP for rural community housing. They

will determine what is wanted and where.

  1. Snow Plowing Ordinance

Eid made a motion to approve the Snowplowing Ordinance and G. Anderson

2nd the motion.  Unanimous decision. Approved.

 

  1. Security Camera Policy / Ordinance

The ordinance was created to allow the recording from the security cameras

to only be released to the Bayfield Co. Sheriff department or the Town of Bell Fire

Chief. J. Eid made a motion to approve the ordinance and G. Anderson 2nd the

motion. Unanimous decision. Approved.

  1. Update – Bridge Grant for Mountain Road – STP Local Plans

The town is unable to get the funds this year, but it will try again next year.

  1. Town Board Meeting and Parliamentary Procedure Ordinance

Eid made a motion that this be tabled for further review and J. Kaseno 2nd the

motion.  Unanimous decision. Approved.

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

This was tabled until the Harbor Commission and Parks & Land committee meet.

  1. Update – Recycle Center Operation

There is now a recycling manager and operator. Things are operating well. The

recycling center will remain open on Fridays and Saturdays.  A survey will be

be done, to see if people would prefer Sunday or Monday to be open too during

the summer months from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

New Business

  1. County Comprehensive Planning – Land use Plan

The Planning Commission is still receiving information on this from the county.

They will be reviewing it.

  1. Nominations for Parks & Lands Committee Position 3 held by Judy Becker and Position 4

held by Doug Becker expire in April, 2023

Richard Dunn was nominated by Paul Ehlers.  G. Anderson nominated Doug

Becker and Judy Becker. The nominations can be emailed or phoned to any board

member. The nominations will be approved at the next town board meeting.

  1. Nominations for Harbor Commission Positions 3 and 4 held by Jennifer Sauter-Sargent, Chuck Perry, and Roger Lindgren expire in April 2023

David Tillmans was nominated by Pauline Colamatteo and Chuck Perry was

nominated by Doug Becker. The nominations can be emailed or phoned

to any board member. The nominations will be approved at the next town board

meeting.

  1. Summer Parking – Potential issues. Ideas discussion.

Parking on Superior Ave is an issue, especially at the intersection with Highway

  1. P. Ehlers will head a work group to find solutions to relieve parking on

Superior Ave..

  1. Enforcement of Transient Vendor Ordinance this summer.

The question was raised about who would be enforcing the Transient

Vendor Ordinance this summer.

  1. Plan earth day activities – town clean-up etc Saturday April 22nd.

The Cornucopia Club will be sponsoring and doing the Earth Day Clean Up.

  1. Contract with Bayfield County for mowing and plowing services.

The town has been doing work for the county on the Swenson Preserve

property.  The contract formalizes the relationship between the county and

the town. It schedules and defines costs.  G. Anderson made a motion to

approve the contract and J. Kaseno 2nd the motion.  Unanimous decision.

Approved.

  1. Resolution to investigate/ request proposal to install solar panels.

The cost for solar panels for the community center and Ash garage (fire

department) would be approximately $30,000 with a seven year payback.

  1. Ehlers made a motion to table this until Kurt Nelson is able to review the

numbers. There was not a second.  P. Ehlers rescinded his motion.  J. Kaseno

made a motion to proceed with the proposals and G. Anderson 2nd the motion.

Unanimous decision. Approved.  Kurt Nelson will review the proposals.

  1. General Maintenance Person

A general maintenance person is needed for the town. Discussion of this will be

held in the closed session.

 

Public Comment

Doug Becker – Thanked Roger Lindgren for all of his work that he has done for the town.

At 8:21 p.m. the board moved into the closed session.

 

Closed Session

  1. Wage issues

 

At 8:51 p.m. the board moved back into the regular board session.

  1. Elhers made a motion to adjourn the meeting and J. Eid 2nd the motion. Approved.

 

Respectfully submitted,

MaryBeth Tillmans – Clerk

 

 

 

 

Posted in Archives, Board Minutes 2023, Town Board