REGULAR
MEETING OF THE
TOWN
OF MENASHA UTILITY DISTRICT
Municipal
Complex - Assembly Room
Monday,
November 22, 1999
MINUTES
The agenda was
posted at the Municipal Complex, Fire Station 40, Town of Menasha Utility
District, Appleton Public Library, Menasha Public Library, and Neenah Public
Library and is available on the Town of Menasha Website www.town-menasha.com.
I. CALL TO ORDER,
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND ROLL CALL
President
Arden Tews called the Regular Meeting of Utility District Commissioners to
order at 4:30 p.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Utility
District Secretary Carlene L.. Sprague noted the roll as follows:
PRESENT:
Arden Tews, President Jeanne
Krueger, Commissioner #1
Bob Sprague, Commissioner #2 Jerry
Jurgensen, Commissioner #3
Allen Nennig, Commissioner #4 Carlene Sprague, Utility District Secretary
Brad Werner, Town Engineer Bogdan
“Bob” Vitas, Administrator
Grace Vander Velden, Dir. of Finance George Dearborn, Dir. of Com. Dev.
Jeff Roth, Utility District Water Supt. Jeff Smith, Associate Planner
EXCUSED:
Paula Pagel Utility Dist Office Manager Steve Laabs, Utility
Dist Wastewater Supt.
ALSO PRESENT:
Richard Damrow Sylvia
Damrow Alisha Damrow
Natalie Arnold Brent
Schuettpelz
Administrator Vitas presented the Town
of Menasha Utility District proposed budget.
The mill rate was proposed at $1.35 per thousand based as an equalized
mill rate. (An copy is available in the
minute book). The property owners who
have deferred hooking up to the Utility District will have 12 months to do
so. At that time, they will be
charged. The state law reads that the
developers who put in sewer and water will make it available to property owners
who need to connect within 12 months.
This should generate additional revenue.
Commissioner Krueger stated that she
had concerns because she attended meetings in the past regarding the Sanitary
District 4 and people have not been charged if they chose not to hook up.
President Tews stated that he also
understands that there are residents in the old Sanitary District who decided
not to hook up. They deferred the
cost. The residents on Clayton Avenue
who will not have the sewer and water for 3-4 years should not have to pay.
Commissioner Nennig stated that maybe
property owners understand or maybe they don't. I think its only fair that you charge everybody in the District.
President Tews stated that we should
defer the assessments.
Commissioner Sprague stated that he
would like to see that the affected people receive notice in the mail soon,
within the week, long before they get their tax bill.
President Tews stated he agreed with
Commissioner Sprague. A notice needs to
go out immediately.
Administrator Vitas stated that an
alternate plan would be to charge only the people who are receiving
services. When we formed the district
and included all parcels, we were going to segregate them out. It's going to take some time. There could be a credit to property owners
not affected.
Commissioner Sprague said that people
will be upset about getting a bill and not getting anything for it. I feel it should go back to $1.65 and spread
it between the users. I believe that
the users in the Utility District need to bite the same bullet as in the past.
President Tews thought the Utility
District should carry this debt and defer it for one year.
Administrator Vitas stated -no, not if
there is a mil rate. We need to inform
the Utility District property owners.
We formed the Utility District September 13, 1999. We can give them 12 months. Give them a copy of the State Statutes
regarding this issue. At this point, we
can increase the mil rate and charge only users and then credit those in the
Utility District who are not hooked up to sewer and water.
President Tews stated we still need to
notify the people up front.
Finance
Director Vander Velden stated that we should be careful, this may cause a
precedent for other issues that might be coming in the future.
Administrator
Vitas said that the law states you need to certify all municipalities with what
their levy will be based on with the equlized value by November 24th.
Much
discussion ensued.
A. 991108-2:UD Appoint Representative to the Neenah Menasha
Sewerage Commission
Attorney
Claypool gave a legal opinion that the present person, Mr. Johnson can not be a
member as he does not represent the Town of Menasha Utility District.
MOTION:
Commissioner Sprague, second Commissioner Jurgensen to appoint Al Nennig as
Town of Menasha Utility District Representative to the Neenah Menasha Sewerage
Commission. Motion carried (4-0)
Krueger, Sprague, Jurgensen, and President Tews-Yes, Commissioner Nennig
Abstained.
MOTION: Commissioner Jurgensen, second Commissioner Sprague to adopt the resolution and approve the Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement between the Town of Menasha and Town of Neenah for orderly maintenance of existing, development and/or growth of lands, and to provide sewer and water service within the Utility District. Motion carried unanimously.
MOTION: Commissioner Krueger, second Commissioner Sprague to adopt the resolution and approve the request of Travis J. Lehrer for water turn-on at Stone Ridge Estates on Hwy. 150. Motion carried unanimously.
MOTION: Commissioner Sprague, second Commissioner Jurgensen to adopt the resolution and approve Year 2000 meeting schedule for the Utility District Board of Commissioners. Motion carried unanimously.
MOTION: Commissioner Sprague, second Commissioner Jurgensen to adopt the resolution and approve the expenditures with the exception of (none). Motion carried unanimously.
A.
Water & Sewer Billing Report 10/99
A.
Town Administrator
Administrator
Vitas stated that we will need to come up with a method to separate properties
who are hooked up to Utilities from those who are not. Hopefully they could be coded differently. Then separate those who are users from the
non-users. The mil rate still would
drop $ .20 over the current year. $1.45
- excluding $81,994,998, which would be
for the property owners currently not served.
Another
option was to have all people in the Utility District get a letter regarding
this issue in their tax bills. Users
and Non-users.
B. Town Engineer
Brad
Werner reported on the progress of the West American Drive project.
At 5:43 p.m., MOTION: Commissioner
Sprague, second Commissioner Jurgensen to adjourn the regular meeting of the
Utility District of Commissioners.
Motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Carlene L. Sprague
Utility District Secretary